Another crisis that has gripped America since the turn of the century is the opioid epidemic with presently more than 50,000 annual deaths from overdose. Political leadership has been inept to quell the tragic loss of life and the devastating social fallout that continues to escalate, while corrupt physicians and pharmacological companies have hugely profited. Disturbingly, in 2016, due to the ardent lobbying by the pharmaceutical industry, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Ensuring Patient Access and Effective Drug Enforcement Act that actually decreased the Drug Enforcement Agency’s ability to effectively counter the crisis. These tragedies are blatant examples, among others, of how allopathic medicine has been monetized,…show more content… The Daoist practice of Yangsheng (“nourishing life”), which overlaps with Chinese medicine therapeutics, is a longevity practice that involves specific techniques that strengthen vitality, increase wellbeing, and prolong life. The goal is to remain vital throughout one’s lifespan, and involves defined practices in dietetics, hygiene, and lifestyle, in addition to the cultivation of meditation, ritual, and virtue. This confluence of ideas for improved health and vitality by focusing on preventive medical care has made Chinese medicine one of the most prominent and fastest-growing modalities in the…show more content… Daoist Dietetic tenets of limiting carbohydrates, seasonal attunement, bioregionalism, moderating satiety, the necessity of proper sleep and moderate exercise are the cornerstone of contemporary preventive medicine. Additionally, emphasizing the benefits of mushrooms, organic and wild foods have spearheaded dramatic advances in modern nutritional science and health. These insightful tenets have become foundational to highly acclaimed organizations, such as the international “Slow Food Movement,” that has pushed back against the perils of commercial agribusiness and grains, factory farming, genetically modified foods, highly processed fast food, and sugary beverages, which have propelled the global pandemic of obesity. A multitude of studies have affirmed the direct link of sugar and grain carbohydrates to insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, which are pathognomonic for obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and
