New Year’s Resolutions and MAHA

Our culture in the United States and possibly the world is changing. People are becoming much more interested in health.

Prior to Covid there was a lot more emphasis on experts. Feeling sick? Go to the doctor. They know much more than you do.

Not so much anymore.

There’s been a loss of trust in experts. People are researching ways to become healthier or feel better on their own.

This is a good thing in my opinion. Experts are important. They are the ones that should find new ways to help people using their expertise. They have the time to do research in many cases whereas regular people are busy leading their own lives.

Individuals should take that expert advice and determine whether it works for them.

Part of this culture change is the election of Donald Trump and Trump partnering with Robert F Kennedy and the “Make America Healthy Again” movement.

Whether you like or hate Robert F Kennedy, you have to admit he has a lot of people talking about becoming healthier.

Talk is cheap. After the election the Trump campaign published this photo:

Hardly a ringing endorsement of the MAHA movement.

I asked the AI program Chat GPT for a summary of RFK’s MAHA agenda. Here is what it said:

• Eliminating Harmful Substances: Kennedy intends to ban pesticides, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and certain food additives that he believes contribute to health issues. He also advocates for removing fluoride from public drinking water.

• Reforming Agricultural Practices: He proposes overhauling farming methods by eliminating specific crop subsidies and promoting sustainable practices to improve food quality and public health.

• Restructuring Health Agencies: Kennedy seeks to reduce what he perceives as undue corporate influence within federal health agencies, aiming for increased transparency and a focus on scientific integrity.

• Reviewing Vaccine Policies: Known for his vaccine skepticism, Kennedy plans to revisit vaccine approval processes, which has raised concerns among public health experts.

On the surface, this all seems good to me. It is also passive for us. He is setting the stage for a healthy country. But it won’t work on it’s own.

Even if he accomplishes all these agenda items (a huge task for a politician and something that rarely happens), if everyone still eats like crap and doesn’t get off the couch, not much will change.

RFK Jr is also going up against a lot of financial, entrenched interests. Do you think the pharmaceutical industry will willingly work with RFK to help move people off their products?

Will the large food companies suddenly turn to cattle ranching and regenerative farming?

My guess is ‘no’.

We have to accept that the government won’t be the answer. We have to take on the challenge as individuals. The best thing government can do is get out of the way. Or regulate companies to prevent them from sabotaging our health.

New Year’s is a great time to commit to making America health again one person at a time. You can’t quickly change others. You can change yourself.

Set the example for those around you. As Mahatma Ghandi said: