- All articles

All articles

- Episode 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made: 2026 Feb 10

- Special Episode Nicola Twilley & Frostbite: 2026 Feb 3

- Episode 199 Sleep Part 2: Predictably unpredictable: 2026 Jan 27

- Episode 198 Sleep Part 1: Sleeping with one eye open: 2026 Jan 20

- Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison: 2026 Jan 13

- Episode 197 Detox: Enemas for everyone: 2026 Jan 6

- Episode 196 Health Myths: Fact or fiction?: 2025 Dec 16

- Special Episode: Dr. Homer Venters & Outbreak Behind Bars: 2025 Dec 9

- Episode 195 Salt Part 2: The Substance: 2025 Dec 2

- Episode 194 Salt Part 1: The Seasoning: 2025 Nov 25

FEB 10, 2026, 1:33 PM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made

It might be stinky and it might be unpleasant to behold, but we all do it. For many of us, our poop is out of sight, out of mind once we flush it away. But for the next hour and fifteen minutes or so, we’re going to bring it back into mind as we delve into the rich world of poop. This episode, the first of a two-part miniseries on poop, features a wide cast of characters all with some role in the production or management of poo, like our intestinal tract with its sphincters and microbiota, dung beetles that perform the duties so crucial for ecosystem function, and the sperm whale that produces a revered substance used in perfumes. We’re going behind the scenes to understand how the sausage really gets made (in a manner of speaking) and why we need a big perspective shift to stop seeing poop as waste and start seeing it as a resource.

Correction: EW says that elephants poop 15 pounds a day, but in reality it’s more like 10x that – 150-200 pounds! Sorry for the mistake – we noticed it while listening through.

History

- Roman, Joe. Eat, Poop, Die: How Animals Make Our World. Little, Brown Spark, 2023.

- Waltner-Toews, David. The origin of feces: what excrement tells us about evolution, ecology, and a sustainable society. ECW Press, 2013.

- Zeldovich, Lina. The Other Dark Matter: The Science and Business of Turning Waste into Wealth and Health. University of Chicago Press, 2021.

- Clarke, Robert. “The origin of ambergris.” Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals (2006): 7-21.

- Curtis, Valerie, and Adam Biran. “Dirt, disgust, and disease: Is hygiene in our genes?.” Perspectives in biology and medicine 44.1 (2001): 17-31.

- Nichols, E., et al. “Ecological functions and ecosystem services provided by Scarabaeinae dung beetles.” Biological conservation 141.6 (2008): 1461-1474.

- Somnay, Vishal, et al. “Crime Scene Analysis through DNA Testing of Canine Feces—A Case Report.” Academic Forensic Pathology 10.1 (2020): 56-61.

- Our World in Data, Meat Production.

Biology

- Poitras, P., Bilodeau, M., Bouin, M. and Ghia, J.E. eds., 2022. The digestive system: from basic sciences to clinical practice. Springer Nature.

- Rose, C., Parker, A., Jefferson, B. and Cartmell, E., 2015. The characterization of feces and urine: a review of the literature to inform advanced treatment technology. Critical reviews in environmental science and technology, 45(17), pp.1827-1879.

- Nelson, B., 2022. Flush: The Remarkable Science of an Unlikely Treasure. Grand Central Publishing.

- Southwell, B.R., Clarke, M.C., Sutcliffe, J. and Hutson, J.M., 2009. Colonic transit studies: normal values for adults and children with comparison of radiological and scintigraphic methods. Pediatric surgery international, 25(7), pp.559-572.

- Saad, R.J., Rao, S.S., Koch, K.L., Kuo, B., Parkman, H.P., McCallum, R.W., Sitrin, M.D., Wilding, G.E., Semler, J.R. and Chey, W.D., 2010. Do stool form and frequency correlate with whole-gut and colonic transit? Results from a multicenter study in constipated individuals and healthy controls. Official journal of the American College of Gastroenterology| ACG, 105(2), pp.403-411.

- Sato, H., Morimatsu, H., Kimura, T., Moriyama, Y., Yamashita, T. and Nakashima, Y., 2002. Analysis of malodorous substances of human feces. Journal of health science, 48(2), pp.179-185.

- Rao, K., Berland, D., Young, C., Walk, S.T. and Newton, D.W., 2013. The nose knows not: poor predictive value of stool sample odor for detection of Clostridium difficile. Clinical infectious diseases, 56(4), pp.615-616.

- Burdette, S.D. and Bernstein, J.M., 2007. Does the nose know? The odiferous diagnosis of Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea. Clinical infectious diseases, 44(8), pp.1142-1142.

- Johansen, A., Vasishta, S., Edison, P. and Hosein, I., 2002. Clostridium difficile associated diarrhoea: how good are nurses at identifying the disease?. Age and ageing, 31(6), pp.487-488.

- O’Donnell, L.J., Virjee, J. and Heaton, K., 1990. Detection of pseudodiarrhoea by simple clinical assessment of intestinal transit rate. BMJ: British Medical Journal, 300(6722), p.439.

- Lane, M.M., Czyzewski, D.I., Chumpitazi, B.P. and Shulman, R.J., 2011. Reliability and validity of a modified Bristol Stool Form Scale for children. The Journal of pediatrics, 159(3), pp.437-441.

- Blake, M.R., Raker, J.M. and Whelan, K., 2016. Validity and reliability of the Bristol Stool Form Scale in healthy adults and patients with diarrhoea‐predominant irritable bowel syndrome. Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics, 44(7), pp.693-703.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

FEB 3, 2026, 8:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode Nicola Twilley & Frostbite

For much of the world, refrigeration is such a commonplace technology that we rarely stop to wonder at the many ways it has transformed our lives. From the foods we grow to where we grow them, from how they taste to what we eat, refrigeration has dramatically – and quite recently – changed our relationship to food, our health, and the environment. As Nicola Twilley describes in Frostbite: How Refrigeration Changed our Food, Our Planet, and Ourselves, progress, as it so often does, comes at a cost. Twilley, who also cohosts the award-winning food podcast Gastropod, joins us in this week’s TPWKY book club episode to discuss the surprising history and tenuous future of refrigeration. You’ll never look at your fridge the same way again.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

JAN 27, 2026, 8:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 199 Sleep Part 2: Predictably unpredictable

Now that we know just how critical sleep is, we’re all making sure we get the amount we need, right? Unfortunately no. One-third to one-half of Americans are not getting enough sleep, according to public health guidelines. Why is that? Hypotheses abound, but many point the finger of blame at different aspects of modern society such as screen time, artificial light, a sedentary lifestyle. These narratives suggest that sleep in industrialized societies today is not just different but worse than in centuries past. Is that the truth? How did humans sleep in yesteryear, and what can that tell us about sleep today? In the conclusion to our sleep two-parter, we explore the many ways that humans sleep and the wide array of consequences when we don’t get enough (or too much) of it.

