The Rationable Podcast

Dr Cyriac Abby Philips is a firebrand twitter sceptic who regularly shares science-based information and research regarding alternative medicine – Ayurveda in particular. He's a Hepatologist and has been studying the side effects of Ayurvedic preparations on the liver. His research and clinical cases have discovered how many Ayurvedic preparations may be harming you more than healing you!He joins us to answer some critical questions about how Ayurveda can be harmful. There are so many real side effects these real herbs can have, but they are being touted as completely side-effect free. People's lives have been put in danger, and some have been lost due to this form of quackery. Even I found many of his findings shocking to say the least! If you have questions for Dr Abby Philips, find him on Twitter @drabbyphilips. Intro and outro music: Heat by DistillFor the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com. Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group. Contact me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com. Support and get involved with Rationable on Patreon at patreon.com/rationable.

Dr Haryax Pathak, MBBS, practising in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, has been busting myths about COVID-19, its treatments and the vaccines on Twitter. He was kind enough to join Rationable to dispel myths about the vaccines and help us understand which one to choose, what the dosage interval should be, and lots more.Here are a the updates: 1) Immunocompromised people should also get the vaccine2) The central government has increased the period after which one should get Covishield's second dose to 6-8 weeks3) People over 18 will be allowed to get vaccinated from the 1st of May onwardsIntro and outro music: Heat by DistillFor the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com. Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group. Contact me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com. Support and get involved with Rationable on Patreon at patreon.com/rationable.

I've investigated the claims of Evocus and other alkaline water and found they aren't true. Evocus Black Alkaline water is just a dodgy product that will only be a very expensive, rather ineffective antacid and nothing more. I will get to each of these claims and a few other generic claims I've found about alkaline water in this episode, so you can understand why I say this. Intro and outro music: Heat by DistillFor the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com. Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group. Contact me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com. Support and get involved with Rationable on Patreon at patreon.com/rationable.

Rationable speaks to Anant Bhan and Dr Sumaiya Shaikh about the recent proposal by the Indian Government to allow Ayurvedic practitioners to perform certain types of surgery. We dig into the pros and cons and find a lot of nuance in the topic that feels like it's black and white.

Your body's pH balance is a fascinating mechanism but it's often misunderstood or miscommunicated to sell ideas like the alkaline diet. In this episode, we get a basic insight into how your body handles its acid-alkaline levels through the kidneys and the lungs and what happens when it goes wrong. I also get into why it's so hard to change the pH of your blood or any other part of your body, especially through food. References & other links: Acid-base homeostasis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4670772/ and https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/26-4-acid-base-balance/#:~:text=The%20kidneys%20help%20control%20acid,systems%20work%20predominantly%20inside%20cells Disorders of Acid-base Balance: https://opentextbc.ca/anatomyandphysiology/chapter/26-5-disorders-of-acid-base-balance and https://www.healthline.com/health/acid-base-balance#metabolic-acidosis pH Imbalance: https://www.healthline.com/health/ph-imbalance Digestion in the stomach: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zwqycdm/revision/5#:~:text=Bile%20is%20secreted%20into%20the,the%20lipase%20enzymes%20can%20work The Detox Scam: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/8/27/detox-an-introduction-to-a-scam?rq=detox Ketogenic Diet: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2018/11/19/is-the-ketogenic-diet-the-best-way-to-lose-weight?rq=keto Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com. Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

