Category Archives: health

Why It’s So Hard to Talk About GMOs

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Despite our best intentions, discussions about GMOs often quickly degenerate into shouting matches. If we really want to make a difference, we should consider the psychology of how and why our views are formed, and help others do the same. Instead of eagerly fighting with facts, the effect of kindness and curiosity on a debate could surprise you. Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, health, psychology, science communication | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Three Ways Science Could Improve the World through Rice

Posted on July 28, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Little did I know that rice, that innocent bag of grains sitting in my pantry, is warming the planet, inadvertently contributing to millions of deaths of women and children worldwide, and slowly poisoning me with arsenic. But I don’t want to … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, climate, environment, health | Tagged , | 4 Comments

Aluminum in Perspective

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Many people are concerned about vaccine ingredients. I have written elsewhere about two preservatives used in some vaccines (Mercury in retrogade and Formaldehyde in us and vaccines), but here I take a look at aluminum, which is a vaccine adjuvant used in Diptheria-Tetanus, Hepatitis, Haemofilus influenza … Continue reading →

Posted in health, medicine, nutrition, vaccines | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Below are a couple of independent sites hosted by medical professionals, journalists, parents and public health campaigns. I’ve found that these sites use clearly stated scientific research and other official sources as their information.

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Thoughtscapism | Leave a comment

The World Health Organization has a list of: “Web sites that provide information on vaccine safety and that adhere to good information practices. While many quality web sites offer science-based information about vaccine safety, others may provide unbalanced and misleading information. … Continue reading →

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Thoughtscapism | 2 Comments

Organic vs Conventional Food

Posted on April 27, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

This piece has also been published by the Genetic Literacy Project and the Fitness Reloaded blog. I spent over a decade of buying little else than organic food. During that whole time, I never justified my choice by claiming that non-organic vegetables were less nutritious … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, health, nutrition, organic | Tagged , | 7 Comments

The Simple Math of Herd Immunity

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

I have often come across claims that wish to contest the existence of herd immunity. I find these puzzling. First of all, they are usually offered without proof. But mostly what befuddles me is that the argument approaches the topic backwards. … Continue reading →

Posted in health, medicine, vaccines | Tagged , | 35 Comments

Myth: No Studies Compare the Health of Unvaccinated and Vaccinated People

Posted on April 10, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Vaccinated people are as healthy or healthier in all aspects compared to the unvaccinated. The vaccinated populations studied have less asthma, less heart attacks, better birth outcomes, and higher cognitive scores than their unvaccinated counterparts. Continue reading →

Posted in health, medicine, vaccines | Tagged , , , , | 62 Comments

Following the Money

Posted on February 25, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Science is the most difficult instance to bribe, because the only currency it accepts is evidence. Continue reading →

Posted in alternative medicine, finance, health, medicine, science | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

Am I Biased? Are You?

Posted on February 23, 2015 by Thoughtscapism

Bias is a mental heuristic, and it can be as useful as it is dangerous. How can we know if we are blinded by bias? Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture, biology, health, nutrition, organic | Tagged , | 9 Comments