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Re-activateFinally, I may have something in common with the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti. Unfortunately, I don't have her regal bearing nor classic beauty—but rather a possibility of heart disease. Using medical scans, scientists examined mummies of well-off ancient Egyptians from Cairo's Museum of Antiquities and found signs of atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries.
What else besides a propensity for heart disease do I have in common with these mummies? It seems that there were also similarities in our diets and activity levels. While there were no golden arches hanging out near Nefertiti's palace, wealthy or royal members of ancient Egyptian society would have had access to a lot more meat than those with less status, and would not have had the same daily physical requirements to survive. Had she wanted something to nosh on, Nefertiti couldn't dial for pizza delivery like I can, but then again, snapping your fingers for a servant to bring you your heart's desire doesn't require much effort either.
So, what do I take from this history lesson on heart disease? Well, it's been with us for a very long time, and many of the risk factors are the same now as they were then too. While I like the idea of being treated like a queen, my heart may prefer I live a more "common" life, put down the delivery menu and get off the couch, to help keep my heart healthy.
—Erin Gudeux, sensory senior project leader
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