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Eater
5 days ago
- Health
- Eater
The Forgotten History (and Slippery Science) of Canola Oil
If you've been hearing that canola is a killer, you're not alone. It's one of the so-called 'hateful eight' seed oils: Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. says it's among the most deadly things you can eat, and Joe Rogan agrees. But is it true? In a recent episode of Eater podcast, Gastropod, co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley get to the bottom of the debate over the plant formerly (and still, in some places) known as rapeseed. Why does it have such an unfortunate name, and how did it transform into canola, at least in North America? Is it really engine oil? Does it actually contain a poisonous solvent? And why on earth are Brits buying up a fancy cold-pressed version by the gallon, as the new, home-grown olive oil? Are they roasting their potatoes with an inflammation- and disease-causing disaster? Listen to the episode for the forgotten history and slippery science of this much discussed, little understood oil. And read on for an edited excerpt from the episode, in which Carla Taylor, professor in food and human nutritional sciences at the University of Manitoba, Matti Marklund, nutrition scientist at Johns Hopkins University, and Darriush Mozaffarian, cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, share the most rigorous and up-to-date scientific consensus on canola oil and health — and the evidence behind it. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Fox News : Seed oils are one of the… most unhealthy ingredients that we have in foods. [...] They're very very cheap, but they — they are associated with all kinds of very very serious illnesses. Including body wide inflammation. Joe Rogan, The Joe Rogan Experience : Seed oils are some of the worst fucking things your body can consume. There's some sort of a correlation between seed oils and macular degeneration. Like, it causes inflammation, and inflammation is fucking terrible for you, no matter what. Nicola Twilley, Gastropod co-host: We, like many of you, have been hearing this anti-seed oil propaganda for a while now. Thanks to all the haters out there, a lot of people are now cutting out canola along with its fellow seed oils. So what's the truth? Cynthia Graber, Gastropod co-host: Inflammation is blamed for just about every health problem these days, but the science of it is definitely more nuanced. Inflammation can be bad, but also a little inflammation can sometimes help you heal. That's part of why this immune system response exists. Twilley: The problem with canola — again, according to the critics — is to do with the particular fatty acids it contains. Carla Taylor, University of Manitoba: Canola oil is known for its high monounsaturated fatty acid content. Graber: The term monounsaturated has to do with its structure. Monounsaturated fatty acids are the kinds of fatty acids you find a lot of in vegetable oils like olive oils. Our bodies can make monounsaturated fatty acids, but it's also important that we get them from food. Twilley: Saturated fatty acids are fats like in meat, cheese, coconut oil, and palm oil, and science has shown pretty clearly that these aren't as great in large amounts for most of us for our overall health. Canola oil has very little saturated fat. Graber: And then there's what's known as polyunsaturated fatty acids. These are the omega fats — omega-3 and omega-6 are the main ones. Twilley: Guess what, canola oil has those, too. Taylor: It also has a fairly good level of omega-3 as ALA, alpha linolenic acid. And the other polyunsaturated fatty acid there, besides the ALA, is primarily what we abbreviate as LA or linoleic acid, which is an omega-6 fatty acid. If we get those in our diet, then we can convert them to all these other fatty acids that we need in our body. Graber: Omega-3 and omega-6 are called essential fatty acids because our bodies need them, and we can't make them ourselves. We have to get them in food. Twilley: So: great! Canola has both of these essential polyunsaturated fatty acids. But then the argument goes, the linoleic acid, the LA — which is the omega-6 — in our bodies, that becomes something called arachidonic acid. Matti Marklund, Johns Hopkins University: Another omega-6 fatty acid. Which can be turned into pro-inflammatory metabolites. Graber: Matti Marklund and a team of researchers around the world tried to figure out whether eating linoleic acid was connected to arachidonic acid and to bad health outcomes. And, as we discussed in our recent episode about nutrition science, it's hard to get good information on what people eat, so they found a way to measure it that was much more scientific. Marklund: Instead of asking people what they are eating, can we take a blood sample and measure the fatty acid concentration in the blood? Twilley: Matti and his colleagues analyzed the data from more than 30 different studies involving more than 70,000 people from different countries. Some of them were short term studies, some ran for more than thirty years. Marklund: And during that follow up time, we are looking at how many people are developing cardiovascular disease. We also looked at