History

- Derickson, Alan. Dangerously sleepy: Overworked Americans and the cult of manly wakefulness. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014.

- Ekirch, A. Roger. At day’s close: night in times past. WW Norton & Company, 2006.

- Kroker, Kenton. The sleep of others and the transformations of sleep research. University of Toronto Press, 2007.

- Wolf-Meyer, Matthew J. The slumbering masses: Sleep, medicine, and modern American life. U of Minnesota Press, 2012.

- Ekirch, A. Roger. “Segmented sleep in preindustrial societies.” Sleep 39.3 (2016): 715-716.

- Ekirch, A. Roger. “Sleep we have lost: pre-industrial slumber in the British Isles.” The American Historical Review 106.2 (2001): 343-386.

- Moloney, Mairead Eastin, Thomas R. Konrad, and Catherine R. Zimmer. “The medicalization of sleeplessness: a public health concern.” American journal of public health 101.8 (2011): 1429-1433.

- Nunn, Charles L., David R. Samson, and Andrew D. Krystal. “Shining evolutionary light on human sleep and sleep disorders.” Evolution, medicine, and public health 2016.1 (2016): 227-243.

- Samson, David R. “The human sleep paradox: the unexpected sleeping habits of Homo sapiens.” Annual Review of Anthropology 50.1 (2021): 259-274.

- Schulz, Hartmut, and Piero Salzarulo. “The development of sleep medicine: a historical sketch.” Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine 12.7 (2016): 1041-1052.

- Siegel, Jerome M. “Sleep function: an evolutionary perspective.” The Lancet Neurology 21.10 (2022): 937-946.

- Williams, Simon J., et al. “Medicalization and beyond: the social construction of insomnia and snoring in the news.” Health: 12.2 (2008): 251-268.

- Yetish, Gandhi, and Ronald McGregor. “Hunter-gatherer sleep and novel human sleep adaptations.” Handbook of behavioral neuroscience. Vol. 30. Elsevier, 2019. 317-331.

- Yetish, Gandhi, et al. “Natural sleep and its seasonal variations in three pre-industrial societies.” Current Biology 25.21 (2015): 2862-2868.

Biology

- Zisapel, N., 2007. Sleep and sleep disturbances: biological basis and clinical implications. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64(10), p.1174.

- Gohari, A., Baumann, B., Jen, R. and Ayas, N., 2024. Sleep deficiency: epidemiology and effects. Sleep Medicine Clinics, 19(4), pp.509-518.

- Cappuccio, F.P., D’Elia, L., Strazzullo, P. and Miller, M.A., 2010. Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sleep, 33(5), pp.585-592.

- Jackson, C.L., Redline, S. and Emmons, K.M., 2015. Sleep as a potential fundamental contributor to disparities in cardiovascular health. Annual review of public health, 36(1), pp.417-440.

- Lamote de Grignon Pérez, J., Gershuny, J., Foster, R. and De Vos, M., 2019. Sleep differences in the UK between 1974 and 2015: Insights from detailed time diaries. Journal of sleep research, 28(1), p.e12753.

- St-Onge, M.P., Cherta-Murillo, A., Darimont, C., Mantantzis, K., Martin, F.P. and Owen, L., 2023. The interrelationship between sleep, diet, and glucose metabolism. Sleep medicine reviews, 69, p.101788.

- Fjell, A.M. and Walhovd, K.B., 2024. Individual sleep need is flexible and dynamically related to cognitive function. Nature Human Behaviour, 8(3), pp.422-430.

- Durmer, J.S. and Dinges, D.F., 2005, March. Neurocognitive consequences of sleep deprivation. In Seminars in neurology (Vol. 25, No. 01, pp. 117-129). Copyright© 2005 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

- Morin, C.M. and Jarrin, D.C., 2022. Epidemiology of insomnia: prevalence, course, risk factors, and public health burden. Sleep medicine clinics, 17(2), pp.173-191.

- Senaratna, C.V., Perret, J.L., Lodge, C.J., Lowe, A.J., Campbell, B.E., Matheson, M.C., Hamilton, G.S. and Dharmage, S.C., 2017. Prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea in the general population: a systematic review. Sleep medicine reviews, 34, pp.70-81.

- Full, K.M., Shi, H., Lipworth, L., Dauer, L.T., Mumma, M.T. and Xiao, Q., 2025. Sleep Trajectories and All-Cause Mortality Among Low-Income Adults. JAMA Network Open, 8(2), pp.e2462117-e2462117.

- Ohayon, M., Wickwire, E.M., Hirshkowitz, M., Albert, S.M., Avidan, A., Daly, F.J., Dauvilliers, Y., Ferri, R., Fung, C., Gozal, D. and Hazen, N., 2017. National Sleep Foundation’s sleep quality recommendations: first report. Sleep health, 3(1), pp.6-19.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

JAN 20, 2026, 9:59 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 198 Sleep Part 1: Sleeping with one eye open

Sleep is a universal experience. It’s not just the lion that sleeps tonight – it’s also the butterfly, the chicken, the jellyfish, the dog, the snake, the worm, and of course the human. What is this widespread physiological process whose spell we are all under? What purpose (or purposes) does it serve? Why do we sleep the way we do? These are just some of the questions we’re going to get into in this week’s episode, the first half of our two-parter on sleep. We break down the different components of sleep in humans before diving deep into how animals sleep and what drives the different patterns we see. Night owl or daybird? Light sleeper or deep slumberer? Frequent naps or one big chunk? One eye open or both eyes closed? Tune in as we unravel some of the mysteries of sleep.

History

- McNamara, Patrick, Robert A. Barton, and Charles L. Nunn, eds. Evolution of sleep: phylogenetic and functional perspectives. Cambridge University Press, 2010.

- Allada, Ravi, and Jerome M. Siegel. “Unearthing the phylogenetic roots of sleep.” Current biology 18.15 (2008): R670-R679.

