Bare Bones Approach To Better Health

Anecdotal stories are often powerful and convincing. Unfortunately, they're just that...stories. Anecdotal experience can be particularly misleading with chronic diseases. Dr. Wykoff talks about anecdotal evidence.

Most of us don't really know what public health means...there are a lot of different definitions. Probably the most common one is something along the lines of 'what we as a society do collectively to assure the conditions for people to be healthy.' Dr. Wykoff expands on his personal definition of public health.

Reverse causality is a common mistake you hear when people talk about the results of public health studies. Dr. Wykoff gives an example and explains about reverse causality. More information is available at wets.org/bones.

About two-thirds of Americans wear glasses, including over 90% of Americans over 65. Additionally, about one million Americans are blind, and over three million are visually impaired. This ranks among the top 10 disabilities in the United States. Dr. Wykoff has six steps to protect your vision.

Medicare is run by the federal government and is paid for by payroll deductions, money allocated by Congress, and premiums and co-pays paid by individuals. Today, there are about 68 million Americans covered by Medicare, about one in every five Americans. Dr. Wykoff talks about the different parts of Medicare. Medicare Body of Evidence: wets.org/bones

There's been a lot of talk lately about cutting Medicaid as a potential cost-saving measure. Medicaid is a network of programs administered by the states under general guidance from the federal government. The federal government pays fifty to seventy-five percent based on the income of the state. Medicaid: Body of Evidence

There's a lot of news today about a measles outbreak in the American West, including the first death of an American child with measles in ten years. Measles is caused by a virus that spreads very quickly and easily between people. Dr. Wykoff updates everyone on measles. Measles: Body of Evidence

Today, it is estimated that a staggering one in seven young adults is vaping. That raises a really important question: is vaping safe? Dr. Wykoff elaborates on the topic of vaping. Vaping: Body of Evidence

We take a LOT of medicines, probably too many. In 2020, there were over six billion prescriptions filled in the United States, nineteen for every man, woman, and child in our country. Today, many people believe a pill is the best answer to their health problems, but Dr. Wykoff is here to give some advice. Prescriptions: Body of Evidence

Dr. Wykoff talks about fluid intake. Each day we lose water through urine, stool, and sweat, as well as from our skin and breathing, and we have to replace what we lose. Dr. Wykoff has some tips to stay hydrated. Fluid Intake: Body of Evidence

Dr. Wykoff talks about uncertainty in healthcare. Uncertainty comes from the fact that not everything that is true, in general, will always be true for each individual. Uncertainty: Body of Evidence

Dr. Wykoff talks about weight loss drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus, and Trulicity. They've become immensely popular in recent years as a treatment for Type 2 Diabetes. Weight loss drugs: Body of Evidence