2% With Michael Easter

Today we’re talking about the limits of diet and exercise with Dr. Adam Cifu.Adam is one of our nation’s top thinkers about medicine and how to provide more effective medical care. He recently wrote a post for Sensible Medicine called “Coming Out Against the Healthy Lifestyle.” It criticizes what he calls “the cult of the healthy lifestyle,” and investigates the limits of diet and exercise. Michael and Adam cover:* Why Adam wrote the post and the rise of the cult of the healthy lifestyle.* The benefits, realities, and limits of adopting healthy lifestyle changes.* How believing that all of health boils down to a better diet and exercise can lead patients to wrongly believe they are responsible for all of their health issues.* Why criticism of modern medicine is on the rise.* How “medical reversal” highlights the need for evidence-based medical practices.* The rise of longevity and why many longevity practices often lack robust evidence.* Why personalized healthcare is essential for effective treatment.* Problems with over-medicalization.* How finding the right doctor can be a challenging process.* The Sensible Medicine Substack and how it aims to promote thoughtful healthcare discussions. This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.twopct.com/subscribe

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.twopct.comToday’s episode is the second annual Two Percent Gear Not Stuff holiday gift guide. It features Gear, Not Stuff you can give to or request from others. We’re featuring seven categories of gear: health, fitness, travel, nutrition, adventure, pets, and, naturally, requisite Two Percent gear mentions.The rules:* Each item’s description must be brief-ish.* Each item must be something I’ve used or had recommended to me by someone I trust. No filler, all killer type stuff.* I’ll call out items under $100* Go to TWOPCT.com for links to all items. Happy holidays. For full access to the episode, become a Member at TWOPCT.com.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.twopct.comChildhood obesity has more than doubled since the 1990s and 20 percent of kids are now obese. This is why the new administration wants to overhaul school lunches to make them healthier.This will help—but removing recess and unsupervised play is also a big factor in our kids’ weight and health crisis.Not to mention, recess and unstructured play are powerful beyond just weight. They influence learning, mental health, social development, and physical health.Michael explains the power of recess and unsupervised play, debates about exercise and weight loss for kids, and much more.

Today Michael is speaking with Tamar Haspel one of his favorite, no-BS thinkers about food, nutrition, and health.Tamar is the author of To Boldly Grow (a hilarious, info-packed book I loved) and a food, nutrition, and health columnist for The Washington Post.Tamar is also a serial killer of food myths and misconceptions—a sharp thinker who understands the science of what we eat and can put it in context of everyday life.* Tamar and Michael cover:* The truth about eggs and why expensive, locally-farmed eggs taste the same as cheap, mass-produced ones.* Understanding obesity and the food environment* The realities of being overweight (particularly as a woman)* Why we know less about nutrition than we think, and how that should guide our food choices. Think: Hedge your bets.* The truth about organic food—myths about it, it’s costs and benefits.* Diet soda and whether it’s unhealthy.* How to navigate the modern food environment. * Whether exercise is good for weight loss.* Whether government subsidies around corn and soy led to the rise in obesity.* Food dyes and the new administration’s push to remove them. Will it matter?* Is red meat good or bad for you?* Are plant-based meats a viable alternative to real meat? What are their health effects?* The benefits of lentils and Tamar’s epic recipe to help you eat more lentils (which, she argues, are a food we should all be eating).* Ozempic and Tamar’s thoughts on it.* Tamar’s journey growing her own food, and what she learned from it.* A few quick words on hunting. Become a Member at TWOPCT.com This is a public episode. If you’d like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.twopct.com/subscribe