Gary Taubes writes that sugar is the cause of obesity and most chronic diseases. He makes a good case for the prosecution, but he doesn’t convict. Gary Taubes is a journalist on a crusade. In two earlier books, Good Calories, Bad Calories and Why We Get Fat: And What to Do About It,… read more "Gary Taubes and the Case Against Sugar"
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"
Juicing for Health or Torture
We are ingenious at finding new ways to complicate our lives and torture ourselves. One of those ways is adopting fad diets in the quest for health. Juicing is a big fad today. I find that hard to comprehend. I recently endured two interminable months on a liquid/pureed diet while… read more "Juicing for Health or Torture"
Diet Sodas: Are the Dangers in the Chemicals or the Headlines?
In April 2017, there was a flurry of news reports with alarming headlines: “Diet Sodas May Raise Risk of Dementia and Stroke, Study Finds” “A Daily Diet Soda Habit May Be Linked to Dementia–Alzheimer’s” “Is Diet Soda Harming Your Brain Health?” “Diet Sodas Tied to Dementia and Stroke” “Here’s Another… read more "Diet Sodas: Are the Dangers in the Chemicals or the Headlines?"
Hazards of Herbal Medicine: Lessons Learned from Aristolochia
This “Brief History of Medicine” has been circulating on the Internet: 2000 B.C. — Here, eat this root. 1000 A.D. — That herb is heathen. Here, say this prayer. 1850 A.D. — That prayer is superstition. Here, drink this potion. 1940 A.D. — That potion is snake oil. Here, swallow… read more "Hazards of Herbal Medicine: Lessons Learned from Aristolochia"
Flu Shots: Facts and Fallacies
Vaccination is one of science’s greatest accomplishments; vaccines have prevented millions of deaths and eliminated smallpox forever. But rejection of vaccination is as old as vaccination itself. Some objections to it needn’t be taken seriously, like the argument that illness and death are part of God’s plan and humans mustn’t… read more "Flu Shots: Facts and Fallacies"
Anti-Aging Claims: The Fountain of Youth is Still Only a Legend
The Spanish explorer Ponce de León wasn’t really looking for the Fountain of Youth when he trekked through Florida. That’s only a legend that wasn’t attached to his name until after his death. The idea of anti-aging remedies dates back to at least 3500 BCE, and the hope is alive… read more "Anti-Aging Claims: The Fountain of Youth is Still Only a Legend"
Scientology’s War on Medicine
Scientology has openly declared war on psychiatry and is ambivalent if not openly hostile towards the rest of medicine. Its “mind over matter” philosophy promises that attaining the “Clear” state will eliminate illness. Recently there has been a spate of exposés of Scientology, ably reviewed by Jim Lippard in Skeptic… read more "Scientology’s War on Medicine"
A Scientist in Wonderland
Edzard Ernst is one of those rare people who dare to question their own beliefs, look at the evidence without bias, and change their minds. He went from practicing alternative medicine to questioning it, to researching it, to becoming its most prolific critic. I have long admired his work, and… read more "A Scientist in Wonderland"