Hawkings former plumber
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Location: RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia Drive Apt 911
Location: RR1 Distopia 666 Discordia Drive Apt 911
March 7th, 2008, 04:11 PM
George Mair and Steven Hendry
Daily Mail (UK)
Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:49 EST
It is an ancient slimming remedy with a royal seal of approval.
Now a traditional herb used by King Charles II to help his mistresses lose weight could be used in the modern day battle against obesity.
©UnknownHeath pea: Could curb hunger pangs Experts want to re-establish the humble heath pea to fight the nation's weight crisis after evidence of its use was discovered during an archaeological dig.
Heath pea, which is also known as bitter vetch, was used in medieval times as a hunger suppressant when the crops failed.
It was also passed around the court of King Charles, who gave it to his lovers who had a propensity for plumpness.
Monks used the plant to treat patients in the 14th century Soutra Aisle monastery near Edinburgh, which is currently being excavated.
Dr Brian Moffat, an expert on medieval remedies, said the idea to promote heath pea as a slimming aid had been developed after he came across the remedy during the dig at the Soutra site.
Dr Moffat, who is director of the dig, said it appeared the monks cut up the tubers of the plant to make a potion.
He said the tubers - which have a "leathery liquorice" taste - had the effect of making people forget to eat.
Speaking on a BBC Radio Scotland documentary to be broadcast next month, he said: "We have been dealing with some anonymous little tubers, which have been chopped up in to quarters.
"The tubers are of heath pea or bitter vetch.
"If you ate one of these pea sized tubers you are meant to 'not eat, not want to eat and not miss eating for weeks and even in to months'.
"They were actually used as a measure to ward off hunger once crops had failed in the fields.
"We thought we must take this further because the plants seemed to become obsolete really at the time when mass potato cultivation came in.
"Before that it was a common measure in crisis.
"We thought if this can ward off hunger for weeks in to months, and by all accounts they are otherwise innocuous, there are possibilities in this.
"We have taken our idea forward and set up a company, just upon the unlikely assumption that a medieval medicine might have modern usefulness."
He said the commercial possibility these days would be as a modern slimming pill for people wanting to lose weight, or for humanitarian purposes.
Sir Robert Sibbald, joint founder of the College of Physicians in Edinburgh and joint founder of the Botanic Gardens, held the plant in higher esteem than any other.
He grew it in his therapeutic herbal collection in 1670.
Dr Moffat added: "We know all about Heath Pea on the authority of Sir Robert Sibbald.
"He was a mainstream medical figure who actually set out to promote the heath pea, and in his writings he quite simply gives it more attention than anything else in Scotland - animal, vegetable or mineral.
"Sibbald esteemed it high enough that in his letters to his colleagues he called it Herba Scotica Miraculosa - the miraculous Scottish herb.
"It is a plant which is commonly usually overlooked today. It deserves a second look."
Richard Swift, head of the project, said: "The tubers could help boxers and other athletes train down to a weight as well as helping dieters exercise and lose weight.
"There could be a good long term market for the tubers."
Heath Pea (Lathyrus linifolius) is normally found in poor grazing and heath land. It sometimes grows alone, but it can also grow in clumps on banks and verges of roads and tracks.
The plants take two or three years to mature but require very little looking after.
George Mair and Steven Hendry
Daily Mail (UK)
Thu, 06 Mar 2008 10:49 EST
It is an ancient slimming remedy with a royal seal of approval.
Now a traditional herb used by King Charles II to help his mistresses lose weight could be used in the modern day battle against obesity.
©UnknownHeath pea: Could curb hunger pangs Experts want to re-establish the humble heath pea to fight the nation's weight crisis after evidence of its use was discovered during an archaeological dig.Heath pea, which is also known as bitter vetch, was used in medieval times as a hunger suppressant when the crops failed.
It was also passed around the court of King Charles, who gave it to his lovers who had a propensity for plumpness.
Monks used the plant to treat patients in the 14th century Soutra Aisle monastery near Edinburgh, which is currently being excavated.
Dr Brian Moffat, an expert on medieval remedies, said the idea to promote heath pea as a slimming aid had been developed after he came across the remedy during the dig at the Soutra site.
Dr Moffat, who is director of the dig, said it appeared the monks cut up the tubers of the plant to make a potion.
He said the tubers - which have a "leathery liquorice" taste - had the effect of making people forget to eat.
