This is not a doom and gloom article, it documents the extensive benefits of natural, cost effective preventive approaches to health which can help to solve our national health crisis. It contains new information. But first let’s briefly review problems that need solving and contrast the restrictive and blinkered New Zealand approach with the latest safety protocols being rapidly introduced in the USA health system.
Last week an article in Stuff newspaper was entitled ‘Horrified – doubled overnight’: Price hikes force people to rethink health insurance. It reported that health insurance premiums have rocketed sky high, in some cases almost doubling. This is not due to unfair profiteering as some have claimed. Southern Cross Health Insurance for example made losses of $52 million in the year to June 2025, $88 million in 2024 and $17 million in 2023. Health insurance companies are facing up to the reality of increased sickness rates which have led to record high numbers of claims coupled with rising health costs. Southern Cross saw a 16% rise in the number of claims and a 14% increase in costs in 2025. While health insurer UniMed reported a staggering 53% increase in the volume of claims in 2025 compared to 2024 and a 55% increase in the value of claims. A double whammy.
Our government is also struggling to come to terms with increased sickness rates which have followed on from the tail end of the pandemic. Government expenditure on healthcare in 2024/25 amounted to $30 billion about 18% of its total revenue. The average household in New Zealand spends an additional $50 per week on healthcare—in total $5.2 billion. Private health insurance premiums soak up a further $3 billion. The government spends a further $2.6 billion on disability support. ACC (accident compensation) cost $7 billion in 2024/2025. In all about $48 billion is spent on healthcare in NZ. Healthcare costs about $9200 for every man, woman and child each year, or $37,000 for a family of four. In total approximately 11% of our GDP (the entire economic activity of the nation) or 20% of the per capita average income.
Despite this massive expenditure, our health system is failing us.
As we reported recently St John Ambulance emergency call outs stood at a record high in August leaving hospitals struggling to cope. There are unacceptable wait times to see a specialist. 2025 emergency callout volumes are running 60% above pre-pandemic levels. Insurance data indicates that health care premiums are rising because people are falling sick more often and requiring more serious interventions.
Put very simply and starkly we are falling more seriously ill more often from a wider range of more complex illnesses.
COVID-19 and the response to COVID-19 initiated a sea change in the disease profile of the whole population. New Zealand health authorities and the government have failed to come to grips with the changed health landscape. In contrast the US FDA is accelerating the introduction of new medical safety protocols. Endpoint News is the biopharma industry news outlet, its December 11 briefing covering just one week of reforms reported:
- The FDA’s investigation of COVID-19 vaccine safety in children has expanded into adults, — a significant widening of scope amid the Trump administration’s plans to rethink US vaccine policy.
- The FDA has set a higher bar for new CAR-T cell cancer treatments requiring a control group (unbelievably not previously required) and details of survival rates.
- The FDA no longer requires a Hepatitis B shot at birth because of safety concerns.
- The FDA is revisiting approval of RSV antibody medication following safety concerns.
In contrast, the New Zealand government is proceeding on December 11th with its prosecution of whistleblower Barry Young who released damning data of deaths proximate to COVID-19 vaccination. He realised the data raises serious questions about COVID-19 vaccine safety. He should have been appreciated and the data analysed rather than being hidden.
How could this be happening? If you want to look at an instructive model of government incompetence watch The Days on Netflix which documents events at the Fukushima nuclear power plant following the devastating tsunami in 2011. Government officials are depicted struggling to come to grips with the magnitude of the dangers and the technicalities involved, as the instability of the reactor rapidly approached a critical phase. This parallels the failure of our government and medical establishment to come to grips with the unprecedented massive rates of adverse events recorded at CARM following the COVID-19 vaccine roll out.
Eventually, the Japanese government decided to phase out nuclear power generation because of safety concerns in the earthquake prone nation. But now fast forward to the present day and you can see how the allure of novel technology distorts safety considerations. Unbelievably, the amnesic Japanese government has decided to recommission nuclear plants to meet the power hungry needs of AI databank processing centres. In a parallel situation, despite the vaccine injuries and deaths and the likely lab origin of COVID-19, our government has failed to learn lessons. It has introduced the Gene Technology Bill which will deregulate biotechnology experimentation and downgrade existing safety regulations. This is thankfully being widely opposed by a large segment of the public, some significant industry players and the New Zealand First political party
What are the Alternatives?
Despite the health crisis, broad spectrum approaches to population-wide healthcare with massive positive effect sizes are readily available and well researched. These approaches are cost effective, preventive and they can be easily implemented and self managed in the home. Incredibly, they are not covered by standard medical training.
There are five factors which each person can manage for themselves which can radically improve health outcomes. The more commonly appreciated are food, behaviour, experience and thinking, but all of these are controlled by our conscious choices. Thus the management of consciousness itself is the fifth factor.
