There's a new study out that investigates "evolutionary mismatch" diseases.

A classic example of evolutionary mismatch would put humans, who evolved their dietary preferences on the African savannah, into a modern environment with easy access to Twinkies, Fritos, soft bread, and ice cream.

Our wired-in desire to consume foods that are sweet, salty and fatty works great in past ancestral worlds, but not as well in our modern world. Thus, obesity and other metabolic disorders can be considered “mismatch diseases.” They are also called diseases of civilization, because they are almost unknown in hunter-gatherers who live in more ancestral environments. You might be surprised to learn that other diseases of civilization include diabetes, osteoporosis, and tooth decay. Yah, difficulties breathing and tooth decay!

So this new study notes a very important difference between what we do as modern humans at the onset of pain, as opposed to what happened in the world of our ancestors.

If you are living the life of a hunter gatherer, returning to physical activity shortly after an injury is mandatory, not optional. If your back goes out after a hard day or foraging, you might be able to take a few days off to rest. But if you don't get out there hunting and gathering again pretty soon, you will starve. 

The human nervous system has evolved to activate special pain inhibitory systems the moment we start moving again. These systems block the flow of nociception (pain - producing signals) from an injured area to the brain. It's like our very own built-in pharmacy that delivers natural pain-killers that are uniquely suited to our bodies, at precisely the right time, and at the exact, correct amounts.

Keeping these systems active and functional is necessary to prevent chronic pain. People who suffer from chronic pain have problems getting these pain-blocking systems going.

So when is the right time to get moving? You decide!

I get it; it can be so very scary to start moving again...

What if you hurt yourself again?

What if this God - awful pain gets even worse...?

I've been through this process of starting again more times than I care to count. I know how frustrating and depressing it can feel to be back to that square one yet again. Those are the times that I have to work really hard to remind myself that while my head thinks it knows it all, my body has ancient wisdom all of its own.

The magic formula that works for me every time without a fail is a simple one:  start super easy; progress extra slow; listen to how I feel; adjust accordingly.

I'm off for my regular morning walk...

Here is the link to the study if you are curious.