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Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
4 things are making us sick, new MAHA documentary says. What the research says
Ultraprocessed foods, seed oils, pesticides and fluoride: They're all targets of the 'Make America Healthy Again' movement, whose chief proponent is US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Now, MAHA Films, a production company dedicated to promoting the movement's values, has released its first documentary. 'Toxic Nation: From Fluoride to Seed Oils — How We Got Here, Who Profits, and What You Can Do' highlights those four food- and environmental-related issues that Kennedy's nonprofit MAHA Action, an advocacy partner for the film, says 'silently endanger millions of Americans every day.' Released online Tuesday, the film is the first in a planned four-part series. 'If we can love our children more than we hate each other, we can solve the chronic disease epidemic affecting them,' producer and director Jeff Hays said in a news release, quoting Kennedy's ethos. ''Toxic Nation' is our love letter to that vision, a call to create an America where families can finally thrive in true health.' The documentary's release follows the May 22 publication of the first MAHA Commission report, which lays the groundwork for an overhaul of federal policy to reduce the burden of chronic disease on American children. Still, Kennedy's agenda to overhaul food systems, pharmaceuticals and environmental toxins may run into roadblocks due to significant budget and staffing cuts at HHS and the US Environmental Protection Agency. 'The Trump Administration can't have it both ways,' Scott Faber, senior vice president of government affairs at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization, wrote in an email. (Although there is substantial overlap with some issues that have become Kennedy's focus at HHS, the documentary was not released by the federal government.) 'On the one hand, they're sounding the alarm about diet-related disease and the illnesses caused by dangerous chemicals,' Faber added. 'On the other hand, they're making it harder for people to build healthy diets and eliminating the safeguards that protect us from toxins like PFAS and pathogens.' Although some experts have long talked about the effects of what we consume on our risk of disease, when it comes to specifics, there is some controversy around the potential dangers, benefits or neutrality, if any. Here's what recent research says about the four targets of 'Toxic Nation.' The claim: The documentary calls out ultraprocessed foods as one of the roots of chronic disease. The background: Composing up to 70% of the US food supply, ultraprocessed foods are made with industrial techniques and ingredients 'never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,' according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Ultraprocessed foods are typically low in fiber; are high in calories, added sugar, refined grains and fats, and sodium; and include additives such as preservatives, flavor enhancers or dyes. The research: Numerous studies over decades have linked consumption of ultraprocessed foods to diseases or health issues including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, obesity, premature death, cancer, depression, cognitive decline, stroke and sleep disorders. The harms could be partly due to ultraprocessed foods' effects on metabolism, experts have said — since without fiber, for example, refined carbohydrates can raise triglycerides and spike blood glucose levels. QUIZ: How much ultraprocessed food are you eating? What you can do: Limit your intake of ultraprocessed foods by increasing your consumption of whole fruits, veggies, grains, nuts and seeds, and legumes. Read ingredient labels and be aware of how much sodium you're eating and how certain foods make you feel; ultraprocessed foods can keep you wanting more, whereas whole foods are more satiating. Read more on ultraprocessed food: Eating more ultraprocessed food ups the risk of premature death, study finds The claim: The documentary challenges the long-held guidance that for heart health, cooks should replace saturated fats from animal products such as beef tallow, pig lard and butter with seed oils. (Kennedy applauded Steak 'n Shake's switchover from seed oils to beef tallow for frying its french fries, calling it a healthier choice.) The background: Vegetable and seed oils became popular in the mid-20th century, when scientists began looking into animal fat as the culprit behind the uptick in cardiovascular issues and promoted oils as heart-healthy alternatives. Some experts' concerns about seed oils are based on their chemistry, the industrial production involving various chemicals and the behavior of seed oils when they're exposed to heat, air and light. The oils are extracted from the seeds of plants, like canola oil from canola — or rapeseed — plant seeds. The other seed oils of concern are corn, cottonseed, grapeseed, sunflower, safflower and rice bran oils. Seed oils are primarily polyunsaturated fats, which are less chemically stable than saturated fats, the main lipid in animal fats. Polyunsaturated fats are thus prone to faster peroxidation when exposed to oxygen or cooked, which can produce molecules linked to cellular damage and oxidative stress, Dr. Daisy Zamora, an associate professor at the University of North Carolina's School of Medicine, told CNN in March. The research: Over the past few decades and continuing today, scientists have published copious data showing that diets higher in plant fats result in better health outcomes than diets higher in animal fats, Dr. Alice H. Lichtenstein, the Stanley N. Gershoff Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston, told CNN in March. The research on seed oils has picked up over the past decade , including Zamora's clinical trials that found limiting seed oils