In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, we have a guest live in the studio. Podiatrist Jane Andersen will be ready to answer your questions about foot problems and what you can do about them. Fixing Your Foot Problems: Has the pandemic been hard on your feet? Some foot doctors report seeing 20 to […]
After more than two and a half years have we learned anything about how an airborne virus like SARS-CoV-2 is transmitted? Judging from the way people have been acting lately and the way public health authorities have been responding to the latest COVID-19 surges, the answer is not much! An article in JAMA (June 7, […]
In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, we with an international expert about managing the microbiome. How does the microbiome interact with our immune system? Each of us has trillions of microbes living in our digestive tract. The exact number and type of species varies from one person to the next, so in essence […]
We are heartbroken that Dr. Paul Farmer, with whom we spoke in this episode, died suddenly on Feb. 21, 2022. He was a true hero. Our condolences to his family and colleagues. We are airing this interview in memoriam. In 2014, an Ebola epidemic broke out in three countries of West Africa–Liberia, Guinea and Sierra […]
In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, our guests discuss “forever chemicals” (PFAS) used in a wide range of products. How do they affect our health? What Are PFAS, or Forever Chemicals? Scientists refer to a large class of synthetic chemicals, per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, as “forever chemicals.” A Dupont chemist created […]
In our nationally syndicated radio show this week, we consider the benefits of two dietary supplements against autoimmune diseases. Although health care providers are sometimes skeptical about the value of supplements, the VITAL trial represents gold-standard research. In fact, this large, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial demonstrated that vitamin D and marine omega-3 fatty acids each reduce […]
For many years, possibly even centuries, some people who unexpectedly survived a life-threatening event have recounted amazing experiences. Between the time they appeared to die and when they revived, they often encountered places and beings unlike those of everyday life. What should we make of such near death experiences? Reports from the Operating Room: Occasionally, […]
In the midst of a pandemic, many people feel isolated. When you are not even supposed to shake hands, much less hug or kiss, how can those who live alone meet their needs for sexual intimacy? Is it possible to date without running a high risk for COVID-19–or a sexually transmitted infection? How can people […]
In our nationally syndicated radio show we are live this week for the first time in more than two years. First, we speak with biologist Simone Pika about her very interesting observations of chimpanzees treating wounds. Wild chimps at the Ozouga Chimpanzee Project in Gabon have been observed catching insects, mashing them between their lips […]
Our nationally syndicated radio show this week (initial broadcast 4/2/22) offers interviews with two guests who have thought deeply about addiction. In the US, this is a serious public health problem. We have been fighting the war on drugs since the early 1970s. However, we haven’t seen much benefit from this effort. More people die […]
There are at least two pandemics raging through the world at this time. The first is obesity. The second is, of course, COVID-19. Diabetes sits uncomfortably at their intersection. In a vicious cycle, diabetes makes COVID-19 infections more likely and more dangerous. Meanwhile, COVID-19 can trigger diabetes or make it worse. A new study in […]
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we learn about the most common neurological disease humans suffer. Just in time for the Migraine World Summit, we will discuss new treatments for migraine headaches. Recent advances include methods for prevention as well as relieving symptoms. What Are the New Treatments for Migraine Headaches? For decades, […]
This week on our nationally syndicated radio show, we learn how heartbreak can have physiological consequences on the heart and other organ systems. Broken Heart Syndrome, also called Takotsubo, is a form of stress cardiomyopathy. The effects of stress hormones due to an emotional blow or a serious illness can weaken the heart muscle. A […]
Do you add thyme to your chicken soup? Basil and oregano to your pasta sauce? These herbs are staples in most kitchens, and they help good cooks make their meals extra-tasty. We love using herbs and spices ourselves when we cook. Consequently, we were dismayed to read that some cooking spices are contaminated with heavy […]
For such a small organ, your thyroid gland has an outsize impact. It controls energy utilization throughout every tissue in your body. When the thyroid gland isn’t working well, you may notice changes in your digestion, your heart rate, your skin, hair, muscles and your weight. A faltering thyroid may even have an impact on […]
