The media has been full of stories this week about a recent determination by the World Health Organization: That processed meats such as bacon, sausage and ham increase the risk of developing colon cancer. [Read more…]
The body of evidence on meat and cancer
October 30, 2015 By Leave a Comment
High-intensity training: The holy grail of fitness?
August 4, 2015 By 1 Comment
Lately, I have found it difficult to find time to work out. Even though I really like to exercise, commitments to work and family take up most of my time, leaving little time for a long run or a trip to the gym. The data show I’m not alone. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, less than half of Americans meet the guidelines for aerobic exercise and less than a third complete the recommended amount of strengthening exercises. [Read more…]
Are medical talk shows credible?
June 22, 2015 By Leave a Comment
When you turn on the TV, pick up a newspaper or flip through a magazine, you’re likely to come across some advice on how to improve your health. Americans are hungry for “magic bullet” fixes to their health problems – whether it’s obesity, toenail fungus, or back pain. Our desire for medical advice has led to the rise of medical talk shows, where medical doctors offer health advice. But do these shows offer sound advice? [Read more…]
The evidence on sunscreen: Revisited
May 26, 2015 By 1 Comment
It’s only May, but I’m already slathering sunscreen on my kids each morning before school. Every year, before I stock up on our summer supply, I check with Environmental Working Group’s annual sunscreen report to make sure the formulation my family uses is as effective and safe as possible. [Read more…]
Growing evidence: Environmental factors influence heart disease
November 10, 2014 By Leave a Comment
In the United States, we regularly hear messages about how to prevent heart disease. Eat more vegetables. Exercise more. Avoid fatty meats. But there is a large and growing body of evidence that demonstrates the environment also impacts our risk of developing cardiovascular disease. [Read more…]
How important is breakfast?, Part 1
August 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Crowning breakfast as the most important meal of the day is a long-held conviction among many Americans and some nutritional experts. In reality, there are data on both sides of the debate showing that breakfast is essential to maintaining a healthy weight, and also that breakfast is no more important than any other meal for weight loss. Recently, new evidence sheds more light on the topic. [Read more…]
The science of cooking
August 19, 2014 By 8 Comments
As gardens and local farms are in full swing this month producing vegetables of all sorts, I’ve found myself revisiting America’s Test Kitchen to make sure I’m using evidence-based techniques in my kitchen. I thought it’d be a great time to revisit this post about this culinary research center. [Read more…]
Using evidence to ask the right questions
June 5, 2014 By 2 Comments
For decades, health and nutrition experts have built weight-loss programs around the commonly-accepted notion of balancing calories in and calories out. In other words, to lose weight, one simply needs to burn more calories than he eats. But there is growing evidence that’s only part of the equation for losing and maintaining a healthy weight. [Read more…]
The systematic review: “A social movement”
May 23, 2014 By 1 Comment
This blog was founded more than four years ago with the a focus on one key idea: Today, there more research available than ever before. So we set out to help readers separate the good scientific information from the bad. One great resource for that is the systematic review. [Read more…]
Why health journalism often gets it wrong
January 30, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Contradictory tips and strategies about how to improve our health fill the airwaves, magazines and newspapers year-round. Drink coffee; don’t drink coffee. Eat whole grains; avoid carbohydrates of any kind. Vitamin supplements are good for you; wait, no they’re not. All of these news stories claim they are based on “evidence.” So what’s the deal?
The real story behind MSG
November 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Every now and again, I crave Chinese food – cashew chicken, fried rice, and moo goo gai pan. So my husband and I will splurge on takeout and eat with chopsticks out of the cardboard containers. It’s absolutely delicious! And I fully understand why. Most Chinese restaurants cook with monosodium glutamate – commonly known as MSG. The additive has long gotten a bad rap for being unhealthy, but is it really bad for us?
The evidence on babies, sleep and crying
August 27, 2013 By 51 Comments
I’ve still got babies on the brain as I refresh my memory on how to care for a newborn. By the time they were two months old, my two older children were learning to sleep in their cribs. That meant letting them cry and learn to settle themselves when I knew all of their needs were met. So I was curious to read some recent media reports about the evidence on “crying-it-out.”
