On days when you’re craving something you can no longer eat without suffering the consequences, it’s tempting to ask why can’t I? This can be especially true when other people with the same diagnosis can tolerate something you can’t. It’s hard to watch them enjoying the thing you want.
The easy answer is, you can. You can consume things that will hurt you. A better question is why would you want to?
I mean, I know why you may desire a certain crunch or a perfect mix of chocolate and mint, but how can it be worth harming yourself to have it? I’m guessing that such a choice is most often made because we don’t really believe that we’re hurting ourselves. We think that as long as we don’t overdo, we’ll be fine.
In some cases, this is true. A few dips of a chip in salsa may not be enough to trigger an adverse reaction if you have MCAS.
In other cases, such a test could be deadly. A bite of peanut butter could trigger anaphylaxis.
It is key to learn as much as you can about any condition you’ve been diagnosed with so you know the potential risks. From that point, you can make the best decisions.
How is that going to look now that medical journals are changing, the NIH has morphed, AI is generating fiction, and scientific research funding is diminishing?
I’m not sure. For over 20 years, I’ve relied on peer reviewed studies published in major medical journals or posted on https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/ Now it feels like we’re going back to the days when that may not be possible. This time it won’t be because technology and data don’t exist, but because reliable facts get obscured by fiction even in publications and institutions that were previously grounded in the best science has to offer.
This is dangerous for those who constantly press the Why Can’t I? button. They’ll soon be able to justify all manner of risky activity. And their doctor may be uniformed or misinformed by manipulators of technology and information.
If you want reliable information, now is the time to find some internationally respected doctors, researchers, area experts, journalists, and public health officials who are trustworthy, knowledgeable, and unwavering. Follow them on social media and rely on resources they vet.
Here are a few to consider:
On BlueSky:
Dr. Noor Bari @njbbari3.bsky.social
Helen Branswell @helenbranswell.bsky.social
Dr. David Fisman @dfisman.bsky.social
Dr. T. Ryan Gregory @tryangregory.bsky.social
Dr. Bill Hanage @billhanage.bsky.social
Dr Zoë Hyde @drzoehyde.bsky.social
Dr. Jose-Luis Jimenez @jljcolorado.bsky.social
Dr, Abraar Karan @abraarkaran.bsky.social
Dr. A Marm Kilpatrick @disease-ecology.bsky.social
Dr. Anthony Leonardi @fitterhappieraj.bsky.social
Dr. Ryan Marino @ryanmarino.bsky.social
Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social
Dr. Kimberly Prather @kprather.bsky.social
Dr. Raj Rajnarayanan @rajlabn.bsky.social
Dr. Angie Rasmussen @angierasmussen.bsky.social
Dr. Eric Topol @erictopol.bsky.social
Dr. Lucky Tran @luckytran.com
Dr. Yaneer Bar-Yam @yaneerbaryam.bsky.social
Ed Yong @edyong209.bsky.social
On X (mostly because she’s entertaining)
Dr. Ashley Winter @AshleyGWinter
This is not meant to be a comprehensive list. And, as the last few years have shown, some doctors pivot away from evidence due to political pressure. Keep an eye out for that. Believe me, I’d love to leave social media out of the picture, but it’s going to be an important resource in the US for the next few years as we navigate AI and changes in public health priorities.
If you hope to reach optimal health, your answer to why can’t I may be vastly different than your friend’s or family member’s. They may try to push you their direction armed with information that appears legitimate but was generated by a non-human hallucination. Your doctor may be lost in the fog of opposing forces that are currently clashing regarding medical and public health policy.
Those with chronic disease and unpopular (not a scientific measure by the way) conditions will be facing a stronger than ever undertow when trying to get diagnosis and treatment. It’s going to be tough to make good health decisions for awhile because all information must be double-checked and triple vetted.
Find resources like those above and use them as a life jacket to keep afloat in these stormy seas. We will get to shore, but it may be a long, exhausting swim! In the meantime, it’s more critical than ever to be your own best advocate!
