Western processed food diets produce many imbalances that promote chronic disease and premature death. This is well documented in the medical literature. At the risk of oversimplification, a list of these imbalances can be summarized in a chart (below). It is worthwhile to evaluate these major imbalances as a whole rather than individually and to compare them against the Mediterranean diet.

Word description of western processed food diets and health care

It can be said that the western diet is characterized by overly salty processed foods, refined sugars, white (bran-less) bread, hydrogenated (un-metabolizable) fats (used to increase the shelf life of baked goods), omega-6 corn and safflower cooking oil (though essential for human life) over omega-3 fish and flaxseed oil, iron/copper-rich foods (iron-rich meats, copper in tap water, vitamin pills) which oxidizes and hardens fats in the brain and arteries leading to plaque buildup, excessive alcohol (depletes essential nutrients, increases iron overload and fatty liver), paltry amounts of vitamin C, low vitamin D levels (largely induced by sun phobia) and reliance upon man-made drugs to treat disease rather than prevent disease altogether.

With all of the medications in the armament of western medicine, there is yet no wellness pill, though a so-called polypill has been suggested for healthy populations that offers a combination of yet more drugs. In western medicine, disease is largely treated as a drug deficiency and populations are over-medicated and seemingly well-nourished while facing widespread undetected shortage of omega-3 oil, vitamins C, D, B1, B12 and magnesium and potassium.

Lifestyle, diet prevails over modern medicine

Recent evidence strongly suggests lifestyle has a stronger impact than any delivered health care. Look at the Japanese who do not read diet books nor go to the gym. They are far leaner and healthier eating a varied diet that is not rich in iron or calcium (low red meat and dairy consumption) and rich in omega-3 fish oil, fermented soy (miso, tempeh) and iodine-rich sea vegetables. If Japanese males would back away from over-consumption of alcohol and tobacco their life expectancy there would likely soar even further.

Finland used to be the selected venue for many chronic disease studies because of its high rate of cardiovascular disease. In fact it had the highest mortality rate for coronary artery disease in the world. But today, by backing away from tobacco, cutting back on alcohol and increasing plant food intake, Finland has been able to cut it cardiovascular disease mortality rate by a jaw-dropping 80%. Modern medicines and treatment played only a minor role in this health revolution.

It has recently become apparent that control of seven measures of cardiovascular health (body weight, blood pressure, tobacco use, physical activity, diet, cholesterol and blood sugar) will reduce risk for cancer by nearly 40%.

While much bragging that modern treatments for cancer have prolonged survival rates, the sad fact is, while being diagnosed earlier, patients are still succumbing to cancer on or about the same calendar day. Any advances in survival are imaginary, created by earlier detection. The cancer industry has been slow to come up with even one preventive measure.