Because the Truth Will Set You Free. The Wrong Things That I Unlearned and Helped Me. A Tweet by Dr Robert Lufkin inspired me to share my thoughts to get us closer to the truth
G’day Folks,
Happy Weekend! I trust this post find you well, educates and inspires you. My goal is to put some smiles on your face too. My friends from Medium can read this story here.
I owe my health, well-being, and happiness to unlearning wrong things and relearning new things with guidance from scientific progress as a retired scientist. This is a wise approach if you want to be healthy and happy. Forget hypes and myths. I invite you to live an authentic life.
Well, this weekend when I was browsing X and tweeting a bit with my grand-kids I came across a cool post by Dr Robert Lufkin, a bestselling author, who knows what is talking about as once he was the slave of mainstream like me or like many of us in my generation. Here’s Robert’s tweet and I added my own ones too:
Like Dr Lufkin, my mentor Dr Yildiz also wrote a lot about these things and I will cite a few of his exceptional stories to back up my points for further information. His stories validated my renewed beliefs and assumptions too.
For decades, we were told to eat margarine, skip the steak and eggs, start the day with cereal, and never, ever exercise on an empty stomach. Now experts are saying, “Actually, we might have been wrong.”
As someone who has watched diet fads come and go for longer than most influencers have been alive, I think it’s time we had an honest talk. Let’s look at a few of these long-lived myths that science has quietly walked back.
Saturated Fat is Bad for You
Remember when butter was treated like poison and margarine was promoted as a heart-healthy miracle? That story hasn’t aged well.
The truth is, those hydrogenated seed oils that were supposed to save our hearts may have done the opposite.
Newer research shows natural fats from butter, eggs, and red meat are not the villains they were made out to be. The real culprits are trans fats and ultra-processed junk foods that inflame and disrupt metabolism.
If it came from a factory rather than a farm, you might want to think twice.
Breakfast is the Most Important Meal of the Day
This slogan was never born in a laboratory. It was cooked up by cereal companies with big advertising budgets.
Modern research shows that when you eat matters less than what you eat. If you are not hungry in the morning, you do not need to shovel in a bowl of sugar-laden flakes just to “kickstart” your day.
I have skipped breakfast for years. I am still alive, still thinking, and still grumpy before coffee, but that is just my personality. I also read a story by Dr Yildiz a few years ago and skipping breakfast for decades made him healthier and happier. I link it here for you:
When I Skipped Breakfasts for Two Decades, I Gained Copious Benefits.
I will explain how skipping breakfast and replacing it with three better routines made me healthier and fitter.medium.com
Red Meat Is Bad for You
That depends on what kind of meat we are talking about. A greasy, processed burger from a servo is a different story from a grass-fed steak cooked in right temperature.
Unprocessed red meat provides high-quality protein, vitamins, minerals, and essential fats. Many of the studies linking red meat to disease are observational. They show correlation, not causation, which is a polite way of saying we don’t really know.
So, moderation and quality matter far more than blind avoidance. I know vegans won’t like this and some might even add me to their shame list which I addressed a few days ago:
Why I Believe the New “Meat vs Lancet Eat” Report Sucks
A Balanced Aussie Take for Peaceful and Tolerant Science from a Sensible Omnivore Who Supports both Herbivores and…medium.com
Fasting Will Make You Weak
This idea belongs to an era when missing a meal was considered an emergency. These days, intermittent fasting is one of the most researched nutrition strategies around.
Skipping breakfast or lunch does not shut down your body. It shifts it into a fat-burning state, balances insulin, and even triggers a cellular cleaning process called autophagy.
Our ancestors fasted all the time, usually because dinner was still running across the savannah. They survived just fine and passed their genes to us successfully. Check out this story about the benefits of long term fast too:
Remarkable Health Benefits of Long-Term Fasting
Here’s why I fast for ten days at the end of each year.medium.com
Never Work Out on an Empty Stomach
Rubbish. You are not a car, and you do not need to refuel before every movement.
Training fasted can actually improve fat metabolism and mental focus. Of course, if you are planning a marathon, you’ll need proper fuel.
