The Father of Natural Medicine Speaks: Why Toxins, Not Genes, Are Driving the Chronic Disease Epidemic
Dr. Joe Pizzorno on what we’ve ignored for 100 years and what we can finally do about it.
At Food is Health, we often ask: why is it so hard to stay healthy in America?
Part of the answer is structural. The system doesn’t just tolerate chronic disease, it’s embedded in it. However, another aspect is personal: millions of people are desperately seeking solutions that work for them. That’s why we’re drawn to voices like Dr. Joseph Pizzorno.
Through our efforts, Dr. Joe has become a good friend and trusted advisor. He has taught us a lot, and he has learned from many of you. He is a curious mind that listens well and informs. He has influenced many, including Dr. Mark Hyman and RFK jr. If you believe in “First Principle Thinking”, Dr. Joe is on the short list of those near first principle.
Dr. Joe has been at this for over 50 years. He founded Bastyr University, the first fully accredited university of natural medicine in the United States, and co-authored the Textbook of Natural Medicine and the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, which have together influenced doctors, patients, and policymakers around the world.
We like Dr. Joe because he’s not anti-medicine. He’s pro-evidence. And the evidence is becoming more clear: we’re not facing a genetics problem, we’re facing a toxin problem. And our sick-care system is not built to help us detox, prevent disease, or strengthen resilience. It’s built to suppress symptoms.
In a recent YouTube conversation with Dr. Joe, he covered everything from environmental pollutants to homeopathy to how modern medicine became dismissive of prevention. What we appreciated most was how grounded he is in diagnostics, real-world data, and helping the body heal itself.
Here’s why you should watch the full interview:
🧠 We’re “destroying the brains of our children.” Learn what may be driving ADHD and autism from a functional lens.
💊 Why 9 out of the 10 most prescribed drugs don’t cure disease and what to do instead.
⚠️ Why arsenic in rice, chicken, and water is still a major public health issue and how to test your body for toxic load.
🔬 The enzyme (GGT) that might be your best marker for toxic stress and what to do when it’s elevated.
🧴 Sunblock vs. Vitamin D: Are we trading one cancer risk for four others?
🥦 Why organic foods matter more for flavonoids and carotenoids than vitamins and minerals and how these nutrients support natural resilience.
💉 Why some homeopathy and supplements work better than you think and which ones don’t.
🧪 “Diagnose first, treat second”: The mantra Dr. Joe uses to avoid unnecessary supplements and focus on root causes.
🔄 Why natural medicine doesn’t reject clinical intervention but sees it as a last step, not the first.
Dr. Pizzorno’s work aligns deeply with the Food is Health framework. His approach combines N-of-1 personalization, population-scale prevention, and systems thinking centered on root causes—especially toxins and nutrition.
This conversation is a must-watch for anyone trying to reverse disease in the pre-chronic stage, support family members already struggling, or build a better care model from the ground up.
🎥 Watch the full interview here