Why America’s Health Crisis Is an Incentive Problem

The American health crisis is explored through the lens of environmental factors rather than solely as a healthcare issue. Justin Mares, TrueMed founder and CEO, argues that the U.S. food system, particularly since the 1970s, has become uniquely poisonous due to subsidized crops like corn and soy, leading to the prevalence of ultra-processed foods and chronic diseases. He advocates for reforming crop subsidy systems and incentivizing lifestyle interventions within the healthcare system, drawing parallels to the Amish community's healthier lifestyle. Mares also touches on the potential of GLP-1s and peptides as disruptive technologies, while emphasizing the need to address the root causes of poor health through environmental and dietary changes. TrueMed aims to financially incentivize preventive care.

Outlines

Part 1: The Crisis, Context

Part 2: Policy, Subsidies, Healthcare Failures

Part 3: TrueMed, Incentives, Environment

Part 4: Corporate Influence, Mental Health

Part 5: Future Outlook, Biohacking

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The a16z Show

Part 1: The Crisis, Context

America's Health Crisis: Ultra-Processed Foods and Environmental Factors

The "Secret" to Health: Lifestyle, Environment, and the Failure of US Healthcare

The 1970s Turning Point: How Corporate Optimization Poisoned the Food System

Part 2: Policy, Subsidies, Healthcare Failures

Reversing the Food Crisis: Crop Subsidies, Soybean Oil, and Universal Ozempic

The New Food Pyramid, Lifestyle Interventions, and Healthcare System Failures

Part 3: TrueMed, Incentives, Environment

TrueMed's Origin: Incentivizing Prevention Through Tax-Free Spending

Mismatch Between Genes and Environment: The Zoo Animal Analogy

Treating the Health Crisis as a National Security Issue: Policy Levers

Part 4: Corporate Influence, Mental Health

The Power of Lobbies, Monsanto, and the Opportunity for Health-Focused Grocery Stores

Corporate Capture, FDA Goals, and the Potential of Psychedelics

The Underestimated Link Between Biological and Mental Health

Part 5: Future Outlook, Biohacking

Consciousness, Health, and the Experience of Being Alive

Community Health: Improving Environments for Collective Well-being

Peptides: Disrupting Healthcare with Affordable, Non-Patentable Compounds

Nutrition Science, Dietary Experimentation, and the Peating Community

Why America’s Health Crisis Is an Incentive Problem

The a16z Show

Part 1: The Crisis, Context

00:00America's Health Crisis: Ultra-Processed Foods and Environmental Factors

America's Health Crisis: Ultra-Processed Foods and Environmental Factors

01:37The "Secret" to Health: Lifestyle, Environment, and the Failure of US Healthcare

The "Secret" to Health: Lifestyle, Environment, and the Failure of US Healthcare

04:16The 1970s Turning Point: How Corporate Optimization Poisoned the Food System

The 1970s Turning Point: How Corporate Optimization Poisoned the Food System

Part 2: Policy, Subsidies, Healthcare Failures

06:53Reversing the Food Crisis: Crop Subsidies, Soybean Oil, and Universal Ozempic

Reversing the Food Crisis: Crop Subsidies, Soybean Oil, and Universal Ozempic

09:17The New Food Pyramid, Lifestyle Interventions, and Healthcare System Failures

The New Food Pyramid, Lifestyle Interventions, and Healthcare System Failures

Part 3: TrueMed, Incentives, Environment

12:45TrueMed's Origin: Incentivizing Prevention Through Tax-Free Spending

TrueMed's Origin: Incentivizing Prevention Through Tax-Free Spending

16:34Mismatch Between Genes and Environment: The Zoo Animal Analogy

Mismatch Between Genes and Environment: The Zoo Animal Analogy

18:33Treating the Health Crisis as a National Security Issue: Policy Levers

Treating the Health Crisis as a National Security Issue: Policy Levers

Part 4: Corporate Influence, Mental Health

22:13The Power of Lobbies, Monsanto, and the Opportunity for Health-Focused Grocery Stores

The Power of Lobbies, Monsanto, and the Opportunity for Health-Focused Grocery Stores

25:35Corporate Capture, FDA Goals, and the Potential of Psychedelics

Corporate Capture, FDA Goals, and the Potential of Psychedelics

29:45The Underestimated Link Between Biological and Mental Health

The Underestimated Link Between Biological and Mental Health

Part 5: Future Outlook, Biohacking

31:19Consciousness, Health, and the Experience of Being Alive

Consciousness, Health, and the Experience of Being Alive

33:37Community Health: Improving Environments for Collective Well-being

Community Health: Improving Environments for Collective Well-being

36:14Peptides: Disrupting Healthcare with Affordable, Non-Patentable Compounds

Peptides: Disrupting Healthcare with Affordable, Non-Patentable Compounds

37:36Nutrition Science, Dietary Experimentation, and the Peating Community

Nutrition Science, Dietary Experimentation, and the Peating Community