Episode #1: Breatharianism

Episode #1: Breatharianism

Author: Hannah Wright & Victoria LaFont June 22, 2024 Duration: 1:08:12

In this episode, Hannah and Victoria do their best to keep an open mind as they discuss Breatharianism, aka the influencer-led trend of living on breath alone.

No food.

No water.

Just prana.

- Dunning-Kreuger effect: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10626367/

- Wiley Brooks: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2508172/How-Michelle-Pfeiffer-seduced-deadly-cult-says-live-air-alone.html, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV6Xizszik8, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkN8cmcNC6Y 

- Ellen Greve aka Jasmuheen: https://jasmuheen.podia.com/darkroomretreats 

- Ray Maor: https://raymaor.com/expand-your-consciousness-portal/retreats/ (Some retreats cost over $3000) 

- Audra Bear: https://www.instagram.com/audrabear/ 

- “Claims of anomalously long fasting: An assessment of the evidence from investigated cases”: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1550830720302032?via%3Dihub

- Nirjal Upvas in Ayurveda

- Inedia: Latin for “fasting”

- Bigu in Taoist tradition: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5728740/, https://journals.sfu.ca/jnonlocality/public/journals/1/PREPRINTS/BiguStudy081413r.pdf 

- Survival into the 21st Century: https://www.amazon.com/Survival-into-21st-Century-Planetary/dp/0933278047



This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit influencedtodeath.substack.com

Navigating the endless scroll of wellness advice can feel like a full-time job, and a dangerous one at that. Influenced to Death, hosted by Hannah Wright and Victoria LaFont, is your critical companion in the chaotic landscape of health trends and social media gurus. This podcast digs into the often-absurd, sometimes alarming world of wellness influencing with a sharp comedic lens, because sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying over a $100 "detox" tea. Each episode unpacks the latest fads, questionable supplements, and pervasive myths peddled online, blending researched health commentary with relatable humor. You'll hear them dissect the language of influencers, separate fleeting trends from actual science, and share their own misadventures in trying to keep up. It’s a health and fitness podcast that acknowledges the comedy in our collective pursuit of better living, while seriously questioning the forces trying to sell it to us. Tune in for a dose of reality that’s far more refreshing than any juice cleanse. Find more from the podcast naturally on their Substack.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

Influenced to Death
Podcast Episodes
Episode #20: Medicinal leeches [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:05
In this episode (that you should probably not listen to on your lunch break), Hannah & Victoria welcome back guest Jameson Simpson (of episode #8 fame) to talk about medicinal leeches. Jameson has been using leeches medi…
Episode #19: Melatonin with Dr. Deanna Minich [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:57
In this episode, Hannah and Victoria get to speak with one of their favorite scientists, Dr. Deanna Minich, about her favorite molecule: melatonin.We discuss: * The history of melatonin, in which Dr. Minich describes ear…
Episode #16: Will an elimination diet help my baby's eczema? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:03
In this episode, Hannah and Victoria have the extreme pleasure of speaking with Dawn Whitten, a clinician, researcher, educator, and clinical mentor in naturopathic medicine specific to perinatal and early life health fo…
Episode #14: The Weston A. Price Foundation w/ Jenny McGruther [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:15
In this episode, Hannah and Victoria are joined by fellow balanced babe Jenny McGruther of Nourished Kitchen fame for the beginning of a deep dive (yep, expect part 2) into the Weston A. Price Foundation.Interview with S…
Episode #13: Soy, Part 2 with Dr. Mark Messina [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:56
In this episode, Hannah & Victoria speak with Dr. Mark Messina, an international expert and soy researcher. We read his research. We emailed him with high hopes. He responded! Dr. Mark brings the juice on soy, “myth-bust…
Episode #11: Soy, Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:29:18
In this episode, Hannah and Victoria explore the hyper-controversialized world of soy, one of the most studied yet misunderstood foods in our diet.History:Isoflavones first came to the attention of the scientific communi…