Growing up WEIRD Podcast

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how breast milk varies during the day, how breastfeeding affects the milk microbiome, and how the age at which a child gets their first smartphone influences their later mental health. We then discuss disgust - what it is, why it’s good, and when it can be bad. We talk about how we can help children set up healthy levels of disgust. Finally, we talk about how the age at which a child walks affects their long-term hip health.For more information on setting children up for a healthy level of disgust - try this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/should-we-avoid-disgusting-childrenThis episode mentions these articles:It also mentions Greg’s beautiful-bug Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgregdickens/Topics covered* How does breast milk vary over the day?* How does the age at which a child gets a smartphone influence their mental health? * What is disgust and why is it needed?* How can we set children up for healthy levels of disgust?* How does the age at which a child walks affect their hip development?These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topicsNotesDay/night fluctuations of breast milk bioactive factors and microbiome: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1618784/fullFeeding Expressed Breast Milk Alters the Microbial Network of Breast Milk and Increases Breast Milk Microbiome Diversity over Time: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/1/12Protecting the Developing Mind in a Digital Age: A Global Policy Imperative: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/19452829.2025.2518313#d1e383Age at Onset of Walking in Infancy Is Associated With Hip Shape in Early Old Age: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6446733/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how underwear affects testicular function and how aluminium-based vaccines affect a child’s risk of chronic disease. We then dive into the subject of parental burnout - what it is, why it’s so common in Western cultures, and how we can set up our environment to reduce our own risk. Finally, we discuss whether soap affects underarm odour.Did you know that liking this post or leaving a comment helps it find more readers? If you are reading this as an email, there is a heart button at the top and bottom of this email. Click on it and it will take you to the Substack website where you can also leave a comment. If you are reading it online, again, just click the heart button at the top or bottom of this post. I appreciate your support so much!This episode relates to this article: Topics covered* How does underwear affect testicular function?* Do aluminium-based vaccines affect chronic disease in children?* What’s parental burnout and how common is it?* What can we change in our environment to reduce the risk of burnout?* Does using soap under your arms increase body odour?These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:NotesUnderwear and testicular function: https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/33/9/1749/5066758?Aluminum-adsorbed vaccines and chronic disease in children: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-00997Antiperspirants and odour production: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00403-014-1487-1 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how second-hand smoke affects eye development and on how child health affects later risk of many different diseases. We then talk about why our Western hamstrings (the muscles on the backs of our legs) are typically shorter and stiffer, and how we can set children up for better functioning hamstrings to help their back and knee health in adulthood. Finally, we discuss whether hot and cold water temperatures affect skin barrier function in the same way. Did you know that liking this post or leaving a comment helps it find more readers? If you are reading this as an email, there is a heart button at the top and bottom of this email. Click on it and it will take you to the Substack website where you can also leave a comment. If you are reading it online, again, just click the heart button at the top or bottom of this post. I appreciate your support so much!This episode relates to these two articles (and references are here):Topics covered* How does second-hand smoke exposure affect a child’s eye growth? [01:05]* How do seven key factors in childhood reduce an adult’s risk of disease? [05:58]* What are hamstrings and why should we care? [12:23]* How can we set children up for longer, more flexible hamstrings? [25:02]* Do hot and cold water affect the skin in the same way? [28:36]These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:NotesSecond-hand smoke and myopia: https://bmcophthalmol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12886-025-03890-7Simple 7 effects on health throughout the lifespan: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.038566How does water temperature affect skin barrier function? https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/11/2/298 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I talk about how heat affects children’s development and how the effects depend on what they are eating. We discuss mineral intake during pregnancy, why baby microbiomes don’t have much overlap with