- THE HUMAN CONDITION
- Posts
- Chronic Disease
Where do I begin? The motivation for this newsletter was a recent wake-up call: two weeks ago, I found myself in the hospital in serious shape. For those who don’t know me personally, I will be turning 78 in about a week. I was working seven days a week without a break, producing this newsletter and drafting a book… Lying in a hospital bed is not my idea of a vacation. I should have known better. I've also made bad choices in my life—ones many of you have likely made as well—that haven’t been in my best interest. But let’s be clear: we are not entirely to blame. We are human, and being imperfect is part of our nature.
Our species (Homo sapiens) has evolved over millions of years, shaped by the constant struggle for survival since our ancestors first emerged in Africa more than two million years ago. However, many of the factors contributing to our declining health have only come to light since 1980—a short span for me, but for some of you, it encompasses your entire lifetime. Confronting these truths has driven me to create The Human Condition, a platform dedicated to educating as many people as possible in the time I have left on this earth has become my driving force.
My stay in the hospital only highlighted and intensified everything I’ve researched over the past 30 years. It forced me to confront firsthand the very factors that led to my hospitalization—factors I have spent decades identifying and studying. What I experienced in the hospital was horrifying. This was not a small, rural hospital; it was one of the best facilities in Southwest Florida. Yet, a series of diagnostic and treatment errors could have cost me my life. I want to help you avoid this fate as much as possible.
Before I continue, I hope you’ll forgive me for what I’m about to ask. Since launching this publication, I’ve dedicated an average of 12 hours a day, seven days a week, to delivering accurate, unbiased, and timely scientific information. My mission is to uncover the factors driving declining life expectancy and the root causes of chronic diseases, making this vital knowledge accessible to everyday Americans.
I believe that self-advocacy begins with education, and I am committed to empowering readers through the understanding of their human physiology. Each weekly newsletter contains approximately 2,500 carefully crafted words. (I keep them as concise as possible so they’re readable and impactful.) Alongside this, I produce a two-host audio podcast that is gaining international recognition for presenting complex scientific concepts in an engaging, understandable way—avoiding obscure jargon and making the information accessible to all ages. Please listen to the podcast contained in each newsletter.
This is ideal for people with busy lives, making it possible to passively listen while commuting or relaxing at home. If you have a smartphone that provides email, you can use it as a broadcast source by listening directly or by using Bluetooth connected to your car radio or a home receiver.
The podcast tends to minimize scientific words, making its content more easily understood by younger individuals. I do all this without compensation, driven solely by the satisfaction of knowing I am delivering the best unbiased, accurate, and current scientific information every week. I am hopeful that this information will help you to understand and overcome the causes of this chronic disease epidemic we find ourselves in. I am certain that I am correct about the information I provide to you, even though much of it flies in the face of what you have been told by the government, big Pharma, and the food industry.
My production costs have already set me back thousands, which I have managed to cover using my modest Social Security income. Without a car, staff, family, or local friends, I manage every aspect of this endeavor entirely on my own. If you find value in The Human Condition and are able to support my work, even a small monthly contribution of $5 or an annual contribution of $50 would mean more to me than I can express.
Your support would help sustain this effort and ensure it continues to reach as many people as possible. Also, if you know other like-minded individuals that you believe would have interest in health and well-being, please consider copying and sending them the URL of my free companion podcast at the end of each newsletter. (Contact me if you need assistance in doing this; my email address is below.)
The proper procedure to upgrade to a paid subscription is detailed two sections below, just before the section named "Why Our Modern Diet is Killing Us."
Unless you agree to become a paid subscriber, you will not be able to go beyond this point. However, if you are unable to afford the $5.00 monthly amount and you still wish to receive The Human Condition each week, you may request an exemption from me by emailing me at [email protected] using the following text: “Please exempt me from paid subscriptions, thank you.”
I must perform each exemption manually (I have 2,500+ subscribers), so it may take a while. If you decide to become a paying subscriber and later decide you no longer wish to receive THE HUMAN CONDITION and want to resign, you can unsubscribe at any time.
Important Information you are Not Likely to find Elsewhere
Before going on, I would like to share with you a video podcast that I recently watched, which contains some of the key factors responsible for metabolic dysfunction and virtually all chronic diseases. As you might imagine, this consists of a diverse list of physiological and lifestyle factors present in the 21st century. It is a tour de force of clinical knowledge.
The video is 1.5 hours long and packed with important, accurate information. I don’t expect anyone to watch it all in one sitting—nor do I recommend it. Take your time to absorb and understand the insights shared by Dr. Nathan S. Bryan in his presentation, “The Secret of Nitric Oxide,” which is also the title of his recently published book. This video goes far beyond the book, offering a wealth of additional information on critical factors that have been newly linked and proven to result in chronic illness.
