arcticorangutan on Nostr: Self defeating assumptions: It’s a habit of our culture to assume that when an ...

Self defeating assumptions:

It’s a habit of our culture to assume that when an aspect of our health has deteriorated, this must be a result of genetics or irreversible damage.

This is lazy and self-defeating. Of course, genetics are an important component of our physical health. But WHEN our genes may trigger a physical affliction is typically a function of choices we are making in our day-to-day life.

Of course some of the damage may be irreversible. But some of it may be reversed by taking responsibility and changing one’s lifestyle.

This dynamic is particularly notable where a large fraction of the population suffers from a disease and is reaching for quick fixes.

1 in 10 Americans now have Type 2 Diabetes. Even with this condition, you still commonly read that it is strongly tied to family history and genetics. Yet we all stem from about 300,000 generations of humans before us and I find it hard to believe that many of them dealt with Type 2 Diabetes as early in their lives as we do. We know that this condition is largely reversible and yet drugs seem to be the treatment of choice.

Nearly 30% of Americans are myopic. Did our ancestors really run around and constantly bump into trees? Or is there something about our choices that is contributing to this huge percentage? We may not be able to change our lifestyle completely but what can we change?

About 10% of the US population have a food allergy. This number has tripled since 1997. And yet, everyone I meet that has a food allergy seems to just take it for granted and show little interest in its underlying causes and potential reversibility.

There are many more examples. Every time I run into one of them my initial reaction is bewilderment followed by deep curiosity in what is actually. going. on.