Daniel Amen, the media-savvy psychiatrist and promoter of SPECT scans, has teamed-up with his wife Tana to write a self-help book that hopelessly muddles good medical advice with misinformation and speculation. Dr. Daniel Amen has been called the most popular psychiatrist in America. His main claim to fame is the SPECT… read more "The Brain Warrior’s Way: Standard Health Advice Mixed with Misinformation and Fanciful Ideas"
Why Physical Activity Does Little to Control Weight
There are things we know we don’t know and things we know we know; but sometimes the things we know we know aren’t so. An article by Herman Pontzer in the February 2017 issue of Scientific American, “The Exercise Paradox,” describes new research findings that challenge our conventional wisdom about… read more "Why Physical Activity Does Little to Control Weight"
Natural Remedies for Diabetes: Plavinol, Glucopure
There is not enough evidence to support using dietary supplements in the treatment of diabetes. There is preliminary evidence that some herbs lower blood sugar by a modest amount, but it would be foolish to think they could replace conventional treatment of diabetes. There is good news for diabetics; unfortunately,… read more "Natural Remedies for Diabetes: Plavinol, Glucopure"
Re-thinking Antioxidant Supplementation for Macular Degeneration
After the AREDS trial, people with moderate to severe age-related macular degeneration were advised to take dietary supplements to slow the progression of the disease. But some experts say the trial actually showed supplements don’t work, and might even make some patients worse. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading… read more "Re-thinking Antioxidant Supplementation for Macular Degeneration"
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: An Update
The claims of health benefits from pink Himalayan sea salt are not supported by a shred of evidence. In fact, its vaunted “84 trace minerals and elements” include several poisons and many radioactive elements. In 2014 I wrote an article about salt in which I disparaged Himalayan pink salt. Perhaps I didn’t… read more "Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: An Update"
Turmeric/Curcumin: The “Natural Remedy of the Century” or a Waste of Money?
Turmeric is a yellow spice used in Indian cuisine; its active ingredient, marketed as a dietary supplement, is curcumin. It is widely used in Ayurvedic medicine, where it is said to balance vata, pitta, and kapha, to kindle agni, and to help reduce kapha and ama. It allegedly supports the… read more "Turmeric/Curcumin: The “Natural Remedy of the Century” or a Waste of Money?"
Flame Retardants Have Ignited a Flaming Controversy
Flame retardants are controversial: proponents say they reduce fire damage and save lives; critics say they don’t work, are poisoning our environment, and should be banned. Flame retardants are a controversial subject. Many fire departments and chemical industry sources praise retardants for reducing fire damage and saving lives. Critics say… read more "Flame Retardants Have Ignited a Flaming Controversy"
Bellevue
Bellevue is the iconic public hospital in New York City. When it first opened in 1818 it consisted of an almshouse, an orphanage, a lunatic asylum, a prison, and an infirmary. It developed into a world-renowned hospital, a training and research institution that has always provided the best medical care… read more "Bellevue"
Functional Medicine: Pseudoscientific Silliness
Language keeps changing. We used to call questionable remedies “folk medicine,” “fringe medicine,” or “quackery.” In the 1970s, the term “alternative medicine” was coined, an umbrella term for all treatments that were not supported by good enough evidence to have earned them a place in mainstream medicine. Then came “complementary… read more "Functional Medicine: Pseudoscientific Silliness"
pH Mythology: Separating pHacts from pHiction
The internet is a cornucopia of facts, some true and some “alternative” (in other words, lies). One topic that is particularly plagued by misinformation is pH. People are restricting their diet, buying alkaline water, testing their urine with pH test strips, and buying into bogus cancer cures, all on the… read more "pH Mythology: Separating pHacts from pHiction"