It's a special honour to have a Rationable Interview with Leonard Tramiel. He a good friend of Rationable, of course. You might have seen him in the Rationable Conversations group on Facebook if you're a part of it. Join in if you're not.He's also an accomplished sceptic in his own right. He's a member of the board of the Center for Inquiry (CFI). This is an organisation of sceptics that publishes the Skeptical Inquirer magazine and holds the annual CSICON sceptics' conference in Las Vegas, which is where I first met Leonard.Leonard is also on the Council of Advisors for the Search for Extraterrestrial Life (SETI)! Yes, that SETI. He has worked with the California Department of Education to help them improve the quality of their textbooks. That's not surprising at all when you know he's been a volunteer 8th-grade astronomy teacher as well.Last but not least, Leonard started his career working under his father in Atari, developing their very first gaming platforms. Yes, that Atari!So we had a nice long chat about his early life, his passion for physics and astronomy, his family life and being the son of Jack Tramiel, who revived Commodore International and enabled the creation of one of the very first PC microchips that contributed to the dawn of personal computing. We also talked about his time at Atari, his encounter with Jill Tarter of SETI (who inspired the character of Dr Ellie Arroway in Carl Sagan's novel Contact), his pet peeves with science literacy and much much more.I would love to do another interview with him so if you have any questions, be sure to drop them in the comments or mail them to abhijit@berationable.com.Reference LinksThe story of Commodore and the 8-bit generation | Leonard Tramiel | TEDxMidAtlanticLeonard Tramiel and the 6502 chip - 8Bites - #TheCommodoreStory [4K]Why Jack Tramiel left Commodore by Leonard Tramiel (2015)Leonard's interview with Jill Tarter: https://centerforinquiry.org/conferences/csicon/2016/interview-tarter.htmlIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Richard Saunders, a life member of Australian Skeptics and a CSI fellow, is a world-famous sceptic from Australia who has been doing activism, speaking, podcasting and promoting sceptics from around the world for decades. Other than that, he is just a fun, chilled out guy who loves origami and cats. In this interview, we chat about UFOs and ancient aliens, psychics, astrology, Power Balance bands and lots more.Richard has been kind enough to air interviews with me and promotions for The Rationable Podcast on The Skeptic Zone. He does this for a lot of sceptics all over the world and without asking for anything in return. Now that's being just a wonderful human being, don't you think?I met Richard through Brian Dunning of Skeptoid.com, who I had met at CSICON 2018 in Las Vegas, NV, USA. That event has seriously changed my life. If you haven't gone, you should definitely try to. But first, you should come to Skepticon 2020, which promises to be a brilliant virtual convention for sceptics around the world.Links & referencesAttend the Skepticon sceptic's conference: https://www.skepticon.org.auRichard Saunders on Dragoncon's Skeptic Track: https://youtu.be/-ZHWCD9i9L8Rationable's talk at Dragoncon's Skeptic Track: https://youtu.be/eFLM0UzVrFYThe Skeptic Zone Podcast: https://www.skepticzone.tv/The Skeptic Zone Podcast Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/skepticzonepodcastChallenging the Astrologer, Milton Black: https://youtu.be/q-fjymxOrGEDebunking Power Balance Bands: https://youtu.be/yd0Gb9EgkHARichard's Origami Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuzfqFJyj3esv0N6DlEzLzCzNwWb1OcgbIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

In the final part of my interview with Dr Sumaiya Shaikh, we discuss her work as a science communicator. She founded Altnews Science to challenge pseudoscience in India.She has noticed how much alternative medicines like Ayurveda, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy, Siddh and Unani have grown in our country and the dangers they pose to us and the ones we love.So she founded Altnews Science to debunk misinformation and share the real science behind the news. For example, she has written several excellent articles regarding COVID-19 and even the Patanjali Scam that tried to take advantage of people during the pandemic.All that and a lot more await you in this episode. Enjoy!References and links:Altnews Science: https://www.altnews.in/topics/science/Arsenicum Album to fight COVID-19: https://www.altnews.in/homeopathic-drugs-such-as-arsenicum-album-30-promoted-by-ayush-do-not-boost-immunity-against-covid/Patanjali's Corona Kit: https://www.altnews.in/no-patanjalis-coronil-has-not-been-approved-by-ayush-ministry/Rationable's Take on Patanjali's Corona Kit: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2020/6/coronakit-or-con-examining-patanjalis-coronavirus-treatmentDonate to Altnews: https://www.altnews.in/donate/More about Dr Sumaiya ShaikhTwitter: https://twitter.com/neurophysik?lang=enWebsite: http://sumaiyashaikh.com/Altnews Science: https://www.altnews.in/topics/science/Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Here's the second edition of my interview with the fantabulous Dr Sumaiya Shaikh. In this episode, we discuss the dark yet fascinating world of violent behaviour and the science behind it.It all starts when I ask about Philip Zimbardo's controversial Stanford Prison Experiment that demonstrated how dehumanising people can enable the most heinous abusive behaviour. I had initially dipped into this topic in my first article for Rationable, which you can read here. From there, Dr Shaikh talks about Hitler, the Nazis and Neo Nazis, extremist movements like ISIL and the communal violence closer to home in India, some of which have affected her life directly.This is going to be a long episode, but immensely intriguing, poignant and informative. It will change how you think of extremists and violent people. In other words, it's totally worth it.So, go for a long walk, fetch your favourite beverage and strap in for a deep dive into the darkest depths of human behaviour.Listen to Part 1: The fascinating science of painFind Out More About Dr Shaikh And Her WorkTwitter: https://twitter.com/neurophysik?lang=enWebsite: http://sumaiyashaikh.com/Altnews Science: https://www.altnews.in/topics/science/Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Dr Sumaiya Shaikh and I had a fantastic interview where we talked about a variety of topics. The interview has been split into three parts so that you can take it in one bite at a time.In the first part, we open the conversation with her work in the study of the neurophysiology of pain. There's a lot more to pain than you may think, and we get a fascinating glimpse of that today.Find out more about Dr Shaikh and her work:Dhruv Rathee interview: Science Behind Depression: https://youtu.be/tZ5qIpJHeNUTwitter: https://twitter.com/neurophysik?lang=enWebsite: http://sumaiyashaikh.com/Altnews Science: https://www.altnews.in/topics/science/Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