Food
Our health relies on our diet. Adequate nutrition is essential for good health. Numerous studies have shown that a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables can have a massive preventive effect on the incidence of cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions and other illnesses. The benefits are not only significant, they are very large, including increased longevity. Research published in 2015, with 150,000 participants over 32 years found that vegetarians live longer. Even a tiny 3 per cent increase in protein from plants led to a huge 12 per cent drop in risk of death from cardiovascular-related disease. A study published in the BMJ in 2021 found that “Participants with COVID-19 who reported following ‘plant-based diets’ and ‘plant-based diets with pescatarian elements’ had 73% and 59% lower odds of moderate-to-severe COVID-19 severity, respectively, compared with participants who did not follow these diets.”
For those wondering what you could introduce into your diet, the UK Telegraph published “The best beans for your health, the superfood you should be eating daily”. The article documents the protein-rich variety of options full of gut friendly fibre.
Despite the health benefits of natural foods, our population-wide nutrition profile is being systematically degraded by the availability and promotion of ultra processed foods (UPFs) which not only lack essential nutrients but also contain toxic ingredients. Research published in the BMJ in 2024 entitled “Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses” found direct associations between exposure to UPFs and 32 health parameters spanning mortality, cancer, and mental, respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and metabolic health outcomes.
Widespread pesticide and herbicide use is also known to pose severe risks to health. For example on November 28th 2025 a key scientific study which was published in April 2000 on Glyphosate safety was withdrawn by the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacologyafter it was discovered that the study was actually ghost-written by Monsanto employees who ignored the results of numerous long-term chronic toxicity and carcinogenicity studies available at the time. For decades the withdrawn study has been relied on by the agro industry to fend off safety concerns. New Zealand has some of the highest rates of agricultural glyphosate use in the world, for example allowing pre-harvest desiccation spraying which is banned elsewhere. Recently our government actually increased the allowable glyphosate residues in foods to prepare for increased glyphosate use paired with GM crops.
Fortunately, in organic agriculture, the use of pesticides is restricted giving the public options. A 2017 study found organic food consumption reduces the risk of allergic disease and obesity. Epidemiological studies have reported adverse effects of certain pesticides on children’s cognitive development at current levels of exposure.
Our article “Major Health Alert: the Extraordinary Genetically Modified Invasion of Our Supermarkets by Stealth” has explained how our food system is now also under threat from residual toxic contamination resulting from the use of genetically modified microorganisms (GMMs) and GM ingredients.
Herbs have a long history of safe and effective use in medicine, but modern pharmacy-based medicine has wrongly tended to dismiss their value. For example a randomised placebo trial published in April 2021 found improved outcomes for COVID-19 positive patients treated with a range of Ayurvedic Indian herbal preparations. A 2024 review concluded that: “Herbal medicines worked to treat COVID-19 through antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory mechanisms.”
The response of the government is lamentable and counter productive. They apparently have no interest. The government has failed to adequately educate the public and youth about healthy food choices. It has failed to rein in misleading food labelling which often wrongly describes sythethically engineered food as natural or free of additives. It has failed to ban the use of toxic agricultural chemicals or incentivise sustainable farming practices. It has failed to assess studies documenting the toxic effects of GMMs in the food processing industry. Instead it has been deregulating gene technology, wrongly categorising many gene editing techniques and food production methods as inherently safe. The government is planning to build more academic institutions to train doctors but medical curricula still do not include sufficient training in the principles of general nutrition, micronutrients and herbal medicine.
Behaviour
Early on in the pandemic it became apparent that healthy lifestyle choices had a large positive impact COVID-19 outcomes. A study conducted in the UK found that shift workers, who typically suffer from disrupted bio clocks and fatigue, were three times more likely to be hospitalised with COVID-19. A study of 48,000 adults in California published in the BMJ found that regular exercise reduced the risk of severity, hospitalisation, and death from COVID-19.
The beneficial effects of exercise have been well-documented for a range of improved metabolic and cardiorespiratory fitness-related outcomes. Regular exercise is essentially considered a non-pharmacological polypill for patients with certain comorbidities. Therapeutic exercise can be adopted to prevent, manage, and treat diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, aging-related muscle atrophy, and certain cancers.
Lighter exercise regimes can be just as beneficial if not more so. A 2024 article entitled “Neurobiological and anti-aging benefits of yoga: A comprehensive review of recent advances in non-pharmacological therapy” found Yoga practices influence critical biological processes, including reducing oxidative stress, modulating chronic inflammation, enhancing immune function, and preserving DNA telomere length—all key markers of cellular aging. Additionally, Yoga practices including postures, breathing exercises and meditation contribute to improved cardiovascular health, musculoskeletal strength, and mental well-being, fostering a comprehensive approach to healthy aging. The study underscored the potential of integrating the non-pharmacological strategies into daily routines to enhance resilience against aging, improve quality of life, and extend healthspan.
A 2023 study reports the benefits of regular walks for health, concluding: “Walking decreases the risk or severity of various health outcomes such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cognitive impairment and dementia, while also improving mental well-being, sleep, and longevity.”
A 2020 review of the benefits of the Chinese movement system Qigong assessed the results of 886 clinical studies and found improvements in a range of conditions including diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, stroke, cervical spondylosis, lumbar disc herniation, insomnia, knee osteoarthritis, low back pain, and osteoporosis.
