Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
How to Lie With Science: Seed Oils & Inflammation | M&M Livestream 1
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Deep-dive into a 2026 cardiology review paper claiming seed oils reduce inflammation, exposing misrepresentations of cited clinical trials, and detailing how oxidized Ω-6 fats trigger inflammation.
Companion article: Click HERE
TOPICS DISCUSSED:
- Seed Oil Profiles: Typical seed oils like sunflower are high in linoleic acid (omega-6 PUFA), while canola is higher in monounsaturated fats and resembles olive oil.
- Review Paper Critique: The 2026 JACC review falsely claims sunflower oil reduce inflammation like olive oil, citing an RCT that showed benefits only for canola and olive.
- RCT Analysis: In Iranian women with metabolic issues, switching to canola or olive oil lowered CRP by increasing MUFA and decreasing PUFA intake; sunflower oil produced no change.
- CRP Biology: CRP responds to oxidized lipids and cellular damage patterns, rising with exercise or infection and marking oxidized Ω-6 metabolites in modern diets.
- Oxidized Lipids: Ω-6 fats in LDL and cardiolipin oxidize easily, generating 4-HNE, MDA, and other signals that trigger immune clearance, similar to bacterial threats.
- Sterile Inflammation: High dietary linoleic acid causes chronic immune activation without pathogens, potentially contributing to metabolic and cardiovascular issues.
PRACTICAL TAKEAWAYS:
- Prioritize monounsaturated fats from olive or avocado oil over high-linoleic seed oils like standard sunflower or soybean for lower oxidative stress potential.
- Check labels for high-oleic versions of sunflower oil, which shift the profile toward monounsaturated fats.
- Evaluate nutrition claims by examining original studies and fatty acid compositions rather than accepting review summaries at face value.
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