Seeing blood in your stool can be stressful. Understanding the potential causes and knowing when to seek medical advice is crucial. Gastroenterologist Dr. Lucy Joo joins the podcast to explain the possible causes of bloody stool, from hemorrhoids and anal fissures to more serious conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and colon cancer . Dr. Joo breaks down how lifestyle habits, such as prolonged phone use in the bathroom, can impact gut health and contribute to issues like hemorrhoids. Dr. J...
May 02, 2025•13 min•Ep. 50
When it comes to improving heart health, there are simple, science-backed ways to strengthen your heart right from home, according to Dr. Matthew Delfiner, a cardiologist who specializes in advanced heart failure, transplant cardiology, and pulmonary hypertension at Jefferson Health. In this episode, learn about why being sedentary is so bad for your health, how small changes, like standing more and moving throughout the day, can make a big impact and the recommended "dose" of exercise for heart...
Feb 19, 2025•12 min•Ep. 49
In this episode of the podcast, Janine Kyrillos , the director of the Jefferson Comprehensive Weight Management Program, explains why weight loss is so complex, detailing how factors like evolution, genetics and modern lifestyle challenges contribute to the struggle many people face. She also provides a comprehensive breakdown of weight loss medications, including who qualifies for these medications, what role lifestyle changes play in achieving sustainable weight loss and how to manage potentia...
Dec 19, 2024•21 min•Ep. 48
Dr. Dallal is an expert in bariatric surgery and the enterprise physician lead for bariatric surgery at Jefferson. In this episode, he shares his insights on why losing weight is so difficult for many people, the science behind obesity, and how bariatric surgery can be a life-changing option for those struggling with weight loss. Dr. Dallal explains the physiological and environmental factors that make weight management challenging and discusses how surgeries like gastric bypass and sleeve gastr...
Nov 27, 2024•22 min•Ep. 47
What is this type of cancer? Will I be in pain? How is that pain going to be managed? Will I need help at home? Can I still work while being treated? What is the survival rate? These are just a few of the questions most people have after being diagnosed with cancer. Getting this diagnosis is extremely difficult, for both the person with cancer and their family and friends. Staying informed and supportive through this medical journey is critical. Where you decide to receive treatment is just as c...
Oct 10, 2024•22 min•Ep. 46
In this episode, infectious diseases expert Dr. John Zurlo returns to the podcast to provide essential updates on the latest COVID-19 booster. As we move into the fall season, Dr. Zurlo shares crucial information about whether you should consider getting the updated COVID booster and how to time your flu shot this year for maximum protection. Dr. Zurlo also offers a reminder on what to do if you test positive for COVID, including common symptoms and treatment options. Plus, he provides an update...
Sep 05, 2024•18 min•Ep. 45
According to the National Institute on Aging, more than one million women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) in the United States experience menopause each year. Yet, understanding its symptoms and treatment pathways remains a mystery for many. “For every woman, it's an individual journey,” explains Dr. Robyn Faye , a gynecologist and a certified menopause practitioner through the Menopause Society. “I think some women think that their journey is going to be really easy and they're shock...
Jun 27, 2024•25 min•Ep. 44
Our miniseries on how stress affects the body concludes with a focus on gut health. In this episode, gastroenterologist Dr. Cuckoo Choudhary shares the ways stress shapes our digestive system and how it can affect gastrointestinal motility, sensitivity, gut microbiome and more. Dr. Choudhary also discusses symptoms of stress-related GI issues and shares how some chronic GI disorders can be triggered or aggravated by stress in genetically predisposed individuals. We also talk about ways to mainta...
May 30, 2024•24 min•Ep. 43
Welcome to part two of our three-part series examining the effects of stress on the body. In this episode, neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Zhikui Wei discusses how stress specifically impacts how the nervous system functions, including the brain. Dr. Wei explains the distinction between acute and chronic stress responses, delving into how both types of stress affect the brain’s neurotransmitters, tissue remodeling in the brain, and overall mental health. He also offers insights on recognizi...
Apr 19, 2024•14 min•Ep. 42
Welcome to part one of our three-part series examining the effects of stress on the body. In this episode, interventional cardiologist Dr. David Fischman discusses how stress specifically impacts heart health. Dr. Fischman discusses the differences between acute and chronic stress on the heart and why taking care of your mental health is just as important as taking care of your physical health. Learn about broken heart syndrome and the symptoms of heart disease, plus, his tips on stress manageme...