cardiovascular mortality as an outcome. And what we found was that those with the highest levels of linoleic acid in their blood had the lowest risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Twilley: So that's good, right? Lower risk of cardiovascular disease sounds like a win to me. Graber: But what about this idea that linoleic acid or omega 6 turns into arachidonic acid and that's where the problem lies? Well, Matti told us that first of all arachidonic acid turns into different chemicals in the body, some cause inflammation and some actually are anti-inflammatory. But even more importantly, it seems as though, inside our bodies, linoleic acid doesn't turn into much arachidonic acid at all. Marklund: Studies using a stable isotope — so they can actually look at the specific molecules — they have found that there is very limited conversion of linoleic acid to arachidonic acid in the human body. Twilley: So that whole mechanism that's supposed to be behind the omega-6s in canola and other seed oils causing inflammation — it turns out that's not what's actually going on. In fact, Matti told us, the evidence suggests that linoleic acid — the supposedly bad stuff in canola oil — it not only doesn't increase inflammation, it also seems to have some real health benefits, and not just for lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Marklund: We also found that linoleic acid was strongly associated with lower risk of type two diabetes. So linoleic acid, we know, can, can also improve glucose metabolism. And there are other data suggesting that linoleic acid reduces inflammation, it can also reduce blood pressure. Graber: But another thing that seed oil haters claim is that it's the ratio, that we have way too much omega-6 compared to omega-3 in our diets today, and that's what's making us sick. Matti checked for that, too. Marklund: Yeah, we did. So we did statistically adjust for omega-3 fatty acid levels, and we also did kind of stratified analysis where we look specifically in those with low omega-3 and those with high omega-3 acid levels. And we didn't see any difference in this association between linoleic acid and cardiovascular disease. So our study and other studies does not really suggest that the ratio itself should be changed by reducing omega-6 fatty acids. It's more, probably, that you should increase omega-3 fatty acids to improve the ratio. Twilley: In other words, cutting out seed oils is not going to help boost your omega-3 levels. For that, you have to eat more omega-3s. And, outside of oily fish, which are delicious but which most Americans consume very little of — and outside of tofu and chia seeds and flaxseed, which are also pretty underrepresented in the standard Western diet — canola is actually a bit of a omega-3 superstar. Taylor: It is at a level that is a little bit higher than soybean oil. Definitely much higher than the omega-3 found in something like corn oil or the traditional sunflower, safflower oils and so forth. And also compared to olive oil, canola oil has a much higher level of omega-3. Graber: Darriush Mozaffarian is director of the Tufts University Food is Medicine Institute and he's one of the co-authors of Matti's study. He says basically there's no reason to avoid canola or any other seed oil. Darriush Mozaffarian, Tufts University: This is, you know, one of the great Internet myths that's out there, that seed oils are harmful. Canola oil has been studied in well over a hundred randomized control trials and overwhelmingly been shown to improve every risk factor that has been looked at, and never been shown to be pro inflammatory, which is kind of the theory. We have all the science. Like, we don't need any more studies on canola oil. This is one of the most well established areas of science there is, is the health effects of plant oils. Twilley: So, long story short: RFK and Joe Rogan, and a whole bunch of other online influencer types are, to put it politely, completely and utterly incorrect on this issue, as well as many others. Graber: Now, just saying that a processed junk food like cookies or chips has canola oil won't give it magical health-promoting properties, of course. And we certainly can't say that there won't ever be research linking omega-6s to increased risk of any disease. Still, Matti and Darriush and Carla and everyone else who studies it say that canola and other seed oils are fine. The freshest news from the food world every day
30-05-2025
- Health
Food and fitness make or break success on weight loss meds, report finds
Drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound -- GLP-1 medications typically used to treat obesity -- can lead to impressive weight loss. But a new joint advisory from four major medical groups warns that without proper nutrition and lifestyle support, people may face muscle loss, weight regain, and high long-term costs once they take themselves off GLP-1 medications. Experts from the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the American Society for Nutrition, the Obesity Medicine Association and The Obesity Society contributed to the report, which noted that only about half of users continue taking their GLP-1 medication after one year and only about 15% remain on treatment after two years. Many people stop taking GLP-1 medications due to side effects, cost or disappointing results -- and when they do, they often regain weight, making long-term success depend on consistent use and a healthy diet, the report stated. The report aims to guide both clinicians and patients on nutrition and lifestyle changes to improve long-term outcomes while taking a GLP-1. "We really wanted to bring in four major societies together that focus on nutrition, lifestyle, [and] obesity and come with a consensus statement on how nutrition should be thought about when prescribing these drugs," Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist, director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University, and the report's lead author, told ABC News. Mozaffarian explained that for someone to achieve success on a GLP-1, they need to commit to comprehensive lifestyle changes. "The FDA says these drugs are approved for use as an adjunct to lifestyle therapy," he said. "In fact, they are prescribed the other way around with lifestyle therapy being the adjunct if being thought about at all. Doctors are not following either society guidelines or FDA guidelines if they are prescribing [GLP-1s] without lifestyle therapy." Before starting GLP-1 medications, the report recommended that patients work with their doctors to set goals that focus on overall health, not just weight loss. It's also important to check for any stomach or bone issues that could lead to side effects like nausea, vomiting, or muscle and bone loss, the report stated. "Registered dietitians can play really key roles in comprehensive obesity care by providing medical nutrition therapy to support GLP-1 therapy," said Emily A. Callahan, registered dietitian nutritionist and director of policy strategy for the Food is Medicine Institute. "The evidence space is growing that shows when registered dietitians deliver medical nutrition therapy, it has been associated with improvements in body weight, waist circumference, blood pressure and glycemic control." People should usually start GLP-1 medications at the lowest dose and slowly increase as needed, the report said. Patients should also be aware that nausea is common when taking these drugs and this may trigger cravings for sugary, high-calorie comfort foods that work against weight loss. To stay on track, the report recommended eating small, frequent meals and focusing on minimally processed, nutrient-rich foods. The report called for exercising special caution for anyone following an intermittent fasting diet or a low-carbohydrate "keto diet" that limits foods like breads, pastas and fruit to put the body into a state called ketosis, where it burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. These individuals might be especially vulnerable to gastrointestinal side effects, the report said. The report also advised people who may not be getting enough nutrients to consider taking supplements like vitamin D, calcium and multivitamins, while increasing protein intake by 50-100% from foods such as fish, eggs, nuts and seeds. This is especially important for those eating less while on GLP-1s, since lower food intake can make it harder to get all the nutrients the body needs. The report also underscored the importance of maintaining muscle mass and bone density while losing weight. Since weight loss can also lead to muscle loss -- especially in older adults -- the report advised doing a full body strength training routine at least three times a week and getting 150 minutes of moderate cardio each week. Focusing on nutrition, physical activity and other healthy lifestyle habits should give GLP-1 users a greater chance of achieving their goals, the report concluded. "GLP-1s have the best chance of helping people achieve and sustain lasting weight reduction when they are paired with strong nutrition guidance and lifestyle support," said Callahan.
CNN
16-02-2025
- Health
- CNN
Netflix's ‘Apple Cider Vinegar' takes aim at wellness influencers, but there's another problem
Netflix's new series 'Apple Cider Vinegar' certainly takes aim at wellness influencers, but the Western medical system isn't safe from criticism either. The show is a dramatization of the story of Belle Gibson, a convicted Australian scammer who claimed she had terminal brain cancer who is played by Kaitlyn Dever, and the impact she had by selling books and an app that claimed clean eating made her well again. Also featured is a fictionalized representation of one of the people Gibson impacted named Lucy. In the show, her character stops her cancer treatments in hopes that Gibson's method will cure her in a more compassionate way than the hospital system. Show creator Samantha Strauss said the character of Lucy was important to depict what a lot of people feel when fighting a disease: not listened to, not in control and not acknowledged as a full person. 'So, it makes sense we want to put our faith in the hands of someone (likely beautiful) on the internet,' Straus said in an email. 'We know they're selling us something, but when you're terrified that you're sick and dying, or that someone you love is sick and dying, you can't put a price on hope.' The problems depicted in the show are not just a work of fiction. There is a real need for more widespread preventative and lifestyle treatment in the US medical system, said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University in Massachusetts. 