Julian Barkan, DO MPH

Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"

www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

Check out our new paper @nejm.org. RSV, COVID-19 & Influenza vaccines continue to show consistent effectiveness & safety based on a review & synthesis of 500+ research studies👇! We worked hard to evaluate the evidence so you can be confident about getting vaccinated this fall!

Try ‘Physical Activity’ Instead of ‘Exercise’ Plus: Several other features to make your tomorrow a little better than today

In this week's Wise & Well newsletter:

> How to Curb Menopausal Weight Gain
> This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
> Politics is Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
> Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
> Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults

Plus:

Trump cuts have decimated the federal addiction and mental health agency The Trump administration has dismantled big chunks of the federal agency focused on mental health and addiction treatment, reducing its staff by more than half

Under the watch of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who speaks frequently about his own recovery from substance addiction — the Trump administration has dismantled large portions of the federal agency focused on mental health and addiction treatment.
trib.al/2a5CWjV

How fucked is healthcare in the United States? I have to reduce my state healthcare plan coverage from the "enhanced" plan to the "standard" plan and it will still be $30 more per month. It would be $80 more per month to keep "enhanced" plan, but the benefits there have been drastically reduced.

It's not lost on me that the part of the White House we are destroying is the part that has to do with women's history in the White House.

Some people truly do change the world. Dr. Bartlett was one of them ❤️‍🩹

1/ Valley fever, a serious infectious disease, is on the rise in central California. Last year set a record, with over 12,000 cases, and we’re on track to surpass that figure this year. I’m Matt, Your Local CA Epidemiologist, with this and more public health updates👇

Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots There's no evidence that breaking up the MMR shot would make the immunization safer or more effective.

“We have 1,544 measles cases this year, 92% in unvaccinated people, and 3 deaths. The problem isn’t the vaccine — it’s that people aren’t getting it. O’Neill hasn’t offered a single scientific rationale for breaking up MMR.”

@aniloza.bsky.social
@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...

Texas House just helped Trump rig the midterm elections "This is racial gerrymandering at its worst."

“Those of you who feel like this is okay, get ready for the fight. Because the fight ain’t over. It’s not over until we’ve energized America to save Democracy.”

Amazing!

Blue whales are going eerily silent—and scientists say it’s a warning sign A six-year study off California’s coast shows how marine heat waves and noise pollution are silencing the ocean’s largest singers. Does saving the ocean start with hearing it?

Increasing temperatures from climate change have led to a 40% reduction in blue whale “songs” in just the past 6 years alone.

“It’s like trying to sing while you're starving,” said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer.

The world's oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change

Dr. Vinay Prasad: Bodily Autonomy Applies to Raw Milk, Not Vaccines This is what it looks like when disinformation doctors pretend to value data and science to further their true objective, MAHA politics.

If you want to drink raw milk, government doctors like Vinay Prasad will stand up for your bodily autonomy.

If you are willing to risk a sore arm to get a vaccine, he says no. That’s his decision.

My latest for SBM.

sciencebasedmedicine.org/rawmilk/

Love that book. What a human being that man was…

We’re Stuffing Our Faces with Food That’s Not Food New studies confirm serious health risks associated with the addictive, engineered “food” that predominates in Western diets

It's no crime to enjoy a delicious snack or indulge in a store-bought meal now and then. Just know that the more of this ultra-processed #food you include in your #diet, the greater your risk for numerous bad #health outcomes, according to 3 new studies this week.

This photograph captures Sir David Attenborough seated outdoors on the rugged terrain of Skomer Island. Behind him, the ocean and coastal cliffs form a scenic backdrop under a clear sky. Sir David, dressed in a khaki jacket and light trousers, looks towards the camera with a gentle expression, exuding a sense of warmth, calm, and wisdom. Around him, puffins can be seen flying and perched on the rocky ground, illuminated in rays of golden sunlight as the sun sets behind the cliffs.

Happy 99th birthday to the man who gave voice to the wild. 🎉

Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.

You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.

Soap Science: How it Actually Works The secret to cleanliness involve molecules that are both water-loving or water-fearing, which explains why water alone doesn’t do the…

Back before Covid, I wrote that only 5% of people washed their hands correctly. You might've since learned it involves vigorous scrubbing with soap during two singings of Happy Birthday. Now… this biochemist now explains how soap works its magic.

Lead Poisoning Should be Leading News Burning dirty coal releases toxins that poison our brains, impair intelligence, increase impulsivity, and even contribute to crime waves.

We once stripped the paint in our 1900s-era home to remodel, realizing only afterward we'd exposed the whole family to a weeks-long cloud of lead dust. You might think us naive, and yep, we were. But did you know that a bid source of lead in our air comes from burning coal to generate electricity?

Fascinating and reassuring!

Don’t Fall for Complex ‘Skin Barrier’ Routines Here’s the right way to care for your body’s first line of defense

This article from my favorite dermatologist came at just the right time. I need a skin reset, and I've never known which lotions are best for #skincare, whether to use oil-based products, and so on. Now I can tackle a simple outer-layer rebuild with confidence.

Lifetraps: Why We Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over Understanding destructive behavioural patterns helps us break free of them

We tend to trust our guts and make bad decisions over and over in what are called lifetraps. Traditional therapy can focus overly on emotions, putting labels on every mental condition in a way that can make people feel the their problems are out of their control. Lifetrap therapy is different.

Surgery or Meds: What’s the Best Approach to Weight Loss? One may have better outcomes but the other can play a big role, and the decision depends on each person’s specific needs

Are #glp1 drugs more effective than bariatric surgery? medium.com/wise-well/su...

Cod Liver Oil is NOT a Remedy for Measles, Despite the Claims Too much of it is sending kids to the hospital

Just in case you thought it was. medium.com/wise-well/co... #measles #vaccines

A friend just told me the same so def need to check it out

New Way to Measure Obesity Beats BMI on Accuracy and Usefulness The approach is more helpful for patients and medical professionals

A new way to measure obesity beats BMI. medium.com/wise-well/ne...

Well I, for one, am shocked!

The FDA Has Red Food Coloring All Over Its Hands You wouldn’t put this on your face. But you probably eat lots of it.

While the FDA considers a ban, Red No 3 has been known to be toxic for a long time. medium.com/wise-well/th... #nutrition #medsky

Thanks so much!

The FDA Has Red Food Coloring All Over Its Hands You wouldn’t put this on your face. But you probably eat lots of it.

While the FDA considers a ban, Red No 3 has been known to be toxic for a long time. medium.com/wise-well/th... #nutrition #medsky