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October is Health Literacy Month!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
The U.S. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (did you even know your taxpayer dollars were funding such an entity?) has designated October “Health Literacy Month”: “ . . . a time to recognize the importance of making health…read more
News Roundup: Dead Butt Syndrome, rethinking fluoridation, healthcare CEO windfalls, toll of Covid lockdowns
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Dead Butt Syndrome: I love this term! Formally speaking, in medical parlance, it’s dubbed “gluteal amnesia”. Whut?! You forgot your derrière?? A 2010 article in the New York Times highlights this ubiquitous ailment: “Sitting All Day Can Cause Dead Butt…read more
Categories:COVID-19 Dental Health Exercise Heart Health Microbiome
Can exercise combat anxiety?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Every day I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so…read more
Categories:Depression/Anxiety Exercise
What should humans eat? On the Origin of Being—a book review
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I was an anthropology major in college. The reason I chose that discipline is because it aspired to answer the fundamental question: What is it to be human? The science of physical anthropology studies our ancestors to understand how humans…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Nutrition Controversies
Cancer tests—hits and misses
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
These days, you can walk into a doctor’s office and request tests that will highlight your risk for a heart attack or stroke six ways to Sunday. You can look beyond cholesterol to characterize your LDL particle size, get read-outs…read more
Categories:Cancer
Is meat really “pro-inflammatory”?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
On a recent episode of Intelligent Medicine, I highlighted a study that demonstrated that an anti-inflammatory diet could halt or slow progression of 59 different chronic diseases. We’ve known for a long time that inflammation is a hallmark of “Inflammaging”,…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Nutrition Controversies
There’s too much plastic!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
While aboard a dive boat on a recent trip to Turks and Caicos, I made small talk with the father of some teenagers who were getting their scuba certifications. “Lots of delays at the airport,” I ventured. “Must be spring…read more
Categories:Environmental Health
14 times I’ve been ahead of the curve
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Looking back over a 40-year career in medicine, I frequently departed from the orthodoxy to embrace therapies and paradigms considered controversial, even downright heretical. I’m proud to say that many have gone mainstream and have become validated by research. Once…read more
Categories:Allergy Candida Environmental Health Food Sensitivity General Medicine General Nutrition Healthcare Infections Medications Men’s Health Menopause Microbiome Natural Health Care Prostate Disorders Supplements Women’s Health
The brain benefits of omega-3s from cradle to grave
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Recently, a patient shared with me that her doctor had told her to stop taking fish oil supplements: “They’re a waste of money,” he admonished. When it comes to the brain, that’s dead wrong. A pioneering study was just published…read more
10 factors that undermine our balance as we age
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
There’s a maxim I recall from my hospital training in the 80s: “GOMERs go to ground.” It was one of the sardonic 10 Commandments from Samuel Shem’s (real name Samuel Bergman, MD) “The House of God”. The 1978 book became anodyne to…read more
Categories:Aging Muscle and Bone Health Neurological Health
Bad policies are making Americans obese and diabetic
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
We’re doing ourselves in. By every metric, the U.S. is spending far more per capita on healthcare, and lagging behind our peer nations in the developed world in health outcomes. Our actions are actually fueling the pandemic of avertible lifestyle…read more
Categories:Diabetes
We need better tests for osteoporosis
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
A recent TV ad for a new expensive osteoporosis drug, Evenity®, seeks to create the impression that women are fragile porcelain dolls, teetering on the brink of toppling and shattering. Hype aside, osteoporosis is a thing. Three million fragility fractures…read more
Categories:Muscle and Bone Health
Dethroning the orthodoxies: Ideas it may be time to throw out
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“Follow the science” they say. But if Covid has awakened us to anything, it’s that science is dynamic, a work in progress. Today’s verities may be overturned by new discoveries. What follow are some dogmas that are past their expiration…read more
Categories:Aging Digestive Health Men’s Health
What’s driving America’s epidemic of violence and criminality?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
The recent attempt on candidate Trump’s life merely highlights a long-standing problem: America is in the throes of a mental health crisis. It seems not a week goes by that we don’t learn of another mass-shooting incident. We’ve come to…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Mental and Emotional Health
The peanut controversy
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“Dr. Hoffman, do you still eat peanuts?” That was a listener question recently on my Intelligent Medicine radio program. Sure, I eat peanuts, but rarely now. There’s nothing like working your way through a bag of ballpark peanuts during a…read more