'There are many patients who are suffering from auto immune diseases, chronic pain diseases, other chronic diseases where their regular medical system has failed them,' he said. 'It's basically just doing kind of Band-Aid fixes to get them past their symptoms.' Doctors often know that patients feel gaps in care 'It's entirely understandable that people are starving … for information around healthy eating,' Mozaffarian said. Diseases that the scientists know are connected to diet –– including diabetes, heart disease, depression and gut problems –– are rampant, he said. And not enough funding has gone into research about how other health problems are connected to what you eat, Mozaffarian said. That means many times you go to see a doctor they aren't going to have a lot of current information on how foods or behaviors impact your concerns, he said. 'You have this perfect storm of widespread disease, widespread confusion and widespread desperation for information,' Mozaffarian added. 'And while that craving for better nutrition information can be a good thing, it also leaves people open to people with half-true or completely false health claims to step in.' In addition, people don't always feel comfortable bringing their wellness practices to their doctor, said Dr. Summer Allen, a family medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. 'They don't feel like they're going to have someone give them an open mind or try to understand what's drawn them to a certain behavior or to a certain lifestyle or health,' she said. Traditionally, medicine has worked in a paternalistic way, she said. You explained your symptoms to your doctor, they told you what to do, and you did it. 'That's just not where we're at from a society standpoint, given just the abundance of knowledge and information we have now, and also because people really are experts about their body and what they're experiencing,' she said. Respected resources exist but can be hard to access Ideally, everyone would have a team of health care providers who collaborated with you and could help guide you in the behavioral changes to improve your health, but unfortunately, that isn't always easy, Allen said. But as some professionals in the field advocate for a more whole-person approach, there are things you can do to connect with resources who can help you integrate prevention, behavior and alternative approaches into your care, she said. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has a certification for doctors who specialize in behavioral medicine, and you can search for a doctor near you in the database, said Dr. Jonathan Bonnet, a lifestyle medicine-certified physician and clinical associate professor (affiliate) at Stanford University School of Medicine. Not all insurance plans cover it, but nutritionists are also really helpful for wading through what nutrition 'hacks' are worthwhile and what you should focus your diet on for better health, Mozaffarian said. Striking a balance The truth is, the things that are shown to be most important to your health aren't exciting and they aren't a product you can buy, Bonnet said. 'If anyone is telling you, hey, this is going to change our world and cure everything, that would be more suspect,' Bonnet said. 'The larger the claim, the more suspicious I would be.' Sleeping well, eating whole foods, getting physical activity, reducing your stress and maintaining close relationships should be your biggest priorities –– whether you are fighting a disease or not, he added. When a new hack or wellness trend pops up, Mozaffarian recommends utilizing a triangle of trust, that is three sources that you trust sharing positive information about it. They could be a government source, a university site, a trusted physician or even studies in a medical journal, he added. But you don't have to choose between traditional or alternative medicine, Mozaffarian said. They can work together. 'There are some really good functional medicine doctors who have spent their careers thinking about these things and trying to go to the root cause of disease,' he said. 'But there are also a lot who don't know really what they're doing.' And practices that are seen as outside the US medical system, like acupuncture and meditation, actually do show real scientific benefit, he added. 'There have been randomized trials showing that they make a difference in people's lives and sometimes even beat out medicines for certain conditions,' Mozaffarian said. Whatever practices or supplements you try, just be sure to tell your doctor about it, Allen said. Some patients are scared to disclose alternative methods they have tried, but it is important that your doctor know so they do not prescribe anything that is harmful when combined with what you are already doing, she said. Spoiler alert ahead At the end of the show (spoiler alert), next to depictions of the downfall of a wellness scammer, the audience sees Lucy going for her chemotherapy treatments while also doing yoga, taking ice baths and meditating. Balance is key, Strauss said.
