Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Ultra-processed foods now make up 60% of the American diet. With obesity and diabetes rates soaring, many blame these convenient, affordable foods for our health crisis. As a physician and scientist, I’ve examined the evidence to understand what’s real and what’s hype. How We Got Here Just 75 years ago, […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Cancer is a word none of us want to hear—and yet, about 1 in 3 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime. It’s the second leading cause of death, and for many, it’s the most terrifying. But here’s something you may not hear enough: about […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube We’ve all heard the heartfelt reassurances—“I’ll pray for you,” “Your positive spirit will beat this,” or “Just stay optimistic.” These sentiments are comforting, but when serious illness strikes, the real question becomes: Does the power of positive thinking actually help? Let’s explore what the evidence says—starting with an area where […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Eventually, you or someone you love will face a serious illness. It often comes suddenly—a scan, a biopsy, a moment in a quiet room when the doctor delivers news that splits life into “before” and “after.” I’ve walked this road with patients. Recently, I walked it again—with my wife, Gail. […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Do you find yourself reaching for a second helping even when you’ve eaten quite a few calories? Or struggling to cut back on calories, only to feel constantly unsatisfied? You’re not alone—and it turns out that how much we eat is heavily influenced by what we eat. I’ve personally seen […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Do you ever feel like wellness requires a spreadsheet, a stopwatch, and a second career? Between supplements, sleep tracking, cold plunges, organic meals, screenings, and meditation apps—not to mention avoiding sugar, alcohol, and ultra-processed everything—it’s enough to make anyone want to throw in the towel. I get it. In this […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Are You Buying Health—or Just a Better-Sounding Label? The Truth About Organic Foods You’re in the produce aisle, weighing your options: a $2.70/lb organic Fuji apple or the $1.42/lb conventional one. Over in meats, it’s $9/lb for organic chicken versus $5/lb for the conventional kind. The prices are real—and so […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube When we think about life-threatening health risks, heart attacks often dominate the conversation. But strokes—equally devastating—deserve just as much attention. In fact, nearly as many strokes occur each year as heart attacks, and the aftermath can be more debilitating. About 800,000 people experience a stroke annually in the U.S., with […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube It’s easy to get swept up in the promise of the latest wellness trend. Maybe it’s vitamin infusions, red light therapy, or the supposed miracle of hyperbaric oxygen for fatigue. The claims sound compelling—rooted in real science, supported by a few glowing anecdotes. But when we chase what “might” help […]

Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Podcast Index | Overcast | YouTube Everywhere you turn, there’s another “miracle cure.” A new supplement, a “doctor-secret” detox, or a high-tech device promising to fix your mitochondria or reboot your microbiome. It all sounds compelling—because it’s designed to. But as I often remind listeners and patients alike: just because something makes sense biochemically doesn’t mean […]