These lines a pure gold: “We’ve threatened to tax “sinful” foods. And what does our population do? They put Bugles on the tips of their fingers and hold up the middle one. Why? We don’t like being told what to do.”
Americans are the most stubborn in the modern world.
Hey Adam, thanks man. I agree, we're a stubborn bunch — I wonder if it has anything to do with the way most marketing treats us: like we not only have a problem but ARE the problem, that we should feel awful about our problems and that we need to pay someone money so they can solve our problems for us!
- The USDA dietary guidelines (Food Pyramid and My Plate) are deeply flawed. They have a huge impact on food-driven chronic illness since programs receiving federal funds are required to adhere to them. RFK promises new guidelines soon. Here's hoping they are much better than what we have now.
- I'm not sure if bad food (ie processed) REALLY tastes good, so much as it is designed to have addictive properties, and they're very effective. 'Food' addiction is real.
- TOWARD Health led by Dr. Tro Kalayjian and Owna Health led by Dr. Mariela Glandt are having great success working with individuals, corporations, and underserved populations using proper nutritional guidance, technology, and community support.
Thanks Julie. I'm sure you're far more qualified than I am to talk about the tools out there; my point (from my area of expertise) is about the messaging. Switching it from shame-based to value-based. Everyone deserves to feel good, sleep well, have a long, healthy life, etc. And the group and I are convinced all that stuff is way more likely to happen through sound nutrition.
I will arm wrestle you over your doubts around whether or not bad food tastes too good, though. I'm no food scientist, but it doesn't seem like you can get me hooked without flavor.
Thanks for mentioning TOWARD and Owna — I'll go check them both out. Glad to hear they're doing all this well.
Love the messaging and your passion, and I really appreciate your post! Totally agree with the need to move away from shame-based. Suggesting people use willpower and calorie counting against an addiction-based business model is not the way. TOWARD excels at helping patients unpack this dynamic and break free from it. Regarding flavor - as one of Owna's clients, Ajalah Efem said in her speech at the Metabolic Revolution Rally in DC, 'it was my love of food that got me into this mess, and it's my love of food that's going to get me out' -- she was referring to reversing her type 2 diabetes, and how much, after making the switch, she loved her new, nutrient dense way of eating. I think once you experience that, and your body feels nourished, processed foods lose their grip. Here's Ajalah's powerful speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpiVMdDVf7M&t=2s
Thanks so much — I'm with you on the flavor and power of real food to get folks off the Crunch Wrap Supreme. My wife, who's an effortlessly tremendous cook, set me (an aspiring, yet timid amateur) up last night with the instruction and ingredients to create what turned out to be a fantastic meal — after we finished I was struck with disbelief — I kept saying, "I can't believe I made that!" Food works! And I want to do what I can to help as many people as possible believe they have a right to that feeling.
Eric, Q: How can we formulate a new value function (playbook), conceptualized as an algorithmic model, that integrates and synchronizes the neural circuits governing human behavioral systems of reward, contentment, stress (fear), and hunger?
In essence, mitigating the current playbook deployed by the food & drug industrial complex.
Hi Christo, thanks for being here. And wow, what a question — I think it just comes down to a shift in the way we speak to people; and to help it catch, fortunately or unfortunately, we need someone to get behind the idea with a lot of money.
We're no strangers in this country to huge, social-awareness-and-change projects: anti-littering, seat-belt usage, anti-smoking and more. These are generally government-funded, but now, I think a private-money campaign from an enormous nonprofit or even an enormous healthcare system would be the better move.
You need to completely reset how this particular cause "sees" everything; the problem, the solution and the people. In fact, you need to look at how traditional marketing works (through increasing self-doubt) and flip it on its head (through increasing self-confidence).
If the collective "we" could do that, people would start to see themselves as worthy of this stuff. They'd believe they have the right to believe — in themselves and the people trying to help.
It actually makes me think of the Encarta vs. Wikipedia story. As you know, Encarta was this top-down, polished, expert-driven encyclopedia that required massive funding and was built around the idea that only a select few could curate and distribute knowledge or have a voice (current food and drug marketing campaigns).
Then along came Wikipedia, which completely flipped the model. It trusted ordinary people to contribute, edit, and collectively shape the content. It started messy and was widely doubted at first, but because it empowered everyone to participate, it ultimately outpaced Encarta and democratized how we access knowledge.
I think that’s exactly the kind of paradigm shift we need here. EMPOWER PEOPLE. We should build something that boosts self-confidence and invites people to see themselves as worthy participants — not passive recipients.
Sure, it might take serious initial funding from a big nonprofit or a visionary to get it off the ground, just like major movements in anti-smoking or seat-belt campaigns did. But once it’s rolling, it could evolve into a powerful, bottom-up effort that people themselves sustain because it fundamentally changes how they see the problem, the solution, and themselves.
Brilliant!!
Hey Liz, thank you so much! I'm flattered!!
These lines a pure gold: “We’ve threatened to tax “sinful” foods. And what does our population do? They put Bugles on the tips of their fingers and hold up the middle one. Why? We don’t like being told what to do.”
Americans are the most stubborn in the modern world.
I must admit that part made me laugh out loud.
