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Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

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In 2021, Don’t Deprive Yourself

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In the Before Times, I wrote a column called Optimize Me, about the most bizarre things people did to their bodies in the name of health. Occasionally, these “wellness hacks” were scientifically backed, but more often they were misguided and even concerning at times. Some of them were efficiency tricks to get more time out of the day — using electric shocks to fast-track a workout or accelerated listening settings to consume more content. Others involved injecting substances into people’s bloodstreams and, ahem, backdoors.

Looking back on these articles now, after a year of hardship and suffering, some of these optimization trends, particularly the ones focused on deprivation, seem downright perverse.

Why would you ever intentionally deny yourself of the fleeting moments of joy life offers you? (And by the way, that’s not how dopamine works.)

Why would you commit to an all-meat diet and starve yourself of fruit and vegetables, the source of so many essential vitamins and minerals needed to maintain optimal immune health?

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Elemental
Elemental

Published in Elemental

Elemental is a former publication from Medium for science-backed health and wellness coverage. Currently inactive and not taking submissions.

Dana G Smith
Dana G Smith

Written by Dana G Smith

Health and science writer • PhD in 🧠 • Words in Scientific American, STAT, The Atlantic, The Guardian • Award-winning Covid-19 coverage for Elemental

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