Ewald's Theory of Evolutionary Medicine

Ewald's Theory of Evolutionary Medicine suggests that many modern health issues, like allergies, autoimmune diseases, and chronic conditions, arise because our bodies evolved to handle different environments than those we live in today. Our ancestors’ traits that once helped survival may now cause problems in modern contexts. For example, our immune system's tendency to overreact might have protected against infections before antibiotics but now leads to allergies. Understanding these evolutionary roots helps explain why certain diseases occur and can guide better prevention and treatment strategies, aligning medicine more closely with our evolutionary history.