November 20, 2009
Ancient Egyptian Woman Had Heart Disease
CT scan of her mummified remains shows plaque in her arteries.
Ancient Egyptian Woman Had Heart Disease
CT scan of her mummified remains shows plaque in her arteries.
SUMMARY: Lady Rai was a nursemaid to an Egyptian queen who lived three
centuries before Pharaoh Ramses I, and she had heart disease. According to
researchers in Orlando, a CT scan helped them peer through her tattered
wrappings and into her ancient arteries. There they found the same kind of
plaque doctors see today in patients.
Today's risk factors for heart disease include fast food, sedentary living and
cheap cigarettes, but this maid lived 3,500 years ago. "To me, it means we're
all susceptible," says researcher Randall Thompson of the Mid America Heart
Institute in Kansas City, Mo., who presented the findings at an American Heart
Association meeting. "To a certain extent, this may be a disease of being
human."
The team of scientists examined 22 mummies, dating from 1981 B.C. to
364 A.D. They found heart tissue or blood vessels in 13 and intact hearts in
four. Three of the mummies had atherosclerosis (a buildup of fat), cholesterol
and calcium inside their arteries. Another three had probable atherosclerosis.
To read the entire article, click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: This report made me think of the passage from Ecclesiastes:
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is
nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NIV)" Although, according to
Wikipedia, there is no evidence of smoking before the 9th century and, as far
as we know, there were no fast food establishments in Lady Rai's time, she still
could have suffered from an inadequate diet and/or a lack of exercise.
This report I believe should make us realistic but not pessimistic. We need to be
realistic and realize that there is no guarantee of anything we can do or not do
to reach a ripe old age, of say 100. However, we shouldn't be pessimistic about
healthful living and a healthy spiritual life letting us achieve as many years as
God and our genes want us to enjoy in this world.
Clogged arteries, weak hearts, cancerous tissue, and all other signs that our
bodies are wearing out will be a thing of the past when we enjoy perfect health
in the only place where perfect health is guaranteed--God's home in heaven,
which He is offering to all who come to faith in Jesus as the one and only Savior
from sin.
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your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
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QUESTION OF THE DAY
Do women get lung cancer as often as men?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
centuries before Pharaoh Ramses I, and she had heart disease. According to
researchers in Orlando, a CT scan helped them peer through her tattered
wrappings and into her ancient arteries. There they found the same kind of
plaque doctors see today in patients.
Today's risk factors for heart disease include fast food, sedentary living and
cheap cigarettes, but this maid lived 3,500 years ago. "To me, it means we're
all susceptible," says researcher Randall Thompson of the Mid America Heart
Institute in Kansas City, Mo., who presented the findings at an American Heart
Association meeting. "To a certain extent, this may be a disease of being
human."
The team of scientists examined 22 mummies, dating from 1981 B.C. to
364 A.D. They found heart tissue or blood vessels in 13 and intact hearts in
four. Three of the mummies had atherosclerosis (a buildup of fat), cholesterol
and calcium inside their arteries. Another three had probable atherosclerosis.
To read the entire article, click on this link to USA TODAY.
COMMENT: This report made me think of the passage from Ecclesiastes:
"What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is
nothing new under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NIV)" Although, according to
Wikipedia, there is no evidence of smoking before the 9th century and, as far
as we know, there were no fast food establishments in Lady Rai's time, she still
could have suffered from an inadequate diet and/or a lack of exercise.
This report I believe should make us realistic but not pessimistic. We need to be
realistic and realize that there is no guarantee of anything we can do or not do
to reach a ripe old age, of say 100. However, we shouldn't be pessimistic about
healthful living and a healthy spiritual life letting us achieve as many years as
God and our genes want us to enjoy in this world.
Clogged arteries, weak hearts, cancerous tissue, and all other signs that our
bodies are wearing out will be a thing of the past when we enjoy perfect health
in the only place where perfect health is guaranteed--God's home in heaven,
which He is offering to all who come to faith in Jesus as the one and only Savior
from sin.
**************************************************************************************
Want to be automatically notified each time there is a new post? Just e-mail
your request to [admin@lutheranscience.org].
**************************************************************************************
QUESTION OF THE DAY
Do women get lung cancer as often as men?
**************************************************************************************
NOTE ON VISITOR COMMENTS: Visitor comments are invited including those
containing alternate views. However, comments containing profanity or
advertisements will not be published. After posting a comment, please allow
several hours for it to appear on the blog.
**************************************************************************************
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| LSI stands for the Lutheran Science Institute, an organization of WELS and ELS Lutherans interested in science and health issues with a special emphasis on the creation and evolution controversy. This blog's purpose is to search the Internet to find articles of interest to Christians. Views expressed are those of the author (Warren Krug) and are not necessarily those of the Lutheran Science Institute, Inc. |
In 2007 about 16,000 more men than women
were diagnosed with lung cancer, but the gap is
narrowing. Between 1930 and 1997, the
number of lung cancer deaths among U.S.
women increased by 600%! While the incidence
of lung cancer among men is decreasing, it is
increasing among women. Women's genes are
more vulnerable to the cancer-causing effects
of cigarette smoke.
Source: Dr. James Hubbard in American Profile
(October 25-31, 2009)
were diagnosed with lung cancer, but the gap is
narrowing. Between 1930 and 1997, the
number of lung cancer deaths among U.S.
women increased by 600%! While the incidence
of lung cancer among men is decreasing, it is
increasing among women. Women's genes are
more vulnerable to the cancer-causing effects
of cigarette smoke.
Source: Dr. James Hubbard in American Profile
(October 25-31, 2009)