“Health is harmony of body, mind, spirit, and community, not simply the silence of disease.”
This website is run by Dr. Eeks (ErinKate Stair)
Listen to Dr. Eeks’ podcast, Causes or Cures, that covers timely health topics with experts:
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If you are into uncomfortable page-turners, read Manic Kingdom.
If you have a whacky sense of humor, listen to my very short audiobook, Yours in Wellness.
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The newsletter includes interviews with health experts, articles, plain-language summaries of recent health research, healthy recipes, fun anecdotes, podcast summaries and future guests for the podcast!
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Want to underwreite or sponsor a podcast episode?
If you are interested in underwriting or sponsoring a Causes or Cures Podcast Episode and getting in front of a very health-motivated audience, please message me, Erinkate Stair, at erin@bloomingwellness.com for process and rates. But I will be honest: I’m much more interested in underwriting educational health material that will benefit humanity, and I remain very selective about the companies I work with as sponsors, having turned down many because of exaggerated health claims, etc.
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*PLEASE NOTE: I sometimes allow guests and/or promotional posts on the blog and do not read most of them. I write all of the blogs that are not in the “Other-Ad” category. The “Other-Ad” category is mostly advertisement blogs written to promote specific links & you should know that I do not scientifically review them, although the ones I have read are pretty awful. Just sayin. ;)
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What is Blooming Wellness?
A site founded by me, ErinKate Stair, MD, MPH…but I go by Dr. Eeks. Someone said EEKS one day, and it, well…, took off! ;)
Blooming Wellness is mostly a blog where I share my thoughts on trending health and public health topics. We also have a great social media community where we respectfully discuss hot health topics, particularly on my Facebook Page and even sometimes on Instagram.
Here, I write all the blogs that are not categorized as “Other.” I also host the affiliated health podcast, Causes or Cures. It has grown a lot during the pandemic, and I hope you guys check it out!
I like to keep “wellness” simple, rooted in common sense, attainable, and affordable. Wellness shouldn’t be presented as a luxury brand, though it often is. (I did a whole podcast on it here.) I always try to provide evidence for topics covered and make note when there isn’t a lot of evidence or if something is anecdotal. I’m not against anecdotal evidence at all, but I am against being dishonest about the level of evidence for a proposed intervention or supplement.
There are different approaches to healing. Some focus on the body. Some focus on the mind. Some focus on the mind-body connection. Still others focus on the mind-body-spirit connection, and when you really think about those approaches, it means not everyone views healing exactly the same way. My preference is to focus on the mind-body-spirit, and in the last several years I’ve spent a lot of time on the “spiritual” dimension. People who say science is incompatible with a spiritual dimension are, in short, not accurate. But that’s MY opinion, and you know what they say about opinions. ;) At the end of the day, you have to do you and do what works for you.
I will also add that I do not endorse any supplements. My only advice when it comes to supplements is to do your homework and do it well. It’s an unregulated world, much like the Wild West. That said, I do take supplements, but I’m not here to sell any to you. Of course, you also have to navigate the undeniable for-profit bias in the conventional healthcare system, and I know how much that sucks too. It’d be nice if everyone put health before profit, but I think we need to be a different species for that to happen.
I add humor to almost everything.
Humor, playfulness and using your imagination are integral parts of health and stress reduction, so you’ll find a lot of that scattered throughout my website and on my social media feeds. I didn’t grow up rich so blue-collar humor is my favorite defense mechanism. Also, I’m not everyone’s cup of tea, but I am some people’s morning shot of vodka. I mean, apple cider vinegar. ;)
Things I don’t do: I don’t give out medical advice. I don’t practice medicine or see patients. I work as a public health/scicomms consultant and federal contractor on a variety of different projects…some more creative than others! Please don’t ask for medical advice, unless you want to be disappointed. However, I will offer my philosophical advice if you really want it.
Just ME: While I work with many great organizations and companies, views on this website and are mine and mine alone. (And perhaps my dog offers his 2 cents here and there.)
Note: Humans love to be tribal and take sides. It’s our nature. I try to stay balanced while maintaining an open mind and an open ear. I’m not perfect at it, but that’s how I try to live my life. The goal of science isn’t to be right; it’s to stay open-minded, humble and curious. There always needs to be a space for dissent, and we shouldn’t be so quick to label dissenters with reductive labels. When I joined a military academy at 18, I never took my rights for granted and always had great respect for folks who signed up to defend them. That’s one reason I will always be a fighter for free speech and open discussion, even if some of it is bat-shit cray cray.
Disclaimer: Please note that this website should never replace your Doctor’s Advice. Blooming Wellness provides information on interesting health and wellness topics. And tells you stories. And makes you laugh. We do not respond to questions about how to treat medical illnesses. For your knowledge, please know that none of our statements have been evaluated by the FDA or any other regulatory body, depending what country you reside in, nor should they replace or serve as medical advice. This is an informational site only.