CNN
16-02-2025
- Health
- CNN
Netflix's series ‘Apple Cider Vinegar' shows that influencers aren't the only problem. Medical care has gaps, too
Netflix's new series 'Apple Cider Vinegar' certainly takes aim at wellness influencers, but the Western medical system isn't safe from criticism either. The show is a dramatization of the story of Belle Gibson, a convicted Australian scammer who claimed she had terminal brain cancer who is played by Kaitlyn Dever, and the impact she had by selling books and an app that claimed clean eating made her well again. Also featured is a fictionalized representation of one of the people Gibson impacted named Lucy. In the show, her character stops her cancer treatments in hopes that Gibson's method will cure her in a more compassionate way than the hospital system. Show creator Samantha Strauss said the character of Lucy was important to depict what a lot of people feel when fighting a disease: not listened to, not in control and not acknowledged as a full person. 'So, it makes sense we want to put our faith in the hands of someone (likely beautiful) on the internet,' Straus said in an email. 'We know they're selling us something, but when you're terrified that you're sick and dying, or that someone you love is sick and dying, you can't put a price on hope.' The problems depicted in the show are not just a work of fiction. There is a real need for more widespread preventative and lifestyle treatment in the US medical system, said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University in Massachusetts. 'There are many patients who are suffering from auto immune diseases, chronic pain diseases, other chronic diseases where their regular medical system has failed them,' he said. 'It's basically just doing kind of Band-Aid fixes to get them past their symptoms.' Doctors often know that patients feel gaps in care 'It's entirely understandable that people are starving … for information around healthy eating,' Mozaffarian said. Diseases that the scientists know are connected to diet –– including diabetes, heart disease, depression and gut problems –– are rampant, he said. And not enough funding has gone into research about how other health problems are connected to what you eat, Mozaffarian said. That means many times you go to see a doctor they aren't going to have a lot of current information on how foods or behaviors impact your concerns, he said. 'You have this perfect storm of widespread disease, widespread confusion and widespread desperation for information,' Mozaffarian added. 'And while that craving for better nutrition information can be a good thing, it also leaves people open to people with half-true or completely false health claims to step in.' In addition, people don't always feel comfortable bringing their wellness practices to their doctor, said Dr. Summer Allen, a family medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. 'They don't feel like they're going to have someone give them an open mind or try to understand what's drawn them to a certain behavior or to a certain lifestyle or health,' she said. Traditionally, medicine has worked in a paternalistic way, she said. You explained your symptoms to your doctor, they told you what to do, and you did it. 'That's just not where we're at from a society standpoint, given just the abundance of knowledge and information we have now, and also because people really are experts about their body and what they're experiencing,' she said. Respected resources exist but can be hard to access Ideally, everyone would have a team of health care providers who collaborated with you and could help guide you in the behavioral changes to improve your health, but unfortunately, that isn't always easy, Allen said. But as some professionals in the field advocate for a more whole-person approach, there are things you can do to connect with resources who can help you integrate prevention, behavior and alternative approaches into your care, she said. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has a certification for doctors who specialize in behavioral medicine, and you can search for a doctor near you in the database, said Dr. Jonathan Bonnet, a lifestyle medicine-certified physician and clinical associate professor (affiliate) at Stanford University School of Medicine. Not all insurance plans cover it, but nutritionists are also really helpful for wading through what nutrition 'hacks' are worthwhile and what you should focus your diet on for better health, Mozaffarian said. Striking a balance The truth is, the things that are shown to be most important to your health aren't exciting and they aren't a product you can buy, Bonnet said. 'If anyone is telling you, hey, this is going to change our world and cure everything, that would be more suspect,' Bonnet said. 'The larger the claim, the more suspicious I would be.' Sleeping well, eating whole foods, getting physical activity, reducing your stress and maintaining close relationships should be your biggest priorities –– whether you are fighting a disease or not, he added. When a new hack or wellness trend pops up, Mozaffarian recommends utilizing a triangle of trust, that is three sources that you trust sharing positive information about it. They could be a government source, a university site, a trusted physician or even studies in a medical journal, he added. But you don't have to choose between traditional or alternative medicine, Mozaffarian said. They can work together. 'There are some really good functional medicine doctors who have spent their careers thinking about these things and trying to go to the root cause of disease,' he said. 'But there are also a lot who don't know really what they're doing.' And practices that are seen as outside the US medical system, like acupuncture and meditation, actually do show real scientific benefit, he added. 'There have been randomized trials showing that they make a difference in people's lives and sometimes even beat out medicines for certain conditions,' Mozaffarian said. Whatever practices or supplements you try, just be sure to tell your doctor about it, Allen said. Some patients are scared to disclose alternative methods they have tried, but it is important that your doctor know so they do not prescribe anything that is harmful when combined with what you are already doing, she said. Spoiler alert ahead At the end of the show (spoiler alert), next to depictions of the downfall of a wellness scammer, the audience sees Lucy going for her chemotherapy treatments while also doing yoga, taking ice baths and meditating. Balance is key, Strauss said.