Categories:Allergy Food Sensitivity General Nutrition
Politics heats up summer ‘24–and I’m not talking the Presidential race!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Chevron reversal and the natural products industry: On June 28, the Supreme Court issued a momentous decision in Loper Bright Enterprises vs. Raimundo to reverse the 40-year-old Chevron opinion, which empowered administrative agencies to develop and draft regulations in what…read more
Four novel supplements you should know about
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I always keep my eyes open for the latest exciting research to share with my Intelligent Medicine audience. Here are a few supplements that are on my radar lately, and should be on yours as well! PEA: Palmitoylethanolamide (not to…read more
Categories:Supplements
Does protein deserve all the hype?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Lately there’s been a lot of buzz about protein. Protein bars are all the rage. Health influencers extoll the benefits of supplemental protein. It’s said to be the ultimate satiety solution, helping us curb appetite. And we’re told that, especially…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) gets a new name
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In the latest attempt to remove “stigma” from medical terminology, liver specialists have come up with a new designation for what has been traditionally termed “fatty liver”. The “NA” part was originally intended to distinguish between those who damaged their…read more
Categories:Liver disease Metabolic Syndrome
Book Review—DARK CALORIES: How Vegetable Oils Destroy Our Health and How We Get it Back
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
There’s been a lot of buzz lately about the harmful effects of industrial seed oils. While some claim that they are poison—to be avoided at all costs—others claim that the hysteria is unwarranted: “While the internet may be full of…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Nutrition Controversies
Is the latest fish oil study more fear mongering?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Once again, we’ve been regaled with headlines that cast aspersions on a tried and true supplement that many of us take: “Fish oil supplements may raise risk of stroke, heart issues, study suggests”—CNN “Alarming Study: The Hidden Dangers of Fish…read more
Categories:
The war against keto
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I’m a veteran of the Diet Wars. Back in the 80s, when the ultra-low-carb Atkins Diet was all the rage, the refrain was: “Sure you’ll lose scads of weight . . . but it’ll eventually kill you!” “Sure your blood pressure…read more
Categories:Ketogenic Diet
“Breakthrough” treatments that we don’t really need (part four)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I couldn’t resist. Rather than leave these candidates for “Breakthrough treatments that we don’t really need” on the cutting room floor, I’m sallying forth with yet another (hopefully final!) installment. The premise is that seemingly not a week goes by that we’re…read more
Scotland: A health perspective
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I recently returned from a two-week tour of Scotland. It was truly a remarkable trip to a beautiful country with a rich history. I’d like to share some medical perspectives gleaned from my trip. Scotland is cold. Not in the…read more
Categories:General Medicine
“Breakthrough” treatments that we don’t really need (part three)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Back by popular demand: the third installment in my series “Breakthrough” treatments that we don’t really need. I tried to contain myself to just two newsletter articles, Part 1 and Part 2, but there were too many instances to relegate to the cutting room…read more
Categories:General Medicine
Can spring allergies make you tired, achy and blue?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“April is the cruelest month . . .” T. S. Eliot, The Wasteland After a winter of hard exertions, with active vacations and regular workouts at home, my body hit the skids. It happens to me sometimes as the seasons change….read more
Categories:Allergy
“Breakthrough” treatments that we don’t really need (part two)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In my article two weeks ago, I shared some recent “breakthrough” treatments that give me pause. These headline-making treatments promise relief from one malady or another, often at high expense or with an array of harrowing side effects. Some have shown…read more
Categories:Atherosclerosis Cancer General Medicine Heart Health Medications
Book Review—Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails by Sharyl Attkisson
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I recently had the opportunity to interview Sharyl Attkisson about her new book Follow the Science. Attkisson is a five-time Emmy Award winner, and recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting. She is the New York Times bestselling author of…read more
Categories:General Medicine Medications
“Breakthrough” treatments that we don’t really need (part one)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It seems not a week goes by that we’re not regaled with news of a “breakthrough” treatment that promises relief from one malady or another. Most of these are expensive, and some come with an array of harrowing side effects….read more
Reflections from my latest scuba diving adventure!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I just returned from a dive trip to Turks and Caicos and wanted to share some reflections with you. Once you’re down there, it’s a magnificent experience. You glide weightlessly over a landscape of neon-colored coral with phantasmagorical shapes. Small…read more
Categories:Exercise
Book Review: “Rethinking Hypothyroidism” by Antonio Bianco MD, Ph.D.
