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Before contact with the western world, the Inuit were a relatively healthy population. However, the severe climate in which they resided posed challenges in maintaining health and well being. Here are some of the difficulties they faced and their adaptations to combat these problems: Avoiding Vitamin Deficiencies: The vegetation in the arctic habitat is relatively scarce. In order to prevent disease such as scurvy and rickets, and to assure calcium absorption the Inuit needed sufficient amounts of vitamin A and D. In order to preserve the maximum amount of vitamins and minerals they avoided cooking their food.
They consumed raw whale skin, a good source of vitamin C, and seal oil and fish, excellent sources of vitamin A and D. Vitamin D was needed to aid the absorption of calcium, in which the mostly meat diet was lacking. The Inuit combated this problem by eating dried fish, soft parts of animal bones and bird bones. Avoiding Heart Disease: The Inuit population had a low incidence of heart disease. This is partly due to the large amount of physical activity that was required to survive the arctic climate, and the diet which they ate. Caribou and rabbit meat have a high amount of polyunsaturated acids which are associated with healthy cardiovascular system.
Omega - 3 rich foods such as whales, seals and fish are associated with a decreased rate of heart problems. Additionally, the Inuit did not participate in high risk activities such as smoking associated with heart disease. Staying Warm: In order to maintain body heat the Inuit had cultural adaptations as well as biological ones. First and foremost, people kept themselves warm by having good insulation.
They used animal skins and furs. For example, caribou fur which had hollow hairs acted as excellent insulators for coats, blankets and, in combination with seal skin, boots. Babies were kept warm in the hood of the mothers parka which allowed nursing without exposing the infant to the bitter cold. Indoors, they used body heat and caribou furs to keep warm while sleeping in close contact. They built the entrances into the snow houses with tunnels placed at right angles to prevent drafts. A small lamp was burned for heat, but it also insulated the snow house by forming a thin layer of ice along the ceiling.
An important biological adaptation for keeping warm was non-shivering thermogenesis. This process was made possible by the retention of brown adipose tissue throughout adulthood. It has also been found that the Inuit, through the diet they ate, had an increased basal metabolism which in turn, increased circulation, especially in the extremities, and helped guard against frost bite. Finding Enough Food: The temperate climate of the arctic provides a carrying capacity that can sustain a limited amount of living organisms.
The survival of humans was dependent upon adaptive strategies that would provide adequate amounts of food. Because the food supply was limited and dispersed throughout the land, people had to stay in small bands. They utilized many species of animals, and, they hunted animals that provided the maximum yield of food for the minimum amount of energy expanded. They followed the migratory patterns of caribou and relied on fish, seals, and whales to provide the vitamins, minerals and necessary fat, that was lacking in land animals. During the summer they ate the limited vegetation that grew during the few warm months, dug for clams, and dried fish in the sun to use in the fall.
The men hunted together. Not only did this increase the possibility of successfully finding food but it also assured that everyone would be able to join in the feast. Because the Inuit were migratory people, they had little means of transporting large amounts of food, so it was always shared, . The division of food also promoted political stability within the group.
As a last resort, dogs which provided transportation, served as a reservoir of food in times of famine. Population Control: Even though food was usually plentiful, it could only feed a limited amount of people. The Inuit practiced a number of methods of keeping the population relatively low. The main cause of death among men in the arctic was accidents. Many accidents occurred while hunting such as drowning, freezing to death, and mauling's. As a result the Inuit controlled the ratio of males and females by practicing female infanticide.
This method of birth control was safer than abortion. Not only did infanticide balance the gender ratio, but it also limited the number of reproducers, while increasing the number of food providers (male hunters). During times of food shortage, infanticide would allow a mother to continue nursing an older child. The elderly were also strongly affected by food shortages and occasionally committed suicide when they felt they posed too great of a burden on the group.
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Research essay sample on Amounts Of Food Heart Disease
