Most of us trust that our doctors, hospitals, and insurance companies are focused on keeping us healthy. We get our annual checkups, take the prescribed medications, and breathe a sigh of relief when our labs come back “normal.” But what if I told you that this sense of security might be false—and that the very system designed to keep us alive could be missing the most dangerous threats to our health? The truth is, the medical system could be putting your life at risk.
The U.S. spends nearly $4.3 trillion annually on healthcare (roughly 18% of GDP) yet Americans are sicker and more diseased than ever. Over 60% of adults have at least one chronic illness and 74% of us are overweight or obese.
Despite astronomical spending on healthcare, life expectancy is declining for the first time in recorded history, and rates of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, dementia and cancer are climbing. Adults over 65 stand a 1 in 3 chance of dying with some form of dementia. There is something very wrong with this picture.
How did this happen?
Let’s be honest; conventional healthcare is an industry that profits from treating disease, not preventing it. There is an inherent conflict of interest between conventional medicine and patient outcomes. Incentives for doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, etc., are driven by profit, not patient outcomes. Procedures, prescriptions, even office visits contribute to profits but have little or no impact on patient outcomes.
Acute vs. Chronic Care:
The system is optimized for acute and trauma care — fixing broken bones or performing surgeries, for example. However, the diseases we associate with aging like dementia, diabetes, and heart disease progress undetected for years or decades below the diagnostic threshold. Our system considers you “healthy” or “normal” until you achieve a certain lab or imaging result and only springs into ineffective action once you’ve passed the rubicon. Wasting years or decades up to that point, patients are robbed of critical windows of opportunity to slow, stop, or reverse early signs of disease.
The false comfort of "normal" labs
Patients often feel reassured by "normal" lab results, but lab reference ranges are based on the population averages, not optimal levels. With over 74% of Americans overweight or obese, “normal” is sick. When doctors review results, they’re primarily doing so through the lens of diagnostic criteria, not early indicators of future risk. Millions of us leave our annual checkups with satisfaction of "normal" labs but dangerous levels of inflammation, insulin resistance, or other warning signs.
Testing Gaps
Affordable and accessible tests for major disease drivers like inflammation, blood sugar dysregulation, and immune function can reveal life-saving information. Unfortunately, these tests are rarely recommended because they’re deemed not-medically necessary in our name it, tame-it, and pay-ment framework.
Silos of Excellence?
Modern medicine is highly specialized, with doctors focusing on specific organs or systems—cardiologists for the heart, endocrinologists for hormones, gastroenterologists for the digestive system, and so on. While these specialists are highly skilled in their respective areas, the human body operates as a complex, interconnected, interdependent system.
The siloed approach often results in doctors focusing on their specific area of expertise without regard for the system in which it functions (or doesnt). It’s estimated that the average American over 65 sees 28 doctors in their lifetime and takes 14 different prescription medications. (Means) This fragmentation of care leaves patients with conflicting advice, information overload, potentially dangerous drug interactions, and a never ending cycle of symptom management
What’s the alternative?
Take ownership of your health. Recognize that our “healthcare” system is not going to save you, but you can and must save yourself. The steady decline that begins for many at middle age is neither normal nor inevitable. Being strong, mobile, clear, and vibrant in your 80s, 90s, and beyond is about choices, not family history, genetics, or fate.
Treat your health like your investment portfolio: invest early, and consistently, and if performance declines, adjust your strategy. It’s not enough to take walks, do the crossword, and hope for the best. It starts with taking your health off autopilot and asking the right questions, collecting and tracking the right data, making informed decisions every day, and being open to new information and research.
Look for providers who ask why you have certain symptoms and are willing to spend the time to discuss your labs with you and identify the root cause(s) or risk factors for future disease. We are a complex human network and even if you have multiple specialists, there should be someone who thinks like a systems analyst at the center asking why and connecting the dots.
Focus on nutrition and lifestyle. While tests and treatments are important, the most powerful tools are the daily choices you make. Prioritize nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods, regular exercise, quality sleep, and stress management. Strength training, mobility work, and cardiovascular fitness should all be key components of your long-term health strategy.
Above all else, look for a team incentivized by outcomes, results, and transformations.
No time like the present . . .
The best time to act is before the symptoms show up, and before a disease takes hold. Even if you already have symptoms or a diagnosis, however; it’s never too late. You can take control of your health with small, incremental changes every day. The knowledge, tools, and strategies are available to you no matter your age, genetics, or current health status. You’ve worked too hard to settle for “normal” in life, business, and certainly health.
What you don’t know can kill you, but what you learn today could save your life tomorrow.
References:
CMS National Health Expenditure Data (2021)
CDC Chronic Diseases in America (2023)
Alzheimer's Association: https://www.alz.org/alzheimers-dementia/facts-figures
Means MD, Casey. “Good Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health.” 2024
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