[This article is also available in English. Thanks to Pensar for the Spanish translation.] La mayoría de la gente cree que fomentar la autoestima en los niños tendrá muchos beneficios, desde la felicidad hasta un mejor rendimiento escolar, pero esa creencia no está respaldada por la evidencia. Se nos anima… read more "La autoestima está sobrevalorada"
Self Esteem Is Overrated
[Este artículo está disponible en español. La traducción al español apareció por primera vez en la revista Pensar.] Most people believe that fostering self-esteem in children will have many benefits, from happiness to better school performance, but that belief is not supported by the evidence. We are encouraged to reward… read more "Self Esteem Is Overrated"
Is Midstream Urine Collection Necessary?
There’s considerable evidence that the standard procedure for urine specimens, with cleansing and mid-stream collection, may not be necessary. Is it time to change? In November 2020, I reviewed Paul Offit’s book about when doctors refuse to believe evidence. I have just become aware of another example. The evidence for diagnosing urinary… read more "Is Midstream Urine Collection Necessary?"
Statin Side Effects Revisited
Patients on statins frequently report muscle pain and other side effects, but controlled studies have shown side effects are not more frequent than with placebo. Why this discrepancy? A new study sheds some light. His muscles hurt. Is it from statins or some other cause? Something strange is going on.… read more "Statin Side Effects Revisited"
Wim Hof, the Iceman
Wim Hof, the Iceman, is extraordinarily resistant to extreme cold. His Wim Hof Method (WHM) combines breathing exercises, cold exposure, and meditation. Hyperventilation has been shown to reduce the body’s response to inflammation, but Hof’s extravagant claims of health benefits are not supported by scientific evidence. Wim Hof, also known… read more "Wim Hof, the Iceman"
Kambo: Frog Poison for Health?
The Kambo fad: people are applying frog poison to burns created on their skin, making them vomit repeatedly and feel terrible. They think this torture has health benefits. There’s no evidence that it does anything but poison them. Could anything be more ridiculous? 2020 was a terrible year in many… read more "Kambo: Frog Poison for Health?"
Adele’s Sirtfood Diet
I recently got an email newsletter from TRC Natural Medicines. One of the articles was “Understanding the Hype Behind Adele’s Sirtfood Diet.” It’s brief enough to quote in its entirety: “English singer-songwriter Adele has made headlines in recent months for her dramatic weight loss. You might start getting questions about the… read more "Adele’s Sirtfood Diet"
Meet the Psychologists
In this book, you will meet 16 of the most prominent people in psychology in conversational interviews that reveal their thoughts about the current state of psychology and its future. Enlightening and entertaining. Psychology is more popular than ever, but it has been criticized for scandals involving fraud, failed replications,… read more "Meet the Psychologists"
Salonpas
Salonpas is an over-the-counter topical NSAID used to treat pain. It’s probably safe and might be worth trying for minor pain, but the effect is small and the advertising is more hype than substance. Do you get annoyed when the media keep repeating the same commercials? I do. And recently… read more "Salonpas"
Melatonin
Melatonin supplements are increasingly popular, but the evidence is weak and mixed. Will taking a melatonin supplement put you to sleep?I don’t understand how Facebook’s algorithms work; but I wonder if they have gotten the false impression that I suffer from insomnia, since I have recently been bombarded with information… read more "Melatonin"