When in Doubt…

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When I was doing a post-doc in the late 1980s, I was part of a team of researchers who tested a group of swimmers. This was one of four parts of an overall documentary on an innovative look at health by the PBS’s Nova. I had about a half-second of screen time in this PBS film and that was it; no YouTube or Instagram videos to show. But the segment that had the most impact on me was a section on what to do when you think you’re having a heart attack.

The film crew happened on a case where a man didn’t feel right and thought he was having a heart attack, so he went to see his cardiologist. The nurse said he should go to the emergency room. He drove there by himself. There were many factors pointed out by an ER doc, but here are the two most important lessons:

  • Heart attack pain can vary but most often presents itself as an elephant sitting on your chest and you can’t breathe.
  • Call 911 or if you are close to an ER, have someone drive you but don’t drive yourself. Ambulance personnel know what to do to prevent further damage to your heart if it’s a heart attack, not to mention that they’re less likely to pass out.

Since watching that documentary, my mantra is when in doubt, check it out. Now.

During tomorrow night’s Insider Conference Call, I’m going to talk about two primary topics: the potential use of vaccines to prepare for future infections and the timing of intermittent fasting. If you become an Insider by 8 p.m. ET Wednesday evening, you can participate in the call and get your questions answered.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Does Your Weight Affect Disease?

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Researchers from Finland investigated the relationship between being overweight/obese and infectious diseases. Not any one specific disease—all 925 of the known microbes that cause infectious diseases. They used data from two Finnish studies and the UK Biobank Study. They obtained the height and weight to calculate BMI and examined hospital and death records from the electronic medical records of both countries.

They used data from 2018 through 2020, deemed before COVID, 2021 during COVID, and 2023 after COVID; they looked for hospitalizations and death due to infections. There were about 47,700 Finnish subjects and 479,500 UK subjects. The researchers used the standard definitions of normal, overweight, and the four classes of obesity: normal BMI less than 24.9 kg/m2, overweight as 25.0 – 29.9, grade I obesity as 30.0 – 34.9, grade II obesity as 35.0 – 39.9, and greater than 40.0 as grade III obesity.

Comparing grade III obesity with normal-weight subjects, they found the risk of infections and deaths was three times greater in the obese subjects. Combining all the data, the risk of infectious diseases contributing to hospitalizations and death increased in a stepwise manner. Simply put, as the level of obesity rose, so did the risk of infectious diseases. One more thing? The hazard ratio increased dramatically during the COVID epidemic and returned close to baseline after the pandemic ended.

The Bottom Line

This is just one study and because it’s an observational study, no cause and effect can be determined. But my feeling is that this should give pause to everyone who carries extra body fat. The very nature of being overweight or obese compromises the immune system; that means the person is at risk for an infectious disease from any one of 925 potential microbes and maybe more by now. This is the time to work toward getting to a normal weight for your height. Increase your healthspan: Eat less. Eat better. Move more.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: Lancet 2026; 407:951–62

A Longer Healthspan

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I’m back! The cataract surgery on the second eye was successful; there’s one more exam to make sure everything is healing properly. Then it’s a matter of the full recovery to get my reading vision back to normal. But for everything besides that, it’s a whole new world. The colors are more vivid and I can see distance, say two feet and greater, just fine. Getting used to the sunlight and possible new prescription for up-close work, I’m back.

While reading for long periods will take some time as my eyes heal, I’ve been listening to several podcasts. I heard an expression I hadn’t heard before: healthspan. In the current longevity movement, the focus should be on how many healthy years you live, not how many years you’re alive. No matter your age today, especially if you’re younger, the lifestyle you lead today directly impacts your healthspan. Thinking about it, that’s what I’ve always tried to do: teach you how to do the things today that will help you live a healthy life as long as you can. It’s better to prevent a disease than treat one.

Of course, accidents happen and you can’t control every virus or bacteria that comes your way. But preparing your body now can help in dealing with what comes your way in the future. That all begins with what I said before spring break: Eat better. Eat less. Move more.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Spring Means Renewal

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It’s no secret I’ve had one cataract removed, and the other eye is next week. When I was having the surgeon check the eye this week, he asked me a question. The conversation went something like this.

“Do you have a son?”

“No,” said I.

“I was wondering because there’s this guy on the radio, usually during lunchtime, who I think is a physician. Because your name is similar, I thought he might be related. He always talks about health and how to be healthier.”

“Is he called Dr. Chet?” I asked.

“That’s right!” he said.

Then I said, “That’s me. I’m Dr. Chet.”

His reaction was terrific. He thought that was the coolest thing. I thanked him for asking me if I had a son because that meant my voice didn’t sound like an old man. It’s nice to have your ego boosted like that once in a while. We’ll see each other again on the surgery table this coming week so he can replace my other lens. I certainly appreciate his expertise.

