Ok, I get the misdirection plays by big tobacco, big sugar, and big Pharma, but many people now know that less meat and dairy, more fiber (fruits and veggies), modest whole grains plus exercise (all adjusted for age) are the formula. No tobacco and modest alcohol are also part of the canon. But there is much nuance. Some of the following is also important since good health is also tied to a clean environment. Here are some questions for you:
1) Organic produce is better, but enough better to justify the cost? Note that an "organic" label also implies sustainable ag practices better for the environment.
2) Similarly, are fresh fruits and veggies superior enough to justify cost over canned? Generally, the challenge in food growing is preservation, and then salts, sugars, smoke, and nitrates come into play.
3) Humanity seems rather robust, as chemicals & radiation haven't killed us off (yet). Seemingly, the Bhopals, Chernobyls, Hiroshimas are measurably bad (after initial fatalities, many lives shortened, but not exactly catastrophic numbers?) I suppose its not hard for humanity to live "organically" w/o radiation and chemicals, so maybe its a moot point? Are things like Roundup bans an overreaction?
4) Air quality numbers really leap out, as lung cancer was minute 100 yrs ago, and now an epidemic, plus only 70% smoking related. Life expectancies are higher in cleaner air states like Hawaii and California.
5) The recurring theme seems to be gut biomes and a lot of fiber, but what exactly is going on down there? What exactly is a "probiotic"? (I'm guessing that gut biome thrives on diversity and adequate time frames, plus a lack of elements like rogue e. coli?) Funny that scientists know anitbiotics work but not always how. Since some antibiotics help the good gut flora by killing the bad, aren't they a kind of probiotic too? Mom's milk definitely helps digestion and immune system, but how? Later in life, does this milk benefit go away?
6) Immune suppression in old age is good, but not good if we go too far. How many NSAIDs are bad? What are the biological markers for a healthy immune system?
7) A vegan diet creates some vitamin deficiencies. It would seem that small amounts of healthy meat (the way the Chinese eat) would be a good compromise?
8) The irony of the Western Diet is that it doesn't exactly shorten your life, it only makes your final years miserable. They say that a little extra weight going into elderly years actually helps you survive disease (watching my late wife waste away from cancer cachexia helps me understand why). Some challenge the current BMI recommendations for this reason...your comments?
9) You describe the addictive qualities of sugar like a drug. Tobacco, marijuana, and alcohol are similarly addictive, but in reasonable quantities help us "cope"? Personally, I don't buy any of that, as lots of exercise, learning, ambition can quickly become one's best "drug".
10) Grain is not exactly bad, but not exactly good. The best you can say about it is it feeds many people cheaply (but with a somewhat bad health side effect). The world's dilemma is quickly becoming "how do we feed 10 billion people". If energy becomes cheap (ala plentiful solar perhaps), one could envision massive vertical greenhouses and aquaponics growing primarily fruits/veggies. If not, look for grains (and GMO) to proliferate. BTW, your thoughts on GMO?
Lot's of questions w no easy answers...sorry Dr. Joel but you're the man!
