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Здоровье по Дарвину. Почему мы болеем и как это связано с эволюцией
ЦитатаЭволюция слепа и неразумна. Она не разрабатывает предварительных проектов и не способна заглядывать в будущее. Эволюция не пытается решить проблему успешного выживания представителей данного вида путем фундаментального усовершенствования проекта, а ищет самое простое и легкое решение.О чем книга Автор книги, Джереми Тейлор, в прошлом - главный продюсер BBC, рассказывает, как чистота в доме может вызывать смертельно опасные болезни; почему рак невозможно вылечить; как хождение на двух ногах связано с болезнями позвоночника и внутренних органов и почему сегодня, несмотря на все достижения медицины, заболеваемость растет, а не снижается.Вы также узнаете, что такое эволюционная медицина и как с ее помощью можно по-новому лечить слепоту, болезни сердца и репродуктивной системы, аутоиммунные заболевания и болезнь Альцгеймера. Почему книга достойна прочтения:• Автор рассказывает о причинах самых распространенных болезней (спойлер: все дело в эволюции, которой нет дела до вашего здоровья и благополучия, ее волнует только бессмертие генов).• Автор предлагает посмотреть на заболевания с эволюционной точки зрения, что часто дает совершенно неожиданное понимание болезней, которое идет вразрез с устоявшимися представлениями.• Книга будет интересна всем, кто думает о своем здоровье и планирует жить долго.Кто авторДжереми Тейлор работал главным продюсером BBC, снимал научно-популярные фильмы для Discovery Channel и Learning Channel. Автор книги "Не шимпанзе: В поисках гена, который делает нас людьми".Отзывы о книге:"Тема эволюции человека, ее порой нелепые компромиссы и генетика раскрываются в интересной подаче автора, будто ты общаешься за чашкой чая со своим старым другом - остроумным, обожающим свое дело, профессором медицины. Прекрасная книга для пытливых умов homo sapiens!"Ирина Жегулина, врач-генетик Atlas Biomed Group"Образцовый научпоп. Масса отлично структурированных свежих данных из первых рук. Читается как хороший детектив: главная улика - тело, преступником оказывается совсем не тот, на кого вы думали, и мотивы у него совершенно иные, нежели следует из здравого смысла. Крайне рекомендуется к прочтению всем, кто имеет дело с человеческим организмом." Евгения Тимонова, натуралист, автор и ведущая программы "Всё как у зверей""Каждый из нас стремится выжить и сохранить здоровье. Это нормально. Но мы настолько на этом сосредоточены, что часто вступаем в конфликт с эволюцией - силой, которая создала нас такими, какие мы есть. Ведь ее (эволюцию) больше волнует репродукция, сохранение и обновление генетического материала, чем жизнь и здоровье каждого из нас. А еще она никак не поспевает за нашими успехами в улучшении жизни и в результате, многие, казалось бы, хорошие достижения оказываются для нас просто опасными. Авторы книги знакомят вас с законами эволюции и с тем, как они влияют на здоровье, как опасно их игнорировать и как можно использовать в медицине и в повседневной жизни. Так что если вы хотите, чтобы эволюция работала на вас, то книгу эту читать обязательно."Иван Кириллов, к.м.н., психиатр и психотерапевт, автор книги "Стресс-серфинг: Как перестать бояться стресса и обратить его себе на пользу" Обо всём этом и не только в книге Здоровье по Дарвину. Почему мы болеем и как это связано с эволюцией (Джереми Тейлор)
Hardcover
Published January 1, 2018
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About the author
Jeremy Taylor
154 books7 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Jeremy Taylor
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Jeremy Taylor
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Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
Jeremy Taylor
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Jeremy Taylor
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
August 17, 2016
Every chapter of this book is filled with nuggets of wisdom. Taylor looks for an evolutionary angle to enlighten us on the causes of some of the most critical ailments that plague the human body. He starts with the well known fact that humans are comprised of 90% microbes and only 10% cells. Nevertheless the history of medicine has focused mainly on understanding the functioning (and dysfunction) of our organs. In the first chapter Taylor highlights the role of the intestinal bacteria and helminths (parasitic worms) in regulating our internal equilibrium. The depletion of some of these “old friends” can result in many allergic and auto-immune conditions.
The next stop on the Evolution Theory Tour is an explanation of human fertility or more accurately “infertility”. To start with Taylor points out that during a pregnancy the genetic interests of the mother, father and the baby are engaged in a tug of war. It is fascinating to read how their tug of war is at all levels and first takes place between the father and mother. First the chemicals in the semen are evaluated for their fit. Then, the paternal and maternal copies of the genes duke it out in a literal tug of war. Taylor describes an experiment where a copy of the same gene on the chromosome from the mother/father is manipulated. If either one of them was silenced it result in the fetus being significantly above/blow the baseline for a normal offspring. Ergo, we really need both copies of the gene to find the right balance.
