Richard Johnson argues that ancient survival mechanisms designed to store fat and trigger insulin resistance now drive obesity, Alzheimer's, and type 2 diabetes in modern life. These foraging responses, useful when food was scarce, become harmful when constantly activated by today's diet.
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So in conclusion, we would like to suggest that what was once a survival response can actually be turned into an injurious pathway that's hurting us. And the foraging response is now driving Alzheimer's and behavioral disorders. What was to help us store enough fat to survive starvation is now turning into obesity that's persistent with fatty liver dyslipidemia. What was meant to be insulin resistance to preserve glucose for the brain is now driving diabetes. What was to induce low grade inflammation to help us fight infection may actually be driving things like heart disease. The increase in systemic and glomerular pressure is probably the reason we're at risk for high blood pressure, stroke and chronic kidney disease. And interestingly, this switched away from the mitochondria to a process called glycolysis is actually driving tumor growth.