🧬 NAD: The Molecule of Life — and the HypeHow a lab coenzyme became the latest anti-aging obsessionWhat We Mean by Longevity and HealthspanWhen people talk about longevity, they usually mean how long we live.But healthspan — the years we live well — matters far more.That’s the time before disease steals our energy, mobility, and independence.Modern medicine has already doubled our lifespan in the last century.Now the goal is to extend the healthy part — without falling for pseudoscience along the way.When Marketing Meets MedicineLongevity has become a booming business.Some gurus, like Dr. Eric Topol, do real science.Others, like Peter Attia, sell access: $150 000 per patient for lab tests, a VO₂ max treadmill run, and a few “optimized” workouts.He’s also an investor in AG1 — the influencer’s green drink of choice.Andrew Huberman promotes similar ideas under studio lights bright enough to sterilize a petri dish.Both are clever, credentialed, and caught between data and drama.Then there’s Dr. David Sinclair, who helped discover how cells age — and then helped turn that discovery into a supplement empire.His company tried to patent NMN, an NAD precursor, as a drug.The FDA briefly removed NMN from the supplement market, sending Reddit into meltdown.It’s back now, but the episode showed how quickly science slides into sales.And finally, we have the shirtless salesmen:Paul Saladino, who went from carnivore crusader to “fruit influencer.”Liver King, whose real secret wasn’t liver — it was injectable.And Gary Brecka, who claims to predict your death date (for a fee).These are subscription services disguised as sages.What NAD Actually IsNicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) is a molecule found in every living cell.It helps convert food into energy and repair DNA.As we age, NAD levels fall — metabolism slows and damage builds up.So scientists asked: If we raise NAD again, can we slow aging?In mice, the answer looks promising.NAD precursors like nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) increase average lifespan by 5–15 percent and improve energy, insulin sensitivity, and activity.That’s great for mice — but we don’t live in cages or eat lab chow.Can You Get NAD from Food?Not directly — but your body makes NAD from dietary precursors:tryptophan and niacin (vitamin B₃).You’ll find them in fish, poultry, beans, milk, and whole grains — basically, a Mediterranean-style diet.So before spending $90 on capsules, you can spend $9 at the farmers' market.What the Human Studies ShowHuman trials of NR or NMN (usually 500–2000 mg per day for 6–12 weeks) show they are safe and well-tolerated.They modestly raise NAD levels and sometimes improve lipid profiles and blood pressure.But the effects are small and inconsistent, especially in healthy adults.NAD precursors do not reverse aging.They don’t prevent heart attacks or extend lifespan in people — at least, not yet.NAD vs Statins: A Reality CheckMeta-analyses show NAD precursors, especially niacin, can lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol by about 8–12 percent.That’s fine, but compare it to rosuvastatin (Crestor):DoseAverage LDL Reduction5 mg≈ 45 %10 mg≈ 52 %20 mg≈ 55 %40 mg≈ 63 %That’s the difference between...

🎙 Celebrating 100 Episodes of Science, Sanity, and a Little SarcasmThis is it — our 100th episode of FORK U.Over the last hundred episodes, we’ve gone from goat-gland hucksters to the microbiome, from Kellogg’s enemas to cholesterol chemistry, and from Blue Zones to bird flu.Today, we look back — not just to celebrate the great scientists who shaped modern medicine, but to expose the modern influencers who sell that same science back to you in a bottle.Welcome to The FORK U Hall of Fame and Shame.🧠 The Hall of Fame🩺 Dr. Ancel Keys — The Misunderstood ScientistDr. Ancel Keys didn’t make guesses — he made measurements.He and his team built one of the most detailed long-term studies in the history of medicine.They went village by village across seven countries.They collected what people ate, sent food samples back to labs, recorded EKGs, drew blood, and reviewed medical charts — not for a few months, but for decades.That’s what science looks like: patient, precise, persistent.Critics like Gary Taubes claim Keys “left out countries.”That’s false — and it only proves they never read his work.Keys studied cohorts of men within small villages, followed them carefully over the years to learn how diet and disease connected.Without today’s molecular tools, he still discovered the pattern that modern science later confirmed:ApoB — the protein attached to LDL cholesterol — is transported into the arterial wall, starting the process of atherosclerosis.Keys didn’t chase fame. He chased truth.His data became the foundation of preventive cardiology.If you want to honor him, drizzle olive oil instead of conspiracy.And a personal note — my thanks to Dr. Harry Blackburn, who worked with Keys and has kindly shared insights from those pioneering days.