Maintenance Phase
Debunking the junk science behind health fads, wellness scams and nonsensical nutrition advice.
Wed, March 26, 2025
The Bulletproof Diet
Meet the tech bro on a noble quest to double his lifespan, improve his productivity and irritate his waitress. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Watch Aubrey's documentary Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Mycotoxins Myth: The Truth About Mold in Coffee Guidance for Industry: Action Levels for Poisonous or Deleterious Substances in Human Food and Animal Feed You, Only Better FTC letter to Dave Asprey Alternative medicine fans see RFK Jr. as a hero. The field’s skeptics worry. The Bulletproof Diet is everything wrong with eating in America Bulletproof Coffee: Debunking the Hot Buttered Hype Buttered Coffee Could Make You Invincible. And This Man Very Rich Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Thu, January 30, 2025
Blue Zones
The places where humans live the longest are explained by traditional lifestyles, widespread incest or systematic fraud, there is no fourth option. Thanks to Catherine MacDonald for helping us research and fact-check this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Watch Aubrey's documentary Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The global pattern of centenarians highlights deep problems in demography Late-life mortality is underestimated because of data errors Supercentenarian and remarkable age records exhibit patterns indicative of clerical errors and pension fraud Do People in ‘Blue Zones’ Actually Live Longer? They really are that old: a validation study of centenarian prevalence in Okinawa The Real Facts Supporting Jeanne Calment as the Oldest Ever Human A Population Where Men Live As Long As Women: Villagrande Strisaili, Sardinia Typologies of Extreme Longevity Myths Sardinian dietary analysis for longevity: a review of the literature Identification of a geographic area characterized by extreme longevity in the Sardinia island Specific features of the oldest old from the Longevity Blue Zones in Ikaria and Sardinia <a href='https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/85824797/j.socscimed.2015.01.01920220510-1-1yysb0j-libre.pdf?1652212882=&response-content-disposition=inline%3B+filename%3DMaking_the_Blue_Zones_Neoliberalism_and.pdf&Expires=1736049166&Signature=R1hyUSqtzaUH6NRLzk9faufXJp6yA7LweeYzfE8h
Fri, December 20, 2024
BONUS: What's New With RFK Jr.?
Because we live in hell, here is last month's bonus episode about RFK Jr.'s presidential campaign with a new intro about what he could do at HHS. See you next year! Support the show
Thu, November 21, 2024
Richard Simmons Isn't Missing
The internet gets weird investigating the "disappearance" of America's gay best friend. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Watch Aubrey’s documentary in AU & NZ , or watch it at home anywhere else ! Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Richard Simmons Show Richard Simmons, the Original Queer Eye The Grand Duke of Diet and the Clown Prince of Fitness The Sultan of Svelte The Deregulation Of Commercial Television Simmons Says Slapping Mesa Man Was Meant as Playful Richard Simmons’ Life Was a ‘Never-Ending Work in Progress’ Richard Simmons ordered to pay $130,000 after transgender lawsuit Richard Simmons' family asks Pauly Shore to please stop Pauly Shore's Richard Simmons biopic might actually be dead Richard Simmons' Death Was an 'Accident' Richard Simmons' Housekeeper of 35 Years Breaks Her Silence How eating disorders can damage the heart Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song!
Fri, October 25, 2024
Growing Up Richard Simmons
Before building his fitness empire, America’s most bedazzled fitness guru was a guy named Milton from New Orleans. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Watch Aubrey’s documentary in AU & NZ , or watch it at home anywhere else ! Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Still Hungry...After All These Years by Richard Simmons "Hair-Do" Anatomy Asylum Commercial Richard Simmons: New Orleans's hometown hero A Speedy History of America’s Addiction to Amphetamine Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Thu, September 12, 2024
The Myers-Briggs Personality Test
How a mother, a daughter and a crackpot Swiss psychologist gave us the world's most popular Buzzfeed quiz. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Watch Aubrey's documentary Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! The Personality Brokers by Merve Emre Myers Briggs Type Preferences What Personality Tests Really Deliver The $2 Billion Question of Who You Are at Work Cautionary Comments Regarding the MBTI The Barnum Effect in Personality Assessment The Mysterious Popularity Of The Meaningless Myers-Briggs Why the Myers-Briggs personality test is totally meaningless Can you truly know yourself in a quiz? What You Don't Know about This Personality Test Can Hurt You MBTI, If You Want Me Back, You Need to Change Too <a href='https://www.scientificamer
Mon, July 01, 2024
BONUS: Breaking Down The Latest Anti-Trans Victory Lap
We went a little easy on the Cass Report in our last main feed episode, so we're back to [Mortal Kombat voice] FINISH HIM!!! This was supposed to be a Patreon bonus episode but we'd rather you support the lovely trans people who helped us with the research and fact-checking of this episode! Julia Serano: https://www.patreon.com/juliaserano Parker Molloy: https://www.readtpa.com/ Katelyn Burns: https://www.patreon.com/katelynburns Evan Urquhart: https://www.assignedmedia.org/support Erin Reed: https://www.erininthemorning.com/ Or organizations that work with trans youth in the UK: Gendered Intelligence: https://genderedintelligence.co.uk/ Mermaids: https://mermaidsuk.org.uk/ Stonewall: https://www.stonewall.org.uk/ Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, June 18, 2024
"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 2: Panic! At The Endocrinologist.
Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson ( jgillpeterson.com ) and Julia Serano ( patreon.com/juliaserano ) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart , Parker Molloy and Katelyn Burns for fact-checking! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Watch Aubrey's documentary Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria" The "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria" Controversy at AACAP's Annual Meeting Methodological Critique Of The Cass Review Methodological Critique of Littman (2018) Parent reports of adolescents and young adults perceived to show signs of a rapid onset of gender dysphoria A critical commentary on ‘rapid-onset gender dysphoria’. Foundations Of The Contemporary Anti-LGBTQ+ Pseudoscience Network Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria: Parent Reports on 1,655 Possible Cases Opinion: England's Anti-Trans Cass Review Is Politics Disguised As Science Tavistock v Bell Actually Nothing: The Non-Starter Non-Story of the WPATH Files As anti-trans legislation prolifera
Thu, May 09, 2024
"Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria" Part 1: The Cooties Theory of Transgender Identity
Thanks to Jules Gill-Peterson ( jgillpeterson.com ) and Julia Serano ( patreon.com/juliaserano ) for help researching this episode and Evan Urquhart and Parker Molloy for fact-checking! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Watch Aubrey's documentary Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Origins of "Social Contagion" and "Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria" What does the scholarly research say about the effect of gender transition on transgender well-being? Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care Fresh trans myths of 2017: “rapid onset gender dysphoria” Rapid Onset of Gender Dysphoria in Adolescents and Young Adults: a Descriptive Study The Detransitioners: They Were Transgender, Until They Weren't How the idea of a “transgender contagion” went viral—and caused untold harm Mental Health Outcomes in Transgender and Nonbinary Youths Receiving Gender-Affirming Care 'Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria' Is Biased Junk Science A careful step into a field of landmines <a href='https://juliaserano.medium.com/detransition-desistance-and-disinformation-a-guide-for-understanding-transgender-children-993b734
Thu, April 04, 2024
Jamie Oliver
In the 2000s, Jamie Oliver made a big splash with his work reforming kids’ meals in the UK and US. Was his work wicked slammin’, or just proper rustic? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! BBC Profile - Jamie Oliver Jamie Oliver Puts America's Diet on a Diet All The Times Jamie Oliver Made Everyone Angry Unpacking School Lunch: Understanding the Hidden Politics of School Food A brief history of school meals in the UK Turkey Twizzlers: A Complete History Marcus Rashford Is Fighting the Government on Free School Meals. He’s Also Fighting Jamie Oliver’s Legacy Has Jamie Bitten off More Than He Can Chew? Jamie Oliver, you haven’t tasted real poverty Jamie Oliver’s campaign against childhood obesity has classist undertones Jamie’s jerk rice is a recipe for disaster Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Thu, March 07, 2024
COVID Conspiracies
What was missing from America's pandemic response? According to the internet, a sunshine vitamin, a malaria treatment and a whole lot of horse paste. Thanks to Health Nerd ( Substack ) for helping us fact-check this episode! And thanks to Abby Mahler ( Twitter , Tiktok ) for help with the research on hydroxychloroquine! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links: How Musk Sold MAGA on HCQ Prominent Anti-Vaxxer’s Snake Oil Store Has a Propaganda Outlet Nine COVID-19 Myths That Just Won’t Go Away Disinformation and coronavirus COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories Discussion on Twitter Pain in the Nation Are patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus at increased risk for COVID-19 infection? Conspiracy theories as barriers to controlling the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. Vaccines vs. vitamins: COVID misinformation roils the worlds of wellness and nutrition A Decisive Verdict on Vitamin D Supplementation Why were Twitter Users Obsessed with Vitamin D during the first year of the pandemic? <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/18/business/vitamin-d-mic
