Archive for December, 2021

Five Trends to Shape 2022 in Health and Obesity

December 31, 2021 — Looking toward a new year gives us time to think about what we want and what we don’t for our lives in the year ahead. Make no mistake, the list that follows does not come from an oracle with any assurance these things must be true. But our expectations can indeed shape our futures because […]

Bariatric Surgery: Half the Risk of Death from COVID

December 30, 2021 — Early in the pandemic, a couple of things were clear about COVID risk. First, and most important, age is a person’s biggest risk factor. But that’s obviously not a modifiable risk. Soon after that was apparent, another risk factor became apparent – obesity. The risk linked to obesity was not as great as age, but […]

Following the Science into 2022

December 29, 2021 — Following the science is a catchphrase in wide circulation throughout this past year with good reason. Scientists have been warning us about a number of threats to humanity and, at times, we seem to have dismissed those threats. Of course, COVID-19 and climate change are two very prominent examples that come to mind. But many […]

A Healthy Diet Is Too Costly for Three Billion People

December 28, 2021 — The COVID-19 pandemic has caused price spikes for corn, milk, beans, and other commodities, but even before the pandemic about 3 billion people could not afford even the cheapest options for a healthy diet. Recent analysis of global food price data reveals that as of 2017, the latest available year, around 40% of the world’s […]

The Ten Most Read Stories of 2021 on ConscienHealth

December 27, 2021 — Our readers amaze us. First of all, it is amazing that more than 100,000 of you come to ConscienHealth in the span of a year. But more important, you teach us by what you read and share from our site and what you pass up. So here are the top ten stories you read most […]

Unreasonable Hope for the Coming Year

December 26, 2021 — Hope is, by its very nature, unreasonable. It is not based on empiric evidence. Shane Lopez, editor of the Oxford Handbook of Hope, defined it as: “The belief that the future will be better than the present, along with the belief that you have the power to make it so.” Today, we feel the need […]

A Plea from Santa: Stop with Your Health “Concerns”

December 25, 2021 — OK, I admit it. This has been a rough year for me, so the filter is off. I’ve had enough with the so-called health concerns for Santa that keep coming at me from anonymous trolls. Some of you don’t seem to approve of my lifestyle, my body composition, or my enjoyment of milk and cookies. […]

The Joy of Giving While Sorrow Is Lurking

December 24, 2021 — These holidays are supposed to be joyful. But we are into a second year of holidays that are bringing the sorrow of isolation, loneliness, and loss every bit as much as they are bringing joy. The uncertainty of omicron is disrupting joyful plans for many people in this season. So no, this is not our […]

Too Many Positive Studies in Kinesiology?

December 23, 2021 — The New York Times has a wellness column called Phys Ed. Weekly it brings us factoids from mostly positive studies in kinesiology. “Staying physically active may protect the aging brain,” says one. “300 minutes a week of moderate exercise may help ward off cancer,” says another. Gretchen Reynolds feeds us quite a stream of good […]

Anti-Diet Sentiment Meets a COVID Weight Loss Tide

December 22, 2021 — It’s an odd intersection. On one hand, people are totally done with diets right now. And yet, here comes the news that people are reading about weight loss more than any other health topic online. More than COVID, which came in second. How can it be that anti-diet sentiment is so strong at the same […]