Julian Barkan, DO MPH
@drjulianbarkan.bsky.social
Family Med, Urgent Care Physician. Writing to express my thoughts, sometimes teach, and mostly learn. Bluesky reminds me of old Twitter where medical education was a thing.
https://medium.com/@julbarkan
https://medium.com/@julbarkan
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Shingles vaccine is rougher than the average jab (36 hours of arm pain and a night of poor sleep for me). OTOH I’ve seen people’s “golden years” ruined by shingles: chronic insomnia, chronic pain, deep depression. Plus we now know there’s a robust association of shingles with dementia risk.
All over my FB people talking about their bad experiences with shingles vax and dissuading each other from getting it! We need to give people real info on how to mitigate the symtoms caused by vaccines because vaccines are always better than meeting a virus unprepared. Yet drs aren't coaching ppl
December 9, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Shingles vaccine is rougher than the average jab (36 hours of arm pain and a night of poor sleep for me). OTOH I’ve seen people’s “golden years” ruined by shingles: chronic insomnia, chronic pain, deep depression. Plus we now know there’s a robust association of shingles with dementia risk.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Scientists just ‘supercharged’ vinegar with nanoparticles — and in mice it wiped out 99.995% of MRSA in lab tests. 1 topical dose. 24 hours. No damage to healthy cells.
Who knew the secret weapon against superbugs might be… upgraded salad dressing?
#BlueSky #MedSky #SciSky #IDSky #NurseSky #NewsSky
Who knew the secret weapon against superbugs might be… upgraded salad dressing?
#BlueSky #MedSky #SciSky #IDSky #NurseSky #NewsSky
This ‘Supercharged’ Vinegar Wiped Out 99.995% of Bacteria in Tests
Vinegar may soon do more than dress your salad — it could help save lives. Scientists in Norway and Australia found a way to “supercharge” its antibacterial power using cobalt-based carbon nanoparticl...
www.foodandwine.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:43 PM
NEW: Epstein survivors release the most powerful PSA I have ever seen.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Make this go viral so every member of the House of Representatives sees it.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Perfect encapsulation of the Trump era.
incredible photo that's definitely worth at least 1,000 words from Andrew Harnik of Getty
November 6, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Perfect encapsulation of the Trump era.
Something you may not know about nosebleeds and advice on a few common things that people get concerned about. medium.com/wise-well/5-... #medicine #wellness #health
5 Emergency Medical Myths That Won’t Die
These common and sometimes scary issues have simple treatments that people often get wrong, risking a worsening situation.
medium.com
November 6, 2025 at 2:57 PM
Something you may not know about nosebleeds and advice on a few common things that people get concerned about. medium.com/wise-well/5-... #medicine #wellness #health
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
October 29, 2025 at 11:15 PM
Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Check out our new paper @nejm.org. RSV, COVID-19 & Influenza vaccines continue to show consistent effectiveness & safety based on a review & synthesis of 500+ research studies👇! We worked hard to evaluate the evidence so you can be confident about getting vaccinated this fall!
Even as the anti-vax lobby erodes public trust, new evidence confirms that "immunizations against Covid-19, RSV, and influenza have shown consistent effectiveness & safety and are associated with a substantially reduced risk of hospitalization & severe disease"
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....
October 31, 2025 at 2:54 PM
Check out our new paper @nejm.org. RSV, COVID-19 & Influenza vaccines continue to show consistent effectiveness & safety based on a review & synthesis of 500+ research studies👇! We worked hard to evaluate the evidence so you can be confident about getting vaccinated this fall!
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
In this week's Wise & Well newsletter:
> How to Curb Menopausal Weight Gain
> This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
> Politics is Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
> Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
> Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults
Plus:
> How to Curb Menopausal Weight Gain
> This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
> Politics is Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
> Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
> Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults
Plus:
Try ‘Physical Activity’ Instead of ‘Exercise’
Plus: Several other features to make your tomorrow a little better than today
medium.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:37 PM
In this week's Wise & Well newsletter:
> How to Curb Menopausal Weight Gain
> This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
> Politics is Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
> Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
> Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults
Plus:
> How to Curb Menopausal Weight Gain
> This Vaccine Serendipitously Reduces Dementia
> Politics is Like One Big Dysfunctional Family
> Focus on Sleep Quality, Not Just Duration
> Short ‘Exercise Snacks’ Boost Fitness in Inactive Adults
Plus:
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Under the watch of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who speaks frequently about his own recovery from substance addiction — the Trump administration has dismantled large portions of the federal agency focused on mental health and addiction treatment.