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Dr. Antonio Bianco, recipient of the American Thyroid Association’s John B. Stanbury Thyroid Pathophysiology Medal, is professor of medicine and a member of the Committee on Molecular Metabolism and Nutrition at the University of Chicago, where he runs a laboratory…read more
Categories:Hypothyroidism
March tidings—the latest in health news
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
New, more powerful weight loss drugs: Drugs like Wegovy, Rybelsus, Ozempic and Mounjaro/Zepbound are revolutionizing obesity and diabetes treatment and garnering enormous profits for their manufacturers. Early drugs worked on GLP-1 alone; subsequent meds paired GLP-1 with another gastric peptide,…read more
Categories:Aging COVID-19 Diabetes Environmental Health Heart Health Medications Nutrition and Weight Obesity Supplements
B3 in the crosshairs—should you worry?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
This past week we were regaled with headlines like: High levels of niacin may increase heart risk—NBC News Too much niacin may be bad for the heart—U.S. News and World Reports Excess vitamin B3 linked to increased risk of heart…read more
Categories:Heart Health Supplements
Is there such a thing as “natural Ozempic”?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I recently attended the Integrative Healthcare Symposium (IHS), an annual conference held here in Manhattan. The lectures were informative, but what I really enjoy is reuniting with colleagues and browsing the exhibit hall where supplement manufacturers highlight their latest innovations. Every…read more
Categories:Nutrition and Weight Obesity Supplements
My Costa Rica bike adventure
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Every winter, when the roads become impassable up north, I schedule a bike trip to warmer climes. I’ve been to Arizona, Death Valley, and Florida. This year, I booked a trip to central Florida. I figured: Short flight, flat terrain,…read more
Categories:Exercise
12 ways to conquer the winter blahs
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
By now many of you—particularly those of you who live in the Midwest and Northeast—may be suffering the effects of a grey, sunless, protracted winter. It’s been unremittingly damp and dreary here in New York City. The wan February light…read more
Categories:Depression/Anxiety Endocrinology Environmental Health Exercise Mental and Emotional Health Sleep Supplements
Low-carb diets and LDL cholesterol
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
February is National Heart Month. “Guidelines” tell us that low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol—so-called “bad cholesterol”—must be slashed to minimize cardiovascular risk. Current National Cholesterol Education Project (NCEP) guidelines call for cholesterol-lowering goals based on estimated risk of cardiovascular disease: Low-risk: <160…read more
Categories:Heart Disease Heart Health
Keep moving to keep moving
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
February is upon us—which means, according to surveys, that 43% of you have forgotten your resolution to improve your fitness in ‘24. Here’s some ammo to fortify your intentions. Regenerative effects of exercise: My last car was a 2012. I drove it…read more
Categories:Exercise
New disease trends highlight medicine’s biggest failures
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It seems that nearly every day, we learn of yet another medical “breakthrough”; hi-tech and often pricey cures are commonplace. More of us take medications and undergo life-saving procedures. Yet a series of recent articles in the Wall Street Journal (sorry—paywalled for…read more
Categories:Cancer
Vaccine skepticism has health authorities spooked
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
As of now, only 19% of the U.S. adult population has received the updated bivalent Covid vaccine, per the latest CDC statistics. Parents are even more reluctant to opt for the booster for their kids, with only 8% of children having…read more
Categories:COVID-19
Book Review: Change Your Diet, Change Your Mood by Georgia Ede, MD
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
The notion of a food-mood connection is not new; it’s come to be accepted as a pop culture verity. Pioneers like psychiatrist E.M. Abrahamson who wrote Body, Mind and Sugar in 1955, and William Dufty who wrote Sugar Blues in 1975, highlighted the role…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Mental and Emotional Health
Are any of these New Year’s challenges right for you?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
January is named after Janus, the Roman two-faced god, “the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings.” In classic depictions, Janus simultaneously looks backward and forward. In the quiet of winter, it’s a great time to…read more
Categories:Alcoholism Exercise General Nutrition Mental and Emotional Health Nutrition and Weight Sleep
The Top Ten Intelligent Medicine podcast episodes of 2023
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
‘Tis the season! As the pace of work and school slows, and the freneticism of shopping and parties abates, people are hopping into cars, buses, planes and trains to reach holiday destinations. Or else, they collapse and simply enjoy cocooning…read more
Categories:Autoimmune Diseases COVID-19 Depression/Anxiety General Medicine General Nutrition Medications Men’s Health Mental and Emotional Health Microbiome Prostate Disorders
To salt or not to salt . . .
