Dear Dr. Benzi, I disagree with your blog about alkaline diets and the conclusions you came to. There is a ton of research on alkaline diets in the benefit of kidney disease. I can share some of that research with you. I agree there is a lot of bullshit out there about additives to alkalinize … Continue reading Tell Dr. Benzi: “An Alkaline Diet May Have a Role in Kidney Disease”
The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part IV: False Hope, Shame, and Regret
Read the other blogs in this series: Part I | Part II | Part III “There is no such thing as an incurable disease, only incurable people.” Bernie Siegel, MD, Love, Medicine and Miracles It is one thing to see the statistics of medical bullshit: the billions of dollars wasted by people desperate for better … Continue reading The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part IV: False Hope, Shame, and Regret
The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part III: Dangerous Side Effects
Read the other blogs in this series: Part I, Part II, Part IV “If there is an effect, there has to be a side effect.” - Rajeev Jayadevan, Think Like Your Doctor Now that we've covered expensive, let’s tackle the dangerous side of medical bullshit. There is a general misperception that alternative therapies are safer … Continue reading The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part III: Dangerous Side Effects
The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part II: Money and Society
Read the other blogs in this series: Part I, Part III, Part IV My book manuscript is entitled Dangerous and Expensive Bullshit. Let’s start by examining the question of how expensive medical bullshit really is. On a personal level, people may pay as little as $5 a month for megadoses of Vitamin C, to hundreds … Continue reading The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part II: Money and Society
The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part I: Whose Problem Is It Anyway?
Photo by Ivan Bertolazzi from Pexels Read the other blogs in this series: Part II, Part III, Part IV Question: Is medical bullshit really a big problem? Or is this campaign against bullshit simply one more attempt for people in mainstream medicine to knock out any competition? Medical bullshit was not part of my medical training 20 years … Continue reading The High Cost of Medical Bullshit Part I: Whose Problem Is It Anyway?
Ask Dr. Benzi: What’s the Deal With Alkaline Foods?
Question: What is the deal with alkaline foods? What are people even talking about? - R Reply: Hello, R. This is a great question and one that I’ve often wondered about myself. I’ve broken down this question into three chunks. First, what does alkaline mean? If you recall your high school chemistry, alkaline is the opposite of acidic, … Continue reading Ask Dr. Benzi: What’s the Deal With Alkaline Foods?
Follow Who You Want, but Always Check Your Sources
Photo courtesy of LA Times Like many, I was very shaken by the events of yesterday. On my morning dog walk I wondered what I could say that might be of value and tie to my thinking around bullshit. When I got back from my walk, I tweeted: The idea that a lone nut can … Continue reading Follow Who You Want, but Always Check Your Sources
The Medical Bullshit Detector Part II: Unreliable Experts
While it’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover, you can often learn a lot by looking at its author. In the case of medical bullshit—whether that be a best-selling book, a “miracle supplement” or a “revolutionary new theory on health”—a careful glance at the real accomplishments and actions of the person … Continue reading The Medical Bullshit Detector Part II: Unreliable Experts
Covid-19 Vaccine: What You Should Know
There has been much excitement and some confusion about the new Covid-19 vaccines. For the record, I plan to get a Covid-19 vaccine as soon as it is offered to me, which may be in the next few months, as a healthcare provider who works with some vulnerable populations. Regarding the Pfizer vaccine, which we are … Continue reading Covid-19 Vaccine: What You Should Know
The Medical Bullshit Detector Part I: Untrustworthy Products and Unbelievable Ideas
People who care about reality—including scientists, philosophers, doctors, teachers, and other concerned citizens—have long been bothered by bullshit. On the one hand, it is morally and philosophically reprehensible to purposefully undermine truth and to proclaim ignorance as a virtue. But more importantly, bullshit is harmful to people who live in the real world. Bullshit can … Continue reading The Medical Bullshit Detector Part I: Untrustworthy Products and Unbelievable Ideas
