03/26/2026
Fifty years ago, kids ate birthday cake… and we didn’t see the same explosion of tumors, obesity, diabetes, and behavioral challenges that we see today.
So what changed?
A lot.
Sugar isn’t the same sugar.
Today’s “excess sugar” often comes from cane sprayed with chemicals like glyphosate, processed into ultra‑refined forms, and added to almost every institutional food. We talk about sugar addiction,, but maybe we should also be talking about the chemical load that rides along with it.
Medicine plays a role too.
Stimulant ADHD medications often cause weight loss at first, but many people experience weight gain later from rebound appetite, metabolism shifts, or interactions with other medications.
The same pattern shows up with many antidepressants, early appetite changes followed by long‑term weight gain for a significant number of people.
And lifestyle has changed dramatically.
Kids used to run, climb, roam, and sleep more. Families cooked at home. Food was less processed. Stress was lower. Screens didn’t dominate childhood.
None of this is about blame.
It’s about seeing the full picture of how our food system, chemical exposures, medications, and daily habits have shifted, and how those shifts show up in our bodies and our communities.
If we want to move from sickness to wellness, we have to look honestly at what has changed… and start rebuilding health from the ground up: our soil, our food, our routines, and our communities.
