Our Most Talked-About Stories of the Year

Wise & Well readers had a lot to say, especially about these health and wellness articles

Medium readers are an insightful and talkative bunch, and we at Wise & Well revel in your feedback, suggestions, compliments and criticisms. So when I pondered potential year-end roundups, the first that came to mind was a showcase of stories that generated the most reader engagement. Here are 15 of our most-read and most talked-about stories, accompanied by examples of the many thoughtful comments from readers who took the time to join in the conversation and validate the time, effort and joy we put into the research, writing and editing.

You’re Not 50% Mom, 50% Dad Like They Told You Writer Annie Foley was “gobsmacked” to learn she’s not composed of half Mom and half Dad. Neither are you, she points out. She debunks the myth and explains what really happens when we make little humans.

“Thanks for a fascinating article. I have also read that genes carry ‘memories’ of a person’s ancestors’ lives, for example of their ancestors’ physical response to famine or disease, and that these ‘memories’ can affect how genes are expressed, even a century later.” — Wise & Well reader Madeleine McDonald

The Gross Physical Symptoms of Autism That No One Wants to Talk About Neurodivergent writer Annika Hotta wants to talk candidly about autism, and so do a lot of readers. Hotta openly discusses the sweating, skin picking, peeing and other hygiene issues she deals with.

“This this this!!! My whole life family and friends (and into diagnosis, me) thought I was just “neurotic”. It’s so validating to have friends and people online sharing these common uncomfortable physical realities of life as a neurodivergent person. My body is always tense, no matter how much stretching, yoga or exercise I do. Self-care helps but since the pandemic I’ve finally been able to slow my life down and realize how much the hectic pace of modern life has basically been an acute stressor on my nervous system my whole life.” — Wise & Well reader Ashely L. Crouch

My Stupid, Dangerous Run in 110-Degree Heat Yours truly did a really dumb thing. So, of course, I wrote about it. I did not expect it to resonate much beyond the running community. Instead, several readers reminded me what an idiot I am. In the end, I think we all learned a thing or two about heat and health.

“You should be grateful you survived. You could have as easily died. I am not sure what you were thinking. No water? No phone? But I am happy you are ‘well’ and hopefully more ‘wise.’ Perhaps you should go out and buy a lottery ticket. When I do dumb stuff like that my wife says it is due to ‘testosterone poisoning.’” — Wise & Well reader David Mokotoff, MD

As a Physician, I Want You to Stop Your Medications It’s rare when a doctor encourages people to get off their meds. But that’s exactly what Dr. Julian Barkan calls for, and here he presents the data on overprescription that proves a lot of people need to listen to him.

“I think the USA especially needs a healthcare system that is not a privilege to access, but a right. The fact that I have to pay an exorbitant amount to have a skin cancer removed because I do not have health insurance is nuts. The fact that many people need other alternatives to pain management that are not expensive is evident with what the opioids crisis left us. Many chronic conditions can be tied to socioeconomic issues- access to good food and affordability, access to consistent care with physicians who don’t leave Medicaid systems as soon as they can, transportation, and this terrible, horrible idea we can go to one pharmacy and without insurance a medication can be twice the cost of another chain pharmacy?” — Wise & Well reader J Clark

The Scary Science Behind the Ouija Board When I edited this delightful romp by writer Kathleen Murphy, it took me back to the attic of a neighbor’s house, where us kids got serious about Ouija, never sure who, or what, was creeping us out. I didn’t know if her story would generate much interest or comment, but had I asked the Ouija board, the planchette would have slid over to a resounding “Yes.”

“When I smoke weed sometimes my little dog Sandy will speak English. Since she doesn’t seem to be moving her lips I assume it’s just a demon pretending to be the dog. So, OK then . . . the Oujia Board, I was going to say something about that . . . Well, I forgot. But it’s weird when the dog does that.” — Wise & Well reader Ric Vaughn

Why Blue Space is Better Than Green Space Just looking at water calms the body and nerves of writer Catherine Sanderson, an author and professor of psychology. And of course, there’s science behind it, as she explains. But for a lot of readers, glorious time spent by water isn’t about science.

“Thank you. I have always been happier near the ocean. If I can’t have the ocean, I keep seashells and sea blue paintings to remind me.” — Wise & Well reader Sana Sparks

Soaked: The Myths and Facts of Hydration There’s a lot of misinformation out there regarding how much water we need to drink. Writer and physician Eric Kort sets us straight on the facts, plus offers an “advanced methodology” he calls “Total Hydration Internal Regulation Sensing Technique,” or THIRST. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, he explains the simple science behind this helpful acronym.

“Love to read this. It blows my mind how much money people spend on bottled water and how much they worry about the quality of their tap water when they live in areas with CLEAN WATER. Just use a filter if you must and get over it!” — Wise & Well reader Kajal Patel

The Truth About Grief: You’re Not Going to Fully Heal We all experience grief eventually. But we understand it poorly. Writer and therapist Giana Porpiglia calls BS on the outdated Five Stages of Grief, having come to realize there’s no way to predict how any given person will grieve. Then she explains how it might go, and how to deal with it as best we can.

