Too Much of a Good Thing Summary

Why is it that instincts that once ensured human survival now seem to work against us in modern life?

1. The Human Body Lags Behind Its Rapidly Changing Environment

Our bodies evolved over thousands of years while the world around us has transformed within mere centuries. Starting with the Industrial Revolution, rapid advancements in technology, food systems, and safety have outpaced our biological ability to adapt. For example, our ancient need for sunlight to produce vitamin D has not adjusted to life in cloudy climates or indoor settings.

The transition of humans from their African origins to less sunny regions took thousands of years. People with lighter skin, a genetic mutation that allowed them to absorb more sunlight, survived better, leading to its spread. Yet, when industrialization shifted people indoors, adaptations that took millennia fell short in mere decades.

Our Stone Age biology, suited for a time of scarcity, is now overwhelmed by excess everywhere—calories, safety, and information. From overconsuming processed food to having our nervous systems stressed by endless newsfeeds, the human body is confused in its new world.

Examples

• Lighter-skinned populations adapted to low sunlight over thousands of years.
• Modern food abundance and safety contrast deeply with historical famine and violence.
• Our bodies struggle to navigate 24-hour news cycles and constant screen exposure.

2. From Famine to Feasts: Food Is Now Too Easy to Access

Historically, humans needed to eat as much as possible when food was available because scarcity was the norm. Early hunters would consume thousands of calories in one sitting, knowing it might be days before their next meal. This survival strategy led humans to store fats for harder times.

Fat storage was a lifesaving trait, especially in colder climates, because it provided insulation and energy reserves. Early tribes reported consuming up to nine pounds of meat in one sitting to sustain them through harsh times. However, in the modern world, where food is cheap and everywhere, our bodies retain those same fat-gathering instincts, fostering widespread obesity.

Even dieting becomes a test of biology. Research has shown that losing weight sparks hormonal responses that increase hunger. This counterproductive cycle ensures that long-term weight loss often requires lifelong changes, not temporary fixes.

Examples

• Native Americans once consumed large quantities of meat during rare feasts.
• Modern access to constant food triggers historical fat-storage instincts.
• Weight loss hormonal changes drive hunger, perpetuating obesity trends.

3. Water and Salt: Balancing Ancient Rules with Modern Surplus

In ancient times, dehydration and low sodium were often life-threatening. In arid climates, intense exertion without enough clean water meant catastrophe, as famously illustrated by Pheidippides’ collapse after his historic Marathon run. Today, modern sodium surpluses have flipped the problem into one of high blood pressure.

Our ancestors developed genes to conserve sodium, ensuring survival in water-scarce environments. Unfortunately, in today’s world of constant access to salty processed foods, these adaptations contribute to heart disease.

The human body processes salt and water together, which is why excessive sodium inevitably leads to increased blood pressure. This poses a major public health issue, as 15 percent of deaths in the US are tied to high blood pressure, largely due to dietary habits.

Examples

• Ancient messengers like Pheidippides often faced dehydration dangers.
• Early human sodium-conserving genes now lead to hypertension in modern diets.
• The US diet’s high sodium content contributes significantly to preventable deaths.

4. The Fear Factor: How Panic Shaped Us and Harms Us Today

In prehistoric times, survival depended on responding swiftly to danger. A human who panicked at the first sign of a predator had a far greater chance of surviving than one who stayed calm. This susceptibility to fear became a genetic advantage, as it ensured rapid reactions.

Today, we rarely face life-threatening scenarios like saber-toothed tigers. However, that same biological wiring interprets modern stress—like work deadlines or traffic jams—as existential threats. This leads to an epidemic of anxiety and depression.

Modern stressors also keep us in a prolonged state of fight-or-flight response. The continuous release of stress hormones creates long-term damage, leaving individuals mentally and physically depleted in a world that is, paradoxically, safer than ever.

Examples

• The Aché tribe in Paraguay still faces high combat-related death rates.
• Fear-based responses ensured survival in prehistoric predator attacks.
• Office jobs and endless media now continuously provoke stress hormones.

5. Healing Gone Haywire: Why Blood Clots Are Now Dangerous

Human bodies evolved rapid blood-clotting mechanisms to prevent death from injuries. Before modern medicine, something as simple as a deep cut often proved fatal, especially for hunters or women giving birth. Fast clotting ensured survival in such brutal times.

