The Health Files Podcast

In the age of "fake news" and the "post truth", we are at a crossroads: on one hand, potential for innovative and positive change - renewable energy, international collaboration, harnessing the power of genetics and so on, on the other hand, potential for a downward spiral - of antibiotic resistant bacteria and super storms of climate change just to name a few. In the middle of all this, is science, trying to get its message out, and science communicators - be it journalists, academics,...

By Academy Award-nominated director Scott Hamilton Kennedy (director/writer/producer) and Trace Sheehan (writer/producer), the movie FOOD EVOLUTION shines a light onto a brutally polarized debate marked by fear, distrust and confusion: the controversy surrounding genetic engineering of our food. It tells stories from around the world: the Hawaiian papaya groves, to banana farms in Uganda to the cornfields of Iowa, helping confront both the emotions and the evidence that is driving one of...

Should we be eating more protein? Why do we need supplements, or do we? Should we be eating more meat, protein powder or maybe new, alternative sources of protein... crickets? Just like in the vitamins episode, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. This and much more in EP11. -------------- I want to hear from you! You can find me on twitter @healthfilespod, the Facebook page is called "the health files podcast", you can use the contact us page on the new website...

You know when you walk through the grocery store, you see all those labels on food? Free range, organic, no hormones, natural, local, humane, fair trade…. Ever stop and wonder.. what in the world do they ACTUALLY mean? Of course, as human beings we automatically assign meaning to everything - colors, images, words, and though we may think these label meanings are self explanatory, what actually stands behind them? Is it real science? Real for the lack of a better word - “goodness”,...

So, I'm sure you've noticed something strange while scrolling through your morning Facebook or news website feed. There is widespread confusion in terms of nutrition. Every day someone says something is good, and then the next day they say it's bad. Everything seems to cause or prevent cancer or cause and prevent heart problems. Fortunately, there are some people trying to help solve this problem. Dr Andrew Freeman, a cardiologist at National Jewish Health and co-chair of the American...

Vitamins are necessary for our bodies to function, they are used for growth, digestion, nerve function, and many other things. So, if something is good for you, then more of that thing should be even better for you, right? Unfortunately, that's just not true when it comes to taking vitamin supplements. How is it that we came to believe this, then? What happens if you take too many? How can we know if they are safe and effective? Find out in Episode 08. This week in the segment "Freaky...

Why is marijuana illegal, on the same list as heroin, LSD and ecstasy? What medical benefits does it have for people with PTSD, cancer, epilepsy and chronic pain? What does the research actually have to say on short and long term side effects? Find out in Episode 07. This week in the segment "Freaky Medicine": a fun and easy cure for headaches... with a drill. The intro music is by the band Broke for free, and the other music is from Podington Bear, Little Glass Men and my friend Jon...

This episode is a follow up to Episode 05: a fascinating, deep exploration about the other, not scary side of GMO technology: how it helps cure illnesses, helps reduce herbicide and pesticide use, helps protect food from deadly fungi, and helps feed a growing world population.. Featuring an exclusive interview with Professor Dr Kevin Folta, professor and chairman of the horticultural sciences department at the University of Florida and active science communicator, striving for a more...

Since the first tests in the late 1980s, GMOs have become increasingly widespread and so has the distrust and fear in their use. The debate is very polarized: one extreme asserting that the technology will save the world and the other claiming the complete opposite. But though good reasons exist on both sides, there are still misconceptions and lies that plague the debate. In this episode, we will attempt to unravel them. -------------- I want to hear from you! You can find me on...

It is the lesser well known cousin of the placebo effect, the Mr.Hyde to placebo’s Dr Jekyll, the yin and yang of clinical mysteries, the nocebo effect seems to make people actually, physically sick for no medical reason. It is a result of the super complicated interaction between the patient, their expectations, the drug, the surrounding context, the healthcare provider, and the way the information is delivered and received. Join me as we try to unravel this mysterious...

You have probably heard of placebo, but there are many misconceptions, myths, and mysteries around this phenomenon. In this episode, we will rediscover what this effect is, where is comes from, and what we still don’t know. Seems like the natural way to explain placebo is through stories: we will look at the story of the past, stories about the present and then we will discuss the future. What exactly causes the placebo effect? How does it work ? Is it all just fake? How can we use it in...

The news heard around the world: eating chocolate can help you lose weight! What wonderful news... or is it? We will discuss the growing problem of bad journalism, fake academic journals, terrible medical research, and what we can do about it. We are going to look at a study from Germany that you’ve hopefully heard of, and if not you definitely should. The amount of mixed emotions it elicited is absolutely unparalleled, and both health research and health journalism will (hopefully)...

From awkward nutritional choices in biblical times, to forcing oranges, sea water and sulfuric acid down the throat of sailors, to injecting mold juice extract into patients... clinical trials are a mystery. But at least it's good to know that the future of our medicine, our health and the health of our children is in the hands of a extremely expensive, complicated process of trial and error, conflict of interest, hidden secrets, long complicated reports, but also people who are literally...