Best Challenging Pseudoscience Podcasts (2024)

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12. Colonics Are Cancelled! Gut Health Demystified ft. Desiree Nielsen 57:19

10M ago57:19

57:19

RD Desiree Nielsen joins me to sort the chaff from the wheat, literally. We discuss all things gut health, and delineate the science from the fearmongering, buzzwordy marketing around gut health and microbiomes. She explains how the health industry has taken isolated nutrition truths about gut health and extrapolated, exaggerated and mis-contextual…

1
11. Optavia Diet Review 13:57

10M ago13:57

13:57

Today’s solo episode is a review of the Optavia diet (formerly Medifast), a 30-year-old diet that, surprisingly, has stood the test of time. I unpack everything from the dangerously low calorie intake and the peddling of diets to teenagers, to the devastating correlation between restrictive food practices, ignoring the body’s internal cues and diso…

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10. Thinness At Any Cost ft. June Burke-MacDonald 49:10

11M ago49:10

49:10

The pursuit of thinness at any cost has to stop. In this day and age most of us can see right through irresponsible comments like “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels”, but how many of us can identify diet culture disguised as health? Do you know the line between health promoting behaviors and obsessive patterns? How do you get yourself out of f…

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9. Diet MLMs aren't your friend ft. Brittany Morgon 31:46

11M ago31:46

31:46

When someone promises you health through a supplement that is branded, expensive and part of a pyramid scheme, you should know to run. Diet MLMs (multilevel marketing schemes) aren’t new, but the pushback they’re receiving is, thanks to the likes of Brittany Morgon. A nutrition and fitness coach by day, and a bad-ass MLM slayer by night, Brittany h…

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8. Challenging Nutrition Pseudoscience is a Full Time Job ft. Andy Miller 48:38

11M ago48:38

48:38

RD Andy Miller joins me to discuss the changing landscape of dietetics as it pumps up against social media and its slew of misinformation. We discuss the backlash we face when speaking out against bad actors, and the incalculable damage the likes of Bobby Parrish, Mark Hyman and Jason Fung have on the public’s understanding of health and nutrition.…

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7. Why I Want You To Eat Processed Foods 9:54

11M ago9:54

9:54

You heard me. I want you to eat processed foods! Not necessarily more than other foods, nor as an overrepresentation of your diet, but in the ways you find convenient, balanced, joyful and practical. Because the truth is that most foods are processed, including nutrient dense foods like canned beans, vegetables, tofu and unsweetened yoghurt. In thi…

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Trailer - Aggressive Salad: Nutrition with a Bite 1:12

12M ago1:12

1:12

The nutrition and wellness worlds can churn out so much misinformation that can, ironically, make us less healthy; encouraging disordered thoughts and habits around food. Aggressive Salad, hosted by dietitian Abby Langer, separates nutrition fact from fiction, examining the latest nutrition trends and holds them up against the science...All served …

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6. Menopause: Myths, Confusion and the People who Profit From It - ft. Dr. Jen Gunter and Amanda Thebe 1:09:02

12M ago1:09:02

1:09:02

Despite menopause affecting over 50% of the world’s population, it is a stage of midlife that’s remained shrouded in stigma and a lack of information, which provides a breeding ground for disinformation, pseudoscience and opportunism. But not on Dr. Jen Gunter and Amanda Thebe’s watch! They join me on this episode to explain and demystify all thing…

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5. Exposing Beachbody and diet MLMs ft. Amber Ny 43:38

12M ago43:38

43:38

Another day another diet MLM. In today’s episode former Beachbody coach and now anti-MLM educator, Amber Ny, joins me to discuss the nefarious tactics Beachbody uses to recruit members and how it gaslights them into staying. We discuss how its marketing promotes unhealthy, monolithic body standards and how they peddle questionable nutrition supplem…

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4. All Foods Fit ft. Ke'alohi Naipo 39:04