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s pretty standard nutrition advice that limiting sodium consumption is a good thing. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans urge adults to not exceed 2300 milligrams of sodium per day, equivalent to one teaspoon of salt. Americans consume on average, upwards…read more
Categories:Nutrition Controversies
The misleading vegan diet twin study
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Once again, it’s science and medical reporting via press release: “Rare study on identical twins confirms vegan diet’s broad health boost”—New Atlas “Identical Twins Study Reveals Something We All Secretly Knew About Vegan Diets—When it comes to cardiovascular health, there…read more
Natural interventions for fatty liver disease
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
You may have never heard of it, but it’s so prevalent, chances are that you or someone you know suffers from it. Alcohol and hepatitis C used to be the main reasons why people ended up with cirrhosis and liver…read more
Categories:Fatty Liver
A new way food allergies can kill you
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It was an evening flight from Las Vegas to New York City. Thirty years ago, I was returning from an integrative medicine conference, feeling exhausted and coming down with a cold. Suddenly the announcement came: “If there’s a physician on…read more
Categories:Food Sensitivity
These are a few of my least favorite things (part three)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Intelligent Medicine means combining the best of high-tech medicine and the best of natural therapies to promote health and cure disease. But that doesn’t mean I uncritically endorse the worst examples of excesses from both realms; I’m an equal-opportunity critic of…read more
Categories:Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Problems Medications Mental and Emotional Health Muscle and Bone Health
These are a few of my least favorite things (part two)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Last week, I weighed in with a few of my top choices for things that are an affront to Intelligent Medicine. Here are some more of my picks: E-bikes: As an inveterate cyclist, I hailed the development of modern e-bikes with compact electric motors. Some…read more
Categories:General Medicine Heart Health Neurological Health
These are a few of my least favorite things
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Intelligent Medicine means combining the best of high-tech medicine and the best of natural therapies to promote health and cure disease. But that doesn’t mean I uncritically endorse the worst examples of excesses from either realm; I’m an equal-opportunity critic of…read more
Categories:General Medicine
Red meat and diabetes—a tenuous connection
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Once again, consumers have been regaled with misleading headlines about the alleged harms of red meat. This time, it’s diabetes: “Eating Red Meat May Increase Type 2 Diabetes Risk”—NY Times “Too Much Red Meat is Linked to 50% Increase in…read more
Categories:Diabetes
Hydration: A matter of life and death
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“Make sure you stay well hydrated!” As a health imperative, it seems a little lightweight—unless you happen to be a Tour de France contestant. It conjures up visions of legions of ultra-thin young women obsessively slugging back mountain water in…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
My take on Dr. Peter Attia
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Like many of you, I enjoy podcasts. Rather than passively listening to whatever cable news or AM radio dishes up, I like to proactively use my time to garner knowledge. So, when I’m engaged in a monotonous task like cleaning,…read more
Categories:General Medicine
The end of obesity?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Obesity is one of the most daunting health challenges America faces. Nationally, 41.6% of Americans qualify as obese; in the 1950s only 10% were obese. Rates are also soaring among children and adolescents, with nearly 20% of U.S. children ages…read more
Categories:Medications Obesity
Is it time to talk about COVID again?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“My COVID vaccine appointment was canceled by CVS because there is a nationwide shortage now. Really??” So wrote one of my relatives on Facebook this week. Admittedly, I predicted nearly two years ago “Maybe it’s time to talk less about COVID”. “This…read more
Categories:COVID-19
The declining health of baby boomers
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“People try to put us d-down (talkin’ ’bout my generation) Just because we g-g-get around (talkin’ ’bout my generation) Things they do look awful c-c-cold (talkin’ ’bout my generation) Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (talkin’ ’bout…read more
Categories:Aging General Medicine
Book Review: Healthcare Upside Down: A Critical Review of Policy and Practice, by Henry Buchwald, MD, PhD
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Henry Buchwald, MD, PhD was a recent guest on my Intelligent Medicine podcast. His book Healthcare Upside Down: A Critical Review of Policy and Practice, is a clarion call for changing the direction of our healthcare delivery system. As Walter Cronkite once said: “America’s healthcare system…read more
Categories:General Medicine
How sugar changed the world
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In 1425, Henry, a Portuguese duke, ordered the planting of a new crop on one of his territories. It was a crop that would change the world: sugar cane. The location was the formerly uninhabited Atlantic island of Madeira off…read more
Categories:Diabetes General Nutrition Obesity
Five issues I have with integrative medicine
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I spend a lot of time criticizing the excesses of conventional medicine here on Intelligent Medicine. It’s expensive, depersonalized, can deliver devastating side effects, and doesn’t get to root causes of most disease. On the other hand, the very term “Intelligent Medicine”…read more
Categories:General Medicine
11 ways you can predict how long you’ll live
