Saunas, Supplements, Cold Plunges and More

Saunas, Supplements, Cold Plunges and More

From Food, We Need To Talk by Juna Gjata

February 16, 2026 · 1h 0m

About this episode

This episode features Dr. Rachele Pojednic discussing the line between wellness fads and scientific evidence.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Rachele Pojednic , a Stanford faculty member and Chief Science Officer at Restore Hyper Wellness, to talk about the confusing gray zone between wellness fads and real science. We get into why so many health trends (like saunas, cold plunges, supplements, red light therapy, and IV drips) feel like they work… even when the research hasn’t caught up yet. Rachele breaks down how wellness companies and influencers often take small, weak studies and turn them into massive claims — and how to spot that as a consumer. We also talk about what actually looks promising in the research right now (yes, creatine comes up), and why “natural” doesn’t automatically mean “safe” or “effective.” If you’ve ever wondered what’s legit, what’s hype, and what’s just expensive placebo, this episode will make you feel so much smarter. Sign up for our newsletter here! For weekly episodes, come join the Foodie Fam! Check out our book ! Chat with us on IG @foodweneedtotalk ! Be friends with Juna on Instagram and Tiktok ! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

People in this episode

Host: Juna Gjata

Guest: Dr. Rachele Pojednic

Topics covered

  • wellness fads
  • health trends
  • supplements
  • saunas
  • cold plunges
  • research
  • consumer awareness

Keywords

  • wellness
  • saunas
  • cold plunges
  • supplements
  • research
  • health trends
  • natural safety

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Stanford, Restore Hyper Wellness

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