This week, we are joined by Dr. Ashley Lerman, Board-certified Pediatric Dentist, to chat about, you guessed it: oral hygiene. You have a question about your mouth? We've got you covered. We tackle how often you should go to the dentist, best practices for brushing your teeth (do you really need to shell out for the electric toothbrush?), flossing, and more. We discuss the persistent myths about fluoride, and the importance of it for dental health. We talk about some health hacks that circulate ...
Feb 07, 2024•53 min•Season 4Ep. 19
On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined by Drs. Spencer and Karl Nadolsky (Docs Who Lift) to discuss concerns surrounding Dr. Andrew Huberman, a popular science communicator. We set the stage with a conversation about Huberman's background and his growing platform-- and how his content has evolved over time. We highlight the potential harm of misinformation in the wellness industry and the ways that Huberman has blurred the line between science and pseudoscience. We discuss the importan...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 14 min•Season 4Ep. 18
This week, we are joined by one of your top requested guests: the amazing Dr. Jen Gunter, OB/GYN and pain medicine physician and world-renowned health communicator, to tackle all things menopause. We start with a broad overview of menopause. We cover diagnosis and symptom management options. We discuss menopause hormone therapy and address commonly asked questions. AND OF COURSE, we debunk potentially dangerous "wellness" trends including hormone regulating diets, supplements, "HRT alternatives"...
Jan 24, 2024•57 min•Season 4Ep. 17
On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined (again!) by Dr. Craig Chepke, board-certified psychiatrist to talk about attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We outline prevalence of ADHD among children, and discuss limitations of data based on gaps in clinical criteria for diagnosis, particularly among girls. We discuss causes of ADHD (what is known and unknown) and discuss different presentations of ADHD symptoms. We chat about the sudden rise in ADHD diagnoses among millennial wo...
Jan 17, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Season 4Ep. 16
This week, we dig into another common topic in the wellness world: toxic mold. Like many other pseudoscience concepts, there are tiny nuggets of truth that are misinterpreted and exaggerated to spread misinformation. To help you navigate this, we discuss what's real and what's not when it comes to mold. We cover the basics: what molds are, where they're found, and what symptoms can present with high exposure to certain molds. We dissect the wellness claims: the attribution of a wide array of sym...
Jan 10, 2024•45 min•Season 4Ep. 15
On this week's episode, we are joined by two experts: Dr. Kevin Folta, a molecular biologist specializing in plant biology, and Dr. Nicole Keller, a general pediatrician and member of AAP, to discuss the recent position paper written by 3 pediatricians about GMO foods which is being adopted as a policy statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. This paper has countless issues, from omission of relevant data, cherry-picked studies, and inflammatory statements not supported by evidence, and ...
Jan 03, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 14
On this week’s episode of the pod, we discuss postpartum depression disorder (PDD) with guest Dr. Craig Chepke, a board-certified psychiatrist. We kick things off with some statistics and demographics of those who are impacted by PPD. We explore the symptoms, diagnosis, and risk factors of PPD —and distinguish it from the less serious “baby blues”. Throughout the episode, we emphasize the importance of seeking help and breaking the stigma associated with mental health treatment and support. The ...
Dec 20, 2023•55 min•Season 4Ep. 13
On this week's episode of the pod, we're joined by fellow misinformation debunker Dr. David Robert Grimes to dispel some pesky wellness trends and myths. We kick things off with a discussion of full-body MRIs as a voluntary preventive measure for asymptomatic individuals. We'll discuss the cognitive dissonance between these trends and recommended screenings, highlight the privilege and status symbol associated with full-body MRIs, and explore the lack of evidence supporting their use. The conver...
Dec 13, 2023•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 12
On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined by Dr. Ryan Marino (medical toxicologist, ER doc, and addiction specialist) to discuss the opioid crisis. We kick things off with some statistics on opioid use and overdoses and the array of health and social problems caused by the high prevalence of opioid use disorder. We take a step back to discuss the biochemistry of opioids, starting with the history of the oldest known drug, the opium poppy. We discuss the mechanism of action and some key di...
Dec 06, 2023•54 min•Season 4Ep. 11
This week on the podcast, we're joined by Dr. Kate Baicker, a leading expert in the economic analysis of healthcare policy, to delve into the intricacies of the U.S. healthcare system. We begin by laying the groundwork with an overview of our current system's key characteristics and a breakdown of healthcare spending in the U.S. We then examine the disparities in health outcomes and life expectancy linked to sociodemographic factors. Our discussion takes a candid turn as we explore whether the U...
