Alan and Andy discuss the HALE scale, a subset of longevity that measures the average length of years people live without being disabled. The longevity in our country averages 79 years, about 4 years lower than most industrialized nations. But we do far worse in the HALE score, where our healthgevity (the average length of life we live not disabled) is 63 years, meaning that on average we spend the last 16 years of our lives suffering poor health or frank disability. Compare this to other industrialized nations, where the average HALE age is 74 years, a full 8 years longer than us, with less end of life disability. Why?

We spend far less on primary care and lifestyle care than virtually any other country. We are a specialized, high tech system that becomes interested in you only when you get sick. Thus, little attention is spent on prevention. How can we fix this? We lay it out in our book, and we talk about it on this podcast. The solution is easier than you may know, but it will take some pushback from those most harmed to create change.

"The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism." -William Osler, MD

www.returntohealing.com

We are hearing a lot about measles on the news. The escalating cases. The unprecedented deaths. The tragic repercussions of the anti-vaxxers and Kennedy in particular It has become a war between those who fear vaccines and those who demand that everyone get every vaccine we have. Two extremes fighting it out, as the sensible middle falls prey to this battle and media scare campaign.

Yes, measles is preventable with vaccination, but are we in the midst of a health crisis because some parents choose not to vaccinate their kids? And is this a case of public health exigency whereby parents should be forced to vaccinate? As of now the CDC reports 5 total measles deaths nationwide in 2026. There were 3 deaths in 2025. All are in the unvaccinated, one at least in an infant too young for vaccination, none in any who who ever received a vaccination. Meanwhile, in 2026, 1000 people die every day from smoking related deaths, 1000 die a day from being in the hospital, 500 die a day from poor diets, and yet the media chooses to point its finger at measles. Why?

In this podcast we talk about how extremism drives not only media coverage but policy decisions as well. We also discuss how absolutism, shaming, and extremism voiced by public health advocates only creases more mistrust in the system, especially knowing that the vaccine industry is extremely profitable. As always, we advocate for the middle road, one that advocates vaccine education and advocacy when vaccines are reasonable, but which allows choice and common sense shared decision making. But, isn't that the road all of heath care should take? We think so!

"The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism." -William Osler, MD

www.returntohealing.com

Age has become a diagnosis meant to be treated, not a time of your life to enjoy living. More medicines, more specialists, more tests, more fear. We have transformed age itself into a disease as we measure and "fix'" everything we can find, a windfall for the medical industrial complex, but a tragedy for the trusting souls who are tossed into the medical fire. Alan and Andy use data and their collective 75 years of experience to show how errant this approach is. Slow medicine, a focus on function and symptoms, a leap away from tests and specialization are the ingredients of successful aging. We talk about all of this and how patients can get back on track, even if the medical system will likely continue to steamroll its older victims. In addition to our own book, Return to Healing, we highlight some other books that have explored the issue of slow medicine and the medicalization of aging:

• Byock, The Best Care Possible
• Sweet, Slow Medicine
• Lazris, Curing Medicare
• Hadler, Rethinking Aging
• McCullough, My Mother, Your Mother

It's important to know that your later years need not be spent chasing numbers and falling prey to the fearmongering of specialists and drug company propaganda. Work with your primary care doctor and let the medical system back off and help you to live well and long.

"The greater the ignorance, the greater the dogmatism." -William Osler, MD

www.returntohealing.com