But for the average person, a light morning workout before eating can be perfectly safe and even beneficial. Actually fasted cardio is used for fat loss successfully and Dr Yildiz explained it to us based on his research and exerience:
#1 Fat Loss Tip: Why Fasted Cardio Works for Some But Not Others — How to Make It Work for You
Millions have benefited from fasted cardio, yet billions miss out because of confusing advice. In this story, I’ll cut…medium.com
Calories In, Calories Out Explains Everything
If only it were that simple.
Human metabolism is not a calculator. It is influenced by hormones, stress, sleep, the microbiome, and genetics.
You can eat 1,800 calories of whole food or 1,800 calories of processed junk and end up with entirely different outcomes.
Energy balance matters, but biology matters more.
Salt is the Enemy
Only if you’re shaking it like it’s snowing.
Most of the sodium people consume comes from processed food, not the salt they add at home.
Sodium is essential for nerve and muscle function, as well as fluid balance. We need to cut the junk, not the mineral.
If you go too low, and you’ll feel like a wilted lettuce.
Low-Fat Means Healthy
Remember those “low-fat” yoghurts that tasted like sadness and syrup?
When manufacturers removed the fat, they added sugar to make them edible.
Healhty fat is not the enemy. It helps absorb vitamins, regulate hormones, and keep you full. If nature put fat in your avocado, it probably knew what it was doing.
Coffee Dehydrates You
If that were true, half of Australia would have dried up by now.
Caffeine does make you visit the loo a bit more, but coffee still contributes to your hydration.
Studies have shown that moderate coffee consumption is not only safe but can also lower the risk of several diseases, including type 2 diabetes and Parkinson’s.
Of course moderation is necessary for caffeine consumption as it can make us jittery and if we drink too much afternoons it can badly affect our sleep.
A Glass of Wine a Day Keeps the Doctor Away
A lovely idea, but not true.
Recent research shows that any amount of alcohol carries some risk, particularly for cancer.
So, drink because you enjoy it, not because you think it is medicinal. Cheers to honesty. Here is a great story to give you ideas:
Why No Amount of Alcohol Use Can Be Considered Entirely Safe for Health
An overview of the critical health risks of ethanol molecule for public awarenessmedium.com
You Need Detox Diets
The annual juice cleanse is a marketing triumph, not a medical one.
You already have a world-class detox system built in. It is called your liver and kidneys. You also have excellent antioxidant system called glutthione as Dr Yildiz educated us about it a few years ago:
Three Tips to Maintain Healthy Glutathione Levels Naturally
Glutathione is an essential antioxidant of the body for detoxifying cells and promoting immune cell function. Thus…medium.com
They do not need a celery smoothie. They just need you to stop poisoning them with energy drinks and ultra-processed food.
So, In Conclusion
Science evolves, and that is a good thing.
The problem is that marketing runs ahead of evidence, leaving us clutching outdated “truths” for decades.
So, next time someone preaches a health rule as if it were gospel, ask one simple question: “Says who — a scientist or a salesman?”
Unlearning the old stuff might be the healthiest thing you ever do. Your body and mind will thank you.
Here is another thing I debunked recently:
Methylene Blue Is an Old Drug with New Hype
Does Methylene Blue Prevent Dementia? Here’s What You Need to Know Before Deciding to Purchase It and Poisoning…medium.com
If you need a bit of fun this weekend, check out my gaming adventures:
How Gaming Gave Me a Second Youth and a Few Senior Moments Worth Laughing About
Why Gaming in Your Golden Years Might Be the Best Medicine You Never Knew You Neededmedium.com
About me
I am a retired healthcare scientist in my mid-70s, and I have several grandkids who keep me going and inspire me to write on this platform. I am also the chief editor of the Health and Science publication on Medium.com. As a giveback activity, I volunteered as an editor for Illumination publications, supporting many new writers. I will be happy to read, publish, and promote your stories. You may connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter where I share stories I read. You may subscribe to my account to get my stories in your inbox when I post. You can find my distilled content on Substack: Health Science Research By Dr Mike Broadly. I also do guest-blogging. Welcome to Substackmastery.com! I started blogging at Blogger too.
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