Tue, October 10, 2023
Ozempic
Ozempic is being hailed as “the end of the Obesity Epidemic.” This week, Mike and Aubrey dig through the sensational claims. But will they make it past the caveats? Links: How a Canadian scientist and a venomous lizard helped pave the way for Ozempic The Discovery and Development of Liraglutide and Semaglutide Ozempic and Wegovy maker courts prominent Black leaders to get Medicare's favor Insurers clamping down on doctors who prescribe Ozempic for weight loss Ozempic prescriptions can be easy to get online. Its popularity for weight loss is hurting those who need it most Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in patients with type 2 diabetes: real-world evidence from a Mediterranean area Semaglutide in Patients with Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction and Obesity Real-world weight change, adherence, and discontinuation among patients with type 2 diabetes initiating glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists in the UK Safety of Semaglutide Semaglutide for the treatment of overweight and obesity: A review Once-Weekly Semaglutide in Adolescents with Obesity Semaglutide 2.4 mg for the Treatment of Obesity: Key Elements of the STEP Trials 1 to 5 Association of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Use With Risk of Gallbladder and Biliary Diseases Real-World Adherence and Discontinuation of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists Therapy in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patient
Tue, September 12, 2023
"Soy Boys"
How a plant-based pejorative went from an alt-right burn to a core concern of mainstream Republicans. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Joe Explains the Term "Soy Boy" to Donnell Rawlings Alex Jones Gay Bomb Rant Soyboys and Sensitivity: Mocking Meat Avoidance from Punch to Twitter How the alt-right uses milk to promote white supremacy Men's Health 2009 piece Neither soy nor isoflavone intake affects male reproductive hormones A Brief History of Conservatives Using Tofu-Eating as an Insult The Soy Conspiracy Alex Jones’ Protegé, Paul Joseph Watson, Is About to Steal His Crackpot Crown Why Men Think Plant-Based Meat Will Turn Them Into Women Stangle: Impossible burgers are made of what? Plant-based meat and the knock-down, drag-out fight for the American diet Why Republicans Can’t Stop Talking About Masculinity Real American men and the liberal war on meat <a href='https://www.adl.org/resources/backgrounder/great-replacement-explainer?gclid=CjwKCAjw8symBhAqEiwAaTA__EMyxcUzOy3dACpQnBskC96akM
Tue, August 01, 2023
RFK Jr. and The Mainstreaming Of The Anti-Vaxx Movement
Join us for a 75 minute answer to a 5 word question: Is there mercury in vaccines? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Paul Offit’s “Autism's False Prophets” Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science” Seth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus” Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes” Transcript of the Simpsonwood meeting A Kennedy’s Crusade Against Covid Vaccines Anguishes Family and Friends Immunizations and Autism: A Review of the Literature CDC Studies on Thimerosal in Vaccines RFK Jr’s 2005 article on mercury and vaccines RFK Jr.’s Inside Job Vast Majority of Americans Say Benefits of Childhood Vaccines Outweigh Risks Correcting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. When Vaccine Injury Claims Go to Court Vaccine Compensation Hearing Decision Thanks to <a href='https://freesound.org/people/Doctor_Dre
Tue, July 18, 2023
RFK Jr. and The Rise of the Anti-Vaxx Movement
A political candidate has some questions and we have some extremely obvious answers. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Eric Garcia’s “We’re Not Broken” Mike and Sarah’s episode on autism and the anti-vaxx movement Seth Mnookin’s “The Panic Virus” Jonathan M. Berman’s “Anti-vaxxers: How to Challenge a Misinformed Movement” Brian Deer’s “The Doctor Who Fooled the World” Paul Offit’s “Autism's False Prophets” Steve Silberman’s “Neurotribes” Peter Hotez’s “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science” Behind The Bastards episode on smallpox anti-vaxxers RFK Jr.’s Inside Job The Conspiracy Candidate David Pitts's "Jack and Lem” RFK Jr.’s autobiography Immunizations and Autism: A Review of the Literature Wakefield’s article linking MMR vaccine and autism was fraudulent Correcting Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s vaccine ‘facts’ Thanks to <a href='https://freesound.org/people/Doctor
Tue, July 04, 2023
Pilates
Somehow an episode about an old-timey fitness influencer ended up being one of our most wholesome ever. We're as surprised as you are. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Pilates and the “powerhouse" Sick Architecture - Ibiayi Briggs - Body Culture and Contrology World War One: Internment centre 'will unlock' family tales The Acrobatic Immigrant Who Invented Pilates in a Prisoner of War Camp The exercise phenomenon born in a prisoner-of-war camp History of Pilates An Introduction to Clinical Pilates The Fight for the Soul of Pilates Did you know Pilates was born in prison and inspired by cats? Inside The Shocking (Black) History Of Pilates Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, June 20, 2023
Brittany Dawn
How a fitness influencer went from small-time scammer to one of the Internet’s leading villains. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! THIS IS DISTURBING goodbye for now… How Dallas-area influencer Brittany Dawn found herself at the mercy of social media's double-edged sword Conversations with the Inspiring Brittany Dawn Influencer Asks Customers to Sign NDA Before Refund Brittany Dawn's archived apology video Influencer Called 'Scammer' for Not Providing Coaching ‘You can’t cancel me’: embattled TikTok star reinvents herself as a warrior for Jesus Here’s what to know about the lawsuit against Texas influencer Brittany Dawn Followers Of Christian Influencer Brittany Dawn Said They Are Angry That She Pivoted To Religion To Avoid Scrutiny Fitness gurus and 'muscular Christianity': how Victorian Britain anticipated today's keep fit craze The Fitness-Driven Church | Christianity Today Christian influencer Brittany Dawn defends
Tue, June 06, 2023
BONUS: The Conservative Diet Books of Yore
We're taking a much-needed break this week so to tide you over here is one of our bonus episodes! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, May 23, 2023
Oprah v. Beef Part 2: Apocalypse Cow
The closing argument of our two-part Oprahsode starts in a Texas courtroom, wanders through some British slaughterhouses and ends with an emu. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! "How the Cows Turned Mad" by Maxime Schwartz “Deadly Feasts” by Richard Rhodes "Mad Cow USA" UK Parliamentary inquiry How The West Was Won Over Texas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law” Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah Trials The Unconstitutionality Of Iowa's Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel Laws Appeal Original Lawsuit Food Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy? Apocalypse Cow Harvard Risk Assessment of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy Mad Cow congressional hearing GAO report The Harvard Risk Assessment
Tue, May 09, 2023
Oprah v. Beef Part 1: The Rise of "Veggie Libel"
On April 16, 1996, Oprah Winfrey did a show about mad cow disease. Six weeks later, a couple of Texas cattlemen had a cow (sorry). Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Original Lawsuit Appeal How Oprah Got Sued for Dissing a Burger Two Degrees of Speech Protection Texas Cattle Feeders v. Oprah Winfrey: The First Major Test of the “Veggie Libel Law” Having a Cow: Reactions To "Veggie Libel" Laws and the Oprah Trials Howard Lyman talk The Unconstitutionality Of Iowa's Proposed Agricultural Food Products Act And Similar Veggie Libel Laws How the Cows Turned Mad Food Safety Vs. Promotion Of Industry: Can The USDA Protect Americans From Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy? Apocalypse Cow GAO report A is for Apple, Alar, and ... Alarmist? Alar Five Years Later Auvil v. CBS 60 Minutes Alar and Apples: Newspaper Coverage of a Major Risk Issue. Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! <a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/main
Tue, April 25, 2023
The 10,000 Steps Myth
This week we're digging into the weird history of an omnipresent fitness goal. Episode comes free with a happy meal. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! 10,000 Steps: A Brief History Do We Really Need to Take 10,000 Steps a Day for Our Health? A Japanese first-mover in the fitness wearables race Counting Every Step You Take When does wearing a fitness tracker do more harm than good? McDonald's Enlists Trainer To Help Sell Its New Meal Get happy with McDonald's Go Active Happy Meal for adults McDonald's Stepometer McDonald's pushing salads and pedometers The fight for healthier McDonald's Happy Meals Step-It Canadian TV ad McDonald's serves up Happy Meals for grow-ups McDonald's removes fitness tracker from Happy Meals A Very Serious Review of McDonald’s Flesh-Burning Fitness Tracker McDonald’s quietly ended cont
Tue, April 11, 2023
The Trouble with Sugar
This week we're tackling three big ideas about sugar: It causes hyperactivity in kids, it's as addictive as cocaine and it raises blood sugar in universal, predictably spiky ways. Thanks to David Johnston for helping us with sources for this week’s episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Fat Talk: Parenting in the Age of Diet Culture by Virginia Sole Smith Sugar Rush: Science, Politics and the Demonisation of Fatness by Karen Throsby Is sugar really as addictive as cocaine? Scientists row over effect on body and brain Sugar Is Not the Enemy Dr. Benjamin F. Feingold, Controversial Pediatrician Is There Such a Thing as a ‘Sugar High’? Effects of Diets High in Sucrose or Aspartame on The Behavior and Cognitive Performance of Children Sugar and the Hyperactive Child Some popular diets are based on this carb-rating scale. Here’s why it could be misleading. Glycemic Index: History and Clinical Application G
Tue, March 28, 2023
"Forks Over Knives": Is a Vegetarian Diet Better For You?
