Is "Make America Healthy Again" Actually...

Is America REALLY less healthy than it used to be? Or is that just a myth? 

Lately, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement has been romanticizing the past—but was it really a "healthier" time? 🤔 Higher infant mortality, shorter life expectancy, and limited medical advancements suggest otherwise.

Today, I’m joined by Nini Munoz, Science & Risk Communicator, and Dr. Jessica Knurick, Dietitian & Nutrition Scientist, to break down:

• The myth of the 'healthier past'—why public health was worse, not better.
• Misinformation & fear-based narratives—how MAHA spreads harmful myths about vaccines, food, and disease.
• The real problem with food policy—why fixating on seed oils & food dyes distracts from real issues like ultra-processed food and food deserts.
• The wellness industry’s role—how influencers profit off fear with detoxes, supplements, and misinformation via predatory wellness.
• What actually improves health—real solutions like healthcare access, school lunch reform, and food subsidies.

It’s time to stop falling for misguided nostalgia and start focusing on evidence-based solutions that actually improve public health.  Tune in now!

To connect with Jessica Knurick follow her on Instagram @drjessicaknurick and check out all her resources at https://linktr.ee/drjessicaknurick 

To connect with Nini Munoz follow her on Instagram @niniandthebrain and join her on Substack: https://techingitapart.substack.com/ 

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00:00 — Misleading Comparisons: Japan, Fluoride, and Health Outcomes

00:00:52 — Welcome to the Show: What MAHA Gets Wrong

00:01:39 — Fear-Based Distractions vs. Real Public Health Solutions

00:02:53 — Meet the Experts: Dr. Jessica and Nini Munoz

00:03:23 — Are Americans Less Healthy Now? Breaking Down the Data

00:07:01 — Why Living Longer Means Facing Chronic Disease

00:09:51 — Screening, Diagnostics, and Better Detection—Not a Health Decline

00:11:13 — The Missing Conversation: America’s Broken Food Environment

00:14:15 — Red Dye 40 & Skittles: Why This Isn't Solving Chronic Disease

00:17:39 — Targeted Marketing & Food Access: A System Built Against Low-Income Families

00:22:00 — Poverty, Policy, and Public Health Failures

00:27:01 — Lessons From Colombia: How Classism and Privatization Worsen Health Outcomes

00:31:31 — Vaccines, Autism, and Recycling Disproven Theories

00:37:08 — Why Some Pediatricians Push Alternative Schedules

00:39:10 — Predatory Wellness: The Business of Fear and False Solutions

00:43:13 — The Wellness Industry Formula: Scare, Distract, Sell

00:46:30 — When Wellness Fails: Who Do We Turn To?

00:49:10 — Healthcare Reform & Public Trust: Fixing the Root Problems

00:51:12 — Final Thoughts: Real Solutions for a Healthier America

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