Chronic diseases and mortality- The real numbers
In the top 10 leading causes of death, this includes chronic diseases, most are caused by a non-evolutionary congruent diet (high amounts of animal products).
Milos Pokimica
Written By: Milos Pokimica
Medically Reviewed by: Dr. Xiùying Wáng, M.D.
Updated June 9, 2023Most of our chronic diseases are caused by diet and lifestyle. People have a hard time believing how many serious health problems are caused by a non-evolutionary congruent diet. Every year Center for Disease Control and Prevention updates the list of leading causes of death in the United States and for all other developed countries statistics are very similar. When you are developed as a nation, then you have more money to spend on processed food and meat. Of the 10 top leading causes of death, most are caused by life choices. The data is alarming. It is beyond that.
I will try to translate data from the chart to be more clearly understood. When data shows that 24 percent of people are going to die from heart disease what that means is that for example if you have a family of four, one of them will probably die from heart disease and one from cancer. Two left. Then after that, go and take your pick, you have diabetes, stroke, different neurological conditions, or liver cirrhosis, crld is 5% (tobacco smoking is by far the most critical risk factor for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, accounting for about 80% of all cases). All of these diseases are chronic diseases. They didn’t exist in the past in such large numbers. When someone says chronic diseases what they actually mean is lifestyle diseases.
The other side of the coin is that normal painless death by natural aging, just forget about it. Doesn’t exist anymore. The problem is not just about the way we are going to die, it is more about when because life expectancy is dramatically shortened and our quality of life is destroyed. We are not going to just drop dead from cancer. There is going to be a lot of chemotherapy and depression and again cancer goes away then reappears again after a couple of years. When you have a stroke and still manage to survive, you can lose a big chunk of your brain, and before you die from a heart attack, there are going to be a lot of treatments.
What treatments include are all the lifestyle changes to correct the bad habits that have led to the creation of chronic diseases in the first place that we do not like, plus drugs and surgery. Quitting smoking, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and managing stress (getting upset or angry can trigger a heart attack). No salting of food and of course cholesterol-lowering drugs. Statins are the standard line, and almost all patients will be prescribed one of them but what they do not like to tell is that statistically when we look at real numbers, they are only useful in the early stages of treating heart disease. They are effective also in those patients that are at elevated risk but still without cardiovascular disease as some sort of prevention. Statins also, and that is rarely mentioned, have side effects that are no joke. They include muscle pain, the risk of diabetes mellitus, and abnormalities in liver enzyme tests.
Who wants to be in constant pain? What they in reality do is block something known as s HMG-CoA. They inhibit the enzyme HMG-CoA which has a crucial role in producing cholesterol. However, again if you go and eat it blocks enzymes in your own liver and your own production has no point.
That means no meat, no eggs, no dairy. If we look at what these diseases do, it is a life of despair.
It is not just:” Well ok I will live the way I like then if I die in 60 instead of 65 who cares, a will die happy.” If you think that, you are in dangerous delusion. Today 5-year-old children already have signs of arteriosclerotic plaque with approximately 50% of children having it at 2-15 years of age to 85% at 21-39 years of age (Hong, 2010). This is not normal. Arteriosclerosis does not usually happen in aging like cholesterol confusions would like us to believe because of all of the stressful blood flow.
Arteriosclerosis is a disease, not the aging process.
Diseases start early and could last for decades before we finally go. The death rate of heart disease and stroke will probably be much higher, but some patients literally get scared to death. And they are right. They are about to die when they hear the news of cardiovascular disease, so some percentage of them do make lifestyle changes and manage to avoid a heart attack. However, again this is just a chart of diseases that will kill us.
The real, bigger, and more advanced chart is the one with the whole list of chronic diseases that would not necessarily kill us, although some can do that too, but will “just” keep our lives in misery. These are so-called chronic diseases like arthritis, asthma, allergies, back pain, Crohn’s, osteoporosis, autoimmune conditions like psoriasis, different forms of lupus, multiple sclerosis, a wide variety of mental diseases like add, depression, bipolar, epilepsy, addictions of different forms, or just “regular” conditions like anxiety, acne vulgaris, low level of energy and fatigue, sleep, memory, and mood issues.