To celebrate Doctor's Day India 2020, I speak to Dr Shantanu Abhyankar, MD, MBBS, Gynaecology, and Dr Anand Khare, MD Psychiatry.We discuss Coronil, Patanjali's so-called coronavirus cure, Sushant Singh Rajput's passing and its effects on mental health awareness along with Ayurveda, alternative medicine, boosting immunity and how to survive the pandemic and lots more.References & Links Dr Shantanu Abhyankar: https://kivihealth.com/satara/wai-cit...Rationable interviews Dr Abhyankar: https://www.berationable.com/rationab...Dr Abhyankar's TEDx Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/dr_shantanu...Dr Abhyankar at CSICON 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hf9z...Dr Anand Khare: https://www.practo.com/mumbai/doctor/...Can you boost your immune system?: https://www.berationable.com/rationab...Corona Kit or Con: Examining Patanjali's Coronavirus Treatment: https://www.berationable.com/rationab...Does Homeopathy Work?: https://www.berationable.com/rationab...Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Patanjali has courted controversy by releasing their “Corona Kit” consisting of Ashwagandha, Tulsi, Giloy, Shwasari Juice and Anu Tel. They claim to have done a clinical trial and found it 100% effective. But there's still no sign of the study and its results. Rationable examines their claims more closely.LinksRCTs: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/6/11/what-is-evidence-part-1-randomised-controlled-trialsEnglish Jagran: https://english.jagran.com/lifestyle/coronavirus-treatment-this-ayurvedic-medicine-can-cure-covid19-patients-in-514-days-claims-patanjali-heres-everything-you-need-to-know-10012921Boosting Immunity: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/can-you-boost-your-immune-systemRBD: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3630917/ACE2: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/angiotensin-converting-enzyme-2/pdfThe Body of Evidence - The Gauntlet: https://youtu.be/6ug9ZTewcrE Withanone and CAPE for SARS-CoV-2: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07391102.2020.1772108Press on IIT and AIST Study on Ashwagandha: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/diagnostics/ashwagandha-can-be-effective-covid-19-preventive-drug-finds-research-by-iit-delhi-and-japans-aist/75820118Withaferin A on Herpes Simplex virus: https://bmcbioinformatics.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1471-2105-12-S13-S22Ayurveda on Sinusitis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22557218/Divya Shwasari Ras: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0753332220302547Anant Bhan Twitter Thread: https://twitter.com/AnantBhan/status/1275407524368248832?s=20Patanjali's clinical trial registration: http://ctri.nic.in/Clinicaltrials/showallp.php?mid1=43900&EncHid=&userName=patanjaliDr Sumaiya Shaikh: http://sumaiyashaikh.com/about/Dr Sumaiya Shaikh's tweet to Patanjali: https://twitter.com/Neurophysik/status/1275558711428354050?s=20Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Can you boost your immune system? In a way, yes, but not in the way the promoters of alternative medicine want you to think. But there are ways to keep your immune system healthy and functioning optimally. Let's dig a little deeper into how the immune system works, how to keep it healthy and whether or not it can protect you from infections like COVID-19.Home workoutsPaid: ATHLEAN-X | Six Pack Abs and Building Athletic MuscleFree: Fitness BlenderDigging DeeperHow to boost your immune system - Harvard HealthSGU: https://youtu.be/0Ah2p1q2qLUSeeker Human: https://youtu.be/ZTz4qA1gX3kMedsimplified: https://youtu.be/k9QAyP3bYmchttps://www.ted.com/talks/emma_bryce_how_does_the_immune_system_work?language=en#t-37095The Gut: Where Bacteria and Immune System MeetThe role of gut microbiota in immune homeostasis and autoimmunityCovid-19: Can 'boosting' your immune system protect you?Demystifying the manipulation of host immunity, metabolism, and extraintestinal tumors by the gut microbiomeIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Welcome to the first interview of The Rationable Podcast! I'm calling it Rationable Interviews, for what it's worth. This episode features an interview with Dr Shantanu Abhyankar, a gynaecologist by profession and a sceptic activist based in Wai, Maharashtra.I met the good doctor and his wonderful family during the CSICON 2018 in Las Vegas where he presented a white paper on the accomplishments of the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) or Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee and their hard work to implement legislation against superstitious practices and harmful rituals.We speak about his journey from homoeopathy to mainstream medicine, which gives us a very interesting insight into the relationship between alternative medicine and mainstream medicine in India.We explore the relationship between Ayurveda and homoeopathy, their parallels and convergences along with the potential of Ayurveda if it is properly researched. Links:Dr Shantanu Abhyankar on TEDx PICT: https://youtu.be/zXKcRklWkcADr Abhyankar's blog: https://shantanuabhyankar.blogspot.com/Dr Abhyankar on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr-Shantanu-Abhyankar-223318794895179Dr Abhyankar on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShantanuWaiThe Magic of Reality (Marathi) by Richard Dawkins translated by Dr Shantanu Abhyankar: https://amzn.to/3aGNUE9Why is Sex Fun (Marathi) by Jared Diamond translated by Dr Shantanu Abhyankar: https://amzn.to/2S7X3zoMaharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti (MANS) or Maharashtra Blind Faith Eradication Committee: http://antisuperstition.org/The Guru Busters: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2D6C82AA61986624Does Homeopathy work?: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/03/20/does-homeopathy-work?rq=homeopathyIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Another episode of fact-checking coronavirus forwards on social media. Today, we find out why COVID-19 cannot be prevented by homoeopathy, raw onions, vitamin C, vitamin Bs and blowdryers through science and critical thinking. Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.Podcast outroThank you so much for listening to The Rationable Podcast with me, Abhijit. For the show notes, transcript, references and further reading, visit www.berationable.com. Let's continue the conversation on the Rationable Conversations group on Facebook and @berationable on Twitter. You can also write to me at abhijit@berationable.com. If you enjoyed this episode consider subscribing to the podcast and sharing it with your friends and family. Until next time, be rationable.

