There is no doubt that America is the greatest country in the world. Few of us would want to live elsewhere. But we didn’t become what we are today by denying reality, burying our heads in the sand, or accepting the status quo.
The United States has the most highly skilled doctors and the most sophisticated technology, a temperate climate, and a rank of number one in per capita healthcare expenditures. So why then do we rank 29th, close to last among developed nations, in Healthy Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE) compiled by the World Health Organization? Could it be because we consume 23 percent of the world’s beef, but only make up four percent of the earth’s population?
The “American diet” is not the world diet. Beyond our shores are many diverse diets of many different countries and cultures. Maybe it’s time we come off our high horse to learn about them, their affect on heath, and most importantly the common thread that runs through them all.