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Among the most pressing questions I get in daily practice is: “Doc, how long do I have to live?” Even when posed by a patient with “terminal” cancer, it’s a hard one to answer. The patient’s viability may conform closely…read more
Categories:Aging
August auguries 2023
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Fragrant memories: One of the most remarkable stories of the summer comes to us from researchers at the Department of Neurobiology and Behavior at UC Irvine. The role of smells in kindling recollections has long been a literary theme, most prominently in the…read more
16 Reasons Why Most Studies Are Wrong
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In a previous article, I highlighted Americans’ lamentable lack of health literacy and challenged readers to take a quiz to assess their Health IQ. But one of the reasons for confusion over fundamental health issues (Is moderate drinking healthy? Is coffee…read more
Categories:General Medicine
What’s the best test to determine your risk of heart disease?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
These days, I’m seeing a lot of patients who are concerned about their hearts. I’m kind of like a Court of Appeals for individuals who have just received a life sentence in statin jail from their doctors. They want a…read more
Categories:Heart Disease Heart Health
The 18 most common nutritional deficiencies in the U.S (part two)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Last week, I shared the first nine in my list of the most common nutritional deficiencies that plague Americans. Now I’m rounding up the last nine, in an effort to keep you informed and on the lookout for potential gaps in your…read more
Categories:Supplements
The 18 most common nutritional deficiencies in the U.S (part one)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
You’ve heard the old saw: “Most people don’t need to take supplements if they’re following a healthy, balanced diet.” That’s a big “if”, especially since surveys—even those commissioned by government health agencies—admit that a significant percentage of Americans are not…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
24 ways we should fundamentally transform our healthcare system
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s time to fundamentally transform our healthcare system. The fact is, we spend way more per capita on healthcare than any other country in the world, and our health outcomes rank behind those of many poorer countries; virtually everyone agrees…read more
Categories:General Medicine Healthcare
7 ways to minimize the harms of cooking oils
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
We’ve long been propagandized about the imperative to switch from saturated fat to plant-derived oils. I’ve pushed back on that shaky proposition in an article entitled “The Weak Case Against Saturated Fats”. But just as the old shibboleth about animal fat is being…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
What are the candidates saying about natural health?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Electoral politics are a frustrating game, particularly when it comes to advancing our goals of freedom of choice in health care and prioritizing natural solutions to our enormous health care challenges. With an ever-expanding roster of candidates for nomination, it’s…read more
Categories:Healthcare
About that smoke…
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Recently, I read Hugh Howey’s epic science fiction trilogy “Silo”. So I was delighted to see it adapted as an Apple TV series, and began watching episodes. It’s about a futuristic society that has sheltered underground for centuries in a huge silo…read more
Categories:Environmental Health
Will I become superfluous?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
First, a message about Intelligent Medicine: Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to “Intelligent Medicine,” the radio program that explores the intersection of cutting-edge science and natural medicine. I’m your host, and together, we will embark on an enlightening journey into the…read more
Categories:General Medicine
When HDL is a foe, not a friend
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
HDL is the “good cholesterol”, in contrast to LDL, the “bad cholesterol”. Generally, healthy lifestyle measures like exercise and maintenance of healthy weight via a low-refined carb diet are associated with better HDL numbers. By now I’m familiar with the…read more
Categories:Heart Disease
Does the advent of new weight loss drugs render natural weight loss measures obsolete?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Finding safe and truly effective weight loss drugs has long been the Holy Grail of Big Pharma. Along with cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s, and other scourges, a panacea for obesity ranks high among its priorities. With over half of Americans…read more
Categories:Diabetes Medications Obesity
May Missives: What you need to know about meals, music, memory, and more!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Poor food choices drive diabetes pandemic: A new study links poor diet to 14 million cases of type 2 diabetes worldwide—in 2018 alone. (In my opinion a gross underestimate if you add in the high percentage of new cases of diabetes that…read more
Categories:Diabetes Mental and Emotional Health Metabolic Syndrome Nutrition and Weight Pediatric Health
ApoB in the crosshairs: Will treating it eradicate heart disease?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s the Next Big Thing in cardiovascular prevention. Apolipoprotein B-100, or ApoB for short, may supplant cholesterol, HDL, LDL, and triglycerides as a more reliable way of predicting risk of heart disease and stroke; it also might also be a…read more
Categories:Heart Health
Fructose exonerated?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Is fructose the demon-spawn? Let’s cut through the confusion . . . There’s long been a symbiosis between humans and fruit. Ancient fruit provided sustenance to humans—not that the fruit cared. Its evolutionary impetus to be sweet and attractive was…read more
Nutrients in the News: Fish oil, magnesium, vitamin D and curcumin