- Anafi, Ron C., Matthew S. Kayser, and David M. Raizen. “Exploring phylogeny to find the function of sleep.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 20.2 (2019): 109-116.

- Cirelli, Chiara, and Giulio Tononi. “Is sleep essential?.” PLoS biology 6.8 (2008): e216.

- Fruth, Barbara, Nikki Tagg, and Fiona Stewart. “Sleep and nesting behavior in primates: A review.” American Journal of Physical Anthropology 166.3 (2018): 499-509.

- Hobson, J. Allan. “REM sleep and dreaming: towards a theory of protoconsciousness.” Nature Reviews Neuroscience 10.11 (2009): 803-813.

- Joiner, William J. “Unraveling the evolutionary determinants of sleep.” Current biology 26.20 (2016): R1073-R1087.

- Keene, Alex C., and Erik R. Duboue. “The origins and evolution of sleep.” Journal of Experimental Biology 221.11 (2018): jeb159533.

- Lyamin, Oleg I., et al. “Cetacean sleep: an unusual form of mammalian sleep.” Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews 32.8 (2008): 1451-1484.

- Nunn, Charles L., David R. Samson, and Andrew D. Krystal. “Shining evolutionary light on human sleep and sleep disorders.” Evolution, medicine, and public health 2016.1 (2016): 227-243.

- Rattenborg, Niels C., et al. “The non-trivial functions of sleep.” Sleep Medicine Reviews 11.5 (2007): 405-409.

- Rial, Ruben Victor, et al. “The trivial function of sleep.” Sleep medicine reviews 11.4 (2007): 311-325.

- Roth, Timothy C., Niels C. Rattenborg, and Vladimir V. Pravosudov. “The ecological relevance of sleep: the trade-off between sleep, memory and energy conservation.” Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 365.1542 (2010): 945-959.

- Samson, David R. “The human sleep paradox: the unexpected sleeping habits of Homo sapiens.” Annual Review of Anthropology 50.1 (2021): 259-274.

- Siegel, Jerome M. “Sleep function: an evolutionary perspective.” The Lancet Neurology 21.10 (2022): 937-946.

- Yamazaki, Risa, et al. “Evolutionary origin of distinct NREM and REM sleep.” Frontiers in psychology 11 (2020): 567618.

Biology

- Lockley, S.W. and Foster, R.G., 2012. Sleep: A very short introduction (Vol. 295). Oxford University Press.

- Brown, R.E., Basheer, R., McKenna, J.T., Strecker, R.E. and McCarley, R.W., 2012. Control of sleep and wakefulness. Physiological reviews.

- Herberger, S., Aurnhammer, C., Bauerfeind, S., Bothe, T., Penzel, T. and Fietze, I., 2025. Performance of wearable finger ring trackers for diagnostic sleep measurement in the clinical context. Scientific Reports, 15(1), p.9461.

- Zisapel, N., 2007. Sleep and sleep disturbances: biological basis and clinical implications. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 64(10), p.1174.

- Ficca, G., Axelsson, J., Mollicone, D.J., Muto, V. and Vitiello, M.V., 2010. Naps, cognition and performance. Sleep medicine reviews, 14(4), pp.249-258.

- Samson, D.R., 2021. The human sleep paradox: the unexpected sleeping habits of Homo sapiens. Annual Review of Anthropology, 50(1), pp.259-274.

- Meyer, N., Harvey, A.G., Lockley, S.W. and Dijk, D.J., 2022. Circadian rhythms and disorders of the timing of sleep. The Lancet, 400(10357), pp.1061-1078.

- Fuller, P.M., Gooley, J.J. and Saper, C.B., 2006. Neurobiology of the sleep-wake cycle: sleep architecture, circadian regulation, and regulatory feedback. Journal of biological rhythms, 21(6), pp.482-493.

- Haghayegh, S., Khoshnevis, S., Smolensky, M.H., Diller, K.R. and Castriotta, R.J., 2019. Accuracy of wristband Fitbit models in assessing sleep: systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of medical Internet research, 21(11), p.e16273.

- Robbins, R., Weaver, M.D., Sullivan, J.P., Quan, S.F., Gilmore, K., Shaw, S., Benz, A., Qadri, S., Barger, L.K., Czeisler, C.A. and Duffy, J.F., 2024. Accuracy of three commercial wearable devices for sleep tracking in healthy adults. Sensors, 24(20), p.6532. *funding by Oura*

- Chinoy, E.D., Cuellar, J.A., Huwa, K.E., Jameson, J.T., Watson, C.H., Bessman, S.C., Hirsch, D.A., Cooper, A.D., Drummond, S.P. and Markwald, R.R., 2021. Performance of seven consumer sleep-tracking devices compared with polysomnography. Sleep, 44(5), p.zsaa291.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

JAN 13, 2026, 2:51 PM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison

The widespread use of leaded gasoline in the 20th century led to one of the world’s biggest public health and environmental disasters, the effects of which are still present today. Since its development in the 1920s, leaded gasoline has been linked to premature death, cognitive impairment, and behavioral issues in millions around the globe. How was such a toxic substance permitted to be sold, despite the tireless efforts of industrial medicine warriors like Alice Hamilton? In American Poison: A Deadly Invention and the Woman Who Battled for Environmental Justice, award-winning author and historian Daniel Stone tells the story of leaded gasoline – its heroes, its villains, and the lessons we can learn. What will emerge as this generation’s leaded gasoline? PFAS? Microplastics? Something else entirely? History doesn’t have to repeat, but it will unless we heed the lessons of the past. Tune in for a fascinating episode!

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

JAN 6, 2026, 9:57 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 197 Detox: Enemas for everyone

Ah, the new year. After the last month and a half of indulgent food and drink, disrupted schedules, and laying around the house, who doesn’t feel like they’re in need of a whole-body cleanse? There are plenty of companies who are more than happy to provide that product or service that promises to flush away toxins from your skin, gut, blood, brain, you name it. But what exactly are they selling you? In this episode, we explore the deep roots of the ever-expanding detox industry and the concept behind its billions of dollars in revenue: detoxification. What does detoxification even mean? Is there any truth to the claims that a certain diet or superfood or supplement or colonic or drink or enema or chelation therapy can “detoxify” you? Tune in to find out how many synonyms for scam we can come up with.

History

- Agnew, Jeremy. “Man’s purgative passion.” American journal of psychotherapy 39.2 (1985): 236-246.

