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Is your ear wax normal? Here’s what the sticky stuff can tell you about your health

In a hierarchy of unsexy topics, ear wax lands towards the top of the list. Still, the goo serves a vital function: It protects the delicate skin of the ear canal. What’s more, changes in its color or consistency can provide clues to the overall health of the ear….

What people get wrong about superfoods

There’s a lot of buzz around superfoods but are they really all that super? Dr. Nina Shapiro, author of “Hype: A Doctor’s Guide to Medical Myths, Exaggerated Claims, and Bad Advice” weighs in on the superfoods debate. Shapiro reveals the superfoods of years past, the superfoods of today, and how to get the most out […]

6 lies the internet tells you when you google your symptoms

In the past year, I’ve convinced myself that I had solar retinopathy, rhabdo, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, Lyme disease, appendicitis, and an abscessed tooth. (And that’s just a sampling of my would-be ailments.) I have a sickness, all right. But it’s none of those things. I’m a total hypochondriac—or, rather, a “cyberchondriac.” I’m addicted to […]

How the $3 trillion wellness industry confuses fact with fad

The Bookworm: The medically and fishing obsessed

For the last few days, you’ve had a tickle in your throat. It’s not much, just a hrrumph that’s gone from occasional to annoying. You’ve looked it up online and, well, it’s either allergies, a cold, or you’re going to die. But, as author Nina Shapiro, MD says in her new book, “Hype” (with Kristin […]

11 Things You Shouldn’t Do When Googling Health Symptoms

If you’re going to Google your symptoms—and everyone does—you might as well do it right. We asked experts about the most common mistakes people make. Here’s what they told us…

The Truth About the Keto Diet

“The premise is simple: Eat mostly fat, only a little protein, and a minuscule amount of carbs, and you can trick your body into burning its fat reserves for energy.” The Instagram hashtag #ketotransformation tells you everything you need to know about why the ketogenic diet is the most popular way to lose weight fast […]

Dr. Nina Shapiro on The Brain Candy Podcast

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Can You Believe It? Health Hype Vs. Medical Science

I went to medical school a long time ago. In another millennium, on another coast, in a galaxy far, far away. I’ve forgotten a lot of what I learned, back in the dark ages before Twitter, and even Facebook. But the information I’ve learned since then has more than made up for what I’ve lost. […]

A professor of medicine reveals what the SPF on your sunscreen really means

* Sunscreen, along with avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun, can help prevent skin cancer. * The SPF number on sunscreen stands for “sun protection factor,” and represents time the lotion will protect you — not its strength. * The sun emits two different types of rays: ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB). It […]