Feb 29, 2024•16 min•Ep. 41
Navigating the world of diets and nutrition is no easy task, especially as new diets and trends fight for your attention on social media channels like TikTok and Instagram. If you’ve ever wondered if the Keto Diet might be for you, if intermittent fasting could bring you to your weight loss goals, if juicing could help boost your nutritional intake and detox your body, or what exactly “girl dinner” means and how to make one, this episode featuring registered dietitian and licensed dietitian nutr...
Jan 31, 2024•50 min•Ep. 40
If you’ve experienced any history of cardiac disease or have an established cardiac diagnosis, you’re likely already regularly seeing a cardiologist. But what if you haven’t? At what point should a cardiologist be a part of your healthcare team? Cardiologist, Dr. Darius Farzad joins this podcast to answer this question and more. We discuss everything from how your lifestyle could be helping or hurting your heart health, the causes of heart disease, how to manage high cholesterol and the unassumi...
Nov 02, 2023•18 min•Ep. 39
Infectious diseases expert Dr. John Zurlo returns to the podcast to offer the latest information on COVID-19, including pertinent information on the new boosters and the state of our herd immunity. He also weighs in on who should consider wearing face masks as we see an uptick in COVID cases again this fall. Listen and subscribe to the Living Well Podcast by Jefferson Health on your preferred players: Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podbean ....
Oct 12, 2023•14 min•Ep. 38
Gastroenterologist Dr. David Kastenberg says there’s a reason the stomach is referred to as a “second brain.” There are more neurons in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract than there are in the brain. So, if you ever have a “gut feeling” something is wrong, about your health or in your day-to-day life, there’s good reason to listen. There’s also good reason to listen to this episode, dedicated to GI health. In this episode, Dr. Kastenberg discusses food sensitivities and intolerances, the FODMAP die...
Jul 27, 2023•41 min•Ep. 37
In this episode, primary care physicians Drs. Tito Mantilla and Arun Thomas share the top questions their patients are bringing to their appointments. They offer their thoughts on weight loss medications , the importance of preventative screenings, managing chronic disease, when is the right time to start anxiety medications and more. Listen and subscribe to the Living Well Podcast by Jefferson Health on your preferred players: Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Podbean ....
Jun 22, 2023•29 min•Ep. 36
In this episode, Dr. Martha Simmons , a family medicine doctor, offers an inclusive, judgment-free overview of the current landscape of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including why the rate of STI infection is on the rise and the best ways to protect yourself, including screening and vaccination. STIs are also commonly called sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) . Dr. Simmons breaks down why infection is a more accurate term and discusses the stigma STIs have in our society. Resources: ...
Apr 27, 2023•35 min•Ep. 35
The Health Nexus Podcast is now the Living Well Podcast by Jefferson Health . We may have a new name and look but we’re delivering the same great interviews with Jefferson’s experts to help support your mental and physical wellbeing. In this episode, sleep medicine specialist Dr. Ritu Grewal breaks down sleep mistakes you could be making and ways to get more restorative rest, starting with a solid nighttime sleep routine. While everyday life stressors can cause a bad night of sleep every now and...
Mar 09, 2023•31 min•Ep. 34
Whether or not you are diagnosed with a pulmonary disease, like asthma or COPD , winter months can be tough on the lungs. Cold air can irritate the lung’s airways, which can cause coughing, wheezing or a constricting feeling when breathing. The good news? There are ways to mitigate these symptoms to better protect your lungs. Enter pulmonologist Dr. Jessica Most . In this episode, Dr. Most offers her expert recommendations on how to best protect your lungs this winter, whether you are fighting t...
Dec 21, 2022•19 min•Ep. 33
Clinical psychologist Dr. Virginia O’Hayer works with people who experience feelings intensely and helps guide them through crisis. These days, she’s dedicated and passionate about reaching those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to help them heal and have coping strategies to forge ahead with purpose and intention. In this episode, she validates the losses we experienced collectively, including grieving the loss of loved ones and even the loss of our sense of self or purpose. Why is moving past...
Dec 01, 2022•24 min•Ep. 32
Some might not consider walking to be a legitimate form of exercise. Dr. Christine Marschilok , a sports medicine specialist, is not one of those people. In this episode, hear about the many health benefits, both physical and mental, associated with a short stroll every day. Dr. Marschilok discusses the recent report conducted by Harvard Medical School which analyzed data on the health benefits of walking and concluded walking just 21 minutes per day can reduce your risk of heart disease by 30%....
