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PODCAST

The Body of Evidence

Dr. Christopher Labos

Dr. Christopher Labos and guests use the body of evidence to go beyond science and medicine headlines and hype. All to help you develop your critical thinking skills so that when you google your symptoms, you won"t believe you’re going to die tomorrow. The Body of Evidence is your weekly dose of clarity on complex health topics and the often-sketchy medical information found online. Hosted by cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos and featuring a rotating cast of co-hosts and guests, this podcast

health & fitness medicine

All Episodes

54:29

034 - Hypnotherapy and Anti-Vaccination

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/11/09

A Fantasia-inspired flirt with the dark arts strips Chris of his humanity. Does hypnotherapy work for smoking cessation, getting over phobias, weight loss and pain control? And is it any better than visualization, relaxation, or straight-up counselling? And will we ever find out what Tanya loves to do (no, no we won’t). Also: valid (and less valid) criticism of a retracted Canadian paper linking aluminum to autism, and how universities keep falling for pseudoscience (clue: follow the dollar signs)

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02:08

Special - Thank You

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/11/03

A special message from the hosts of this award-winning podcast (we can say it now! it's true!)

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51:09

033 - The Opioid Crisis and Flatliners

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/10/05

An unfortunate accident befalls Chris in a stairwell, which prompts him to confront the opioid epidemic. What are these molecules, are they addictive, and are doctors solely responsible for their abuse? We talk about how all this relates to the Vietnam War, and we welcome back Myco Caine! Also: a fun lesson in cardiology as we debunk the movie FLATLINERS; a sing-along with The LEGO Movie; antidepressants and an early death; and one patron gets a very special thank-you. Note from the editor:

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51:46

032 - Low Back Pain and Essential Oils

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/09/07

A lifting-related misunderstanding puts a strain on Jonathan and Chris’ relationship… and Chris’ back. What can one do when faced with nonspecific lower back pain, besides “nothing”? So many interventions to choose from: exercise, insoles, X-rays, NSAIDs, Tylenol, muscle relaxants, gabapentinoids, opioids, hot and cold, massages, acupuncture, chiropractic, mattresses, bed rest, and a partridge in a pear tree. But what works? Also: can essential oils kill bacteria or, at the very least, relax you?;

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49:05

031 - Sugar Addiction and Tamiflu

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/08/10

Chris’ addiction almost leads to a car crash, so Jonathan decides to stage an intervention. Is sugar addictive? What even is an addiction? Could it be that the popular definition has little to do with the medical one? Talks of cocaine (or Michael Caine), binge-eating disorder, and How I Met Your Mother follow. Also: did somebody take antiviral Tamiflu’s medal away? And why were parents sending their child’s snot to researchers? What kind of topsy-turvy world do we live in?! Be sure to stay until the

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53:17

Special - Alternative Health Conversations 2

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/07/20

Jonathan talks to a Reiki Grand Master about therapeutic touch, the clinical trials that allegedly show that it works, the concept of "energy", and her nutritional advice.

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Book Review: Stephen Fry's The Hippopotamus

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/07/15

"So is that why you came here, then? Just to pour cold water all over us? Just to sneer up your snotty sleeve? If you can't take it seriously, why try and ruin our happiness?" You might be forgiven for thinking that Stephen Fry's The Hippopotamus--a 1994 novel and now a theatrical release--is a British comedy of manners featuring a cantankerous, cynical drunk. But the novel itself, written in Fry's delightfully brilliant voice, is actually a skeptical whodunnit involving alternative medicine. The

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51:12

030 - Vitamin D and Clinical Trials

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/07/06

Bizarre behaviour on the beach leads Chris and Jonathan to discuss the merits of vitamin D. Where exactly in the sun’s rays does this vitamin hide? Is there a deficiency epidemic? And can this miraculous vitamin reverse the course of diseases? Also: a Superman geek fail; putting the “randomized” back in “randomized clinical trials”; why 1 and 2 are dirty numbers; and pot cures epilepsy (sort of… not really). Vox pop by Thanos Michailopoulos (@ThanocMic on Twitter). Jingle by Joseph Hackl.

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42:59

029 - Antidepressants and Fluoride

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/06/08

Jonathan takes Chris to a secret location for a surprise that doesn’t end well, and all because Chris allegedly said antidepressants don’t work. To clarify, we delve into the causes of depression, how antidepressants work, as well as the safety and effectiveness of SSRIs. Oh, and child suicides. Also: is putting fluoride in the water a communist plot and will NSAIDs give you a heart attack? Special guest voice acting by Jacob Fortin. Jingle by Jillian Kate. Additional music by Seth Donnelly

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51:04

Interview - Timothy Caulfield

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/05/25

Jonathan interviews Timothy Caulfield, author of the book Is Gwyneth Paltrow Wrong About Everything? Topics include Trudeau’s cupping marks; pseudoscience tailor made for athletes; the importance of anecdotes; Bill Nye and bridge destruction; the white hat bias in meditation research; the state of stem cell therapies; Tim Caulfield’s legal career path; celebrity culture; cognitive biases; J.K. Rowling’s experiment on luck; direct-to-consumer genetic testing for wine tasting; the science of science