All of this is well-accepted science and recognized as a scientific fact. These diseases didn’t exist in the past and in rural areas of the undeveloped world until recently. Thousands of studies on the topic have been done now. For example, over the past 40 years, two Adventist health studies have been conducted involving more than 50,000 Californian Adventists. The famous China study was maybe one of the best known among common people. There was also Harvard’s Meat & Mortality Studies (Pan et al., 2012). In Harvard studies, more than 100,000 people for two decades were followed. The biggest one so far followed half a million people for ten years.
It is not easy to follow a half million people for ten years. It was The National Institutes of Health study so far largest study of diet and health in history (Sinha et al., 2009).
There was actually no real need to do all of these studies. The diet wars of today are all artificial. The science was well aware of mortality risk even in the ’50s. Even before WW2, there was knowledge in the scientific community but it was mostly ignored.
All of the chronic diseases today are known as diseases of affluence. When the standard of living goes up so does meat consumption. Today there is only resistance in common people and industry and government that does not want to implement new dietary guidelines because of a variety of reasons.
Standard American animal product-dominated diet is extremely nutrient deficient. With all of the meat and eggs and dairy, more than 60% of people eating it are deficient in magnesium. More than 90% of people eating it are potassium deficient and more than 80% deficient in vitamin E. Animal products do not contain magnesium and vitamin E in adequate amounts. On top of that, there are other “non-essential” nutrients that are not present in animal products like non-essential minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals, iodine, vitamin D, selenium, and so on. Minimal recommended values are in many cases deliberately low. An example would be an RDA for iodine.
This story is the story of the quality of life. Treatment is expensive.
It is the same story as once was with smoking. Until dietary guidelines are changed and they will be, it would be the responsibility of every individual for himself to learn about diet and nutrition.
This is hard to do with all of the conflicting information. Today people still smoke but at least they are consciously aware of the associated risks.
No one should force anyone into doing something. The risks should be acknowledged and it should be a conscious decision.
References:
- Hong Y. M. (2010). Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease beginning in childhood. Korean circulation journal, 40(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.4070/kcj.2010.40.1.1
- Pan, A., Sun, Q., Bernstein, A. M., Schulze, M. B., Manson, J. E., Stampfer, M. J., Willett, W. C., & Hu, F. B. (2012). Red meat consumption and mortality: results from 2 prospective cohort studies. Archives of internal medicine, 172(7), 555–563. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2011.2287
- Sinha, R., Cross, A. J., Graubard, B. I., Leitzmann, M. F., & Schatzkin, A. (2009). Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people. Archives of internal medicine, 169(6), 562–571. https://doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2009.6
Related Posts
Do you have any questions about nutrition and health?
I would love to hear from you and answer them in my next post. I appreciate your input and opinion and I look forward to hearing from you soon. I also invite you to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest for more diet, nutrition, and health content. You can leave a comment there and connect with other health enthusiasts, share your tips and experiences, and get support and encouragement from our team and community.
I hope that this post was informative and enjoyable for you and that you are prepared to apply the insights you learned. If you found this post helpful, please share it with your friends and family who might also benefit from it. You never know who might need some guidance and support on their health journey.
– You Might Also Like –

Learn About Nutrition
Milos Pokimica is a doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, medical health and nutrition writer, and nutritional science advisor. Author of the book series Go Vegan? Review of Science, he also operates the natural health website GoVeganWay.com
Medical Disclaimer
GoVeganWay.com brings you reviews of the latest nutrition and health-related research. The information provided represents the personal opinion of the author and is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided is for informational purposes only and is not intended to serve as a substitute for the consultation, diagnosis, and/or medical treatment of a qualified physician or healthcare provider.NEVER DISREGARD PROFESSIONAL MEDICAL ADVICE OR DELAY SEEKING MEDICAL TREATMENT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ ON OR ACCESSED THROUGH GoVeganWay.com
NEVER APPLY ANY LIFESTYLE CHANGES OR ANY CHANGES AT ALL AS A CONSEQUENCE OF SOMETHING YOU HAVE READ IN GoVeganWay.com BEFORE CONSULTING LICENCED MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.
In the event of a medical emergency, call a doctor or 911 immediately. GoVeganWay.com does not recommend or endorse any specific groups, organizations, tests, physicians, products, procedures, opinions, or other information that may be mentioned inside.
