Nutrition For Mortals

Across headlines, documentaries, and social media posts, nitrate-cured processed meats are often talked about with the same language once used for cigarettes. Bacon, hot dogs, deli turkey, pepperoni—foods many people grew up eating—are now linked in people’s minds with colon cancer and claims that nitrates are “poisoning” us. Meanwhile, Americans consume billions and billions of dollars of processed meat each year. So what gives? How should we think about nitrates and processed meats? And are “uncured” meats really safer? Join us, two registered dietitians, as we explore what the research actually says about the connection between processed meats and cancer risk.
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Things we talked about and additional reading: 
Trends in meat consumption in the United States
1980 NYT: U.S. Will Not Seek to Ban Nitrite From Foods as a Cause of Cancer
N-nitrosamines in processed meats: exposure, formation and mitigation
IARC Monographs Volume 114 
Agents classified by the IARC Monographs
IARC Q&As
Role of Nitrite Exposure from Processed Meat Consumption in the Development of CRC
Carcinogenicity of consumption of red and processed meat
CRC Facts & Figures 2023-2025
Geographic and age variations in mutational processes in colorectal cancer
Trends in Daily Cigarette Consumption Among Smokers: A Population Study in England, 2008–2023
Low-intensity smoking and increased risk of earlier death
For feedback or to suggest a show topic email us at [email protected]
Feel free to contact our real, live nutrition counseling practice
**This podcast is for information purposes only, is not a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice, and does not constitute a patient-provider relationship**

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Across TikTok, Reddit, and podcast circuits, young men are being sold a blueprint for increasing their testosterone. Known as ‘T-maxxing’, this trend is a mix of diet rules, supplement stacks, gym routines, and lifestyle hacks all centered around boosting testosterone as the ultimate marker of health. But behind the steak, organ meats, and anti-soy rhetoric is a more complicated story—one that blends kernels of physiology with a heavy dose of misinformation, cherry-picked science, and cultural anxiety. So join us, two registered dietitians, as we unpack the science of testosterone, break down the foods and supplements at the center of T-maxxing, and explore the deeper cultural forces driving this trend—from body image to belonging to the pressure to “optimize” masculinity—even when that pressure is built on shaky science and unrealistic ideals.
Want to support the show and get bonus episodes? Join our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nutritionformortals
Leave us a voicemail that may be featured on a future episode! Call us at (562)-N4M-POD1 (562-646-7631). 
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Things we talked about and additional reading: 
Testosterone in hunter-gatherer men #1
Testosterone in hunter-gatherer men #2
Secular trends in testosterone over time
Cholesterol intake not associated with total testosterone levels in men
Associations between vitamin D status and testosterone levels in men
Associations between omega-3 FA and testosterone levels in men 
Fish Intake and Serum Testosterone Levels in Older Males
Huberman Partners with Momentous Supplements 
Andrew Huberman’s Mechanisms of Control | NY Mag
Tongkat Ali meta-analysis
Testosterone and human behavior 
Testosterone causes both prosocial and antisocial status-enhancing behaviors in human males
Testosterone and cortisol “dual hormone hypothesis”
Experiment with manipulated “win” or “loss” on androgens and psychology in men 
Gynecomastia and soy case report #1 
Gynecomastia and soy case report #2
Meta-Analysis: intake of soy on reproductive hormones in men 
Are Soy isoflavones truly a public health concern?
Gynecomastia from meat in Italian school 
Gynecomastia from meat in Puerto Rican Children 
For feedback or to suggest a show topic email us at [email protected]
Feel free to contact our real, live nutrition counseling practice
**This podcast is for information purposes only, is not a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice, and does not constitute a patient-provider relationship**

Joel Wallach built an empire on a wild promise: that EVERY single human disease is simply the result of a mineral deficiency. Through his lectures and various supplement companies, his message reached millions and made him a central figure in one of the most controversial corners of the wellness world. From his “90 essential nutrients” claim to the spread of COVID-19 pseudoscience, this story isn’t just unusual—it’s a case study in how confidently presented misinformation can evolve, expand, and ultimately shape the way people think about health.  So join us, two registered dietitians, as we dig into the science, the saga, and the spectacle of the multi-level marketing machine that is Youngevity. 
Want to support the show and get bonus episodes? Join our Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/nutritionformortals
Leave us a voicemail that may be featured on a future episode! Call us at (562)-N4M-POD1 (562-646-7631). 
We’ve got MERCH! Check it out HERE
Don’t want to miss any episodes in the future? Make sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!
Things we talked about and additional reading: 
Dead Doctors Don’t Lie Book
Dead Doctors Don’t Like VHS
The Wallach Revolution
The 90 Essential Minerals
Youngevity Website
More on Ultratrace Minerals
Youngevity and FTC Trouble
Youngevity Delisted
For feedback or to suggest a show topic email us at [email protected]
Feel free to contact our real, live nutrition counseling practice
**This podcast is for information purposes only, is not a substitute for individual medical or mental health advice, and does not constitute a patient-provider relationship**

Hear the rest of this episode and access our full back-catalog of bonus episodes on Patreon for only $3!
Head to our Patreon to sign up: ⁠patreon.com/nutritionformortals⁠⁠