I see a little comic strip entitled: How most of us have learned to deal with complicated, overly parental nutrition advice.
Then three illustrated steps: 1. Opening a bag of Bugles, 2. Placing Bugles on fingers, 3. Holding up the middle one.
Hey Adam, thanks man. I agree, we're a stubborn bunch — I wonder if it has anything to do with the way most marketing treats us: like we not only have a problem but ARE the problem, that we should feel awful about our problems and that we need to pay someone money so they can solve our problems for us!
I think you are spot on with that!
Thanks!
- The USDA dietary guidelines (Food Pyramid and My Plate) are deeply flawed. They have a huge impact on food-driven chronic illness since programs receiving federal funds are required to adhere to them. RFK promises new guidelines soon. Here's hoping they are much better than what we have now.
- I'm not sure if bad food (ie processed) REALLY tastes good, so much as it is designed to have addictive properties, and they're very effective. 'Food' addiction is real.
- TOWARD Health led by Dr. Tro Kalayjian and Owna Health led by Dr. Mariela Glandt are having great success working with individuals, corporations, and underserved populations using proper nutritional guidance, technology, and community support.
Thanks Julie. I'm sure you're far more qualified than I am to talk about the tools out there; my point (from my area of expertise) is about the messaging. Switching it from shame-based to value-based. Everyone deserves to feel good, sleep well, have a long, healthy life, etc. And the group and I are convinced all that stuff is way more likely to happen through sound nutrition.
I will arm wrestle you over your doubts around whether or not bad food tastes too good, though. I'm no food scientist, but it doesn't seem like you can get me hooked without flavor.
Thanks for mentioning TOWARD and Owna — I'll go check them both out. Glad to hear they're doing all this well.
Love the messaging and your passion, and I really appreciate your post! Totally agree with the need to move away from shame-based. Suggesting people use willpower and calorie counting against an addiction-based business model is not the way. TOWARD excels at helping patients unpack this dynamic and break free from it. Regarding flavor - as one of Owna's clients, Ajalah Efem said in her speech at the Metabolic Revolution Rally in DC, 'it was my love of food that got me into this mess, and it's my love of food that's going to get me out' -- she was referring to reversing her type 2 diabetes, and how much, after making the switch, she loved her new, nutrient dense way of eating. I think once you experience that, and your body feels nourished, processed foods lose their grip. Here's Ajalah's powerful speech: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpiVMdDVf7M&t=2s
Thanks so much — I'm with you on the flavor and power of real food to get folks off the Crunch Wrap Supreme. My wife, who's an effortlessly tremendous cook, set me (an aspiring, yet timid amateur) up last night with the instruction and ingredients to create what turned out to be a fantastic meal — after we finished I was struck with disbelief — I kept saying, "I can't believe I made that!" Food works! And I want to do what I can to help as many people as possible believe they have a right to that feeling.
That's awesome, Eric! What a fantastic mission -- it will make all the difference for so many people!
Thanks so much! Let's hope it works!
It will!
Beautiful!
Eric, Q: How can we formulate a new value function (playbook), conceptualized as an algorithmic model, that integrates and synchronizes the neural circuits governing human behavioral systems of reward, contentment, stress (fear), and hunger?
In essence, mitigating the current playbook deployed by the food & drug industrial complex.
Is this possible?
Hi Christo, thanks for being here. And wow, what a question — I think it just comes down to a shift in the way we speak to people; and to help it catch, fortunately or unfortunately, we need someone to get behind the idea with a lot of money.
We're no strangers in this country to huge, social-awareness-and-change projects: anti-littering, seat-belt usage, anti-smoking and more. These are generally government-funded, but now, I think a private-money campaign from an enormous nonprofit or even an enormous healthcare system would be the better move.
You need to completely reset how this particular cause "sees" everything; the problem, the solution and the people. In fact, you need to look at how traditional marketing works (through increasing self-doubt) and flip it on its head (through increasing self-confidence).
If the collective "we" could do that, people would start to see themselves as worthy of this stuff. They'd believe they have the right to believe — in themselves and the people trying to help.
Make sense?
Hi Eric
Thanks for your thoughtful response.
It actually makes me think of the Encarta vs. Wikipedia story. As you know, Encarta was this top-down, polished, expert-driven encyclopedia that required massive funding and was built around the idea that only a select few could curate and distribute knowledge or have a voice (current food and drug marketing campaigns).
Then along came Wikipedia, which completely flipped the model. It trusted ordinary people to contribute, edit, and collectively shape the content. It started messy and was widely doubted at first, but because it empowered everyone to participate, it ultimately outpaced Encarta and democratized how we access knowledge.
I think that’s exactly the kind of paradigm shift we need here. EMPOWER PEOPLE. We should build something that boosts self-confidence and invites people to see themselves as worthy participants — not passive recipients.
Sure, it might take serious initial funding from a big nonprofit or a visionary to get it off the ground, just like major movements in anti-smoking or seat-belt campaigns did. But once it’s rolling, it could evolve into a powerful, bottom-up effort that people themselves sustain because it fundamentally changes how they see the problem, the solution, and themselves.
Thank you for what you are doing!
100% Christo. What a great example!