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Bill Nye Saves the World

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/05/08

There is a particular flavour of disappointment that slowly builds up in some tongue-like brain region when someone we look up to in our own field fails publicly. It's one of those concepts that have a word in German but that seem to be missing in English, like Schadenfreude. I pinned hopes on Bill Nye because, as a nobody in the field of science communication, I want him to succeed. He has name recognition, he has an audience, he has a massive budget. While he may not be able to save the world, he

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57:41

028 - Testosterone and Bad Food Science

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/05/04

Jonathan is being more of a prick than usual by giving Chris a testosterone prick to boost his manliness. But is “low T” a real diagnosis or an ad man creation? Thanos, our comedian, takes us to his Brazilian jiu-jitsu class to interview sweaty men about aging and andropause. Back in the studio, Chris and Jonathan talk about the difficulties of measuring testosterone levels, whether or not T can reverse aging decline and will it give you cancer? Also: p-hacking in a famous food lab or how “hard

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51:05

027 - Aspartame and the Liberation Therapy

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/04/12

On an eventful trip to Cincinnati, Chris and Jonathan discuss the possible dangers of aspartame and of arguing while behind the wheel. Will artificial sweeteners help you lose weight or will they give you cancer? Plus: Zamboni’s liberation therapy for multiple sclerosis fails to impress in a major Canadian trial and self-regulating naturopaths think it’s OK to prescribe with the laying of hands. Also, Jonathan and/or Chris may be coming to your town soon! Boston, Cincinnati and Montreal! Vox pop

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52:50

026 - Marijuana and Beach Umbrellas

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/03/09

Chris learns that he is a square when he can’t distinguish between tobacco cigarettes and pot reefers. Thanos interviews some marijuana-friendly comedians before an open-mic night to know if they think weed can help with health and performance anxiety. Back in studio, Jonathan and Chris talk about THC versus CBD, and whether or not weed has been shown to help treat glaucoma, pain, nausea, cancer, multiple sclerosis, insomnia, Tourette’s, HIV, anxiety, PTSD, epilepsy, Parkinson’s, IBS, ALS, and

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50:17

025 - Love Potions and Winter Blues

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/02/19

Chris’ loneliness leads Jonathan to spray him in the eyes with a $20 concoction that will allegedly make him irresistible to the ladies. But do human pheromones actually exist? Their investigation leads them to contemplate pig husbandry and dentist chairs. Plus: what we know of seasonal affective disorder and whether you can cure it by shoving light into your ears; cancer mortality rates are decreasing despite what charlatans keep claiming; and a teething tablet manufacturer clearly believes in

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43:34

Interview - John Dupuis and the Wars on Science

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/01/31

Jonathan interviews York University librarian John Dupuis on former Prime Minister Stephen Harper's War on Science. In light of recent actions by the Trump administration in the US, what lessons can American scientists learn from Canada's own struggle against a federal government that gagged its own scientists? John Dupuis' blog, Confessions of a Science Librarian, on which he chronicled Harper's War on Science, can be accessed here: http://scienceblogs.com/confessions/

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25:56

Interview - Vox.com's Julia Belluz

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/01/26

Our full interview with Vox.com’s Julia Belluz, health reporter. How did a prominent Canadian media fail the public while covering the HPV vaccine; the philosophy behind Vox.com; the public’s perception of mainstream journalism; Zika versus Ebola; how journalists should cover pseudoscientists; and ISIS… sort of.

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48:36

024 - Energy Drinks and Gardasil in the Media

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/01/19

Are energy drinks the answer to staying awake? Or are they harmful cans of poison? Or is this a false dichotomy? Our man-on-the-street finds out that Canadian students, on top of being polite, really care about their health. Plus: Vox.com reporter Julia Belluz on one of the most embarrassing Canadian science headlines, and will a new chocolate make your skin look twenty years younger? (answer: no, but a bunch of MDs think it tastes delicious). Vox pop by Chris Sandiford (of the Ladies & Gentlemen

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54:59

Special - Alternative Health Conversations

The Body of Evidence ·

2017/01/05

Jonathan interviews three alternative health practitioners: a sound healer, a Reiki master, and a BodyTalker. Through these conversations, he seeks to find out how they came to believe that these practices worked and what, if anything, would change their mind.

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33:49

Special - End-of-Year 2016

The Body of Evidence ·

2016/12/22

As 2016 draws to a close, Chris and Jonathan reveal they are not perfect. Whether it’s cracking up while delivering a joke or mispronouncing a host of scientific names, their ineptitude makes for great blooper fodder. Plus, the worst bits of medical news this year; favourite jingles; and science communication heroes. Happy holidays! Additional music by Kevin MacLeod (www.incompetech.com) Original music by Seth Donnelly

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