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The year 2021 will see the 50th anniversary of Nixon’s declaration of the war on cancer, but a victory celebration does not appear to be in view. Dr. Richard Feinman suggests this may be due to an overemphasis on the somatic mutation theory of cancer and insufficient attention to the metabolic approach to understanding the disease. Here, he explains Otto Warburg’s research on cancer cell metabolism, breaks down the processes that shape healthy energy metabolism, and describes why scientists believe the ketogenic diet may have anti-cancer effects.

Public-private partnerships, facilitated by a government agency’s affiliated foundation, can compromise the integrity of that agency’s mission, especially in the absence of transparency. The only way to ensure the veracity of the science and research coming from an organization, especially one with such attractive proximity to government influence and authority, is to know who is providing the funding and whether there are any restrictions on its expenditure. The FDA’s Reagan-Udall Foundation, however, which exploits such partnerships, continues to illegally conceal reports on its funding sources and restrictions.

Increasing time spent doing high-impact physical activity as a youth is a simple and direct way to improve skeletal health. One of the programming directives offered at the CrossFit Kids Certificate Course is including impact-loading exercises on a daily basis. This simple addition results in meaningful and significant benefits not only in terms of the improved fitness it generates through these plyometric exercises but also with respect to increased skeletal health in the long term.

"For years, experts have recommended low-fat dairy products over the full-fat versions, which are higher in calories and contain more saturated fat. Recent research, however, indicates that full-fat dairy may actually be healthier than its reputation suggests, and that people who eat full-fat dairy are not more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than people who consume low-fat dairy. They may even be less likely to gain weight."

This small trial demonstrated that time-restricted feeding (a particular form of intermittent fasting that includes a longer nightly fasting window) leads to substantial differences in glucose response over the course of the day compared to shorter periods of daily fasting.

Dr. Maryanne Demasi worked as a journalist and producer for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) for 11 years. In 2013, she produced a two-part series called “Heart of the Matter,” which challenged the role of cholesterol in heart disease and addressed the overprescription of statin drugs. The series received excellent ratings and was praised by ABC management for being “superbly presented” and “provocative.” Over time, however, reception became less favorable. Demasi attributes the shift to the media storm stirred by those with vested interests in statins. Here, she shares her story and explains why the fallout is indicative of a “crisis of democracy” in the sciences.

Dr. Malcolm Kendrick discusses recent concerns in the medical community regarding the potential for bias in clinical research on statin therapy. He reviews the various reasons statin trials may be unreliable, including selective publication of results and strategic shifting of trial endpoints during ongoing studies. Despite the apparent evidence-based support of statin therapy and measures taken in the 1990s and early 2000s to mitigate bias, Kendrick urges doctors to proceed with caution when recommending the drugs. Echoing another review from 2015, Kendrick claims “a complete reassessment [of their efficacy and safety] is mandatory.”

"Heartburn, ulcer and acid reflux medicine may bring relief, but over time, they could also increase a person's risk of early death, new findings show. Researchers have linked popular drugs like Prevacid, Prilosec, Nexium, Protonix and other proton pump inhibitors to a higher risk of death by cardiovascular and chronic kidney disease, as well as upper gastrointestinal cancer, according to a study published in The BMJ. More than 15 million people are prescribed PPIs each year, while millions more purchase them over-the-counter, the researchers say."