CNN
16-02-2025
- Health
- CNN
Netflix's series ‘Apple Cider Vinegar' shows that influencers aren't the only problem. Medical care has gaps, too
Netflix's new series 'Apple Cider Vinegar' certainly takes aim at wellness influencers, but the Western medical system isn't safe from criticism either. The show is a dramatization of the story of Belle Gibson, a convicted Australian scammer who claimed she had terminal brain cancer who is played by Kaitlyn Dever, and the impact she had by selling books and an app that claimed clean eating made her well again. Also featured is a fictionalized representation of one of the people Gibson impacted named Lucy. In the show, her character stops her cancer treatments in hopes that Gibson's method will cure her in a more compassionate way than the hospital system. Show creator Samantha Strauss said the character of Lucy was important to depict what a lot of people feel when fighting a disease: not listened to, not in control and not acknowledged as a full person. 'So, it makes sense we want to put our faith in the hands of someone (likely beautiful) on the internet,' Straus said in an email. 'We know they're selling us something, but when you're terrified that you're sick and dying, or that someone you love is sick and dying, you can't put a price on hope.' The problems depicted in the show are not just a work of fiction. There is a real need for more widespread preventative and lifestyle treatment in the US medical system, said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, a cardiologist and director of the Food is Medicine Institute at Tufts University in Massachusetts. 'There are many patients who are suffering from auto immune diseases, chronic pain diseases, other chronic diseases where their regular medical system has failed them,' he said. 'It's basically just doing kind of Band-Aid fixes to get them past their symptoms.' Doctors often know that patients feel gaps in care 'It's entirely understandable that people are starving … for information around healthy eating,' Mozaffarian said. Diseases that the scientists know are connected to diet –– including diabetes, heart disease, depression and gut problems –– are rampant, he said. And not enough funding has gone into research about how other health problems are connected to what you eat, Mozaffarian said. That means many times you go to see a doctor they aren't going to have a lot of current information on how foods or behaviors impact your concerns, he said. 'You have this perfect storm of widespread disease, widespread confusion and widespread desperation for information,' Mozaffarian added. 'And while that craving for better nutrition information can be a good thing, it also leaves people open to people with half-true or completely false health claims to step in.' In addition, people don't always feel comfortable bringing their wellness practices to their doctor, said Dr. Summer Allen, a family medicine physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. 'They don't feel like they're going to have someone give them an open mind or try to understand what's drawn them to a certain behavior or to a certain lifestyle or health,' she said. Traditionally, medicine has worked in a paternalistic way, she said. You explained your symptoms to your doctor, they told you what to do, and you did it. 'That's just not where we're at from a society standpoint, given just the abundance of knowledge and information we have now, and also because people really are experts about their body and what they're experiencing,' she said. Respected resources exist but can be hard to access Ideally, everyone would have a team of health care providers who collaborated with you and could help guide you in the behavioral changes to improve your health, but unfortunately, that isn't always easy, Allen said. But as some professionals in the field advocate for a more whole-person approach, there are things you can do to connect with resources who can help you integrate prevention, behavior and alternative approaches into your care, she said. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine has a certification for doctors who specialize in behavioral medicine, and you can search for a doctor near you in the database, said Dr. Jonathan Bonnet, a lifestyle medicine-certified physician and clinical associate professor (affiliate) at Stanford University School of Medicine. Not all insurance plans cover it, but nutritionists are also really helpful for wading through what nutrition 'hacks' are worthwhile and what you should focus your diet on for better health, Mozaffarian said. Striking a balance The truth is, the things that are shown to be most important to your health aren't exciting and they aren't a product you can buy, Bonnet said. 'If anyone is telling you, hey, this is going to change our world and cure everything, that would be more suspect,' Bonnet said. 'The larger the claim, the more suspicious I would be.' Sleeping well, eating whole foods, getting physical activity, reducing your stress and maintaining close relationships should be your biggest priorities –– whether you are fighting a disease or not, he added. When a new hack or wellness trend pops up, Mozaffarian recommends utilizing a triangle of trust, that is three sources that you trust sharing positive information about it. They could be a government source, a university site, a trusted physician or even studies in a medical journal, he added. But you don't have to choose between traditional or alternative medicine, Mozaffarian said. They can work together. 'There are some really good functional medicine doctors who have spent their careers thinking about these things and trying to go to the root cause of disease,' he said. 'But there are also a lot who don't know really what they're doing.' And practices that are seen as outside the US medical system, like acupuncture and meditation, actually do show real scientific benefit, he added. 'There have been randomized trials showing that they make a difference in people's lives and sometimes even beat out medicines for certain conditions,' Mozaffarian said. Whatever practices or supplements you try, just be sure to tell your doctor about it, Allen said. Some patients are scared to disclose alternative methods they have tried, but it is important that your doctor know so they do not prescribe anything that is harmful when combined with what you are already doing, she said. Spoiler alert ahead At the end of the show (spoiler alert), next to depictions of the downfall of a wellness scammer, the audience sees Lucy going for her chemotherapy treatments while also doing yoga, taking ice baths and meditating. Balance is key, Strauss said.