12M ago39:04

39:04

The world of dietetics needs change and Hawaiian dietitian Ke’alohi Naipo is at the forefront of this movement. Ke’alohi is a weight inclusive, HAES aligned, Registered Dietitian who specializes in disordered eating. She champions food acceptance, intuitive eating, and embraces local foods as nutritious and valid food sources. This is especially po…

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3. Removing Morality and Hierarchy from Food ft. Maya Feller 46:05

1y ago46:05

46:05

Today I’m joined by the wonderful RD Maya Feller to discuss the nuances of nutrition. We talk food deserts, social determinants of health, dethroning BMI, food apartheid, and the implicit bias and racism in dietetics. We also discuss at length the importance of removing morality and hierarchy from certain food groups, and particularly from cultural…

1
2. Weight Loss Done Right ft. Astrid Naranjo 37:54

1y ago37:54

37:54

Weight loss can be a legitime health goal when it's done for the right reasons, with the right supervision and done in the right way. This is where Astrid Naranjo comes in: a Clinician Dietitian, Nutritionist, and Team BioLayne Master Coach. Astrid’s goal is to help people have a healthier relationship with food and achieve their goals sustainably.…

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1. Debunking Cancer Nutrition Myths ft. Dr. Joe Zundell 55:10

1y ago55:10

55:10

There isn’t a person or family unaffected by cancer. The dreaded disease doesn’t discriminate, but there are some cancer-promoting behaviors one can avoid. This is why the desire for knowledge about how diet can contribute to or prevent cancer, is so high. As we know by now, with a public appetite for health, comes misinformation. On this episode I…

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On the legacies of eugenics 48:22

2+ y ago48:22

48:22

This episode is a recording of a talk given by medical historian, Marius Turda, at the Royal Institution in September 2021. His talk explored the historical roots of eugenics. He argued that the longevity of eugenics is due not just to its promise of drawing together social and cultural theories of human improvement, but also the credibility it was…

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Science museums and the 'culture war' 51:44

2+ y ago51:44

51:44

This episode features a panel discussion hosted online by the Association of British Science Writers in October 2021. The theme was the so-called ‘culture war’ and its effect on the UK's science and technology museums. The panelists discuss their personal experiences of government influence on museum independence and policy, and who should and shou…

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Fake news fighters 41:16

2+ y ago41:16

41:16

This episode features a panel discussion held at the British Science Festival Live in Chelmsford, UK, in September 2021. The theme was fake news and how to tackle the spread of scientific misinformation. The panelists discuss how social media algorithms help the spread of misinformation and fake news, they speak about the language to be aware of wh…

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SS 315 - Diet Breaks for Fat Loss- Yay or Nay? 35:11

2+ y ago35:11

35:11

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Heavey shares the research on diet breaks for fat loss. The boys also announce a big change to the podcast format. Finally, they touch on the mental health and stress levels of high-level athletes such as Simone Biles...and how the last year has affected all of us. If you love the strength part of Stre…

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SS 314 - How Grant Lost 30 Pounds of Fat… And A Debate Over the 75 Hard Challenge 48:26

2+ y ago48:26

48:26

In this episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant shares his journey of losing over 30 pounds in the last 7 months. Addressing his 4 pillars of health, Coach Heavey walks through Grant’s progress and success. The boys also answer a listener question about the 75 Hard Challenge. Is it worth it? Is it really about mental toughness or marketing genius? If…

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SS 313 - Is Willpower Genetic? 33:40

2+ y ago33:40

33:40

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss nature vs nurture: Is willpower genetic and thus preordained at birth? The boys also debate who has the most willpower between the two of them. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd like to get into the best shape of your life, be sure to subscribe to Hea…

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SS 312 - The #1 Reason People Fail to Lose Weight 41:12

3y ago41:12

41:12

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Coach Heavey discusses the #1 reason why people struggle with fat loss- it’s not what you think! Grant also shares his recent success with fat loss, a memorable 9-mile run and a sneak peek at this month’s whiskey club selection. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd like to get i…

