Published inElemental·Oct 19, 2021Member-only5 Ways Psychedelics May Affect the BrainHere’s what science tells us about these powerful molecules — In the last decade, discussions around psychedelics have exploded, driven in part by research showing their safety and efficacy in treating a number of mental health conditions ranging from depression to anxiety to addiction. Psychedelic molecules have obvious, dramatic effects on our thinking and mood. But when it comes to…Psychedelics5 min readPsychedelics5 min read
Published inElemental·Oct 12, 2021Does Covid-19 Infect the Brain?What medical research reveals about the reported cognitive and psychological effects — At the time of this writing, over 200 million people throughout the world are thought to have been infected by the SARS-CoV-2 virus (2019 coronavirus). This is proposed to have directly contributed to over four million deaths. Like other coronaviruses, SARS-CoV-2 was quickly identified as preferentially affecting the lungs and…Covid-198 min readCovid-198 min read
Oct 8, 2021Acne: Connecting Diet and BiologyThis master cell pathway may be a key to the puzzle — Everyone has their own health journey, and for many people (myself included) this journey involves our skin. Obviously, physical appearance is a big deal, and for most people, it’s also a big investment. In America, women will spend around $225,000 over their lifetimes on appearance, and men spend around $175,000…Skin4 min readSkin4 min read
Jan 16, 2021The Need for Healthy Microbes in the Era of COVID-19New research shows nuance in the microbe conversation is key. Over the last 10 years, health-related discussions have taken a major turn. Microbes, once largely portrayed as disease causing “germs,” were cast in a new light. Conversations about the importance of the gut microbiome filtered through mainstream news outlets. The…Microbiome6 min readMicrobiome6 min read
Published inElemental·Oct 22, 2020Member-onlyThe Coronavirus Took Advantage of Our WeaknessesA physician explains the nature of opportunistic infection — In 1971, a professor of epidemiology named Abdel Omran proposed the epidemiological transition theory. He concluded there have been three main “stages” of human health concerns. First, in the pre-modern era, we dealt with widespread pestilence and famine. This time period was characterized by a high mortality rate and a…Covid-195 min readCovid-195 min read
Published inScience and Philosophy·Jul 5, 2020How Your Brain’s Immune System Affects Your Mood and MemoryWith all the focus on COVID-19, immunity has become a fixture in the news and conversation. Yes, immunity is key to fighting off infections. But it’s actually a much bigger deal. In fact, it plays a major role in conditions like diabetes, cancer, and heart disease. …Immune System4 min readImmune System4 min read
Published inScience and Philosophy·Jul 5, 2020How Inflammation Changes Our ThinkingIn the last several decades, we’ve increasingly understood that chronic inflammation plays a major negative role in our health, contributing to the risk of developing diseases like diabetes, hypertension, and dementia. More recently, research has revealed that the effects of inflammation reach much deeper into our physiology. Mounting data have…Medicine3 min readMedicine3 min read
Mar 19, 2020Preventing Coronavirus: Fact vs. FictionCoronavirus has dominated the news and social media for the last several weeks. With unprecedented anxiety around the virus, information from a wide variety of sources has been making rounds. Though some of this data is based in scientific evidence, much of it is conjecture, and some is demonstrably false. …Coronavirus3 min readCoronavirus3 min read
Dec 31, 2019A Brain-Based Approach to New Year’s ResolutionsAt the end of each year, millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. Yours may be to lose weight, go to the gym more often, do a better job keeping up with old friends or just to watch less TV. …Health4 min readHealth4 min read
Dec 17, 2019Is News Worth the Psychological Risk?Our access to the news is at an all-time high. Radio, TV, and newspapers are supplemented by streaming content on our portable digital devices, enabling us to catch up on the latest information in the blink of an eye. But as hyper-partisan, sensationalized, and negative programming becomes the norm, the…News4 min readNews4 min read
