The hottest Health & Wellness Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

My meditation teacher, Roger Thisdell (21/30)

psychotechnology • 12 implied HN points • 22 Nov 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Meditation Mindfulness Mental health Personal Growth Coaching Psychedelics
  1. A pragmatic, technical coach teaches Vipassana and frames enlightenment as a non-mystical psychological and phenomenological phase shift.
  2. This approach suits independent, non-religious practitioners who want skill-focused guidance rather than a spiritual master or a community, and it's not a substitute for professional mental-health treatment.
  3. He is open to discussing drugs and cognitive enhancers as tools to accelerate insight while emphasizing meditation's specificity, and he offers income-adjusted sliding-scale pricing for sessions.

Confessing I've Become a Cliché

DruGroup • 159 implied HN points • 04 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Physical health Aging Pain management Life Changes
  1. Mid-life crises can feel pretty cliché, like making random life changes or picking up new, quirky hobbies. It's common to feel like your life has become predictable or typical as you get older.
  2. Health challenges can drastically change how we view life and our priorities. Going through pain can lead to a deeper appreciation for health and a renewed sense of purpose.
  3. Finding your identity can be a journey, especially after facing tough times. It’s important to explore what drives you and what passions still resonate, even in the second half of life.

ex150ish-4: Second Week

The Heart Attack Diet • 79 implied HN points • 11 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Loss Metabolism Diet Well-being
  1. Experiencing a rapid and noticeable weight loss during illness can be linked to the body's innate mechanisms prioritizing burning stored energy reserves over intake.
  2. The interplay between Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs) may impact metabolism and fat burning, potentially influencing appetite and weight.
  3. Consistent adjustments in diet composition, such as controlling BCAA levels and PUFA consumption, can play a role in weight management and overall well-being.

Belly-to-belly Lisbon, Nicotine, New Schwarzenegger book (bad), Numbers go Up (good)

Play Permissionless • 79 implied HN points • 10 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Wellness Books Travel Self-help
  1. Travel updates: Belly-to-belly meeting in Lisbon after Bangkok and Barcelona trips. Seeking recommendations.
  2. Book review: Enjoying 'Numbers go Up' by Zeke Faux for intriguing behind-the-scenes crypto stories.
  3. Health insight: Trying nicotine gums after learning about potential benefits. Contrasting the disappointing new book by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Fat People and Joint Pain - Part 1

Weight and Healthcare • 419 implied HN points • 19 Jan 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Treatment Options Advocacy
  1. Joint pain in fat individuals is often wrongly attributed to body size, leading to weight loss being prescribed as a cure, overlooking ethical treatments.
  2. Comparing the healthcare treatment between fat and thin individuals with joint pain reveals disparities in immediate care and long-term outcomes due to weight stigma.
  3. Prescribing weight loss as a solution for joint pain without informed consent can be unethical and ineffective, harming fat patients by delaying necessary care.

Guardians of the Spirit Molecule: DMT Entities

Tripsitter • 99 implied HN points • 12 Jun 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Psychedelics Consciousness Research Metaphysics
  1. DMT entities are mysterious humanoid creatures that appear in psychedelic experiences on large doses of DMT.
  2. There are various theories about the origins of DMT entities, with explanations ranging from extraterrestrial communication to manifestations of the collective unconscious.
  3. DMT entities are reported to have a significant impact on individuals, with encounters often leading to emotional responses, positive interpretations, and lasting improvements in well-being.

ex150-12 review: Holiday Edition

Experimental Fat Loss • 127 implied HN points • 10 Jan 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dieting Weight Loss Fitness Lifestyle
  1. Following a special diet led to a quick weight loss of about 4 pounds, but it might just be water weight from changes in food intake.
  2. During the holidays, more flexibility in eating was allowed, but it didn't seem to majorly affect overall weight loss.
  3. Future experiments with different diets, like one focused on honey, are planned to see how they compare with previous food plans.

Probiotics for Kidney Stones?