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Misinformation and censorship on social media 50:03

3y ago50:03

50:03

This episode features a panel discussion held at the Association of British Science Writers online in June 2021. The theme was misinformation and censorship on social media. The panel discussed how algorithms that feed us science news on social media sometimes promote disinformation and inadvertently demote good scientific content. The panelists ex…

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SS 311 - Concurrent Training: What Happens When You Mix Cardio and Lifting 38:00

3y ago38:00

38:00

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey chat about concurrent training: the combination of weight training and cardio. Does cardio interfere with strength gains? What’s the ideal workout order, recovery period and frequency of training when combining strength and cardio? Tune in to hear what the research says ...and to hear …

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Vaccines: Warriors and worriers 1:20:33

3y ago1:20:33

1:20:33

This episode was a panel discussion about vaccines hosted by the Royal Institution in February 2021. The panel explored how vaccines work, why some people are sceptical of them despite the evidence, and how disinformation about vaccines spreads online. They also took questions from the audience, offering lots of practical advice. The discussion was…

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Disinformation and how to counter it 1:08:47

3y ago1:08:47

1:08:47

This episode was a panel discussion on the theme of disinformation held at the Association of British Science Writers for their online UK Conference of Science Journalists in October 2020. We focused on the difference between misinformation and disinformation, the tactics of those spreading pseudoscientific theories such as climate change denial, a…

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SS 310 - All Things Running with Coach Nicole 56:48

3y ago56:48

56:48

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey are joined by Coach Nicole of Evidence Based Athlete to answer all of Grant’s running questions. Having recently been bit by the running bug, Grant gets advice on running shoes, how to properly increase mileage, setting running goals, form tweaks and mindset. If you love the strength p…

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SS 309 - How to Use Caffeine to Boost Your One Rep Max 38:44

3y ago38:44

38:44

If you already have a caffeine habit, can you still use caffeine as an ergogenic aid for strength and strength endurance? In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Coach Heavey shares the science on caffeine as an ergogenic aid, dosing for men vs women, and whether you should cut back on regular daily caffeine to improve pre-workout caffeine e…

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SS 308 - Are You Performing Your Lifts in the Right Order? 34:05

3y ago34:05

34:05

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss the science behind exercise order. Does it matter what movements you perform first for strength vs hypertrophy? How does an extended warmup affect training? And what is the principle of specificity? Tune in to hear all the details. If you love the strength part of Strength & Sc…

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SS 307 - Can You Get Stronger as You Age? 34:13

3y ago34:13

34:13

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Heavy and Grant discuss a question from listener Jim: Can you get stronger and build muscle with age? Heavy shares the research on muscle and aging, the most powerful supplement for older athletes, and variations in protein requirements for masters athletes. If you love the strength part of Strength & …

1
SS 306 - Kettlebell Training with the Kettlebell Warrior Bill Esch 57:17

3y ago57:17

57:17

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey are joined by national long cycle kettlebell champion Bill Esch. Bill shares his tips on kettlebell training for beginner and intermediate athletes, breathing, technique work, and the mental aspect of kettlebell as a sport. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd l…

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SS 305 - Alternate Fasting & One Meal A Day 39:02

3y ago39:02

39:02

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss various fasting protocols. Coach Heavey reviews research studies on the OMAD (one meal a day), the alternate day fating (ADF) and combination protocols. Tune in to get the scoop on all things fasting and how Grant has fallen in love with the scale. If you love the strength part…

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SS 304 - Back Injury: From Being Told You’d Never Lift Again to Setting All-Time PR’s In A Year 44:22

3y ago44:22

44:22

What would you do if you were told you'd never lift a barbell again? In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey are joined by EBA Coach Nicole for a special client case study. Nicole shares the journey of client “Nakatomi” who went from emergency back surgery and a prognosis that she would never lift again, to setting all-time …