Today, we dive into one of the longest standing claims about losing weight. No matter which new fad diet pops up, you'll always have someone say, “Just start having several small meals a day. Trust me, it works!” And it does sound plausible. The “logic” people usually put behind it is that it's easier for your body to digest small portions, plus it boosts your metabolism every time you eat. In this episode, we discuss what metabolism is and how to boost it. I also explain terms like caloric restriction, deficit and surplus; TDEE; BMI and BMR, and the roles that have to play in our bodies and fat loss.Further reading and references:Online BMR Calculator: https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/bmr_calculator.htmhttp://www.livestrong.com/article/394573-does-fasting-speed-up-metabolism/http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254&page=1http://www.webmd.com/diet/obesity/features/6_meals_a_day#1https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26024494http://www.health.harvard.edu/diet-and-weight-loss/eating-frequency-and-weight-losshttps://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/mohr16.htmhttp://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/loseweight/Pages/how-can-I-speed-up-my-metabolism.aspxhttp://www.livestrong.com/article/394573-does-fasting-speed-up-metabolism/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MetabolismQuestions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable ConversationsFacebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

A forward has been appearing on WhatsApp and Facebook claiming you can self-check for COVID-19 infection and drinking water and keeping garlic in your mouth can offer coronavirus protection.Of course, all this information is completely false. No evidence has been found to confirm any of these claims. Let's fact-check each claim one by one and see why these claims are wrong. In the end, I'll also tell you why I think these forwards are so compelling.Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Meet Doh Driver. She grew up believing in a whole slew of pseudoscience, including the idea that vaccines were harmful. Through her journey, she began to think more critically of her beliefs until she finally shed them. Now, she talks to anti-vaxxers online to change their minds. This is her story.Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.I had the pleasure of meeting Doh on Facebook after I posted my last article about how I became a sceptic. When she shared her story, I was immediately intrigued and amazed at the journey she had gone through. I asked her to flesh it out and send it over so I could have the pleasure of sharing it with you. So here it is.It takes a lot of courage and insight to break out of belief systems we have had since we were children. Especially in the case of vaccines, nutrition and medicine, these beliefs can be a matter of life and death – for ourselves and our loved ones.If there's one thing you take away from her story (other than the importance of falsifying your beliefs) it's this: when you engage with someone on social media who believes that vaccines are harmful, GMOs are poison or that alternative medicine works, remember they may be on a similar journey. Speak to them with compassion, reason and rationality and you could crack their echo chamber just enough for them to see the light.

