I’ve spent most of my life watching what happens when nutrition becomes an afterthought. Like a lot of people, my parents grew up on what’s now considered the Standard American Diet — boxed foods, ultra-processed foods, cheap ingredients, convenience over quality. And that’s what they fed me and my brother. Generic cereals fortified with vitamins and minerals. Veggies were almost always canned. We were fed the most basic “value” meats. And honestly, compared to a lot of Americans, we probably still ate “better” than average.

But eventually, it catches up.

I watched my mom develop dementia in her mid-60s and decline far faster than I ever expected. My dad, now in his early 80s, lives in a long-term care facility and can no longer walk independently. Years of poor nutrition, alcohol, smoking, inactivity, and neglect toward health slowly took their toll.

Seeing that changed the way I thought about food completely.