💉 Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best — The Children Who Woke UpIn 1922, Banting and Best discovered insulin.Before that, children with diabetes slipped into comas and died.After the first injections, they woke up.Their parents fed them well, but diet alone couldn’t save them.Good science did.It was one of medicine’s greatest moments — and still saves lives every day.🧬 Dr. Kanehiro Takaki — The First VitaminBefore anyone even knew the word vitamin, Japanese surgeon Dr. Kanehiro Takaki saw sailors dying from beriberi.Using early ideas of epidemiology, he realized the problem wasn’t infection but nutrition.He changed their diet — adding barley and vegetables — and the disease vanished.Takaki brought Japan into modern medicine.Even Dr. Charles Mayo admired him.Had he lived longer, he would likely have shared a Nobel Prize.🧫 Dr. Leonard Hayflick — The Original Longevity DoctorIn 1961, Dr. Leonard Hayflick discovered something remarkable:Human cells divide about fifty times, then stop — the Hayflick Limit.He proved aging isn’t mystical. It’s biological.Every division shortens a cell’s life clock until it retires.His research wasn’t about nutrition, but it changed everything about how we understand aging and regeneration.He was the first true longevity doctor — without supplements, slogans, or selfies.❤️ The DASH and Portfolio Diet TeamsThe DASH Diet — Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension — came from a dream team of researchers.Dr. Lawrence Appel at Johns Hopkins led the NIH...

Thanksgiving is more than a meal — it’s a worldwide celebration of gratitude built around foods that started here in the Americas. Corn, beans, potatoes, and turkey didn’t just feed a nation; they changed global cuisine. Today, we blend culinary history with medical sense to show how to enjoy the feast without the nap.🍁 A Holiday for the WorldOur Canadian friends already finished their celebration. For their Thanksgiving, I roasted a chicken with Swiss Chalet sauce — if you know, you know. Thank you, Canada, for giving us Tim Hortons, Swiss Chalet, and the perfect excuse for early gravy season.In the United States, we wait for the fourth Thursday in November to celebrate. And while Thanksgiving began as a survival story between settlers and Native Americans, it’s become a global holiday. Whether you’re in Edinburgh, London, or Los Angeles, if there’s a turkey on your table, you’re part of it.🦃 The Turkey TruthTurkey is a ridiculously large bird. Cooking one whole is like putting a cow in the oven and hoping all the parts turn out right — it just doesn’t work.That’s why I separate mine. The breast goes into a sous vide bath until juicy and tender, and the legs roast separately until golden brown. This approach keeps everyone happy and the meat perfectly cooked.Another reason to love turkey: it’s naturally low in saturated fat, especially compared to red meat. So, when prepared well, it’s one of the healthiest centerpieces for your table.🥖 Cornbread Stuffing — Cook It SafelyStuffing the bird might seem traditional, but it can also be dangerous. Baking bread inside raw poultry turns your dinner into a bacteria incubator. Instead, bake it separately.My favorite? Cornbread stuffing — a true dish of the Americas. Combine cornbread cubes, sautéed onions, celery, herbs, mushrooms, and broth. For extra flavor, crisp up some turkey skin like “poultry bacon” and crumble it on top.(You’ll find the full recipe at terrysimpson.com)🥔 Potatoes — From the Andes to Every PlateLong before Europeans knew what a potato was, Indigenous farmers in the Andes were cultivating hundreds of varieties. Those humble tubers crossed the ocean and reshaped diets from Dublin to Delhi. Yes, the Italians perfected Gnochi - and the Irish love of the potato brought many of our finest folks to the United States.At my table, I keep mashed potatoes simple — Yukon Golds, butter, olive oil, milk, salt, and pepper. No truffle oil. No mountain of bacon. Just creamy, honest comfort food.🥗 Green Beans and the Three SistersGreen beans are another gift from the Americas. Native farmers grew them with corn and squash — the Three Sisters that nourished generations. The beans climbed the corn stalks while enriching the soil — the original regenerative farming.In Culinary Medicine, we love beans for their fiber, plant protein, and heart-healthy nutrients.If you’re remaking the classic green bean casserole, skip the canned soup. Use fresh mushrooms, milk, and a touch of cornstarch. Or, sauté the beans in olive oil and garlic for a lighter, Mediterranean twist.(Full recipe posted at terrysimpson.com)🥣 Cowboy Caviar — A Smart StarterBefore the main event, try Cowboy Caviar — a colorful bean salad from the American Southwest. It’s bright, high in fiber, and helps you eat more slowly (and more sanely).Mix black beans, black-eyed peas, corn,...