Eat Shit and Prosper • 239 implied HN points • 21 Jan 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Microbiome Diet Nutrition Probiotics
  1. Kidney stones are quite painful and common, affecting about 1 in 10 people. Calcium oxalate stones form when oxalic acid from food combines with calcium in the body.
  2. The gut bacteria _Oxalobacter formigenes_ was once thought to help prevent kidney stones by breaking down oxalate, but research shows stone-formers have similar amounts of this bacteria as non-stone-formers.
  3. The body's microbiome and dietary factors are more complex than just oxalate levels. Other bacteria and nutrients, like vitamin K, may play a role in calcium handling and kidney stone prevention.

Xmas Mom Test: Week One

The Heart Attack Diet • 59 implied HN points • 28 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Physical health
  1. During the holiday season, it's common to encounter tempting foods that may not be the healthiest choices. Being mindful of what you eat and how it affects you is important.
  2. Sulphites can be found in many Christmas foods like sherry, mince pies, and Christmas cake. These ingredients can have an impact on health, contributing to symptoms like headaches.
  3. Keeping track of your health, such as monitoring thyroid levels and paying attention to how your body feels, is crucial during times of indulgence and festivities.

Friday Q&A: On Ozempic; Alcohol; Hormones & Breast Cancer; & How to Ask for Help

Are You Okay? • 119 implied HN points • 10 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Medication Weight Loss Hormones Mental health
  1. Ozempic is a useful tool for managing weight, but it's not a one-size-fits-all solution. Other treatment modalities should be considered alongside medication.
  2. The discussion around health effects of alcohol can be nuanced - not all recommendations apply universally to everyone.
  3. It's important to approach weight loss and health in a holistic way, considering various factors like societal, genetic, hormonal, behavioral, nutritional, and psychological influences.

Purpose anxiety

10x your mind • 99 implied HN points • 09 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Self-discovery Life Satisfaction Personal Growth Mental well-being
  1. Purpose anxiety is the fear of not knowing your purpose in life, which can lead to emotional distress and depression. Finding your purpose can bring contentment, confidence, and optimism.
  2. Having a purpose in life is closely related to self-actualization and is an important ingredient for reaching one's full potential.
  3. To deal with purpose anxiety: rephrase the question from 'What's my purpose in life?' to 'What all really matters to me?', avoid comparing yourself to others, and be open to reinventing yourself. Remember, there's no deadline to discover your purpose.

Ancestral Health vs. Antagonistic Pleiotropy?

Harnessing the Power of Nutrients • 319 implied HN points • 23 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Longevity Evolution Adaptations Diet
  1. Underestimating the influence of natural selection in promoting longevity in later ages over an extensive period of evolutionary time.
  2. Misconception that adaptations to foods being antagonistically pleiotropic implies the foods themselves are more likely to hurt longevity.
  3. Conflating genetic adaptations to foods with the foods themselves, leading to a faulty conclusion that artificially manipulated foods are more likely to benefit longevity than ancestral foods.

You're Going to Need More than NyQuil This Winter

OK Doomer • 144 implied HN points • 07 Dec 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Public Health Wellness Disease Prevention
  1. This winter, we might need more than just traditional medicines like NyQuil to stay healthy. New health threats are on the horizon, including new pandemics and infections that current treatments may not handle well.
  2. Plants can offer a natural defense against viruses. Research shows that certain plant compounds have strong antiviral properties and can help block infections from viruses like COVID-19.
  3. Revisiting the use of plants for health tools is important again. With vaccines and treatments becoming less reliable, looking into natural remedies could be a good way to stay protected.

More Sugary Questions

The Heart Attack Diet • 79 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Dental Health Research History Diet
  1. Sucrose combined with streptococcus mutans can damage teeth by creating plaque that leads to acid buildup.
  2. Most animals have enzymes that break down sucrose, indicating it's been a common part of diets for a long time.
  3. Questions remain about why fruit-eating animals don't get tooth decay, the impact of high-fructose corn syrup, and the historical evolution of sucrose consumption and dental health.