- Alvarez, Walter C. “Origin of the so-called auto-intoxication symptoms.” Journal of the American Medical Association 72.1 (1919): 8-13.

- Bacchi, André Demambre. “The Eternal Allure of the Panacea: How Narratives and Biases Sustain Pseudocures.” Journal of Medical Humanities (2025): 1-23.

- Chambers, Chloe. “150 years of detox: How inadequate dietary supplement regulation undermines consumer safety in the weight loss industry.” Minn. L. Rev. 109 (2024): 1453.

- Chen, Thomas SN, and Peter SY Chen. “Intestinal autointoxication: a medical leitmotif.” Journal of clinical gastroenterology 11.4 (1989): 434-441.

- Suzuki, Nanami. “Popular health movements and diet reform in nineteenth-century America.” The Japanese journal of American studies 21 (2010): 111-137.

- De Regt, Anouk, Matteo Montecchi, and Sarah Lord Ferguson. “A false image of health: how fake news and pseudo-facts spread in the health and beauty industry.” Journal of Product & Brand Management 29.2 (2020): 168-179.

- Doyle, Derek. “Per rectum: a history of enemata.” Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh 35.4 (2005): 367-370.

- Eberhardt, Maeve. “‘You probably have a parasite’: Neoliberal risk and the discursive construction of the body in the wellness industry.” Language in Society 53.1 (2024): 47-69.

- Friedenwald, Julius, and Samuel Morrison. “The history of the enema with some notes on related procedures (Part I).” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 8.1 (1940): 68-114.

- Friedenwald, Julius, and Samuel Morrison. “The history of the enema with some notes on related procedures (part II).” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 8.2 (1940): 239-276.

- Kellogg, John Harvey. “Should the colon be sacrificed or may it be reformed?.” Journal of the American Medical Association 68.26 (1917): 1957-1959.

- Mathias, Manon. “Autointoxication and historical precursors of the microbiome–gut–brain axis.” Microbial ecology in health and disease 29.2 (2018): 1548249.

- Shryock, Richard H. “Sylvester Graham and the popular health movement, 1830-1870.” The Mississippi Valley Historical Review 18.2 (1931): 172-183.

- Spadine, Mandy, and Megan S. Patterson. “Social influence on fad diet use: a systematic literature review.” Nutrition and Health 28.3 (2022): 369-388.

- Sullivan-Fowler, Micaela. “Doubtful theories, drastic therapies: autointoxication and faddism in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.” Journal of the history of medicine and allied sciences 50.3 (1995): 364-390.

- Tahreem, Aaiza, et al. “Fad diets: facts and fiction.” Frontiers in nutrition 9 (2022): 960922.

- The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs

- https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/detox-product-market

Biology

- Hodges, R.E. and Minich, D.M., 2015. Modulation of metabolic detoxification pathways using foods and food‐derived components: a scientific review with clinical application. Journal of nutrition and metabolism, 2015(1), p.760689.

- Klein, A.V. and Kiat, H., 2015. Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. Journal of human nutrition and dietetics, 28(6), pp.675-686.

- Grant, D.M., 1991. Detoxification pathways in the liver. Journal of inherited metabolic disease, 14(4), pp.421-430.

- Blondet, N.M., Messner, D.J., Kowdley, K.V. and Murray, K.F., 2018. Mechanisms of hepatocyte detoxification. In Physiology of the Gastrointestinal Tract (pp. 981-1001). Academic Press.

- Cline, J.C., 2015. Nutritional aspects of detoxification in clinical practice. Alternative Therapies in Health & Medicine, 21(3).

- Obert, J., Pearlman, M., Obert, L. and Chapin, S., 2017. Popular weight loss strategies: a review of four weight loss techniques. Current gastroenterology reports, 19(12), p.61.

- Dearing, M.D. and Weinstein, S.B., 2022. Metabolic enabling and detoxification by mammalian gut microbes. Annual Review of Microbiology, 76, pp.579-596.

- Schlosser, P., Li, Y., Sekula, P., Raffler, J., Grundner-Culemann, F., Pietzner, M., Cheng, Y., Wuttke, M., Steinbrenner, I., Schultheiss, U.T. and Kotsis, F., 2020. Genetic studies of urinary metabolites illuminate mechanisms of detoxification and excretion in humans. Nature genetics, 52(2), pp.167-176.

- Aronica, L., Ordovas, J.M., Volkov, A., Lamb, J.J., Stone, P.M., Minich, D., Leary, M., Class, M., Metti, D., Larson, I.A. and Contractor, N., 2022. Genetic biomarkers of metabolic detoxification for personalized lifestyle medicine. Nutrients, 14(4), p.768.

- Wexler, P., Fonger, G.C., White, J. and Weinstein, S., 2015. Toxinology: taxonomy, interpretation, and information resources. Science & Technology Libraries, 34(1), pp.67-90.

- Cámara, M., Giner, R.M., González-Fandos, E., López-García, E., Mañes, J., Portillo, M.P., Rafecas, M., Domínguez, L. and Martínez, J.A., 2021. Food-based dietary guidelines around the world: a comparative analysis to update AESAN scientific committee dietary recommendations. Nutrients, 13(9), p.3131.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

DEC 16, 2025, 3:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 196 Health Myths: Fact or fiction?

Did your grandma ever warn you against going out in the cold with wet hair because “you’ll catch your death”? Or have you ever tossed a few more carrots into your shopping basket in the hope that they’ll improve your vision? There are countless health myths about how to prevent or treat disease, what food will give you superhuman powers or turn your kid into a whirlwind of energy. But is there any truth to them? Let’s find out. In this episode, we review a handful of the most popular health myths, exploring their origins and scouring them for any scrap of truth. Tune in to learn whether these myths are fact, fiction, or somewhere in between!

History

- General

- Dalmiya, Vrinda, and Linda Alcoff. “Are “old wives’ tales” justified?.” Feminist epistemologies. Routledge, 2013. 217-244.

- Ehrenreich, Barbara, and Deirdre English. Witches, midwives, & nurses: A history of women healers. The Feminist Press at CUNY, 2010.

- Fox, Adam. Oral and literate culture in England, 1500-1700. Clarendon Press, 2000.

- Wet hair/weather will make you sick.

- Jacobson, Carolyn Anne. Contagious transmissions and charged atmospheres: Disease theories and narrative in early Victorian novels. University of Pennsylvania, 2008.

