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Imagine a world without Oreos, Coke, Pepsi, Cool Whip, Honey Bunches of Oats, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Hebrew National, Yoplait, and Cheerios. If six plaintiffs law firms have their way, that's precisely where we are going.

Everyday choices — from lighting a cigarette to grabbing a quick snack — can, in our data-driven world, carry a measurable cost in minutes, shaved off or added to our health and lifespan. Are your daily small decisions adding or subtracting?

The “Food as Medicine” crowd can chant all they want for you to eat your greens. But with fruits and vegetables, the Food (in Food as Medicine) can often be as expensive as medications. It’s not a diabolical “Big Food” scheme — fresh produce’s short shelf life and long history of lopsided federal support for commodity crops mean fruits and veggies are expensive.

What happens when anti-vax ideology moves from the fringe to the halls of power? Will measles just be the opening act?

Frederick McKay didn’t head to Colorado Springs in the early 1900s to become a dental detective. Like many health-conscious hypochondriacs of his time, he was chasing the promise of Colorado’s “miracle” dry climate, hoping it might save him from the doom of tuberculosis. Instead of clear lungs, he found “Colorado Brown Stain,” the start of a decades-long mystery that would eventually prove science, persistence, and maybe a bit of luck could turn even the ugliest smiles into a public health triumph.

In this week’s reading, you’ll discover surprising historical links between farming and climate change, why crypto remains controversial, and how our bodies might be more attuned to daylight than we ever imagined.

If Kennedy and Oz are confirmed as heads of HHS and NIH, respectively) we are going to be seeing an explosion of 17th-century science coupled with 21st-century sleazy marketing. This provides an infinite collection of fraudulent garbage that needs to be called out. Let's start with the "foot detox." It does not remove feces through your feet.

We’ve all been there: your perfectly buttered toast hits the floor, and you’re left debating whether to risk it all for breakfast or let it go to the crumbs of history. Enter the “five-second rule,” a charming blend of culinary optimism and microbial roulette.

In a new thought piece, researchers explore how deeply ingrained cultural habits — like America’s love of individualism and East Asia’s embrace of collective harmony — shaped the national chaos, triumphs, and outcomes of COVID.

Jay Bhattacharya's recent history is a cautionary tale of how ideology and misinformation can undermine public health. His flawed views led to unnecessary suffering and eroded trust in science, making him a wholly unacceptable choice to head the nation's premier research institution.

A recent article hailed Lifestyle Medicine training as a way to “empower” physicians through education. But, a closer look at the study involved reveals modest knowledge gains, inflated confidence, and little evidence that it translates to practice changes. Let’s investigate just how empowering this training really is.

Water fluoridation transformed dental care, saved billions of dollars, and inspired an iconic scene in a Hollywood satire ("Dr. Strangelove"). Yet, some eight decades after it was first introduced, fluoridation is still the subject of conspiracy theories and political posturing.

As eventful as 2024 has been regarding the law and bioethics of scientific matters, 2025 promises to be even more “exciting,” assuming that RFK Jr. and his cohorts assume health decision-making status. Precedent set by the Supreme Court may well be turned on its head – at least as far as FDA drug and vaccine approvals go. It might be worthwhile to reflect on how the law morphed over the last year and what it portends for the future.

Carfentanil, a much stronger version of fentanyl, is increasingly appearing in seized illicit fentanyl samples. This could make the fentanyl problem far worse. Here's why.

Could your trusty black spatula be trying to poison you, as some alarmist headlines fueled by a lawsuit and some dodgy science claim? Before you go Marie Kondo-ing your utensil drawer, let’s dig into the bad math, media hype, and the recycling controversy that ignited this unnecessary scare.

The latest CDC and FDA data shows that youth e-cigarette use (vaping) continues to decline. Oddly, leading anti-nicotine groups like The Truth Initiative are doing all they can to minimize the decline in youth use while ignoring adults who are trading their cigarettes for low-risk vapes by the millions.

As RFK Jr. gears up to lead the Department of Holistic Hoopla (formerly known as Health and Human Services), it’s clear that the wellness-industrial complex is no longer lurking on the fringes — it’s seated at the head table. Let’s untangle this mess of vibes, pseudoscience, and misplaced outrage before we all trade antibiotics for turmeric shots.

It's an unholy alliance of pseudoscience and selfie sticks. Nothing screams "trust me" like someone with a ring light and a promo code claiming their detox tea will change your life – along with your credit card balance. And let’s not forget: the only thing “natural” here is how naturally gullible their audience can be.

This week, despite the holiday cheer, I have been drawn to true crime – perhaps to avoid navigating the politics of family dinner. Between debates about the systemic costs of bullets, DIY ghost guns that make Ikea furniture look complicated, and the sorry state of crime clearance rates, I’m wondering if crime is the coal in our stockings. For emotional relief, I turn to eating, replacing the concerns about crime with Caputo 00 flour – a pizza offers a slice of optimism in a world that often feels half-baked.

What does it mean to be an expert in a world where credentials and experience are no longer enough to inspire confidence? The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the limits of traditional expertise, where even seasoned institutions like the CDC struggled to navigate novel and uncertain terrain. As the Great Barrington Declaration’s advocates step into leadership roles, we’re left questioning whether we’ve learned anything — or are simply swapping one set of flawed approaches for another.

As a dedicated AI user, I'm slowly learning about its capabilities. Then it became a literary critic, comic, and marital counselor. On its own. Insane.

This week we dive into a world where health insurers are more than just insurers, where nutrition labels aren’t simply about informing shoppers, and where “simple truths” are anything but obvious. These readings challenge the neat narratives we often accept at face value. So, strap in for a December 19th reading list that spans big medicine, big questions, and a bit of tongue-in-cheek Disney princess health hazards.

Should individuals with schizophrenia or other severe mental disabilities be trusted to direct air traffic? How the FAA’s blind allegiance to DEI initiatives puts ideology over common sense. (It is only one example of DEI running amok.)

The science community is in an uproar over the probability that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., will head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in the second Trump Administration. How worried should we be about his nomination? Is the public health truly in jeopardy? Let's take a closer look.

If there is one claim that should irritate any nutritionist who values scientific evidence, it is the promise that hydrolyzed collagen can reduce wrinkles and visibly improve the skin.