Nov 10, 2022•21 min•Ep. 31
There’s the normal day-to-day fleeting anxieties that affect everyone—from meeting someone for a first date to the anticipation of giving a big presentation. Then, there’s anxiety that feels ever-present. Moments of anxiety are normal. Long-term anxiety affecting your quality of life isn’t and coping with it isn't something anyone has to do alone. In this episode, meet adult psychiatrist Dr. Tal Weinberger , who both normalizes the anxiety we all feel from to time and explains when it might be t...
Oct 27, 2022•25 min•Ep. 30
Infectious diseases expert Dr. John Zurlo joins The Health Nexus Podcast once again to provide the latest information on COVID-19, including how he would time getting the Omicron BA.5 bivalent vaccine and the flu shot if you’re trying to avoid feeling potentially crummy. Also on the docket of topics: masking recommendations this flu season, whether we’ll see a surge this fall/winter and much more on that new bivalent vaccine. We also get an update on the monkeypox virus affecting our region and ...
Oct 13, 2022•29 min•Ep. 29
During the COVID-19 pandemic, prejudice, xenophobia and racism toward Asian American and Pacific Islander communities has surged. In this conversation, meet Dr. Xiao Chi Zhang , an emergency medicine physician and Chinese American, who shares the hateful words that people have yelled out to him on the street, and what happened when one day words escalated to physical assault. He talks about the confusion of being targeted because of what he looks like and shares how his scrubs sometimes felt lik...
Jun 21, 2022•38 min•Ep. 28
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may be a disease you may not know about, or even know you have, and it is predicted to be the number one indicator of the need for liver transplant in the next few years. In this episode, we connect with transplant hepatologist Dr. Dina Halegoua-DeMarzio, dedicated to trying to prevent patients from needing a liver transplant because of fatty liver disease. She breaks down what causes it, symptoms (or sometimes lack of symptoms), risk factors and what makes this...
May 10, 2022•11 min•Ep. 27
It’s been over a month since Russian invaded Ukraine. For Dr. Alex Hajduczok, a first year cardiologist fellow at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, the war felt at first inconceivable and then it felt impossible to follow from the sidelines. In this episode, he tells us about traveling to Medyka, Poland, a town just on the Polish/Ukrainian border, to provide medical care to the thousands of Ukrainian refugees arriving there each day. The nine days he spent at the pop-up medic...
Apr 08, 2022•12 min•Ep. 26
When it comes to COVID, we’ve seen our fair share of progress and set-backs over the last two years. This episode, we hear from Chief of Infectious Disease, Dr. John Zurlo on the what life will look like from here. He comments on recent changes to masking restrictions, timelines for vaccinations for young children, the challenges we face in declaring an “end” to the pandemic. For more on COVID and other articles for maintaining a healthy life, visit TheHealthNexus.org Follow Jefferson on social ...
Mar 15, 2022•11 min•Ep. 25
The nation is experiencing a shortage of blood products. There’s been decline in the number of people donating blood and a drop in blood drives. The result is doctors being forced to make tough decisions about who receives transfusions and who will need to wait until more products are available. Experts from Jefferson and the American Red Cross address myths behind donating blood, explain how blood is used regularly in the hospital setting, and detail what you can do to help in this time of cris...
Feb 23, 2022•9 min•Ep. 24
Bariatric surgeon Dr. Candice Chipman notes that 60 percent of the country is obese, yet only 2 percent are seeking help from a bariatric surgeon when other weight loss methods fail. A misconception about the reason to seek bariatric surgery could be the culprit. She explains the various benefits to this type of surgery and why it isn’t simply about physical appearance. Then, registered dietician Alexandra Agasar offers tips that you can implement into your life today to manage a healthy weight ...
Jan 25, 2022•8 min•Ep. 23
The Omicron variant is by far the most dominant of the COVID virus strains in our region at this time. Dr. John Zurlo, Chief of Infectious Diseases updates us on what we’re seeing in the hospitals, new monoclonal antibody therapies Sotrovimab and Evusheld, and the accuracy of at-home tests. Plus, he addresses whether the United States will follow in the footsteps of Germany and Israel and expedite an additional booster. Be sure to check out The Health Nexus for additional content on COVID like a...
Jan 12, 2022•9 min•Ep. 22
Coming out and living authentically is an important part of life, but it isn't always easy. Falling into unhealthy coping mechanisms is a risk as there is worry of family and friends not being supportive of the LGBTQ+ lifestyle. Behavior Health Specialist Christopher Huff, LCSW, LCDAC and dietitian Sarah Spinner, RDN, discuss how you can manage the stressors associated with coming out to your loved ones. They discuss how to address negative comments, how to maintain a healthy diet to reduce stre...
Dec 21, 2021•10 min•Ep. 21