The mother rejects poor quality embryos so she can preserve her scarce opportunities to propagate her genes and maximize the potential for raising a healthy offspring. Miscarriages are very common and most of them are not even registered as they happen even before a pregnancy is detected. In the author’s words “the embryo and fetus are in a constant state of probation until birth."
In the next chapter, Taylor discusses the vexing back pains that 80% of adults suffer from at some point or the other in their lives. Contrary to common belief, the author states that the cause is solely because we stand upright. In fact, changing from a horizontal to vertical posture doesn’t change the compressive pressure on the vertebrae in any significant way. It is the leveraged activities like heavy lifting or gardening that put an order of magnitude more pressure on the vertebral muscles that can result in injury. In case you are wondering what the evolutionary advantage of standing upright is, Taylor’s view is that it enabled us to decouple our stride from our respiration, thereby allowing us to run continuously for long periods of time. In contrast, quadrupeds can’t pant and gallop at the same time so that even the fastest animals can a sustain burst of speed for only a few minutes at a time.
The next stop on the evolutionary tour is the form and function of the human eye. While it is one of our more impressive organs, it is not a marvel of Engineering genius. The photosensitive cells are facing the outside of an inverted cup retina and a jumble of nerves on the inside carry the signal out through the optic nerve, resulting in a blind spot at the center of the retina. While at first glance this seems like a bad design, Taylor puts forth some theories on who and why this could have evolved in humans. He goes on to explain how there have been many independent evolutions of eyes on this planet, estimating anywhere from 40 to 65 independent outcomes.
No book on medicine would be complete without a discussion on cancer and Taylor does not disappoint. He points out that there are many different types of cancer and even a single tumor can have multiple groups of cells with different mutations with varied genetic makeup. Thus it is very unlikely that we will discover a singular cure for all types of cancer.
Finally Taylor closes out the book with an in-depth look at the cause and effect of Alzheimers. For me, this chapter had a very special significance as the cloud of Alzheimers hung over the last few years of my father’s life. For a long time, conventional wisdom maintained that Alzheimers was caused by beta amyloid plaque deposits on the neurons in the cortical region of the brain. Taylor argues quite convincingly the the plaque, while clearly present in Alzheimers patients, may be a symptom and not really the cause of the disease. He points to recent studies that show that in an overwhelming majority of cases, Alzheimers patients have inflammation of brain tissue and may be the result of an underlying infection that has leaked into the brain. The amyloid plaque might just be an immune response to try and contain the spread of infection.
In summary, this book makes a strong case of taking an evolutionary view to the treatment of the complex diseases that currently afflict the human race. While it is quite readable, it veers into textbook territory with a multitude of technical jargon and acronyms. Nevertheless it is a must-read for anyone who is curious about what the future medical treatment has in store for us.
The next stop on the Evolution Theory Tour is an explanation of human fertility or more accurately “infertility”. To start with Taylor points out that during a pregnancy the genetic interests of the mother, father and the baby are engaged in a tug of war. It is fascinating to read how their tug of war is at all levels and first takes place between the father and mother. First the chemicals in the semen are evaluated for their fit. Then, the paternal and maternal copies of the genes duke it out in a literal tug of war. Taylor describes an experiment where a copy of the same gene on the chromosome from the mother/father is manipulated. If either one of them was silenced it result in the fetus being significantly above/blow the baseline for a normal offspring. Ergo, we really need both copies of the gene to find the right balance.
The mother rejects poor quality embryos so she can preserve her scarce opportunities to propagate her genes and maximize the potential for raising a healthy offspring. Miscarriages are very common and most of them are not even registered as they happen even before a pregnancy is detected. In the author’s words “the embryo and fetus are in a constant state of probation until birth."
In the next chapter, Taylor discusses the vexing back pains that 80% of adults suffer from at some point or the other in their lives. Contrary to common belief, the author states that the cause is solely because we stand upright. In fact, changing from a horizontal to vertical posture doesn’t change the compressive pressure on the vertebrae in any significant way. It is the leveraged activities like heavy lifting or gardening that put an order of magnitude more pressure on the vertebral muscles that can result in injury. In case you are wondering what the evolutionary advantage of standing upright is, Taylor’s view is that it enabled us to decouple our stride from our respiration, thereby allowing us to run continuously for long periods of time. In contrast, quadrupeds can’t pant and gallop at the same time so that even the fastest animals can a sustain burst of speed for only a few minutes at a time.
The next stop on the evolutionary tour is the form and function of the human eye. While it is one of our more impressive organs, it is not a marvel of Engineering genius. The photosensitive cells are facing the outside of an inverted cup retina and a jumble of nerves on the inside carry the signal out through the optic nerve, resulting in a blind spot at the center of the retina. While at first glance this seems like a bad design, Taylor puts forth some theories on who and why this could have evolved in humans. He goes on to explain how there have been many independent evolutions of eyes on this planet, estimating anywhere from 40 to 65 independent outcomes.
No book on medicine would be complete without a discussion on cancer and Taylor does not disappoint. He points out that there are many different types of cancer and even a single tumor can have multiple groups of cells with different mutations with varied genetic makeup. Thus it is very unlikely that we will discover a singular cure for all types of cancer.
