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How much of your health can you control?

How much of your health can you control?

The idea that we can control our health is powerful. It’s also false. Your whole health pie There are many slight variations on these percentages, but pooled resources and the most recent estimates consider a person's whole health picture to come down to several categories, including: * Genetics:

Authority & misbelief: 8 things to consider before you trust an expert's information

Authority & misbelief: 8 things to consider before you trust an expert's information

→ Want to read offline? Download this post as a PDF at the end of the article. 1. Expertise 2. Context 3. Accuracy 4. Liability 5. Proof 6. Rigor 7. Loyalty 8. Ethics Download this post as a PDF: Authority and misinformation in nutrition and diet content Factual Wellness8 things to

Fact-check: An experienced MD researcher made dubious claims about a supplement for multiple sclerosis

Fact-check: An experienced MD researcher made dubious claims about a supplement for multiple sclerosis

Short on time? Read the summary: → Terry Wahls, MD, MBA is the author of three books that have been (and still are) bestsellers. Her books occupy a substantial amount of consumer space online. If someone has MS, autoimmunity, or chronic disease and they search for nutrition or diet on Amazon

Why is a NYT bestselling author avoiding a journalist with fewer than 900 followers?

Why is a NYT bestselling author avoiding a journalist with fewer than 900 followers?

Short on time? Read the summary: → When professional journalism inquiries are viewed as complaints or harassment, the consumer is the one who suffers. Factual Wellness centers the needs and perspective of people with chronic illness and disability. Paleo and AIP are frequently marketed to this population. * Sarah Ballantyne, a PhD

A bestselling Paleo author now calls it pseudoscience and misinformation, so why is it still on her website?

A bestselling Paleo author now calls it pseudoscience and misinformation, so why is it still on her website?

Short on time? Read the summary: → Sarah Ballantyne, PhD (medical biophysics), is a bestselling author of Paleo books and Nutrivore, a food-scoring dietary philosophy. → Ballantyne has described Paleo and her former work as misinformation and pseudoscience but maintains an online presence on her Paleo-focused website. → Criticisms include the development of

An image of a grocery store aisle.

What does food insecurity actually mean?

Food insecurity is a term often discussed in health, wellness, and nutrition content, but not everyone has a clear understanding of what it means. Even as a nutrition grad student, I misunderstood the many ways that food insecurity could present in real life. A few years back, I saw a

Image of chips falling into a bowl on a green background.

Can ultra-processed foods be healthy?

Ultra-processed foods have been increasingly highlighted as a tension point among those who work in nutrition, health, or wellness. Ultra-Processed Upset A Time article from August described the efforts of Jessica Wilson, a registered dietitian fighting for ultraprocessed foods—and it's not because she works for the food

An image of vegetables, seeds, olive oil, and egg, representing a GAPS diet food plan.

Is the GAPS Diet backed by evidence?

The GAPS diet is short for Gut and Psychology Syndrome. It was created and trademarked by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, a neurosurgeon from the U.K. who obtained additional training in neurology and nutrition. Campbell-McBride described the GAPS diet protocol in the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism,

An image of a person appearing female in a dark room with only red light.

Does red light therapy help with mast cell issues?

Red light therapy is having a moment. It’s all over Instagram, and it’s been featured as a topic on multiple podcasts, patient-focused seminars, workshops, and conferences. Clinics that provide integrative or functional medicine sometimes offer it as a service for their patients, typically for an additional charge or

Arrows pointing in opposite directions.

What are confounding factors?

When studies are designed to look at cause-and-effect relationships, researchers have to consider confounding factors. What are confounding factors? Confounding factors are variables that can indirectly or directly influence a study's results. For researchers to accurately determine whether one thing has a direct impact on another, they have

Magnifying glass on top of open books.

How are scientific studies used to fact-check wellness claims?

There are many kinds of studies used in academic research. They involve different designs and types of data collection. The data and what the study investigates determines the kind of analysis method. What studies can (and can't) show Studies can be used for different purposes. Cell and animal

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Fact-checking claims about AG1

What is it? AG1 is a powdered greens supplement. One scoop (12 grams, or just shy of 1 tablespoon) is meant to be mixed with 8 oz of water and then consumed. What are its claims? AG1 claims it can replace multiple supplements while it "helps meet your foundational

An image of a computer, open book, and coffee mug representing the concept of research.

Do abstracts reveal what's important about a study?

Sometimes an abstract is a good summary of a study's results. Most of the time, it leaves out vital information needed to accurately verify a study's data, evidence, and conclusions. If you don't read beyond the abstract, your takeaway could be half-baked or misinformed.

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What are limitations?

Limitations are frequently discussed in the context of academic research. Limitations are a broad range of things that could influence the quality of the study's data and final conclusion. Examples of limitations are: * Missing data * Factors the researchers didn't consider * Not enough people in the study