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Fish Oil: Remember the bad old days when this was said of fish oil? “This Incredibly Popular Supplement Is Pretty Much Useless, Says Huge New Study.” While the benefits of Omega-3 supplements were being downplayed, Amarin pharmaceuticals made a big splash with…read more
Categories:Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Problems Atherosclerosis Diabetes Heart Disease Heart Health Medications Supplements
Nutritional outrages of the week
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
A trio of food stories caught my eye this week . . . Turning breakfast cereal into a bedtime snack: A problem for the food industry is that there are only a finite number of mouths available to eat breakfast. Demographically,…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
10 tips for surviving allergy season
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
If you’re like many of us, this time of year can be both beautiful and vexing. Blossoms begin to adorn our trees, and our cars and patios are coated with a dusting of yellowish-green pollen. For spring allergy sufferers, that means…read more
Categories:Allergy
Book Review—Desperate Remedies: Psychiatry’s Turbulent Quest to Cure Mental Illness
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
For centuries, medicine has grappled with psychiatric illness, wielding a variety of techniques. Nevertheless, success has been at best marginal; a recent study of antidepressants and psychotherapy in the treatment of major depressive disorder has shown a response rate of just 24%….read more
Categories:Mental and Emotional Health
11 things you need to know about sleep and your health
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Earlier this month, I covered some of the strong links between sleep and health—particularly the effects of getting too little sleep. This week, I’m providing some more sleep facts and solutions in support of Sleep Awareness Month. 1) Prescription meds don’t cut…read more
Categories:Sleep
Should you chuck your erythritol-sweetened products?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Recently, during a break at a nutrition conference, I sidled up to the beverage station and made myself a cup of tea. Looking at the sweetener options, I saw a variety of packets containing, variously, sugar, Splenda, and Nutrasweet. Nope!…read more
Categories:Heart Disease Nutrition Controversies
The staggering impact of sleep deprivation on our health
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
March is Sleep Awareness Month, with National Sleep Week coming up on the 12th. In commemoration, I’ll be spending the next two issues focusing on the impacts of sleep on our health. This week, I’m paying particular attention to the impacts of…read more
Categories:Sleep
February Features: The latest in health news
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Depressing facts about air pollution: We already know about the deleterious effects of airborne pollutants on heart health; people who live near high-density traffic or near factory emissions are at higher risk of cardiovascular events. It’s also been revealed that air pollution…read more
Celebrating African American Medical and Nutrition Pioneers
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In commemoration of Black History Month, I’ve compiled an impressive list of prominent African American health professionals who made major contributions to medicine and nutritional science . . . James Derham (1762-1802?): Before Black people were permitted to undergo formal medical…read more
Categories:General Medicine
February is “Heart Month”—Why aren’t we doing better?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Each year we make a big to-do about American Heart Month. We’re reminded to eat well, exercise, get our cholesterol and blood pressure checked, and see if we suffer from blood sugar problems. And yet, trends are concerning. We’re making progress…read more
Categories:Heart Disease Heart Health Supplements
What they got wrong about Covid
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
For as long as I can remember, over a 40 year career in medicine, there have existed two warring paradigms about disease: One envisions a future in which science will ultimately vanquish all disorders with ever more precisely-targeted drug and…read more
Categories:COVID-19
Winter potpourri: Choline, live fast/die young, processed meats, and toxic fish
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Choline: Little-known nutritional fact—according to a recent article in Science Daily, it’s estimated that more than 90% of Americans are not meeting the recommended daily intake of choline. We know that choline is a dietary precursor to acetylcholine, an essential neurotransmitter. In fact, certain dementia…read more
It’s 2023 and dietary recommendations continue to disappoint
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
First the good news: According to a Harvard study released this month, a variety of healthy diet patterns dramatically reduced the risk of dying from a multitude of diseases. The study was huge—comprising over 75,000 women and 44,000 men followed for 35…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
Endurance vs. strength training—which is better?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
As millions of Americans resolve to get into better shape for the new year, questions inevitably arise: What are the relative benefits of endurance vs. strength training? What’s the ideal ratio? And does it depend on the individual, their health…read more
Categories:Exercise
Tame your sugar cravings in ‘23
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Undoubtedly, one of this year’s most popular New Year’s resolutions will be to “cut down on sugar”—especially after the non-stop potlatch most of us have experienced in December. But it’s not easy, because one of the most fundamental hard-wired human…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
The 14 worst health news stories of 2022 (part two)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Last week, I gave you the first half of my list of the worst health news stories of the year. This week, I’m back with part two! So without further ado, here are seven more health news headscratchers from the past…read more
