Modern Diseases: Deviations from Nature

1. Fructose: Fructose is not a very common molecule in the wild. In fact, the only natural source of fructose in prehistoric times was honey, a very rare commodity (since ancient fruits were not nearly as sweet as today). The problem with fructose goes back to the issue of fat storage. Unlike glucose, which is broken down for energy in every cell of our body, fructose can only be metabolized in the liver.

When we eat a sugary food, all the fructose travels to the liver. The liver converts the fructose into its storable form, glycogen. The muscles do the same thing with glucose, but have a much higher storage capacity (500 grams or 2,000 calories). However, the liver only has a limited glycogen storage (100 grams or 400 calories); once this storage is filled, the liver converts the rest into fat.

This fat has to be sent out of the liver but there is usually too much fat being produced to send it out fast enough. Like a backed up warehouse, the fat starts building up on the liver. Naturally the body panics and begins dumping fat on organs as visceral fat.

1. Visceral Fat: As you can see, visceral fat seems to be the culprit for many food related processes. Visceral fat is dangerous because it is able to interfere with how the body normally functions. The fat cells between organs release hormones and inflammatory compounds that increase the risk of countless conditions like blood pressure as well as certain forms of cancer. These fat cells do not play nice because they are near active organs, which allow them to affect bodily functions.

Hormones: A Counter-intuitive Conundrum

The final category of modern diseases associated with excessive plenty is reproductive cancers, specifically breast cancer. These cancers are a result of too much exposure to reproductive hormones. In the hunter gatherer era, women spent a lot more time pregnant, nursing, or starving. These three factors greatly reduced the number of menstrual cycles a woman would experience. On average, prehistoric women only had about 100-200 periods in their lifetime.

In modern times, this number has nearly doubled. This is due to an average reduction in the number of pregnancies per woman. On top of this, women nurse their children for less time than in the past. Finally, better nutrition ensures that low body fat does not halt menstrual cycles. This massive increase in exposure to highly reactive hormones has resulted in more dividing breast/cervical cells, which means there is a higher chance that a cancerous cell will appear.

Sadly, there are not many lifestyle choices that can reduce this risk. One factor that affects these hormones are birth control pills. These pills essentially give you a massive dose of estrogen and progesterone, helping you to control your menstruation. While I cannot deny the usefulness of this medication, it is important to be aware that you are increasing your exposure to these potentially harmful hormones. This is why there is an increased risk of breast cancer associated with taking these pills.