When Vitamin D Isn’t Sunshine in a BottleVitamin D is sold as bottled sunshine. Social media says it boosts immunity, prevents cancer, and makes you live longer. But science says something very different — and megadoses pushed by influencers like Dr. Eric Berg can do more harm than good. Here’s what you need to know.☀️ The Sunshine Vitamin — and the Myth That FollowsVitamin D has been called the sunshine vitamin for over a century.We discovered it when children in industrial cities developed rickets — bones so soft they bent like rubber.The cure wasn’t pills. It was sunlight and milk fortified with Vitamin D.Today, that history is lost under a pile of influencer ads.Scroll through TikTok or YouTube, and you’ll see people claim Vitamin D cures everything — from fatigue to depression to cancer.One of the loudest voices is Dr. Eric Berg, who calls himself a “doctor.”Here’s the problem: he’s not a physician. He’s a chiropractor.And in California, chiropractors aren’t allowed to call themselves physicians. For good reason.Dr. Berg recommends doses of Vitamin D that are ten to twenty times higher than medical guidelines. That’s dangerous advice.Let’s look at what real science — not social media — tells us.🧬 What Vitamin D Actually DoesVitamin D isn’t really a vitamin. It’s a hormone that helps your body absorb calcium, strengthen bones, and regulate parts of your immune system.Most adults need 600 to 800 IU per day — not 10,000.If your level is low, your doctor may recommend a short course of higher doses, but chronic mega-dosing can lead to toxicity.So how much Vitamin D do you actually need?That depends on your sun exposure, skin color, diet, and where you live. People who live in northern climates or rarely go outside might need a supplement — but the rest of us get plenty from sunlight and food.📊 What the Research ShowsThe VITAL Trial, published in The New England Journal of Medicine (2019), followed over 25,000 people taking Vitamin D or a placebo.The result? No meaningful reduction in cancer, heart disease, or death.Other major studies say the same thing.If your Vitamin D levels are normal, taking more doesn’t improve health — it just makes your urine more expensive.There are benefits for people who are deficient, but that’s not most of us.A simple blood test can tell you if you truly need supplementation.⚠️ Too Much of a Good ThingVitamin D toxicity is not rare.Excess doses can cause calcium levels in your blood to spike, leading to nausea, confusion, kidney stones, and even heart rhythm problems.There is no benefit to megadoses of vitamin D (link)🍳 Real Food, Real SunshineHere’s the truth: you can get enough Vitamin D the way nature intended.Good sources include:Salmon, sardines, and tunaEggs and fortified milkMushroomsAnd, of course, sunlightTen to fifteen minutes of midday sun on your arms and legs a few times a week is usually enough.If you live in Alaska in January, sure — take a supplement.But for most of us, a walk outside beats a handful of pills.🧠 Why We Love PillsIt’s easy to see why Vitamin D is so popular.It promises health without effort.Pop a pill instead of taking a walk, eat poorly, but believe you’re fixing it — it’s the illusion of health without the habit of health.But biology isn’t fooled.Our bodies need balance, not...