A viral documentary says a "whole foods plant-based diet" will prevent heart disease and cure cancer. But once we look into the MEAT of the matter will we find factual CREAM of the crop or will we cry FOWL? (we're so sorry) Thanks to Katherine Flegal for helping Mike with this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! Health effects associated with consumption of unprocessed red meat: a Burden of Proof study Unprocessed Red Meat and Processed Meat Consumption: Dietary Guideline Recommendations From the Nutritional Recommendations (NutriRECS) Consortium Present status of the aflatoxin situation in the Philippines The role of natural consequences in the changing death patterns Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets—A Review Quality of Plant-Based Diet and Risk of Total, Ischemic, and Hemorrhagic Stroke Parachute use to prevent death and major trauma when jumping from aircraft: randomized controlled trial Do We Really Know What Makes Us Healthy? Observational evidence does not necessarily imply causation The Problem with Observational Studies (Epidemiology) Vegetarian Diet Patterns and Chronic Disease Risk: What We Know and What We Don’t The rise, the fall and the renaissance of vitamin E Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! <a rel="payment" href="https://www.patreon.com/maintenanc
Tue, March 14, 2023
The Instagram Fiber Feud
Aubrey tells Mike about the diet that took over New York City (and its bathrooms). Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's book Listen to Mike's other podcast Links! F-Factor drama timeline What Is the F-Factor Diet, and Is it Safe? Tanya Zuckerbrot Sets a Weight-Loss Example What Is the F-Factor Diet? Here’s What You Need to Know F-Factor Under Fire After TONS Of Women Come Forward Tanya Zuckerbrot and an Instagram Crusade Against the F-Factor Diet Dietary fiber and health outcomes: an umbrella review Closing America’s Fiber Intake Gap F-Factor has sent legal threats and deleted Instagram comments F-Factor Diet Allegations: What Dietitians Want You To Know Correcting the Record Unpacking the F-Factor Diet Drama Insider rundown of symptoms Tanya Zuckerbrot addresses health concerns Insider rundown of workplace issues <a href='https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/style/tanya-zuckerbro
Tue, February 28, 2023
Doctors Have a New Plan for Fat Kids
Last month the American Academy of Pediatrics released a new set of guidelines for "childhood obesity." We have some comments. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcast Links! The 2023 American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines The 2007 guidelines Pros and cons of bariatric surgery in adolescents Serious Issues With the American Academy of Pediatrics Guidelines For Higher-Weight Children and Adolescents Semaglutide treatment for obesity in teenagers: a plain language summary of the STEP TEENS research study Patients’ views of long-term results of bariatric surgery for super-obesity: sustained effects, but continuing struggles Long-Term Outcomes After Bariatric Surgery Suicidal thoughts and behaviors in adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery Support the show
Tue, February 14, 2023
Elizabeth Taylor's "Elizabeth Takes Off"
History should make you feel weird and so, apparently, should diet books. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcast Links! Elizabeth Takes Off Elizabeth: The Life of Elizabeth Taylor Elizabeth Taylor: Diet Tips on How to Become a Size 6 Just Look at Her Now Elizabeth Taylor: Born to the Purple Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Interview Elizabeth Taylor’s Glorious Excess Elizabeth Taylor’s Astonishing Health History Elizabeth Taylor’s Cook Not To Blame Support the show
Tue, January 03, 2023
“Glorifying Obesity” And Other Myths About Fat People
This week, we're talking about Aubrey's new book, "'You Just Need To Lose Weight' and 19 Other Myths About Fat People." And we're yelling about Piers Morgan as a little treat. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcast Preorder Aubrey's book at your favorite bookstore or here: Bookshop.org Powell's Books Blackstone Books Black Pearl Books Amazon Barnes & Noble Book Depository Audible (audiobook) Libro.fm (audiobook) Support the show
Tue, December 20, 2022
Workplace Wellness
Charging disabled people more for health care is illegal. But what about ... charging non-disabled people less? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcast Links! A Review of the U.S. Workplace Wellness Market "Wellness" Based Healthcare is a Scam 2013 Rand Report Workplace Wellness Produces No Savings \ Workplace Wellbeing Is a Scam Employers should disband employee weight control programs Using Incentives in Workplace Wellness Programs Coerced into Health Current Trends in Reducing Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the US The effectiveness of worksite nutrition and physical activity interventions for controlling employee overweight Managing Manifest Diseases, But Not Health Risks, Saved PepsiCo Money Over Seven Years The Dubious Empirical and Legal Foundations of Workplace Wellness Programs Toward A Critical Theory of Corporate Wellness The development and growth of employer-provided health insurance The Ideological Construction Of Risk <a href='https://www.healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2012.0683?url_ver=Z39.88-2003&rfr_id=ori%3Arid%3Acrossref.org&rfr_d
Tue, November 15, 2022
The Food Pyramid
In the 1990s, the Food Pyramid was one of the most recognizable symbols in nutrition education. But where did it come from? Why was it created by the agriculture department? And why did it tell us to eat a whole loaf of bread every day? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Buy Aubrey's new book Listen to Mike's new podcast Links! Anna-Britt Agnsäter Rounding Out the Food Pyramid Food Lobbies, The Food Pyramid, and US Nutrition Policy The Fattening: Reassessing The Food Pyramid Catering to Cows and Consumers US Drops New Food Chart Are Cattlemen Now Guarding the Hen House? Testing of the Food Pyramid Comes Full Circle Topping the Food Pyramid Food Pyramid Replaced By 'MyPlate' Is The Food Pyramid Obsolete? Coca-Cola Funds Scientists to Shift Blame Experts Say Lobbying Skewed the US Dietary Guidelines <a href='https://bookshop.org/p/books/food-politics-how-the-food-industry-influences-nutrition-and-healthvolume-3-marion-nestle/6561604?ean=9780520275966&gclid=CjwKCAiA68ebBhB-EiwALVC-Nt4H-NivHp_Z9f_DI1H
Tue, November 08, 2022
Bonus: Mike's New Podcast!
