(Ebook) Western Diseases: An Evolutionary Perspective by Tessa M. Pollard ISBN 9780521851800, 9780521811071, 9780521818476, 9780521820509, 9780521825801, 9780521843997, 0521811074, 0521818478, 0521820502

(Ebook) Western Diseases: An Evolutionary Perspective by Tessa M. Pollard ISBN 9780521851800, 9780521811071, 9780521818476, 9780521820509, 9780521825801, 9780521843997, 0521811074, 0521818478, 0521820502

This book was really interesting. It presents a broad overview of diseases of "affluence", going back to when humans were hunters-gatherers, and basically meat eaters, and then, with the Neolithic revolution, started consuming carbohydrates. DNA does not change quickly, and it is interesting to read on how the body responds to environmental and dietary changes when most of the DNA is really engineered for a body accustomed to the lifestyle of a hunter-gatherer, dotted by feast and famine periods. In some way, it reminded me another book: "Cancer: The Evolutionary Legacy", by Mel Greaves. My only regret, and this is simply the point of view of a non-academic and very layman reader, is the lack of colorful illustrations and the somewhat dry and terse and reference-rich style typical of academic research books ... maybe I should just stick to the just-released "The Way We Work" by David Macaulay ;-)Oh, and by the way, this book might convince vegetarians to start eating meat again (you'll just have to read it to know what I mean... hint ... hint: tooth decay)