supposedly, something like 30% of the global population is unable to absorb "sufficient" levels of iron, and that is something that is strongly correlated with being brown. when 30% of the population has a disorder, that sounds more like variation than a disease - and that you'd only call it a disease if you're white.
while people have migrated around all over the place for thousands of years, and trying to build strong geographic correlations is no doubt futile, it seems like increased iron absorption is probably an adaptation to colder climates. i wouldn't even be surprised to find out it's neanderthal in origin. it follows that people with genetic backgrounds in warmer climates may just not need as much iron - until they move north, and find themselves up against a wall they can't scale.
the actual best solution is for me to move south, and i know that. if i get some source of wealth, right?
in the mean time, i'm stuck between figuring out a way to warm up and figuring out a way to adjust - and want to lean towards the former more than the latter.