America faces a health crisis that touches every community and impacts the nation’s future. With rising rates of chronic disease, obesity, and preventable illness, a strong commitment to "Make America Healthy Again" is needed now, more than ever.
But, honestly, the calls to remove colorants from kid’s cereal and remove soda from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) fall SO far short of an effective plan for actually “Making America Healthy Again.”
Truly, I have the utmost respect for the doctors and politicians working on the Make America Healthy Again movement. And I’m not trying in any way to disparage their contributions to this conversation.
But we need more. We need to go further than what they’re suggesting.
We need to completely reshape how we think about health. We have to truly educate our youth on nutrition, and advocate for policies that really promote wellness. We need a focus on holistic health and preventive care.
In short, we need to Make America FIT Again.
In this article, I’m exploring a powerful roadmap to a truly healthier America, including:
Let’s dive into what it truly takes to "Make America Healthy Again."
The health statistics in America today paint a troubling picture. Rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic conditions have risen significantly over the past few decades, affecting both adults and children. Behind these statistics lies a crisis that not only diminishes individual quality of life but also places a heavy burden on the healthcare system and economy. Understanding the factors that led to this crisis can help us work toward solutions that create long-term change.
Just a few of the troubling statistics we’re looking at:
It’s not good.
The social and economic impact of this health crisis is staggering. Poor health reduces productivity, raises healthcare costs, and limits your ability to thrive. Ultimately, it impacts workforce efficiency and creates cycles of disadvantage in communities already facing socioeconomic challenges.
If we want to actually make meaningful progress, America must address the root causes of these health issues—starting with better education and access to resources that support healthy lifestyles from childhood onward.
A lack of proper nutrition education is hands down one of the most critical drivers of America’s health crisis. It all starts with the fact that we don’t know how to make healthy choices.
And it begins with the medical system — most traditional medical schools provide minimal training in nutrition, and this lack of foundational knowledge leaves doctors unequipped to help patients manage chronic health conditions through diet.
This has left many Americans without the guidance they need to make healthier choices.
The consequences of this educational gap ripple out into everyday life. Without strong guidance on preventive health and nutrition, Americans often turn to highly processed foods laden with sugars, unhealthy fats, and synthetic additives.
Ultimately, I’d like to see an end to processed foods. But we have to meet people where they’re at.
And the first step is to really educate people on food labels. I’m talking about going beyond simple nutrition facts and really understanding what ingredients are in the packaged food you’re eating.
First things first: if you can’t pronounce it, it probably doesn’t belong in your diet.
Then, focus on the first five ingredients, as these make up the bulk of the product. If sugar or refined grains appear near the top, put it back.
So many packaged foods use misleading labels like “natural” or “fruit-flavored” that disguise unhealthy ingredients. These are marketing tactics used to disguise completely garbage choices as “healthy.” Just because something is labeled “gluten-free” doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good food.
Dietary habits are formed when we’re young. And just look at what we feed our kids. When you plop down a bowl of cereal for your child to eat in the morning, it’s really not much better than “human kibble.”
Most cereals and snack foods are pushed on children with predatory marketing tactics. And they’re full of artificial ingredients, low in nutrients, and high in processed sugars. These foods contribute to poor metabolic health and blood sugar dysfunction, which can drive childhood obesity and lead to lifelong health complications.
But here’s the thing…taking the artificial colorants out of the cereal isn’t fixing the systemic problem.
The cereal is the problem. Let’s stop negotiating with the enemy and start boycotting processed foods. Period. We need people to know it’s OK to feed your child eggs or even meat for breakfast. People are afraid of the wrong foods.
And I understand that for many families, the problem goes deeper. They choose processed foods because it’s cheaper and it’s easier. People are crunched for time and they need simplicity and affordability. Plus, once your taste buds are accustomed to processed foods, it’s hard to turn away from them. I get it.
But cereals and granola bars aren’t the right answer. We can empower Americans to make better choices. I’ve seen it time and time again in my practice. Ultimately, once people have the knowledge they need — they realize that cooking an egg or offering their children fresh fruit isn’t really more difficult or expensive than more processed alternatives.
Start small and remember, your meals don’t have to be complicated or fancy to be delicious. Once your taste buds become accustomed to fresh vegetables, fruits, meats, eggs, dairy products, beans, and nuts, that’s what they’ll crave instead of food from the drive-through.
Physical fitness is the most important component of a healthy life.
Fitness should be more than just an option—it should be a national priority, as essential to well-being as proper nutrition.
The decline of physical education programs in schools, coupled with increasingly sedentary lifestyles, has contributed to poor muscle mass and increased rates of obesity and metabolic disorders among children and adults alike.
While what we eat is important — how we move is just as important.
And building adequate muscle mass should be the #1 priority for every American. Muscle mass goes way beyond aesthetics. Muscle supports immune function, helps regulate blood sugar, and protects the body from injury.
In my clinical experience, patients with strong muscle mass generally recover faster and exhibit better metabolic health. Muscle tissue has a profound effect on your body’s ability to heal, as well as on your resilience to illness and injury. And lack of muscle and excess adipose tissue—which is inflammatory by nature—can lead to long-term health complications and increased risk of chronic disease.
Fitness doesn’t have to be complicated, either. Simple activities, such as walking, lifting weights, or engaging in community sports, can make a profound difference in your overall health.
As a society, we have the power to make physical fitness a public health priority. By encouraging strength and movement, we can combat metabolic dysfunction, improve mental well-being, and foster a healthier, more resilient population.
When it comes to Making America Healthy Again, one of the biggest things we can do is be mindful of what media we consume. We have to be careful about what we allow to influence us.
Because so much of the advertising on traditional media and even on social media subtly encourages unhealthy eating by normalizing junk food. These messages get pounded into our heads and we act unconsciously, turning towards foods and lifestyles that just don’t support health.
You’ve got to opt for media programming and a social media feed that promotes healthier lifestyles and encourages critical thinking.
Instead of focusing on details and ingredients in processed foods, let’s tackle the obesity crisis and cultivate a generation of healthy, strong, empowered people by Making America Fit Again.
We’ve got to:
Wondering where to start? I have a free tool you can use to assess your health.
It’s simple and easy to do.
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