Expose Yourself

Disaffected Newsletter • 359 implied HN points • 04 Aug 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Coping Strategies Personal Growth Self-help
  1. Facing your fears can reduce their power over you. When you take steps to confront what scares you, like crossing a scary bridge, it can actually make it easier over time.
  2. Developing personal techniques to cope with anxiety is important. Things like distraction or reminding yourself that you are safe can make a difference.
  3. Avoiding situations that trigger your fears can sometimes make them worse. Instead, tackling those situations head-on might help you feel more in control and less anxious.

Weight-Neutral, Non-Restrictive Blood Pressure Management

Weight and Healthcare • 279 implied HN points • 29 Jun 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Exercise Medication Supplements Sleep
  1. High blood pressure can affect people of all sizes for various reasons, and it's crucial to provide blame-free and shame-free care.
  2. Weight-neutral approaches to blood pressure management can include medication, specific dietary choices like high-potassium foods, and supplements.
  3. In addition to traditional treatment options, lifestyle factors like sleep, meditation, and movement can also play a role in managing blood pressure.

Brain Foods

10x your mind • 79 implied HN points • 02 Nov 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Mental health Diet Brain function Healthy Habits
  1. Brain-boosting foods can help improve brain function including focus, retention, and memory.
  2. Fish, algae, cabbage, eggs, berries, green tea, and dark chocolate are beneficial for brain health and cognitive performance.
  3. A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, and oily fish is favorable for memory while a diet high in sugars and refined foods can have detrimental effects on brain function.

Friday Conversation - Weight-Neutrality by Medical Specialty

Weight and Healthcare • 359 implied HN points • 11 Mar 22
🏥 Health & Wellness
  1. The post discusses the concept of weight-neutrality by medical specialty and the importance of bringing weight-neutral care to healthcare providers.
  2. Healthcare providers are exploring where to start implementing weight-neutral care and which specialties might be most effective to focus on.
  3. The post is exclusive to paid subscribers, encouraging interested individuals to subscribe to access the full content.

Ending the War with your Inner Critic

The Leadership Lab • 59 implied HN points • 21 Dec 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Personal Growth
  1. Inner criticism can serve a short-term motivating purpose, but its long-term effects can harm mental and physical health, relationships, and happiness.
  2. Identifying, separating from, and understanding your inner critic is key to rewiring your relationship with self-criticism.
  3. Instead of fighting the inner critic, approach it with curiosity and love, treating it like a frustrated child and learning to set boundaries to move forward positively.

The ghost in me

Natural Selections • 11 implied HN points • 02 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Physical health Self-care Personal Reflection
  1. Illness can make us feel like we've lost our sense of self and connection to life. It's a really tough experience that can create a sense of emptiness.
  2. There's a difference between our body and mind, and something deeper that makes us who we are. This sense of being 'more' can feel lost when we're unwell.
  3. Finding our way back to ourselves can be a journey. Even when we feel like we're disappearing, there is hope for recovery and regaining our essence.

Malaria

backstory • 339 implied HN points • 27 Jan 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Malaria Medical care Personal Experience Travel Healthcare system
  1. The world's first malaria vaccine program started in Cameroon, marking a health revolution for Africa.
  2. The significance and impact of experiencing malaria firsthand in Africa, highlighting the challenges and realities of the disease.
  3. The importance of access to medical care and the different healthcare experiences faced in various regions, from experiences in Africa to a reflection on the British NHS.

1 Year Later

Notes in the Margins • 19 implied HN points • 06 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Coaching Personal Development Transformation Skills Development Career Change
  1. Transitioning from Product Leader to Coach is a significant career change that can be empowering and fulfilling.
  2. Continuous learning and self-improvement are crucial for growth, both professionally and personally.
  3. Embracing change, resilience, and gratitude are key elements for navigating transformations and building a brighter future.