Research over the past few decades has revealed that we humans host a bewildering variety of invisible creatures, our microbiota. We can almost envision the collective genome of all these microbes, the microbiome, as a sort of second genome for human individuals. Unlike our human genome, the microbiome can be altered based on our diet […]
Have you ever put mushrooms in a salad? Might you add them to an appetizer? Stir-fries and frittatas with mushrooms are no longer surprising. Which mushrooms would you select for those dishes? You can find out in a gorgeous cookbook called The Fantastic Fungi Community Cookbook. Editor Eugenia Bone describes her fascination with fungi and […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has been dragging on for longer than most people imagined possible. With each new variant, cases surge and people need to make complex risk calculations about school, work and social interactions. Needless to say, all this can create a great deal of anxiety. Health care workers are under enormous strain. So are […]
We have heard that some people used their time locked down at home during the pandemic to clean out their closets and clear away the clutter. For others, though, we suspect that such projects would have been overwhelming or possibly even undesirable. Perhaps you know someone with hoarding symptoms such as excessive acquiring activities, difficulty […]
More Americans are living to old ages, but frequently their later years are plagued with chronic diseases. Is there a way to stay healthy into the ninth and tenth decade of life? To find out, we take a virtual trip to visit centenarians in a remote village in southern China. Visit to Longevity Village: Dr. […]
Can you have too much togetherness? After a year of pandemic restrictions that kept many couples cooped up together for months, some have discovered that minor annoyances loom larger. Couples have had to negotiate their roles and responsibilities more intensely than ever. This has put quite a strain on some relationships. Pre-existing problems have been […]
Almost thirty years ago, Laurie Garrett published The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance. In this thorough, carefully researched analysis, she laid out why public health authorities should be watching for new pathogens and how they should respond if that happened. Since then, of course, a number of bacteria and […]
In September, more than 200 top medical journals around the world took the unprecedented step of publishing the same editorial. It was “Call for Emergency Action to Limit Global Temperature Increases, Restore Biodiversity, and Protect Health.” In it, editors of various journals identify climate change as the greatest threat to global health. As a consequence, […]
Doctors rarely study spontaneous remissions from serious diseases. Why not? They are unpredictable, for one thing. For another, they are said to be exceedingly rare. Despite this, Dr. Jeffrey Rediger has found that most of his colleagues are aware of at least one case that defies explanation by conventional science. He set out to learn […]
Before this pandemic began, a small group of researchers were already paying close attention to coronaviruses and their potential for causing serious illness. Virus experts around the world recognized our guest, Dr. Ralph Baric, as the coronavirus hunter for his outstanding work in this area. In this episode, he joins us to discuss the future […]
The COVID-19 pandemic has been overwhelming, not only in terms of the huge numbers of people who have gotten sick or died. We have also been engulfed with information about the virus, the infection, the risk factors, what we should do and what we can expect. Much of this information has been contradictory. We turn […]
Everyone gets excited about the idea of medical breakthroughs. Fewer of us, if we are honest, are anxious to be the first one to benefit. After all, if you are the first, you know nothing about the potential harms, and neither does the person offering you the experience. Medical innovation is necessarily fraught with uncertainty. […]
Over the last year and a half, while the nation endured a terrible pandemic, patients with COVID-19 were treated even if they couldn’t foot the bills themselves. Will the high cost of COVID break the bank? Now that people will end up paying for treatment out of their own pockets, will more Americans than ever […]
How do you decide what you should do in a health crisis? Over the past year and a half, many people have faced this problem. Do you go to the hospital for treatment in the midst of a pandemic? What medications or supplements might be helpful and which are more likely to be harmful? We […]
When the COVID pandemic began, doctors thought that patients either recovered fairly quickly or they died. Before long, though, some patients identified themselves as “long haulers” because they were suffering debilitating symptoms for months after their diagnoses, neither dying nor recovering. There are people who become short of breath just walking up a few steps, […]