Mike and Aubrey introduce Mike's new show, If Books Could Kill ! Find it on Apple , Spotify , Stitcher , Google and wherever else you get your podcasts. Also, don't forget to pre-order Aubrey's new book ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Support the show
Tue, November 01, 2022
The Daily Harvest Food Poisoning Scandal
“Herpes is basically living the dream” — Aubrey Gordon. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Check out Mike's other podcast, If Books Could Kill Pre-order Aubrey's book! Links! Marion Nestle's "Safe Food" The vomiting, diarrhea, and gallbladder surgeries were bad enough. Daily Harvest’s alleged food poisoning victims say the startup’s response made things worse For Now, Skip Eating Products That Contain Tara Flour, CR's Food Experts Say Bill Marler’s Daily Harvest posts The original Reddit post The History, Politics & Perils Of The Current Food Safety Controversy Food poisoning and unsafe temperatures: Many meal kit companies aren’t FDA regulated Public Health and Food Safety: a Historical Association Investigating Food Safety Implications Of Meal-Kit Delivery Subscription Services In Toronto Vitamin retention in eight fruits and vegetables: a comparison of refrigerated and frozen storage Ten years post-GAO assessment, FDA remains uninformed of potentially harmful GRAS substances in foods Daily Harvest updates Rachel Drori interview Antioxidants in Fresh and Frozen Fruit and Veg
Tue, October 18, 2022
Mini-Sode: The Dr. Oz Campaign
Pennsylvania listeners check your registration here ! Mike and Aubrey break down the policies and promises of Dr. Oz's Senate campaign in Pennsylvania. Plus! A re-run of our complete Dr. Oz episode from last year. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links: Transcript of the infamous Congressional hearing The Making of Dr. Oz Columbia and the Problem of Dr. Oz The FTC lawsuit against green coffee bean extract sellers The Oz craze: The effect of pop culture media on health care The BMJ content analysis of the Dr. Oz show Ageing, fitness and neurocognitive function Real-world doctors fact-check Dr. Oz, and the results aren't pretty Dr. Oz may be America's most influential — and controversial — physician Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, October 11, 2022
Paul Bragg & The Rise of Apple Cider Vinegar
Health claims about apple cider vinegar are everywhere. But are they true? This week, we hop into the wayback machine for the story of America's first health influencer. (That's not true, but neither is anything else in this episode.) Thanks to David Johnston for providing sources for this week’s episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links: A Longstanding Legacy of Promoting Healthy Living About Paul (Internet Archive) 100 Years of Health with Patricia Bragg Patricia Bragg: Born to do her father's work In the Name of the ‘Father’ ( part 2 , part 3 ) FDA report on enforcement & compliance FTC decisions, 1941 How Americans Became Obsessed With Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar Debunking the health benefits of apple cider vinegar Orlando Bloom Bonded with Katy Perry over Apple Cider Vinegar Investor group acquires Bragg Live Food Products Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, September 27, 2022
The French Paradox
How an early-'90s newsmagazine show convinced a generation of Americans to start drinking red wine. For the antioxidants! Special thanks to Susanne Stolpe and Alexander H. Sandtorv for helping us fact-check this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Diet and alcohol in heart disease risk: the French Paradox Absorption of three wine-related polyphenols in three different matrices by healthy subjects From red wine to polyphenols and back: A journey through the history of the French Paradox Wine as a Biological Fluid: History, Production, and Role in Disease Prevention Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Confounders Among Nondrinking and Moderate-Drinking U.S. Adults Alcohol, Drinking Pattern, and Chronic Disease The French paradox: lessons for other countries Myocardial Infarction and Coronary Deaths in the World Health Organization MONICA Project Coronary heart disease in France and in Europe: Where are the facts? Wine And Juice Management And Marketing Decisions: The Case Of The French Paradox Decline of coronary heart disease mortality is strongly effected by changing patterns of underlying causes of death The Medical Autopsy: Past, Present, and Dubious Future New dimensions in cause of death statistics <a href='file:///Users/MikeBerlin/My%20Drive/Maintenance%20Phase%202022/French%20Paradox/32892998_Should_socioeconomic_factors_be_considered_astradition
Tue, September 13, 2022
Goop
Do we even need to write a description? It's the Goopisode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! How Goop’s Haters Made Gwyneth Paltrow’s Company Worth $250 Million How Gwyneth Paltrow took Goop from a homebrewed newsletter to a controversial $250 million wellness powerhouse Gwyneth Paltrow Feels Good — and So Can You Is Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP $1.6M In Debt? Goop and Condé Nast Team Up on a Magazine - The New York Times Gwyneth Paltrow didn't want Condé Nast to fact-check Goop articles A hungry Gwyneth Paltrow fails the food-stamp challenge four days in Dear Gwyneth, this is what living on food stamps really looks like My $29 Food Stamp Challenge & The Recipes Gwyneth Paltrow's Having the Chicest Yard Sale Ever Gwyneth Paltrow says children of celebrities 'almost have to work twice as hard' once they 'unfairly' get their start in Hollywood Gwyneth Paltrow brings aerial yoga, trans talks and cryofacials to Goop health conference We Attended Gwyneth Paltrow's $500-a-Ticket Health Summit Anti-Medication Goop Summit Expert Claims AIDS Treatment Kills and GMOs Cause Depression <a href='h
Tue, September 06, 2022
BONUS: Moon Juice Taste Test
This week's episode is running late so here's something to tide you over! Last year, we did an episode on Gwyneth-adjacent influencer Amanda Chantal Bacon and her wellness company, Moon Juice. This year we decided to TASTE THE DUST. This episode was originally for our Patreon supporters. Click here if you'd like to sign up ! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, August 23, 2022
The Scarsdale Diet Murder feat. Sarah Marshall
In 1982 a murder captured America's imagination. Forty years later, two podcasts joined forces to talk about it. Hear more from Sarah at You're Wrong About and You Are Good ! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Diana Trilling’s “Mrs. Harris” Shana Alexander’s “Very Much a Lady” "The Complete Scarsdale Medical Diet" Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, August 09, 2022
“French Women Don't Get Fat”
A dieting book or a how-to guide for an eating disorder? Pourquoi pas les deux ? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The By The Book episode The NYT interview with Mireille Guiliano Gabrielle Deydier: what it’s like to be fat in France Inhaling Their Food Publishers sell snobbery by the page Champagne and Pizza 'French Women Don't Get Fat': Like Champagne for Chocolate Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, July 26, 2022
Pete Evans Part 2: COVID & Consequences
"Celebrity chef Pete Evans has activated his last almond with the Seven Network." Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Pete Evans on COVID-19 restrictions Pete Evans on who gets COVID Introducing the BioCharger Coronavirus treatment spruiked by chef Pete Evans criticised by health associations, to be investigated by TGA - ABC News Pete Evans' company fined for alleged COVID-19 advertising breaches | Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) Pete Evans fined $80,000 by health department for alleged unlawful spruiking of devices and medicines Australian celebrity chef Pete Evans under fire for sharing views of UK conspiracy theorist David Icke Pete Evans' boasts he played 60 Minutes Australia like 'game of chess' Oh, for Pete's sake: The rise and fall (and possible rise) of Pete Evans Dumped by sponsors, what happens to Pete Evans now? Sonnenrad, symbol used in shooter's manifesto, explained Pete Evans Is Now Posting Neo-Nazi Symbols And The Far-Right Love It Celebrity chef Pete Evans' Instagram account deleted for 'repeatedly sharing' Covid misinformation <a href='https://www.dailymail
Tue, July 12, 2022
Pete Evans Part 1: The Paleo Way
How a beloved TV chef became one of Australia's most polarizing public figures. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Going Paleo: What Prehistoric Man Actually Ate The Paleo Way (video clip) Paleolithic nutrition for metabolic syndrome Paleo diet still lacks evidence Atherosclerosis across 4000 years of human history How to Really Eat Like a Hunter-Gatherer: Why the Paleo Diet Is Half-Baked Ancient leftovers show the real Paleo diet was a veggie feast Expert dismisses Pete Evans' claims that modern diet causes autism Celebrity Chef's Paleo Cookbook for Babies Delayed After Health Fears Pete Evans: paleo cookbook for mums and babies under fire again AMA accuses Pete Evans of endangering lives with unscientific health advice Pete Evans provides 'evidence' for his fluoride claims Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, June 28, 2022
The Worm Wars
In 1998, a researcher rolled out an innovative approach to education. And in 2015, Methodology Twitter had a big fight about it. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The original 2004 paper The 2015 re-analysis The 2015 meta-analysis The Tanzania dissertation Doing Good Better Worm Wars: The Anthology Deworming Debunked WHO advises blanket anti-worming treatment for children despite lack of benefit Deworming Delusions? Mass Drug Administration In East African Schools Understanding Heterogeneity in the Impact of National Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programmes What Has Been Learned from the Deworming Replications: A Nonpartisan View Mass Deworming Programs in Middle Childhood and Adolescence Is it worth treating everyone who might get worms? New research debunks merits of global deworming programmes Should the WHO withdraw support for mass
Tue, June 07, 2022
Calorie Menu Labeling
This year, the UK implemented a law requiring chain restaurants to list calorie counts on their menus. Where did these policies come from? What impact do they have? And why is a Julia Roberts quote from 1990 the best way to describe them? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Calorie Labelling Regulations - GOV.UK Calorie labelling: implementation guidance - GOV.UK Do Menu Calorie Counts Actually Change How We Eat? Calorie counts on menus: What's the real impact on diners and restaurants? Court Upholds the City's Rule Requiring Some Restaurants to Post Calorie Counts Menu Labeling | Center for Science in the Public Interest Menu Labeling Requirements | FDA Calorie Labeling And Food Choices: A First Look At The Effects On Low-Income People In New York City The influence of calorie labeling on food orders and consumption: A review of the literature - PMC Changes in Calorie Content of Menu Items at Large Chain Restaurants After Implementation of Calorie Labels Why Listing Calorie Counts on Menus Can Do More Harm Than Good Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, May 24, 2022
The Trouble With Calories
Weight loss is as simple as “calories in, calories out,” right? Or — gasp — could the reply guys be wrong!? This week, we dig in on the surprisingly complex science behind a seemingly simple calculation. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! History of the Calorie in Nutrition Caloric Equivalents of Gained or Lost Weight The Foreign Policy of the Calorie Why the most popular rule of weight loss is completely wrong Time to Correctly Predict the Amount of Weight Loss With Dieting Mysteries of Weight Loss The energy balance model of obesity: beyond calories in, calories out “Calories in, calories out” and macronutrient intake Olympians owe gold standard to a 19th-century chemist Calories on food packets are wrong—it’s time to change that Why Does the FDA Recommend 2,000 Calories Per Day? Who Actually Needs a 2,000 Calorie a Day Diet? The Nutrition Facts Label: Its History and Updates Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, May 10, 2022
Diet Book Deep Dive: “How To Take 20 Pounds Off Your Man”
This week, Mike and Aubrey take on a manual for creep behavior masquerading as a diet book. Along the way, we cover shopping guides, journalism salaries and the proper preparation of Cornish game hens. We love our curvy husbands. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! How to Take 20 Pounds Off Your Man by Kalter, Suzy: (1984) | The Book Store Suzy Kalter Gershman Obituary The book cover Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, April 19, 2022
Zombie Statistics Spectacular!
