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"
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?"
Artificial Sweeteners: Is Aspartame Safe?
Note: This was originally published as a “SkepDoc” column in Skeptic magazine under the title “Aspartame: Safe Sweetener or Perilous Poison?” and is reprinted here with the kind permission of Michael Shermer. There are other artificial sweeteners not specifically addressed here, but as far as I know there are no… read more "Artificial Sweeteners: Is Aspartame Safe?"
Aspartame: Safe Sweetener or Perilous Poison?
Aspartame is a low calorie sugar substitute marketed under brand names like Equal and Nutrasweet. It is a combination of two amino acids: L-aspartic acid and L-phenylalanine. It is available as individual packets for adding to foods and it is a component of many diet soft drinks and other reduced-calorie… read more "Aspartame: Safe Sweetener or Perilous Poison?"