Animal Protein and Cancer Risk: What the Science Really SaysRecently, Mark Hyman posted on X (formerly Twitter) that a new study suggests eating more animal protein might actually lower your risk of cancer. The study he pointed to came from the NHANES dataset—a U.S. survey of diet and health. It sounded reassuring, but it doesn’t line up with the bulk of the evidence. Here is the story about Animal protein and cancer risk:Let’s dig into what the science really shows.Red and Processed Meats: Where the Risk Is ClearIf you want the strongest evidence, look at red and processed meats. Large prospective cohort studies and systematic reviews consistently show that higher intake of these foods increases cancer risk. The effect is clearest for colorectal cancer, but we also see it in breast, endometrial, and even lung cancer.[1–6]How big is the risk? Recent meta-analyses and systematic reviews find relative risks (RRs) and hazard ratios (HRs) in the 1.10–1.30 range for the highest vs. lowest intakes. For example, a comprehensive meta-analysis reported that every 50–70 grams per day of red or processed meat increased colorectal cancer risk by 15–32% (HR 1.15–1.32).[3,5] Processed meat generally carries more risk than unprocessed red meat.[2–3,6]That’s why the American Cancer Society recommends limiting red and processed meats. Their advice is clear: swap them out for fish, poultry, or legumes when possible.[15]Fish: A Safer BetThe data on fish tells a different story. Multiple studies and meta-analyses find a modest reduction in colorectal cancer risk with higher fish intake (SRR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89–0.99).[7–8] In fact, adding 50 grams of fish per day reduces risk by about 4%.Pescatarian diets (no red meat, but including fish) show even more protection. Compared to meat-eaters, pescatarians had a 9% lower overall and colorectal cancer risk (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86–0.96).[9]Poultry: Mostly NeutralChicken and turkey usually get lumped in with “animal protein.” But when you pull the data apart, poultry tells a different story. Most meta-analyses show a neutral or even slightly protective association with colorectal cancer (RR 0.79, 95% CI 0.63–0.99 for white meat).[10–12]That said, a few studies hint at possible links with certain blood cancers, but those findings aren’t strong or consistent.[5,10] For most people, poultry is a much safer choice than red or processed meats.Dairy: A Mixed PictureDairy is tricky. On one hand, milk and calcium-rich foods are consistently linked to a lower risk of colorectal cancer (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91–0.94).[4,13] On the other hand, high intake of milk or calcium may slightly increase the risk of prostate and endometrial cancers (RR 1.09–1.10).[13–14]No consistent associations are found for breast or ovarian cancer. Cheese intake in particular may even have protective effects, but results vary.Why the Confusion?So why did that NHANES study Mark Hyman highlighted find a small reduction in cancer mortality with higher animal protein? A few reasons:NHANES relies on a single dietary recall—one snapshot in time that may not reflect long-term habits.It doesn’t separate red and processed meat from healthier animal proteins like fish or poultry.Residual confounding (differences in lifestyle factors that aren’t fully accounted for) may skew the results.When you put NHANES side by side with larger, longer-term studies and meta-analyses, it looks like the outlier. The overwhelming weight of evidence shows that

When Green Tea Isn’t ChemotherapyIntroductionFood is powerful. Eating well lowers your risk of many diseases, including cancer. Yet food is not chemotherapy. Still, the idea that broccoli or green tea could replace cancer treatment is tempting. It feels safe, natural, and hopeful.However, cancer is not treated with vegetables or tea. Cancer is treated with medicine. Let’s break down what food can and cannot do when it comes to cancer.Broccoli and Cruciferous VegetablesBroccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and other cruciferous vegetables contain natural compounds like sulforaphane. In lab studies, these compounds slow cancer cell growth. That is promising.Furthermore, population studies show that people who regularly eat cruciferous vegetables often have a lower risk of colon, lung, and breast cancers. So, broccoli can help lower risk.But here is the key point: broccoli does not cure cancer. No oncologist prescribes broccoli as chemotherapy. Prevention is not the same as treatment.Green Tea and Its LimitsGreen tea is another food often linked to cancer prevention. It contains catechins, such as EGCG, which in test tubes can slow cancer cell growth. Some studies even suggest that people who drink green tea regularly may have slightly lower cancer rates.But again, that is prevention. Once cancer begins, drinking green tea will not stop it. And when taken as concentrated supplements, green tea extracts can actually harm the liver.So, green tea is a fine beverage. But it is not chemotherapy. Personally, I prefer black tea — green tea tastes a little too much like pond water for me.Scams and False HopeSadly, the gap between prevention and treatment is where scams thrive. You’ve probably heard of things like:Gerson Therapy: organic juices and coffee enemas, still promoted in Mexico. No evidence, high risk.Apricot pits and soursop: marketed as natural cures, but linked to toxicity.Ivermectin: useful for parasites, but not proven in cancer.Then there’s the Warburg effect. Otto Warburg correctly observed that cancer cells use sugar differently. But modern science has shown cancer is not a “sugar disease.” It is a DNA disease caused by mutations. Cancer cells can grow on sugar, ketones, and even vitamins. You cannot starve cancer with diet.What Medicine Has DoneNow, let’s talk about the real success stories.Chemotherapy in the past was harsh, like carpet bombing. Yet it saved lives. My brother Jimmy was diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin’s disease in 1969. Thanks to experimental chemotherapy and radiation, he lived 37 more years.Today, treatment is even better. We have:Targeted therapies that hit the exact mutation in a tumor.Immunotherapy drugs that unleash the body’s own defenses.Combination therapies that extend survival with fewer side effects.And vaccines are changing everything. The HPV vaccine prevents cervical, anal, and many oral cancers. It may even help lower melanoma risk. Researchers are now studying vaccines for brain cancers like glioblastoma and even for pancreatic cancer.No apricot pit will ever do that.Food Still MattersWe should not ignore food. A poor diet filled with ultra-processed foods and low in fiber increases cancer risk. In fact, the rise in colon cancer among younger adults is likely tied to diets low in fiber and high in processed foods.The Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, olive oil, and legumes, does more than prevent cancer. The large EPIC studies show it also lowers the risk of cancer coming back after treatment. That makes it...