their mother’s microbiomes, and we discuss what affects a boy’s testosterone health as he develops. And finally, we explore how we can tell whether dirt is likely to make children sick, and how that should affect what we do about it.This episode relates to this article (and references are here):Topics covered* Why we should minimise heat stress in children [01:16]* How maternal exposure to trace elements influence a baby’s risk of infection [06:10]* Why baby microbiomes don’t have much in common with their mother’s vaginal microbiome [08:35]* What affects a boy’s ability to balance his testosterone levels [16:35]* What we should know about good and bad dirt: [21:48]These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:NotesMice that have a single episode of heat stress show long-term effects: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-07484-3Maternal selenium exposure may have protective effects on Streptococcus infection among children: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0319356Babies don’t get their microbes from their mother’s vagina: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12884-025-07358-wChildhood and adolescent BMI and early childhood infection alter boys’ ability to regulate testosterone throughout life: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/andr.70091 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

To doctors, a normal death is a natural one, and a normal birth is not. To veterinary surgeons, a normal birth is a natural one, and a normal death is not.When my father was dying, I was terrified. I’d never seen animals die without assistance, or without a lot of medical intervention trying to avoid it. I couldn’t understand how things could happen differently. My medical friends talked with me, and those conversations reframed my entire view. They helped me understand what was going to happen - what I could control and what I couldn’t. Their kindness and clarity helped me to make sense of an overwhelmingly difficult time.Ten years later, I had the opportunity to repay that favour.I was asked to give the speech at my college’s Medical and Veterinary Society Annual Dinner. I thought back to the conversations I’d had with my medical friends, and how much they’d influenced my views on death.I thought about the trauma that medical students see on obstetric wards throughout their training. I thought about how their time of seeing nothing but worst-case scenarios must influence their own ability to give birth years later. I thought about the fear that cause many of them feel, and how they might perpetuate that fear in their interactions with their patients throughout their career.I recognised that fear. It’s the same fear I’d felt around death. And just as they’d helped me, I thought that I could help them.I decided that the one talk I most wanted to give to the medical and veterinary society, was about exactly where vets and medics cross over, and what vets wish medics knew about birth. Normal mammalian birth.This is that talk.Fancy listening to something else? Want to learn more about birth and the challenges of birth in healthcare systems?Here are a few articles I’ve enjoyed recently:And a couple on breastfeeding This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on cultural susceptibility to optical illusions, on how a boy’s metabolic health influences his offspring’s health, and the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure. We then talk about the recent UK National Diet and Nutrition survey and how snacking affects the findings. We then talk about why typical Western snacking patterns are bad for children’s health, and how we can use snacking as a way to teach children to listen to their bodies and eat more nutritious foods. Finally, we discuss whether breastfeeding on the floor is better than breastfeeding on the couch.This episode relates to this article (and references are here):Topics covered* How do cultural factors affect your susceptibility to optical illusions? [01:40]* When should boys be healthy to set their kids up for better health? [04:48]* What happens to babies exposed to cannabis in the womb? [11:28]* What are children in the UK eating? [17:38]* Is snacking bad or good? [24:06]* How can we make snacking better? [35:34]* Should you breastfeed on the floor? [38:33]These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:NotesRural Namibians struggle with the Coffer illusion in the other direction: https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/gxzcp_v3A boy’s metabolic status when his voice breaks affects the epigenetics he passes on to his children: https://www.nature.com/articles/s42003-025-08121-9Cannabis exposure during pregnancy affects babies:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41390-025-04209-4UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2019 to 2023: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023/national-diet-and-nutrition-survey-2019-to-2023-reportChildren with high dietary fiber consumption at 12 months of age are healthier age 6: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/8/9/531Katy Bowman’s breastfeeding ecology podcasts:* https://nutritiousmovement.com/articles/breastfeeding-ecology-part-1-podcast-episode-72* https://nutritiousmovement.com/articles/breastfeeding-ecology-part-2-podcast-episode-77 