- Waugh, Joanne Sarah. Talking about the weather: climate and the Victorian novel. Diss. University of York, 2008.

- Orton, Reginald. An essay on the epidemic cholera of India. Burgess and Hill, 1831.

- Buchan, William. Domestic medicine. Sowler & Russell, 1800.

- Haviland, Alfred. Climate, Weather, and Disease: Being a Sketch of the Opinions of the Most Celebrated Antient and Modern Writers. J. Churchill, 1855.

- Carrots give you night vision.

- Carrot, Wild. “Carrot: history and iconography.” Chronica 51.2 (2011): 13.

- Carrot History – Carrots in the Second World War, World Carrot Museum. Accessed September 27, 2025.

- WW2 – “Carrots Help you see in the dark”, World Carrot Museum. Accessed September 27, 2025.

- Carrots Can’t Help You See in the Dark. Here’s How a World War II Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth, Smithsonian Magazine. August 13, 2013. Accessed September 27, 2025.

- Sugar rush.

- Feingold, Ben. Why Your Child Is Hyperactive: The bestselling book on how ADHD is caused by artificial food flavors and colors. Random House, 1985.

- Kawash, Samira. Candy: A century of Panic and Pleasure. Macmillan, 2013.

- Krummel, Debra A., et al. “Hyperactivity: is candy causal?.” Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition 36.1-2 (1996): 31-47.

- Ginger ale cures tummyaches.

- Donovan, Tristan. Fizz: how soda shook up the world. Chicago Review Press, 2013.

- Wondrich, David, and Noah Rothbaum, eds. The Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails. Oxford University Press, 2021.

- Prance, Ghillean, and Mark Nesbitt, eds. The cultural history of plants. Routledge, 2012.

- Isa, Mari. Thirsty Throwback Thursday: A History of Ginger Beer, MSU Campus Archaeology Program. April 27, 2017. Accessed September 28, 2025.

Biology

- Moriyama, M., Hugentobler, W.J. and Iwasaki, A., 2020. Seasonality of respiratory viral infections. Annual review of virology, 7(1), pp.83-101.

- Reiman, J.M., Das, B., Sindberg, G.M., Urban, M.D., Hammerlund, M.E., Lee, H.B., Spring, K.M., Lyman-Gingerich, J., Generous, A.R., Koep, T.H. and Ewing, K., 2018. Humidity as a non-pharmaceutical intervention for influenza A. PLoS One, 13(9), p.e0204337.

- Andrup, L., Krogfelt, K.A., Hansen, K.S. and Madsen, A.M., 2023. Transmission route of rhinovirus-the causative agent for common cold. A systematic review. American Journal of Infection Control, 51(8), pp.938-957.

- Moriyama, M., Hugentobler, W.J. and Iwasaki, A., 2020. Seasonality of respiratory viral infections. Annual review of virology, 7(1), pp.83-101.

- Stewart, P.D.S., 2016. Seasonality and selective trends in viral acute respiratory tract infections. Medical hypotheses, 86, pp.104-119.

- Douglas Jr, R.G., Lindgren, K.M. and Couch, R.B., 1968. Exposure to cold environment and rhinovirus common cold: failure to demonstrate effect. New England Journal of Medicine, 279(14), pp.742-747.

- Mourtzoukou EG, Falagas ME. Exposure to cold and respiratory tract infections. The International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. 2007 Sep 1;11(9):938-43.

- Jaakkola, K., Saukkoriipi, A., Jokelainen, J., Juvonen, R., Kauppila, J., Vainio, O., Ziegler, T., Rönkkö, E., Jaakkola, J.J., Ikäheimo, T.M. and KIAS-Study Group, 2014. Decline in temperature and humidity increases the occurrence of influenza in cold climate. Environmental Health, 13(1), p.22.

- Liener, K., Leiacker, R., Lidemann, J., Rettinger, G. and Keck, T., 2003. Nasal mucosal temperature after exposure to cold, dry air and hot, humid air. Acta oto-laryngologica, 123(7), pp.851-856.

- George, T., Hall, D., Davis, T. and O’Shea, N., 2025. Seven cautionary tales we tell our children: a brief literature review. British Journal of General Practice, 75(751).

- Eccles, R., 2002. Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold. Rhinology, 40(3), pp.109-114.

- Korzeniewski, K., Nitsch-Osuch, A., Chciałowski, A. and Korsak, J., 2013. Environmental factors, immune changes and respiratory diseases in troops during military activities. Respiratory physiology & neurobiology, 187(1), pp.118-122.

- Johnson, C. and Eccles, R., 2005. Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms. Family Practice, 22(6), pp.608-613.

- Ikäheimo, T.M., Jaakkola, K., Jokelainen, J., Saukkoriipi, A., Roivainen, M., Juvonen, R., Vainio, O. and Jaakkola, J.J., 2016. A decrease in temperature and humidity precedes human rhinovirus infections in a cold climate. Viruses, 8(9), p.244.

- Foxman, E.F., Storer, J.A., Fitzgerald, M.E., Wasik, B.R., Hou, L., Zhao, H., Turner, P.E., Pyle, A.M. and Iwasaki, A., 2015. Temperature-dependent innate defense against the common cold virus limits viral replication at warm temperature in mouse airway cells. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(3), pp.827-832.

- Vreeman, R.C. and Carroll, A.E., 2008. Festive medical myths. BMJ, 337.

- Burch, D.M., 1964. Incidence of Colds among College Women Who Swim During the Winter Months.

- Richer, S., Novil, S., Gullett, T., Dervishi, A., Nassiri, S., Duong, C., Davis, R. and Davey, P.G., 2021. Night Vision and Carotenoids (NVC): A randomized placebo controlled clinical trial on effects of carotenoid supplementation on night vision in older adults. Nutrients, 13(9), p.3191.

- Smith, W., Mitchell, P. and Lazarus, R., 1999. Carrots, carotene and seeing in the dark. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Ophthalmology, 27(3‐4), pp.200-203.

- Christian, P., West Jr, K.P., Khatry, S.K., Katz, J., LeClerq, S., Pradhan, E.K. and Shrestha, S.R., 1998. Vitamin A or β-carotene supplementation reduces but does not eliminate maternal night blindness in Nepal. The Journal of nutrition, 128(9), pp.1458-1463.