trib.al/2a5CWjV
trib.al/2a5CWjV
Trump cuts have decimated the federal addiction and mental health agency
The Trump administration has dismantled big chunks of the federal agency focused on mental health and addiction treatment, reducing its staff by more than half
trib.al
October 30, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Under the watch of HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — who speaks frequently about his own recovery from substance addiction — the Trump administration has dismantled large portions of the federal agency focused on mental health and addiction treatment.
trib.al/2a5CWjV
trib.al/2a5CWjV
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
How fucked is healthcare in the United States? I have to reduce my state healthcare plan coverage from the "enhanced" plan to the "standard" plan and it will still be $30 more per month. It would be $80 more per month to keep "enhanced" plan, but the benefits there have been drastically reduced.
October 27, 2025 at 4:24 PM
How fucked is healthcare in the United States? I have to reduce my state healthcare plan coverage from the "enhanced" plan to the "standard" plan and it will still be $30 more per month. It would be $80 more per month to keep "enhanced" plan, but the benefits there have been drastically reduced.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Some people truly do change the world. Dr. Bartlett was one of them ❤️🩹
October 22, 2025 at 2:01 AM
Some people truly do change the world. Dr. Bartlett was one of them ❤️🩹
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
1/ Valley fever, a serious infectious disease, is on the rise in central California. Last year set a record, with over 12,000 cases, and we’re on track to surpass that figure this year. I’m Matt, Your Local CA Epidemiologist, with this and more public health updates👇
October 20, 2025 at 2:51 PM
1/ Valley fever, a serious infectious disease, is on the rise in central California. Last year set a record, with over 12,000 cases, and we’re on track to surpass that figure this year. I’m Matt, Your Local CA Epidemiologist, with this and more public health updates👇
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
“We have 1,544 measles cases this year, 92% in unvaccinated people, and 3 deaths. The problem isn’t the vaccine — it’s that people aren’t getting it. O’Neill hasn’t offered a single scientific rationale for breaking up MMR.”
@aniloza.bsky.social
@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...
@aniloza.bsky.social
@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...
Acting CDC director calls for MMR vaccine to be broken up into three shots
There's no evidence that breaking up the MMR shot would make the immunization safer or more effective.
www.statnews.com
October 7, 2025 at 5:53 AM
“We have 1,544 measles cases this year, 92% in unvaccinated people, and 3 deaths. The problem isn’t the vaccine — it’s that people aren’t getting it. O’Neill hasn’t offered a single scientific rationale for breaking up MMR.”
@aniloza.bsky.social
@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...
@aniloza.bsky.social
@statnews.com
www.statnews.com/2025/10/06/t...
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
“Those of you who feel like this is okay, get ready for the fight. Because the fight ain’t over. It’s not over until we’ve energized America to save Democracy.”
Texas House just helped Trump rig the midterm elections
"This is racial gerrymandering at its worst."
www.motherjones.com
August 20, 2025 at 11:42 PM
“Those of you who feel like this is okay, get ready for the fight. Because the fight ain’t over. It’s not over until we’ve energized America to save Democracy.”
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Increasing temperatures from climate change have led to a 40% reduction in blue whale “songs” in just the past 6 years alone.
“It’s like trying to sing while you're starving,” said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer.
The world's oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change
“It’s like trying to sing while you're starving,” said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer.
The world's oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change
Blue whales are going eerily silent—and scientists say it’s a warning sign
A six-year study off California’s coast shows how marine heat waves and noise pollution are silencing the ocean’s largest singers. Does saving the ocean start with hearing it?
www.nationalgeographic.com
August 10, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Increasing temperatures from climate change have led to a 40% reduction in blue whale “songs” in just the past 6 years alone.
“It’s like trying to sing while you're starving,” said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer.
The world's oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change
“It’s like trying to sing while you're starving,” said John Ryan, a biological oceanographer.
The world's oceans absorb more than 90% of the excess heat from climate change
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
If you want to drink raw milk, government doctors like Vinay Prasad will stand up for your bodily autonomy.