In this episode, I set the way back machine to stun and remember the times I had serious smh moments. My beliefs about the ketogenic diet, evolution, aliens and fitness were all thrown into the fire, and rising from those ashes rose a more skeptical me. Here's the story. Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

To me, this is one of the scariest questions we could possibly ask. We know the answer too, and we don't have to go back 20 or 30 years to find it. It's happening right now. I'm sure you've heard of the horrifying measles outbreak in Samoa that still rages on. That's what happens when antivax wishes come true.So how did this happen? And how can we stop it from happening again?Donate to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/samoa-measles-outbreakFurther Reading & References- An introduction to the anti-vaccine movement- Seven worst sources of vaccine information- http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/news-perspective/2019/12/samoa-measles-deaths-rise-70-drc-outbreak-ramps- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/07/samoa-measles-crisis-100-new-cases-as-anti-vaccination-activist-charged- Thread from @drfixus on Twitter: Find the whole thread here: https://twitter.com/drfixus/status/1203478558804529153?s=20Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Another day, another Whatsapp forward. I recently got one from several people since the pollution in Delhi has been making headlines across the world. It describes the foods and nutrients you should eat to fight the effects of the pollution shrouding Delhi and North India. It's immediately appealing because we are all so scared of what all the smog is doing to our lungs and our overall health. People on the streets are wearing masks. I have air purifiers installed all over the house. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could make ourselves immune to pollution with a few simple additions to our diet? To be honest, I'm not optimistic. But I'll reserve my judgement till all the evidence is presented.Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.For the full transcript along with links to citations and further reading, please visit www.berationable.com.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Let me explain why I'm so anti-vape. I've been a smoker for 20 years of my life, and quit just 4 years ago. I have a grudge against harmful addictions and the companies that sell them to kids. It's infuriating because what happened to me is now happening again to a whole new generation of youth through this shiny new thing called an e-cigarette – the perfect way to snag the young and tech obsessed.Turns out my first reaction wasn't completely justified, even if my anger probably is. The answers aren't quite that simple. But we will discuss them in this episode.Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Alternative medicine quacks like Dr Oz and Junger, celebrities, and your lunch table buddies, have claimed that our bodies gather up toxins from our food, drinks and air we breathe. No one ever specifies what these so-called toxins really are, so there's no way these claims can be tested explicitly for a particular chemical.So are these toxins real? We dive into the toxic pond to figure out what's going on.Further Reading and ReferencesBloodletting: https://www.bcmj.org/premise/history-bloodlettingFunctional Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/functional-medicine-the-ultimate-misnomer-in-the-world-of-integrative-medicine/Vaccines: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/7/20/antivax-poking-holes-in-their-argumentsAyurveda: http://www.holistic-online.com/ayurveda/ayv-treatment-panchakarma.htmChinese Medicine: http://www.itmonline.org/arts/bleeding.htmUnani: http://www.greekmedicine.net/therapies/Hygienic_Purification_Therapies.htmlPoisons & Toxins: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/364-poisons-and-toxinsBotulism: https://www.medicinenet.com/botulism/article.htmVenoms: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/venomsPlant toxins: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/plant-toxinApple seeds and Apricot Kernels: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/5/31/3ndxjj5ynmu7qz0rbvejj34ve201uhPoison Mushrooms: https://www.britannica.com/list/7-of-the-worlds-most-poisonous-mushroomsMetals: https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/heavy-metal-poisoning/Particulate Pollutants: https://www.toppr.com/guides/chemistry/environmental-chemistry/particulate-pollutants/Creatinine: https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/what-creatinineLiver: https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/picture-of-the-liver#1Intestines: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-dubious-practice-of-detoxKidneys: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidneys-how-they-workDetox your liver: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/detoxing-your-liver-fact-versus-fictionLose weight: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2017/02/06/lose-belly-fatJuices: https://www.soundbitesrd.com/6-food-myths-dietitians-love-hate/Fibre: http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20181231-is-juicing-actually-good-for-youScience Based Medicinehttps://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-one-thing-you-need-to-know-before-you-detox/https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/detox-scams-are-worthless-and-potentially-dangerous/https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/top-ten-signs-your-detox-may-be-a-scam/https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/detox-what-they-dont-want-you-to-know/https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-detox-scam-how-to-spot-it-and-how-to-avoid-it/Other articles on detoxinghttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/detoxing-your-liver-fact-versus-fictionhttps://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/detox-products-markethttps://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-dubious-practice-of-detoxhttps://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/detoxing-your-liver-fact-versus-fictionhttps://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/05/detox-myth-health-diet-science-ignorancehttps://www.self.com/story/myths-detoxing-totally-falseIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

