Testing the Insulin Model: A Response to Dr. Ludwig

Dr. David Ludwig, MD, recently published a response to my critique of the carbohydrate-insulin-obesity hypothesis.  This is good because he defends the idea in more detail than I've encountered in other written works.  In fact, his piece is the most scientifically persuasive defense of the idea I can recall.

Before we dig in, I want to emphasize that this is science, not tribal warfare.  The goal is to arrive at the best answer, rather than to win an argument.  I'm proceeding in good faith, based on my belief that Ludwig and I are both serious people who care about science and human health, and I hope my audience will do the same.  That said, let's get to it.

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Ransomware Is The Newest Virus Wreaking Havoc On PC Users

Let's face facts. If you own a computer, whether it be a laptop, desktop, or tablet, you run the risk of getting some type of virus. Computer viruses come in all types of variations and can wreak total havoc on your technology. It seems that a new type of virus or malware is popping up every day and the most recent one is a real piece of work.

The newest computer virus to plague is known as Ransomware. Ransomware is a malware that is used by underground criminals to get cash quickly from the pockets of innocent computer users. Ransomware is a virus that takes control of your entire computer, locking it down, and demanding a "ransom" from you, the user, in order to get control of your PC back. While users were quick to shell out the money when Ransomware first arrived on the scene, we now have better ways to combat it. To learn more about Ransomware and how to combat it, go here!

How Much do You Know About Your Own Brain?

We tend to believe we're aware of what's happening in our own brains, and also in conscious control of our behavior.  But a growing body of neuroscience and psychology research demonstrates that most of what happens inside the brain-- including the processes that cause us to select and execute behaviors-- is beyond our conscious awareness.  This has important implications for our eating behavior, body weight, and health, as I explore in my upcoming book The Hungry Brain.

Let me give you a straightforward example that illustrates how little of our brain's activity we're aware of.  It focuses on information processing by the visual system, which is one of the best-understood systems of the brain.  I drew the basic facts of this example from a recent talk by the accomplished neuroscience researcher Marcus Raichle, who studies patterns of activity in the human brain.

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