Food Is Powerful, But It’s Not EnoughFood shapes our health. Eating beans, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can lower the risk of diabetes and other chronic conditions. Yet food does not replace medicine. Clearly, diets high in ultra-processed foods make diabetes worse. And yes, eating better is the most empowering thing anyone can do.Still, some claim that modern food is the only reason we have chronic diseases like diabetes. They argue that if people only ate “real food,” there would be no need for medicine. History proves otherwise.The Story That Changed Everything: Dr. Banting and InsulinIn the early 1920s, Dr. Frederick Banting and Charles Best discovered insulin in Toronto. At the time, children with type 1 diabetes had no future. Families were told to put their kids on starvation diets, hoping to add a few months to their lives. Death was certain.Then came insulin. Doctors injected it into children already in comas. One by one, they woke up. They sat up, asked for food, and hugged their parents. What had been a hospital ward of silence turned into a place of joy.Insulin was the fastest-adopted drug in history. Banting became the youngest Nobel Prize winner at the time. That discovery did not come from food. It came from science and medicine.Two Types of DiabetesThere are two main types of diabetes.Type 1 diabetes happens when the pancreas loses all ability to make insulin. Without insulin, sugar cannot move into cells, and life cannot continue. That is why every person with type 1 diabetes needs insulin from the first day of diagnosis.Type 2 diabetes is different. In this case, the body still makes insulin, but the cells resist it. Over time, the pancreas wears out. That is why many people with type 2 eventually need insulin too. It is not failure. It is simply how the disease progresses.Food can help manage both types, but food alone is never enough.What Beans Can DoBeans are one of the best foods for blood sugar. They are full of soluble fiber, which slows down glucose absorption. They also provide plant protein and have a low glycemic index. That means they don’t spike blood sugar the way soda or white bread does.Research shows that eating beans regularly can lower hemoglobin A1c — the measure of long-term blood sugar — by about 0.3 to 0.5 percent. That is a real effect from food.Beans are also practical. They are inexpensive, found almost everywhere, and have been eaten by humans longer than almost any other protein source.Why Beans Aren’t MedicineNow let’s compare beans to metformin.Metformin is the first-line drug for type 2 diabetes. It lowers A1c by 1 to 2 percent. That’s two to four times more than beans. Metformin also lowers the risk of heart disease and has decades of safety data behind it.So while beans help, they are not metformin. If blood sugar is high, no amount of hummus or chili will bring it back to safe levels. Medicine is needed. Food lays the foundation, but medicine does the heavy lifting.The Best Diet for Diabetes: The Mediterranean PatternWhen it comes to diet, the evidence is clear. The Mediterranean diet is the best overall eating plan for diabetes.This diet includes:FruitsVegetablesOlive oilNutsLegumes (yes, beans!)Whole grainsNow, some people push back against whole grains. That may be because they grew up in the low-carb era, when grains were unfairly blamed for every health problem. But whole grains are healthy, especially for people with diabetes. They are far better for the body than bacon or butter.The Mediterranean...

