RT Laura 🌲 ⛰️ (@LauraDeming)cool new visualization from @OurWorldInData showing what people die from vs what different outlets report aboutcurious how to make reporting about chronic diseases more compelling https://t.co/P9WJlmQPUB ...

Health & Wellness Industry Focus - The health and wellness industry emphasizes proactive health management rather than reactive treatment, advocating for a growth mindset and self-compassion in lifestyle changes [1] - The industry highlights the importance of knowing one's health numbers through early measurement and action to mitigate silent killers like high blood pressure or high cholesterol [1] - Emerging fields like lifestyle medicine, social prescribing, and health coaching are identified as the future of healthcare, focusing on preventing, managing, and reversing chronic diseases [1] - These fields utilize evidence-based strategies across six foundational pillars: nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, social connections, and avoiding harmful substances [1] Longevity & Quality of Life - The industry suggests that improving well-being, increasing chances for longevity, and enhancing quality of life can be achieved through a proactive attitude, building healthy skills, and consistency [1] - Building skills throughout life, especially in midlife, significantly enhances the chances for longevity and adds more quality years [1] - Making specific plans around how, when, and where healthy activities will be done increases the likelihood of them happening by two to three times [2] Personal Responsibility & Motivation - The industry emphasizes that health is not confined to hospitals but is present in everything we do, making it our responsibility to look after it [1] - Motivating lifestyle change can be achieved through understanding personal motives for living beyond life expectancy [2] - Consistent healthy choices and self-control are crucial for determining health outcomes, emphasizing that "we are what we repeatedly do" [1]

Regulatory Transparency & Flexibility - The FDA emphasizes regulatory flexibility, tailoring processes to specific conditions, especially rare and incurable ones, considering limited alternatives [1][2] - Drug developers and pharmaceutical companies deserve predictability, as highlighted by the framework for COVID vaccine regulation published in the New England Journal of Medicine [4][5] - The FDA aims for transparency by releasing decision letters to the public and drug developers, modernizing the agency, and addressing misinformation, including rewriting dietary guidelines with USDA [12][13] Vaccine & Booster Recommendations - While the CDC sets the vaccine schedule, the FDA has approved vaccines for high-risk populations; booster shots for low-risk individuals require more research [5][6] - There are scientific unknowns and polarizing views regarding the necessity and frequency of COVID boosters, especially for healthy young individuals, alongside concerns about vaccine injuries [8][9] Public Trust & Misinformation - Public trust in health institutions has significantly declined, with trust in doctors and hospitals dropping from 71% to 40% in the last four years, necessitating rebuilding efforts [10][11] - The FDA is addressing misinformation by rewriting the food pyramid with USDA, ending the "war on natural saturated fat," and clarifying the difference between whole grains and ultra-processed foods [13] Food & Dietary Guidelines - The FDA is taking action to remove petroleum-based food dyes, inspired by previous discussions on removing "poisons and chemicals" from the food supply [17][18] - The FDA acknowledges the addictive nature of processed foods, designed by food scientists, contributing to chronic diseases and insulin resistance in children [20][21] - The SNAP program now has waivers for states to restrict taxpayer dollars from being used for junk food and sugary drinks [22] Women's Health - Women's health issues have been historically overlooked, prompting the FDA to host a roundtable on hormone replacement therapy for perimenopausal women [25][26] - The NIH is refocusing its funding to study root causes of chronic diseases, including school lunch programs, sleep medicine, and environmental exposures [29] Opioid Crisis & Supplements - The FDA, along with the DEA, is taking action to schedule 7-hydroxy mitragynine (7-OHM), a synthetic opioid found in vape stores, which is 13 times more potent than morphine [35][36] - The FDA is concerned about the unregulated nature of supplements and the need for regulation to ensure Americans are taking trustworthy and healthy products [33]

Health & Wellness Industry Trends - Preventable chronic diseases like heart disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and inflammation are becoming increasingly prevalent [2] - Poor diet is now the leading cause of early death worldwide, according to a 2023 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association [13] - A 2024 study in the Lancet indicates that a plant-rich whole food diet can add up to 13 years of life expectancy [13] - Diets high in processed food and refined sugar are directly linked to depression, anxiety, and cognitive decline, as shown in a study in nutritional neuroscience [15] Dietary Recommendations & Gut Health - Ancestral wisdom emphasizes eating real food, trusting food, and respecting it as medicine, survival, and sacred [3][4] - The gut microbiome thrives on diversity, with individuals eating over 30 different plant foods per week having a more diverse and resilient gut [24] - Focus on adding more plants to the diet rather than counting macros or adhering to strict rules [27] - Key elements to crowd out of the diet include ultra-processed food, refined sugars, toxic oils, and sources of chronic stress [28] Holistic Healing Practices - Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling safety to the gut and promoting healing [20][21] - Incorporating herbs and spices like ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon can offer healing benefits [12]