Nov 29, 2023•55 min•Season 4Ep. 10
On this week's episode of the pod, we are joined by Dr. Alison Ventura who has expertise in early childhood nutrition and development to talk about infant feeding. We kick things off with some statistics on the ways we feed infants in the US with regard to breastfeeding and formula feeding-- including variations by demographic. We discuss the reasons why an infant may receive breastmilk via bottle (versus from the breast) and debunk common myths and misconceptions about bottle feeding. We also d...
Nov 22, 2023•44 min•Season 4Ep. 9
On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle veterinary health and pet preventive medicine. We were joined by "Veterinary Hero" Dr. Matt McGlasson to dig into several important topics. We start with vet care essentials, including dental care. We address the controversy behind spaying & neutering pets and the importance of doing so. Next, we debunk misinformation surrounding pet vaccines. We chat about other important preventatives for our fur babies. We recap fad pet diets (and why you shoul...
Nov 15, 2023•58 min•Season 4Ep. 8
On this week's podcast episode, Professor Tim Caulfield joins us to discuss the media's impact on health policy and science literacy. We dig into the concept of false balance with recent examples, and the phenomenon where people turn to unproven wellness hacks and advice endorsed by celebrities as opposed to evidence-based expert guidance. We talk about predatory journals and publications that muddy the waters and their impact consumption of science information. And of course, we cover the motiv...
Nov 08, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 7
On this week's podcast episode, we tackle a topic that is splashed across every news outlet - PFAS and, more broadly, endocrine disruptors. To cover this very important issue we are joined by TWO experts: a toxicologist and a clinical endocrinologist. We start with an overview of the endocrine system and endocrine disruptors, both natural and synthetic. We then focus on PFAS specifically-- what they are, how risk is assessed, sources of PFAS, and other important concepts like bioaccumulation. We...
Nov 01, 2023•1 hr 3 min•Season 4Ep. 6
On this week's episode of the pod, we are talking about a drug that's been available for decades but is suddenly being pulled from shelves: phenylephrine (something you've probably reached for when you've been congested). We bring on an expert, Dr. Mikkael Sekeres, a Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Hematology at the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Miami who formerly chaired the Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee of the FDA. Dr. Sekeres helps us walk ...
Oct 25, 2023•52 min•Season 4Ep. 5
On this week's episode of the pod, we are doing a respiratory illness season roundup because it is upon us! We kick things off with a discussion on COVID-19 and the newly updated vaccines (including mRNA vaccines and Novavax). We present some of the latest statistics on disease burden and the increase in cases. Next, we move on to flu and discuss how vaccines are updated annually and address some myths and misconceptions about flu vaccines. Finally, we move on to RSV and discuss the newly approv...
Oct 18, 2023•46 min•Season 4Ep. 4
On this weeks episode of the pod, we are talking about the government's role in healthcare and health-related policies. We sat down with America's government teacher, Sharon McMahon, to dig into the United States of Science! We talk about some pivotal cases that came before the Supreme Court and the implications of their rulings. We discuss whether the vaccine mandates are constitutional and the controversy surrounding them. We spend some time discussing legislation that is not science-based and...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Season 4Ep. 3
On this week’s episode of the pod, we’re coming to you with a hygiene roundup! That’s right, we address some of the most common questions we get about hygiene, and talk about the science or lack thereof behind them. We talk about frequency of cleaning bedsheets, changing towels after bathing/showering, and how often you should change your toothbrush! We also discuss the dirty truth about kitchen sponges, cleaning water bottles, face washing, and hand washing. We wrap up with a discussion on some...
Oct 04, 2023•42 min•Season 4Ep. 2
We are BACK for season 4 of the podcast! We are starting out with a bang by having a candid conversation with a personal hero of ours, Dr. Peter Hotez-- and we do not shy away from controversy. We talk about anti-science aggression generally, as well as his (and our) personal experiences with anti-science vitriol. We talk about his reasoning for not debating RFK Jr. about vaccines, despite much public prodding. We chat about the future of infectious disease and what we can expect to see as a res...
Sep 27, 2023•1 hr•Season 4Ep. 1
On this week's episode of the pod (our last of season 3!) we are joined by Dr. Liz O'Riordan to discuss a topic near and dear to our hearts-- breast cancer screening! We kick things off with some global breast cancer stats (for both women and men). We discuss different types of breast cancer which vary in terms of aggressiveness and prognoses. We talk about screening guidelines and the reasoning behind newly updated recommendations. We cover the importance and proper way to conduct breast self-c...
