Part 2: How To Identify The Lies That Popular Media Spews About Wellness (& My Reply To “The Most Overhyped Wellness Promises, Debunked”)
Boundless Life
Myth-Busting Wellness Practices
This chapter explores various myths and misconceptions surrounding wellness practices, including the role of crystals in technology, the effectiveness of colonic hydrotherapy, and the benefits of red wine and Epsom salts. It critically examines popular health trends, challenging the validity of claims about meditation, dietary choices, and hormonal contraception. Through scientific insights and personal experiences, the chapter highlights the necessity of reliable evidence in navigating wellness narratives.
Click here for a downloadable PDF version of show notes for this episode.
The popular website Vice published a controversial article last week entitled "The Most Overhyped Wellness Promises, Debunked." Chock full of skepticism about keto, colonics, charcoal, and more, the article created plenty of buzz—both good and bad—across the internet...
...and in today's podcast, I'm going to address the Vice article in full, including debunking plenty of the BS that was in the article, presenting research-based facts about so-called wellness myths (including a few that will surprise, such as the truth about charcoal toothpaste and sea salt), and set the good folks at Vice right. Enjoy, and be sure to leave your own comments and feedback in the comments section below.
You can find Part 1 of this series, where I debunked the first 22 "myths" found in the article here. Now, here are my responses to Myths 23-44: -Myth #23: Red yeast rice supplements aren’t that effective at lowering cholesterol...7:08- Red Yeast Rice: Benefits, Side Effects and Dosage
- Contains monacolin K (same thing found in statins)
- Some forms don't contain doses as high as found in literature
- Can affect cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure
- Greater insulin insensitivity
- Prevented increases in cholesterol levels in rats
- Decreased tumor levels and cancer cell growth
- Red yeast rice supplements contain only trace amounts of monacolin K (check label carefully)
- Placenta – Worth Trying? Human Maternal Placentophagy: Possible Benefit and Potential Risks
- Nutritional composition: whole host of vitamins, interesting hormonal profile
- Effective in treating depressive moods, post-partum depression
- Not much human clinical research verifying the efficacy of eating the placenta
- The Two Sides of the Story: Is Microwave Radiation Harmful?
- Dehydrates, hurts the taste of food
- It may not be bad for your food, but it may be bad for you
- Non-native EMFs
- How Crystals Work: The Science of Crystal Healing
- LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
- Crystals contain quartz (cilica dioxide)
- Much of modern computing depends on crystals
- Marcel Vogel: Pioneer of crystal research
- Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
- Mind to Matter by Dr. Dawson Church
- No human clinical research on crystal's efficacy on healing and stress relief
- Himalayan Salt Lamp
- Is a Colon Cleanse Actually Beneficial? What You Must Know...
- Can be helpful for some people
- Limited research to show its efficacy
- Need to repopulate the colon with a probiotic after a colonic hydrotherapy
- People feel amazing after the therapy; release of bile by the liver
- May be worth investigating if you have chronic constipation (after other resources have been exhausted)
- "I could probably do a whole podcast on the health benefits of red wine." --Ben Greenfield
- Contribution of Red Wine Consumption to Human Health Protection
- Resveratrol claims have been greatly exaggerated
- Blue zone inhabitants habitually drink red wine
- Blue Zones, by Dan Buettner
- Women are at lower risk for many health issues
- Good effects on cardiovascular system
- Beneficial for heart cells
- When wine paired with physical exercise, improve LDL to HDL ratios dramatically
- Beneficial effect on blood pressure
- The French Paradox: Lessons for Other Countries
- Fit Vine Wine (Use code: GREENFIELD for 10% off)
- BGF podcast w/ Todd White of Dry Farm Wines
- Pharmaceutical Influences of Epsom Salts | Insight Medical Publishing
- Sulfate ions may help in removing toxins and heavy metals from cells
- Ben uses magnesium sulfate salts, not Epsom salts
- Weekly bath in Epsom salts can support recovery, relaxation, sleep
- Vice is correct on the claim on muscle pain
- Can Exercise Prevent Depression? Here's What the Science Says | Time Magazine
- Exercise can protect against depression, but depression doesn't prevent someone from exercising
- Weightlifting and running increase blood to the brain
- Small amounts improve mental health (walking after a meal)
- Numerous studies contradict the claim from the vice article
- Meditation is a Powerful Mental Tool - And for Some People It Goes Terribly Wrong
- Some get hyper-aroused when they meditate; could be because of increase in mindfulness
- Can be avoided with proper instruction and preparation
- Whole-Body Cryotherapy Decreases the Levels of Inflammatory, Oxidative Stress
- Cold-water immersion is superior to whole-body cryotherapy; but cryotherapy is effective in muscle recovery
- May not see a marked improvement immediately after, but it does help in recovery
- Four Pillars of Excellence
- Ben agrees with this one!
