UPDATED: May 13, 2025
Welcome to the Healthy Living Is Good Medicine Newsletter, a totally free, health education publication covering a wide variety of topics, with original articles intended to help people lead healthier and more fulfilling lives.
Dear Reader,
I hope you’ve noticed an underlying motivation for my Newsletters, updates to my Posts, random Notes, and my frequent Comments: It’s the joy that I experience from continually learning new things and then sharing what I've learned with others.
My focus on lifestyles reflects my own transformation over the years. I take the position that healthy living is for everyone, while recognizing that not everyone is for healthy living. The benefits have been obvious to me, and to those who know me personally. Yet, the amount of resistance that some people have to making healthy changes in their life is truly impressive.
If it seems like I’ve put an emphasis on nutrition, eating an omnivorous, plant-leaning diet, and creative healthy cooking, it’s because those are the subjects that I know a lot more about. My undergraduate degree in biochemistry heightened my interest in the medical aspects of nutrition and diets for illness prevention. My family includes culinary arts professionals. All of us are foodies to some extent.
What I’ve Learned About Healthy Eating
If you aren’t familiar with my most comprehensive book, it offers an in-depth look at the nutritional principles behind a healthy diet, helps stock a pantry, shows how to make healthy meal preparation can be really easy, and provides a hundred recipes to inspire cooking creativity. The recently updated eBook, “Rx for Healthy Eating,” is now available from Barnes & Noble, the Google Play Bookstore, and Amazon’s Kindle Books. It costs less than a burger and fries, and won’t clog your arteries.
If you’re new to the world of digital libraries, you don't need a special device to read eBooks. Simply download the appropriate app onto your computer, smartphone, or tablet, download the eBook that you want, and you're good to go. It’s a brilliant way to have a personal library in your pocket at all times.
You can stimulate an interest in healthy eating and support my work as a healthy living messenger by downloading the book. It’s also easy to send it as a gift to those you care about. It costs less than a burger and fries, but unlike fast food, it could spare you from a heart attack. Even if you think you know all about healthy eating, I’m sure you’ll learn something new and valuable from reading the book.
The Evolution of Writers’ Tools
Throughout history, writers have relied upon a variety of tools to record their thoughts, stories, and knowledge. These tools have evolved dramatically over time, shaping not only how writing is done, but also who could write and what could be written and shared.
In ancient times, early writers used natural surfaces and materials. The Commandments allegedly handed to Moses were etched in stone. The Sumerians, using human’s first known writing system, pressed cuneiform symbols into clay tablets using a reed stylus.
The Egyptians used papyrus scrolls and reed brushes dipped in ink made from soot, acacia gum, and water. In China, writing that began on oracle bones and bamboo slips, eventually resulted in the invention of paper, which revolutionized written communications.
During the Middle Ages in Europe, parchment and vellum were common writing surfaces. Monks meticulously copied texts by hand, using feather-quill pens and iron gall ink. This labor-intensive process made books rare and prohibitively expensive.
The world was suddenly changed by Johannes Gutenberg’s invention of the printing press in the 15th century. With movable type and mechanization of the printing process, writers could now reach mass audiences, creating a new era of literacy and the widespread sharing of ideas. The printing press had a profound impact on religion, particularly during the Reformation.
The 19th and 20th centuries saw the introduction of typewriters, allowing for faster and more legible writing. Manual typewriters became more portable, and were later supplanted by electric typewriters, epitomized by the IBM Selectric III in 1980. The following year, IBM debuted its personal computer, running Micropro's WordStar as the world's first word-processing software.
Computers and word processors have dramatically transformed writing by providing an all-in-one suite of tools for editing, formatting, and publishing. Today's digital platforms, including smartphones and cloud-based apps, allow writers to create and share their work instantly with a global audience.
While writers’ tools have radically changed over the centuries, their purpose remains the same: to express, preserve, and share the human experience, and to help people make meaningful interpersonal connections. However, mastering the modern tools for writing and publishing can be challenging, and lead to much frustration.
What I’ve Learned About Computers
I didn't want to buy a new laptop, but the devil made me do it. I'm referring to the devil in the details of planned obsolescence.
It all began innocently enough. I wanted to use a web-based app, but a pop-up window said I needed to update my browser. My browser wouldn't let me update it without first updating my operating system. When I tried updating the OS, it informed me that it wouldn't run on my old but still very healthy computer. It seemed I had fallen victim to a digital conspiracy to make me buy something I didn’t really need.
I was going to stick with my trusty laptop and forego the latest apps, until I learned that the Trump tariffs might drive computer prices way up. So, it seemed like it would have to be now or never if I wanted to keep up with the unending changes in hardware and software.
What I can report back as an end-user is that with all of its fancy (and time-wasting) bells and whistles, and my having to learn my way around a new operating system and its updated apps, the new computer has made my life more complicated, instead of easier.
I'm actually using my old laptop as I write this. It may technically be obsolete (and maybe I am, too), but the two of us still get along very well together and we get the job done quickly and efficiently.
