Abstract
The Tsim Tsoum Concept means that humans evolved on a diet in which nature recommends to ingest fatty acids in a balanced ratio (polyunsaturated(P) : saturated(S) =w-6 : w-3 = 1 : 1)as part of dietary lipid pattern where monounsaturated fatty acids(MUFA) is the major fatty acid(P : M : S = 1 : 6 : 1) in the background of other dietary factors; antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and fiber as well as physical activity and low mental stress. Several hundred years ago, our diet included natural foods; fruits, vegetables, green vegetables, seeds, eggs and honey. Fish, and wild meat were also available to pre-agricultural humans which shaped modern human genetic nutritional requirement. Cereal grains (refined), and vegetable oils that are rich in w-6 fatty acids are relatively recent addition to the human diet that represent dramatic departure from those foods to which we are adapted. Excess of linoleic acid, trans fatty acids (TFA), saturated and total fat as well as refined starches and sugar are proinflammatory. Low dietary MUFA and n-3 fatty acids and other long chain polyunsarurated fatty acids (LCPUFA) are important in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. Increased sympathetic activity with greater secretion of neurotransmitters in conjunction of underlying long chain PUFA deficiency, and excess of proinflammatory nutrients, may damage the neurons via proinflammatory cytokines, in the ventromedial hypothalamus and insulin receptors in the brain.Since, 30–50% of the fatty acids in the brain are LCPUFA, especially omega-3 fatty acids, which are incorporated in the cell membrane phospholipids, it is possible that their supplementation may be protective.Blood lipid composition does reflect one's health status: (a) circulating serum lipoproteins and their ratio provide information on their atherogenicity to blood vessels and (b) circulating plasma fatty acids, such as w-6/w-3 fatty acid ratio, give indication on proinflammatory status of blood vessels, cardiomyocytes, liver cells and neurones; (a) and (b) are phenotype-related and depend on genetic, environmental and developmental factors. As such, they appear as universal markers for holistic health and these may be important in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and cancer, which is the main consideration of Tsim Tsoum concept.
Highlights
The epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and cancer, in the western world and in middle income countries, indicates major increases in the incidence of generalized atherosclerosis and the total burden of CVD due to changes in the environmental factors [1,2,3,4,5,6]
Refining of vegetable oils has been a major cause for increased consumption of w-6 fatty acids and hydrogenation of these oils caused greater intake of trans fatty acids (TFA), that may be the cause of mitochondrial damage in the related organs: endothelial cells, cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, neurons, beta cells, and liver, causing mitochondrial damage, leading to increased prevalence of CVD, diabetes, cancers, and neurodegenerative diseases in most countries of the world [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
Similar dietary [19,20,21,22,23,24] interventions have been used by other workers for the last three decades to modulate blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia and coronary risk in patients with high risk of CVD.These strategies appear to be similar to Columbus diet and lifestyle which may be protective, due to a favourable fatty acid ratio, antioxidants, and slowly absorbed nutrients in the diet
Summary
The epidemic of cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and cancer, in the western world and in middle income countries, indicates major increases in the incidence of generalized atherosclerosis and the total burden of CVD due to changes in the environmental factors [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Possibly the meat was rich in w-3 fatty acids, and the total fat intake remained within desirable limits and did not exceed as in the west. These diatary patterns were associated with enormous physical activity and sports such as hunting and possibly meditation due to introduction of Budhism, causing possibly no significant problem of CVDs during that period. The meat may have been from the running animals which has useful fatty acid composition It seems that Columbus diet and lifestyle was known to Indians and Chinese from the ancient period
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