Anopsology

Anopsology

Hoe (raw fish)

Raw tuna bowl of Matsuya

Raw food

Raw Carrots in Bowl

RECALLED – Raw Cashews (19025670189)

Anopsology, a nutritional theory introduced in 1964 by Guy-Claude Burger, promotes the belief in an intrinsic nutritional instinct in humans. This instinct is believed to align food intake with nutritional needs via sensory pleasure derived from raw foods. The term originates from the Greek words: αν (an-) meaning "not", ὄψον (opson) meaning "prepared dish", and λογία (-logy) signifying "theory". Hence, anopsology translates to "the theory of primitive nutrition". While "anopsology" pertains to the theory, "instinctive nutrition" describes the dietary practice, and "instinctotherapy" focuses on the therapeutic aspects. The term should not be mistaken for "anopsy", which denotes blindness.

Hypotheses

Central to anopsology is the postulate that humans are genetically predisposed to consume 'original' foods. These refer to foods accessible to early human ancestors over millions of years.

Theory

Adherents of anopsology, often termed "Instinctos/Anopsologists", emphasize the significance of raw foods, arguing that human evolution thrived on unprocessed, uncooked sustenance found in nature. As quoted by Frederick Mann: "The human body evolved over millions of years breathing, drinking, and eating what it found in nature as it was found in nature. Evolution 'designed' the human body to survive best on what it found in nature." They generally avoid Neolithic foods, including raw dairy products, cereals, and legumes.

Smell and Taste

Guy-Claude Burger proposes that the 'food instinct' operates on the principle of gustatory alliesthesia. This suggests that food-derived pleasure is contingent not only on its inherent quality but also on the body's current nutritional state. Consequently, the olfactory and gustatory senses can reflect physiological requirements, guiding appropriate dietary choices. This theory implies that foods smelling and tasting pleasant are beneficial or essential, and the opposite holds true. As a person consumes an adequate quantity of a particular food, its taste becomes less appealing. Wild-type foods, as opposed to cultivated varieties, are believed to exhibit more noticeable taste variations.

Origin

Guy-Claude Burger's encounter with lymphoblastic sarcoma, a cancer variant, prompted the conception of anopsology. After learning of his slim survival chances post-radiation therapy, Burger resorted to a raw-food regimen. His cancer unexpectedly went into remission, leading him to ascribe his recovery to this dietary shift. This epiphany inspired Burger to delve deeper into raw-food consumption, subsequently championing its benefits to others.

Credibility

The therapeutic merits of anopsology remain contested. Predominantly anecdotal evidence makes it challenging to ascertain its efficacy conclusively. While some individuals credit anopsology for enhanced health, comprehensive scientific studies validating these claims are scarce.

Anopsology in Comparison to Other Diets

Anopsology doesn't strictly align with vegetarian principles. In fact, it endorses the consumption of raw or dried meats, akin to beef jerky. Burger negated the vegetarian paradigm, asserting that ancestral human diets weren't exclusively plant-based. Hence, anopsology deviates from vegan diets. However, it shares similarities with the Raw Paleolithic diet.

Cooking and anopsology

Advocates opine that cooking could diminish potential anti-cancer compounds and erode medicinal properties. Heating, especially baking, might compromise vital nutrients, while boiling could potentially undermine the medicinal attributes of food.

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