Check out the Revolution Health Episode Page & Show Notes

Key Takeaways

• Studies suggest that three-quarters of all deaths are caused by ultra-processed foods
• Ultra-processed foods—which drive obesity, heart disease, and diabetes— account for, on average, 60% of our caloric intake
• Junk food (75%) and soda (10%) make up the majority of calories purchased through governmental support programs
• Misinformation is rampant—many people try to eat healthy, but don’t know how
• “The UN says we have 60 harvests left. Because of the way we farm, we’re basically running out of soil because we’re turning it into dirt, which can’t grow.” – Dr. Mark Hyman
• The pesticides our food system utilizes have been linked to cancer, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative disease, and developmental disorders

Books Mentioned

• Food Fix, Mark’s latest book is
  • Chris calls it “one of the most important books of the century”
• Brain Wash by David Perlmutter explains how the food we eat drives behavioral issues and emotional conflict

Intro

• Dr. Mark Hyman (@drmarkhyman) is a family physician, the founder and director of The UltraWellness Center, a 12-time New York Times bestselling author, and host of The Doctor’s Farmacy podcast
• Host: Chris Kresser (@chriskresser)

What’s wrong with our food system?

• Our food system is the number one driver of global problems on every level:
  • Climate change
  • Environmental degradation
  • Loss of soil, water resources, and biodiversity
  • Social injustice
  • Poverty, violence, and mental health issues
  • Poor academic performance
  • National security
• Every time we put something into our mouth, we’re making a vote on global issues
• One study covering 195 countries recently found that the combination of a lack of good foods and too many bad foods kills over 11 million people a year
• Studies suggest that three-quarters of all deaths are caused by ultra-processed foods
• Ultra-processed foods—which drive obesity, heart disease, and diabetes— account for, on average, 60% of our calories (e.g., corn, wheat, soy, etc.)
  • For every additional 10% of your diet that comes from processed food, your risk of death goes up by 14%
• Many of the foods we eat are nutrient-depleted and toxic to our microbiome & brain chemistry

How Our Food System adversely Impacts Children

• Poor nutrition affects academic performance—many kids with poor diets struggle with ADD (and other behavioral issues)
• Some stats:
  • ~1/10 kids have ADD
  • 40% of kids are overweight
  • 1/4 teenagers have either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes
• Poor food choices lead to divisive behavior and poor decisions (and not only among kids)
  • In one experiment in which prisoners were given a healthy diet, violent crime was reduced by 56% (if a multivitamin was added, violence was reduced by 80%)

Government Regulation Can Help

• Fiscal policy can drive change (i.e., soda taxes)
  • In Mexico, for instance, soda taxes led to plunging soft drink sales while water consumption increased
• Marketing can play an even bigger role in adjusting food behavior
  • (It’s estimated that processed food consumption dropped by 4x when advertising was eliminated)

Examining Underserved Populations

• Junk food (75%) and soda (10%) make up the majority of calories purchased through governmental support programs
• The U.S. food stamp program serves ~46 million Americans, a quarter of which are children
  • Coca-Cola is the largest welfare recipient (20% of their American revenue comes from food stamps)
• Misinformation is rampant—some people are trying to eat well, but don’t know how
  • For instance, Cool Whip is perceived as a “healthy topping” because it has zero trans fats
  • Or, take salad dressings, which are full of refined oils—they’re thought to be healthy just because they’re added salad

Our Industrial Food System Causes Severe Damage to the Planet

• The food industry is the number one driver of climate change, driven by:
  • Deforestation
  • Soil erosion
  • Factory farming
  • Food waste
  • Transport
  • Refrigeration
  • Processing
  • Food packaging
• The advent of regenerative agriculture has helped build soil, conserve water, and use less chemicals—it yields more/better food and more profit for farmers, all the while building soil, reversing climate change, and creating resilience to weather extremes
  • An independent analysis by Quantis International found that regenerative agriculture is actually a net carbon sink and is a more environmentally responsible way of feeding people than fake meat
  • With regenerative agriculture, artificial fertilizer isn’t necessary (animals & plants make it)
• “The UN says we have 60 harvests left. Because of the way we farm, we’re basically running out of soil because we’re turning it into dirt, which can’t grow.” – Dr. Mark Hyman

The Health Risks of Pesticides

• Our food system utilizes many chemicals (pesticides), which leach into the ground, contaminate water, and taint the food supply
• The health risks of pesticides:
  • Farmers have a 70% higher risk of developing Parkinson’s disease than the average population
  • Pesticides have been linked to cancer, type 2 diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and developmental disorders
• Glyphosate, a type of pesticide, is the most abundant chemical used in agriculture
  • It’s been banned in many countries (but not in the U.S.)
  • There are quite a few lawsuits claiming it’s linked to cancer and that it damages the microbiome

Additional Notes

• “In the last few weeks, Cheerios was outed for having more glyphosate than vitamin A or vitamin B. They announced that they’re going to phase out all glyphosate from their products by 2025, which is fantastic, which means it’s going to change the supply chain; it’s going to change how farming is done.” – Dr. Mark Hyman