What were we saying not so long ago about government health advice? Now there’s this in the British Medical Journal: The expert report underpinning the next set of US Dietary Guidelines for Americans fails to reflect much relevant scientific literature in its reviews of crucial topics and therefore risks giving a misleading picture, an investigation […]
General Health
Some Thoughts on Government Health Advice
A patient recently shared a pretty thought-provoking article with us. It was on one of the big problems with government-issued health advice: Time and again, that advice has proven to be wrong. It’s certainly been the case with mercury fillings, which can never be made nontoxic no matter how many bureaucrats insist on their safety. […]
The Power of Positive Emotion on Your Health
When was the last time you experienced a feeling of awe? In church last Sunday? Gazing up into a deep night sky cluttered with stars? Listening to some of your favorite music? Watching a baby take her first steps or hearing him say his first word? If we choose to see them, we live in […]
Added Sugars as “the Next Trans Fat”?
We know the FDA has its problems, from conflicts of interest to the stubborn refusal to acknowledge the science on mercury dental amalgam and finally put an end to the use of this antique dental material. But sometimes they do the right thing – like their recent decision to finally ban the use of artificial […]
The Patient’s Right of Self-Decision
In our experience, parents usually spend a lot of time researching the pros and cons of vaccination before deciding whether to opt out of some or all of the currently recommended vaccines. They consider the scientific evidence challenging the status quo. They talk with their family physician. They talk with other parents. They weigh their […]
Make Healthful Choices the Routine
Last week, we noted a pretty common phenomenon: folks who will let their kids feast on sugary, hyper-processed junk all day, then strictly insist on brushing and flossing at bedtime, as if that could undo all the damage. Of course, it’s not just an issue for parents and kids. Who hasn’t at least once done […]
Desperately Seeking the Fountain of Youth?
Recently, a patient emailed an article to Dr. Glaros about one drug company’s quest for an “anti-aging” pill, remarking that it probably belongs in the “Too-Good-to-Be-True Department.” Dr. Glaros’ reply? “It probably does.” Since the earliest days of recorded history, humans have dreamt of being able to stop or reverse aging. Tales of a “fountain […]
The Complexity of Modern Illness
Just as 2015 was getting underway, there was a sudden flurry of chatter swirling about headlines like this: That “bad luck” spin came courtesy of the headline on a press release about a new study in Science, which suggested that only about a third of all cancers can be attributed to environmental factors. The rest […]