Debunking some of the most widely repeated myths about fat and health. Here's Mike's new video ! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, April 05, 2022
Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma"
How a liberal journalist entrenched a libertarian fantasy. Thanks to Sarah Taber for helping us with the research for this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Julie Guthman's "Weighing In" Rachel Laudan's "Cooking and Empire" Heidi Zimmerman's "Caring for the Middle Class Soul" Joel Salatin’s Unsustainable Myth Chris Newman’s Blog Everything I Want to Do Is Racist: How America’s favorite farmer lost his way. Clean Food: If You Want to Save the World, Get Over Yourself. The USA lags behind other agricultural nations in banning harmful pesticides Governing food: Media, politics and pleasure Michael Pollan's Misguided Food Nostalgia A Plea for Culinary Modernism The French Terroir Strategy, and Culinary Modernism The Dark Side of Local Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, March 29, 2022
Bonus: Fad Diets
This week's show is still in the oven so we're releasing one of our first Patreon bonus episodes. We asked our listeners for the wildest and wackiest fad diets they've ever tried and ended up doing mini-deep dives into The Rotation Diet, The Shangri-La Diet, The Special K Diet, Bethenny Frankel's "Naturally Thin" plan and the Blood Type Diet. Enjoy, and see you next week! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, March 15, 2022
Jordan Peterson Part 2: The Moscow Diaries
In 2019, Jordan Peterson disappeared from public life. One year later, he re-emerged with a diagnosis, a story and no self-reflection whatsoever. Thanks to Katelyn Burns and Talia Lavin for help fact-checking this episode and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Joe Rogan Experience #1070 - Jordan Peterson Why the Left Is So Afraid of Jordan Peterson When Your Psychologist Goes Viral: How Jordan Peterson’s Fame Affected His Private Practice Jordan Peterson’s Gospel of Masculinity The Intellectual We Deserve Auditing Radicalization Pathways on YouTube The Left’s Contempt for Jordan Peterson Is Perfectly Rational I was Jordan Peterson’s strongest supporter. Now I think he’s dangerous. Jordan Peterson: Why I am no longer a tenured professor at the University of Toronto Jordan Peterson & Fascist Mysticism Sunday Times: Unedited Interview Transcript Algorithmic extremism: Examining YouTube's rabbit hole of radicalization What is the “lite” in “alt-lite?” The discourse of white vulnerability and dominance among YouTube’s re
Tue, March 01, 2022
Jordan Peterson Part 1: The Carnivore Diet
Oops all meat: How a '50s bodybuilder, a Grateful Dead roadie and an unreadable professor accidentally launched one of America's wildest fad diets. Here's Mike's "Cancel Culture" video! Note: In our discussion of Jordan Peterson’s political correctness lecture, I made a sarcastic comment about looking “slim in this dress.” After the episode came out, we started hearing from listeners that my comment reminded them of fatphobic jokes they’d heard in the past and didn’t feel consistent with the message of the show. They were right! It was a bad joke and we've removed it from the episode. We'll be discussing this and our approach to handling feedback and editing past episodes in more detail soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to let us know! — Mike Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Joe Rogan Experience #1070 - Jordan Peterson Atlantic article on the all-beef diet Jordan Peterson, Custodian of the Patriarchy Is Jordan Peterson the stupid man's smart person? How dangerous is Jordan B. Peterson? The Intellectual We Deserve Jordan Peterson & Fascist Mysticism The Pronoun Warrior Jordan Peterson’s Gospel of Masculinity The Bizarre Fad Diet Taking the Far Right by Storm Inside the World of the 'Bitcoin Carnivores' Human Ancestors Were Nearly All Vegetarians <
Tue, February 15, 2022
"Super Size Me"
Aubrey thought she could swear less in this week’s episode. She was wrong. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Super Size Me Trailer "Super Size Me" - CBS News Where's the Beef? The Challenges of Obesity Suits Morgan Spurlock on Sexual Misconduct Confession, 'Super Size Me 2' Former Employees Say Morgan Spurlock's Production Company Was 'Fratty Boys' Club' Food and Drug Law Journal “Cheeseburger Bill” protects food industry - The Lancet Meet the science teacher who lost 60 pounds eating nothing but McDonald's three meals a day Impressed by the demise of Supersize? Take a closer look Support the show
Tue, February 01, 2022
"Illness Influencer" Belle Gibson
In 2015, Belle Gibson was an Australian "eco-preneur" with a vegetarian cookbook, a blockbuster wellness app and a terminal cancer diagnosis. Today, she's one of the most hated figures in the country. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The Woman Who Fooled The World What we know about Belle Gibson The mystery of Belle Gibson, who claimed she cured cancer with clean living Friends and doctors raise doubts over 'Healing Belle' cancer claims Mega-blogger Belle Gibson casts doubt on her own cancer claims Melbourne mum Belle Gibson on taking the world by storm with her app The Whole Pantry, while fighting terminal brain cancer The Belle Gibson scandal: The rise of lifestyle gurus as micro-celebrities in low-trust societies Belle Gibson: "My lifelong struggle with the truth" Catalog of Belle’s posts and timeline Bad Influencer: The Great Insta Con Cosmo: An honest account of our experience with Belle Gibson Julia Watson's "Breakfast, School Run, Chemo" Support the show
Tue, January 18, 2022
Diet Book Deep Dive: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet
Who’s that Bond villain stroking a cat and yelling at beloved public figures? It’s Karl Lagerfeld! This week, Mike and Aubrey go in on fashion’s favorite turbo troll and his fancy, joyless diet. This episode serves four. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links!: The Karl Lagerfeld Diet Kaiser Karl: The Life of Karl Lagerfeld Karl Lagerfeld: My childhood was very simple A Look Back at Designer Karl Lagerfeld’s Iconic Fashion Career in Photos Seven of Karl Lagerfeld's most iconic moments Karl Lagerfeld Becomes a Video-Game Character Karl Lagerfeld's most controversial quotes on fat women Karl Lagerfeld's most controversial quotes Karl Lagerfeld on Adele (archived) Karl Lagerfeld’s illustration of Adolf Hitler and Angela Merkel (archived) Paris is Losing it - The New York Times Here's What Our Nutritionist Thinks of Karl Lagerfeld's Diet Karl Lagerfeld: Adele 'fat' remarks taken out of context Karl Lagerfeld Would Marry His Cat Choupette If It Were Legal Support the show
Tue, January 04, 2022
Fat Camps
How America's oldest fat camp — and the inspiration for Disney’s "Heavyweights" — became the symbol of a health intervention that enjoys worldwide popularity despite no evidence that it improves anyone's health. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The Epic Family Feud Behind an Iconic American Weight-Loss Camp for Kids Two teenagers placed in foster care after weight loss plan fails Calls to set up fat camps for obese children in Scotland Childhood obesity: are new treatment centres the solution? Weight-loss Camps and Their Effect on Childhood Obesity Psychosocial outcomes in a weight loss camp for overweight youth Inside Britain’s First Ever Residential “Fat Camp” Working at Camp Shane: Employee Reviews Missing campers, falsified documents and other issues revealed in CT weight-loss camp investigation Kids Weight Loss Camp That Closed Has History of Violations Weighty Problems by Laura Backstrom The Actually Terrible Things that Happen at Fat Camp Support the show
Tue, December 14, 2021
The "Sleep Loss Epidemic"
Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" was one of the most popular and acclaimed wellness books of 2017. There's just one problem: Much of it isn't true. Thanks to University of Ottawa Postdoctoral Fellow Dylan Smith for helping us with the research! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Walker's TED Talk Alexey's blog post: Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" Is Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors Walker’s Response Trouble With TED Does daylight savings kill people? Why We Sleep: A Tale Of Institutional Failure Is Matthew Walker’s “Why We Sleep” Riddled with Scientific and Factual Errors? Up All Night: The science of sleeplessness Exploring the Necessity and Virtue of Sleep Why Do We Sleep? Siesta in Healthy Adults and Coronary Mortality in the General Population A Chronobiological Evaluation of the Acute Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Traffic Accident Risk Has Adult Sleep Duration Declined Over the Last 50+ Years? Americans Are Sleeping More, If Not Necessarily Better High-profile sleep researcher loses paper for duplication Support the show
Tue, November 30, 2021
Vibrators
It's a sexual health episode! This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the hotly debated medical history of vibrators and ask: who fact-checks the fact-checkers? Note: A previous version of this episode included language that referred to “the female downstairs,” implying both that gender is linked to genitals (it isn’t) and that vibrators were used primarily by cis women (they weren’t). We love our trans listeners and we don’t want to do anything that makes them feel excluded, so we’ve removed the sections where that language appeared. We'll be discussing this and our approach to handling feedback in more detail soon. Thanks to everyone who wrote in to let us know! — Mike Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The Technology of Orgasm by Rachel Maines Buzz by Hallie Lieberman Signior Dildo Hysteria! trailer Vibrators had a long history as medical quackery before feminists rebranded them as sex toys A Failure of Academic Quality Control: The Technology of Orgasm How Gosnell Duncan Changed the Sex Toy Game Forever Victorian Doctors Didn't Treat Women With Orgasms, Say Historians (Almost) Everything You Know About the Invention of the Vibrator Is Wrong Support the show
Tue, November 16, 2021
Is Being Fat Bad For You?