improved participants' chronic pain. Other studies have linked seed oil intake with atherosclerosis or biomarkers of fat buildup in arteries. The risk of harmful degradation products may not come into play unless the oils are cooked too hot, used repeatedly or kept for too long, and it's possible that some food companies, restaurants and individuals may be doing those things, Dr. Eric Decker, a professor of food science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, told CNN in a previous story. What you can do: If you're concerned about seed oils, you can try substituting extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, experts said. Experts also recommend that any fat you consume should be in moderation. Read more on seed oils: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says beef tallow is healthier than seed oils. Is he right? The claim: The film raises concerns about the herbicide glyphosate, citing previously documented links to cancer. Sources also said glyphosate may cause endocrine disruption and damaged gut microbiomes, with the latter potentially increasing risk for irritable bowel diseases and celiac disease. The background: Glyphosate is commonly used for killing weeds in human and animal food crops, forestry and gardens. The research: Research on the effects of glyphosate on the human gut microbiome is in the early stages, although harm in rats has been found. A 2019 analysis of studies on thousands of people and animals found that exposure to glyphosate was associated with a 41% higher risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the immune system. The US Food and Drug Administration's role is to ensure that pesticide or herbicide residues on or in domestic and imported foods don't exceed limits set by the EPA, at levels the EPA determines to 'provide a reasonable certainty of no harm,' according to the FDA. The EPA has said that glyphosate isn't likely to be carcinogenic for humans and that it continues to find 'no risks to public health when glyphosate is used in accordance with its current label.' The EPA's conclusion contradicts the World Health Organization's stance, although the latter has been controversial among both industry and some health experts. The decision was followed by thousands of lawsuits — against the leading producer of glyphosate-based weed killers — claiming that glyphosate exposure caused plaintiffs' cancer. Some have been successful to varying degrees, including a high-profile case partly argued by Kennedy when he was an environmental lawyer. What you can do: You can limit your consumption of herbicides (as well as pesticides) by eating mostly or only organic foods. Since that's not feasible for many people, you can still make an impact by reducing your intake of the foods on the Environmental Working Group's 'Dirty Dozen' list and increasing your intake of its 'Clean Fifteen' foods. The lists refer to conventionally grown fruits and vegetables with the most or least amount of pesticide residues, respectively. Still, the EWG also says the health benefits of a diet rich in fruits and vegetables outweigh the risks of pesticide exposure, so don't let perfection be the enemy of the good. Read more on pesticides: Many breakfast cereals still contaminated by weed killer, environmental group says The claim: Documentary sources claimed that the type of fluoride predominantly used in drinking water for most of the US population differs from dental sodium fluoride. That's a problem, they say, because it's hydrofluorosilicic acid, a chemical byproduct of the phosphate fertilizer industry, and contains heavy metals such as arsenic. It's true that hydrofluorosilicic acid is the fluoridation agent of choice for many municipalities . That hydrofluorosilicic acid also contains more arsenic than sodium fluoride is also true, according to the EPA, which has also said it limits the amount of arsenic allowed in water. 'Toxic Nation' sources added that fluoride can block thyroid receptors and cause dental fluorosis. This is a cosmetic change in children's tooth enamel caused by ingesting excessive fluoride while their permanent teeth are still forming underneath their gums, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The background: Medical organizations or institutions such as the American Dental Association and the CDC continue to support water fluoridation and use of fluoride toothpaste. Most of the documentary sources acknowledged that sodium fluoride can strengthen enamel. The research: Studies prove that 'water fluoridation continues to be effective in reducing dental decay by at least 25% in children and adults, even in the of era widespread availability of fluoride from other sources, such as fluoride toothpaste,' according to the American Dental Association. A new study published in the journal JAMA affirms this. It estimated that eliminating fluoride from public water systems would be associated with a 7.5% increase in tooth decay, according to data on 8,484 children with an average age of 9. But a few studies, including a federal review published in August, have supported concerns about higher levels of fluoride in water affecting children's intellectual development. Some have also found only slight dental benefits of fluoridating water. But the federal review noted that associations between normal levels of fluoride and children's IQ are less consistent. And research on adults is scarce. What you can do: If you want to avoid fluoride intake, you can buy water filters that filter out fluoride. They should be independently certified, such as by the National Sanitation Foundation or another official lab. Also ensure your kids don't swallow toothpaste that contains fluoride. To help prevent cavities, brush and floss your teeth daily and nightly, and limit your intake of sugary foods and beverages, the American Dental Association recommends. If you do eat them, do so at mealtimes. You should also visit your dentist regularly. Read more on fluoride: What to know about fluoride in drinking water CNN's Andrea Kane, Sandee LaMotte, Nadia Kounang, Carma Hassan and Deidre McPhillips contributed to this report.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Doctors warn of 'trifecta' of chronic illnesses plaguing Americans after MAHA report
