You want to tell someone “You should lose weight.” What should you say?

You want to tell someone “You should lose weight.” What should you say?

Your friend, adult child, parent, brother or sister is overweight or obese, perhaps unhealthily so. You want to help. So you decide you will tell them they should lose weight. This is a very dumb idea. Let’s think it through. They know Remember, we are talking about adults here. Every adult in our society is…

We need more doctors and scientists in Congress. But not Dr. Oz.
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We need more doctors and scientists in Congress. But not Dr. Oz.

Dr. Oz, the cardiothoracic surgeon and TV personality, is running for an open US Senate seat in Pennsylvania. He’d be one of the worst possible choices, because his “medical recommendations” are generally bullshit. Members of Congress need to discern the truth, not make it up. What’s wrong with Dr. Oz? Dr. Oz is a famous…

Some better questions for Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow
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Some better questions for Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow

The New York Times interviewed Gwyneth Paltrow, CEO of the $250 million wellness site Goop. She’s a charlatan selling snake oil, but the Times can’t decide whether to call her on it or be nice. I can. So I wrote my own interview questions. David Gelles’s interview for the “Corner Office” column highlights CEOs. Because…

Nursing a grudge: going to war over World Health Assembly breastfeeding recommendations
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Nursing a grudge: going to war over World Health Assembly breastfeeding recommendations

At the UN’s World Health Assembly, which took place in May, health experts attempted to reach consensus on ways to improve health worldwide. As in any international gathering, there was conflict. But this year’s conference featured strong-arm tactics on the unlikely issue of breastfeeding. If you’ve never had a baby, you probably wonder what all…

How my unknown wellness nonprofit scored a $100,000 grant
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How my unknown wellness nonprofit scored a $100,000 grant

Tomorrow night, I’m going to be smiling ear-to-ear along with my nonprofit partners and the principals of a major foundation. We’ll be celebrating getting a $100,000 grant from The Cummings Foundation of Greater Boston. I’d like to explain how we got here, because if you’re seeking grants, our story might help you . . . and…

The sublime prose of Molly Young in the New York Times Magazine
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The sublime prose of Molly Young in the New York Times Magazine

The best way to skewer bullshit is to hold it in contrast with vivid reality. This is the trick Molly Young pulled off in the New York Times Magazine, delicately needling the health potions industry without a single nasty word. I am in awe. The piece is called “How Amanda Chantal Bacon Perfected the Celebrity Wellness…