I’m going to take next week off and enjoy Riley’s Spring Break while I recover from the surgery. For sure I’ll be writing about it at some point, and the surgeon said if I had any questions about procedures, just ask. I certainly will take him up on that.

Because spring is a time for nature to renew the earth from the winter, take some time to practice some new habits to enhance your body’s renewal. A couple of hints? Eat better. Eat Less. Move more.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Are Peptide Shots Safe?

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The FDA held a meeting at last Friday to define what constitutes “from foods” in dietary supplements. The focus was on peptides, short chains of amino acids that have many functions in the body. For example, GLP-1 receptor agonists that are popular for type 2 diabetes and weight loss is a peptide. Insulin is also a peptide. There are an estimated 300,000 peptides that have various functions in the body. We only know what a few hundred do, but there’s great hope for what peptides can do in the body to address specific needs.

The dietary supplement industry has a great interest in having peptides classified as a food so they wouldn’t require the same proof of benefit as pharmaceuticals must meet. There are two problems as I see it. First, there are no research studies from human trials to support the notion that the peptides are safe. We don’t know proper dosing, side effects, nor adverse events in humans. There seems to be plenty of testimonials that circulate on social media but no real trials to assess safety.

Second, and more important, the delivery system has to be intravenous or intramuscular. That means a person will have to inject themselves with a liquid and trust that it’s manufactured under sterile conditions with no contaminants. I don’t know about you, but I draw the line when there is no safety data if I have to break the skin to inject something into my body.

If you want to know more about these peptides and their safety, the research that has been done, the potential benefits they could have, and the general tone of the FDA meeting, sign up to be a Member or Insider as I’ll cover them in the monthly update. The audio should land sometime Friday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Everything Old Is New Again

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In Tuesday’s Memo, I said I’ve heard this song before. Actually, I’ve heard it twice before. Due to the nature of this trip around the world of high protein, the song “Everything Old is New Again” seems completely appropriate.

The first time I heard the high-protein song was in the early 1990s. When the first Dietary Guidelines were published after the 1977 McGovern Report on American Diet recommendations, every manufacturer tried everything they could to get fat out of their products; that led to products high in sugar and food additives to give the sensation of fat on the tongue. Remember the Snackwell cookies? It also led to other low-fat and low-sodium foods such as Healthy Choice brands. If you could pick one time that jumpstarted the countless ultra-processed foods we have today, I would pick that time.

The second time was the low-carb craze that began with the second generation of the Atkins Diet craze in the early 2000s. I can remember low-carb stores opening just about everywhere. They closed just about as fast; that wave didn’t last long. Evidently, people aren’t interested in foods without carbs that don’t taste very good. Who knew?

This time around, after the ketogenic diet has gained a foothold in society, the movement has been aided by the recent 2025 USDA Dietary Guidelines that focus on higher protein but combining it with lower fat intake. I’ve seen products come to market without gluten and just a few carbohydrates. That’s why a beef-based breakfast food you add milk to, preferably full-fat milk, doesn’t really surprise me. Whether this is a healthy trend or not is to be decided.

I’ll say it again because it isn’t complicated: Eat less. Eat better, and by that I mean foods as close to natural as possible. And then move more. That’s the path to health—no gimmicks required.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Hamburger Cereal?

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Paula mentioned in passing that she had read about a hamburger cereal. I just shook my head, and then it really hit me: a hamburger cereal? I had to check it out. Turns out there is a “cereal” out there that contains 20 grams of protein from dehydrated ground beef per ½ cup serving.

The dried beef makes a crunchy texture. There are two flavors: Chocolate Peanut Butter and Maple Cinnamon. All natural ingredients with no preservatives or colors—just pour on the milk, preferably full-fat milk.

Except for one thing: this processed food is not a cereal. By definition, a cereal must be plant-based. We don’t need to argue the semantics of cereal, but here’s the most important thing: the product contains no fiber. You may get more protein, but why this way? I’ve heard this song before, and I’ll talk about it on Saturday.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Vitamin D vs. Long COVID

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Returning to the vitamin D study, the rest of the headline suggested that taking vitamin D upon getting COVID may reduce symptoms of long-term COVID (LTCOVID), a serious aftereffect of a COVID infection that can impact the nervous and muscular system. Brain fog, chronic fatigue, and pain are some of the common symptoms.

The reason for hope with LTCOVID symptoms is that those subjects who continued to supplement with vitamin D showed a lower propensity for LTCOVID symptoms than the placebo group. It was not statistically significant with 21% of the vitamin D group showing symptoms of LTCOVID versus 25% in the placebo group, but it provided hope for further research; there were no differences in serious adverse events between the placebo and vitamin D groups.

