Reversing The American Food Pyramid | Calley Means

Dave Asprey

Jan 9, 2026

Episode description

Back in 2024 with Calley Means at South by Southwest, we sat down and talked about his mission to flip the old American food pyramid upside down for the greater good. Well guess what, the pressure is finally working! This rerun is the ultimate receipt that focus, repetition, and smart lobbying for human health can still move the needle! 



Host Dave Asprey sits down with Calley Means, entrepreneur, policy advocate, and co-author of Good Energy. Together, they break down how the U.S. healthcare system became a sick-care system, why ultra-processed food dominates public policy, and how individuals can reclaim autonomy over their biology. From CGMs and metabolic health to food subsidies, lobbying, and free speech, this episode challenges deeply held assumptions about medicine, nutrition, and personal responsibility.



You’ll Learn: 

• Why chronic disease is the most profitable business model in modern history 

• How metabolic dysfunction drives obesity, diabetes, depression, and infertility 

• Why ultra-processed food sits at the root of America’s health collapse 

• How CGMs and metabolic data threaten entrenched healthcare incentives 

• What “food is medicine” really means and where it gets weaponized 

• How HSA and FSA dollars can legally support food, exercise, and prevention 

• Why fixing incentives matters more than blaming individuals 

• How reclaiming health autonomy is tied to free speech and human resilience 



Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 



Episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (audio-only) where Dave asks the questions no one else dares, and brings you real tools to become more resilient, aware, and high performing. 



Keywords: Calley Means Good Energy, Calley Means interview, Good Energy metabolic health, metabolic dysfunction America, ultra processed food policy, food is medicine debate, healthcare incentives crisis, chronic disease economics, insulin resistance epidemic, CGM health data access, metabolic health lobbying, seed oils sugar inflammation, glyphosate food system, HSA food exercise eligibility, health autonomy biohacking, metabolic freedom podcast, american food pyramid, rfk food pyramid, 2026 food pyramid 



Thank you to our sponsors!  

Episode description

Back in 2024 with Calley Means at South by Southwest, we sat down and talked about his mission to flip the old American food pyramid upside down for the greater good. Well guess what, the pressure is finally working! This rerun is the ultimate receipt that focus, repetition, and smart lobbying for human health can still move the needle! 



Host Dave Asprey sits down with Calley Means, entrepreneur, policy advocate, and co-author of Good Energy. Together, they break down how the U.S. healthcare system became a sick-care system, why ultra-processed food dominates public policy, and how individuals can reclaim autonomy over their biology. From CGMs and metabolic health to food subsidies, lobbying, and free speech, this episode challenges deeply held assumptions about medicine, nutrition, and personal responsibility.



You’ll Learn: 

• Why chronic disease is the most profitable business model in modern history 

• How metabolic dysfunction drives obesity, diabetes, depression, and infertility 

• Why ultra-processed food sits at the root of America’s health collapse 

• How CGMs and metabolic data threaten entrenched healthcare incentives 

• What “food is medicine” really means and where it gets weaponized 

• How HSA and FSA dollars can legally support food, exercise, and prevention 

• Why fixing incentives matters more than blaming individuals 

• How reclaiming health autonomy is tied to free speech and human resilience 



Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. 



Episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (audio-only) where Dave asks the questions no one else dares, and brings you real tools to become more resilient, aware, and high performing. 



Keywords: Calley Means Good Energy, Calley Means interview, Good Energy metabolic health, metabolic dysfunction America, ultra processed food policy, food is medicine debate, healthcare incentives crisis, chronic disease economics, insulin resistance epidemic, CGM health data access, metabolic health lobbying, seed oils sugar inflammation, glyphosate food system, HSA food exercise eligibility, health autonomy biohacking, metabolic freedom podcast, american food pyramid, rfk food pyramid, 2026 food pyramid 



Thank you to our sponsors!  

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Advocate for Ozempic funding to combat systemic racism

The NAACP is now a registered lobbyist for Ozempic, arguing in Congress that it's an example of racism for the government not to fund the drug.

Challenge pharmaceutical funding to ensure unbiased news content

The pharmaceutical industry pays for 60% of all TV news budgets, which is done not to influence the consumer but to control the news content itself.

Challenge FDA funding from pharmaceutical industry for better regulation

75% of the FDA's budget comes from the pharmaceutical industry, creating a system where the regulator is funded by the industry it's supposed to regulate.

Expose medical system's complicity in food industry poisoning

The medical system is not just silent about the population being poisoned by the food industry; it is complicit, with examples like the American Diabetes Association being on Coca-Cola's payroll.

Examine Novo Nordisk's payments to doctors for insights on Ozempic

Novo Nordisk, the maker of Ozempic, made 420,000 individual payments to doctors in the past year, including to a Harvard researcher on the USDA nutrition panel.

Utilize fermentation for healthier cooking oils

Companies like Zero Acre Farms are using fermentation to create metabolically healthy cooking oils that are cheaper than seed oils, offering a technological solution to a major dietary problem.

Challenge weaponization of social justice in health debates

Social justice terms like 'racist' or 'fat-phobic' are weaponized by food and pharma companies to shut down debates about unhealthy products and their effects.

Eliminate chronic disease research for better health outcomes

The trillions of dollars spent on chronic disease and nutrition research have been a net negative for the country, and we would be healthier if it were all eliminated.

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