For nearly four decades, Americans have heard a simple story about health, longevity and obesity. This week, we learn it's a little more complicated. Thanks to Katherine Flegal, Paul Campos, Jeff Hunger and Jason Salemi for helping us research and fact-check this episode! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Katherine Flegal’s “The obesity wars and the education of a researcher” Walter Willett's " Evidence does not support benefit of being overweight on mortality" Flegal’s 2005 paper Flegal’s 2013 article Willett’s 2016 meta-analysis The infamous 2004 CDC paper Fat: A Cultural History of Obesity Paul Campos's "The Obesity Myth" Walter Willett’s Food Fight The obesity research that blew up Flawed methods and inappropriate conclusions for health policy on overweight and obesity: The Global BMI Mortality Collaboration meta-analysis Does Body Mass Index Adequately Convey a Patient’s Mortality Risk? The Weight of Medical Authority: The Making and Unmaking of Knowledge in the Obesity Epidemic Obesity: An Overblown Epidemic? Commentary: On ‘public heal
Tue, October 26, 2021
Diet Book Deep Dive: Angela Lansbury's "Positive Moves"
At the height of her "Murder She Wrote" fame, Angela Lansbury released a home workout video full of synth music, peach jumpsuits and ~sensuality~. This week, we’re exploring the anti-Goop-ness of Angela’s fitness book and video, "Positive Moves."! It gets a little heavy toward the end, but we promise: No one was canceled in the making of this episode. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Positive Moves video on YouTube (cued up to “moving freely”) Positive Moves book What is Gaslighting? The 1944 film Gaslight is the best explainer. Support the show
Tue, October 12, 2021
Rachel Hollis Part 2: Girl, Start Apologizing
In the sequel (sorry) to our first installment, we take a deep dive into Rachel's wildly problematic books and deeply weird downfall. Along the way we discuss allyship etiquette, MLMs and Ronald Reagan. We remain convinced that getting matching tattoos was the right decision for us. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! The infamous Tik Tok Savy Writes Books' video essays The Rise & Fall of Rachel Hollis The Divine Rise of Multilevel Marketing Kaitlyn Luckow's "Girl, It’s Okay To Be Dirty: A Look At Toxic Self-Help" Multilevel-marketing companies like LuLaRoe are forcing people into debt and psychological crisis Jesus never called us to chase after power, money, and fame “Girl, Wash Your Face” Is A Massive Best-Seller With A Dark Message Your Brain Is Not an Onion With a Tiny Reptile Inside Influencer Rachel Hollis Is Facing Accusations She Is Plagiarizing On Her Instagram Support the show
Tue, September 28, 2021
Rachel Hollis Part 1: Hashtag Relatable
Girl, stop reinforcing the status quo. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Videos! The infamous Tik Tok Momfession: I get up at 5 am The "bikini mom" talk How To Start A Podcast Support the show
Tue, September 14, 2021
Marianne Williamson
Last year, spiritual leader Marianne Williamson made headlines when she ran for president. But 10 years earlier, she wrote a bestselling book that promised to teach readers how to “surrender" their weight forever. This week, Mike and Aubrey take a deep dive into Williamson’s life story and her 2010 book, “A Course in Weight Loss." Along the way we talk nonprofit drama, Eleanor Roosevelt and gays for Marianne. Plus, Mike’s got a message for the twinks. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Videos! Marianne Williamson on Forgiveness A Course in Weight Loss A Course in Weight Loss, Chapter Two A Course in Weight Loss, Chapter 7 A Course in Weight Loss, Chapter 8 Links! Who is Marianne Williamson? Her 2020 presidential campaign and policies, explained The Divine Miss W Faith: Marianne Williamson Is Full of It The Gospel According to Marianne Williamson “No One Decides to Run for President Impulsively”: Marianne Williamson Explains Her Magical Thinking Marianne Williamson has almost everything Marianne Williamson is a controversial AIDS-crisis figure for gay men. Into America's Spiritual Void With Marianne Williamson Why Marianne Williamson’s most famous passage keeps getting cited as a Nelson Mandela quote Thanks to <a href='https://freesound.org/peo
Tue, August 31, 2021
The Great Protein Fiasco
How Nestlé executives, global health institutions and a very racist white lady seeded a series of nutritional misconceptions we're still living with today. Special thanks to John Nott for helping us out with this episode! Here's his papers on the history of protein and the British Empire. “No one may starve in the British Empire”: Kwashiorkor, Protein and the Politics of Nutrition Between Britain and Africa “How Little Progress”? A Political Economy of Postcolonial Nutrition Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! Cicely Williams’ dissertation Dariush Mozaffarian's "History of Modern Nutrition Science" The Incidence Of Protein-Calorie Malnutrition Of Early Childhood An Error of Medicine? Kwashiorkor and the “Protein Gap” Childhood Malnutrition In Developing Nations: Looking Back and Looking Forward The Politics of Protein The Impact of Colonialism on Health and Health Services in Tanzania Breast-Milk and the World Protein Gap The Influence of Colonialism on Africa’s Welfare: An Anthropometric Study Food, Colonialism and the Quantum of Happiness Revisited: Is Subclinical Protein Deficiency A Significant Public Health Concern? Listening to the Ga: Cicely Williams’ Discovery of Kwashiorkor on the Gold Coast “Milking the Third World: Humanitarianism, Capitalism and the Moral Economy
Tue, August 17, 2021
The Obesity Epidemic
Over the last 30 years, fatness has been defined as a risk factor for disease, then a disease in itself, then a global epidemic. What caused this rapid shift? Who’s gonna join our group of B-roll vigilantes? And did we just hear Morgan Freeman? Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Books! Fat Politics Killer Fat The End of the Obesity Epidemic Folk Devils and Moral Panics Moral Panics Links! American Obesity Association PSA AMA Recognizes Obesity as a Disease Regarding Obesity as a Disease: Evolving Policies and Their Implications For Researchers on Obesity: Historical Review of Extra Body Weight Definitions Obesity task force linked to WHO takes “millions” from drug firms Medicare’s search for effective obesity treatments: diets are not the answer Research: How Americans’ Biases Are Changing (or not) Over Time Satcher: Obesity Reaching Crisis Levels Do Photographic Images of Obese Persons Influence Antifat Attitudes? Did the American Medical Association make the correct decision classifying obesity as a disease? <a href='https://ww
Tue, August 03, 2021
The Body Mass Index
The BMI is EVERYWHERE. But is it scientific or scientif-ish? While many Americans think of the body mass index as an objective measure of health, its history reveals a more complicated story. This week, Mike and Aubrey tackle the first in a two-part series about the BMI and the “Obesity Epidemic.” Along the way they visit 18th century Belgium, learn a gross new acronym and dissect Dracula's facial features. LINKS!: The Bizarre and Racist History of the BMI (Elemental) Adolphe Quetelet, Social Physics, and the Average Men of Science, 1796-1874 (University of Pittsburgh Press) Mindful of eugenics’ dark history, researchers are reexamining the genetics of social mobility (Quartz) Adolphe Quetelet (1796–1874)—the average man and indices of obesity (Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation) For Researchers on Obesity: Historical Review of Extra Body Weight Definitions (Obesity) Quetelet, Adolphe (Canada’s Eugenics Archives) Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus (NPR) The False Science Linking Body Shape to Personality (The Atlantic) Obesity task force linked to WHO takes “millions” from drug firms (The BMJ) Impact of weight bias and stigma on quality of care and outcomes for patients with obesity (Obesity Reviews) Support the show
Tue, July 20, 2021
School Lunches, P-Hacking and the Original "Pizzagate"