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how parental screen time affects children, on how sugar consumption influences the risk of Type 2 diabetes, and, in celebration of Fathers’ Day, some of the many ways that fathers positively influence their children. We then talk about why so many children in WEIRD cultures have flattened heads, how we can reduce the risk, and what we can do to reduce the risk of consequences if our children have flattened heads. Finally, we discuss Karen Millen’s comments on breastfeeding past the age of six months.This episode relates to this article:Topics covered* Do both active and passive parental screen time affect children in the same way? [01:23]* What’s the worst way to consume sugar? [04:00]* Why are fathers important for children? [08:50]* Why do so many children have flattened heads? [15:16]* What can we do about it? [31:15]* How about if your child already has a slightly flattened head? [35:07]* What’s the recent media hype around breastfeeding? [36:53]These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:NotesActive and passive parental screen time and effects on children: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/article-abstract/2833506 Sugar consumption and type 2 diabetes risk: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2161831325000493#fig2Watching fathers sets men up for better romantic relationships: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/famp.12458 Academic performance related to fathers: https://www.ceeol.com/search/article-detail?id=1086743Fathers affect the diet you aspire to: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/scschbioart/292/ SIDS risk in different ethnic groups in the UK: https://jech.bmj.com/content/jech/72/10/911.full.pdf This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on picky eating in adolescence, on childhood exposures that increase the risk of bowel cancer, and on how the gut develops tolerance to potential allergens. We then talk about why everyday pains are so important for children, what allows them to experience these pains, and why mildly painful rites of passage can help children to learn to manage their own pain. Finally, we discuss the effects of humming on airway health.Topics covered* Do Children Who Were Preschool Picky Eaters Eat Different Foods at School Lunch When Aged 13 Years Than Their Non-Picky Peers? (actual paper title question!) [01:02]* What’s the deal on the media hype about colibactin in childhood and bowel cancer risk? [07:55]* What are thetis cells and how do they reduce a child’s risk of allergies? [10:12]* How can we set children up for better long-term ability to deal with pain? [16:34]* How can we help adolescents learn to better deal with pain? [38:07]* Why is humming good for you? [40:42]These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:Resources mentioned in this podcast* My recent pain article (and all the associated pain references that we discuss here):* Cross-cultural picky eating here:* Social learning and reinforcement of pain features in my article about setting up guts that work well throughout life: * Do Children Who Were Preschool Picky Eaters Eat Different Foods at School Lunch When Aged 13 Years Than Their Non-Picky Peers? https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jhn.70063?msockid=006b94e58178633c336581b580b362d3* Colibactin and risk of bowel cancer: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-09025-8* Thetis cells and immune tolerance: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adp0535* Humming greatly increases nasal nitric oxide (15 fold): https://www.atsjournals.org/doi/full/10.1164/rccm.200202-138BC* Case report on humming for chronic rhinosinusitis: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306987705006328 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on induction of labour to prevent shoulder dystocia and on the link between gestational diabetes and ADHD. We then talk about walking - the benefits, why it’s hard to enable children to walk enough, and what we can do for babies and children to help them walk more. Finally, we discuss the links between premastication and dental disease.We’re going to start releasing either an article or a podcast every week (instead of both), so stay tuned for the next episode the week after next!Topics covered* Why the conclusions of the Big Baby trial aren’t well supported by the data [01:05]* Why you really shouldn’t worry if you’re told you’re at risk of having a ‘big baby [07:45]* How a mother’s gestational diabetes may affect the child’s risk of ADHD [13:48]* Why walking is great [18:58]* Why it’s hard for children in WEIRD cultures to walk enough [24:40]* How to set babies up for walking [31:44]* How to help children walk more [35:35]* How premastication affects dental disease [45:35]What topics should we cover next?These other podcast episodes cover overlapping topics:Resources mentioned in this podcast* Big Baby trial results: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)00162-X/fulltext* Critique of Big Baby trial by Sara Wickham, research midwife and all-round incredible bad-science debunker: https://www.sarawickham.com/articles-2/bigbaby/* Gestational diabetes and risk of ADHD: https://bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-024-05365-y* Premastication may transmit bacteria associated with