Categories:COVID-19 Supplements
The 14 worst health news stories of 2022 (part one)
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In keeping with an Intelligent Medicine tradition, as the year draws to a close, I offer you a compendium of the worst health news stories of 2022. It’s kind of like the late Mr. Blackwell’s list of the year’s Worst-Dressed Women. These stories…read more
The Top Ten Intelligent Medicine Podcast Episodes of 2022
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Each year, at holiday time, I compile a list of the year’s top podcast episodes. It’s become an annual Intelligent Medicine tradition. This year, it takes on special significance because our faithful listeners have propelled the Intelligent Medicine podcast across…read more
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Are cholesterol drugs bad for the brain?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I write this article with a bit of trepidation—some may think I’m betraying my “holistic” bona fides. It’s the mainstream medical narrative that cholesterol-lowering drugs are the cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention. I recently listened to a popular podcast that advocated for much more aggressive…read more
Categories:Heart Health Medications
Vanquishing Long COVID
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Long Covid is a complex disorder that resembles ME/CFS—a real clinical challenge. But because of the pervasiveness of Covid, there are a lot of research dollars committed to unraveling the mysteries of its aftermath. Early in the pandemic, the NIH…read more
Categories:COVID-19
Hydrogen water—is that a thing?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Lately, there’s been a buzz over hydrogen in the media. Hydrogen-powered vehicles appear to be the next big thing after electric vehicles (EVs) inevitably run their course. Unlike EVs, they won’t require charging, nor will they depend on the energy-intensive…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Inflammation
Brain Energy by Christopher Palmer, MD: A review
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I recently recorded an exciting podcast episode with Dr. Chris Palmer about his new book, Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health–And Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD and More. In it, he seeks to advance a unified theory that…read more
Categories:Mental and Emotional Health Neurological Health
Is Covid over—or is there a looming apocalypse?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Covid recently hit a milestone for me personally. My hair cutter has had a long-standing policy of mandatory masking in her salon. It’s a reasonable accommodation to her preferences, despite the fact that I’ve long stopped wearing a mask in…read more
Categories:COVID-19
Mental health: Nutrition matters!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I just got back from the American Nutrition Association Annual Summit in San Diego. The theme was the impact of nutrition on mental health. It was an awesome assembly of great researchers and speakers, and it’ll provide me with fodder…read more
Is cancer really just a fungal infection?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Recently, a popular website, Gizmodo, regaled readers with the headline: “Our Cancers Are Filled With Fungi”, with the tagline “New research shows that many cancers play host to their own unique microbiomes of fungi, which may affect our chances of surviving them.”…read more
Categories:Cancer
Harness the power of cold
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s now inevitable that we may be facing an unprecedented cold winter. With energy prices soaring and power grids straining to meet electricity demands, it’s going to be challenging. I don’t mean to seem oblivious to the suffering of millions…read more
Categories:General Medicine
NYC Mayor Adams’ misguided hospital diet “reforms”
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Last week, New York City’s government website NYC.gov triumphantly announced: “Mayor Adams, NYC Health and Hospitals CEO Katz, Announce Successful Rollout and Expansion of Plant-Based Meals as Default Option for Patients in NYC Public Hospitals” A default option means that, unless you…read more
Categories:Nutrition Controversies
Nutrition for strength and endurance
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Is there evidence that certain diet regimens or supplements enhance athletic performance? There’s an entire field—Sports Nutrition—that banks on that supposition. Are the claims for various muscle-building products legit? A recent review by the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) attempts to…read more
Categories:Exercise General Nutrition Supplements
September is Sexual Health Month—Is there a diet connection?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
To commemorate Sexual Health Month, let’s tackle the question: Can you eat your way to optimal sexual performance? That was the subject of a chapter that I co-wrote with Intelligent Medicine co-contributor Leyla Muedin in the Dr. Andrew Weil textbook Integrative Sexual Health. Judging…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Sexual Health
Device anxiety
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
There are plenty of reasons to be anxious these days. There’s Covid, politics, the economy, looming environmental catastrophe, crime, the threat of World War III, not to mention the usual personal things—your health, your job or school, relationship dynamics, financial…read more
Categories:Mental and Emotional Health
“EAT-Lancet” is hard to digest
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Recall that back in 2019, the prestigious international medical journal Lancet issued a call for curbing meat consumption. The EAT-Lancet Commission invoked the alleged health benefits of reducing intake of animal protein and claimed plant-based eating could help save the planet. The food…read more
Categories:Nutrition Controversies
“Is there a doctor on board?”: The challenges of in-flight medical emergencies