This week we're diving into one of the biggest-ever scandals in nutrition research. For nearly two decades, Brian Wansink's Food and Brand Lab told Americans that lower weights, healthier workplaces and better school lunches were just a few small tweaks away. Then, in 2015, he wrote a blog post and it all came crashing down. Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers, face masks and more Links! A Credibility Crisis in Food Science Statistical heartburn: An attempt to digest four pizza publications from the Cornell Food and Brand Lab Brian Wansink: Data Masseur, Media Villain, Emblem of a Thornier Problem The Wansink Dossier: An Overview More Evidence That Nutrition Studies Don’t Always Add Up Here’s How Cornell Scientist Brian Wansink Turned Shoddy Data Into Viral Studies About How We Eat False-Positive Psychology: Undisclosed Flexibility in Data Collection and Analysis Allows Presenting Anything as Significant Death of a Veggie Salesman The Strange, Uplifting Tale of “Joy of Cooking” Versus the Food Scientist Moms, “Food Fears” and the Power of the Internet The science behind Smarter Lunchrooms You Can’t Trust What You Read About Nutrition Energy balance measurement: when something is not better than nothing Scientific method: S
Tue, July 06, 2021
The Keto Diet
So long, root vegetables! This week, we dive into the strange and surprising history of the 100-year-old ketogenic diet. Along the way, we encounter a Victorian bodybuilder, an infamous podcast bro and the possibility of a bad Meryl Streep performance (!). Get in, loser, we're counting macros! Support us: Hear bonus episodes on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase T-shirts, stickers and more Links! What Is the Keto Diet and Does It Work? (NYT) The Ketogenic Diet for Weight Loss (Today’s Dietitian) Meet the Wackiest Billionaire Ever to Run for President (Money) Trailer for "First, Do No Harm" Keto Diet History - How the Ketogenic Diet Went Mainstream (Men's Health) 7 Dangers of the Keto Diet | Health.com (Health Magazine) 15 Keto Diet Side Effects to Know – Possible Keto Diet Dangers (Prevention) Ketogenic Diet May Lead to an Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes (The Physiological Society) Support the show
Tue, June 22, 2021
Oprah Winfrey & "John of God"
Special guest Kimberly Springer joins us to talk about an infamous, dangerous faith healer and his two — two! — appearances on Oprah's talk show. This episode contains, we're sorry to say, detailed descriptions of sexual assault. Buy Kimberly's books: Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980 Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Behind the Bastards podcast series on John of God The O Magazine article John of God, the Miracle Healer Celebrity Healer in Brazil Is Accused of Sexually Abusing Followers Oprah’s 2012 article Support the show
Tue, June 08, 2021
Oprah Winfrey & The “Wagon of Fat”
Do you have weird feelings about Oprah? So do we, and so does our guest! Kimberly Springer, co-editor of "Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture," joins us to talk about the rise of Oprah Winfrey and her infamous "wagon of fat" weight loss episode. Buy Kimberly's books: Stories of Oprah: The Oprahfication of American Culture Living for the Revolution: Black Feminist Organizations, 1968-1980 Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Clips! Oprah Winfrey Rolls Out A Wagon Of Fat (Buzzfeed) How Oprah's Weight Affected Her Relationship with Stedman (Oprah) MadTv - Oprah - Fat Cam (Mad TV) Links! The Importance of Being Oprah (New York Times Magazine) Oprah's 'Fattest' Mistake (CBS News) 5 awesome objects from the new Oprah exhibit (Washington Post) Oprah's biggest on-air mistake? The wagon of fat (Today) Diet That Made Oprah Winfrey Slim Demands Discipline, Specialists Say (New York Times) Support the show
Tue, May 25, 2021
Celery Juice
Do you have viruses? Cysts? Cancer? Are you tired sometimes? According to Instagram, the problem might be a lack of liquefied vegetables! This week, Mike and Aubrey take on a troubling taste test, meet a ghost with bad intentions and encounter the longest list of problematic celebrities we've ever seen. Plus, we start the show with an announcement: We're doing Patreon-only bonus episodes! Sign up here: https://www.patreon.com/maintenancephase Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Anthony William on Extra Anthony William on Keeping Up with the Kardashians Celery Juice Is the Perfect, Probably Pointless Trend for 2019 (Vanity Fair) Food Isn't Medicine. Here's Why It's Dangerous to Believe It Is. (Huffington Post) Is celery juice a viable alternative to nitrites in cured meats? (McGill University) Is Celery Juice a Sham? (The New York Times) Today's Diet Fads (Today's Dietitian) People think celery juice can protect you from COVID-19. Here's why that's categorically false. (Mama Mia) Support the show
Tue, May 11, 2021
The Wellness to QAnon Pipeline
Special guest Mike Rothschild tells us how the road to wellness can be an on-ramp to a conspiracy theory. Along the way we debunk oil pulling, explore Instagram aesthetics and bemoan anti-vaxx argumentation tactics . Mike gets the date of the January 6th insurrection wrong and he is sorry. Mike Rothschild is on Twitter and you can pre-order his book here ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, April 27, 2021
Diet Book Deep Dive: Ed McMahon’s “Slimming Down”
This week is our first Diet Book Deep Dive, where we dig into some of the worst and wildest weight loss advice we can find. First up: Tonight Show sidekick Ed McMahon's pun, alcohol and misogyny-fueled diet plan from the 1970s. Hope you like broiled steak and Sanka! Clips! Ed McMahon & Britney Spears on Star Search Ed McMahon for American Family Sweepstakes Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Lynn Barbera for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, April 13, 2021
Olestra
In 1996, Proctor & Gamble launched an artificial fat substitute that promised all of the taste but none of the calories. There was just one problem. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Marion Nestle’s The Selling of Olestra Jeffrey Steingarten's The Man Who Ate Everything The 1996 Federal Register The Trouble With Fries Reduction of the body burden of PCBs and DDE by dietary intervention in a randomized trial Review of the effects of dilution of dietary energy with olestra on energy intake Authors’ Financial Relationships With the Food and Beverage Industry and Their Published Positions on the Fat Substitute Olestra Postmarketing Surveillance of New Food Ingredients: Results from the Program with the Fat Replacer Olestra Effects of wheat bran and olestra on objective measures of stool and subjective reports of GI symptoms The effect of ingesting olestra-based foods on feeding behavior and energy balance in humans Effect on Body Weight of Replacing Dietary Fat with Olestra for Two or Ten Weeks in Healthy Men and Women Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, March 30, 2021
Eating Disorders
Fat people have them too! This week, special guest Erin Harrop tells us about one of America's most under-diagnosed and misunderstood problems. Along the way we talk about elbow bumps, Twitter etiquette and '90s sweatpants. Our content warnings are becoming increasingly threatening. Here's Erin's faculty page and a bunch of her research ! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Thanks to Mitra Kaboli for production support and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, March 16, 2021
Weight Watchers
Get your flex point calculators and food scales! This week, Mike and Aubrey are talking about one of America's most iconic diet programs: Weight Watchers. Along the way, we encounter The Rock, the mating habits of straight people and a new James Bond villain. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Jean Nidetch, a Founder of Weight Watchers, Dies at 91 Mass Firing on Zoom Is Latest Sign of Weight Watchers Unrest Weight Watcher's Kurbo app slammed for targeting kids. Makers defend it What's gone wrong at Weight Watchers? Weight Watchers Is Offering Teens Free Memberships and People Aren't Happy Americans’ new way of losing weight has left Weight Watchers behind How the Oprah effect helped Weight Watchers regain Americans' trust Deal Master Debbane The Population Cost‐Effectiveness of Weight Watchers with General Practitioner Referral Compared with Standard Care Weight Watchers on prescription: An observational study of weight change among adults referred to Weight Watchers by the NHS The Problem With 'Fat Talk' 'Fat Talk' Compels but Carries a Cost Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! <a rel="payment" href="https://www.pat
Tue, March 02, 2021
The Master Cleanse