There is clear evidence showing that vaccines save lives and mostly safe. But I've found a few groups that promote the idea that they are harmful. If you see information coming from these sources saying vaccines are bad, report the post or share it with me. But first, let me introduce you to the seven worst sources for vaccine information (and most other health advice too).References and Further ReadingWHO: https://www.who.int/immunization/programmes_systems/financing/analyses/1_economics_of_immunization_policies.pdf?ua=1NIH: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1140944/Antivax: Poking holes in their claims: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/7/20/antivax-poking-holes-in-their-argumentsProviding vaccines for free: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-28156436Big Pharma & Vaccines: https://www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalraptorblog.php/the-myth-of-big-pharma-vaccine-profits-updated/Vaccines & Autism: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2017/05/vaccines_autism_and_the_promotion_of_irrelevant_research_a_science-pseudosc/How many doctors exist: https://www.reference.com/world-view/many-doctors-world-ef3c66521bd289a8Jenny McCarthy's son: https://hollywoodlife.com/2010/02/26/jenny-mccarthy-says-her-son-evan-never-had-autism/Vaccines Journal: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/vaccineSocial Medicine: https://www.infectiousdiseaseadvisor.com/home/topics/prevention/social-medicine-the-effect-of-social-media-on-the-anti-vaccine-movement/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-centerCDC: https://www.cdc.gov/UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/topics/vaccinesIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at abhijit@berationable.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Anecdotes are all around us, and we encounter them every day. It's the way we humans share information. But there's a problem when it's presented as evidence for a scientific claim. Then it's called anecdotal evidence or argument from personal experience, which is also a logical fallacy called...you guessed it...the Anecdote Fallacy. This is the weakest form of evidence anyone can present for any claim they make. So, should we believe them?Further Reading & ReferencesKeto Diet: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2018/11/19/is-the-ketogenic-diet-the-best-way-to-lose-weightAlternative Medicine: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog?category=Alternative%20MedicineRCTs: * https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/6/11/what-is-evidence-part-1-randomised-controlled-trialsAnecdotal Evidence: *What is Anecdotal Evidence: https://youtu.be/ntEwAnrj0IUhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidencehttps://friendlyatheist.patheos.com/2016/12/19/the-argument-from-personal-experience-debunked/https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Anecdotal_evidenceEvolution of Cognitive Biases: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/9781119125563.evpsych241Confirmation Bias; https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/science-choice/201504/what-is-confirmation-biasThe Dunning Kruger Effect: https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/dunning-kruger-effect/https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com/anecdotalArgument from personal experience Debunked: https://youtu.be/i48zNH_olpsWhy People Believe Weird Things: Science, Pseudoscience, and Critical Thinking by Michael Shermer: https://amzn.to/2SUPwCZQuestions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

It all started with Andrew Wakefield publishing a sham study on how vaccines give children autism. Now, the movement has taken on a life of its own with celebrity endorsers, social media influencers, alternative medicine “gurus” all propagating this idea. Today, we dig into what antivaxxers believe, why it's wrong and how we can help stop the movement.References and Further Reading:Vaccines, Autism, And The Promotion Of Irrelevant Research: A Science-Pseudoscience AnalysisUNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/press-releases/record-number-infants-vaccinated-2017WHO: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/autism-spectrum-disorders; https://www.who.int/publications/10-year-review/vaccines/en/ ; https://www.who.int/vaccine_safety/initiative/detection/immunization_misconceptions/en/index1.htmlIce Cream & Homicide: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2013/07/warm-weather-homicide-rates-when-ice-cream-sales-rise-homicides-rise-coincidence.htmlVaccines & Autism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24814559Influenza Epidemics: https://7news.com.au/news/health/flu-deaths-hit-300-as-season-passes-peak-c-209939; https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/flu-season-in-india-how-prepared-are-you/story-scuyWrIdWgkUZ0Rs2av0aO.htmlDiseases that Vaccines prevent: https://www.who.int/immunization/diseases/en/Kulkarni SV, Narain JP, Gupta S, Dhariwal AC, Singh SK, Macintyre C R. Influenza A (H1N1) in India: Changing epidemiology and its implications. Natl Med J India [Epub ahead of print] [cited 2019 Jul 20]. Available from: http://www.nmji.in/preprintarticle.asp?id=253355Science Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/how-to-respond-to-anti-vaxxers/ and https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/antivaccine-hero-andrew-wakefield-scientific-fraud/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: https://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-centerQuestions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

