The Ancestral Wisdom That Supported Better Health in the Past

• The rise of industrialized food production — With industrialization, food production shifted dramatically from traditional methods. This introduced refined sugars, seed oils, fortified grains, and mass-produced convenience foods.

• Modern diets lost their nutritional foundation — Industrialized food production has stripped meals of their original nutritional value and replaced nutrient-dense staples with calorie-rich but micronutrient-poor substitutes.

• The mismatch between biology and diet — Despite your biological need for the same essential nutrients, the modern diet bears little resemblance to the diverse, traditional whole-food-based diets that once sustained human health.

• Organ meats were central to traditional cooking — Historical cookbooks and records from the 1700s to the early 1900s, such as “The Lady’s Assistant for Regulating and Supplying the Table” from 1787, highlight the widespread use of organ meats in cooking, as seen in the images below.³

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• Bone broths supported gut, joint, and skin health — Bones were also simmered into broths and soups, creating an excellent source of collagen and amino acids that supported gut health, joint strength, and skin elasticity.^4,5 Today, these nutrient powerhouses have been largely abandoned in favor of boneless, skinless, fat-free cuts that offer far less nutrition.

• Saturated fat was once embraced, not feared — Ancestral diets also included ample amounts of saturated fat, which was not feared but recognized as an essential part of a well-rounded diet. The vilification of saturated fat in the 20th century stemmed from the flawed Diet-Heart Hypothesis by Ancel Keys, which inaccurately linked it to heart disease.

• Seed oils replaced animal fats, but with consequences — This led to the widespread replacement of animal fats with high-PUF (polyunsaturated fats) vegetable oils.⁶

• Debunking the Diet-Heart Hypothesis — Mounting research has debunked Keys’ claim. For example, a 2016 re-evaluation of the Diet-Heart Hypothesis found that while replacing saturated fats with vegetable oils lowered cholesterol, it did not reduce the risk of heart disease or overall mortality.⁷

In reality, seed oils hinder glucose metabolism and lower your metabolic rate, so the shift toward it has not resulted in better public health but has instead fueled the growing epidemic of chronic diseases.⁸ Explore the full impact of seed oils on your metabolic health in “Linoleic Acid — The Most Destructive Ingredient in Your Diet.”

• Carbohydrates were eaten year-round for steady energy — Carbohydrates were often preserved in the form of jams, jellies, and dried fruits to ensure a steady supply of energy regardless of the season.¹⁰ Winter diets included potatoes, apples, and fermented vegetables, while summer brought fresh berries, melons, and other fruits.

• Ancestral diets maintained macronutrient balance — Unlike modern low-carb diet trends that promote extreme restriction, ancestral diets maintained a balance of macronutrients that supported metabolic health.¹¹

• Whole grains were soaked or fermented for digestibility — Whole grains were a dietary staple, soaked or fermented to improve digestibility and nutrient absorption. They were vastly different from the genetically modified, pesticide-laden varieties that are available today.

• Traditional baking relied on clean, heritage grains — Bread and baked goods were made from non-GMO flours without the addition of synthetic vitamins and minerals, which preserves the integrity of the original ingredients.

• Vegetables were cooked, not eaten raw — Vegetables were another important component of ancestral diets, but unlike the modern trend of raw, fiber-heavy salads, vintage cookbooks consistently showcase recipes that emphasize roasting, steaming, and stewing vegetables. Traditional food preparation methods prioritized digestibility and reduced antinutrients that interfere with nutrient absorption.¹²

• Sugar was used, but in traditional forms — Sugar, also vilified in modern diet culture, was a regular part of ancestral eating. However, it came in the form of minimally processed cane or beet sugar, honey, and fruit-based desserts rather than artificial sweeteners or high-fructose corn syrup.

• Desserts were homemade with nutrient-dense ingredients — Desserts, such as fruit pies, rice puddings, and custards, were made with whole ingredients like pasture-raised butter, low-PUF eggs, and full-fat dairy, without the industrial additives found in today’s processed sweets.¹³

• Three meals a day provided consistent nourishment — Many cookbooks featured meal plans, often referred to as “Bill of Fares,” outlining three daily meals. Below is an example from “The Queen of the Household,” published in 1896.

• Processed foods were completely absent — Perhaps the most significant contrast between ancestral diets and modern eating habits is the complete absence of industrially processed foods. Everything was made from scratch using whole ingredients, with no reliance on packaged convenience foods.

• Cooking was a daily practice rooted in tradition — Food preparation was not seen as a chore but as a daily rhythm embedded in family life and cultural tradition. Meals were prepared with care, using methods passed down through generations.

• Modern diets have abandoned balance and real food — The modern diet has strayed far from the nutrient-dense, balanced approach that sustained our ancestors for generations, and this has led to the explosion of metabolic dysfunction, obesity, and chronic disease.

• Restoring ancestral principles is essential for health — Without a return to traditional dietary principles built on real food, balanced meals, and nutrient-dense ingredients, these health problems will only continue to worsen.

• Resting metabolic rate has declined since the 1800s — According to an article published in Current Biology,¹⁴ Americans’ resting metabolic rate (RMR) — the total number of calories burned when your body is at rest — has declined by approximately 6% since 1820. This decline translates to roughly 27 fewer minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per day.

• Lower body temperatures reflect reduced metabolic activity — The study suggests that body temperature, which is directly linked to metabolic rate, has steadily declined over the past two centuries. This serves as a physiological marker of reduction in activity. As physical exertion reduced, metabolism became less efficient, which contributed to the rise of obesity, insulin resistance, and other metabolic disorders.¹⁵

• Occupational shifts drove the loss of daily exertion — Much of this decline is a result of changes in occupational demands. In the 19th century, most jobs required sustained physical effort, with farming, manufacturing, and construction involving prolonged manual labor.

