Why Are We All So Sick?

It’s not just the older generations that have an increasing number of health issues – children are becoming sicker too. This is something Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been fighting for years, and he even addressed it in his speech at a recent Trump rally. In his speech, he laid out some terrifying statistics. 

According to RFK Jr., 18% of American teens have fatty liver disease – that’s one in every five. He claims young adult cancer is up by 79%, one in four women is on antidepressants, and one in eight women is developing breast cancer. He believes a big part of this increase is toxins in food, medicine, and the environment. Unfortunately, he isn’t wrong.

These illnesses aren’t just frightening for those diagnosed, it’s also heartbreaking for their family and friends. Too many families are being broken up by life-threatening diseases, and too many children are missing out on the fun of life because they’re held back by avoidable illnesses such as obesity. Here’s why so many are suffering.

Liver Disease in American Teens

If you were to step back in time 50 years ago, you would see a different America. For example, fatty liver disease still existed, except it was usually late-stage alcoholics who would develop the condition. American teens developing the illness was virtually unheard of. Now, it’s around 18% of American teens who suffer from Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), and this largely has to do with lifestyle.

Over the years, Americans have begun to consume more highly processed foods, and with the cost of living crisis, eating nutritious fresh fruit and vegetables has become more difficult than ever. These ultra-processed foods contain lots of additives such as preservatives, emulsifiers, sweeteners, and artificial colors and flavors. 

As ultra-processed foods contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, and sugar, this can have very negative effects on consumers. In fact, a 2020 study compared the effects of an ultra-processed diet to the effects of an unprocessed diet. The study involved 20 overweight adults, and each participant ate an ultra-processed diet for 14 days and then an unprocessed diet for another 14 days. The researchers discovered that the participants consumed about 500 more calories a day on the ultra-processed diet compared to the unprocessed diet. Plus, the ultra-processed diet meant the participants consumed more carbohydrates and fat but less protein. During the ultra-processed diet phase, participants gained on average two pounds of weight. 

With 67-70% of American teens’ diets being made up of ultra-processed foods, it’s no wonder we’re seeing an increase in obesity and insulin – both of which are major drivers of fat accumulation in the liver and one of the causes of NAFLD.

Increase in Breast Cancer

Another one of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claims is that one in eight women are now developing breast cancer. In the 1970s, breast cancer was still a significant concern; however, the rates were a lot lower compared to today.

Although there are many factors influencing this increase, hormonal issues play a big part. For example, women today are starting their periods a lot earlier – some as early as 9 years old. Other women are experiencing a late menopause (after age 55). Both categories of women have extended exposure to estrogen, which is associated with an increased risk of developing breast cancer. This is because estrogen stimulates the growth of breast cells, which could potentially lead to mutations and cancer.

Another reason breast cancer rates have increased is because many women are delaying pregnancy until after 30 years old or are not having children at all. These women are at a higher risk of breast cancer because being pregnant reduces the number of menstrual cycles a woman has, and as a result, they lower their exposure to estrogen. Plus, breastfeeding has been linked to reducing the chances of developing breast cancer, most likely because it reduces estrogen levels and promotes the shedding of breast tissue cells. In turn, this may help eliminate cells with DNA damage.

Alongside this, the usual lifestyle factors also increase the risk, such as obesity, alcohol consumption, and living a sedentary lifestyle.

Young Girls Starting Puberty Earlier

Genetics play a big part in when a young girl will start menstruating, so if a girl starts her period before 12 years old, it isn’t always due to external factors. However, young girls starting their periods before age 12 is a growing trend and something of concern. As previously mentioned, it could increase a woman’s chances of developing cancer. It could also increase her likelihood of experiencing anxiety and depression, as well as being sexualized from a younger age. 

One of the reasons for early puberty is exposure to endocrine disruptors. These are chemicals that interfere with the body’s hormonal system. Unfortunately, unless you intentionally shop for clean, toxin-free products, they’re in pretty much everything. You’ll find them in beauty products, pesticides, plastics, and even some detergents. These chemicals wreak havoc on a person’s hormones as they can mimic or block estrogen, which, in some girls, speeds up the process of puberty. You can read more theories about why girls might be experiencing early puberty here.

More Women on Antidepressants

Although precise statistics are hard to find, it’s predicted that just 1-2% of the population (men and women) were on antidepressants 50 years ago. Now, as RFK Jr. suggested, one in four women are found to be on antidepressants. This is partly because, 50 years ago, it was a lot harder for a patient to get their hands on the medication. The antidepressants on offer at the time had worse side effects, so they were prescribed far less frequently. Plus, it’s likely that people were seeking help less frequently for mental health problems at the time, potentially because of the stigma.

Again, biological and environmental factors are part of the reason for this increase; however, an increasingly lonely population is also the issue. Although loneliness was already an issue before Covid, the pandemic catapulted the world into remote working. This has been great for some people, such as parents who want to spend more time at home with their kids. However, for single men and women, many are experiencing a loneliness that could contribute to depression.

Women, in particular, tend to be very social creatures who derive a significant part of their self-worth from their relationships with friends and family. Not only that, most women need a tight-knit community to thrive. As people are marrying later (sometimes not at all) and we’re living in an ever-growing remote working world, this kind of loneliness is leading to depression in a lot of women.

In fact, it wasn’t too long ago that the #igotmygirls TikTok trend showed young women expressing their feelings of loneliness, rather than their big group of friends, because they don’t have the tight-knit community they crave.

A Sick Population Feeds the Pockets of the Rich

The food industry wanted to get people addicted to their foods, and they succeeded. Although these ultra-processed foods can be very tasty, they’re also packed full of sugar, fat, and salt – all of which trigger reward pathways in the brain. As fast food tends to help release dopamine, people associate it with pleasure and reward, leading to repeated cravings. 

As previously mentioned, eating these kinds of ultra-processed foods leads to a variety of health problems – health problems that help the pharmaceutical industry. It doesn’t take a genius to work this out. You eat the bad food, you become addicted, you eat more and become unhealthier; in turn, you start requiring medical assistance to combat diabetes, obesity, heart problems, and more. 

And as medicine can often treat symptoms, not the cause, the root of the issue never gets solved. If the root of the problem is your diet, but instead you take pills rather than changing your lifestyle, both the food industry and the pharmaceutical industry have a lifetime customer.

Society has made so many advances in technology. We can connect with people across the globe, we have astronauts in space, and we’ve created driverless cars. It’s strange that with all these advancements, we’re actually going backward when it comes to our health.

When it comes to food, shop organic and eat unprocessed wherever you can. When it comes to beauty products, choose clean beauty brands. Even if you work a remote job, choose to socialize with your friends and family outside work hours and prioritize an active lifestyle. Every time you do this, you’re breaking the cycle and taking a stand for your future and your family’s future. 

We’re living in a world that profits from sickness, so choosing health and wellness is just one way you can be defiant.