Ask Nurse Alice

Is the prep actually worse than the procedure? When Nurse Alice talks to patients about colorectal cancer screening, dreading the prep is a major reason people put off their appointment. In this episode, Nurse Alice gets real about colorectal cancer screening while actively sipping her own bowel prep solution on the eve of her own procedure. She tackles the 3 most common reasons people dodge getting a colonoscopy—from pure embarrassment to dreading the prep and breaks down the exact tips, tricks, and clinical reasons why taking the right prep is the only way to get a clear, life-saving result. One night on the throne is worth a lifetime of peace of mind. Listen in, and let's get smart about your health. Have a Health Question for Nurse Alice? Submit your questions directly at AskNurseAlice.com. Your question could be featured on an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you taking medications... because of your other medications? It sounds like a trick question. But when family nurse practitioner Nurse Alice reviews patient medication lists, she sees it all the time. A routine pill for blood pressure or cholesterol gets started. Months later, a new symptom creeps in—swollen ankles, heartburn, or muscle soreness. Naturally, most people assume it’s just aging or a brand-new health condition, report it to their provider, and walk out with another prescription. Before you know it, you’re taking pills just to manage the collateral damage of other pills. In healthcare, this hidden domino effect is called a "Prescribing Cascade." In this episode, Nurse Alice breaks down how prescribing cascades happen, the three most common drug loops to watch for, and her practical 4-Step Medication Action Plan to protect yourself and your loved ones from drug stacking. This isn't about stopping your prescriptions on your own. It’s about asking better questions, taking charge of your care, and making sure your medication routine is actually helping you—not just chasing side effects Listen in, and let's get smart about your health. Have a Health Question for Nurse Alice? Submit your questions directly at AskNurseAlice.com—your question could be featured on an upcoming episode! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weight-loss drugs for 8-year-olds? It sounds extreme. And when Nurse Alice first saw the research, her reaction as a parent was probably the same as yours: Have we gone too far? Weight-loss drugs have exploded in popularity among adults. But now, that conversation is reaching kids as young as 8. A new study found that GLP-1 prescribing among children ages 8 to 11 with obesity increased 310-fold between 2019 and 2026. But that eye-popping number doesn’t tell the whole story. So why would anyone even consider a weight-loss drug for a child this young? In this episode, family nurse practitioner Nurse Alice breaks down the who, what, when, where, and why of GLP-1 use in younger children, including what the research tells us, what we still don’t know, and what parents should consider about nutrition, growth and development. This isn’t about being pro-GLP-1 or anti-GLP-1. It’s about understanding the risks to a child’s health, asking better questions and looking beyond the headline. Because the goal isn’t simply to produce a smaller child. The goal is a healthier child. The question isn’t as simple as it sounds. Listen, and you decide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sometimes your body tells you what your mind has been too busy to notice. Nurse Alice was working, traveling, building businesses, caring for patients, raising a family and keeping up with life. From the outside, everything looked fine. But her body was telling a very different story. In this deeply personal episode of Ask Nurse Alice, she opens up about what was happening behind the scenes during her time away from the podcast, the warning signs she was missing, and what finally made her realize that simply pushing through wasn't working anymore. What happens when stress doesn't stop and your body doesn't get the chance to recover? Nurse Alice breaks down the science of chronic stress and allostatic load, and shares what her own health taught her about the hidden cost of constantly adapting, carrying and continuing. Because being productive isn't the same as being healthy. And being able to keep going doesn't mean your body isn't paying for it. Your body is keeping score. Are you? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a meaningful hiatus, Ask Nurse Alice is back! In this first episode, Nurse Alice finds her way back and talks about what it means to pause, pivot, and reconnect with yourself, and why sometimes stepping away is exactly what your health deserves. Behind the roles of family and ER nurse practitioner, mom, businesswoman, friend, and partner, Alice still deals with the everyday obstacles life throws in our way: navigating changing career shifts, relationships, parenting children into adulthood, and the ongoing work of making health, peace, and well-being a priority. Nurse Alice shares why taking time away was necessary, what she learned in the process, and how she’s made certain aspects of her life non-negotiable. She also explores why caregivers, in particular, need permission to stop being everything to everyone, and start making themselves part of the care plan. Consider this your reminder that you’re allowed to reassess, grow, change direction, and make room for the version of yourself you’re becoming. So spread the news that Ask Nurse Alice is officially back! Tune in weekly for honest, health-focused conversations about healthcare, policy, personal wellbeing, and the everyday factors that shape how we live, work, care, and thrive. For more health stories, medical advice, and whats new, visit https://asknursealice.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices