John Cox

Blogs · @wyome

Tagged health · everything

parade.com

Easy Meals for Weight Loss, According to an Endocrinologist

An endocrinologist argues that age-related weight loss struggles, especially for women dealing with declining estrogen, are best addressed through a whole foods, plant-based diet rather than carb-cutting, since complex carbs like lentils, beans and legumes stabilize insulin and keep you satiated. She flags the widespread mistake of slashing carbs entirely, and instead offers her own go-to meals—bean-heavy chili, quinoa-chickpea salad, and lentil soup—as practical, satisfying options for sustainable weight loss.

Permalink nutritionrecipeshealthweight loss

nymag.com

Was COVID-19 a Wuhan Lab Leak? A Coronavirus Investigation

Nicholson Baker's exhaustive January 2021 piece makes the case, point by point, that COVID-19 likely originated from a laboratory accident rather than a natural spillover, tracing the decades-long history of gain-of-function research, Ralph Baric and Shi Zhengli's collaborative work engineering chimeric bat-human coronaviruses, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology's proximity to a 2012 mineshaft where workers fell ill with a SARS-like pneumonia. It's notable less for offering definitive proof than for laying out, months before the theory gained mainstream legitimacy, nearly every strand of evidence and argument that major outlets and intelligence agencies would later revisit — making it worth keeping as the founding document of the lab-leak debate's serious treatment.

Permalink healthsciencecoronaviruscovid-19

apple.news

I tried everything to get better sleep. These five items actually helped — Guardian US

A journalist with chronic sleep issues and sound/light sensitivity reviews tech tools she's actually used to improve her sleep, ranging from a $20 pair of Loop earplugs to a $349 Elemind headband that uses brain-wave stimulation. She finds that while some devices are genuine snake oil, several genuinely help—particularly the Elemind for fall-asleep assistance and travel, noise-canceling earbuds for blocking disruptive sounds, and a bone-conduction pillow speaker that doesn't require in-ear wear. The piece emphasizes that these tools work best when you're genuinely trying to sleep rather than as magical fixes, and offers budget-friendly alternatives alongside premium options.

Permalink healthwellnesssleepprivacy

www.bbc.co.uk

Should you always treat a fever? The symptom that puzzled doctors for millennia

This piece traces fever from a misunderstood ailment—once treated by bloodletting and even mistaken for the disease itself—to its recognition, after germ theory, as a deliberately regulated immune defence that raises core temperature to hamper pathogen replication and boost white blood cell efficiency. It explains the physiology of the hypothalamic "thermostat," why fevers evolved across cold- and warm-blooded animals alike, and why suppressing mild fevers with medication can sometimes backfire, from slower recovery to greater disease transmission when people resume normal activity too soon. It's worth keeping for its nuanced verdict: fever is generally protective and often best left to run its course for 24-48 hours, but becomes dangerous above ~40C or when it masks serious conditions like sepsis or meningitis.

Permalink healthinflammationpublic health

Scientific American

Can You Change Your Metabolism?

Most claims about "boosting metabolism" are either false or dangerous, according to evolutionary anthropologists and nutrition researchers—your metabolic rate is largely determined by your body composition (particularly muscle mass) and doesn't significantly slow until around age 60, contrary to popular belief. While building muscle, eating protein-rich foods, exercising early in the day, and getting good sleep can make small improvements to metabolic rate and weight management, the body has a set energy expenditure boundary that adjusts when you try to push past it through extreme exercise or calorie restriction, making sustainable weight loss fundamentally about consistently eating fewer calories rather than "revving" your metabolism.

Permalink nutritionhealthweight lossscience

The Conversation

Tiredness of life: the growing phenomenon in western society

Researchers across Europe are studying "tiredness of life"—a distinct form of despair affecting some healthy older people who feel their existence has lost all meaning and yearn to die. Unlike existential suffering tied to terminal illness or other life crises, this phenomenon is characterized by the conviction that one's life journey is complete and dragging on pointlessly, rooted in factors like profound loneliness, loss of social relevance, fear of dependency, and the cumulative erosion of identity. The piece suggests that this suffering may reflect how Western medicine and society have extended biological survival while neglecting quality of life and social purpose for elders, contrasting with cultures like Japan where aging is viewed as a period of continued growth and meaning.

