Fact: Heart disease is the world’s number one killer. And as third world countries become more affluent heart disease becomes more prevalent. And sociologists and scientists are quick to point to fast food, cigarettes and a soft lifestyle. Western decadence, they would have us believe, is clogging the arteries of simple cultures around the globe.
But now a new study has called into question those critics of all things American…like Big Macs, Wide Screen TV’s and escalators. Researchers in Cairo have found evidence of atherosclerosis in 22 mummies from the Egyptian national Museum of Antiquities. A team of cardiologists with too much time on their hands, flew to Cairo and conducted CT scans of the mummies looking for signs of heart disease.
According to their report they were actually able to find the hearts in only 16 of the 22 mummies…hmmm. It would seem that the stereotype of the heartless Pharaohs may be more accurate than thought. But I digress. When they could find the heart or arteries they found definite signs of heart disease. A couple of the old guys were as young as 45 and had signs of heart problems.
So, it would seem that one of two conclusions can be drawn. First and most likely, heart disease is part of the human condition, Or, the Pharaohs spent a good deal of time sitting around on their butts, chewing on two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun, puffing away at some form of weed and generally stressing out on the business of running an empire.
Just what we need…one more healthcare issue to ponder.
