Sec. Kennedy: "IF YOU LOVE YOUR COUNTRY...
... the most patriotic thing you can do is take care of yourself."
Summary: Selfcare is called patriotic and gets national attention.
Speaking to an audience in West Virginia on March 28, 2025, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr announced new SNAP waivers and pointed to that state as being the first to enact new laws banning food dyes.
West Virginia recently pulled ahead of Mississippi as the state with the highest rates of obesity and chronic disease. Governor Patrick Morrisey, present on the podium, was called a visionary leader for taking the lead on dealing with America’s processed food addiction. (And for personally engaging in weight loss . . . with Kennedy as his personal trainer - laughter.)
The impact of chronic disease, the Secretary noted, is significant - “It is bankrupting our country”. Diabetes alone costs more than our military budget; chronic disease is the largest contributor to America’s debt; and, given our current trajectory, in ten years half of every taxpayer dollar will go to service the debt; in 15 years, 100%. “It’s not sustainable. It’s an existential threat. If you love our country, you’ve got to take care of yourself.”
Living Well Locally affirms Secretary Kennedy’s advice to love our country by taking good care of ourselves. How else can we heal the chronic disease epidemic? How else can we solve the debt crisis? How else can we make America healthy and strong again?