Survey On Our Ethnic Roots

[tex]

Hi All,

Since it is generally accepted that gluten-sensitivity is linked with the descendants of paleolithic ancestors who were hunter-gatherers, indigenous to an area centered somewhere in Western Europe, it would probably be quite interesting to be able to see a collective view of where our ancestors were born and raised.

If you participate in this poll, and you know for a fact that you are not gluten-sensitive, (IOW, if you have tested negative to a stool test for gluten-sensitivity, at Enterolab), then select that option, and please write a post in this thread, mentioning that you made that selection, and where you believe your ancestors were from.

Please select the location of your ancient ancestors, to the best of your knowledge, (preferably, over 10,000 years ago, but since most of us will not have that information available, just go as far back as you can), not where you are living now, or where your grandparents lived. IOW, the only reason to select North America, would be if your ancestors were Native American Indians, otherwise, they immigrated there from somewhere else in the world. Likewise, selecting Australia would imply that your ancient ancestors were Australian Aborigines, otherwise, they immigrated there from someplace else in the world, (typically, the British Isles).

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks,
Tex

[shekoe]

OOPS

Sorry, Tex, I hit the send button too fast. As a result, my response indicates 100% of my ancestors were from the Netherlands. In reality 75% were from Ireland, 25% were from the Netherlands. Can you correct my mistake? Thank you. Sheila

[harma]

This is real interesting question. You only know you can be gluten intolerant (I mean the possibility) if your food contains gluten. The cultivation of gluten containing crops started in the middle east, about 10.000 years ago and was spread over Europe, North Africa and central Asia (I think until India). The far east, starting from China had their own development of civilization with an agriculture with non gluten containing crops. Like in other parts of the world.

A very interesting book about this is Men, germs and steel. I have the book, I can't find it at the moment, so I don't know the writer's name. It is about the development of the world, after the first people stopped to being hunter gatherers, became farmers and how they conquered and start ruling the world. This did not only happen in the middle east but in 5 or 6 other places in the world, some almost at the same time (china, middle east, new guinea), others much later. But all indepenent from each other. It is a very interesting book, very well documented and very well explained why things developed and went in the way they did.

What I wonder about is, does everybody no matter what ethical background (Caucasian, African, Asian, native American, aboriginal etc etc) have a chance to carry the genes for developing gluten sensitivity? Or are only the people exposed to gluten over 1000 and 1000s of years that carries of these genes and develop this sensitivity?

It is not the development of starch containing crops it self that caused the problem. In other part of the word they did it too and that are exactly the things gluten free eaters use now: corn, teff, rice, quinoa, yam.

I know this survey is about this, I am just thinking out loud (in my best English )

[Polly]

I am 1/4 Scots, English, and Irish each and 1/8 French and German each. So I just noted the British Isles ancestry.

Melting Pot Polly

[Rosie]

Lots of us are mixes, so I assume you mean the area where most of our ancestors originated. For example, my mother's parents were both from Germany while my father was 3/4 German and 1/4 Irish. So I'm mostly German.

I'm curious as to why the genes for gluten sensitiviy are so widespread amongst Europeans. You would think that after 10,000 years there would be some selection process to weed out these deleterious genes. However, if only a very small percentage of children died from CD in the past, and most of the remainder didn't develop gluten sensitivity until they were much older after they had their kids, then maybe it wouldn't have been an issue. There were so many things to die from back then, maybe gluten sensitivity was just spitting in the ocean of mortality......

Rosie

[tex]

Hi Sheila,

OK, I located the voting results in the database, and removed one vote from the Netherlands group, and added one vote to the British Isles group. If that wasn't what you intended, please let me know, and I'll correct my mistake.

Thanks for pointing out the need for a correction.

Tex

[Matthew]

Very, Very interesting Poll. I love it!

After discovering through Entero labs gene testing that I had both major genes for celiac disease I looked into it a bit further since I had not had any symptoms for many years and then BOOM! Like many I was a bit skeptical.

From what I understand , correct me if I am wrong, I got one celiac gene from my mother and one celiac gene from my father. If I had only known years ago I might have avoided all this but what a joy to find that I fit into the statistics .

My father was second generation scotch/ irish my mother was second generation from northern germany. If my understanding is correct these are two major areas where people have celiac genes .

YIPPEE!

I won the lottery!

It is just so great to have learned about all this in order to continue to thrive.

Of course being symptom free from celiac I suddenly ended up with MC. Knowing just made me that more courageous

I must have very old genes and as as a result of discovering that also find that I thrive. Actually better than thrive, on the Paleo diet.

I clicked on both British Isles and Netherlands, Luxembourg, Poland, Germany and found I could only click on one so I picked British Isles, but would like to include both in that it seems an important part of the puzzle.

Great Poll. Will be interested in seeing more results

Love

Matthew

[Gloria]

I'm 1/4 Norwegian and 3/4 English. I chose British Isles.

Gloria

[tex]

Harma,

I'm guessing that you're referring to the book titled, guns, germs and steel, by Jared Diamond.

While all ethnic groups seem to carry celiac genes, they do not show the same patterns of gene types. Native American Indians, for example, carry a high percentage of DQ8, (with a low prevalence of DQ2), whereas the descendants of immigrant populations in North America carry a predominance of DQ2 genes, (with a relatively low percentage of DQ8). Here's some information on the prevalence of DQ8 genes, in various parts of the world:

http://www.lumrix.net/health/HLA-DQ8.html

Here's detailed information on the global distribution of the DQ2 gene:

http://wapedia.mobi/en/HLA-DQ2

As you say, the presence of one or more celiac genes is irrelevant, if gluten is not a part of the indigenous diet of a particular ethnic group.

Tex

[Mars]

Native American Indian here

Mars

[teagirl]

I too wish we could choose more than one. I chose the UK as my mother's family are from there. My father had a german mother and half-german father, so I figured I'm more english than german.
However, I look like my dad, talk like my dad, and have his build. I got his hair and eye colour, and (I'm told) his temper! Should I have chosen german?

Great poll.

[MaggieRedwings]

I put down the British Isles but not full Irish. 75% Irish, 25% Native American.

Great Poll.

Love, Maggie

[tex]

Hi All,

The first six choices are all from Western Europe, and therefore from the same basic area. I just thought that it would be more interesting to divide it up a bit.

For purposes of analysis, though, they are all a part of the same general area.

Tex

[Stanz]

I am full blooded Swedish back to he 16th century. Maybe a Norsky snuck in there but there is no record of it.

[Tessa]

I believe they were from Spain, so I voted that option.
Hope I am right.

Interesting poll.

Love,
Tessa