13 Bad Health Habits Doctors Won't Do
"The carnivore diet. I see it recommended a lot for diabetics, especially, which is beyond wrong. Everyone needs carbs, vegetables, and fruits. If you stick to any one major food group, you eliminate key sources of nutrition from your diet that can lead to other problems down the road."
"Nurse here. I would never spend a significant amount of time outdoors without sunscreen. Melanoma is a b*tch."
"I'd never skip the seasonal flu vaccine. Influenza causes hundreds of thousands of deaths worldwide each year in people of all ages."
"I would never stop using fluoride or a nanohydroxyapatite. Both have decades of experience hardening enamel, preventing caries, and absolutely zero proof of contributing to any harm (fluoridosis is caused by too much fluoride from drinking water, not from brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste). My anti-fluoride patients are the ones that get an over $2K treatment plan every six months."
"RD here. I'm not jumping on this protein everything trend. I keep seeing ads for protein coffee. What are we doing? The average person needs 0.8–1.0 (g/kg) of protein. Y'all are eating protein like you have cachexia and severe malnutrition. Eat some fiber."
"Anything marketed as 'detox,' 'cleanse,' or the like. Our bodies are actually fairly good at getting rid of waste products; our kidneys, liver, gut, and lungs get rid of most of what we don't need. These products always state things like 'toxins' without being specific about what they mean. Do they mean heavy metals or toxic alkaloids or what?!"
"I'd never go to a chiropractor. I've seen too many permanent injuries from 'adjustments' as a physical therapist."
"I would never take unverified and unnecessary supplements. Supraphysiological levels are not helpful and can harm your organs. 'Cleanses' are BS — your liver does all the detoxing you need."
"As a dentist, I would never take on a keto diet. It adds so much unnecessary acid to your saliva; it basically destroys them top down."
"Don't stop taking an antibiotic when you start feeling better! If you stop mid-course, your infection can worsen and become harder to treat. Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are awful to treat and easily avoidable."
"I would never stop drinking alcohol cold turkey (if you consume it on a regular basis). A lot of people don't know that alcohol withdrawal can kill you. Those shakes and sweating? Yeah, that's not a hangover — that's alcohol withdrawal. There are a lot of other symptoms, but the bottom line is, it can kill you. Please go to a hospital or recovery center. It's not worth your life to try to do it on your own."
"I would not drink soda/pop every day — even diet soda. The number of people completely hooked on Diet Coke should be a sign that it's not good for you in any form."
And finally...
"Therapist here who works at a family health team: PLEASE stop getting advice from social media. I have heard so many folks use buzzwords and self-diagnose with devastating effects. All of us are truly different, and we carry many beliefs influenced by culture, families, and/or temperament. It's so important to see someone who is trained and can support you in navigating the sea of misinformation out there. I'm not suggesting that a person's journey to wellness is not valid, but we need to think critically when hearing these stories of ADHD being cured with magic tea. It is simply not how that works."
Fellow doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals, what are other "health things" you'd never do? Tell us in the comments, or if you prefer to remain anonymous, you can use the form below.
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But both varieties do differ in formulation: Diet Coke uses only aspartame and has its own distinct flavor, while Coke Zero combines aspartame with acesulfame potassium – and sometimes stevia – giving it a flavor profile some consumers feel is closer to Coca-Cola Classic, explains Kristina Cooke, a licensed nutritionist specializing in diabetes treatment and prevention. 'Healthiest' sugar substitute? What to know after new aspartame, erythritol studies. Is Diet Coke bad for you? No dietitian, nutritionist or physician would classify either Diet Coke or Coke Zero as healthy, but many would call them healthier alternatives to regular soda. At the same time, even as they eliminate added sugars, some of the sugar substitutes they contain come with controversies of their own. For instance, in 2023, the World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer classified aspartame as 'possibly carcinogenic to humans,' citing limited evidence linking high intake to liver cancer in some studies. Despite this, major regulatory agencies including the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) continue to deem aspartame safe when consumed in moderation. Still, the science isn't settled. And there are other considerations as well including additional research that has raised concerns that high consumption of artificial sweeteners may increase appetite, disrupt gut bacteria and even contribute to insulin resistance. Though these effects tend to be subtle and depend heavily on individual factors, they cast some doubt on the assumption that diet soda supports weight loss or is better for overall health. 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A 20-ounce bottle of Classic Coke contains about 240 calories, energy that's quickly burned without the benefit of fiber or other nutrients and sometimes leading to glucose spikes, sugar crashes and weight gain. Both Diet Coke and Coke Zero Sugar sidestep these problems by being both calorie- and sugar-free. 'That alone makes them better choices,' Cooke says. And since both contain the same amount of aspartame, the risks associated with artificial sweeteners are similar either way. Where Coke Zero has a slight edge though is in its lower caffeine content: 34 milligrams per 12-ounce can compared to 46 milligrams of caffeine in Diet Coke. While moderate amounts of caffeine are generally considered safe, excessive intake may contribute to anxiety, disrupted sleep and elevated heart rate and blood pressure. Despite this edge, either Diet Coke or Coke Zero is almost certainly a smarter pick than the classic or flavored varieties. 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'Regular sodas are one of the leading sources of added sugars in the American diet,' says Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian and national spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Indeed, a single 20-ounce bottle of Classic Coke contains a staggering 65 grams of added sugars, which is about 130% the recommended daily limit. In response to growing concerns over sugar intake, Coca-Cola introduced Diet Coke in 1982 and Coke Zero in 2005. (The same drink was rebranded as Coca-Cola Zero Sugar in 2017, though it's still often called Coke Zero). Both options are sugar-free, using artificial sweeteners instead. 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