Chronic diseases have long been plaguing Americans, which HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has called an "epidemic." The MAHA Commission, which Kennedy chairs, released a report on Thursday assessing chronic diseases, particularly pertaining to children. An estimated 133 million Americans suffer from at least one chronic illness, according to the American Hospital Association. Everything To Know About Maha "The report shines a necessary spotlight on a crisis that has long been ignored: skyrocketing rates of obesity, diabetes, autoimmune disease, developmental issues and mental health challenges," Kelly McKenna, CEO of the coalition End Chronic Disease, who was at the White House for the release, told Fox News Digital. "Americans are living shorter, sicker lives despite record healthcare spending that exceeds that of other developed nations by orders of magnitude," she said. "The MAHA agenda confronts that disconnect head-on." Read On The Fox News App McKenna added, "With Americans increasingly aware of the role that factors such as ultraprocessed foods, environmental toxins, stress, trauma and poor sleep play in chronic disease, the demand for action transcends partisanship." Andy Tanner, D.O., a family medicine physician in West Virginia, said he's seeing more chronic illnesses in patients, noting that his state is the "oldest and fattest in the country." He was also at the White House on Thursday. Rfk Jr's Highly Anticipated Maha Report Paints Dismal State Of Child Health, National Security Concerns "The big things we see a lot are diabetes, hypertension and obesity, kind of 'the trifecta,'" he told Fox News Digital. Some 38.4 million Americans had diabetes in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with excess sugar causing the common symptoms of fatigue, blurry vision, hunger and thirst. Tanner works with his diabetic patients to change their diets and improve their blood sugar levels. "[But the] sad thing is, we're just surrounded by bad food," he said. "It's hard to make good choices of what we eat, and we're all guilty of it." Many people think of diabetes as being just a "sugar disease," he pointed out, but it can become a vascular issue as it progresses, often leading to coronary disease or stroke. The doctor noted that he is seeing "younger and younger" patients with diabetes. Over 350,000 children have been diagnosed with the disease, and its prevalence among teens is more than one in four, according to the MAHA report. This Simple Outdoor Activity Can Improve Americans' Health, Says Governor Given its association with "bad food," diabetes goes "hand in hand" with obesity, according to Tanner. The MAHA report linked rising obesity rates with the consumption of ultraprocessed foods — which comprise nearly 70% of American children's calorie consumption. Tanner said obesity can lead to the diagnosis of other chronic illnesses, including hypertension (high blood pressure). "Sometimes people with hypertension come in and report fatigue, headaches, sometimes blurred vision, sometimes with their blood pressure very high," he told Fox News Digital. "They can have some very serious symptoms of stroke or heart attack." Hypertension is known as the "silent killer," Tanner said, because many people don't know they have the condition. In most cases, resolving chronic illnesses starts with getting regular physical activity and eating the right foods, Tanner said. Click Here To Sign Up For Our Health Newsletter "Diet and exercise are so important," he said. "Those are such easy things for physicians to prescribe, but it's much harder for patients to accomplish." He added, "[It's] sometimes difficult to come home and prepare a good, healthy meal, and it's easier to reach for things that are not healthy." Psychiatrist Daniel Amen, M.D., CEO of BrainMD in Los Angeles, was also in attendance during the MAHA report announcement. "Chronic illness devastates mental health," Amen told Fox News Digital. "It increases stress hormones that damage the brain, disrupts sleep (which turns off 700 health-promoting genes), and increases inflammation, which can lead to anxiety and depression," he cautioned. For more Health articles, visit "If our bodies aren't healthy, our brains will never be." When it comes to diet, Amen suggested, "Only choose foods you love that love you back and are good for your brain." McKenna noted that the MAHA Commission's findings "affirm preventative solutions." "Better nutrition, cleaner food systems, and systematic transparency — as well as innovation — are not just possible, but urgently necessary to protect the health of our children and the future of the nation," she article source: Doctors warn of 'trifecta' of chronic illnesses plaguing Americans after MAHA report
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Trump pulls surgeon general nominee
Advertisement President Donald Trump on Wednesday withdrew the nomination of a former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat for U.S. Surgeon General, choosing Dr. Casey Means to serve in the position instead. 'Casey has impeccable 'MAHA' credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans,' Trump wrote on Truth Social, making the announcement. 'Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding.' Means (pictured) is a Stanford University-trained physician and runs a business on on holistic health and combating chronic illness, according to her website. Her book, 'Good Energy: The Surprising Connection between Metabolism and Limitless Health' is a New York Times Bestseller. Means criticizes the conflicts of interest in the food industry and the government agencies that regulate them as well as the importance of physical activity in promoting wellness. She is also popular in the podcast community and the MAHA (Make America Healthy AGAIN) movement, appearing on the Joe Rogan Experience and the Tucker Carlson Show to discuss the future of public health and wellness. Trump's new choice earned praise from his son Donald Trump Jr . who described Casey as an 'excellent pick' that was 'huge for MAHA!!!' The president did not address why he decided to pull Nesheiwat's nomination, even as many MAGA supporters found her to be problematic. Nesheiwat faced backlash from some of his fiercest MAGA supporters for backing some strict COVID restrictions and masking mandates . Journalist Laura Loomer raised concerns about Nesheiwat on Sunday, claiming that she was 'currently entangled in an intricate medical malpractice litigation.' Past footage of Fox News contributor Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's (pictured) views on the COVID pandemic also resurfaced on social media sparking outrage from Trump supporters. Nesheiwat, a medical director for CityMD in New York, frequently spoke about the coronavirus pandemic and offered hardline advice about how citizens should behave. Trump supporters posted a resurfaced video on social media of Nesheiwat participating in the TikTok trend of dancing nurses trying to inform the public about how to protect themselves during the pandemic in 2020. 'Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, nominee for Surgeon General, was involved in the dumb TikTok trend that emerged during the Covid pandemic,' wrote MAGA supporter and grassroots organizer for Trump Scarlett Johnson. 'This trend featured doctors & nurses performing annoying dance routines while telling us to mask up and 'shelter in place.'' Other footage of Nesheiwat's advice on Fox News raised questions about her medical expertise, as more Americans started questioning the validity of the coronavirus pandemic recommendations. 'Dr. Janette Nesheiwat supported masking kids in school. Dealbreaker,' wrote podcast host Liz Wheeler on social media when the pick was announced. Wheeler's video showed Nesheiwat endorsing mask mandates for children to fight the Delta variant of the virus and to get them back in schools. Another clip making the rounds on social media featured Nesheiwat praising Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for censoring and banning so-called 'misinformation' about vaccines on Facebook and Instagram. 'Vaccines save lives and I am so excited and I thank and commend Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg for taking action because this affects everyone,' she said during a Fox Business panel on the issue. Nesheiwat signaled her support for other social media platforms to follow Zuckerberg's example and also censor vaccine skeptics. Other videos showed Nesheiwat encouraging Americans to get their COVID-19 vaccination, repeating that it was a 'safe and effective' vaccine. MAGA podcasters Emily Wilson and Arynne Wexler of the show UnFollowed also voiced their disappointment with the choice. 'I don't get this pick at all,' Wexler said. 'At all. ... This is not MAGA. This woman, I need someone to explain what is happening here.' 'I don't know where this came from. I've never heard of this woman,' Wilson said. 'The fact that she's a pro-covid person, I could not think of a worst person.' Nesheiwat also promoted the idea of making sure children were getting their COVID-19 vaccines. 'I think this is important,' she said on Fox News, warning of schoolchildren contracting and spreading the disease. 'Generally speaking, the risk of severe complications, the risk of death of children is extremely low but they can still get sick, they can still spread the infection they can still die of COVID. It appears that Nesheiwat grew more skeptical about federal government guidance on vaccines during the coronavirus pandemic. She criticized the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for profiting off unnecessary vaccines for kids in 2022. 'There's no good reason to have a vaccine that can't stop disease, can't stop transmission on the scheduled vaccination,' she said during an appearance on then-Fox News host Tucker Carlson's show. The Surgeon General is a position that requires Senate confirmation, so her past advice could present a problem for her confirmation hearings. However, Nesheiwat has seemed to change her tune in recent years. Nesheiwat also featured a video of her instructing people about the proper way to wear a mask and even endorsing 'double masking' to make sure people were safe. 'She is a horrible pick, I pray this does not go through and I will continue to attack her if she does get pushed through and you know why would he do this? She is the swamp!' Wexler said. 'She's like clearly a leftist and should be [expletive] reconsidered,' Wilson said, calling it the 'most upsetting thing I've seen' from Team Trump since he won the election. Others were more angry, sharing videos of Nesheiwat endorsing the concept of wearing masks outdoors and when around people. 'More leftist lunacy from Trump's Surgeon General pick, Janette Nesheiwat, who promoted masking children. He needs to rescind this nomination,' wrote Don Keith, the host of the show 'The Real Beef With Don Keith' wrote on X. Nesheiwat's sister, Julia Nesheiwat is married to U.S. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) who was picked by Trump as a national security advisor. But her Fox News segments that started going viral on social media had MAGA supporters in an uproar. 'Even if she's now changed her mind on these medically and scientifically bad ideas, the fact that she openly supported all of them to the lay public demonstrates a level of incompetence or corruption that should never be rewarded,' wrote Dr. Dan Levy on X.
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Trump picks wellness influencer Casey Means as US Surgeon General
Nesheiwat was due to have her confirmation hearing on Thursday morning, US time. Trump did not offer a reason for the switch, but US media noted that Laura Loomer – a far-right ally of the President – had complained about Nesheiwat's nomination because of her advocacy of the Covid vaccine and other concerns. Loomer, known for claiming the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, has reportedly been successful in pushing for the firing of other officials, including the head of the National Security Agency in April. Means holds a medical degree from Stanford University but does not currently practise. She co-authored a 2024 book called Good Energy, which focuses on the connection between diet and health. She wrote the book with her brother Calley, who already serves as an adviser to Kennedy. Trump said Means would work with Kennedy to 'ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans'. Posting on his Truth Social platform, Trump called her achievements 'absolutely outstanding' and said 'Dr Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History'. Surgeons general are nominated by the President and can play key roles in communicating public health information, though their power is limited. Previous holders of the post have promoted health measures during the Covid pandemic and raised awareness on issues such as alcohol intake and the mental health impact of social media among young people.
CNN
07-05-2025
- Health
- CNN
White House withdraws another key nomination with last-minute pivot to MAHA influencer for US surgeon general
The White House announced Thursday that President Donald Trump is pulling Dr. Janette Nesheiwat's nomination to be surgeon general and replacing her with Dr. Casey Means. The news came the day before Nesheiwat's Senate confirmation hearing was set to begin. 'Casey has impeccable 'MAHA' credentials, and will work closely with our wonderful Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to ensure a successful implementation of our Agenda in order to reverse the Chronic Disease Epidemic, and ensure Great Health, in the future, for ALL Americans,' Trump said in a post on Truth Social. 'Her academic achievements, together with her life's work, are absolutely outstanding. Dr. Casey Means has the potential to be one of the finest Surgeon Generals in United States History. Congratulations to Casey! Secretary Kennedy looks forward to working with Dr. Janette Nesheiwat in another capacity at HHS.' ' The surgeon general, known as 'the nation's doctor,' is a physician who focuses on educating and advising Americans on how to improve their health, by issuing advisories, reports and calls to action to offer the best available scientific information on crucial issues. The surgeon general also serves in the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, overseeing this group of uniformed officers who seek to promote the nation's health. Nesheiwat, a New York family physician and former Fox News medical contributor, was scheduled to have a hearing with senators Thursday. She is also the sister-in-law of National Security Adviser Mike Waltz, who had been on shaky ground within the administration after he inadvertently added a journalist to a messaging app group chat about highly sensitive military strikes. Trump recently nominated Waltz to serve as UN ambassador. Means is a holistic medicine doctor whose prominence rose with the Make America Healthy Again movement and its ties to Kennedy's presidential campaign. Both Means and her brother, White House health adviser Calley Means, have made frequent public appearances at MAHA events and on podcasts, arguing that Americans are sick with chronic disease because the health care system and federal agencies are prioritizing medication and financial incentives over nutrition and holistic health. Means went to Stanford Medical School but has told the story of dropping out of her residency at age 30 when she became disillusioned with the health care system. 'I'm trying to understand, why don't I feel right about my work?' she said on the Joe Rogan podcast last year. 'I just started looking at the data in a different way, and I started to look at what was happening with health trends.' In March, the White House withdrew its nomination of Dr. Dave Weldon to direct the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention less than an hour before his hearing with the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Before the abrupt withdrawal, White House officials had privately voiced concerns about Weldon's comments expressing skepticism about vaccines. Dr. Susan Monarez was later nominated to lead the agency.