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Medical emergencies occur with disturbing frequency on planes. One colleague of mine had the extraordinary experience of having to help subdue an out-of-control passenger on her flight to a medical convention; on her return flight, she was called upon to…read more
Categories:General Medicine
Can too much exercise be bad?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
In the field of sports medicine, no question has generated more controversy. While exercise is unquestionably beneficial overall, is there a point where too much becomes detrimental? The U.S. Health and Human Services guidelines for physical activity state that adults should get…read more
Categories:Exercise
7 ways to instill healthier eating habits in your kids—and why it matters
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Poor childhood nutrition is one of the most critical problems that threatens the health, productivity, and even national security of America. Time was, during the mobilization of young men that accompanied World Wars I and II, a high percentage of…read more
Categories:General Nutrition Pediatric Health
What’s up with that vitamin D study?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
You’ve probably seen headlines like these: “Study Finds Another Condition That Vitamin D Pills Do Not Help”—New York Times “Study Finds Vitamin D Supplements Do Not Reduce Risk of Broken Bones” —SciTech Daily “Stop Taking Vitamin D Already!” —Forbes It’s…read more
Categories:Muscle and Bone Health Supplements
When narratives overtake science
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Narrative: “A story or account of events, experiences, or the like, whether true or fictitious . . . a story that connects and explains a carefully selected set of supposedly true events, experiences, or the like, intended to support a particular…read more
Categories:Alzheimer's Disease and Memory Problems Alzheimer’s General Medicine Mental and Emotional Health
Fruit and veggie pills—are they really worth it?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
It’s been a bad few years for veracity. Unfounded claims abound. Product pitches assault us with no tether to reality. Science is misappropriated for commercial and political gain. Don’t get me wrong: I think there’s value in certain plant-derived nutrient…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
“Should I take another booster?”
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
“Top Biden administration officials are weighing a plan to let all adults get a second round of coronavirus booster shots”—Politico, July 11 “Currently, many Americans are under-vaccinated, meaning they are not up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines,” said Dr….read more
Categories:COVID-19
How come Americans are getting fatter—when they’re NOT eating more and exercising less?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
A frequent theme on social media these days is vintage photos from the 60s and 70s—the era when I was growing up—depicting beachgoers with mostly normal bodies. Obesity was uncommon. Then things changed: Since 1980, obesity prevalence among US adults…read more
Categories:Metabolic Syndrome Microbiome Nutrition and Weight Obesity
They say “Multivitamins are a waste of money”—REALLY??
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Multivitamins containing most of the essential vitamins and minerals at doses that provide greater than 100% of the RDA are the most commonly used dietary supplements; approximately 1/3 of US adults takes one or another formulation. But the bloom is…read more
Categories:Supplements
Keep your balance!
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Comedian Dave Barry once quipped: “Gravity is a contributing factor in nearly 73 percent of all accidents involving falling objects.” The Book of Proverbs says: “Pride cometh before the fall.” And one of the Ten Commandments in The House of God, a…read more
10 natural sun-care supplements you need to know
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Summer is here, and that means warm, lazy days at the beach, in the park, or on the patio. Many of us are facing the onslaught of UV rays without a basecoat of skin pigment, rendering us more susceptible to…read more
Categories:Skin and Hair Supplements
Is melatonin really poisoning Americans?
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
We were recently regaled with headlines like these: “Melatonin Poisonings in Kids Jumped 530% in 10 Years” (Medpage Today) “Pediatric Hospitalizations Due to Accidental Melatonin Overdoses Spiked in Last Decade, CDC Says” (People) “Melatonin Supplements Are Poisoning Children” (Gizmodo) This…read more
Categories:Sleep Supplements
June tidings: The latest in health news
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Antibiotics turning us into couch potatoes: Antibiotic prescriptions have soared in recent years, despite concerns over antibiotic resistance, which emerges when ordinary bugs mutate to become impervious to drugs. While North America and Europe lead the world in antibiotic consumption, the…read more
Categories:Antibiotics General Nutrition Mental and Emotional Health Neurological Health Obesity Pediatric Health
A case of muscle cramps
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
I would like to share an interesting case with you because it exemplifies the approach we in integrative medicine take to address challenging conditions. Much of what we see falls between the cracks of conventional medicine; “paint-by-numbers” medicine utilizing drugs…read more
Categories:Women’s Health
Repeat after me: “Hunger is my friend!”
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
We are all familiar with the sensation: You get that empty feeling in your stomach, your appetite revs up, the smell of Cinnabons or pizza or donuts becomes irresistible. It’s hunger, a primal urge to eat, which is relentless. We…read more
Categories:General Nutrition
GERD diet myths debunked
By Dr. Ronald Hoffman
Shibboleth: noun. A belief or custom that is not now considered as important and correct as it was in the past. I addressed a common nutritional shibboleth recently, which holds that dietary fat intake is responsible for raising triglycerides (actually, it’s carbs). Another shibboleth…read more