Seconded. I found a local mechanic and it cost very little to have them remove the existing refrigerant. They also kept track of the amount removed (which ended up being very little) and offered to put it back in after the leak was fixed.
This study is about consuming HFCS by itself. My understanding, at least based on the studies referenced in “How Not to Die”, is that the fiber in fruit more than makes up for the high sugar content.
I agree in general, though, that much of the processed food we get in the US is oversweetened or oversalted, and it totally distorts the palate.
I found that a good quality instant-read thermometer(e.g. Thermapen) was a huge help for building confidence when cooking meat. If you don’t have one, I’d strongly recommend getting one.