Eradicating Polio in Pakistan has proven a difficult challenge. But why? In a recent episode of my podcast, Causes or Cures, I chatted with Dr. Anushka Ataullahjan about her research on the polio eradication efforts in Pakistan. While we got rid of wild polio in the US, wild polio is still endemic in two countries, […]
Laughter Yoga? A prescription for everyone, perhaps. The below interview portions are taken from an interview I did with Dr. Kataria, the founder of Laughter Yoga, several years ago. I love when science supports clichés. It’s fun when it works out like that. “Everything in Moderation.” “You are What You Eat.” “An Ounce of Prevention […]
A guest post by Andrew Karam, PhD, CHP on what to do if a nuclear bomb drops: While the situation sounds hopeless to many, if anyone knows what to do if a nuclear bomb drops, it’s Dr. Andy Karam. Andy is an expert in this area. He is also a good friend of mine, and […]
Sidelined, How Women Manage and Mismanage Their Health is a book written by Susan Salenger that I recently read. Susan, along with her husband, managed Salenger Films, a company which created corporate training and development films. When her kids grew up, she took anthropology classes at UCLA, which served as the motivation behind Sidelined. […]
Is adding milk to coffee antiinflammatory? Coffee is known to have anti-inflammatory effects, and a lot of people might assume that adding milk to coffee doesn’t have any health benefit or may even reduce the anti-inflammatory effect. A lot of people add some kind of milk to their coffee, mostly to make it taste better. […]
What is the link between healthy lifestyle factors and risk of Long COVID? Secondary to COVID, Long COVID, or symptoms that persist after recovery from COVID, has become its own major health issue. I’ve talked to a few friends who recovered from COVID and say they have fatigue, difficulty breathing or “brain fog” and even […]
A fungus killer named after Keanu Reeves was recently trending in the mainstream news. It gained traction because it was named after Keanu Reeves, but how it works and why it may prove very beneficial for humans, and those we share the world with, got lost in adoration for Keanu. Still, and from a scientific […]
What is the cause of Havana Syndrome? This is a question that has puzzled numerous scientists, agencies and genuinely curious people following Havana Syndrome in the news. In a recent Causes or Cures podcast episode, I had a conversation with Dr. James Giordano about narrowing down the list for what causes Havana Syndrome. It was […]
Is high blood pressure a silent epidemic? Should we be monitoring blood pressure in a different way? I know what you’re thinking…just what we need! Another epidemic! We already have COVID, obesity and opioids. Well, some people think high blood pressure is also an epidemic, albeit one happening silently. And they think we should be […]
Who likes to curse? Then one of my recent podcast episodes, cursing and physical pain, is for you. In this episode of Causes or Cures, I chatted with Dr. Nick Washmuth about how swearing (cursing, saying “bad” words, dropping “f bombs”) can be used to help manage physical pain. He discusses the theories for why […]
Recently, Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying, MAID, was in the news, because of its anticipated expansion in eligibility to include those with mental illness as a primary diagnosis. Essentially, that means that anyone over 18 with a primary diagnosis of mental illness can request medical assistance in dying if they so choose. As you read […]
Who is to blame for the high cost of insulin? A new Causes or Cures Podcast! Before recording this podcast, I would almost instinctively blame “Big Pharma” for the high cost of insulin in the United States. I suppose Big Pharma is an umbrella term for all the players involved in a for-profit, private healthcare […]
A COVID Vaccine you can drink? Yes, one is in the works, that is a vaccine you can drink rather than getting a shot in the arm. Folks who choose to get vaccinated but don’t like needles, will appreciate this episode. In a recent episode of Causes or Cures, I have a conversation with Dr. […]