Are your moods too stable? Is your face free of cold sores? Get your lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper ready, because this week we're talking about celebrity favorite THE MASTER CLEANSE! Along the way we roast New Atheism, praise Gwyneth Paltrow (!) and endorse garbanzo bean salads. Mike wishes to clarify that he adores Kate Bush and quips with the utmost affection. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links!: The Master Cleanser by Stanley Burroughs I Heard It Through the Diet Grapevine (New York Times) Improving Ourselves to Death (The New Yorker) Cleansing's Dirty Secret (Marie Claire) Mr. Clean: Jeffrey Steingarten Puts the Master Cleanse to the Test (Vogue) The Dubious Practice of Detox (Harvard Health) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, February 16, 2021
Dr. Oz
This week we're dissecting "America's Doctor." How did a smart, hardworking surgeon become one of TV's leading purveyors of junk science? Along the way we debunk green coffee bean extract, raspberry ketones, conversion therapy (!) and a salad dressing skincare regimen. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links: Transcript of the infamous Congressional hearing The Making of Dr. Oz Columbia and the Problem of Dr. Oz The FTC lawsuit against green coffee bean extract sellers The Oz craze: The effect of pop culture media on health care The BMJ content analysis of the Dr. Oz show Ageing, fitness and neurocognitive function Real-world doctors fact-check Dr. Oz, and the results aren't pretty Dr. Oz may be America's most influential — and controversial — physician Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, February 02, 2021
Snake Oil
The world of dieting and wellness is full of so-called snake oil salesmen—but what IS snake oil? This week, we take a wild ride through the history of health scams and discover a startling twist about an everyday idiom. Along the way, Aubrey delivers fun facts about sanitation from memory and Mike roasts the state where most of his family lives. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links: Snake Oil, Hustlers & Hambones by Mary Anderson A History Of 'Snake Oil Salesmen' : Code Switch (NPR) How Snake Oil Got a Bad Rap (Hint: It Wasn’t The Snakes’ Fault) (Collectors Weekly) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, January 19, 2021
The Biggest Loser
This week we dissect the content and impact of one of America's most harmful TV experiments. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Aubrey’s article on The Biggest Loser That's not reality for me': Australian audiences respond to the Biggest Loser "Cheapening the struggle:" obese people's attitudes towards the Biggest Loser The Effects of Reality Television on Weight Bias: An Examination of The Biggest Loser 'It's a miracle no one has died yet': The Biggest Loser returns, despite critics' warnings The Retrograde Shame of The Biggest Loser Analysis of all contestants Neoliberalism And The Realities Of Reality Television The “Reality” of Health: Reality Television and the Public Health Life after NBC's "The Biggest Loser": The Experiences and Perspectives of Former Reality TV Contestants Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, January 05, 2021
Halo Top Ice Cream
WE’RE BACK! A new diet ice cream is taking your grocery store by storm. But what even is it? This week, Mike and Aubrey talk biohacking, dieting for straight dudes and the extremely ill-advised "Halo Top diet." Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! What is biohacking? The new “science” of optimizing your brain and body. (Vox) Halo Top Is Now the Most Popular Pint of Ice Cream in America (Food and Wine) What It's Like to Eat Nothing but This Magical, Healthy Ice Cream for 10 Days (GQ) Is Halo Top Good For You? The Truth About Low-Calorie, Low-Fat Ice Creams (HuffPost) Seven in 10 young people would eat whole tub of low-cal ice cream (The Grocer UK) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, November 24, 2020
Anti-Fat Bias
To celebrate the release of her new book, Aubrey takes Mike on a tour through the statistics and debates surrounding weight bias. Anyone interested in body positivity, airline seats, 'skinny shaming' or the sugar content of melons is legally obligated to join us. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Get Aubrey's book in the U.S.: Powell's Books Bookshop.org Beacon Press Buy from your local bookstore on Indiebound Get Aubrey's book outside the U.S. Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, November 17, 2020
The Twinkie Defense
The Twinkie Defense has become a shorthand for disingenuous legal defense strategies. But was it disingenuous? (Yes, but not in the way you think!) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Mike's "Victim's Rights" episode on his other show! The Trial of Dan White: The Diminished Capacity ("Twinkie") Defense Harvey Milk: His Lives and Death The Myth of the Twinkie Defense: The Verdict in the Dan White Case Wasn’t Based on His Ingestion of Junk Food Psychiatric Testimony and the Insanity Defense California’s Proposition 8 (1982) Support the show
Tue, November 10, 2020
Moon Juice
What's that Gwyneth Paltrow's drinking? It's MOON JUICE! This week, we're talking adaptogens, brain dust, hot sex milk and the wellness company that's taken L.A. by storm. Be sure to take your quinton shots before you listen to this one. Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links!: How Hollywood's Favorite Juice Bar Owner Eats Every Day (Elle) How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness Business (NYT) What Are Adaptogens? (NYT) Wellness Brand Moon Juice Has Plenty of Haters - And Its Founder is Cool With That (Entrepreneur) The Moon Juice Gospel of Self (The New Yorker) How Wellness Got Whitewashed (Glamour) Support the show
Tue, November 03, 2020
Snackwell's Cookies
They hit the market in 1992. Three years later, they were the best-selling cookie in America. This week, Mike and Aubrey dive into the low-fat craze of the 1990s and sample the snack that became the symbol of its rise and fall. Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! How the Ideology of Low Fat Conquered America “Eat More, They’re Healthy” Anthology of “Cookie Man” ads “What if It’s All Been A Big Fat Lie?” “Ending the War on Fat” Support the show
Tue, October 27, 2020
Fen Phen & Redux
Fen-Phen & Redux were "the next miracle drugs" in the '90s, claiming to help people lose dramatic amounts of weight in just three months. But within a few short years, they'd been pulled from the market. They were just too effective! (Just kidding, they killed some people.) Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! Dispensing with the Truth by Alicia Mundy The New Miracle Drug (Time Magazine) How Fen-Phen, A Diet 'Miracle,' Rose and Fell (the New York Times) Blowing the Whistle on Fen-Phen (Journal of Business Communication) Purdue OxyContin settlement would rank among largest in pharma history (Reuters) National Trends in Antiobesity Medication Use (JAMA Network) The Fen-Phen Finale: A Study of Weight Loss and Valvular Heart Disease (Obesity Research) Thanks to Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support the show
Tue, October 20, 2020
The President's Physical Fitness Test
The shuttle run! The flexed arm hang! The v-sit reach! These terms are seared into the memories of an entire generation of American schoolchildren. But did the President's Physical Fitness Test actually make us fitter? (Spoiler: lol no) Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Links! The Report That Shocked The President JFK’s Sports Illustrated article, “The Soft American” 1958–2008: 50 Years of Youth Fitness Tests in the United States The President's Council on Physical Fitness and the Systematisation of Children's Play in America Why is there so little critical physical education scholarship in the United States? The case of Fitnessgram The Modern Era: Blossoming of the Olympic Movement and the Conquest of Acute Disease The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports: The First 50 Years Do Fitness Test Performances Predict Students’ Attitudes And Emotions Toward Physical Education? Support the show
Sun, October 11, 2020
What's Our Deal?
Welcome to Maintenance Phase! In our first episode, we tell our origin stories and talk about some of the basic ideas behind the show. Here's where to find us: Aubrey: https://www.yourfatfriend.com/ Mike: https://rottenindenmark.org/ Thanks to Ashley Smith for editing assistance and Doctor Dreamchip for our lovely theme song! Support us: Subscribe on Patreon Donate on PayPal Get Maintenance Phase shirts, stickers and more Support the show
loading...