The speaker believes that a significant amount of sickness is due to refined foods and the removal of minerals and vitamins from sugar and flour. The organic food movement gained popularity due to concerns about killing the Earth, leading to a resurgence in the homesteading movement. This movement is driven by the desire for self-sufficiency and is characterized by consuming raw vegetables, cooking from books like the Moosewood cookbook, and singing songs like Joni Mitchell's Woodstock.