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You can get garden variety health advice from the daily newspaper, the "health" section of most book stores, and of course thousands of web sites. I'm hoping to present thought provoking and maybe change provoking thoughts about individual and community health. This blog is not just what to do about health, but how to think about it. I'm looking forward to an exchange of ideas with readers. July, 2010

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Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Survival of the Fittest, part 2

While humans are generally protected from the most severe consequences of natural selection, there are some exhibits of survival of the fittest. It is generally recognized that African peoples with the sickle cell trait are resistant to the ravages of malaria. On the other hand, children with juvenile diabetes should be at a disadvantage; without modern treatment methods, these children would die before being able to produce children. In that case, over a number of generations, the juvenile diabetes trait should die out, as only children without that genetic trait would reproduce.

Of course, natural selection and survival of the fittest is not only experienced by humans, but by other organisms. Natural selection in other organisms can effect humans as well.

To be continued.

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