Reflections on an Evening with Calley Means: Root Causes & Real Conversations
This week, I had the opportunity to attend a thought-provoking event at RDV with Calley Means—an evening that left me both inspired and challenged.
The gathering, hosted by Doug DeVos and JC Huizenga, brought together a group of local leaders for an intimate conversation about the root causes of our nation’s rising chronic health issues. Calley, along with his sister Dr. Casey Means, has been making national waves by shedding light on the disconnect between record-breaking healthcare spending and worsening health outcomes. His insights—shared through major platforms like The Joe Rogan Experience—have sparked a powerful national dialogue, and hearing him speak in person brought even more depth to those ideas.
One point that stuck with me was the role of food and nutrition in long-term health—specifically, the impact of harmful dyes and additives still commonly used in our food system. During the Q&A, I asked, "If we know these dyes are harmful, why aren't we doing the right thing and removing them? Why do we need policy change, especially when our party generally supports less regulation?"
It opened an honest discussion about policy, corporate influence, and the slow-moving nature of systemic change. It was mentioned (off the record) that many CEOs acknowledge there is a problem, but because profit margins are so thin—and because people gravitate toward brightly colored products—it’s hard to lead the charge.
I still believe that if one major company took the bold step to say, “There’s no definitive proof, but we’re eliminating these dyes out of caution for the health of our people,” it would be an incredibly positive PR move. However, it was also mentioned that doing so could create future liability issues if they publicly admitted there might be harm.
It was difficult to hear. When I was younger, I was very focused on watching the chemicals I was using on my skin and consuming. But as life got busier—and especially with kids—I shifted to a more realistic mindset: I can't do it all.
Adding to the challenge is "clean ingredient washing," where products are designed to look safe and natural, but when you look closer at the label, ingredients like "fragrance" still sneak in. (Shoutout to my new friend Allyson Faulkner for teaching me about that!)
I’ll be the first to admit that I still know very little on this topic compared to many experts. And at the local government level, there’s not much I can personally do beyond bringing awareness to it and encouraging others to learn more.
I don’t know the perfect long-term solution. But I do know this: Collectively, we can create one.
At the very least, we should be working to provide healthy, accessible options for everyone in our country. Our people are getting sicker, and since so much of this conversation is tied to money, it’s costing us dearly—not just in dollars, but in quality of life.
And assuming that "everyone knows what's bad for you" is a dangerous misconception. Dr. Anthony Bradley, who was also at the event, reminded us that many people—especially those living in poverty—may not even realize what’s truly good or harmful for their health.
I genuinely enjoyed learning from Calley Means, hearing his perspective, and meeting so many others who are working to make a difference. Events like this remind me why it’s important to stay informed and keep asking bold, sometimes uncomfortable, questions.
And yes—this happened to be a Republican-leaning event—but I believe this is an issue for everyone.
The health of our communities doesn't care about political labels. It matters to all of us.
I'm truly grateful for the invitation to be part of such a thoughtful and inspiring evening—and even more excited to see how leaders here in West Michigan can help shape a healthier future for generations to come.
Resources
🎙 Joe Rogan Episode (with Calley & Casey Means): Watch here
📘 Good Energy (Book): Learn more
🌐 More on Calley: calleymeans.com
If you have resources I can add to this list, kindly send them my way!
