Dennis Miller, R.Ph. is a retired chain store pharmacist. His book, The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All the Disturbing Secrets, can be downloaded in its entirety at Amazon for 99 cents.
The opinions expressed in this article are Mr. Dennis Miller’s. They do not represent the views of The People’s Pharmacy. We agree with Mr. Miller, though, that diet is a critical keystone to good health.
The White House Recently Released a Remarkably Candid Document About Chronic Disease and Processed Foods:
On Feb. 13, 2025, The White House released a strikingly blunt document titled “Establishing the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission.” Even though I’m a Democrat, I admire this document’s honesty in assessing the huge impact of chronic disease and processed foods.
This document is remarkable for its directness.
I can’t recall a document released by the federal government that is so straightforward in implicating powerful interest groups. Whether or not RFK, Jr. succeeds in implementing the stated goals, it is nevertheless an interesting document for its forthrightness. In my opinion, the implications of this document are huge.
We rarely see such frank and commonsense communication from the federal government that directly or indirectly implicates so many powerful and entrenched interests. In my opinion, the reason we’re so sick as a nation is because of many powerful interest groups including Big Pharma, Big Food, Big Chemical, Big Agriculture, Big Insurance, Big Chain Drug, and the American Medical Association.
Why did it take RFK, Jr. to bring to the forefront a discussion of the twin scourges of chronic disease and processed foods?
Nearly everyone (except the above interest groups) seems to agree that these are major problems. I see Washington as a cesspool teeming with lobbyists. So I am surprised that the federal government would risk angering these powerful interest groups.
Why did it take RFK, Jr. to openly discuss these subjects that doctors should have been emphasizing for the last fifty years? Even though there is apparently widespread acceptance that the modern American diet is harmful, why hasn’t this subject been openly discussed in the past by the American Medical Association?
RFK, Jr. verbalized what we already suspected: processed foods are killing us.
I have been shocked that RFK, Jr. states this openly because a discussion of processed foods seems to have been almost taboo given the power of the huge food processors. It has been shocking to me that these issues are finally being discussed openly by our government.
Regardless of what you think of RFK, Jr., nearly everyone seems to agree with his contention that the standard American diet consisting of heavily processed foods loaded with additives is very unhealthy.
I have been surprised that, in contrast to his views on the Covid vaccine, RFK, Jr. has received very little push back when he stated that our diet is so bad and that most chronic diseases are preventable. There seems to be a general consensus among the public that the modern American diet is atrocious. There seems to be a general consensus that Big Food is too powerful and too entrenched to change its behavior. But I haven’t seen an open discussion of these issues in previous administrations.
Why hasn’t the examination of the health effects of processed foods been at the forefront of our discussions about health for decades? Why hasn’t there been a major discussion of the fact that most chronic diseases are, in fact, preventable diseases of modern civilization. Why hasn’t there been discussion of the fact that most of the prescriptions pharmacists fill are to treat preventable diseases?
Is the AMA a hindrance to true reform?
Is the American Medical Association opposed to a fundamental overhaul of the modern American diet consisting of heavily processed foods? Is the AMA as great a hindrance as Big Food? Is the AMA’s cozy relationship with Big Pharma a threat to our health? Does the AMA give far too much emphasis to pills rather than prevention? Is the Journal of the American Medical Association way too dependent on Pharma advertising dollars?
We should be ashamed by the highly artificial nature of the American diet.
The number of synthetic chemicals in processed foods is outrageous and disgusting. In my opinion, it is outrageous that doctors haven’t made nutrition and lifestyles their top priority. In my opinion, it is inexcusable that doctors give priority to pills rather than nutrition and lifestyles.
RFK, Jr. says that a major change in our diet and health could take place in a short time. But, of course, Big Food and Big Pharma would strongly oppose a switch to nutrition, lifestyles, and avoiding exposure to the synthetic chemicals which are ubiquitous in modern societies. There’s simply no money in prevention.
I’m happy to see that this White House document mentions the following important issues which are rarely discussed by the federal government because they are such a threat to powerful interests:
- The fact that cancer is largely preventable
- The remarkably quick appearance of various chronic conditions in societies that adopt a Western diet of highly processed foods
- Obesity is a major cause of illness
- The health risks from pesticides
- The over-utilization of medication
- The potential harm from electromagnetic radiation
- The absorption of toxic material
- Risks from medical treatments
- Lifestyle and environmental factors in the causation of disease
- The risks of chemical exposures
- The controversy surrounding the massive utilization of SSRI antidepressants, mood stabilizers, anti-psychotics, weight-loss drugs, and drugs that treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
- The importance of healthy nutrition
Here is a link to the “Make America Healthy Again Commission:”
My final comment:
Do you agree that this White House document is remarkable for implicating powerful interest groups? Do you believe that the lobbyists for these powerful interest groups will convince Congress to oppose RFK, Jr’s implementation of these goals?
Dennis Miller, R.Ph. is a retired chain store pharmacist. His book, The Shocking Truth About Pharmacy: A Pharmacist Reveals All the Disturbing Secrets, can be downloaded in its entirety at Amazon for 99 cents.
Dennis Miller welcomes feedback about his articles in the comment section below.
