DEAR READERS: A January report from the Commonwealth Fund, entitled "U.S. Health Care From a Global Perspective, 2022: Accelerating Spending, Worsening Outcomes," should serve as a clarion call for reforms and correctives.

Two striking quotes from the report:

-- "The U.S. spends nearly 18% of (its) GDP on health care, yet Americans die younger and are less healthy than residents of other high-income countries."

-- "Not only does the U.S. have the lowest life expectancy among high-income countries, but it also has the highest rates of avoidable deaths." (Full story: CommonwealthFund.org, Jan. 31)

Addressing this problem from one angle is the FDA, which, for the first time in nearly 30 years, is changing its requirements for foods to be labeled as "healthy." A group of 15 organizations is urging the U.S. government to disclose any "potential financial conflicts of interest" among those involved in creating the next dietary guidelines.

The ancient quote from Hippocrates, "Let food be thy medicine, and medicine be thy food," acknowledges the importance of healthy eating and how the nutrients in various foods have healing properties. Few medical and veterinary colleges provide adequate courses in nutrition, nutraceuticals and nutrigenomics. But this may soon change, as research has opened the door to provide a better understanding of how nutrition influences the gut microbiome: the diverse population of bacteria that collectively play a vital role in our physical and mental health, immune system defenses and longevity.

Eating lots of ultraprocessed foods could even increase your risk of dying from cancer. A U.K. study of self-reported dietary data from more than 197,000 people showed some evidence of a link: "After the researchers adjusted for sociodemographic factors, physical activity, smoking status and dietary factors, it was found that a 10% increase in consumption of ultraprocessed food was linked to a 2% increase in being diagnosed with any cancer and a 6% increase in dying from cancer of any kind." (Full story: Forbes.com, Jan. 31)

The adverse health consequences humans can experience from eating highly processed foods mirror those in companion animals fed conventional pet foods. The good news is that many veterinarians are now addressing this issue and advocating more healthful, whole-food diets for dogs and cats.

I have long questioned what I see as an unhealthy alliance between various government regulatory agencies -- responsible for public health and nutritional education -- and the agribusiness, food and pharmaceutical industries. Often, the agencies' sins, both of omission and commission, ultimately benefit the industries they oversee (as per my book "Eating With Conscience: The Bioethics of Food"). All veterinarians going into companion animal practice should, prior to graduation, have read "Canine Nutrigenomics" by W. Jean Dodds, DVM, and Deana Laverdure-Dunetz.

Finding nutritious alternatives to animal products and embracing a plant-based diet is good for animals, good for the planet and the best for our health. Those looking to change their own diets should check out Veda Stram's menus and ideas at all-creatures.org/what-to-eat.html.

THERE IS MORE TO CATS PURRING THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE

Cats purr when they are contented, but also when they are anxious, fearful and/or soliciting food. Animal behaviorists theorize that purring may promote bone and muscle health. The frequency of the vibrations that cause the telltale sound range from around 20Hz up to 150Hz. "Purr frequencies correspond to vibrational/electrical frequencies used in treatment for bone growth/fractures, pain, edema, muscle growth/strain, joint flexibility, dyspnea and wounds," reads one article on this issue. (Full story: "The felid purr: A healing mechanism?" published in 2001 in the Journal of the Acoustical Society of America)

Cat owners whose feline companions lie on their chests or tummies and purr away may indeed be receiving relaxing, and even healing, vibrations. Several readers have told me about their cats seeming to know where their human companions were hurting -- often lying down on or near a sore shoulder, for example, and starting to purr!

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: We all have a fear of certain animals, a response that is partially innate and partially learned. Regrettably, our response to this fear, all too often, is to kill the creatures we dread, whether insects, snakes rodents or otherwise.

Such extermination, when widespread, disrupts the environment and can make us more prone to diseases and famine, as when we kill pollinators with insecticides. When we destroy bat roosts, we eliminate allies who control disease-transmitting insect populations. Snakes are welcome in many countries since they help control invasive rodents.

Finding the path of avoiding harm calls for an ethic of care based on respect and understanding, even for the most venomous and invasive. One example of convenience and market-promotion over caring and understanding is the use of electric bug-zappers outdoors: These kill many beneficial insects, in turn starving bats and other insectivores. Better options are citronella candles, a good bug-spray deterrent and mosquito netting.

We must all be vigilant with the spread of nonindigenous species and various diseases associated with climate change. The case of dengue fever reported recently in Florida's Miami-Dade County brings the total number of cases in Miami-Dade and Broward counties to 11 this year. And two cases of West Nile virus have been reported in the state's Escambia County. (Full story: Outbreak News Today, Aug. 15)

Chief Dan George of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation famously stated, "If you talk to the animals, they will talk to you, and you will know each other. If you do not talk to them, you will not know them. And what you do not know, you will fear."

Biological scientists, ethologists and ecologists, all of whom "talk" to animals via objective observation, have documented why we should take the path of least harm to other members of the animal kingdom. In biodiversity lies the regenerative potential of the Earth community upon which our own health depends.

Making the lives of animals raised for consumption more humane is all very well, provided we all eat less animal produce in general. The agricultural livestock industry is a major contributor to the climate and extinction crises, at significant cost to public health.

The various cultural and religious rules about which animals we can and cannot eat are not without merit, but need to be modernized, as do the traditions behind them, most of which have yet to honor the rights of every creature and the sanctity of all life in the natural world.