I'm sure you've heard or said that “Science doesn't know everything”. This is usually in defence of an idea that probably isn't scientific, like homeopathy or god. And that's okay. Because I agree with you. Science doesn't know everything, and probably never will. And here's why.** Further Reading & References**Homeopathy: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/03/20/does-homeopathy-workRCTs: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/6/11/what-is-evidence-part-1-randomised-controlled-trialsQuestions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Just because you might not be a scientist, doesn't mean you can't look for and understand the evidence behind a claim. Now you can get started by investigating randomised controlled trials.Further Reading:If you want to buy the books, I'd appreciate it if you could use the links I've added below. I'll get a small commission which supports Rationable and everything that it does.Bad Pharma by Ben GoldacreTrick or Treatment by Simon Singh and Edzard ErnstHow to read a paper: The basics of evidence-based medicine by Trisha GreenhalghSteven Novella's discussions on p-hacking:https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/get-rid-of-statistical-significance/https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/p-hacking-and-other-statistical-sins/Rationable's article on Homeopathy: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/03/20/does-homeopathy-workhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Randomized_controlled_trialhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Lindhttps://emj.bmj.com/content/20/2/164https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/The blog version of this episode: https://www.berationable.com/rationable-blog/2019/6/11/what-is-evidence-part-1-randomised-controlled-trialsIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

We Indians love our spices, and none more than turmeric. This essential yellow ingredient, in most Indian recipes, was discovered by Ayurveda, adopted by the West and now has come home once again in the form of alternative medicine, or even mainstream medicine, as doctors have started prescribing it. This is all because of a fascinating chemical that Turmeric contains – Curcumin. This molecule is making waves across the world and is being touted as a panacea of sorts that can heal almost anything you can think of – arthritis, diabetes, aches, pains, sore throats, baldness, obesity, heart disease and even cancer. But does curcumin work? If it does, will eating turmeric have the same effect? What are the side effects of turmeric? Is it medicine yet or still in the realm of alternative or complementary medicine?We are getting to the bottom of this today.Citations and Further ReadingArticles:https://medium.com/@gidmk/the-bitter-truth-about-turmeric-8cf9256e73c5https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/turmeric-tasty-in-curry-questionable-as-medicine/https://theness.com/neurologicablog/index.php/curcumin-hype-vs-reality/https://skeptoid.com/blog/2016/06/02/turmeric-what-is-it-good-for/https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2017/01/12/curcumin-will-waste-your-timehttps://examine.com/supplements/curcumin/#summaryhttps://respectfulinsolence.com/2017/08/14/the-death-of-jade-erick-from-intravenous-curcumin-mystery-solved/https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/naturopathic-death-from-iv-turmeric/Papers:https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-10/cmaj-ocs102318.phphttps://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.6b00975https://academic.oup.com/rheumatology/article/42/5/652/1784589https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6073929/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3857752/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5664031/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5003001/Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Recently, a network of radio telescopes spread across the Earth called Event Horizon Telescope pieced together petabytes of data to unveil the first-ever image of a black hole. This is one of the most monumental feats of human ingenuity, engineering and curiosity to date. But why is it such a big deal? How can we see a black hole in the first place? And why is that orange, blurry image so groundbreaking? Let me break it down for you.Links:1) Neutron Stars by Kurzgesagt: https://youtu.be/p_8yK2kmxoo2) Pulsars and Magnetars: https://youtu.be/6EJWIJhLqNk3) Vox on why this black hole image is a big deal: https://youtu.be/pAoEHR4aW8I4) How to understand the image of a black hole by Veritasium: https://youtu.be/zUyH3XhpLTo5) How to take a picture of a black hole by Katie Bouman: https://youtu.be/BIvezCVcsYs6) https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/4/11/18306110/first-image-black-hole-eht-event-horizon-singularity7) https://www.space.com/1st-black-hole-photo-x-ray-neighborhood-views.html8) https://www.space.com/black-hole-event-horizon-images-einstein.html9) https://www.cosmotography.com/images/supermassive_blackholes_drive_galaxy_evolution.htmlIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