1
SS 303 - What Happens When You Mix HIIT & Alcohol? 34:34

3y ago34:34

34:34

Beer + burpees in the name of science??? In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss two studies researching the effects of mixing HIIT training and alcohol. Tune in to find out the results of alcohol on body composition and performance. If you love the strength part of Strength & Scotch AND you'd like to get into the be…

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SS 302 - How to Accurately Measure Body Comp Change at Home 54:36

3y ago54:36

54:36

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey discuss the best methods for measuring body composition changes at home. From smart scales, tape measurements, calipers and lifting progress, they cover the gamut of both fat loss and body recomposition tracking. Heavey also helps Grant get over his hatred of the scale. If you love the…

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SS 301- How To Manage Stress & The Inflatable Pillar 35:59

3y ago35:59

35:59

In this week’s episode of Strength and Scotch, Coach Heavey shares his new take on stress as an inflatable, flapping pillar of health. Distressors, eustressors and how imaginary trolls can help manage your health. It’s a wild yet brilliant ride through both Heavey’s mind AND stress management. Buckle up! If you like Heavey's take on health and fitn…

1
SS 300 - Mistakes We Made In The First 299 Episodes 40:09

3y ago40:09

40:09

This week the boys celebrate 300 episodes with a look back at their beginnings. Tune in to hear hilarious outtakes, trivia, and bad jokes along the Strength and Scotch journey. Grant and Brandon also share how their views have changed on health, fitness and whiskey over the last 6 years. If you like Heavey's take on health and fitness be sure to su…

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SS 299 - Weed 101 with Tim Pellerin of PAX Labs 1:17:15

3+ y ago1:17:15

1:17:15

In this episode, Grant and Heavey are joined by Tim Pellerin, General Manager of PAX Labs. As a leader in the cannabis space, from regulation to product innovation, Tim is helping to transform the industry and establish cannabis as a force for good. The boys chat all things cannabis: from regulations, delivery mechanisms, strains and health effects…

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SS 298 - Nutrition for Ultra Endurance with Coach Nicole Latimer of Evidence Based Athlete 41:28

3+ y ago41:28

41:28

In this episode, the boys are joined by Evidence Based Athlete Coach Nicole to discuss nutrition and training for ultra endurance athletes. Nicole shares the journey of EBA client “Tomagotchi”, an accomplished endurance athlete looking to up his performance for 100 mile races. They chat about calories, electrolytes, mileage and the mental preparati…

1
SS 297 - Get A Stronger Mind with Dr. Eric Bean 54:06

3+ y ago54:06

54:06

This week Grant and Heavey are joined by Dr. Eric Bean, PhD, a high performance and leadership consultant. Dr. Bean shares his expertise from working with navy seals, the army, high level CEO’s to professional athletes. The boys chat all things mental performance including tips on working from home, finding your flow state and intrinsic motivation.…

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SS 296 - Personal Glucose Monitoring with Josh Clemente from Levels 59:17

3+ y ago59:17

59:17

In this episode, Grant and Heavey are joined by a special guest and founder of the Levels continuous glucose monitoring company, Josh Clemente. With a background in aerospace engineering, CrossFit and a curiosity to improve his own energy levels, Josh developed Levels as a tool for improving metabolic fitness and preventing insulin resistance. The …

1
SS 295 - How to Keep Your Muscle When Running More 45:33

3+ y ago45:33

45:33

In this week’s episode Grant and Heavey answer a question from listener Joe: How to keep your muscle when increasing running. Heavy shares his tips on strength training to maintain muscle mass as well as nutrition strategies to keep that hard-earned muscle. Grant also shares his new infatuation with gaba rice (germinated brown rice) and the boys di…

1
SS 294 - Staying Fit When Traveling 45:29

3+ y ago45:29

45:29

This week the boys are joined by Heavey’s wife and Evidence Based Athlete Coach Nicole to chat about fitness and nutrition on the road. Heavey and Nicole have a dialed-in routine for road trip nutrition and training that has served them well both pre and during the pandemic. Tune in to hear their tips on maintaining fitness while limited on equipme…