I don’t want to abandon my trusted digital companion, but just in case it starts to falter, I have everything mirrored on the new computer. For now, however, the new one will just have to sit there, quietly awaiting its chance to take over my life. I sure hope it doesn’t become obsolete in the meantime.
What I've Learned About Substack
As with other social media platforms, Substack does not verify the credentials of those who publish on it, nor moderate its posts and notes in order to weed out those with misinformation (unwitting), disinformation (deliberate lies), or those with nefarious or malicious agendas. Readers, beware! To help with this all-too-common problem, I have posted articles about who to trust online and how to recognize those with hidden agendas.
Although anyone can express their opinion on Substack, only bonafide experts have expert opinions in the field of their expertise. Their work still needs to be reviewed and validated by their peers. Most professional science writers can accurately convey those expert opinions, but some of them may be biased, and it is important to know who is paying them.
If someone lacks the necessary credentials, they might not be credible sources of information. Sadly, there are credentialed scientists posting on Substack who are industry shills, contrarian physicians selling subscriptions to the alternative medicine crowd, anti-vaccine doctors seeking financial support for their delusional position, and outright quacks peddling expensive proprietary treatments.
As you know, my Newsletter is free, and I have no services or supplements for sale. I will, however, promote my reasonably priced eBooks, because I truly believe that they can make a difference in the quality of people's lives and their health-span.
The main reason I'm not giving my books away is that, unlike this Newsletter, when people spend money to buy a book, it increases their commitment to read it. In contrast, only a third of my subscribers open their free Newsletter when it arrives by email.
You might wonder why I bother to write on Substack when two-thirds of my Newsletters aren’t read. There are at least three ways that I can benefit from writing, even without a readership:
It keeps my brain engaged to be thinking about what to write, doing background research on the subject, composing drafts, editing what I’ve written, and then updating articles as I continue to acquire new information. All that mental activity is good for my cognitive health.
I get great feedback from those who do read what I’ve written, which keeps me virtually connected to a great online community. That sense of connection is good for my mental and physical health.
By sharing information that contributes to people’s health and wellbeing, I’m doing more than just taking up space on an overpopulated planet. Being socially productive not only justifies my existence; it also provides me with a sense of purpose, which is health-promoting.
What I've Learned About eBooks
We've grown up reading books, magazines, and newspapers that are printed on paper. That's what we've been used to, and that's what many of my older readers still prefer. However, if you're reading this now, you already have at least one foot in the digital reading camp, so, why not go all the way?
Don't get me wrong; I have huge bookshelves filled with printed books that I still cherish. However, I rarely carry them with me anymore. Instead, I have the convenience of a digital library on my iPhone, wherever I go. These are some of the reasons I’m doing all future publishing in digital format:
From an author's perspective, one of the really great things about publishing a science-based eBook is that it never has to become outdated. Digital versions with reflowing text are very easy to update with new information. Any necessary changes or corrections can be made quickly, without dealing with the formatting challenges imposed by printed books. Nit-picking about the bottom of the letter "J" touching the left margin nearly drove me crazy while trying to reformat a printed book after updating it. That experienced convinced me to: (1) Never use words that start with "J" or (2) Just stop publishing printed books.
Depending upon their publisher, readers may be able to download updated versions of any eBooks that they have purchased, for no additional charge. Some digital booksellers may allow freely sharing purchases with other family members. There are lots of other advantages that eBooks have over their printed counterparts:
eBooks are easier for authors to produce than printed books, so they are more plentiful.
Digital versions may cost considerably less than their printed versions.
The inclusion of color images doesn't drive up printing costs, like it does with printed books.
Inflation and supply chain problems don't directly impact eBook publication costs.
eBooks can be read immediately after purchasing, with no shipping charges.
Authors can easily make updates, correcting, revising, and adding new information.
Although available, you don't need a special device to read them.
You can download free eBook reader apps for your computer, tablet, and smartphone.
Once purchased, eBooks are available on all your devices at no extra charge.
With a smartphone, you can always have your entire eBook Library with you.
They can come with accessibility features for those who need them.
You can customize font style, font size, page appearance, and scrolling method.
eBooks can be interactive, letting you look up the meaning of words, and make notes.
You can underline or highlight sentences, then modify or remove your markup.
You can copy parts of the text and paste it elsewhere.
You can make virtual "dog-ears" and later remove them, without leaving a crease.
You can place bookmarks, and return to them quickly.
The entire text is searchable, which is much easier than using a print-book's index.
A pop-up table of contents enables you to quickly jump to any chapter.
Footnotes and references can have clickable links to websites.
You may be able to turn on an eBook's text-to-speech option.
They can be read in bed at night without a reading light that disturbs your partner.
They don't get lost, misplaced, smudged, torn, chewed on by you dog, or borrowed and not returned.
They are very easy to give as gifts with an emailed redemption coupon.
eBooks don't consume trees to make paper, so they're better for the environment.
Online eBook delivery avoids the burning of fossil fuels by delivery vehicles.
