We live in an era of advancement. From technology, to medicine, to social awareness, human beings are pushing creativity and innovation beyond the max. But at what expense?
The Good
With modern civilization, we are living longer than ever before, are more connected than ever before, and have jumped to new heights beyond our ancestors dreams. We went from fire to penicillin to cell-phones to AI, in a relatively short amount of time, and managed to adapt and adjust with relative ease (kind of). We are able to detect issues and disease far in advance and have developed interventions to prevent disease, injury, ultimately death, in a way we couldn't before.
The Not-So-Good
Modernization is a two-sided coin. The same technologies that allow us to be connected on a global scale have also led to our isolation. Our social development wanes as we increasingly interact through digital (and artificial) means. Increased stressors, exposures to irritants and pollutants, disconnection from the natural environment, it all has it's drawbacks. We are living longer, but necessarily better, and advanced age exposes us to a whole host of new risks.
A recent California study suggests that illness such as Alzheimer's stems from modern lifestyles. Medical texts from 2,500 years ago rarely mention severe memory loss in constrast to today’s widespread dementia. The general consensus? Increased population and densely populated cities = increased rates of cognitive decline, mass production of food = increased toxins in the body, industrialization = more sedentary lifestyle. Should I keep going?
All is not lost. Besides, it's all about balance. How do we continue to progress while maintaining our health and natural wellness? We can combat the effects of modernization by maintaining homeostasis within our self and our world. Staying active, staying connected (in the real world), and staying healthy. Try to incorporate more whole foods and reduce our intake of processed foods and sugars. Try to keep your body moving to combat the dreaded office slouch. Try to stay connected with your community and socialize with other humans (outside of the phone screen). And most importantly, breathe.
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