1
SS 293 - Exercising To Improve Your Mental Game 46:37

3+ y ago46:37

46:37

In this week’s episode, Coach Heavey shares the research on exercise for improving cognitive function. What exercises are most effective for acute and long term mental acuity? Tune in to find out! And if you enjoy nerding out on health and fitness with Coach Heavey, be sure to check out his main project, Evidence Based Athlete.…

1
SS 292 - Case Study: Significant Fat Loss During COVID 1:02:37

3+ y ago1:02:37

1:02:37

This week on Strength and Scotch, Grant and Heavey are joined by Heavey’s wife and head coach at Evidence Based Athlete, Coach Nicole. Nicole shares a case study on a nutrition client, “Bobcat” who lost 45 pounds over the last 4 months. The trio discusses details on Bobcat’s nutrition coaching as well as his home training program with minimal equip…

1
SS 291 - Exercise Tech and Building Your Movement Stack 48:31

3+ y ago48:31

48:31

In this week’s episode, Coach Heavey dives further into the concept of a movement pyramid, as a tech stack. In the words of Grant: “It’s a good analogy, it’s just really nerdy.” Tune in to build your own movement stack, learn about short vs long scotch fermentation and how chickweed might be your new favorite veggie. If you like Heavey's take on he…

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SS 290 - What Movements Should You Be Prioritizing? 1:03:52

3+ y ago1:03:52

1:03:52

This week on Strength and Scotch, Heavy breaks down the movement pillar of health in a new way: revealing his pyramid of movement priorities. From low intensity foundations, to mobility, eustress and peaking at reach, find out how you can better optimize your movement for longevity. Grant also shares his 3 favorite summer cocktails and finally the …

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SS 289 - We’re Back Baby… With Strength and Scotch Plus 48:41

3+ y ago48:41

48:41

We’re back this week with an all-new episode of Strength and Scotch! The boys chat about how to safely return to training after a layoff or injury. They also share a big announcement: The rollout of Strength and Scotch Plus: special bonus episodes, a whiskey club, monthly fitness challenges, and a mastermind braintrust.…

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Nutrition For Fat Loss (Best of Strength and Scotch) 39:01

3+ y ago39:01

39:01

With all the fad and extreme diets out there, can you guess which is the right one for you? In this episode Grant and Heavey cover nutrition for fat loss. Listen in as they dish out the truth about fat loss nutrition. If you like Heavey's take on health and fitness be sure to subscribe to his weekly emails where he shares his favorite tips and tric…

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How To Train for Size / How to Train for Strength (Best of Strength and Scotch) 33:07

3+ y ago33:07

33:07

In this episode, Grant and Heavey dive in depth about different training variables and how you can manipulate them for strength or size. Whether you're looking into building size or strength, this is a must-listen! (This is part II of Grant and Heavey's discussion from episode 176) If you like Heavey's take on health and fitness be sure to subscrib…

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How Fast Can You Lose Fat and Keep Your Muscle? (Best of Strength and Scotch) 29:32

3+ y ago29:32

29:32

Grant and Heavey tackle the best – and safest – rate for fat loss. They dish out information from studies to determine at what rate can fat loss and gaining strength under safe conditions be achieved. Is this something only athletes can do? Listen in to find out! If you like Heavey's take on health and fitness be sure to subscribe to his weekly ema…

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Diet VS Exercise for Fat Loss (Best of Strength and Scotch) 29:56

3+ y ago29:56

29:56

Grant and Heavey chat about travel, lifesaver watches, and diet vs. exercise for fat loss. Grant talks about what makes the new Apple watch so unique. Hint: it’s now a medical device! (for real!) And onto the main topic, they both discuss the importance of diet in fat loss. If you’re feeling frustrated with how you’ve been working out so hard and y…

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Challenging Pseudoscience Podcasts

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