All animal caregivers have considerable responsibility for their animals' health and well-being, as well as to the environment. Too many cat owners are delinquent, allowing their cats to roam free, kill wildlife and become a potential threat to public health from diseases they can harbor and transmit to us.

DUMPING OF 'THROWAWAY ANIMALS' ESCALATES

Animal shelters rejoiced as people adopted pets at record rates during the COVID-19 pandemic. But shelters are now filling back up rapidly due to several factors, including financial challenges faced by owners and behavioral issues cropping up as owners return to their offices. Stephanie Filer of Shelter Animals Count suggests donating to shelters, fostering and/or adopting animals, and volunteering for animal-related causes to help mitigate the problem. (Full story: Vox, Aug. 16)

This is a sad reflection of how little some people care for the animals they adopt, an attitude that is a small step away from child abandonment and abuse. Lack of money is no excuse. Pet owners can take several steps to be prepared for the costs of their animals' care, including buying pet insurance, designating personal savings or seeking second opinions on recommended medical procedures and their costs. The American Veterinary Medical Association provides a list of accredited veterinary programs that may charge an adjusted rate for low-income pet owners. (Full story: NextAvenue.org, June 22)

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR READERS: Science-based, factual evidence does not change the mindset of the unreasonable. Many such people still deny our collective contributions to the climate and extinction crises and to related global humanitarian issues, including famine, plagues, pestilence, poverty, war, terrorism and the mass migrations of refugees.

Some religious traditions have caused more conflict and division than peace and unity, as have many current political regimes and ideologies, both capitalistic and militaristic. The media attention being given to the multiple indictments of former President Donald J. Trump is a distraction from Trump's deplorable record of anti-environmental actions when he was in office, which should be kept front and center. He essentially dismembered the Environmental Protection Agency and opened the door for the petrochemical, mining and other extractive and polluting industries, in total disregard of the harm to wildlife, Indigenous peoples and biodiversity.

There have been signs of positive change, however. Last summer, a federal judge "overturned a 2019 Trump administration move to gut the landmark Endangered Species Act, vacating that administration's changes and restoring protections for hundreds of species," as CNN reported at the time -- calling the decision "a win for environmental and conservation groups and climate advocates."

Still, consumer demands, economic uncertainties and an ever-increasing human population see civil society becoming less civil and more violent. The rule of law, social justice, animal rights and eco-environmental ethics are usually dismissed by governments and their dystopia-generating supporters. Our physical and mental health depend upon a healthy environment; the benefits from whatever contact with nature we can grasp have been well documented.

For an excellent review of these multiple benefits, see the 2020 article "Nurtured by Nature" by Kirsten Weir, posted by the American Psychological Association (apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature). For my own review of this subject, see Chapter 12 of my book "Animals and Nature First."

Destroying and polluting nature, as we continue to do, should be criminalized as an indirect crime against humanity. There is a glimmer of hope in a recent judicial decision.

On Aug. 14, District Court Judge Kathy Seeley ruled in favor of young environmental activists "who said state agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by allowing fossil fuel development without considering its effect on the climate," reported PBS.org.

Per Nature.com, "Attorney Julia Olson, who represented the group of young plaintiffs, calls it a 'truly historic' win that could pave the way for a court-ordered shift away from fossil fuels nationwide."

"We heard from many of our experts that it was such an empowering experience to be able to present the science in the court of law," said Olson.

While the ruling is likely to be overturned on appeal, the stage is being set for confrontation and change in the name of reducing the severity of, and enhancing our ability to adapt to, climate change.

The momentum of "green" politics is increasing, literally, with the greening of urban environments. A study published in The Lancet in January theorized that increasing tree cover in European cities to 30% could cool temperatures sufficiently to potentially prevent more than 2,600 premature deaths each summer. It could also help to mitigate air pollution, reduce noise pollution and improve mental health. Combining tree planting with other strategies, such as changing surface materials, could maximize the cooling benefits in cities.

AG FAIRS: ZOONOTIC DISEASE HOT SPOTS

As covered in more detail in one of my recent columns, agriculture shows and fairs are potential zoonotic disease hot spots, especially for swine flu. According to research from Ohio State University, at least one pig at 25% of agriculture fairs is carrying swine flu. In 2012 alone, the disease jumped from pigs to people during at least seven different Ohio fairs.

Some fairs have taken steps to prevent zoonotic disease transmission, but my advice is to just keep away from such exhibits.

DOGS LIVE LONGER WHEN GIVEN TIME WITH OTHER DOGS

Being able to socialize with other dogs is a key factor to longevity, according to an Arizona State University study by the Dog Aging Project, published in Evolution, Medicine & Public Health. The study analyzed data from more than 21,000 dogs and concluded that the companionship of other dogs was the factor most correlated to good health -- surpassing family finances, the age of their owners and the presence of children in the home. "Animals with stronger social relationships live longer, healthier lives," said Noah Snyder-Mackler, lead author of the study.

I would add a note of caution. Many dogs, including our rescued dog Kota, detest local dog parks, which are often filled with rough-playing, aggressive and poorly supervised dogs. A better option may be a doggie play group with just a few well-supervised dogs who are neither afraid nor aggressive. All dogs should be given up-to-date vaccinations (or at least titer-immunity determinations) before admittance, along with a wellness checkup and tests for external parasites.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)