The sun is in fact the source of all that is healthy here on planet Earth. I realized this after visiting the 777 Bison Ranch in South Dakota this fall when the ranch manager used the term harvesting the Sun. He was describing how through the grass fed bison he gathers the energy from the Sun. The bison convert the energy stored in the grass into protein, which we then consume to feed our bodies. This is indeed how nature intended, and how our Native American brothers lived long before we arrived on the landscape.
As a physician, I am all too familiar with the short comings of the modern American diet and the disease and problems associated with it. Our growing epidemic with obesity as well as heart disease and cancer all have their roots in the unfortunate disconnect we as a society are have been sold by corporate control of our food. But as I rode around the ocean of native grasses that the herd of bison were grazing I realized that it is not too late for us to change our ways.
The ranch I was visiting had only a few years before been over grazed and lacked the vital nutrients and richness to sustain a healthy herd. Most of the beef we consume are raised in feed lots on corn, and unfortunately as a consequence are also heavily dosed with antibiotics and synthetic hormones. This practice also shifts the ratio of essential fatty acid content of the meat from a healthy relationship to a very dangerous one. It is this imbalance of essential fatty acids that causes our bodies to enter an inflammatory state and is now thought to be the root cause of much of the chronic disease we now face as a society.
The most important factor affecting our health today is the balance of our omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio. It will affect not only our inflammation, but ability to heal, our immunity, and even our hormones. When the body is loaded with omega-6s and we are deficient in our omega-3s we are prone to disease and pain. Our performance and function will no doubt suffer. We can dramatically influence and reverse this problem by eating the right types of meat (protein and fat).
Grass fed buffalo have some very desirable qualities with regard to this issue:
- Lower in calories, fat, and cholesterol than chicken or fish.
- 40% more protein than beef.
- Nutrient-dense, lean, and high in antioxidant Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin E.
- 3.5x more omega-3 fatty acids than grain-fed bison.
You may be surprised to know that if you simply replaced your main source of meat with grass fed bison you could loose 10 pounds in a year. Of course the other health benefits would be more than noticeable and would justify the switch; which could include, decreased cholesterol, decreased cardiac and stroke risk, as well as improved brain function. Increasing omega-3 intake has in studies even been shown to reduce chronic spinal pain better than Celebrex.
If you want to learn more about the advantages of grass fed bison I recommend Dr Kevin Weilands book and website www.dakotadiet.com. It is because of him I am now a big fan of bison. Making the trip to South Dakota and seeing these animals in their native lands helped me understand and connection and the importance of balance in our bodies and our environment. When we care for both, the impact on our health and world can not be overstated.