decay: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535349/* Premastication may reduce tooth decay: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5101600/ and https://www.fortunejournals.com/articles/parity-maternalchild-oral-interactions-and-early-childhood-caries-ecc-among-northern-nigerian-hausa-children.html* Genes associated with walking: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-025-02145-1 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how childhood vitamin D levels correlate with heart health, on the effects of sun exposure on multiple sclerosis, and how the month of a child’s conception affects their later metabolic health. We then talk about auditory processing - what it is, how it develops, and what children need in order to develop good auditory processing skills. Finally, we discuss whether we should be concerned about the long-term effects of microplastics in children.* Topics covered* How childhood vitamin D levels correlate with heart health fifty years later [1:12]* How prenatal and early-life sun exposure reduce the symptoms of multiple sclerosis [03:19]* How the weather at conception influences a child’s risk of metabolic disease [06:45]* How our hearing system detects sound [11:03]* How our hearing system processes sound [17:26]* Whether we should be concerned about the long-term effects of microplastics [33:50]What topics should we cover next?Resources mentioned in this podcast* “In this large cohort study of children with MS, greater early childhood and prenatal sun exposure time was associated with lower risk of relapse.”: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/NXI.0000000000200375 and the easier-to-read version: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212170002.htm* Childhood blood vitamin D levels predict cardiovascular disease in adulthood: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40296578/* “Here we report that individuals whose mothers conceived during cold seasons exhibit higher BAT activity, adaptive thermogenesis, increased daily total energy expenditure and lower body mass index and visceral fat accumulation.”https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-025-01249-2* Microplastics during childhood - very little information from human trials, according to this recent review: https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6304/10/10/597* Many more references in my article on hearing development belowYou might also enjoy… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on obstructive sleep apnea and on grandparent-provided screen time. We then talk about premastication - what it is, how it’s done, and how it stacks up against spoon-fed weaning and baby-led weaning practises. We talk about how you can do it yourself, and how to help structure the food environment if your child is older. Finally, we discuss whether or not ‘teaching’ a baby to do certain movements is bad for their long-term physical health.* Topics covered* How obstructive sleep apnea is influenced by the microbiome [01:09]* What grandparent-provided screen time looks like [07:00]* Why babies need ‘processed’ food when they start to eat solid food [11:52]* When and how to incorporate premastication during weaning [31:01]* How to set up a better food environment in older picky eaters [33:38]* Whether ‘teaching’ certain movements is bad for babies [39:16]What topics should we cover next?Resources mentioned in this podcast* Sleep apnea’s links to the microbiome: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1389945725001546* Grandparents and screen time: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17482798.2025.2480088* Distinct oral microbiomes in mothers and infants in a traditional culture: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5101600/* Good and bad effects of Helicobacter pylori: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1586/egh.11.69#d1e126 (quick Google Scholar search will turn up a whole load more)* Many more references in my article on premastication belowYou might also enjoy… This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how formal preschool social and emotional education affects teenagers’ likelihood of committing violent crime, and how footwear choices affect lifelong movement health. We then talk about gross motor skills and fine motor skills and what’s missing from current recommendations for babies. We finish by discussing how we help set children up for better upper body musculoskeletal health.* Topics covered* How preschool emotional education affects violent crime [00:50]* Why minimal footwear should be the default [05:48]* Why gross motor and fine motor skills are important in childhood [11:10]* Why these foundational motor skills are important in adulthood[15:07]* What movements should children be doing? [16:15]* Should nurseries ban common allergens [27:17]What topics should we cover next?* Resources mentioned in this podcast* How preschool social and emotional education affects likelihood of committing violent crime - Science Daily article here: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250408122118.htm and published article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0047272725000519?via%3Dihub* Critical review of the effects of daily footwear choice on health https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/13/5/527* * Thanks for reading Growing up WEIRD! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how fasting affects acne and how phthalates and air pollution affect brain development. We then talk about diaper dermatitis - what it is and how it affects both short and long-term health. We then discuss how other cultures react proactively to baby toileting and what that looks like in practice. We finish by discussing how to know when your baby needs to go.Topics covered* How Ramadan fasting affects acne [00:40]* How phthalates and air pollution affect brain development [03:34]* Why we should care about diaper dermatitis [10:03]* What diaper dermatitis is [17:16]* How other cultures manage infant toileting [24:07]* Which cultures still use proactive toileting? [36:17]What topics should we cover next?Resources mentioned in this podcast* Bacterial immunity, viral immunity, and the effects of fasting: https://www.cell.com/cell/fulltext/S0092-8674(16)30972-2* The effect of Ramadan fasting on acne: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00403-024-03561-5 * Prenatal phthalates and neurodevelopment: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57273-z* Readable version of the particulate pollution and neurodevelopment paper: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250401131319.htm* Babies who toilet outside of diapers learn how to fully empty their bladder earlier than those who don’t: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1477513113001198* More common bedwetting with disposable diaper use in China: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/nau.24002* Infant toileting in China: https://www.soultravelers3.com/2013/01/bare-butt-babies-in-china-diaper-free-split-pants.htmlThanks for reading Growing up WEIRD! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news around the effects of movement and screen time on child mental health, on what parents can do to reduce the risks to their children after a gestational diabetes diagnosis, and on dentists’ increasing awareness of chewy weaning foods for better jaw growth. We then get into the nuances of GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic) - what they are for, how they work, and why they have effects beyond weight loss alone. We then discuss addictive things that Western children are exposed to, and look at what parents can do to delay the exposure of their children to these things.Topics covered* How increasing movement and reducing screen time affects mental health in adolescence [00:40]* What parents can do to reduce the risk of obesity in children if they’ve been exposed to gestational diabetes [04:10]* What dentists are saying to parents about foods at weaning [07:50]* How GLP-1 drugs (like Ozempic) work [10:20]* How to raise children who won’t need Ozempic [19:32]* How to avoid modelling and reinforcing sickness behaviours [35:08]What topics should we cover next?Resources mentioned in this podcast* Increasing movement and reducing screen time affects mental health in adolescence- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830233* Modifiable behaviours that reduce the impact of gestational diabetes on children - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/oby.24261* Dentists recommending chewy foods: https://www.newsweek.com/ultra-processed-food-dentists-teeth-jaw-development-2018460* Nozempic article and more references here:* Television reduces the attention that children pay to toys: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1532-7078.2011.00070.x* Fewer toys increase the attention paid to each one: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0163638321000643* Learned sickness behaviours in IBS This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news around global trends in children with overweight and obesity and around how the resilience of our cells is programmed when we’re embryos. Today’s major topic is sleep - why we sleep, what happens when we don’t sleep, and why how we sleep in childhood sets the foundations for how we sleep in adulthood. We finish by suggesting ways that parents can help their children to sleep more easily through their lives by making sleep very slightly more difficult in childhood.Topics covered* What the future might be for child and adolescent obesity worldwide [1:21]* How stressors on the embryo alters cellular resilience [4:40]* Why we sleep [12:47]* What’s different about sleep in other cultures [23:00]* How we set our thresholds for acceptable sleep [26:10]* How we can help our children set their sleep thresholds at a good level [37:05]Resources mentioned in this podcast* Global Burden of Disease report in the Lancet on worldwide prevalence of overweight and obesity:* Paper on telomeres and embryo exposures: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57794-7* Sensationalist earth.com article reporting on the paper above: https://www.earth.com/news/moms-health-shapes-how-well-an-embryo-develops/* Sad lonely parrots and their telomeres: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3976323/* Rat sleep deprivation study: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2928622/* Insomnia and sugar consumption: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8848117/ This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

