A superb writer, Siddhartha Mukherjee’s books are easy to read. Six years ago I reviewed Siddhartha Mukherjee’s book The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. It was hands-down one of the best books I have ever read on a medical topic. Now he’s done it again. His new book is… read more "The Gene: An Intimate History"
Diatomaceous Earth? No Thank You!
Would you eat this? It might look like a crunchy new breakfast cereal, but it’s a close-up of diatomaceous earth, the fossilized microscopic skeletons of diatoms. Diatoms are unicellular algae, one of the two major classes of the phytoplankton that constitute the bottom of the food chain in oceans and… read more "Diatomaceous Earth? No Thank You!"
The THRIVE Experience: Masterful Marketing, Short on Substance
One of the few things that aren’t in THRIVE products My daughter told me about the latest health fad among her group of acquaintances. She knows people who are spending $300 a month on the THRIVE program and claiming miraculous results. With a skeptic for a mother, my daughter knew… read more "The THRIVE Experience: Masterful Marketing, Short on Substance"
Vegan Betrayal: The Myths vs. the Realities of a Plants-Only Diet
If vegans really followed these guidelines, they could get adequate nutrition; but all too often they don’t. NOTE: The original version of this book review was criticized for not making it clear when I was simply reporting the book’s content and when I was expressing support for one of its… read more "Vegan Betrayal: The Myths vs. the Realities of a Plants-Only Diet"
Book Review Lagniappe
Lagniappe, a word often heard in New Orleans, refers to a bonus or extra gift, like the thirteenth donut in a baker’s dozen. You may have noticed that I write a lot of book reviews. I read far more books than I review, and I have always loved to read… read more "Book Review Lagniappe"
The Blood Cleaner: Invented by Ray Jardine
Imaginary germs awaiting imaginary electrocution by Ray Jardine’s Blood Cleaner device. I recently heard about a man who was planning a hike in a tick-infested area and thought he could avoid Lyme disease by using Ray Jardine’s Blood Cleaner. Ray Jardine is a well-known mountaineer, rock climber, long-distance hiker, and outdoor adventurer. A… read more "The Blood Cleaner: Invented by Ray Jardine"
The Primo Vascular System: The N-rays of Acupuncture?
Is this a PVS structure or something else? Acupuncture meridians and acupoints are imaginary until proven otherwise. Anatomists have never been able to detect them by microscopy or autopsy, and they are not mentioned in anatomy textbooks. For decades, acupuncturists have been trying to prove that their pre-scientific belief system… read more "The Primo Vascular System: The N-rays of Acupuncture?"
Therapeutic Touch Pseudoscience: The Tooth Fairy Strikes Again
When tested, therapeutic touch (TT) practitioners failed to detect the human energy field they thought they could feel. Experimental setup from Rosa et al., from JAMA, 1998, 279 (13) A study out of Iran titled “Therapeutic touch for nausea in breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy: Composing a treatment” was recently published… read more "Therapeutic Touch Pseudoscience: The Tooth Fairy Strikes Again"
Uncertainty in Medicine
Medicine is an uncertain business. It is an applied science, applying the results of basic science knowledge and clinical studies to patients who are individuals with differing heredity, environment, and history. It is commonly assumed that modern science-based doctors know what they are doing, but quite often they don’t know… read more "Uncertainty in Medicine"
The “Incoherent Mess” That Is Homeopathy: Old and New Insights
Back in 1943 a Dutch physician, David Karel de Jongh, wrote a PhD dissertation on homeopathy. It was based on his experience working in a homeopathic hospital and on all the published information he could find, and was highly critical of homeopathy. It was an impressive opus, with over 200,000… read more "The “Incoherent Mess” That Is Homeopathy: Old and New Insights"