Speaking on a BBC Radio Scotland documentary to be broadcast next month, he said: "We have been dealing with some anonymous little tubers, which have been chopped up in to quarters.
"The tubers are of heath pea or bitter vetch.
"If you ate one of these pea sized tubers you are meant to 'not eat, not want to eat and not miss eating for weeks and even in to months'.
"They were actually used as a measure to ward off hunger once crops had failed in the fields.
"We thought we must take this further because the plants seemed to become obsolete really at the time when mass potato cultivation came in.
"Before that it was a common measure in crisis.
"We thought if this can ward off hunger for weeks in to months, and by all accounts they are otherwise innocuous, there are possibilities in this.
"We have taken our idea forward and set up a company, just upon the unlikely assumption that a medieval medicine might have modern usefulness."
He said the commercial possibility these days would be as a modern slimming pill for people wanting to lose weight, or for humanitarian purposes.
Sir Robert Sibbald, joint founder of the College of Physicians in Edinburgh and joint founder of the Botanic Gardens, held the plant in higher esteem than any other.
He grew it in his therapeutic herbal collection in 1670.
Dr Moffat added: "We know all about Heath Pea on the authority of Sir Robert Sibbald.
"He was a mainstream medical figure who actually set out to promote the heath pea, and in his writings he quite simply gives it more attention than anything else in Scotland - animal, vegetable or mineral.
"Sibbald esteemed it high enough that in his letters to his colleagues he called it Herba Scotica Miraculosa - the miraculous Scottish herb.
"It is a plant which is commonly usually overlooked today. It deserves a second look."
Richard Swift, head of the project, said: "The tubers could help boxers and other athletes train down to a weight as well as helping dieters exercise and lose weight.
"There could be a good long term market for the tubers."
Heath Pea (Lathyrus linifolius) is normally found in poor grazing and heath land. It sometimes grows alone, but it can also grow in clumps on banks and verges of roads and tracks.
The plants take two or three years to mature but require very little looking after.
March 10th, 2008, 10:50 AM
Quoting Praxius
Too much to ask these days? Did you even read the article? This is a medieval obesity treatment. It would kind of imply we're not the first to have problems with it Praxius.
Or people could just exercise / go do something active and eat properly.... but I guess that's too much to ask these days.
Ponderous Intellect
Posts: 4,114
March 10th, 2008, 11:08 AM
Karrie
Maybe when you're running a monarchy and your "main-squeeze" gets a little plump it's time for remedial attention but if you look at the living standards of the regular people back a few hundred years...do you really think obesity was a problem for the masses on the levels it is today?
I'm not suggesting that there's no value in exploring whatever means may present themselves but to believe for a moment that a proportion of the population then was as obese as the far greater proportion of obese folk today.....
Karrie
Maybe when you're running a monarchy and your "main-squeeze" gets a little plump it's time for remedial attention but if you look at the living standards of the regular people back a few hundred years...do you really think obesity was a problem for the masses on the levels it is today?
I'm not suggesting that there's no value in exploring whatever means may present themselves but to believe for a moment that a proportion of the population then was as obese as the far greater proportion of obese folk today.....
March 10th, 2008, 11:22 AM
You're talking apples and oranges Mikey... poor peasants with little food compared to us now were skinnier, yes. But not through choice or some imagined strength of character which we lack.
Clearly, given all the same luxuries, people in medieval times were prone to obesity too. It's not a 'these days' issue, it's a human issue and always has been, that when we can eat, we will eat. Simple.
You're talking apples and oranges Mikey... poor peasants with little food compared to us now were skinnier, yes. But not through choice or some imagined strength of character which we lack.
Clearly, given all the same luxuries, people in medieval times were prone to obesity too. It's not a 'these days' issue, it's a human issue and always has been, that when we can eat, we will eat. Simple.
March 10th, 2008, 12:45 PM
An interesting find today.
Apparently hoodia was marketed as a weight loss herb for nearly the same reason.... it was used on long hunts to stave off hunger.
What I find myself asking though... is staving off hunger the same as staving off compulsive eating? These herbs were used to essentially ease hunger pangs when food was not present. But would they actually cut through the compulsive behavior and enjoyment of reaching for a bag of chips? Because let's be honest, few people are having hunger pangs when they down a bag of Doritos.
An interesting find today.
Apparently hoodia was marketed as a weight loss herb for nearly the same reason.... it was used on long hunts to stave off hunger.