Finally Taylor closes out the book with an in-depth look at the cause and effect of Alzheimers. For me, this chapter had a very special significance as the cloud of Alzheimers hung over the last few years of my father’s life. For a long time, conventional wisdom maintained that Alzheimers was caused by beta amyloid plaque deposits on the neurons in the cortical region of the brain. Taylor argues quite convincingly the the plaque, while clearly present in Alzheimers patients, may be a symptom and not really the cause of the disease. He points to recent studies that show that in an overwhelming majority of cases, Alzheimers patients have inflammation of brain tissue and may be the result of an underlying infection that has leaked into the brain. The amyloid plaque might just be an immune response to try and contain the spread of infection.
In summary, this book makes a strong case of taking an evolutionary view to the treatment of the complex diseases that currently afflict the human race. While it is quite readable, it veers into textbook territory with a multitude of technical jargon and acronyms. Nevertheless it is a must-read for anyone who is curious about what the future medical treatment has in store for us.
July 5, 2017
Amazing book about evolutionary biology and human diseases. Very well written, based on tons of really fresh research (believe me, I am in the loop of those), nice structure, well balanced between too academic and too scientific.
August 27, 2024
Never have I read a book I loved so much and understood so little! This is a terrific evolution book about disease and the human body, but it is so HARD to understand because there is so much to learn. I truly may have to read it again which I almost never do. But I was really impressed with the BBC science writer, Jeremy Taylor, who writes so much deeper than most of the American science writers whom I would normally be reading.
And I have a new respect for the English science reader because they must understand this book on first reading much better than I did. Unfortunately, much of this information could be out of date because it was written in 2015. Hope not. Really an interesting and most fascinating book. Like I wrote, I probably will reread this one.
And I have a new respect for the English science reader because they must understand this book on first reading much better than I did. Unfortunately, much of this information could be out of date because it was written in 2015. Hope not. Really an interesting and most fascinating book. Like I wrote, I probably will reread this one.
May 10, 2017
Так и не нашла, как добавлять самой книги! Ну пускай все думают, что я прочитала ее на английском.
November 20, 2018
Чудова книга. Потрібно перечитати через рік.
March 26, 2019
I had to quit the book. Too dense
October 28, 2024
good reading but complex
Get ready for a ride into medicine of various illnesses and their lack of cure. It’s a very tough read.
Get ready for a ride into medicine of various illnesses and their lack of cure. It’s a very tough read.
December 26, 2015
This is an excellent book summarizing current states of research on a number of medical problems we all face, including miscarriages, loss of sight (e.g. macular degeneration), increased auto-immune diseases including allergies, arthritis, Crohn's disease; Alzheimer's; cancer. Because Taylor was producer and director of BBC Science Division, he has had extensive experience in presenting complex information to the public; this book, though thorough in its reporting, is easy to read. It is published by the University of Chicago Press, so it has been thoroughly vetted by outsider referees. Taylor has interviewed a number of scientists whose research he is reporting on. If there is one medical topic book you read this year (or in 2016) this is certainly a prime contender. He is even-handed, but gives due time to reporting on new avenues of research that are not "main-stream", e.g. avenues that suggest that particular importance be given to consideration of the role of inflammation in a number of these diseases and conditions. I learned that a relatively new field of medical research is evolutionary medicine, which looks at the genomes and evolution to see how evolutionary adaptations
affect our health. There are always pluses and minuses with every adaptation; add to this our increasing longevity and we can see that pluses can become minuses later in our lives. I cannot recommend this book enough to the lay reader.
affect our health. There are always pluses and minuses with every adaptation; add to this our increasing longevity and we can see that pluses can become minuses later in our lives. I cannot recommend this book enough to the lay reader.
May 25, 2016
This is an incredible book that I can recommend to anyone with an interest in why our bodies do the things they do. Most of what we hear and read conceptualizes our bodies as machines that can be kept repaired and running in the same way we maintain our cars. The evolutionary perspective, according to Jeremy Taylor, is only interested in maximizing our reproductive fitness. How do these two perspectives differ when focused on specific diseases and organ systems? For the answers, the book's chapters discuss allergies and autoimmune disease, infertility and diseases of pregnancy, orthopedic illness, blindness, cancer, cardiology, and dementia, and together go a long way to reveal the folly (in my biased opinion) of creationism. An important read for the layman as well as the professional. (Full disclosure, I am quoted in the chapter on cancer.)
April 29, 2016
This book was fine, but not as strong on the evolution front as I had hoped. He didn't even really discuss the issue of natural selection being a weak force to act on diseases of old age until the last chapter, and that seems to me one of the most important points of thinking about evolutionary medicine. It is also very heavily focused on inflammation, even when scientific evidence is not as strong for its role in the disease process (like for autism).
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May 18, 2016If you have had medical issues in your family you will find this book, "Body by Darwin:" an enlightening experience. The book will relieve many anxieties you may have. Plus, just good reading.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews