Why We’re Getting Sicker—and How to Turn It Around

By David Reinprecht — functional nutrition counselor, longevity coach, and author of From Chubby Kid to Longevity Hero and America’s Food Pandemic: The Hidden Crisis

 

A quick intro

I’m originally from Austria and have spent the last two decades in the U.S. helping people extend healthspan—not just years lived, but years lived strong. My latest book and speaking tour unpack a hard truth: America’s food environment is engineering poor health. The good news? You can opt out—and rebuild.


How we got here

In the 1980s, big tobacco money flowed into food. The same playbook used to hook smokers was repurposed to hook eaters:

  • The “bliss point”: a precision mix of sugar, fat, and salt that spikes dopamine and keeps you reaching for more.

  • Lobbying and messaging: weak guidelines and a marketing machine that made ultra-processed foods the default.

  • Result: the average American diet is now dominated by products that are engineered for cravings, not health.


Ultra-processed food isn’t “just calories”

These products do more than add empty energy—they send the wrong instructions to your cells:

  • Spike glucose/insulin, driving insulin resistance and fatty liver.

  • Disrupt microbiome balance, fueling cravings, mood swings, and digestive issues.

  • Add a chemical burden (emulsifiers, dyes, preservatives) that stresses detox pathways.

  • Accelerate glycation (sugar binding to proteins/fats), which stiffens tissues and visibly ages skin.

Bottom line: food is information. Ultra-processed food programs the body toward inflammation and disease; whole food programs it toward repair.


GMOs, pesticides, plastics: the hidden load

Modern food supply = modern exposures.

  • Pesticides & herbicides (e.g., glyphosate) can injure gut lining and microbes and add to toxin load.

  • Plastics & phthalates leach from packaging and bottles; they’re linked to endocrine disruption.

  • Processing chemicals and artificial sweeteners can alter behavior, appetite, and microbiota.

You can’t control everything, but you can lower your personal load with simple choices (see the plan below).


Sugar: the quiet accelerator

Sugar doesn’t just add pounds—it warps metabolism:

  • Drives chronic inflammation and glycation (faster aging of skin, joints, and arteries).

  • Feeds visceral fat and fatty liver.

  • Disrupts sleep via cortisol swings and drains key nutrients (magnesium, B-vitamins, chromium).

  • Trains the appetite system for more sugar (same dopamine pathway as other addictions).

Start with the easiest win: cut liquid sugar (sodas, energy drinks, “vitamin” juices, sweetened coffees).


A note on methylation & folate

Up to ~40% of people carry variants in genes involved in methylation (your body’s “activation” system for many nutrients). If you suspect issues, talk to your clinician about testing and consider methylated forms of B-vitamins (e.g., methyl-folate instead of folic acid). The point isn’t to panic—it’s to personalize.


Protein quality matters (a lot)

“Eat more protein” is common advice; which protein you choose changes the outcome.

  • Grass-fed/finished beef & pasture-raised eggs: typically higher in omega-3s, CLA, vitamins, creatine, carnitine—nutrients that support muscle, metabolism, and immunity.

  • Wild-caught fish: best natural source of EPA/DHA for brain, heart, and anti-inflammatory support.

  • Conventional grain-fed options: tend toward more omega-6s and may carry residues from feed and farming.

Think of it this way: when animals eat what they were designed to eat, you get the nutrition you were designed to thrive on.


The simple longevity plan (start here)

You don’t need perfection—just consistency on the big rocks.

  1. Base every meal on protein + plants
    Aim ~0.8–1.0 g protein per lb of goal body weight (adjust for your context).

  2. Cut the liquid sugar first
    Replace with mineral water, unsweetened tea/coffee, or water with lemon.

  3. Lift 2–3x/week; move daily
    Muscle is a longevity organ. Train strength; walk often.

  4. Sleep like it matters
    Cool, dark room; consistent schedule; screens off before bed.

  5. Choose better fats
    Extra-virgin olive oil, avocado, grass-fed animal fats, wild fish; avoid industrial seed-oil junk and deep-fried foods.

  6. Lower the chemical load
    Buy organic or “clean 15” when you can, store food in glass/steel, don’t heat plastic, filter water.

  7. Sun & stress (smartly)
    Get safe daylight exposure, manage stress (breathing, prayer, gratitude), and cultivate strong social ties—these are powerful epigenetic levers.


The takeaway

What you eat is not just fuel—it’s code for your biology. Ultra-processed foods encode inflammation, hormone disruption, and accelerated aging. Real, minimally processed food encodes repair: stronger muscles, steadier energy, better immunity, and more years you actually want to live.


Want the deeper dive?

 

  • 💊 Ready to act today?

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