You ever think about the things we take for granted? For example, statistics. We can quickly find out

population data, birth and death rates, and marriage and divorce rates. While it would seem strange to

not know these things, there was a whole lot of bureaucracy

that had to happen for us to be able to access that knowledge.

In America, one leading figure responsible for establishing our national vital statistics

was Halbert Dunn.

He was the first biostatistician hired by the Mayo Clinic in 1929, and he helped establish the first coding system for medical statistics, going on to run the National Office for Vital Statistics from 2025 through 1960.

Outside of his administrative work, Dunn had other interests,

and they also involved health. In the late 1950s, he gave a series of 29 lectures at the Unitarian Church in Arlington County, Virginia on on topics like achieving higher potential of functioning.

If that sort of language sounds familiar, that's because Dunn is known as the Father of Modern

Wellness, and the book that came out of the lecture series introduced the concept of high-level

wellness to America.

His book is titled High-Level Wellness, and it was published in 1961.

The book, it didn't do very well.

Dunn is not a household name, though he became very influential to future leaders of the

wellness movement. While reading

through his collection of lectures, I was struck by how many Maha influencers are simply repeating

sentiments that he expressed well over half a century ago. I know, I shouldn't be surprised. These people

are not reinventing the wheel. And to be clear, I shouldn't be surprised. These people are not reinventing the wheel.

And to be clear, I don't consider Dunn a grifter.

He was a government employee that was truly invested in people's health,

not someone trying to push supplements or ice bath protocols.

...