- Byun, S.S. and Spaide, R.F., 2021. Carrots, Blueberries, and Spinach—Vision Superfoods. Retina, 41(5), pp.895-897.

- Flood, V., Smith, W., Wang, J.J., Manzi, F., Webb, K. and Mitchell, P., 2002. Dietary antioxidant intake and incidence of early age-related maculopathy: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Ophthalmology, 109(12), pp.2272-2278.

- Cooper, D.A., Eldridge, A.L. and Peters, J.C., 1999. Dietary carotenoids and certain cancers, heart disease, and age-related macular degeneration: a review of recent research. Nutrition Reviews, 57(7), pp.201-214.

- Chong, E.W., Wong, T.Y., Kreis, A.J., Simpson, J.A. and Guymer, R.H., 2007. Dietary antioxidants and primary prevention of age related macular degeneration: systematic review and meta-analysis. Bmj, 335(7623), p.755.

- Age-Related Eye Disease Study Research Group, 2001. A randomized, placebo-controlled, clinical trial of high-dose supplementation with vitamins C and E, beta carotene, and zinc for age-related macular degeneration and vision loss: AREDS report no. 8. Archives of ophthalmology, 119(10), pp.1417-1436.

- Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) Research Group, 2013. Lutein+ zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids for age-related macular degeneration: the Age-Related Eye Disease Study 2 (AREDS2) randomized clinical trial. Jama, 309(19), pp.2005-2015.

- Trumbo, P.R. and Ellwood, K.C., 2006. Lutein and zeaxanthin intakes and risk of age-related macular degeneration and cataracts: an evaluation using the Food and Drug Administration’s evidence-based review system for health claims. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 84(5), pp.971-974.

- Krummel, D.A., Seligson, F.H., Guthrie, H.A. and Gans, D.A., 1996. Hyperactivity: is candy causal?. Critical Reviews in Food Science & Nutrition, 36(1-2), pp.31-47.

- Kinsbourne, M., 1994. Sugar and the hyperactive child. New England Journal of Medicine, 330(5), pp.355-356.

- Benton, D., 2008. Sucrose and behavioral problems. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition, 48(5), pp.385-401.

- Del-Ponte, B., Anselmi, L., Assunção, M.C.F., Tovo-Rodrigues, L., Munhoz, T.N., Matijasevich, A., Rohde, L.A. and Santos, I.S., 2019. Sugar consumption and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD): A birth cohort study. Journal of affective disorders, 243, pp.290-296.

- Hoover, D.W. and Milich, R., 1994. Effects of sugar ingestion expectancies on mother-child interactions. Journal of abnormal child psychology, 22(4), pp.501-515.

- Wender, E.H. and Solanto, M.V., 1991. Effects of sugar on aggressive and inattentive behavior in children with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity and normal children. Pediatrics, 88(5), pp.960-966.

- Kim, Y. and Chang, H., 2011. Correlation between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and sugar consumption, quality of diet, and dietary behavior in school children. Nutrition research and practice, 5(3), pp.236-245.

- Yu, C.J., Du, J.C., Chiou, H.C., Feng, C.C., Chung, M.Y., Yang, W., Chen, Y.S., Chien, L.C., Hwang, B. and Chen, M.L., 2016. Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption is adversely associated with childhood attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder. International journal of environmental research and public health, 13(7), p.678.

- Kim, S., Shin, J., Cha, H.R., Ha, E.K., Kim, J.H. and Han, M.Y., 2024. Consumption of Sugar-Sweetened Beverages before 2 Years of Age and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder. Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism, 80(5), pp.276-286.

- Ernst, E. and Pittler, M.H., 2000. Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British journal of anaesthesia, 84(3), pp.367-371.

- Thomson, M., Corbin, R. and Leung, L., 2014. Effects of ginger for nausea and vomiting in early pregnancy: a meta-analysis. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 27(1), pp.115-122.

- Giacosa, A., Morazzoni, P., Bombardelli, E., Riva, A., Bianchi Porro, G. and Rondanelli, M., 2015. Can nausea and vomiting be treated with ginger extract?. European Review for Medical & Pharmacological Sciences, 19(7).

- Marx, W., Ried, K., McCarthy, A.L., Vitetta, L., Sali, A., McKavanagh, D. and Isenring, L., 2017. Ginger—Mechanism of action in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting: A review. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 57(1), pp.141-146.

- Zhu, W., Dai, Y., Huang, M. and Li, J., 2021. Efficacy of ginger in preventing postoperative nausea and vomiting: A systematic review and meta‐analysis. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 53(6), pp.671-679.

- Chaiyakunapruk, N., Kitikannakorn, N., Nathisuwan, S., Leeprakobboon, K. and Leelasettagool, C., 2006. The efficacy of ginger for the prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis. American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 194(1), pp.95-99.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

DEC 9, 2025, 3:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Special Episode: Dr. Homer Venters & Outbreak Behind Bars

[Content warning: self-harm, suicide, violence]

In this day and age, we are equipped with an abundance of tools and knowledge to fight the spread of disease. Yet what good does that toolkit do if we lack the resources or the will to implement it where it is needed? One area of great need is our correctional facilities, our prisons, jails, immigration detention centers, and juvenile detention centers. In these settings, communicable disease is often allowed to spread unchecked, leading to high rates of morbidity and mortality. Meaningful change is needed, but what might that look like? In this week’s TPWKY book club episode, Dr. Homer Venters joins us to discuss his latest work, Outbreak Behind Bars: Spider Bites, Human Rights, and the Unseen Danger to Public Health. As the former Chief Medical Officer of the New York City jail system and through his current role as a federal monitor of health services in several jail and prison settings, Dr. Venters has extensive firsthand knowledge of the barriers that prevent adequate medical care to be delivered to these populations. And he has evidence-based solutions. Tune in for a necessary discussion of this humanitarian crisis.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

DEC 2, 2025, 3:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 195 Salt Part 2: The Substance

We ended last week’s episode on a bit of a cliffhanger: is salt actually bad for us and if so, why does there still seem to be a debate? This week’s episode holds all the answers. We’re sifting through the noise to figure out what salt actually does in our bodies, how it might impact our health, and why we crave this delicious substance. If you’ve ever wondered how we’ve arrived at the maximum daily sodium intake (2300 mg for adults) and why salt impacts blood pressure, then this is the episode for you!

