Podbit · Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard
For three to four years, Achatz's tongue felt like he'd bitten it. Dentists blamed stress. By the time he was diagnosed with stage IV tongue cancer at 32, nearly three-quarters of his tongue had a tumor. Five major hospitals all offered the same option: remove the tongue entirely.
Federal and state officials are investigating whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in a Cyclospora parasite outbreak that has sickened more than 4,000 people across 30+ states. Some Detroit-area Taco Bell locations stopped serving lettuce and guacamole last week with signs citing a 'nationwide recall' — but no direct link has been established.
Washing contaminated produce with soap and water is not enough to kill Cyclospora. Boiling is the only reliable method. An infectious disease physician advised Americans to skip salad bars entirely until investigators identify the source of the outbreak.
Cyclospora is an intestinal parasite spread through feces-contaminated food or water. It cannot spread person-to-person because it must mature outside the body first. Symptoms take up to two weeks to appear, forcing patients to recall meals they ate long ago — making outbreak tracing a nightmare.
With 108 million Americans under heat alerts, doctors say check the heat index (not just temperature), wear light loose clothing, avoid alcohol and caffeine, and hydrate even when you don't feel thirsty. Don't forget your pets — short-muzzled breeds like pugs and boxers are especially vulnerable because they can't pant efficiently.
Bangladesh's interim government broke from UNICEF in late 2024 to buy vaccines independently — and the procurement collapsed. The resulting stock cuts left clinics without measles vaccines and helped fuel an outbreak that has killed more than 750 children.
Only 77% of infants globally were fully vaccinated against measles in 2025, according to UNICEF data. That gap has proven deadly — measles has killed more than 750 children in Bangladesh alone.
Dr. Erica Schwartz faces her Senate confirmation hearing to lead the CDC today. Public health veterans expect her to be confirmed, but what follows is harder: she would inherit an agency battered by workforce cuts, low morale, and political interference under RFK Jr.
Anxiety, sleeplessness, and the compulsive need to do more are natural for new fathers. But there is a line between normal new-parent stress and something that needs professional help — and knowing which side you're on matters.
With no ability to taste during treatment, Achatz built a vocabulary of comparison — 'as acidic as a pickle, as sweet as a Dairy Queen cone' — to direct his top three chefs. He showed up to the restaurant every day through chemo and radiation. The cancer forced him to relinquish control and, in doing so, made him a better leader.
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