Permalink healthphilosophypsychologymental health

The Atlantic

6 Questions for the Boss Who Wants You Back in Your Cubicle

The article provides a framework for evaluating whether a company's return-to-office plan is adequately protecting workers from COVID-19 transmission. It identifies six critical questions employees should ask their employers: whether airflow has been reviewed and improved, what vaccination policies exist, masking requirements, remote work options, cleaning protocols, and contingency plans if an outbreak occurs. The piece emphasizes that ventilation and air circulation are far more important than surface cleaning, and that comprehensive safety measures would have benefits extending well beyond the pandemic, including improved cognitive function and fewer worker absences.

Permalink safetyhealthremote workworkplace

Runkeeper

Runkeeper

Runkeeper

Runkeeper

wedontneeddst.com

We Don’t Need Daylight Saving Time

Daylight Saving Time was created in the early 20th century to reduce evening lighting consumption, but modern research shows it actually increases overall electricity usage by 0.6 to 4 percent while also raising fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, costing Americans $434 million annually. The practice has significant health consequences, including a 5 percent spike in heart attacks during the spring transition and increased depression and suicide rates following the time shift due to sleep disruption. Most of the world has abandoned or never adopted DST—only 20 percent of the global population uses it, and 14 countries have discontinued it this century.

Permalink healthsustainabilityeconomics

everymove.org

Health Rewards | EveryMove

FitnessSyncer is a data aggregation platform that consolidates health and fitness information from dozens of apps, devices, and trackers into a single dashboard for unified analysis and visualization. The service syncs data across multiple platforms, offers customizable dashboards and analytics tools, and enables users to share progress, compete with others, and receive motivational alerts based on their health metrics. Beyond analysis, FitnessSyncer automates data publishing between services, tracks equipment wear, and stores backups of your information across compatible apps including Fitbit, Garmin, Apple Health, Strava, and many others.

Permalink productivityappshealthfitness

Quick and Dirty Tips

Get-Fit Guy : What to Eat Before and After Exercising :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™

I don't have enough content from the article "The Role of Trust in Fitness" to write an accurate summary. The excerpt provided only shows the title, author, and date along with the beginning of the introduction ("I want to talk about an important psychological aspect to fitness and its impact on outcomes..."), but the full article text is cut off. To write a meaningful summary that distinguishes this piece from others and explains why it was worth saving, I would need access to the complete article and its main arguments.

Permalink nutritionhealthfitnessadvice

splay.at

7min Workout

Nowgoal is a live sports scoring platform that provides real-time updates, betting tips, and expert analysis across multiple sports including football, basketball, tennis, and esports. The site features comprehensive match schedules, updated league standings, detailed livescore tracking with match statistics, and in-depth odds analysis to help users make informed betting decisions. Nowgoal distinguishes itself through fast data updates, user-friendly interface, robust security, and a large active community of sports enthusiasts, positioning itself as a reliable alternative to other sports information platforms.

Permalink healthfitnesstipsexercise

Business of CBD -

Polychart.JS

The CBD industry is experiencing rapid expansion driven by increasing consumer awareness, product diversification, and legalization efforts across various regions, with market projections suggesting growth from $2.8 billion in 2021 to $13.4 billion by 2028. Key growth factors include shifting consumer preferences toward natural and organic products, continuous innovation in delivery methods and formulations, and strategic positioning by both established brands and emerging startups. However, the industry faces significant obstacles including regulatory uncertainty, quality control standardization issues, intense competition from pharmaceutical companies, and market saturation risks that require companies to differentiate through premium offerings and transparent practices.

Permalink healthwellnessbusiness

Boing Boing

www.reddit.com