I’ve long thought that some thing in our foods is triggering a metabolic response to conserve energy in preparation for famine. This would be an evolutionary survival strategy that allowed a portion of the population to better survive as opposed to those with fast metabolisms.
In hunter/gatherer and early agricultural people starving time was spring and early summer. At this time stored food is changing, becoming rancid or oxidizing. The signal to slow metabolism in those with the genes could be chemical and enzymes that form over time.
Our modern food supply is overly processed and filled with chemical additives. These may mimic the starvation food changes of more primitive times.
Perhaps my hypothesis is on the way to being proven, as this article suggests that some additives increase the risks of developing T2DM.
A conclusion finding that X is linked to Y or associated with Y triggers my suspicion antennae. That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just means don’t jump to the conclusion that a change in X will have any effect on Y.
From the linked article, I also noticed
…analyzed health data from 108,643 adults in the NutriNet-Santé cohort, following participants for an average of 7.7 years.
The participants completed at least two days (up to 15 days) of online dietary records of all food and drinks consumed and their brands.
To me, those data aren’t strong enough to draw conclusions.
It’s a start. I was diagnosed in 1990. In 1993 my wife and I spent 30 days in west County Cork IRE in July. All the food we ate was local and very fresh, even the fish and chips at pubs. There would be a chalk board listing that days fish.
I was able to eat and drink everything I wanted and had no problems with BG. It was constantly in the normal range without and meds.
When we returned to Texas it was back on the strict low carb regime as BG immediately went up. I know this is anecdotal but it got me to thinking about processed stored foods vs fresh and metabolic effects.
If my hypothesis is correct that the metabolic changes in more primitive times reverted with the return of fresher foods.
Interesting hypothesis, but why can’t you eat in Texas like you ate in Ireland? I know supermarkets where I live, and probably in Texas, are full of overly processed and manufactured foods, but eating fresh, local food is also possible (though it may require a bit more work and money).
It is possible to get some fresh vegetables from farmer’s markets, or grow your own. Meat if you eat it is a whole ‘nother story. While this area is heavy into beef production all of that goes to somewhere else. We use to have diaries but those have all moved to the west and north with huge herds up to 5.000 cows. Who knows what hormones are in the beef, milk and chlorine washed chicken.
I do know that the food in w. County Cork wouldn’t be so fresh, but with EU food safety regulations on additives, hormones and chlorine washing I imagine the food even off season is better for us.
And I expect it to get worse here in the near future.
I’ve also wondered if our food might be messing with our metabolism just by being so over-processed. It’s cool to see how these ideas are coming together to explain modern health issues.
I didn’t realize things were that bleak where you live. It’s very likely true that the food in Cork is fresher and less tampered with. Certainly in Italy it’s often said that most fresh food comes from no more than 24 hours away.
I’m way behind in my New Yorker reading but, coincidentally, just read a piece that examines the American diet. It suggests that instead of focusing on how processed food is, we might instead look at how calorie-dense it is. There are indications that weight gain is more linked to calorie density than it is to a diet high in ultra-processed foods. Which is not to say that ultra-processed foods are off the hook. They could well be behind contributors to weight and illness such as altered microbiomes and metabolism.