Jun 07, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 33
On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle the very complex (and oft misunderstood) microbiome, specifically, the gut microbiome. We highlight recent buzz surrounding the microbiome and claims circulating on social media. We discuss what the microbiome actually is, the diversity of the gut microbiome, some data on implications of disruptions to it, and the countless factors that influence it. We recap probiotics (briefly) and supplements that people take to "optimize" their microbiome. We disc...
May 31, 2023•41 min•Season 3Ep. 32
On this week's episode of the pod, we take a more philosophical approach to a topic we've discussed in detail many times before-- alternative medicine. We set the stage by discussing the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) medicine industry and remind people that it is a multi-billion dollar industry. We discuss the available research on the effectiveness of alternative therapies, many of which lack scientifically verifiable effects. However, we talk about the very valid reasons why som...
May 24, 2023•46 min•Season 3Ep. 31
On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle a topic that bugs so many... ticks! Tis the season for ticks in certain parts of the US, so we had to talk about these little blood-sucking arthropods! We are “joined” by a special guest and the Executive Director of the American Lyme Disease Foundation: our very own Dr. Andrea Love! We kick things off with a summary of the diversity of tick species, especially those to be aware of in the US. We chat about different types of pathogens and diseases tha...
May 10, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 30
On this week's episode of the pod, we tackled a topic that really got our tummies rumbling...sushi! We kick things off with some background on the origins of sushi. We spend some time talking about the multi-billion-dollar sushi industry in the US, and some factors that might impact the cost of sushi in the not-so-distant future. Next, we do a deep dive on the term, "sushi grade." For this discussion, we talk about FDA advisory guidelines-- what they cover, and what they don't. We spend some tim...
May 03, 2023•42 min•Season 3Ep. 29
This week, we tackle a topic that people often avoid discussing….pre-clinical animal research. We acknowledge the controversies surrounding animal research and that some feel very strongly about this subject. We discuss our personal experience conducting animal research and some applications of the research conducted. We cover several examples of biomedical advancements made possible thanks to animal research. We dig into the reasons for using animals in research as well as the limitations of no...
Apr 26, 2023•47 min•Season 3Ep. 28
On this week's episode of the pod, we tackle a topic near and dear to our animal-loving hearts: pet allergies! We are joined by Dr. Manisha Relan, a pediatric allergy and immunology specialist, to discuss animal allergies. We kick things off with stats on pet allergies. We cover allergic reactions and allergies, including how the immune system response leads to the symptoms experienced. We discuss that pet allergies aren't responses to animal fur, hair, or feathers, but rather, proteins found in...
Apr 19, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 27
On this week's episode of the pod, we talk about fiber, prebiotics, and the importance of gut health. We kick things off with a conversation about the differences between the terms fiber and prebiotics which are often used interchangeably and distinguish them from probiotics (an entirely separate thing we’ve discussed before). We discuss types of fiber, their characteristics and properties such as: viscosity, bulking, adsorption, encapsulation, and fermentability, and how those offer health bene...
Apr 12, 2023•39 min•Season 3Ep. 26
On this week’s episode of the pod, we tackle the wellness industry’s enemy du jour: seed oils. First, we introduce seed oils and some examples that are commonly used. We summarize the array of false claims circulating about seed oils: that they cause inflammation and a slew of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, the [already debunked] leaky gut, cardiovascular disease, and more. We discuss the fat composition of seed oils, specifically omega-6 fatty acids, linoleic acid, and why they have ...
Apr 05, 2023•38 min•Season 3Ep. 25
On this week's episode of the pod, we take a detour from science into science fiction and discuss whether the premise of the hit video game and HBO series, The Last of Us, could ever be a reality! We are joined by infectious disease expert, Doctor Neuro, to tackle the topic. We start with some mycology and entomology and chat about Cordyceps and Ophiocordyceps, colloquially called "zombie-ant fungus" and how they, luckily, cannot infect humans. We shift gears to immunology, specifically, differe...
Mar 29, 2023•44 min•Season 3Ep. 24
On this episode of the pod, we take a step back to re-introduce ourselves! We talk about our careers and day-to-day lives as scientists in two very different scientific fields. Andrea details her career as an immunologist/microbiologist and team manager at a biotech company, and Jess speaks about her life as the CEO of a data science consultancy and public health scientist. We then discuss some of the things we wish people knew about scientists and the need for scientists in fields outside of ac...
Mar 22, 2023•40 min•Season 3Ep. 23
