The hottest Preventive Care Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Health & Wellness Topics

Your Back Hurts? Your Feet May Be the Problem.

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 932 implied HN points • 06 Mar 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Ill-fitting shoes and poor foot health can be a hidden cause of back pain and make standing or moving harder as you age.
  2. Medical care often focuses on acute emergencies and can miss slow, cumulative physical problems that shape daily comfort and function.
  3. Simple checks and preventive steps—like checking shoe fit and choosing supportive footwear—can reveal problems early and help you stay mobile and independent longer.

The Rabies Vaccine Edition

Why is this interesting? • 1689 implied HN points • 27 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Sri Lanka treats rabies as a national priority with widespread post‑exposure vaccination, and that access has driven annual deaths down from around 400 in the 1970s to about 10 today.
  2. In many Western places people have grown complacent about vaccines because deadly diseases became rare and vaccines were politicized, and that complacency has been linked to falling vaccination rates and resurgences of illnesses like whooping cough, measles, and local polio cases.
  3. Cultural attitudes toward nature shape risk tolerance: societies that live closely with animals accept coexistence and take practical steps like readily available rabies shots, seeing medicine as a necessary protection rather than an optional lifestyle choice.

Medical Roundup #6

Don't Worry About the Vase • 1657 implied HN points • 19 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. The apparent rise in autism is actually just more people being diagnosed under much broader criteria, not a real increase in prevalence, and the "autism spectrum" is now so wide it would be clearer to separate the very different ends.
  2. Doing even a small amount of regular exercise gives real health and cognitive benefits, and lowering psychological barriers (like free gym access) raises activity, though gains taper off once you become very fit.
  3. Regulatory and system problems — costly, slow clinical trials, restrictive FDA decisions, and workforce bottlenecks — are slowing drug development and harming care, so easing unnecessary barriers and better incentives would speed innovation and improve outcome access.

How to strengthen your immune system

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1694 implied HN points • 21 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Getting the basics right matters most: aim for about 7+ hours of sleep, keep indoor air comfortably humid, and eat a nutrient- and fiber-rich diet to support immune function and reduce inflammation.
  2. Supplements are not magic — vitamin D helps mainly if you’re deficient, zinc may slightly shorten colds if started early, and megadosing or unregulated products can be harmful or ineffective.
  3. Practical home measures can help symptoms: nasal saline and clean humidifiers ease congestion and may limit spread, while trendy practices like cold plunges have mixed evidence and aren’t proven immune boosters.

New Anti-Aging Evidence For Estrogen

Ground Truths • 17977 implied HN points • 05 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Estrogen replacement therapy can help slow down the aging process in some organs, especially when started closer to menopause. This means women might feel and function better as they age.
  2. The Women's Health Initiative study raised concerns about the risks of hormone therapy, but many of its findings may not apply to younger women or those who start treatment soon after menopause.
  3. Recent research shows that estrogen can improve heart health and cognitive function, reinforcing the importance of considering hormone therapy for women to enhance their health as they age.
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A brutal flu season, new dietary guidelines, and why cancer screenings are at risk

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1287 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🏥 Health Politics Preventive Care
  1. We’re in a very bad flu season with influenza-like illness at its highest levels since the late 1990s, driven by an H3N2 subclade that partly evades this year’s shot. Getting a flu vaccine now, using antivirals early if sick, masking in crowded indoor spaces, and staying home when ill can reduce severe illness and spread.
  2. The new U.S. Dietary Guidelines are radically shorter and replace MyPlate with an inverted food pyramid, emphasizing whole foods, more protein, and some animal fats while softening alcohol advice. They diverged from the independent advisory report and removed health equity from evidence considerations, which could change federal nutrition programs and clinical guidance.
  3. New Medicaid work and renewal rules are expected to cause millions to lose coverage, leading to over a million missed cancer screenings and preventable deaths in the next two years. HRSA’s endorsement of at-home HPV self-collection tests may expand cervical screening access but isn’t a full substitute for clinician care and follow-up.

