Society

The most famous disease of Western affluence is obesity, a symbol of our privilege and the excesses it fosters. Why are Americans so fat? Many people want to blame sugar or fat, and the American sweet tooth and addiction to refined foods certainly play their parts. But are there other, more significant reasons Americans are overweight? As we’ve made a collective effort to cut down on sugars and fats, our rates of obesity have continued to climb. Why are Americans overweight? Learn the surprising factors.

Eating a whole foods, plant-based diet isn’t a new idea. Socrates, via Plato, predicted that a society that indulged in the luxury of meat would lead to a society plagued with inflammation and disease. The winning athletes in the ancient Olympics also knew that eating a plant-based diet was the key to good health and performance. So how did we get where we are today, promoting meat’s health benefits and worrying that vegetarians don’t get enough protein? Some say the future is vegan — is it? Despite the detour we’ve taken as a society, there’s reason to believe that we’re

What are diseases of affluence? What causes them? And how can you lower your risk? Diseases of affluence are diseases common in developed, economically prosperous areas. These are also known as diseases of “nutritional extravagance” because they’re linked to “rich” diets high in protein and fat, include coronary heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Learn what they are, how they develop, and how you can drastically cut your risk.