When Salmon Isn’t a StentHeart disease was four times more deadly than it is today. In those days, we had no statins, no stents, and no bypass surgery. Food was the only weapon doctors had.Pharmacies in Rome and Greece even stocked extra virgin olive oil for patients with “hardening of the arteries.” Doctors sent people to pick up bottles, almost like prescriptions. Olive oil wasn’t curing clogged arteries, but it showed an early recognition that diet mattered.Then scientists noticed something bigger. In certain Mediterranean villages, people lived longer with far less heart disease. It wasn’t genetic. Relatives who moved to cities and switched to Western diets developed heart disease much earlier.Researchers didn’t stop there. They followed men in villages across Europe and the Mediterranean for decades. Some communities ate diets heavy in saturated fats. They developed clogged arteries and heart disease quickly. Other communities ate diets rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, fish, nuts, and olive oil. They had much lower rates of heart disease. This pattern became the foundation of what we now call the Mediterranean Diet.At that time, diet gave us hope. But today, we know that food alone is not enough.Lyon Heart StudyThe Lyon Diet Heart Study proved how powerful diet could be. Conducted just as statins came onto the market, it showed that patients with heart attacks who switched to a Mediterranean-style diet had a 70% lower risk of another cardiac event. That meant fewer heart attacks and fewer deaths.Later, the PREDIMED trial confirmed these results. In high-risk adults, the Mediterranean Diet reduced major cardiovascular events by about 30%. That’s impressive, but it also raises a question: can people sustain it? Adherence usually means sticking with the diet about 70 percent of the time. That’s not perfect.Here’s a personal example. I have hypercholesterolemia and a strong family history of heart disease. I follow the Mediterranean Diet carefully. But even with strong adherence, my LDL cholesterol never dropped below 180. With two drugs — Zetia and Crestor — my LDL is now in the 40s. Food helps. Medicine saves.Atherosclerosis begins early in lifeThe PESA Heart Study showed why this matters. Researchers in Spain followed adults who felt perfectly healthy. Using advanced imaging, they found more than 60 percent already had plaque in their arteries. Atherosclerosis begins silently, and often decades before symptoms appear.The JUPITER trial with rosuvastatin (Crestor) proved what medicine can do. Statins reduced cardiovascular events by 44 percent, and the study had to stop early because the benefit was so strong.And then there’s Dean Ornish. His program is often called the “diet that reverses heart disease.” But it was never just a diet. His patients quit smoking, took statins, took blood pressure medications, and practiced yoga. Ornish proved that lifestyle matters — but it was food and medicine together that made the difference.Barbara O'Neill and Cayenne PepperMeanwhile, scammers still sell false hope. Barbara O’Neill, banned from giving health advice in Australia, charges thousands for seminars where she claims cayenne pepper “opens arteries.” That’s pure fiction. Cayenne is a spice, not a stent. She also claims cholesterol guidelines only exist to enrich drug companies. Yet my three-month supply of Crestor costs $2.36, while she profits thousands. The real con is clear.So here’s the truth: salmon is healthy, but it isn’t a stent. Olive oil helps, but it isn’t a statin. Food prevents disease. Medicine treats it. Together, food and medicine are...

When Bananas Aren’t a Beta BlockerPeople love to believe that food can replace medicine. We talked about this in Episode One, where I explained that Hippocrates never said “let food be thy medicine.” Still, the myth endures.Food does matter. The right eating pattern can lower blood pressure. One of the best-studied is the DASH Diet—short for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is often called America’s version of the Mediterranean Diet. While the Mediterranean Diet was being mapped out for overall health, the DASH researchers asked a sharper question: what foods can lower blood pressure directly?Why DASH Is UniqueUnlike most nutrition studies, the original DASH trial provided all the food to participants. That meant researchers knew exactly what people ate, meal after meal. This is rare and expensive, but it gave them confidence in the results.The DASH diet emphasizes:Fruits and vegetables, especially potassium-rich foods like bananas, beans, and leafy greensWhole grainsLean proteins, like fish and poultryLow-fat dairyLess red meat, sweets, and sodiumBecause it combined several food groups, DASH worked quickly. Within two weeks, blood pressure dropped.What the Studies ShowThe results were consistent. People following DASH lowered their systolic blood pressure (the top number) by 8–11 mmHg and their diastolic pressure by 5–6 mmHg. That is about the same as one standard blood pressure pill.Even more important, DASH showed that sodium reduction matters. Those who cut sodium intake to 1,500–2,300 milligrams per day saw the greatest improvements. This shattered the myth that unlimited salt is safe. Too much sodium raises blood pressure, increases heart disease risk, and fuels strokes.The Role of ElectrolytesThis is where things get messy. Electrolytes, especially sodium, are necessary during prolonged exercise—typically more than 1–2 hours, in hot weather, or when sweating heavily. Under those conditions, sodium helps prevent hyponatremia, a dangerous drop in blood sodium levels.However, for most people exercising less than an hour, water is enough. Regular meals will replace lost sodium. Salty drinks or powders aren’t required. In fact, most commercial sports drinks don’t even contain enough sodium to match sweat losses in extreme events.The Salt Supplement ScamHere is where the grift appears. Shirtless salesmen on social media love to sell high-priced mango-flavored salt packets as “essential” electrolytes. They promise performance and recovery, but they may actually raise your blood pressure and put you at risk.Science says otherwise. Electrolyte supplementation should be individualized and used with caution. People at highest risk from unnecessary sodium loading include:Those with hypertension, heart failure, or kidney diseaseWomen, who are more prone to overhydration and hyponatremia due to smaller body size and lower sweat ratesOlder athletes or those with low body massRecreational athletes who follow outdated advice to “drink as much as possible”Even ultra-endurance athletes cannot rely on sodium supplements alone. If they drink more than they lose, sodium will not prevent hyponatremia and may make things worse. The best strategy is to drink to thirst and use salty foods or fluids only when truly needed.What a DASH Day Looks LikeHow can you follow DASH in real life? Here’s one...