Unlike paper books that can be banned and burned by authoritarian regimes, digital media is more stealth and evasive of censorship.
If you already bought the paperback but don't want to carry it around, order the eBook version (if available), and you'll have the best of both worlds.
Let me know if you think of more reasons to go digital, and I’ll add them to this list in an update.
What I’ve Learned About Being a Writer
There’s always room for presenting new approaches to the conventional wisdom of preventive medicine. As a health educator, I think about those kinds of things a lot. How can I present what is already known about a topic in ways that will be more effective in motivating people? Staying healthy takes work, and I want to convince my readers that it's worth the effort.
As a writer, the most important thing for me has been to not keep mulling over ideas in my head, but to start writing them down soon after I’ve had them. Ideas will often pop up while I’m taking a walk. I’ll pull out my phone and dictate a note that will later jog my memory.
While mulling things over, I don't wait for fully formed sentences to emerge. I just start writing down random thoughts, without judging anything that I've written, and the magic seems to happen on its own, a kind of alchemy. As has been said, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” An article or book begins with a single word.
Once I’ve written a few paragraphs that I feel good about, I might post them on Substack Notes to see what kind of feedback I’ll get. That’s similar to product testing with a focus group. Through those kinds of online interactions my writing process can grow organically.
After a while, It will start feeling that I absolutely have to write, because I’m overflowing with ideas. The challenge then becomes setting aside enough time for me to be productive. We all seem to lead such busy lives, and because there are only 24 hours in a day, we need to prioritize the things that will get done, and let go of the ones that won’t.
Writing and rewriting is essential for effective written communication. Even after I’ve posted something, I’ll can keep coming up with new ways to explain things better. Consequently, my writing keeps evolving, as do I. However, at some point, I need to accept that what I’ve written is good enough as is, and move on to my next project.
What I've Learned About Digital Publishing
Some publishers, such as Amazon's Kindle, provide authors with tools that make it easy to create book covers and preview text before publishing. All of them allow prospective readers to preview the first part of the book, but only Barnes & Noble allows the author to select what part of the book can be previewed. Kindle is by far the largest publisher of eBooks, but for people who have issues with Amazon or its owner, the alternatives have the same royalty structure.
I've had issues with the other players in the digital publishing business and will no longer use them. Apple Books has too many hoops that authors must jump through to get published, and they don't respect their authors' privacy concerns. Kobo Writing Life uses a buggy AI bot to screen digital books for compliance with their terms and conditions, and mistakenly flags what it thinks are violations. When trying to rectify these problems, I found that both of these publishing platforms have very poor author support.
Digital Publishing and Healthy Living
One thing that sets Substack apart is how easy it is for established authors and would-be authors to publish their writing. I generally shun social media, but when some scientists and doctors I respect moved to this platform, I saw that as a recommendation, and signed up. Doing so has helped me reach a much wider audience. Publishing on Substack allows me to participate in a diverse online community of remarkable individuals who share my goal of helping people become healthier.
We are, by nature, social primates. We need community. Our lives depend upon it. Being socially isolated is extremely unhealthy. Yet, as more of my friends and family have moved away, or passed away, my social circle has been progressively shrinking. Although online relationships don't have the same degree of warmth as in-person ones do, they are clearly better than nothing, and they do inspire me to keep on writing.
A heartfelt “Thank you!” to those of you who have responded kindly to my Notes and Newsletters. While not as emotionally nourishing as a warm embrace, a thoughtful online comment, an appropriate criticism, or even just saying “Hello!” goes a long way toward generating feelings of social connection and creating a sense of community.
The Health Risks of Social Isolation and Loneliness
A third of American adults experience long-term loneliness. The harmful impacts of social isolation can be compared to smoking and obesity when it comes to cardiovascular disease and strokes. Loneliness increases susceptibility to anxiety and depression, and adds to the risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases.
Social isolation and loneliness have a clear and significant impact upon both cardiovascular and brain health. In recent years, there has been an increasing prevalence of social isolation. As a risk factor, it has made chronic loneliness a pressing public health concern.
According to the U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 Advisory on social connection and community, data across 148 population-based studies suggest that social connection increases the average odds of survival by 50 percent. It is estimated that the dangers of social isolation are equivalent to smoking as many as 15 cigarettes a day.
Recognition of the risks is nothing new. A 2010 review of previous studies and meta-analysis of their data found that peoples' social relationships have as much influence on their mortality risk as any of the other well-established risk factors. A 2013 study explored the relationship between social isolation and mortality in a nationally representative sample of the U.S. population and found that the predictive power of social isolation for all-cause mortality is as good as the other clinical risk factors.
So, dear reader, please know that I value our online relationship, and the health and wellness community that we have created. I look forward to your feedback, and our continued collaboration in making healthy living good medicine.
Digitally yours,
Dr. Mick
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These Posts can be updated at any time. Please check back here again to find the most up-to-date information.
You can find many more articles about Healthy Living in my Post Archive.
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