It’s all part of the process. And that’s the problem. Processed foods are an American addiction. While medical advances have people talking about life extension, and even life everlasting, the truth is that our life expectancies are being held back by our in-between panacea snacks. One of the problems is that we often view food as an issue that’s separate from health and medicine when they couldn’t be more related. “The data are stark: the typical American diet is shortening the lives of many Americans. Diet-related deaths outrank deaths from smoking, and about half of U.S. deaths from heart disease – nearly 900 deaths a day – are linked to poor diet. The pandemic highlighted the problem, with much worse outcomes for people with obesity and other diet-related diseases.” Maybe we can eat our way out of the problem, but only if we choose the right menu. NPR: The U.S. diet is deadly. Here are 7 ideas to get Americans eating healthier.

+ Ultraprocessed foods linked to cancer and early death, studies find.