Editor Picks –
Milos Pokimica is a doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, medical health and nutrition writer, and nutritional science advisor. Author of the book series Go Vegan? Review of Science, he also operates the natural health website GoVeganWay.com
Latest Articles –
Plant Based News
-
What Are The Benefits Of Lion’s Mane Mushrooms And Where Can You Buy Them?
on April 30, 2025
-
Vegan Harissa Tofu Wrap
on April 30, 2025
-
The Ultimate Guide To Vegan Grocery Shopping On A Budget
on April 30, 2025
-
Gluten-Free Upside Down Sour Cherry Cake
on April 30, 2025
-
From Quinoa To Tofu: 15 Plant-Based Items To Bulk Buy At Costco
on April 29, 2025
-
Vegan Spring Roll Salad
on April 29, 2025
-
NOMO Just Launched Two New Vegan Chocolate Bars In UK Supermarkets
on April 29, 2025
Top Health News — ScienceDaily
- New machine algorithm could identify cardiovascular risk at the click of a buttonon April 29, 2025
An automated machine learning program has been able to identify potential cardiovascular incidents or fall and fracture risks based on bone density scans taken during routine clinical testing.
- Heart disease deaths worldwide linked to chemical widely used in plasticson April 29, 2025
Daily exposure to certain chemicals used to make plastic household items could be linked to more than 356,000 global deaths from heart disease in 2018 alone, a new analysis of population surveys shows. While the chemicals, called phthalates, are in widespread use globally, the Middle East, South Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific bore a much larger share of the death toll than others — about three-fourths of the total.
- Rainfall triggers extreme humid heat in tropics and subtropicson April 29, 2025
Scientists believe they have found a way to improve warning systems for vulnerable communities threatened by humid heatwaves, which are on the rise due to climate change and can be damaging and even fatal to human health. The study analysed how patterns of recent rainfall can interact with dry or moist land conditions to influence the risk of extreme humid heat in the global tropics and subtropics.
- Global study links consumption of ultraprocessed foods to preventable premature deathson April 29, 2025
A study analyzing data from nationally representative dietary surveys and mortality data from eight countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, United Kingdom, and United States) shows that premature deaths attributable to consumption of ultraprocessed foods (UPFs) increase significantly according to their share in individuals’ total energy intake. The new study reinforces the call for global action to reduce UPF consumption, supported by regulatory and fiscal policies that […]
- Using humor in communication helps scientists connect, build truston April 29, 2025
Scientists aren’t comedians, but it turns out a joke or two can go a long way. That’s according to a new study that found when researchers use humor in their communication — particularly online — audiences are more likely to find them trustworthy and credible.
- United States sees disproportionate increase in body mass index rates of more than 60on April 29, 2025
In the past 20 years, the average rate of obesity among adults in the United States has risen by approximately 30 percent, but the rate of those with the most severe forms of obesity, or those with a body mass index, or BMI, of more than 60 kg/m2, increased by 210 percent. Researchers analyzed national health data from 2001 through 2023, and discovered the alarming increase in the numbers of patients with the most severe forms of obesity.
- Left or right arm? New research reveals why vaccination site matters for immune responseon April 29, 2025
Scientists have uncovered why vaccines can elicit a stronger immune response if they are administered in the same arm.
PubMed, #vegan-diet –
- Vegan beware! Allergenic potential of legumeson April 30, 2025
CONCLUSION: The increased consumption of legumes in the context of a vegan diet is bringing a wider range of plant-based foods into focus, which may have potentially allergenic properties. An increase in allergic reactions to legumes is to be expected. Precise molecular IgE diagnostics are crucial to be able to assess the risk of severe reactions.
