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Health Care Is Not the Problem: We Are Too Fat Is the Problem


The health care debate matters, but no matter what Congress does, America’s health is not likely to get any better

Because health care isn’t causing the problem: our diet is.

“The American way of eating has become the elephant in the room in the debate over health care,” writes Michael Pollan in the New York Times.

“According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, three-quarters of health care spending now goes to treat “preventable chronic diseases.” Not all of these diseases are linked to diet — there’s smoking, for instance — but many, if not most, of them are.”

See here for the eye opening piece by Michael Pollan

“There’s lots of money to be made selling fast food and then treating the diseases that fast food causes.”

Yes of course WE the PEOPLE decide what to put into our mouths and most of us make terrible choices most of the time. And we pay for them with our sick, fat and tired bodies by the time we’re 40.

But it doesn’t help that nearly ALL the food that is available is not real food at all, but spicy, addictive food-like substances full of artificial and often toxic ingredients. Artificial food has long shelf life and little nutritive value. But it’s cheap.

Like Pollan said, there’s lots of money to be made selling fast food and then treating the diseases that fast food causes. And we the people are going along with it.

Yes, we don’t pay for it immediately, but we sure do pay. Don’t we?

Health care might even make the problem worse – lulling folks into thinking there’s a drug or surgery fix for eating and living habits that are making them sicker and fatter.

About the author

Kim Klaver

2 Comments

  • Hi Kim,

    Thank you for your views, and sharing Michael Pollan's wisdom. I agree that the way we eat carries a huge impact on our health. But it's far from the only one.

    This week Dr. Andy Weil (who also supports Michael Pollan's views) published a book: "Why Our Health Matters: A Vision of Medicine That Can Transform Our Future." Nutrition has long been a focus of Dr. Weil's work, along with additional ways we can support our health and self-healing capacities. In the book he offers pertinent suggestions for healthcare reform, suggesting that most lawmakers have overlooked "health" in their deliberations. People can find some pertinent tidbits from the book here:

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andrew-weil-md/a-call-to-action-why-our_b_280928.html

    I enjoy your blog, and appreciate how thoughtfully you write it.

    Best wishes,
    Pam
    http://www.drpampappas.com

  • Hi Kim,
    I have been saying for years that America is eating hard crunchy things out of bags, not having an idea of what they are…driving up to holes in the wall and having a bag of ' WHAT?' shoved out to them…
    This is why I eat Mila, the healthiest whole raw food on the planet and take it everyday…it has made such a difference in my health and it is FOOD… FDA certified Food!
    Thank you for you website and I appreciate your insights!

    Andrea Dupree
    http:/www.adupree.lifemax.net

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