There’s a growing gap in our society between normal and optimal.
Dietary recommendations, reference ranges for blood tests, and standards for medical care are based on average “healthy” people. As the health of the average person in this country has declined over the past few decades, the norms have been repeatedly updated to become more and more lenient.
The problem for you and me, is that most doctors won’t tell us we have a problem until our numbers are significantly worse than these “norms”. By this point, we’re already in pretty bad shape.
If you’re an athlete, or merely interested in improving your health, optimal is the goal. It may be worth seeking a doctor who has rejected the status quo.
Times have changed. Being “normal” isn’t all that great anymore.
At the very least we should be aware of the difference.
“When you think of the norms, you should think of Homer Simpson.” – Charles Poliquin
The Daily Nugget 