If you've been living under a rock, it's probably because you're taking shelter from the falling space debris! But seriously, the Indian ASAT project or “Mission Shakti” as it's been called by the government, has made a big splash across the headlines all over the world and has definitely ruffled some feathers over at NASA. But are they justified in being concerned? Should we have launched ASAT in the first place?Further Readinghttps://www.space.com/india-anti-satellite-test-significance.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/02/world/asia/nasa-india-space-debris.htmlhttps://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/indias-asat-missile-test-created-400-pieces-of-debris-endangering-iss-nasa/article26708817.ecehttp://www.thespacereview.com/article/3686/1https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-satellite_weapon#cite_note-49https://voelkerrechtsblog.org/indias-anti-satellite-missile-test/https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinas-anti-satellite-testntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Homoeopathy, especially in India, is a treatment method in which a lot of people believe. In fact, India is one of the biggest markets for homoeopathic medicine, if not the largest. Plus, it's getting support from the government through the AYUSH initiative. My parents gave me homoeopathic treatments as a child, and they swear by it. In fact, most people do. There are college degrees for it, doctors prescribe it, and infants and animals are said to benefit from it too! But does homoeopathy really work? As I found out, it kind of does, but not in the way you think.The original article with all the references and sources: https://rationable.wordpress.com/2019/03/20/does-homeopathy-work/SkeptoidHomoepathy: Pure water or pure nonsense?: https://skeptoid.com/episodes/4034QuackwatchHomeopathy: The Ultimate Fake: https://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/homeo.htmlDr Shantanu Abhyankar, MDTEDxPICT: Dispelling the myths of homeopathy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXKcRklWkcAIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

In this first episode of The Rationable Podcast, I tell you about my journey into science and critical thinking and how it changed my life. I hope the things we talk about in future episodes helps you fight frauds, fake news and scams.The podcasts I've mentioned can be found here:The Skeptic's Guide to the Universe: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/podcast/sguSkeptoid: https://skeptoid.com/Science Vs: https://www.gimletmedia.com/science-vsStar Talk: https://www.startalkradio.net/If you have any feedback, comments or suggestions, please write to contact.rationable@gmail.comFor the articles this podcast is based on, visit www.rationable.wordpress.com

Green coffee beans and the various versions they come in had become the hot new weight loss supplement that's in everyone's cups and on everyone's lips after celebrity television doctor, Dr Oz, called green coffee a “miracle pill” and then got shamed in front of the US Congress for saying so. But green coffee beans just don't seem to go away! But does it work?Dig Deeper:Congress Vs Dr Oz: https://youtu.be/kgApDJwc4OwScience Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/lessons-from-the-dubious-rise-and-inevitable-fall-of-green-coffee-beans/https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2943088/The Doctors: https://youtu.be/5OlrwOEFQewJohn Oliver on Last Week Tonight: https://youtu.be/WA0wKeokWUUThe Vinson Trial: https://www.dovepress.com/randomized-double-blind-placebo-controlled-linear-dose-crossover-study-peer-reviewed-article-DMSOhttps://www.livestrong.com/article/489309-is-white-kidney-bean-extract-good-for-weight-loss/https://examine.com/supplements/white-kidney-bean-extract/Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Recently, you may have received a message or a video on WhatsApp claiming that cancer is a hoax and is caused by a deficiency of Vitamin B17, otherwise called Amygdalin. Just load up on some B17, and you're cured! Seems a bit too good to be true, if you think about it. But is it true? Today, we dig deeper into cancer, almonds and apricot seeds to see what they are, how they work and if it will heal you or harm you.Dig Deeper:Professor Stick's video: https://youtu.be/dcM0B68xan8https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/laetrile-vitamin-b17#section1https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/cancer-vitamin-b17-deficiency/https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/laetrilehttps://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/55517/is-cancer-caused-by-vitamin-b17-deficiencyhttps://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/health-news-supplements/vitamin-b17-not-vitaminhttps://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Cancer/laetrile.htmlhttps://sciencebasedmedicine.org/faith-and-supplements-b17Intro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

I used to think that the Ketogenic Diet was the ideal way humans should eat. Then, I discovered I was completely wrong. And here's how I figured it out.If you would like to read the article this episode is based on, along with the sources I've cited, visit https://rationable.wordpress.com/2018/11/19/is-the-ketogenic-diet-the-best-way-to-lose-weight/Further Reading & References* https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/mind-guest-blog/the-fat-fueled-brain-unnatural-or-advantageous/* https://theoutline.com/post/6133/the-keto-diet-is-a-recipe-for-disaster* https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/2/21/16965122/keto-diet-resetIntro and outro music: Don't Stop performed by Nothing More, from their album, The Stories We Tell Ourselves. The sound clips have been used with their permission.Questions, suggestions or just want to get in touch? Find me on Instagram and Twitter @berationable and on Facebook @Rationable. Join the conversation on the Rationable Conversations Facebook group and email me at contact.rationable@gmail.com. For more content like this, visit www.berationable.com.

Last year, I wrote a blog about the future of the LGBTQ+ community in India after the overthrowing of Section 377. This is what Indians need to do to make ours a more inclusive society.It's at times like these that we feel India is headed in the right direction. After all, this is a massive step forward in a country whose belief systems are still very conservative, to say the least. And it is most definitely worth celebrating that we have recognised a truth that many nations still haven't. But we do have a long way to go.