“I lost my beloved mother five years ago. I know I will grieve her for the rest of my life. The first two years were the hardest. You learn to live with it knowing that you will miss this person for the rest of your life. I had a friend who thought I was crazy when I was crying just 2 months after my mother’s passing. She said I was being ridiculous and that my mother lived a long and good life. That doesn’t change the fact that she is no longer here. That doesn’t make me not miss her! Thanks for this story.” — Wise & Well reader Lynn L. Alexander

Your Diet Probably Lacks Magnesium. Let’s Fix That. I never know what stories will take off. Readers decide. This one, by medical doctor and clinical nutrition resident Denny Pencheva, surprised me, given it’s narrow focus. Clearly, however, the topic was compelling to a lot of you, and the detailed advice really resonated.

“I love to snack on cashews. But now I see that I need to add some pumpkin seeds to my snacking! These are all great ideas. I’m going to save to come back to this and read again. Glad to see the black beans in there too, which I love, but don’t eat enough of. I’m going to take your tips to heart!” — Wise & Well reader Trisha Faye

We Must Stop Gauging Health by Body Weight One of the biggest myths in medicine is that health is directly related to weight or BMI. Health coach and nurse practitioner Elizabeth Knight sets the record straight, and lets us (and doctors) know what we should really pay attention to in order to ensure good health and well-being.

“Relying on weight and BMI for health is like relying on the food pyramid for nutrition. They aren’t irrelevant, but they aren’t instructive either — at least in my opinion. I found health when I threw away the scale. My self-worth is not a reflection of that number, but that’s hard to comprehend when society tells you otherwise, and the medical community backs it up. Fortunately, there are more practitioners who are taking an integrative approach. Thank you for this informative, articulate, well-researched, empowering, and compassionate article.” — Wise & Well reader Kavita Battula

We Really Need to Talk About Migraines Most people who know the writer and psychologist Gail Post would not guess she gets migraines. You probably have coworkers or friends who get them but who keep quiet about it, too. In fact, migraines are the second-leading cause of disability, affecting women more than men. Maybe we should discuss all this?

“Guy here. I get them too, but aura only. The first time I got one, I went to the Emergency Dept as I thought I might be having a stroke. As best as I can remember, the ER doc said to me: ‘Well, we know there’s something wrong — young men don’t just come into the ER for no reason.’ I was surprised that I had more credibility there just for being male, but never thought to call him on it (sorry!). This was in the mid-70s, and I would have *hoped* that that bias has changed — but it’s sounding like not.” — Wise & Well reader Bob Koure

Is Therapy Forever, or Should We Bring Back the Stiff Upper Lip? Writer and author Niall Stewart had his feelings hurt when his therapist tried to break up with him. But on reflection, and in checking out the science of it, he realized too much talking about our troubles could be making us ill.

“As a therapist, it’s SO gratifying to see your clients become a healthier functioning human. I also recognize that it’s HARD work and draining. Checking in with my clients and reminding them that they can take a break and they can come back whenever they need to.” — Wise & Well reader Lauren A. Jeffery

Is Your Diet Causing Your Anxiety? Scientist Brent R. Stockwell dealt with serious anxiety when speaking in front of large crowds. Then he discovered that the right foods can diffuse anxiety. There are other ways to deal with angst, of course, but eating well offers additional health benefits—a real win-win.

“Wonderful article! People tend to overlook the power of nutrition quite frequently when it comes to mental health and wellness and often in favor of medication. I have Bipolar Disorder and wouldn’t be as high-functioning as I am without following a whole foods, mostly plant-based diet. My mental health is so much better since I cut out the processed foods and stopped eating out as much. It also really helps mitigate the weight gain that comes with many of my prescriptions.” — Wise & Well reader Betty Van Cleve

The Gut Truth About How Your Microbiome Affects Your Depression What we eat shapes the community of bacteria in our intestines and this gut microbiome talks to the brain. So, you guessed it, the right diet can affect your mental health, as writer and scientist Sam Westreich explained.

“Interestingly, in many ancient cultures, without modern science, they already knew that the gut is our emotional center. Also, anxiety and stress is directly linked to feelings in the gut.” — Wise & Well reader Alex Miguel Meyer

My Sister’s Death Shapes How I Think About Suicide As suicide rates grow, the act remains in a shroud of shame. But if we’re ever going to improve prevention, we have to talk about it. Psychiatrist and neuroscientist John Kruse writes a passionate and informative plea to start the discussion.

“I lost my own sister in the same manner that you did in 2021 and it was totally devastating. However, that pushed and inspired me to make some big changes in my life and to take some big leaps. This helped me to put myself together into the person that met my own future husband 14 months after her passing. Had I not done the work inspired by her, I’m not sure I would have. We’re getting married in a few days, and I’m eternally grateful to her for the gifts she gave me in life through her journey to the other side.” — Wise & Well reader Sarah Jayne Love

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