Necessity is the Mother of I... llness?

The evolutionary process allows our bodies to adapt to change over time via the process of mutation. Putting the body under the stress whereby it needs to change is a necessary part of this process taking place - but I believe that this very process may also be the factor that causes illness.

From an evolutionary and dietary perspective, human beings are adapted herbivores. Rather like rats and mice, we are opportunistic feeders. It seems like we strike a tenuous balance at times, particularly when trying to find sources of protein, which makes sense as our bodies are best designed for plant matter rather than meat. Scientific research is starting to show the extent of the problem. Many beans and proteins are causing immune systems to overload and triggering all manner of autoimmune diseases. Problems include wheat gluten, barley and rye, cocoa beans, coffee beans, peanuts, soya beans, shellfish... some bodies are sensitive to dairy produce, others to yeast...

A protein that the body produces called zonulin controls the permeability of the gut. Introducing new foodstuffs to the body may cause the body to have to consider how much zonulin it is producing to allow for optimal nutrition to take place. Producing extra zonulin increases the permeability of the gut to allow larger mollecules to get through. When these larger mollecules, so often the protein mollecules found in substances such as wheat gluten, get into the bloodstream, the immune system may decide to treat them as hostile and may well start attacking the site of the intrusion. In this, the body can act rather like a bull in a china shop or a trigger happy general and start causing damage to the body itself.

Consequently diseases such as coeliac disease, sarcoidosis, interstitial lung problems, cancers (including brain cancers) to name a few are being triggered. Necessity - the very process of having to change - may well be the mother of invention, but it may also be the mother of illness. Mutation can evidently work for good or ill - just ask the X-Men and Magneto.