History

- Biology

- Hunter, R.W., Dhaun, N. and Bailey, M.A., 2022. The impact of excessive salt intake on human health. Nature Reviews Nephrology, 18(5), pp.321-335.

- Geerling, J.C. and Loewy, A.D., 2008. Central regulation of sodium appetite. Experimental physiology, 93(2), pp.177-209.

- Hancock, C.E., Aryal, B., Ma, T., Wu, G. and Liu, Q., 2025. Targeted cravings: Unraveling the drivers of nutrient-specific appetite. Current Opinion in Neurobiology, 93, p.103063.

- He, F.J. and MacGregor, G.A., 2018. Role of salt intake in prevention of cardiovascular disease: controversies and challenges. Nature Reviews Cardiology, 15(6), pp.371-377.

- Eaton, S.B. and Konner, M., 1985. Paleolithic nutrition: a consideration of its nature and current implications. New England Journal of Medicine, 312(5), pp.283-289.

- Mancilha-Carvalho, J.J., De Oliveira, R. and Esposito, R.J., 1989. Blood pressure and electrolyte excretion in the Yanomamo Indians, an isolated population. Journal of human hypertension, 3(5), pp.309-314.

- Kumar, S. and Berl, T., 1998. Sodium. The Lancet, 352(9123), pp.220-228.

- Elliott, P., Stamler, J., Nichols, R., Dyer, A.R., Stamler, R., Kesteloot, H. and Marmot, M., 1996. Intersalt revisited: further analyses of 24 hour sodium excretion and blood pressure within and across populations. Bmj, 312(7041), pp.1249-1253.

- Intersalt Cooperative Research Group, 1988. Intersalt: an international study of electrolyte excretion and blood pressure. Results for 24 hour urinary sodium and potassium excretion. BMJ: British Medical Journal, pp.319-328.

- Salman, E., Kadota, A. and Miura, K., 2024. Global guidelines recommendations for dietary sodium and potassium intake. Hypertension Research, 47(6), pp.1620-1626.

- O’Donnell, M., Mente, A., Alderman, M.H., Brady, A.J., Diaz, R., Gupta, R., Lopez-Jaramillo, P., Luft, F.C., Lüscher, T.F., Mancia, G. and Mann, J.F., 2020. Salt and cardiovascular disease: insufficient evidence to recommend low sodium intake. European heart journal, 41(35), pp.3363-3373.

- Afshin, A., Sur, P.J., Fay, K.A., Cornaby, L., Ferrara, G., Salama, J.S., Mullany, E.C., Abate, K.H., Abbafati, C., Abebe, Z. and Afarideh, M., 2019. Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The lancet, 393(10184), pp.1958-1972.

- Oh, Y.S., Appel, L.J., Galis, Z.S., Hafler, D.A., He, J., Hernandez, A.L., Joe, B., Karumanchi, S.A., Maric-Bilkan, C., Mattson, D. and Mehta, N.N., 2016. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Working Group report on salt in human health and sickness: building on the current scientific evidence. Hypertension, 68(2), pp.281-288.

- Neal, B., Wu, Y., Feng, X., Zhang, R., Zhang, Y., Shi, J., Zhang, J., Tian, M., Huang, L., Li, Z. and Yu, Y., 2021. Effect of salt substitution on cardiovascular events and death. New England Journal of Medicine, 385(12), pp.1067-1077.

- Powles, J., Fahimi, S., Micha, R., Khatibzadeh, S., Shi, P., Ezzati, M., Engell, R.E., Lim, S.S., Danaei, G., Mozaffarian, D. and Global Burden of Diseases Nutrition and Chronic Diseases Expert Group (NutriCoDE, 2013. Global, regional and national sodium intakes in 1990 and 2010: a systematic analysis of 24 h urinary sodium excretion and dietary surveys worldwide. BMJ open, 3(12), p.e003733.

- Carvalho, J.J., Baruzzi, R.G., Howard, P.F., Poulter, N., Alpers, M.P., Franco, L.J., Marcopito, L.F., Spooner, V.J., Dyer, A.R. and Elliott, P., 1989. Blood pressure in four remote populations in the INTERSALT Study. Hypertension, 14(3), pp.238-246.

- Ezekowitz, J.A., Colin-Ramirez, E., Ross, H., Escobedo, J., Macdonald, P., Troughton, R., Saldarriaga, C., Alemayehu, W., McAlister, F.A., Arcand, J. and Atherton, J., 2022. Reduction of dietary sodium to less than 100 mmol in heart failure (SODIUM-HF): an international, open-label, randomised, controlled trial. The Lancet, 399(10333), pp.1391-1400.

- Gunn, J.P., Kuklina, E.V., Keenan, N.L. and Labarthe, D.R., 2010. Sodium Intake Among Adults–United States, 2005-2006. MMWR: Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report, 59(24).

- Campbell, N.R., Lackland, D.T., Niebylski, M.L. and Nilsson, P.M., 2014. Is reducing dietary sodium controversial? Is it the conduct of studies with flawed research methods that is controversial? A perspective from the World Hypertension League Executive Committee. The Journal of Clinical Hypertension, 17(2), p.85.

- McCarron, D.A., Kazaks, A.G., Geerling, J.C., Stern, J.S. and Graudal, N.A., 2013. Normal range of human dietary sodium intake: a perspective based on 24-hour urinary sodium excretion worldwide. American Journal of Hypertension, 26(10), pp.1218-1223.

- Bernstein, A.M. and Willett, W.C., 2010. Trends in 24-h urinary sodium excretion in the United States, 1957–2003: a systematic review. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 92(5), pp.1172-1180.

- Zhou, B., Danaei, G., Stevens, G.A., Bixby, H., Taddei, C., Carrillo-Larco, R.M., Solomon, B., Riley, L.M., Di Cesare, M., Iurilli, M.L.C. and Rodriguez-Martinez, A., 2019. Long-term and recent trends in hypertension awareness, treatment, and control in 12 high-income countries: an analysis of 123 nationally representative surveys. The Lancet, 394(10199), pp.639-651.

- Aburto, N.J., Ziolkovska, A., Hooper, L., Elliott, P., Cappuccio, F.P. and Meerpohl, J.J., 2013. Effect of lower sodium intake on health: systematic review and meta-analyses. Bmj, 346, p.f1326.

- Taruno, A. and Gordon, M.D., 2023. Molecular and cellular mechanisms of salt taste. Annual Review of Physiology, 85(1), pp.25-45.

