Ezekiel J. Emanuel, MD, PhD, is a world leader in health policy, widely cited bioethicist, UPenn provost and professor, and oncologist.
07/21/2026
The Irish Examiner said I look like Stanley Tucci. I'll take that as a compliment. He seems like a healthy guy!
Do you see the resemblance?
https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/healthandwellbeing/arid-41880838.html
Your body is built to be social. It’s not just good for you, it’s critical for you.
Lonely people have higher mortality rates, more inflammation, and higher rates of heart disease and stroke. Your brain literally craves connection and releases dopamine, the happiness neurohormone.
Social interaction isn't a luxury. It's a basic biological need. Stop isolating. Start connecting.
. .
Homeostasis is the key to wellness. Your body wants balance, not extremes.
Wellness influencers say if something is good, max it out. That's not how biology works.
Body temperature? 98.6 degrees. Not too hot, not too cold. Hunger? Not starving, but not stuffed. Social life? Time with others AND time alone.
The same applies to everything: exercise, sleep, food, relationships. Balance wins. Extremes lose.
As I discuss in "Eat Your Ice Cream," wellness isn't about optimization or perfection. It's about homeostasis, finding the middle ground and staying there.
Stop maxing out. Start balancing.
Want to keep your brain sharp? Stop eating ultra-processed foods, especially packaged meats like bacon, hot dogs, and sausage.
A new study following over 5,000 Americans for 9 years found that those who ate more processed foods had significantly higher risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.
The fix is simple: cut out ultra-processed foods and replace them with fruits and vegetables. That's it.
As I discuss in "Eat Your Ice Cream," the most meaningful changes you can make for your health are actually fairly simple. You don't need expensive supplements or complicated routines. You need whole foods.
Your brain will thank you.
06/26/2026
RFK Jr. says every American should be wearing a wearable within four years. I disagree. And I am not alone.
Here’s what doctors actually think: only some metrics matter. Obsessing over your data will only do you more harm than good.
Wearables CAN be useful. Counting steps is tied to lower cardiovascular disease, and monitoring sleep patterns can help promote consistency.
However, wearables can worsen sleep quality. A better guide? How refreshed you feel in the morning. If your wearable is causing anxiety, stop. Wearables should motivate you, not worry you.
How do your wearables make you feel? Read the full piece in The New York Times.
The Wearable Data Your Doctor Actually Wants Wearables can offer rough information about a person’s health, experts say, but only some metrics are medically useful.
06/25/2026
The road to longevity is paved with common sense and simplicity. But wellness fads get in the way of sensible behavior that's foundational to living well.
Great speaking at Aspen Ideas Festival this week with my friend Dr. Celine Gounder about what actually drives longevity: strong relationships, good sleep, mental engagement. We debunked some myths, discussed "Eat Your Ice Cream," and yes, enjoyed some of the cold stuff too!
https://www.aspenideas.org/sessions/the-inside-scoop-on-longevity
06/10/2026
Clinical AI will diagnose, order tests, and autonomously manage patients by 2030. But the technology is only half the battle.
If we reimburse fee-for-service, every AI tool becomes a cost-driver. If we move to value-based payment, providers adopt AI because it saves money.
The reimbursement model matters more than the algorithm. This is how we actually transform care.
Happy to discuss this on Health Tech Nerds with Kevin O’Leary and Martin Cech.
Health Tech Nerds Radio | Why U.S. healthcare doesn't need more money—it needs a different system | Ezekiel Emanuel Ezekiel Emanuel helped write the ACA, and now he's thinking about what comes next. To those saying America needs to spend more on healthcare, he points to countries like Germany, Switzerland, Norway—all have universal coverage, their systems provide comparable care quality to the U.S., yet they...
Do Democrats live longer than Republicans?
New research says yes, and it has nothing to do with policy. Republicans are less likely to see a doctor or follow medical advice because they don't trust the system.
Skipping your doctor isn't a political statement. It's a health risk.
06/08/2026
The world's first bean-to-bar chocolate tasting course just launched at Vedge in Philadelphia — and it started with a conversation I had with restaurateurs Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby last year.
I've been making single-origin chocolate since 2017 through the Zeke Bar, my collaboration with Askinosie Chocolate. It's taken me to Madagascar to scout cacao producers and completely changed how I think about food. My most recent bar — a 65% dark chocolate with Trinidadian cacao and tart cherries — won a Good Food Award this year.
I am thrilled that my pitch to Vedge was a hit and that the staff and guests are learning the beauty of chocolatiering. It was great sharing my passion with Beatrice Forman for the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Maybe when you are in Philadelphia you can try the tasting menu and the chocolate course.
An all-chocolate tasting course debuts at one of Philly’s premier vegan restaurants The Affordable Care Act architect Zeke Emanuel pitched the idea for a course highlighting single origin dark chocolate to Vedge co-owners Rich Landau and Kate Jacoby last year after a talk at UPenn.
