Approximately 300,000 years ago, the first Homo sapiens—what we now think of as modern humans—arose alongside our other hominid relatives. This may sound like a long time, but in relation to the age of the Earth (4.5 billion years), humans really haven’t been around for very long.
For the first 288,000 years of human existence, humans lived as communal nomads in small bands ranging from small families up to 100 people. They scavenged the earth for food, relying solely on plants, animals, fruit, nuts, and seeds.
A typical day for a hunter-gatherer would like this: wake up at sunrise, spend the first 6-7 hours of the day searching for food—walking and running several miles, jumping and climbing over trees and rocks, ducking under branches—then enjoy their findings by eating a large lunch, rest in the afternoon, eat another large meal for dinner, prepare for the next day, and finally go to sleep around sunset.
This daily routine lasted for about 288,000 years—or 96 percent of human existence—until the first Agricultural (Neolithic) Revolution in 10,000 BC.
With the use of agriculture, humans slowly began to move from the extremely mobile lifestyle of hunter-gatherers to large settlements where they would plop down on permanent areas of land. They realized that with farming, they could stay put, have easier access to food, and create larger populations.
Sounds great, right? Well, this is maybe the worst thing that could have happened for human health…
While the use of agriculture created more food supply, required less physical labor, allowed for larger populations, and sparked the age of invention, the food humans began consuming became much lower-quality and humans became far less active.
This drastic change in human lifestyle is prevalent today and it has only gotten worse. Today’s humans sit at a desk for 8 hours a day staring at screens, we drive cars everywhere (when we can find gas, that is), we rarely get any exercise, and we are carbohydrate-dependent as we rely on industrial farming and hyper-processed foods.
Did we just totally forget how our ancestors lived for 96 percent of our species’ existence? No wonder 76 percent of Americans are considered overweight or even obese. Our bodies were simply not designed to live a sedentary lifestyle that relies on processed food.
While the average hunter-gatherer would walk and run around 6 miles a day, the typical modern American only walks about two miles a day—only 33 percent of our ancestors! Now compound that daily.
With all this being said, it’s obvious that there is a direct correlation between our lifestyles and our overall health. We must go back to our ancestral roots and ditch our inactive lifestyle. Our bodies are not only designed for an active life, but they rely on it. That’s exactly why those who exercise live longer, healthier, and happier lives.
You don’t have to go to a gym and pump iron for 2 hours a day or go to a CrossFit class and throw so much weight around that you’re sore for a week.
Focus on simply moving. Focus on walking more. Go for a short run in the morning or after work. Walk your dog around the block a couple of times a day. Some of the best exercises you can do are bodyweight primal movements—do some push-ups, pull-ups, or air squats.
Our bodies need it.
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