Two things I found interesting: first, those subjects in either group who had normal vitamin D levels in their blood didn’t have an advantage over those who had very low or low levels of vitamin D. That surprised me as one would think that having a good baseline would be protective in some way. Maybe not.

Second, whether vitamin D impacted COVID as to length of symptoms, it showed that vitamin D supplementation at the first symptom of COVID may be protective. The amounts used in the study were two days at 9,600 IU and then 3,200 IU daily for eight weeks or more, based on the length of the study.

Why would vitamin D be beneficial after a person contracted the virus? Speculation by two researchers, one of the authors and a scientist from another lab, was that vitamin D boosts the immune system by reducing inflammation during the infection. The only way we’ll know for sure is by doing more research.

For now, it’s up to you and your healthcare professionals how best to deal with your next COVID infection. Vitamin D seems to be a viable option.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: J Nutr. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101398

Does Vitamin D Beat COVID?

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My Monday morning news feed contained at least three referrals to a recent article published in the Journal of Nutrition. The headlines were all about the same: vitamin D supplementation is ineffective in the short term as a treatment for COVID but provides insight into how to reduce the risk of long-term COVID symptoms. I think it deserves a look.

Researchers selected a large group of potential subjects in the US and Mongolia. Subjects were notified of the trial by the testing companies within seven days after a positive COVID test. If the subjects passed criteria for inclusion in the trial, they were assigned to a placebo or vitamin D supplement group. The subjects were required to perform surveys periodically about symptoms with the primary outcome being further professional treatment or death. There were a number of secondary criteria related to worsening symptoms requiring more than a single visit to a healthcare professional or hospital.

In short, there were no observable differences between those who used vitamin D supplements for the four-week trial or the placebo group in those who required additional treatment. A disappointment for vitamin D users? We’ll dig a little deeper on Saturday.

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Tomorrow night is the monthly Insider Conference Call. On the agenda is the farming techniques used in dietary supplements, one more thing about those Dietary Guidelines, and answers to your questions. Become an Insider by 8 p.m. ET tomorrow night and you can join in the conversation. For more info, scan the QR code and sign up today.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet

Reference: J Nutrition. 2026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101398

What Changed? 2015 vs. 2025 Dietary Guidelines

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If you read any of the commentary about the latest dietary guidelines, you would have thought there were radical changes. “Eat or drink full-fat dairy! Use beef tallow! Ultra-processed food should be eliminated!”

If you took the time to read the synopses, there are very few differences between the recommendations. They still use the same base of 2,000 calories per day. The recommended percentage of fat intake is the same. The same number of fruits and vegetables are recommended—still way too low at two and three respectively. Sodium intake—the same. Eat whole grains, not refined carbohydrates. So where did all the discussion come from? Let’s take a look.

“Higher Protein Intake”

The recommendation is warranted given that we don’t get enough protein, based on the most recent research. If you want more details, purchase my latest webinar Taking Back Your Muscle, Part 2: Protein, and I’ll explain it in detail. Maybe there’s slightly more emphasis on animal protein, but all plant-based sources of protein are given just like they always have been.

Because both sets of guidelines talk about adjusting nutrient intake based on stages of life, there’s an increase of protein recommended at different life stages.

“Full-Fat Dairy and Tallow for Cooking”

Although the focus on these two stirred a lot of online commotion, these are not meaningful changes in the recommendation for consuming dairy products or deep-fat frying in oils. While the commentary reached a high-pitched crescendo, you probably figured out why it was meaningless. If you read the recommendations, in 2015 and 2025 the guidelines say not to exceed 10% of daily calories from saturated fat. One cup of milk would contain five grams of saturated fat, about 25% of the recommended daily intake for the average person. Fry something in beef tallow and depending on the food, that could use up the rest of the day’s fat recommendation. This is not different from the 2015 recommendations in any substantive way.

“Fewer Ultra-Processed Foods”

One more time, there’s no difference in the recommendations for avoiding ultra-processed foods. The 2015 guideline didn’t call them ultra-processed foods, but the pictures definitely show foods high in processed carbohydrates, sugars, and fats.

The Bottom Line

The real problems with the 2015 guidelines are two-fold and will probably happen again for 2025 guidelines:

  • Most Americans will never read the synopsis.
  • Even if they did, they wouldn’t change their eating habits to a more nutritious diet that’s based on vegetables, fruits, quality protein from all sources, whole grains, and a reasonable intake of fat.

I’ll throw in my two cents and make it even simpler: Eat less. Eat better. Move more. That’s the way to better health.

What are you prepared to do today?

        Dr. Chet