If You Want to Survive, You're Going to Want Some Good Roots

OK Doomer • 114 implied HN points • 27 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Public health systems are unraveling, making medical care less reliable and increasing the risk of infections and disease, especially during disasters.
  2. Wild plants and traditional herbal medicine can treat infections and chronic conditions, are often backed by science, and can be foraged, grown, or prepared cheaply as practical medical options.
  3. Learning to grow, identify, and prepare herbs now — and having someone in your community who studies them — builds real resilience, so gather clear, practical knowledge and start planting.

You can save your teeth with this one ordinary trick

Disaffected Newsletter • 2118 implied HN points • 29 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Flossing is super important for keeping your teeth healthy. It's even more crucial than brushing because it gets rid of the stuff stuck between your teeth and below the gumline.
  2. Ignoring gum disease can lead to serious health issues and changes in your appearance. Losing teeth not only affects your smile but also your facial structure over time.
  3. Regular dental cleanings and procedures like deep root scaling can really improve your gum health. If you take care of your gums now, you can avoid bigger problems and keep your smile for life.

Fix Your Damn Insomnia With This Boring, Lousy, No-Good Hack

Everything Is Amazing • 1303 implied HN points • 11 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Regular physical activity can meaningfully improve sleep and help reduce insomnia.
  2. Gentle, mindful exercises like yoga, tai chi, walking and slow jogging often work best because they lower stress, calm the nervous system, and promote better breathing.
  3. The most effective fixes are often simple and boring — increase movement you can stick with — though results will vary by person.

I’m Finally Practicing Medicine the Way It Should Be Done

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 825 implied HN points • 10 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Primary care has become rushed, fragmented, and impersonal because doctors are forced to see too many patients in too little time, which leaves patients feeling rushed or dismissed.
  2. A continuous, thoughtful primary care relationship matters for prevention, early detection, and whole‑person care, but many people pick providers by insurance convenience and avoid care after bad experiences.
  3. A new model that shifts decision-making from insurers back to doctors lets clinicians spend more time with patients and practice more patient-centered, thoughtful medicine.

Ancient Wisdom: Make a Plan, and Stick to It

Common Sense with Bari Weiss • 477 implied HN points • 12 Dec 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. A steady routine gives structure and meaning to days after many responsibilities fall away, and keeping a routine can be essential for staying well.
  2. Regular self-care and habits like daily exercise make a big difference to long-term fitness and are noticed by others.
  3. Major health crises can happen, but timely treatment, resilience, and continued healthy habits can allow a long, active life afterward.

Covid-19 wimpy wave is here, corn sweats, SSRIs, the optimal number of steps, and more

Your Local Epidemiologist • 1864 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Covid-19 cases are rising a bit, but it's not as bad as last summer. Most people are still catching common colds instead.
  2. This summer brings 'corn sweat' because of humidity from cornfields, making it feel hotter. Staying hydrated and avoiding heat can help prevent heat-related illnesses.
  3. Walking about 7,000 steps a day can improve health significantly, and it's better than aiming for the old goal of 10,000 steps. Just getting up and moving can make a big difference!

Drink coffee! It's (probably) good for you!

Unreported Truths • 43 implied HN points • 16 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Large, long-term observational studies found that people who drink about 3–4 cups of coffee a day had roughly a 20–30% lower risk of dementia; tea showed similar benefits while decaf did not, which points to caffeine as a likely active factor.
  2. These results come from observational data, so they don’t prove causation — other differences between people or reverse causation could explain the link — but the findings are strengthened by the large size, long follow-up, and careful tracking by health-professional participants.
  3. Enjoying moderate amounts of coffee seems reasonable and might lower dementia risk, but don’t overdo it to the point it disrupts sleep, and remember coffee isn’t a guaranteed prevention tool pending more research.

An Ounce of Prevention: Part I

Ladyparts • 519 implied HN points • 05 May 24
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Consider getting a DEXA scan at age 50 for osteoporosis prevention, even though the CDC standard is 65.
  2. Women, especially menopausal ones, should be proactive about osteoporosis screening as hyperparathyroidism might not be as rare as believed.
  3. Important steps for women's bone health include weight lifting, hormonal therapy, and advocating for necessary medical tests.

Sunday Strip: Eat Real Food

Who is Robert Malone • 35 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Avoiding added sugar and eating real, whole foods can lead to weight loss and reduce the risk of pre-diabetes and other chronic diseases.
  2. Simple, consistent habits — not complicated plans — can be sustained long term and help keep 40–50 pounds off for years.
  3. Choosing real food supports farmers and local food systems, so your diet can benefit both your health and the community.