Experience
Sunshine, fresh air, a change of pace, friendship, laughter, beauty, and family support all positively influence health outcomes. For example a 2023 review found that epidemiological studies from the United Kingdom and Sweden link sun exposure with reduced all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Conversely, overcrowding, air pollution, environmental toxins, a stressful job environment, poverty, unemployment, smoking, vaping, off gassing from toxic materials in the home, tiredness and overuse of alcohol all impact both physical and mental health negatively. Numerous studies indicate that even a poor quality chair or an older bed mattress can have a disastrous effect on health and pain levels.
Our government has wrongly assumed that a policy which intensifies urban housing concentrations will benefit the economy. Instead it is increasing stress and air pollution and reducing quality of life.
Thinking
Use of the brain is strongly related to mental and physical health including timely unfoldment of developmental stages, neurological networks, and thinking skills, along with a measure of protection from dementia occurrence and progression.
A 2024 review article found that positive and negative mindsets have a significant impact on disease progression and recovery. The study recommended a paradigm shift in medical practice, it advocated for a comprehensive approach to medical care that recognises the power of thought in promoting patient wellness.
Some technological developments have negatively impacted our capacity for rational thought. For example over reliance on calculators has reduced numeracy and the capacity to understand data. We shudder to think of the future effect of AI on the capacity for rational and creative thought.
A study covering 14 years published in 2020 found that reading activity prevents long-term decline in cognitive function in older people. Other research highlights reading’s health benefits, including significant stress reduction, lowered blood pressure, improved sleep, enhanced cognitive function, improved memory, increased empathy, and reduced risk of depression and loneliness, with some studies linking consistent reading to longer lifespans by promoting mental and emotional fitness. Reading offers a form of self-care by building neural connections, and fostering social understanding through narrative immersion, making it an affordable tool for holistic well-being. Yet education policy has de-emphasised reading in favour of video material found in films and TV. Studies have found that reading books is more effective at stimulating the imagination compared to watching images and stories unfold on screen.
Consciousness
The defining characteristic of life is awareness or consciousness. We are awake—we remember, we experience, we decide, we act, we eat. Consciousness is the fulcrum point upon which our future turns.
Development of consciousness should be a key component of healthcare. A 1987 field study entitled “Medical care utilization and the transcendental meditation program compared the medical insurance utilisation statistics of 2000 practitioners of transcendental meditation to a normative database of 600,000 people enrolled in the same scheme. The study found that
“The benefits, deductible, coinsurance terms, and distribution by gender of the TM group were very similar to the norm, yet the TM group had lower medical utilisation rates in all categories. Inpatient days per 1000 by age category were 50.2% fewer than the norm for children (0-18), 50.1% fewer for young adults (19-39), and 69.4% fewer for older adults (40+). Outpatient visits per 1000 for the same age categories were, respectively, 46.8%, 54.7%, and 73.7% fewer. When compared with five other health insurance groups of similar size and professional membership, the TM group had 53.3% fewer inpatient admissions per 1000 and 44.4% fewer outpatient visits per 1000. Admissions per 1000 were lower for the TM group than the norm for all of 17 major medical treatment categories, including 55.4% less for benign and malignant tumours 87.3% less for heart disease, 30.4% less for all infectious diseases, 30.6% less for all mental disorders, and 87.3% less for diseases of the nervous system. However, the TM group’s admission rates for childbirth were similar to the norm.”
The effect size of meditation on health conditions is very large compared to drug therapies. For example regular meditation is estimated to be thirty times more effective than statins at preventing cardiac illness and free of side effects. The range of health benefits of meditation is very broad indeed, indicating a holistic effect on physiology orchestrated from the field of self-referral consciousness. To discover more about the benefits of meditation, our Substack article on Consciousness-Based Alternatives and our presentation to the Scientific and Medical Network available on YouTube contain more detailed information. Meditation can play a key role in developing healthy choices naturally without effort. Studies have shown that regular meditation precipitates a preference for more healthy choices including reduced smoking, drinking and better food choices.
It is a matter of deep regret that our medical authorities have consistently rejected natural, scientifically verified means of maintaining and promoting health that are effective and low cost, whilst being free of side effects. I can vividly remember meeting with Dr John Hiddlestone, New Zealand Director General of Health in the early 1980s. He enthusiastically investigated and embraced research demonstrating the potential of meditation as a healthcare strategy, but was dissuaded by his administrative colleagues. In the 1990s the director of the innovative healthcare initiative at Health New Zealand acknowledged the strength of the research evidence but cynically confided to me that doctors would never embrace an alternative to pharmacological medicine because the improved health outcomes and participation of alternative practitioners might reduce their earning potential. These were early opportunities lost. By now the published evidence in the fields of food, behaviour, experience, thinking and consciousness is far stronger, but the resistance within the medical profession to new scientific evidence concerning the efficacy of natural alternative approaches to health has become even more entrenched. The use of the word ‘alternative’ is actually a misnomer. Our everyday health is already 95% maintained through our diet, exercise, behaviour, exposure to fresh air, pure water and sunshine and our mental stability and adaptability. It always has been. Adopting these principles in medical care and education should be the next step in meeting the health crisis that has engulfed our nation.