- Desensitization for Vitamin B12 Hypersensitivity and How to Do Iton April 29, 2025
Vitamin B12 is the common name for a group of cobalamins, which are cobalt corrines. Cobalamins are water-soluble B vitamins. Vitamin B12, as a coenzyme of various enzymes, is an essential component of many key metabolic processes in the body. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes dysfunction of various organs and systems in the body, including the central nervous system. Humans, like other animals, are unable to synthesize cobalamin. This vitamin must be supplied with a balanced diet. The only […]
- Effects of lacto-vegetarian and vegan diets on glycemic responses and metabolite profiles in healthy adults: A randomized trial using continuous glucose monitoring and targeted metabolomicson April 29, 2025
CONCLUSIONS: Our pilot CGM data suggest a lacto-vegetarian diet may offer better glycemic control, potentially explained by our preliminary metabolomics findings. The increased Phe observed in the vegan group may be explained by a hypothetical mechanism in which higher glucose induces oxidative stress, whereas the increased C2 from dairy in the lacto-vegetarian group may protect against oxidative stress, contributing to lower glucose concentrations. However, larger, longer-term studies with […]
- Influence of a Virtual Plant-Based Culinary Medicine Intervention on Mood, Stress, and Quality of Life Among Patients at Risk for Cardiovascular Diseaseon April 26, 2025
Background: Cooking and dietary intake may affect psychological well-being. Objective: We evaluated the effects of a virtual culinary medicine teaching kitchen intervention on psychosocial health. Methods: In a randomized crossover trial implementing a vegan diet high or low in extra virgin olive oil, adults with ≥5% atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk participated in eight weekly group cooking classes. Psychosocial survey assessments of perceived stress, positive and negative […]
- The Carbon Footprint of Diets with Different Exclusions of Animal-Derived Products: Exploratory Polish Studyon April 26, 2025
Background/Objectives: Analyzing the carbon footprint of diets in various populations is important as it can help identify more sustainable food choices that reduce the overall impact of human activities on ongoing warming of the global climate. This pilot exploratory study analyzed the carbon footprint (measured in kg of CO(2) equivalent, eq.) using food diaries collected from Polish individuals with varying levels of animal-derived product exclusion in their diets. Methods: The study […]
Random Posts –
Featured Posts –

Latest from PubMed, #plant-based diet –
- A comparative study of the EAT-Lancet diet and the Mediterranean diet in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performanceby Jessica Samuelsson on April 30, 2025
BACKGROUND: The impact of the sustainable EAT-Lancet planetary health diet on brain and cognitive health remains unclear. This study compared the impact of the EAT-Lancet diet with the well-established cognitive-beneficial Mediterranean diet (MeDi) in relation to neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive performance among older adults.
- Investigating the Effects of Arabidopsis thaliana Cruciferin Double Knockouts on Amino Acid Profiles, Dry Seed Proteome, and Oxidative Stress Levelsby Clement Bagaza on April 30, 2025
As plant seeds mature, they accumulate large quantities of seed storage proteins, which are a vital source of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur necessary for establishing the seedling, especially during the transition from the heterotrophic to the photoautotrophic stage. However, seed storage proteins in many crop seeds are deficient in essential amino acids, which cannot be synthesized by humans and monogastric animals and must be obtained from the diet. Lysine and tryptophan are the most […]
- Vegan beware! Allergenic potential of legumesby Jil Marie Jubel on April 30, 2025
CONCLUSION: The increased consumption of legumes in the context of a vegan diet is bringing a wider range of plant-based foods into focus, which may have potentially allergenic properties. An increase in allergic reactions to legumes is to be expected. Precise molecular IgE diagnostics are crucial to be able to assess the risk of severe reactions.
- Nitrogen additive with extruded urea with essential oils to control gastrointestinal worms in lambsby Fernanda Grazielly Gomes de Oliveira on April 30, 2025
Our objective was to evaluate the effect of a nitrogen additive with extruded urea with essential oils based on garlic and cinnamon on the resistance to gastrointestinal worms and on the performance of lambs in the finishing phase. Fourteen male sheep were used, with an average age of 18 months and an average initial body weight of 23.5 kg. The lambs were divided into two nutritional treatments: control and nitrogen additive. The control treatment was composed of a roughage: concentrate ratio […]
- Diversity in Chilean Bean Varieties: Effects of Water Cooking on Nutrition and Culinary Qualityby Sergio-Miguel Acuña-Nelson on April 30, 2025
In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of various Chilean bean varieties, examining how cooking influences their nutritional and culinary characteristics. We found that these varieties exhibit significant differences in their protein, lipid, ash, fiber, and carbohydrate profiles in both raw and cooked states. Generally, cooking tends to increase proteins and carbohydrates while decreasing lipids and ashes, although these changes vary depending on the variety. The importance of…
- To Bio or not to Bio? Organic Food Consumption in Switzerlandby Isabelle Müller on April 29, 2025
CONCLUSION: The present study provides a better understanding of the distribution of organic food consumption within the Swiss population and which subgroups consume particularly little organically produced food.