Chronic diseases now affect nearly 6 in 10 adults — and they're no longer just adult diseases. Type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, high blood pressure, and inflammatory conditions are rising in children. Yet research suggests that up to 80% of common chronic diseases are preventable, and many are even reversible, when we address root causes instead of just symptoms. So why are we seeing them earlier than ever? After more than 20 years in emergency medicine, Dr. Ritu Saluja-Sharma began noticing a troubling pattern: preventable diseases were filling hospital beds — and showing up younger and younger. In this episode of Uncover Your Eyes, Dr. Meenal Agarwal sits down with Dr. Saluja-Sharma, double board-certified physician trained in Lifestyle Medicine, to unpack why this is happening. 🎯 You'll uncover: ✅ Why chronic diseases are increasing in children ✅ Which diseases are actually preventable or reversible ✅ How late is too late to reverse damage ✅ The #1 principle she teaches about food and nutrition ✅ How to help kids build a healthy relationship with food ✅ The 6 pillars of lifestyle medicine ✅ The biggest driver of long-term health and longevity If you've ever wondered: "Why are adult diseases showing up in kids?" "Is it really reversible?" "Is it too late for me?" This conversation will challenge what you've been told about chronic illness, food, prevention, and personal responsibility. Because what if chronic disease isn't inevitable — but environmental? At Uncover Your Eyes, Dr. Meenal Agarwal brings you conversations at the intersection of healthcare innovation, longevity science, mental health, and self-advocacy, so you can understand the hidden systems shaping how you feel, move, and heal. 🎧 Tune in and join Dr. Meenal Agarwal as we reimagine what it means to be well in today's complex healthcare system. Because healing starts with understanding — and Uncovering Your Eyes. Learn more about Dr. Ritu Saluja-Sharma and check out her program and books at HeadHeartHandsMD.com and on Instagram @Head_Heart_HandsMD Subscribe to Uncover Your Eyes on your favorite podcast platform and YouTube, and learn more about Dr. Meenal on Instagram @Dr.MeenalAgarwal

Ask this episode

“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

Transcript

Related