The Six Worst U.S. Health Disasters of the Last 50 Years

Up until the first half of the twentieth century, large-scale health disasters were mostly due to natural causes (earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, etc.) or infections (e.g., smallpox, influenza epidemics, cholera). But something peculiar happened as we entered the second half of the century: Health disasters due to natural causes became dwarfed by large-scale health disasters that are man-made. Here’s a list of the Six Worst U.S. Health Disasters of the Last 50 Years, mostly man-made phenomena that have exacted huge tolls: widespread disease, premature death, poorly managed (though nonetheless highly profitable for healthcare insiders–but perhaps that is the rub). This is not to make light of the lesser health disasters over the same time period, ranging from lead poisoning in children, to E. coli contamination of high-volume commercial produce, to proliferation of gun violence. But it highlights the tidal wave of change in the landscape of health disasters. We have gone from being victims of forces beyond our control to forces that are under human influence, even profitable to those “properly” positioned.   The Six Worst U.S. Health Disasters of the Last 50 Years The U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans–A joint effort between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) resulted in the first U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans in 1980—and the American public has yet to recover f...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Undoctored Wheat Belly Lifestyle autoimmune gluten grain-free grains Inflammation low-carb Weight Loss Source Type: blogs