What I find myself asking though... is staving off hunger the same as staving off compulsive eating? These herbs were used to essentially ease hunger pangs when food was not present. But would they actually cut through the compulsive behavior and enjoyment of reaching for a bag of chips? Because let's be honest, few people are having hunger pangs when they down a bag of Doritos.
Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,039
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
March 10th, 2008, 01:27 PM
"Heath pea, which is also known as bitter vetch, was used in medieval times as a hunger suppressant when the crops failed."
a hunger suppressant.... which I am sure we have plenty of already in the pharmacies. (Google shows a large list already)
Maybe it's because my dad was a gym teacher, but I've been pretty fat in my time, I've still have a large apitite, but I also learned how to live with it and keep my weight managed decently without have to rely on herbs and pills. When I feel I'm getting a little chunky, or cleaning the cubbards, I know what to do.
My original post was kinda for putting forth the concept that society these days always seems to rather look for a pill or quick fix for something that already has a very simple and very easy method of keeping under control.
Added:
This may also have occured back then, but certainly not at the level of dependency as it is today.
Quoting karrie
I am aware of this... my point was that now a days, our society seems to want to find some magical pill, or some magical operation to reduce our body weight. Now we're going back centuries to look for something else which will no doubt cause some more side effects which will be overlooked until it's implimented into society and cases are shown all over the place, when simple exercise and proper eating can solve the problem and is already known to work.
Too much to ask these days? Did you even read the article? This is a medieval obesity treatment. It would kind of imply we're not the first to have problems with it Praxius.
"Heath pea, which is also known as bitter vetch, was used in medieval times as a hunger suppressant when the crops failed."
a hunger suppressant.... which I am sure we have plenty of already in the pharmacies. (Google shows a large list already)
Maybe it's because my dad was a gym teacher, but I've been pretty fat in my time, I've still have a large apitite, but I also learned how to live with it and keep my weight managed decently without have to rely on herbs and pills. When I feel I'm getting a little chunky, or cleaning the cubbards, I know what to do.
My original post was kinda for putting forth the concept that society these days always seems to rather look for a pill or quick fix for something that already has a very simple and very easy method of keeping under control.
Added:
This may also have occured back then, but certainly not at the level of dependency as it is today.
Mass'Debater
Posts: 2,039
Location: Atlantic Canada
Location: Atlantic Canada
March 10th, 2008, 01:31 PM
Just because humans can be gluttonous pigs, doesn't mean we should. And because we shouldn't act like giant locusts of the Earth, those who do shouldn't be given the luxury to continue to do so without facing proper health concerns.
If someone is going to stuff their gourds with anything they can find, for the simple logic that they can, I have no sympathy for them and I don't feel my taxes should go into finding a way to allow them to pig out even further. Even if my taxes are not going to it, I don't feel scientists should be looking into it regardless.
I think there are more important things to solve in the world then how to keep garbage bin humans skinny while they pig out on more food then they need on a daily basis. If they're going to lose a foot or die from a heart attack because they're too damn lazy to go exercise or just don't care about their personal health, then that's not my problem, and one less thing sucking from society. Put the food they'd pig out on, to the mouths of the hungry on the streets or something.
Quoting karrie
Not for me and others I know. Heck, if I can eat (which is anytime, everytime) I wouldn't stop eating by that mentality.
.....it's a human issue and always has been, that when we can eat, we will eat. Simple.
Just because humans can be gluttonous pigs, doesn't mean we should. And because we shouldn't act like giant locusts of the Earth, those who do shouldn't be given the luxury to continue to do so without facing proper health concerns.
If someone is going to stuff their gourds with anything they can find, for the simple logic that they can, I have no sympathy for them and I don't feel my taxes should go into finding a way to allow them to pig out even further. Even if my taxes are not going to it, I don't feel scientists should be looking into it regardless.
I think there are more important things to solve in the world then how to keep garbage bin humans skinny while they pig out on more food then they need on a daily basis. If they're going to lose a foot or die from a heart attack because they're too damn lazy to go exercise or just don't care about their personal health, then that's not my problem, and one less thing sucking from society. Put the food they'd pig out on, to the mouths of the hungry on the streets or something.
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Posts: 6,331
Videos: 5
Location: Newfoundland!
Videos: 5
Location: Newfoundland!
March 10th, 2008, 02:20 PM
why bother with a pill? why not just eat the tuber?
why bother with a pill? why not just eat the tuber?
