In a powerful roundtable discussion hosted by Senator Ron Johnson, health experts issued stark warnings about the prevailing narratives surrounding nutrition and chronic diseases in the United States. The event, titled “American Health and Nutrition: A Second Opinion,” aimed to explore critical questions that have long been dismissed or overlooked. One of the main organizers of the event – Calley Means – urged the Senate to rethink nutritional guidance and distrust almost every institution.
America’s institutions have lied to the public for decades, misleading people on nutrition, healing from chronic illness
Means, a former consultant for Big Food and Big Pharma, emphasized the need for skepticism regarding the advice offered by major institutions on nutrition and chronic diseases. “Life expectancy has not increased in the past century, and we spend 90 to 95% of all medical spending on chronic issues, yet outcomes remain stagnant,” Means stated.
Means highlighted alarming trends, noting, “Heart disease has risen with increased statin prescriptions. Type 2 diabetes has surged alongside metformin use, and ADHD diagnoses have also climbed as more Adderall is prescribed.” He further pointed out that rising rates of depression and suicide correlate with increased prescriptions of antidepressants, while opioid prescriptions have led to greater pain management challenges.
Means criticized the American food system, describing it as “weaponized” due to the influence of the processed food industry. He traced its origins back to the tobacco industry, stating that major cigarette companies strategically acquired food brands and applied their expertise in creating addictive products. “They moved addiction specialists into their food divisions, creating ultra-processed foods designed to be both palatable and addictive,” he explained. Food chemicals such as MSG are used to addict consumers to toxic food-like products that are void of nutrition. Consumers get accustomed to eating ultra-processed foods that do not provide their cells what's necessary to carry out vital functions.
Means asserted that the standard American diet has not only contributed to public health crises but has also been financially beneficial for the healthcare industry, which profits from treating the chronic conditions stemming from poor nutrition. “The medical industry has been complicit in this issue, benefiting from the rise in chronic diseases,” Means added. It’s true: most of the new drugs manufactured today do not address the root cause of chronic disease. Many of the new drugs actually cause new health problems.
Ultra-processed, food-like items have replaced raw living foods and herbs that people need to thrive
Max Lugavere, a best-selling author and long-time advocate for nutritional awareness, echoed these sentiments. He warned that many items in grocery stores should not be considered food but rather “food-like items” that contribute to an obesity epidemic. “This isn’t just about willpower; it’s about our food system,” Lugavere asserted. He concluded with a poignant observation: “We are not simply living longer; we are dying longer, plagued by preventable illnesses.”
The discussions at the Senate roundtable were deeply distrustful of government guidelines like the USDA’s food pyramid, which ignores essential food groups such as herbs, seeds, roots, barks, berries, seaweeds and healthy fats, to name a few. As health education is dumbed down in school systems and in medical schools, there is growing concern about the effectiveness of current nutritional guidance and chronic disease management strategies. As chronic diseases surface, individuals are finding their own way out of these health struggles by researching and implementing holistic strategies that are dismissed by traditional allopathic doctors -- most of which are not trained on nutrition and herbal medicine.
As the panelists called for a re-evaluation of institutional advice, they highlighted the urgent need for systemic change in America’s approach to health and nutrition. Food pantries are void of the raw, living foods, nutrient-dense superfoods, adaptogenic substances and medicinal herbs that can set people free from their chronic diseases.
Sources include:
DietaryGuidelines.gov [PDF]
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