• Work-related energy expenditure dropped sharply — Historical data reconstructed from U.S. Census Bureau statistics show that the average metabolic equivalent of work — measured in METs, a unit representing energy expenditure relative to RMR — has declined by about 25% since 1870.¹⁶ Early industrial workers, for example, frequently performed energy-intensive tasks, whereas modern jobs often involved prolonged sitting with little physical exertion.

• Sedentary lifestyles disrupt metabolic health — The widespread transition to office-based employment and reliance on labor-saving devices has significantly altered how energy is used, shifting populations toward more sedentary patterns that negatively affect metabolic health.

• Loss of outdoor exposure weakened immune resilience — Beyond the loss of movement, this transition has also cut people off from the immune-boosting and anti-inflammatory benefits of exposure to nature.¹⁷ Time spent outdoors enhances metabolic resilience by lowering inflammation, improving mitochondrial function, and supporting immune regulation.

• Green spaces activate key immune pathways — Without regular interaction with nature, you miss out on key biological stimuli that once conditioned the body for resilience. For instance, research shows that spending time in green environments like forests increases natural killer (NK) cell activity, reduces inflammatory cytokines, and even improves lung function in those with asthma.¹⁸

• Outdoor activity supported optimal vitamin D levels — Daily outdoor activity allowed past generations to naturally produce adequate vitamin D, an important nutrient for bone strength, immune function, and metabolic health.¹⁹ In contrast, modern lifestyles that keep people indoors have led to widespread vitamin D deficiency.²⁰

• Food, water, and air were free from synthetic pollutants — Historically, food was free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and chemical preservatives. Water sources were not laced with pharmaceutical residues, chlorine byproducts, or microplastics. Air pollution was limited to natural sources rather than the modern toxic mix of vehicle emissions, industrial waste, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from everyday household products.

• Plastics and chemical disruptors are a modern burden — Plastics, heavy metals, and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and dioxins, are modern inventions that have become unavoidable.

Their widespread presence has fueled metabolic disorders, reproductive issues, and neurodevelopmental abnormalities.²¹ Even infants are now born with high toxic loads, which puts them at an immediate disadvantage early in life.^22,23

• Fortification created hidden health problems — One of the greatest public health deceptions has been the so-called fortification of food with iodine, iron, and fluoride under the guise of disease prevention. Instead of addressing nutrient depletion caused by industrialized agriculture and environmental degradation, these interventions have introduced new health burdens.

• How iodine, iron, and fluoride additives backfired — Iodine, carelessly added to salt, has contributed to autoimmune thyroid disorders and metabolic dysfunction.²⁴ Meanwhile, the indiscriminate addition of iron to processed foods has led to iron overload in many individuals.²⁵ Fluoride, falsely promoted as essential for dental health, has been linked to neurotoxicity, thyroid suppression, and skeletal deterioration.^26,27

• Chemical treatments accelerate health decline — The modern approach of treating toxic overload with more chemicals and medical band-aids only accelerated our health decline. The solution is not more fortification or synthetic interventions, but rather the removal of unnecessary toxins from our food, water, and air.

• Evening environments supported deep rest — Before electricity, people relied on fire, candles, and oil lamps for illumination, all of which emitted warm, red-toned light that did not interfere with melatonin production. The absence of artificial distractions also encouraged relaxation, storytelling, and social bonding, which reduced stress and prepared the nervous system for deep sleep.

• Daily sunlight exposure included near-infrared light — Natural sunlight contains a full spectrum of wavelengths, including near-infrared (NIR) light. Regular exposure to NIR during daylight hours helped stimulate mitochondrial function and supported melatonin production inside the cells. Mitochondrial melatonin plays a key role in reducing oxidative stress and enhancing the body’s repair processes during sleep.

• Blue light disrupts your circadian rhythm — Modern living has introduced technologies like artificial lighting, especially the blue light emitted from screens, which delays melatonin release and disrupts your body’s internal clock. Instead of winding down with the setting sun, you remain artificially stimulated late into the night, which leads to poor sleep quality, disrupted hormone balance, and metabolic dysfunction.^30,31

• Electromagnetic fields (EMFs) are a modern threat to restorative sleep — EMFs are another major disruptor of natural rest patterns that previous generations never had to contend with. Wi-Fi routers, smartphones, and other electronic devices now flood the environment with EMFs, which interfere with your body’s natural electrical signaling.

• EMF exposure weakens mitochondrial function — Research has shown that exposure to EMFs suppresses melatonin production, disrupts deep sleep cycles, and increases oxidative stress. Over time, this constant exposure weakens mitochondrial function, fuels inflammation, and compromises your body’s ability to repair itself during sleep.³²

• Modern life has dismantled foundational health habits — Modern conveniences have made daily life easier, but at the cost of the very foundations that sustained human vitality for generations. Diets are now dominated by ultraprocessed foods, movement has been replaced by sedentary habits, and environmental toxins infiltrate every aspect of daily life. These shifts have sabotaged cellular health and fueled an epidemic of chronic disease.

• Reversing decline starts with removing modern disruptors — To reclaim health, you must eliminate harmful influences that didn’t exist for past generations and restore the conditions that allow your body to function optimally.

• Ancestral wisdom supports optimal health — By understanding what worked for our ancestors, you can adopt habits that support mitochondrial health and metabolic efficiency instead of relying on a system designed to suppress symptoms rather than prevent illness.