Platelets, the sticky agents of clotting, gather at wounds to create seals and prevent blood loss. But in today’s world, these same mechanisms can lead to heart attacks. Arteries damaged by high cholesterol deposits attract clots, which then block blood flow entirely.

Combined with contemporary diets high in artificial trans fats and saturated fats, this once-beneficial trait now contributes to high rates of cardiovascular diseases, underscoring the mismatch between our genes and modern lifestyles.

Examples

• Prehistoric hunters relied on fast clotting to avoid death from deep wounds.
• Clotting platelets create artery blockages when applied to cholesterol tears.
• Heart disease is now among the leading global causes of death.

6. Evolution Moves Too Slowly for Today’s Challenges

Natural selection worked over millennia, but it falters in the face of rapid modern changes. Diseases like cancer, diabetes, and obesity often strike after reproductive age, meaning they do not significantly influence genetic survival rates. These conditions persist because they don’t prevent people from passing on their genes.

Immigration and global diversity could theoretically allow beneficial mutations to spread, but with seven billion humans globally, no single gene mutation can reach everyone. The sheer scale of the human population is too vast for universal genetic adaptation.

Meanwhile, modern behaviors do impact genetic trends subtly. For instance, children who avoid sunlight and spend less time outside develop higher rates of nearsightedness, repercussions that may eventually shape human evolution if repeated over time.

Examples

• Chronic diseases occur too late in life to affect evolutionary selection.
• Global population size prevents advantageous genes from spreading universally.
• Indoor lifestyles have increased rates of nearsightedness in children.

7. Individual Willpower Falls Short Without Collective Support

Personal determination is rarely enough to solve diet or health challenges. Even immensely disciplined public figures like Oprah Winfrey have battled fluctuating weight. This highlights the need for systemic support through laws or societal shifts.

Governments have intervened effectively in some cases. The UK and Finland significantly reduced dietary salt nationwide through ad campaigns and compulsory limits. Meanwhile, Japan’s policies mandating waistline measurements have maintained obesity rates at only 5 percent.

Societal and policy-level solutions provide the structure individuals need. Without them, even determined people struggle to overcome ancient biological programming and modern temptations.

Examples

• UK laws reduced salt content in processed foods by 20 to 30 percent.
• Finland saw a 25 percent sodium reduction through legal intervention.
• Japan’s obesity rate, managed through mandatory checks, remains low globally.

8. Research and Medicine: High-Tech Solutions to Age-Old Problems

Modern medicine has achieved remarkable breakthroughs in addressing genetic and health-related challenges. From cures like HIV-resistant gene treatments to in-depth research into depression, science is bridging gaps our bodies cannot.

The story of Timothy Ray Brown, cured of both AIDS and leukemia through groundbreaking gene therapies, is one example of how far medicine has come. While not every treatment can yet be universally applied, medical research offers hope for solving our biological mismatches.

In labs, scientists use techniques like optogenetics, reprogramming specific brain cells to ease anxiety in mice. This demonstrates the potential to manipulate biological responses with precision, paving the way for innovative therapies.

Examples

• Timothy Ray Brown’s HIV immunity came from gene-modified bone marrow.
• Advances like optogenetics allow scientists to target and erase fear in mice.
• Bill Clinton survived heart attacks through modern surgical interventions.

9. Adopting a Stone Age Mindset for Modern Health Challenges

To counteract the genetic legacy of our ancestors, we can look back to their lifestyles for guidance on eating and moving. Humans evolved on diets rich in wild plants, lean meats, and occasional nuts, combined with near-constant physical activity.

Switching to these foods and exercising regularly aligns more closely with what our bodies evolved to handle. This approach helps combat conditions like obesity, heart problems, and other chronic diseases tied to sedentary, processed-food-laden lifestyles.

As tempting as technology or convenience may be, reconnecting with what our bodies are biologically designed for serves as a powerful tool to promote health in modern times.

Examples

• Early diets revolved around fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and natural fats.
• Prehistoric humans walked and hunted daily, keeping their bodies active.
• Avoiding processed foods today mirrors ancestral eating habits for better health.

Takeaways

1. Prioritize whole foods by choosing vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed proteins over packaged options.
2. Integrate regular physical activity into daily routines to mimic ancestral movement patterns.
3. Advocate for collective solutions, like better food labeling or public-health campaigns, to tackle modern dietary issues.