Wellness: The intentional and ongoing practice of nurturing physical vitality, mental clarity, emotional resilience, purpose, and joy, especially as we age. It is the foundation for living not just longer, but better, with independence, connection, and meaning.
“The Liver King”
Yesterday, I watched the Netflix documentary “The Liver King.” It is based on Brian Johnson, who promotes his ancestral lifestyle, including large amounts of unprocessed organs and meat, and his daily consumption of raw liver and bull testicles. Although he had emphatically denied having used steroids to inflate his massive and muscular physique, it was eventually revealed through private e-mails that he was spending over $11,000 a month on anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs. He finally apologized for lying about the steroids during a YouTube video. What stands out are the following statistics reflecting the “King’s” success in conning millions of believers from 2020 to 2024. He became a multi-millionaire through a meticulously planned marketing strategy, including a million-dollar raw meat Supplement Company.
- Tik Toc followers – 6.1 million
- Tik Toc likes – 111.1 million
- YouTube subscribers – 1.21 million
- YouTube views – 77.6 million
The Standard American Diet (SAD), based on high intakes of meat, dairy, processed foods, sugar, and fat, gained prominence during the mid-20th century and continues today to shape modern American diets. As a result, Americans are still ranked among the unhealthiest people in the world, among the leaders in chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, osteoporosis, obesity, and high blood pressure. Despite spending more than any other country on health care, possessing cutting-edge medical technology, and well-schooled doctors, the US population has ranked low in life expectancy, hovering around the mid-70s for the past decade. In contrast, Blue Zone populations, including California’s Loma Linda population, live on average ten to fifteen years longer than the rest of the country.
PLANT-BASED NUTRITIONAL POWERHOUSES
Our love affair and addiction to meat and dairy, because of their high fat, salt, and sugar content, has created an inflexible bias that’s difficult to overcome, despite the evidence showing that adding more whole plant foods to our diet will significantly improve our long-term health.
Plant-based foods are rich in compounds that support vibrant health and longevity. Antioxidants help protect cells from damage caused by oxidative stress, reducing the risk of chronic diseases. Phytonutrients, found only in plants, offer anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects that promote overall wellness. Carbohydrates, our body’s preferred energy source, especially from whole plant sources, provide clean, efficient energy to fuel the body and brain. Fiber aids digestion, stabilizes blood sugar, supports gut health, and helps reduce cholesterol levels. These plant-based components nourish the body, protect against disease, and support healthy aging.
THE HARMFUL MYTH OF THE HUNTER–GATHERER
While meat was valuable and nutritious, especially for protein and fat, it was not the bulk of the diet for most human ancestors, including the hunter-gatherers, particularly in regions where plant foods were abundant. The ancestral diet was omnivorous, with a foundation of diverse, high-fiber plant foods that led to the daily consumption of 100 to 150 grams of plant fiber. In comparison, 95% of Americans today, on a meat and dairy-laden diet, consume less than the minimum daily fiber requirement of 25 to 35%.
Key references:
Pontzer, H. (2021). Burn: The Misunderstood Science of Metabolism.
Henry, A. G. et al. (2011). Microfossils in calculus reveal diet of Paleolithic humans.
Coprolite analysis: Macfarlane and colleagues, published in journals like PLOS ONE.
Eaton, S. B., Konner, M., & Shostak, M. (1988). Stone Age nutrition: implications for today’s diet. New England Journal of Medicine.
Schnorr, S. L. et al. (2014). Gut microbiome of the Hadza hunter-gatherers. Nature Communications
MY TAKE:
I have few qualms with people occasionally including meat in their diet. Even some populations in the Blue Zones will have small portions of meat or fish once in a while. They know, however, how critical it is to consume sufficient quantities of soluble and insoluble fiber for physical, mental, and emotional wellness. If, however, we deny the myth of what the hunter-gatherers consumed and continue to believe con artists like the Liver King, I’m afraid we will continue to experience 1) shorter lifespans and 2) the same chronic diseases that have plagued people on high-fat, low-carb diets for many decades. Fortunately, we have the power of choice and hopefully, the wisdom to choose wisely.
