Why Some Like It Hot: Food, Genes, and Cultural Diversity Book

I am going on holidays to Hawaii in November this year. Every time I go somewhere new I randomly decide a few months before hand that I should read some books about the place, that I should learn the language, the culture, etc. I never do. This year at least, I actually made an effort. I typed Hawaii into the local library's catalogue and ended up ordering three books, of which this was one. Coincidentally, this book suited my new interest in diets and intolerances. The Hawaii connection is pretty small, a discussion in the final chapter. The actual book itself is about the significant increases in food intolerances and issues as a result of deviating from historical diets established in particular races over thousands of years as a result of the food available in their native homes. It's an interesting hypothesis, and being from Australia, with our own indigenous population who are fairly well known to have issues with alcohol (personally I think this whole country has problems with alcohol - the binge drinking culture is out of control - but I say that as a non-drinker), learning of similar problems in other indigenous cultures and Nabhan's theories on why was a great learning piece for me. Moreover, as I have recently self-diagnosed myself as being gluten intolerant, learning about the increase in similar problems throughout the world was fascinating. A good read, and an interesting hypothesis, even if it is backed up by as much anecdotal evidence as it detailed research.