The magic toothpaste you can't buy

Aliveness Studies • 16 implied HN points • 17 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. High‑fluoride toothpaste (around 5000 ppm) is more effective than standard paste at preventing cavities and can remineralise early tooth decay.
  2. It isn’t suitable for children or anyone who swallows toothpaste because high fluoride can cause dental fluorosis or, in large amounts, toxicity, so always spit and keep it away from kids.
  3. These toothpastes are usually prescription-only but are affordable, used in tiny amounts, and many dentists will prescribe them to help avoid future fillings.

Well Being: Broccoli, A True Superfood

Who is Robert Malone • 22 implied HN points • 04 Feb 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Broccoli — especially young broccoli sprouts — is a top source of glucoraphanin that converts into sulforaphane, a signaling compound that turns on the body’s detox, antioxidant, and cell‑regulation systems and may lower cancer risk over time.
  2. That conversion needs the enzyme myrosinase, which cooking often destroys, so eating raw sprouts, pairing cooked broccoli with mustard (or using supplements that include myrosinase) improves how much sulforaphane your body actually gets.
  3. Growing organic broccoli sprouts at home is easy and gives you a very concentrated, low‑residue source of these protective compounds that are best eaten raw or added after cooking to preserve their benefits.

Friday Q&A: silent spread of COVID; full body MRI; Ambien risks; & quantifying risk

Are You Okay? • 599 implied HN points • 29 Sep 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Some studies suggest that asymptomatic individuals with COVID-19 may have low viral infectivity, meaning they are less likely to spread the virus.
  2. Having a full-body MRI has benefits like early cancer detection, but it may not always be necessary for everyone and should be evaluated based on individual health considerations.
  3. Ensure to stay informed about current health topics and consult healthcare professionals for personalized advice and guidance.

Aus Day Weekend

Ben’s Blog 🏉 🧠🧑‍💻 • 21 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Reframe struggle as nervous system health, not just a clinical mental health label, so sleep, exercise, routine and community become clear, practical steps people can take.
  2. Everyday social places and hospitality venues can create safety and connection, making them powerful parts of the solution for people who are isolated or struggling.
  3. Early, simple actions—regular shared movement, predictable routines, and honest conversations—can prevent crises and build toward a suicide-free community.

My Daughter Got Sick. For Once, I Didn't.

OK Doomer • 223 implied HN points • 30 Jul 25
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Using a HOCl generator in humidifiers can help reduce the spread of germs in your home. It worked well for one family when their daughter had Covid, and they didn't get sick themselves.
  2. Supplements like quercetin, elderberry, and ginkgo biloba may help boost the immune system and fight off infections. It's important to choose the right brands and talk to a doctor before giving them to kids.
  3. Research shows that plant-based compounds have antiviral properties. They can block viruses from entering cells and may help in treating infections like Covid.

An ounce of opioid prevention

HEALTH CARE un-covered • 279 implied HN points • 06 Dec 23
🏥 Health Politics Preventive Care
  1. Preventing opioid addiction is just as important as treating those who are already addicted. Focusing on prevention could help stop more people from becoming addicted in the first place.
  2. The U.S. prescribes a huge amount of opioids compared to other countries, which contributes to the addiction crisis. Many people who end up using heroin were first given opioids through prescriptions.
  3. State and federal policies should shift towards reducing unnecessary opioid prescriptions. Educating doctors and patients about pain management can help lower opioid use and its associated risks.

Well Being: Walking to Improve Sexual Health and Satisfaction

Who is Robert Malone • 17 implied HN points • 14 Jan 26
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventive Care
  1. Regular walking lowers your risk of death and adds years to your life, and even short daily walks (about 10–15 minutes) provide meaningful benefits.
  2. Walking boosts sexual health and satisfaction by improving blood flow, hormones, metabolism, and mood, and can noticeably help erectile function and arousal for both men and women.
  3. Make walking a lasting habit by starting very small, tying walks to existing routines, prioritizing consistency over intensity, and using enjoyable, low-pressure strategies like light tracking or walking with others.