By Dr. Nathan S. Bryan
Coincidentally, he addresses nearly every topic I’ve written about since last summer! It’s the most comprehensive discussion of physiological and lifestyle factors I’ve ever encountered in a single podcast. Take your time with it and consider saving it (it can be copied and pasted anywhere) as a reference for future use—I am truly in awe of its thoroughness!
As previously mentioned, I will direct you to my website where a number of my most recent newsletters are archived that discuss virtually every topic addressed by Dr. Bryan. You will need to follow the links below and search through the titles to find the information you seek. Alternatively, I leave a link at the end of every newsletter where you can ask questions, or request topics that you would like additional information on.
Here is my main website link: http://the-human-condition.beehiiv.com
In connection with the video above, I would like to recommend several of my past newsletters that provide expanded information on the many topics Dr. Bryan brought forth in the podcast linked above, all are linked:
Nitric Oxide (11-20-24)
The Big Picture (12-4-24)
The Masters of Life (4-23-25)
The Diet we Evolved to Eat (1 & 2) (4-4&10-25)
Red and Near-Infrared Light Therapy (3-12-25)
Little Secrets (3-5-25)
Ultra-Processed Foods (2-12-25)
The Importance of Gut Health (1-15-25)
Peripheral Neuropathy (11-15-24)
Diabetes and Insulin Resistance (1&2) (10-18&25-24)
Innovations in Medical Technology for 2024 and Beyond (12-31-24)
The Shape of Things to Come (12-24-24)
Where are we Going? (11-27-2024)
Where Healthcare Begins and Ends
The concept of "healthcare" is as old as humanity itself, though its formalization and organization as a system have evolved significantly over time. Here's a quick historical perspective:
Prehistoric Times: Healthcare began as a fundamental human instinct. Early humans used natural remedies, herbs, and rudimentary practices to address illnesses and injuries.
Ancient Civilizations: Organized healthcare systems can be traced back thousands of years. Ancient Egyptians practiced medicine using written texts and formalized training. In Ancient Greece, Hippocrates (c. 460–370 BCE) emphasized observation and natural causes of disease, laying the foundation for modern medical ethics. Ancient Indian (Ayurveda) and Chinese (Traditional Chinese Medicine) systems provided holistic approaches to health.
Medieval Period: In medieval Europe and the Islamic world, healthcare became institutionalized with hospitals and clinics, often run by religious organizations.
Modern Era: The concept of professionalized healthcare started to take shape in the 18th and 19th centuries with advancements in science, the establishment of medical schools, and the professionalization of nursing by figures like Florence Nightingale.
Contemporary Healthcare: The 20th and 21st centuries saw the rise of public health systems, universal healthcare models in many countries, and advancements in medical technology and pharmaceuticals.
While the organized healthcare systems we recognize today are recent—emerging in the last two centuries—the essence of healthcare has been integral to human life since its very beginning.
Importantly, it is crucial to understand that contemporary healthcare is a BUSSINESS, not solely a benevolent service issued out of necessity by our government. Indeed, everything in our world is tied to money, which determines its motivation and outcome. As a result, this business is guided by profit, not by the desire to overcome illness.
The fact is that the pharmaceutical industry has little interest in curing chronic disease when management is far more profitable.
The objective of the food industry is the creation of hyper-palatable addictive products, made as inexpensively as possible with little or no consideration for nutritional value. However, they are not fully to blame because of our pleasure-seeking nature that perverts our taste buds—we are enamored with junk food—we dream about doughnuts, burgers and fries, and pizza!
Take a moment to imagine what our not-so-distant ancestors would think of today’s indulgent treats. Now consider this: these foods simply could not have existed for them because the technology to create them did not exist. More importantly, our physiology did not evolve to process these modern creations—and that disconnect lies at the root of most chronic diseases.
As hunter-gatherers, we survived by consuming what was available: animals (truly embodying the phrase 'you are what you eat'), along with nuts, berries, and a handful of wild vegetables and tubers.
In addition, depending on location and season, there was often a scarcity of nutritious food which caused us to develop fat formation to survive prolonged periods without food. Ironically, it is this evolutionary development that prevented our extinction but is now responsible for our modern-day epidemic of obesity in this world of food abundance.
This concludes the free section of this newsletter. Beyond this point, you will be asked to become a paid subscriber, first mentioned at the end of the opening section of this edition. If you elect to proceed, be ready with a credit card or whatever payment vehicle you want to use. If you choose monthly, you will have the option to auto-renew each month.
Additionally, I will add another benefit to my paying subscribers. I will provide you with a free copy of my upcoming book (in e-book format) for a period of 90 days following publication.
If you experience any problems with your subscription, PLEASE let me know immediately!
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