The latest insight to improve your diet and health.
I read the book Good Energy by Casey Means, MD. If you’re not familiar with her, she is the co-founder of Levels and was influential in Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s appointment to Secretary of Health and Human Services and the “Make American Healthy Again” campaign.
As you likely know, Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s appointment is controversial which is why I read her book. It’s a good read if you’re feeling anxious about what’s to come in 2025 and/or you haven’t been keeping up with Vitality Vibes for the latest lifestyle related insights.
Two takeaways from the book Good Energy
1/ Silos exist in medicine
Every organization with functional specialists has silos and unfortunately, medicine is no different. The problem with silos is that the services rendered are generally limited to the scope of the functional specialist. In other words, the specialist addresses the issue but doesn’t necessarily address the root cause because it’s out of their scope. That’s reportedly the reason, Dr. Casey choose to enter private practice and why she co-founded Levels.
2/ The root cause of many diseases is lifestyle
The root cause of many chronic conditions driving the cost of healthcare is metabolic syndrome which is largely lifestyle related. Diet, exercise, sleep and exposure to toxins are the significant factors determining your risk for metabolic syndrome.
Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that together raise your risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and other serious health problems. Metabolic syndrome is also called insulin resistance syndrome.
According to Dr. Means, any disease ending in “itis” may be metabolic related including cellulitis. That one was surprising to me. Before you book an appointment with a plastic surgeon or other specialist, book an appointment with your General Practitioner to get your labs done and/or try Levels for more insights and continuous monitoring.
How diet and health misinformation get ultra processed
I had the pleasure of participating in the True Health Initiative online conference called How diet and health misinformation get ultra processed.
Results of the polls taken during the conference
1/ The primary source of misinformation is social media influencers and the media, followed by supplement brands. Why? They’re trying to gain followers, readers and/or sell something. The more sensational the headline or claim, the more likely they are to grab your attention.
2/ The responsibility for containing the spread of misinformation primarily lies with policymakers, health and nutrition scientists and health and nutrition professionals in that order. Why? They all influence the policies, guidelines and information consumers rely on to make informed decisions.
Key takeaways
1/ Concerted effort is underway to improve transparency amongst researchers in order to improve the quality of the dietary research needed to provide unbiased dietary guidelines.
The length of the studies needed to provide dietary findings makes it impossible for most researchers to be free of conflicts. Consequently, disclosures were made and findings shared with the participating researchers to improve transparency and the quality of the findings.
2/ The latest research supported by the Department of Health & Human Services supports emphasizing plant-based proteins which includes beans, peas, lentils followed by nuts, seeds and soy products. Now for the controversial part, the research also supports de-emphasizing seafood and limiting animal products including meats, poultry and eggs.
3/ The USDA, Department of Agriculture is responsible for updating and implementing the dietary guidelines which is yet to be done. Reportedly, this is another step when special interests can influence the guidelines and other information published.
Concerns were expressed during the conference about the incoming Administration given Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Dr. Oz’s positions on vaccines and their disregard for the science. The concern is understandable given the need for scientists and professionals to provide unbiased research findings for policymakers to help address the misinformation that affects public health.
Unnecessary threats and violence
Lastly, the threat to scientists and others in life science and healthcare is real. I experienced the hostility early in my career while working for a prominent health plan, Blue Shield of California. Unfortunately, the level of threat has since escalated.
Violence is never the answer or justified. Healthcare whether explicitly stated or not, is always on the ballot. Make your voice heard by voting and learn how to make the most of your healthcare benefits.
Benefits & Risk Pools
I’ve been explaining risk pools in social posts on the Shannon Smith Living pages lately because it’s how your healthcare gets paid whether you’re living in Canada, the US or another developed country.
In the simplest terms, there is a pot of money called a risk pool that everyone contributes to whether through health insurance premiums and/or taxes. That money is used to pay medical claims when you receive care. The government, your insurer and/or your employer establish claim guidelines for risk pool administrators. The administrators may be your insurer, healthcare provider or a third party administrator.
Needless to say, healthcare finance is complex. For more detail, read this post and stay tuned for more detail on this topic and how to make the most of your benefits and minimize frustration.
If you have specific questions, I’d love to hear from you.