- Cyrex Labs
- Should Men Cut Back On their Soy Intake?
- Gynecomastia
- This myth is the result of one individual who claims his man boobs are the result of increased soy intake
- Eat fermented forms of soy
- Estrogeneration by Dr. Anthony Jay
- GPR30 Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated With Gynecomastia Risk in Adolescents
- Oral Contraceptives and Breast Cancer: A Review of the Epidemiological Evidence With an Emphasis on Younger Women
- Study Finds Weak Link Between Birth Control and Breast Cancer
- New Study Finds Relationship Between Birth Control and Cancer
- What is Hydrogen Water? Benefits & Effects - SelfHacked
- Hydrogen affects 63 different diseases because of impact on free radicals, cells, etc.
- H2 safe for stroke patients
- Parkinson's patients show improvement
- Protective effect in the brain, specifically hippocampus
- Anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-oxidative effect
- Bottom line: Ben doesn't agree...
- Fasting and Exercise: What Are the Benefits?
- Intermittent Fasting for Athletes: Benefits and Concerns
- This one is partly true, but you can definitely lose fat while working out on an empty stomach
- Possible decrease in testosterone
- Can affect muscle buildup
- Ben agrees with this one
- IV Vitamin Therapy: Your Questions Answered
- BGF Podcast with Dr. Craig Koniver
- Fat Loss Showdown: Does HIIT or Steady State Cardio Burn More Fat?
- Study showed 3x greater fat loss in a HIIT regimen vs. steady state
- Post-exercise oxygen deficit
- Increase in metabolic rate that stays longer than steady state exercise
- HIIT may have appetite suppressing effect
- Ben agrees that some of the claims have been exaggerated, however HIIT is superior to steady state training
- Superfoods: Health Benefits, Uses and Risks
- Some "superfoods" have been blown out of proportion; however some foods are clearly more nutritious than others (blueberries vs. Oreos)
- Are Nightshade Vegetables Bad for You? An Evidence-Based Look
- Paleo auto-immune protocol
- Ben agrees
- Celery Juice: Benefits and Myths
- Celery isn't bad for you, but its benefits are limited
- Any benefit is usually from the celery leaf, not the juice
- Ben disagrees
- Research Exposes New Health Risks of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes and Salmon
- Ten Scientific Studies Prove that Genetically Modified Food Can Be Harmful to Human Health
- DNA from genetically modified crops have been shown to transfer to humans
- GMO cord has caused tumors in rats
- Glyphosate linked to birth defects and many more issues
- GMO risk assessment based on very little science recommendations
- Biology of Belief by Dr. Bruce Lipton
- Mind to Matter by Dr. Dawson Church
- Fit Vine Wine (Use code: GREENFIELD for 10% off)
- BGF podcast w/ Todd White of Dry Farm Wines
- Estrogeneration by Dr. Anthony Jay
- BGF Podcast with Dr. Craig Koniver
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Got questions, comments or feedback for me about anything I discussed in this episode? Leave a comment at https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/vicepodcast2, and I'll reply!
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