
As a child, I would donate part of my allowance each week to organizations that helped feed starving children across the world.
(Images of bloated bellies on skeletons in both India and Africa are still seeded into my brain.)
And I remember being taught to be thankful that we lived in the United States of America, where that just didn’t happen.
Fast forward to 2025, and sadly, the good old U.S. faces significant issues with malnutrition.
Here’s what I mean…
A modern-day plague
Malnutrition isn’t just about a lack of calories—it occurs when the body doesn’t get the essential nutrients it needs.
More specifically, malnutrition happens when your diet lacks the calories, protein, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients needed to fuel essential biological processes.
And before you call me crazy for saying our country faces issues with malnutrition, look at the facts…
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), deaths from malnutrition more than doubled between 2018 and 2022!
Not to mention—the U.S. is plagued by two common conditions that are related to malnutrition:
- Type 2 diabetes. This disease stems from an excess intake of sugar, refined carbs, and calories.
- Hypertension. This condition worsens with an excess intake of carbohydrates and sodium from processed foods, as well as an inadequate intake of protein and other essential nutrients.
But this is perhaps the saddest part of all…
Cut through the clutter
Education is vital. And teaching you that your dietary choices can help you heal from and prevent disease has always been a main goal of mine.
But the truth is, many people don’t receive that message. After all, most medical “experts” aren’t even properly educated on nutrition!
In fact, a survey found that only 58 percent of healthcare professionals received training on nutrition, and just 40 percent felt confident providing proper nutritional education to their patients.
No wonder so many people are confused about what they should and shouldn’t eat!
(It still amazes me that food labels can say basically anything to grab the consumer’s attention. It isn’t until you pay attention to the fine print of the ingredients list to find out exactly what you’re consuming.)
For example, many products use buzzwords and catchphrases, like:
- “A good source of protein/fiber.”
- “No added sugar.”
- “Grass-fed.”
- “Non-GMO.”
The list is virtually endless here. And they all sound like healthy choices, right? Well, this is perhaps Big Food’s greatest, most dangerous marketing ploy to date. (I talk more about this in the March 2019 issue of Logical Health Alternatives—log in with your credentials after clicking here.)
Plus, just because you’re buying prepackaged foods from a popular store with a fancy name and a “healthy” reputation doesn’t automatically mean those items are good for you. Always pay attention to that ingredient list.
(I recently looked at prepackaged chicken salad—and do you know how many ingredients it contained? Try 15 to 20! Do you know how many ingredients go into my homemade chicken salad? FIVE—and I can pronounce the names of all of them.)
So, let’s cut through the clutter: Eat real food.
I’m talking about anything that has been minimally processed by human beings. A piece of chicken, fish, or steak… seasonal produce… nuts and eggs.
By doing so, you’ll provide your body with the nutrients it needs—while simultaneously improving your health. (And especially your cardiovascular and metabolic health.)
P.S. In your quest to “eat real food,” I highly encourage you to start cooking. And my very own cooking show can certainly help you with the basics. It’s called Cooking with Dr. Fred and you can find plenty of videos on my YouTube channel. Plus, here’s a link to my delicious homemade chicken salad.
Source:
“Focus on Nutrient Density Instead of Limiting Certain Foods.” Medscape, 12/03/2024. (medscape.com/viewarticle/focus-nutrient-density-instead-limiting-certain-foods-2024a1000lob)