If you are willing to risk a sore arm to get a vaccine, he says no. That’s his decision.
My latest for SBM.
sciencebasedmedicine.org/rawmilk/
If you are willing to risk a sore arm to get a vaccine, he says no. That’s his decision.
My latest for SBM.
sciencebasedmedicine.org/rawmilk/
Dr. Vinay Prasad: Bodily Autonomy Applies to Raw Milk, Not Vaccines
This is what it looks like when disinformation doctors pretend to value data and science to further their true objective, MAHA politics.
sciencebasedmedicine.org
July 4, 2025 at 11:53 AM
If you want to drink raw milk, government doctors like Vinay Prasad will stand up for your bodily autonomy.
If you are willing to risk a sore arm to get a vaccine, he says no. That’s his decision.
My latest for SBM.
sciencebasedmedicine.org/rawmilk/
If you are willing to risk a sore arm to get a vaccine, he says no. That’s his decision.
My latest for SBM.
sciencebasedmedicine.org/rawmilk/
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
It's no crime to enjoy a delicious snack or indulge in a store-bought meal now and then. Just know that the more of this ultra-processed #food you include in your #diet, the greater your risk for numerous bad #health outcomes, according to 3 new studies this week.
We’re Stuffing Our Faces with Food That’s Not Food
New studies confirm serious health risks associated with the addictive, engineered “food” that predominates in Western diets
medium.com
May 9, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Happy 99th birthday to the man who gave voice to the wild. 🎉
Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.
You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.
Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.
You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.
May 8, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Happy 99th birthday to the man who gave voice to the wild. 🎉
Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.
You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.
Sir David Attenborough, thank you for a lifetime dedicated to the natural world, and for sharing its story with wisdom, wonder, and grace.
You've inspired generations to fall in love with nature.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
Back before Covid, I wrote that only 5% of people washed their hands correctly. You might've since learned it involves vigorous scrubbing with soap during two singings of Happy Birthday. Now… this biochemist now explains how soap works its magic.
Soap Science: How it Actually Works
The secret to cleanliness involve molecules that are both water-loving or water-fearing, which explains why water alone doesn’t do the…
medium.com
May 1, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Back before Covid, I wrote that only 5% of people washed their hands correctly. You might've since learned it involves vigorous scrubbing with soap during two singings of Happy Birthday. Now… this biochemist now explains how soap works its magic.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
We once stripped the paint in our 1900s-era home to remodel, realizing only afterward we'd exposed the whole family to a weeks-long cloud of lead dust. You might think us naive, and yep, we were. But did you know that a bid source of lead in our air comes from burning coal to generate electricity?
Lead Poisoning Should be Leading News
Burning dirty coal releases toxins that poison our brains, impair intelligence, increase impulsivity, and even contribute to crime waves.
medium.com
April 30, 2025 at 1:51 PM
We once stripped the paint in our 1900s-era home to remodel, realizing only afterward we'd exposed the whole family to a weeks-long cloud of lead dust. You might think us naive, and yep, we were. But did you know that a bid source of lead in our air comes from burning coal to generate electricity?
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
This article from my favorite dermatologist came at just the right time. I need a skin reset, and I've never known which lotions are best for #skincare, whether to use oil-based products, and so on. Now I can tackle a simple outer-layer rebuild with confidence.
Don’t Fall for Complex ‘Skin Barrier’ Routines
Here’s the right way to care for your body’s first line of defense
medium.com
April 22, 2025 at 1:43 PM
This article from my favorite dermatologist came at just the right time. I need a skin reset, and I've never known which lotions are best for #skincare, whether to use oil-based products, and so on. Now I can tackle a simple outer-layer rebuild with confidence.
Reposted by Julian Barkan, DO MPH
We tend to trust our guts and make bad decisions over and over in what are called lifetraps. Traditional therapy can focus overly on emotions, putting labels on every mental condition in a way that can make people feel the their problems are out of their control. Lifetrap therapy is different.
Lifetraps: Why We Make the Same Mistakes Over and Over
Understanding destructive behavioural patterns helps us break free of them
medium.com
April 21, 2025 at 10:59 PM
We tend to trust our guts and make bad decisions over and over in what are called lifetraps. Traditional therapy can focus overly on emotions, putting labels on every mental condition in a way that can make people feel the their problems are out of their control. Lifetrap therapy is different.