The Mel Robbins Podcast

The 5 Top Health Lies & The Truth You Need to Feel Better Today

286 snips
Apr 16, 2026
Doctor Mike Varshavski, a board-certified family medicine physician and major online health educator, tackles the internet’s biggest health lies. He gets into medical misinformation, vaccine fear, and red flags for wellness grifters. He also talks about fighting medical bills, why primary care matters, and his personal experience with grief after losing his mother.
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ADVICE

Validate First When Someone Falls For Misinformation

  • Start with validation when someone you love has gone down a health misinformation rabbit hole.
  • Doctor Mike says truth-seeking conversations work better when you first ask how they got there and stay skeptical rather than cynical.
INSIGHT

Healthcare Lost Trust By Communicating Poorly

  • Distrust in medicine grew because healthcare communicated with too much certainty during the pandemic and ignored social media where people actually seek answers.
  • Doctor Mike says that vacuum let bad actors define what doctors and science mean online.
ADVICE

Use Emotion And Patience In Hard Health Talks

  • Speak from emotion and patience instead of trying to win or boss someone into changing their mind.
  • Doctor Mike says ideological beliefs tied to identity rarely change in one conversation, so aim for one step forward.
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