Dear America – It’s Time to Run Back To Our Roots

Feeling sick, sad, and unfulfilled? It’s time to go back to our roots and reclaim what we can of our health and happiness.

Hi there, I’m Chantal – and I believe that America is in a major crisis.

If I may be so bold, I would say that we are all living our very own (giant) American Horror Story.

We have totally and completely lost sight of what is necessary to be healthy and happy.

The vast majority of our nation is suffering from some sort of unwelcome and uncomfortable ailment.

It seems like everybody is either sick, overweight, unhappy, depressed, or anxious.

Truly, every single person that I personally know is suffering from some sort of physical or mental health problem.

Don’t believe me?

Obesity rates among children and teens have tripled since the 1970s. (Source)

Cancer rates are up nearly 80% in the last 20 years globally. (Source)

Depression rates are at an all-time high. (Source)

I could go on – really.

But it doesn’t take a genius to guess that common problems related to all of these health problems aren’t occurring simultaneously.

(Think of a rise in high cholesterol, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, liver failure, infertility, and more.)

What Does This Have to Do with Going Back To Your Roots?

I’m glad you asked.

In short, Americans are not set up for success.

Between our sedentary lifestyles and the SAD (Standard American Diet), we are not going to be able to outrun our health issues without a major overhaul of the system.

Take it from me – a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach who has struggled to lose twenty pounds for nearly 10 years.

You see, being healthy goes way beyond exercise and a healthy diet at this point.

In America, it’s a much larger feat these days.

It’s simply not as clear-cut as it used to be.

Now, being healthy means you have to opt out of the American food system and many of our societal values.

To be truly healthy and happy, you will have to go above and beyond.

And unfortunately for most Americans, this is going to be an incredibly daunting task.

The problem is that Americans don’t just have food and exercise to worry about.

They have chemicals to worry about too. The processed food that we are drowning in is filled with things we shouldn’t be consuming.

These things disrupt our systems and send us into the deep end of hormonal imbalances.

Things such as the glyphosate being sprayed on our crops or the parabens and phthalates in our personal care products take a toll on our bodies and cause them to perform at sub-optimal levels.

Believe it or not, these “small” issues can cause weight gain, anxiety, depression, insulin resistance, fertility issues, and much, much more.

But it’s not just that.

Americans who want to be healthy have to fight against the things that our society holds near and dear.

We love our Netflix, computer time, our apps – all things that I believe contribute to laziness, a sedentary lifestyle, and mental health issues.

Although I am guilty of over-indulging in these great new technologies, I am advocating for a better balance.

What I am telling you is that we must go back to our roots with food and fitness. (And everything in between.)

The fitness industry was developed as a response to an increasingly unhealthy nation.

Before the 1980s, it wasn’t really a “thing.”

Historically speaking, fitness is an entirely new industry.

It has only begun to boom as Americans become increasingly overweight and obese.

Even as a personal trainer myself, I will tell you this – the industry makes money off of you being sick.

And then they make more money when you want to buy fat-loss products, protein shakes, and Keto gummies.

When that doesn’t work, the pharmaceutical companies make money when you have to take medication to address your Type 1 Diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and other weight-related conditions.

If I sound passionate (and a bit like a conspiracy theorist), it’s because I am.

But is it really a conspiracy if it’s true?

The truth is that the gov’t and large corporations DO NOT care about your health.

I’ve come to believe that they would rather you be weak of mind and body so that they can use you to their benefit.

So what can you do?

You run back to your roots.

I believe that the key to becoming the happiest, healthiest version of yourself is to start reclaiming a lifestyle like grandma (and grandma’s grandma).

This isn’t me telling you to move to the middle of nowhere and forage for all of your food.

This is me telling you – America – that we must go back to our roots as a nation if we want to flip the script.

Your grandparents sure as heck didn’t down two energy drinks and a gas station corn dog every day.

They certainly didn’t start their days with artificially colored, sugar-filled sugar cereal.

And they definitely didn’t sit around to Netflix and chill.

They may have gone for a walk or read a book to relax instead. Or perhaps they were too busy snapping beans, baking bread, or tending to their animals to do such a thing.

I know it’s a difficult task, but we are not meant to carry the weight of the world in a way that causes us to “veg out” in front of screens.

We are meant to move our bodies and remain connected to our food. We are meant to build relationships and community and stimulate ourselves with a good book and good company.

Running back to your roots may mean something different to you, but to me, it means that we must opt out of some societal norms.

Let’s normalize tidying up our homes, taking walks, and cuddling up with a good book after dinner.

Going back to our roots with a closer connection to our food and farmers.

Perhaps running back to your roots means cooking more home-cooked meals and sourcing more local food.

Or perhaps it looks like deleting all of the extra apps and making the conscious choice to just be without them.

Maybe you will find that these things heal your mental health in addition to contributing to better physical health.

If we truly go back to the roots of how humans are meant to live, I believe that the focus is on community.

The focus shouldn’t be on the thousands of people begging for your attention online each day, it should be on the handful of people who you interact with in real life.

I am just as guilty of this as anyone, but I believe that the human connection is starving.

We are burdened with global news and far too much knowledge of how other people are living.

There is no healthy reason to do this – the outcome is often disconnect and depression.

At the risk of going down another rabbit hole, I’ll leave you with one last plea.

America, aren’t you tired of being sick, lonely, and depressed?

I know that I am, and I’m putting my foot down.

It’s time to go back to our roots with food, fitness, family, and everything in between.

Love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Go outside.

Cook your food from scratch.

Read a book.

Take a walk.

Just trust me.

You will feel better and more fulfilled, and our nation will be better for it.

It’s time to go back to your roots, America.

Until next time,

Chantal