- Gupta, D.K., Lewis, C.E., Varady, K.A., Su, Y.R., Madhur, M.S., Lackland, D.T., Reis, J.P., Wang, T.J., Lloyd-Jones, D.M. and Allen, N.B., 2023. Effect of dietary sodium on blood pressure: a crossover trial. Jama, 330(23), pp.2258-2266.

- Mente, A., O’Donnell, M.J., Rangarajan, S., McQueen, M.J., Poirier, P., Wielgosz, A., Morrison, H., Li, W., Wang, X., Di, C. and Mony, P., 2014. Association of urinary sodium and potassium excretion with blood pressure. New england journal of medicine, 371(7), pp.601-611.

- Ueshima, H., Okayama, A., Saitoh, S., Nakagawa, H., Rodriguez, B., Sakata, K., Okuda, N., Choudhury, S.R. and Curb, J.D., 2003. Differences in cardiovascular disease risk factors between Japanese in Japan and Japanese-Americans in Hawaii: the INTERLIPID study. Journal of human hypertension, 17(9), pp.631-639.

- Sadler, K., Nicholson, S., Steer, T., Gill, V., Bates, B., Tipping, S., Cox, L., Lennox, A. and Prentice, A., 2011. National Diet and Nutrition Survey – Assessment of dietary sodium in adults (aged 19-64 years) in England, 2011. A survey carried out on behalf of the Department of Health.

- He, F.J., Pombo-Rodrigues, S. and MacGregor, G.A., 2014. Salt reduction in England from 2003 to 2011: its relationship to blood pressure, stroke and ischaemic heart disease mortality. BMJ open, 4(4), p.e004549.

- Mozaffarian, D., Fahimi, S., Singh, G.M., Micha, R., Khatibzadeh, S., Engell, R.E., Lim, S., Danaei, G., Ezzati, M. and Powles, J., 2014. Global sodium consumption and death from cardiovascular causes. New England Journal of Medicine, 371(7), pp.624-634.

- WHO Guideline: sodium intake for adults and children. 2012 Annex 2 – examples of sodium content in various foods and food groups. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK133307/

- WHO Guideline: Sodium Intake for Adults and Children. 2012. Summary of evidence. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK133299/

- FDA: Sodium Reduction in the Food Supply. 11/2024 https://www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-food-labeling-and-critical-foods/sodium-reduction-food-supply

WHO: Sodium Reduction.2/2025  https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sodium-reduction

Biology

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

NOV 25, 2025, 3:00 AM EST | PODCAST | EPISODE PAGE

Episode 194 Salt Part 1: The Seasoning

Have you ever thrown a pinch of spilled salt over your left shoulder? Or said to someone “well, take his opinion with a grain of salt”? Or looked up the potential salary of a job listing? Salt is so deeply embedded in our cultures, our languages, our history as a species that we often take its influence for granted. We may forget (or perhaps we never knew) how much history is held within the unassuming yet ubiquitous salt shaker. In the first installment of this two-parter on everyone’s favorite seasoning, we delve deep into some salt lore. When did humans start to ramp up their salt intake? Why was salt such a big deal? Which places are named for salt? When did we start worrying about how much sodium we were eating? Tune in for a fun, fact-filled episode that’ll forever change the way you think about salt.

History

- Kurlansky, Mark. Salt. Random House, 2011.

- MacGregor, Graham A., and Hugh Edward De Wardener. Salt, diet and health. Cambridge University Press, 1998.

- Alderman, Michael H. “Salt, blood pressure, and human health.” Hypertension 36.5 (2000): 890-893.

- Aviv, Abraham. “Salt and hypertension: the debate that begs the bigger question.” Archives of internal medicine 161.4 (2001): 507-510.

- Bakris, George L., and Michael A. Weber. “Overview of the evolution of hypertension: from ancient Chinese emperors to today.” Hypertension 81.4 (2024): 717-726.

- Bayer, Ronald, David Merritt Johns, and Sandro Galea. “Salt and public health: contested science and the challenge of evidence-based decision making.” Health Affairs 31.12 (2012): 2738-2746.

- Bloch, M. R. “Salt in human history.” Interdisciplinary Science Reviews 1.4 (1976): 336-352.

- Cirillo, Massimo, et al. “A history of salt.” American journal of nephrology 14.4-6 (1994): 426-431.

- DiNicolantonio, James J., and James H. O’Keefe. “The history of the salt wars.” The American journal of medicine 130.9 (2017): 1011-1014.

- Durack, Edel, Mercedes Alonso-Gomez, and Martin G. Wilkinson. “Salt: a review of its role in food science and public health.” Current Nutrition & Food Science 4.4 (2008): 290-297.

- Grollman, Arthur. “The role of salt in health and disease∗.” The American journal of cardiology 8.4 (1961): 593-601.

- Kaiser, J. “Data access. Industry groups petition for data on salt and hypertension.” Science (New York, NY) 300.5624 (2003): 1350-1350.

- Perry, I. J. “Salt, science and politics.” Journal of human hypertension 17.1 (2003): 1-3.

- Pickering, Thomas G. “The history and politics of salt.” The Journal of Clinical Hypertension 4.3 (2007): 226.

- Ritz, Eberhard. “The history of salt—aspects of interest to the nephrologist.” Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 11.6 (1996): 969-975.

Biology

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, you won’t pay a penny more, but we’ll get a small commission which helps us keep things running. Thanks!

This article was downloaded on Feb 10, 2026 at 6:35 PM EST.

Table of Contents

This Podcast Will Kill You: 2026 Feb 10

All articles

Episode 200 Poop Part 1: How the sausage gets made: 2026 Feb 10

Special Episode Nicola Twilley & Frostbite: 2026 Feb 3

Episode 199 Sleep Part 2: Predictably unpredictable: 2026 Jan 27

Episode 198 Sleep Part 1: Sleeping with one eye open: 2026 Jan 20

Special Episode: Daniel Stone & American Poison: 2026 Jan 13

Episode 197 Detox: Enemas for everyone: 2026 Jan 6

Episode 196 Health Myths: Fact or fiction?: 2025 Dec 16

Special Episode: Dr. Homer Venters & Outbreak Behind Bars: 2025 Dec 9

Episode 195 Salt Part 2: The Substance: 2025 Dec 2

Episode 194 Salt Part 1: The Seasoning: 2025 Nov 25