This week’s episode talks everything allergy. Greg and I discuss why allergies are increasingly common, how scientists believe allergies develop, and what we can do to raise children who are at lower risk. We discuss recent research around the airway microbiome and on the effects of washing babies on their skin health. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

Show notesEpisode title: Enjoying enough of the sunIn this episode, Greg Dickens and I talk about how moderate hardship at the right points in childhood seems to be protective against anxiety. We look at the evidence on screen time and shortsightedness. We then discuss why sun exposure is vital for health, why it can be damaging, and how parents can help children learn healthy sun behaviours.* When children grow stronger after hardship [00:44]* How screen time is linked to myopia [05:14]* How our body reacts to the sun [11:38]* How sun exposure can damage health [12:57]* How sun exposure can improve health [14:05]* How our bodies have evolved to get the right amount of sun exposure [17:30]* Why our WEIRD relationship with the sun is dysfunctional [22:06]* How we can set children up with the right mindset, behaviours, and equipment for lifelong healthy sun exposure [24:27]* Is eating mud good or bad for children? [31:52]Resources mentioned in this article* How hardship affects anxiety in childhood: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44271-025-00193-x* How screen time affects myopia: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830598* Why shortsightedness happens and how to avoid it:* Getting the right balance of sun exposure* Cows like shade: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0168159107001037* Soil microbes and stress resilience : https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31887415/* How meat consumption (especially of mammalian meat) affects levels of inflammation: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1015566/full This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I talk about antibiotic resistance and about what multilingualism looks like in non-WEIRD culture. Greg discusses how fathers can build stronger relationships with their daughters. We talk about scalp health – evolution, the effect of shampoo, the contribution of air pollution, and about how parents can set their child’s scalp up for lifelong comfort.Topics discussed in this episode- What we might do when we’re prescribed antibiotics [00:36]- How kids in non-WEIRD cultures learn multiple languages [03:29]- What dads can do to set up stronger relationships with their daughters [07:16]- How our skin has evolved to function [10:46]- Why most of us use shampoo [16:16]- How shampoo alters the scalp function [17:08]- Why we wash baby hair [24:20]- How air pollution affects the scalp [26:45]- What might adults consider for their own scalp health [29:40]- What can parents do to set up their child’s scalp for health [29:55]Resources mentioned in this article- Findings from the UK investigation into antibiotic resistance https://www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/investigation-into-how-government-is-addressing-antimicrobial-resistance-summary.pdf- How children learn languages in Ghana https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0885201425000176- Why dads might want to go for a walk with their children https://bristoluniversitypressdigital.com/view/journals/frs/aop/article-10.1332-20467435Y2024D000000052/article-10.1332-20467435Y2024D000000052.xml Coconut oil appears to support scalp commensal microbes: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8012655/Interested in a weekly conversation about how simple tweaks can set children up for better health throughout life? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com

Episode summaryIn this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news around constipation and paternity leave and then dive into a bit more detail about why WEIRD children’s jaws don’t grow enough. We talk about what we learned about changing patterns of jaw deformity in the Amerindian communities in South America, and about what parents can do to set their kids up for straight teeth throughout life.Know anyone who might be interested in a different view of health and human biology?Topics discussed in this episode- Why is childhood constipation on the rise, and what’s a surprise contributor? [01:34]- How does paternity leave affect a mother’s behaviour [05:51]- Why are our teeth actually scales? [11:24]- Why is this starting to affect traditional communities? [14:08]- What can parents do to improve their children’s jaw size? [18:12]Have you seen any recent articles we should discuss on this podcast? Or any topics you’d love us to cover?Resources mentioned in this episode- Childhood constipation increasing: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/feb/18/primary-age-child-constipation-rates-up-60-in-england-and-wales - Elimination communication reduces bladder and bowel dysfunction https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-91704-3 - Paternity leave and maternal gatekeeping behaviour: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250220122623.htm Want a weekly dose of information and inspiration on how to set children up for better long-term health? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit guenbradbury.substack.com