Playbook for stage xx cancer

Penelope Trunk's Substack • 39 implied HN points • 18 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Cancer
  1. Waiting for test results can be emotionally challenging and uncertain.
  2. Recognizing potential symptoms and risk factors of esophageal cancer can help with early detection and understanding.
  3. Dealing with the possibility of a serious illness can lead to a range of emotions and reactions, including finding solace in familiar habits or actions.

How to Be Seen & Heard in the Doctor's Office

Are You Okay? • 139 implied HN points • 20 Dec 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Medical care Self-Advocacy Holistic health Physical therapy Mental health
  1. Doctors should treat the patient as a whole person, not just based on test results, and consider holistic approaches to health and well-being.
  2. Patients should communicate their daily activities and lifestyle to their doctors for a more comprehensive understanding of their health issues.
  3. Both doctors and patients benefit from effective communication, where patients can ask questions, seek clarifications, and be actively involved in decision-making.

Novo Nordisk Brings Medical Drama Stars Into their Fatphobia-for-Profit Scheme

Weight and Healthcare • 379 implied HN points • 02 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Weight Stigma Fat Liberation Health Risks
  1. Novo Nordisk is promoting the idea that existing in a larger body is a disease requiring treatment, possibly for profit.
  2. Collaborations with organizations and TV shows are used to push harmful messages about weight and health.
  3. The campaign uses the language of fat liberation but ultimately sells fat eugenics, risking fat people's lives while falsely promising health benefits.

Last chance to join Creating Space!

Tech and Tea • 49 implied HN points • 27 Jun 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Mental health Self-care Journaling Personal Development Coaching
  1. Creating Space is a 6-week journaling course designed to help people clear their minds and find more balance in life.
  2. The course encourages participants to take it at their own pace, offering optional prompts and private reflections without pressure.
  3. There are fun features like badges for completing prompts and a custom AI-generated report that summarizes your writing journey to help identify personal themes.

Emergency Contraception and Higher Weight People

Weight and Healthcare • 299 implied HN points • 14 May 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Reproductive Health Weight Stigma Inclusivity Medical Research
  1. Emergency contraception pills like Plan B may be less effective for higher-weight individuals, with higher weights potentially leading to decreased efficacy or even complete ineffectiveness above 176 pounds.
  2. Ulipristal acetate (Ella) pills, though requiring a prescription, have shown to be more effective than Levonorgestrel options for emergency contraception, especially for higher-weight individuals.
  3. Copper IUDs are the most effective emergency contraception method and show consistent efficacy regardless of weight, making them a recommended choice for higher-weight individuals.

TGIF: Nutrition & Health News

Unsettled Science • 312 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Health News
  1. Medical revolutions often start with anecdotes, leading to clinical trials to verify effectiveness and potential risks.
  2. The ketogenic diet is being tested for serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
  3. There is a proposal to use Medelian Randomization as a substitute for traditional clinical trials in studying the impact of meat intake on cardiovascular health.

Reinventing yourself time and again

10x your mind • 99 implied HN points • 23 Feb 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Personal Development Emotional Well-being Physical Fitness Self-Improvement Relationships
  1. Reinventing yourself professionally, emotionally, and physically is essential. Adapting and evolving will be crucial in the future.
  2. Reinvention is not limited to your career. It includes improving physical fitness, pursuing personal goals, and nurturing meaningful relationships.
  3. It's never too late to reinvent yourself and make significant positive changes in your life.

Is the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Choosing Weight Stigma Over Science?

Weight and Healthcare • 359 implied HN points • 23 Feb 22
🏥 Health & Wellness Nutrition Weight Stigma Science Research Guidelines
  1. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is being criticized for favoring weight stigma over scientific evidence in their guidelines for higher weight individuals.
  2. The guidelines recommend weight loss interventions for higher weight people, emphasizing body size over actual health outcomes.
  3. The guidelines are accused of ignoring research showing the failure of traditional weight loss methods and promoting weight stigma, raising questions about the motives behind these recommendations.