When Tofu Isn’t a StatinPeople love to say “food is medicine.” Some even claim Hippocrates himself said it. But here’s the thing: he didn’t. The phrase does not appear in any of his surviving writings. In fact, historians believe the line was created centuries later and then falsely attached to Hippocrates to give it weight.Still, the idea persists. Even the current head of HHS, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has repeated the myth. And when RFK Jr. is your fact-checker, you know you’re in trouble.Now, as someone certified in Culinary Medicine, I believe food is incredibly powerful. Eating the right foods can prevent disease, improve health, and help you live longer. However, food alone rarely works as well as actual medicine. That is especially true when it comes to cholesterol.The Portfolio DietIn the early 2000s, Dr. David Jenkins and his team introduced what they called the Portfolio Diet. Instead of focusing on one “superfood,” the diet combines several cholesterol-lowering foods:Soy proteinNuts, like almondsViscous fibers from oats, barley, or psylliumPlant sterols from fortified foodsEach one has a small effect. But when you put them together, the benefits add up.Why does it work? Cholesterol gets secreted by your liver into bile, then travels into your gut. Normally, most of that cholesterol is reabsorbed into your bloodstream. But fiber and plant sterols bind to cholesterol and drag it out of your body. That’s why bowel movements are brown—bile is brown, and fiber helps carry it out. More fiber means you feed your gut bacteria and flush away cholesterol. It really is a win-win.What the Studies ShowThe Portfolio Diet has been tested in multiple clinical trials. In one JAMA study, people who followed the diet lowered their LDL cholesterol by about 13 to 14 percent over six months. That translated to a drop of about 24–26 mg/dL.Other studies show that people who stick with it can lower their LDL by 17 percent on average. Some who were especially diligent saw drops of more than 20 percent at one year. The Portfolio Diet also improves non-HDL cholesterol, apolipoprotein B, and long-term risk for heart disease.So yes—it works. In fact, the effect is similar to what you get from early statins like lovastatin.What It Looks Like in Real LifeThe science sounds great. But how do you actually eat this way? Here’s one example day:Breakfast: Oatmeal made with soy milkSnack: A handful of almonds (about 25–30 grams)Lunch: Lentil soup with whole-grain breadDinner: Tofu stir-fry with vegetables and barleyExtra: Two grams of plant sterols, often from fortified margarine spreadsThat daily pattern gives you soy protein, fiber, nuts, and plant sterols. But here’s the challenge: it takes careful planning to hit the right doses every day. It’s not impossible—but it is hard to sustain.How It Differs from the Mediterranean DietMany people confuse the Portfolio Diet with the Mediterranean Diet. Both are plant-forward, emphasize nuts, legumes, whole grains, and lower cardiovascular risk. However, the Mediterranean Diet is broader and easier to follow. It includes olive oil, fish, fruits, vegetables, and even moderate wine.The Portfolio Diet, on the other hand, is very prescriptive. You must hit specific amounts of soy protein, fiber, and sterols daily. Think of the Mediterranean Diet as the entire restaurant, while the Portfolio Diet is just one corner of the menu—focused...