Hi wonderful humans! It’s Ben,
Many of you joined this list during my travel expeditions, and I’m excited to welcome you to the next chapter: Understanding Self and Preventative Health. Today is going to focus on preventative health.
Let’s get into it!
Our food system is making us sick.
Today, 76% of Americans are obese (1), and 93% have metabolic issues (2). Our metabolic health is the engine of our body. Like a car needs gas to function, our bodies need food. That food converts to energy which allow us to run, jump, breathe, think and process. But if you fill a car up on lower grade gas than it requires, it will deteriorate over time. Similarly, when we continuously fuel our bodies with ultra-processed foods, our bodies start to break down.
The US health system doesn’t make it easy to be healthy.
High-quality, unprocessed food costs three times more than ultra-processed options, is less accessible, and while things are changing, it remains less socially acceptable to be healthy. Since when did choosing not to drink alcohol or passing on eating dessert make someone the odd one out?
It starts with us and what we put in our bodies. By the time you’re in a doctor’s office, the $4.5 Trillion US Healthcare system’s goal is to ‘manage’— rather than curing it (3). ‘Managing’ is NOT going to fix the chronic disease in our country.
In a perfect world, doctors would make more money for better health outcomes of their patients. They would need to show that their patient is improving and they are doing it in a low-cost way. The best evidence based way to do that is for them to be eating real food, getting exercise, getting sunlight, sleep, and managing stress. However, for some doctors, good outcomes are measured by how many of their patients are on long term medication therapy. (4) For more insight, I recommend Casey & Calley Means’ episode on The Joe Rogan Podcast.
Chronic disease will persist unless we take a hard look at our food system.
We know these issues exist, so why haven’t we acted? Those profiting from this system certainly won’t. But why don’t those getting impacted most, the average person question why we’re so sick or why 30% of doctor visits are due to feeling ’tired’ (4)? What are we doing with our most precious resource: our time?
Today, the average kid spends seven hours a day on their phone (5). We know there’s a chronic disease epidemic, yet our focus is elsewhere.
People are waking up. This issue goes beyond changing the food system—it’s about realizing what a gift it is to be alive. We treat ourselves, our kids, and society as if our lives are disposable. Yet, in darkness, there is light —and I believe the underlying beauty of humanity shines through those people willing to educate themselves, stand up, and make decisions that lead to healthier and happier lives. It all begins with our health.
Here are a few simple steps to start prioritizing your health and preventing chronic disease:
Food: Choose the highest-quality, most natural ingredients you can find. I focus on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and healthy fats, and reduce processed foods.
Sleep: Make sleep a non-negotiable.
Light: Get sunlight during the day, and reduce exposure to artificial blue light from screens at night.
Movement: Incorporate physical activity into your daily routine to boost circulation, muscle health, and overall energy.
Stress: Connect with others and make space to slow down and breathe regularly.
I get fired up thinking about the postive impact food can have on our health! The more people understand this, the more intentional we can be about addressing it.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. If it resonated with you, please share it with a friend who would benefit too.
Peace and Love.
Ben