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Causes or Cures

Author: Dr. Eeks

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"For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots"
Causes or Cures is a global health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks—an independent, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a passion for breaking down complex health topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand insights. Dr. Eeks works as a public health consultant, serving as a scientific technical lead on key public health initiatives and doing lots of work in the realm of health comms. She's all about making science relatable and often uses her blue-collar sense of humor to drive the message home.

On this podcast, Dr. Eeks talks with experts from around the world—doctors, researchers, public health pros, and more—to dive into the latest hot topics in health and research, all in a down-to-earth kind of way.

Consider joining the growing community of Causes or Cures+ subscribers! For just $3/month, you'll get exclusive access to bonus episodes where Dr. Eeks digs into fascinating, often bizarre stories from the world of public health. Plus, you’ll be invited to intimate, monthly live Q&As with Dr. Eeks and special guests, where you can ask questions and discuss the topics that matter to you most!

DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not any kind of health advice. Dr. Eeks doesn't endorse any of her guests' views, and despite a strict health routine, nor does she endorse any products, supplements, oils, magic socks or potions. Causes or Cures is not a "news site." It's about having conversations, and Dr. Eeks is confident that she can have a respectful conversation with anyone, even people who think far differently than she does. (At least that's been her experience at hole-in-the-wall bars.) The point is to not take anything here as Gospel. Sometimes Dr. Eeks' dog Barnaby makes his opinion known, but the good news is that he's a smart dog. Most importantly, she hopes this podcast encourages folks to stay curious, empathic, hopeful, compassionate, honest, open-minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful thing, delightfully messy, and one that many take for granted.

The views on this podcast do not reflect the views of anyone she contracts with or consults for. You can contact Dr. Eeks through her website, bloomingwellness.com.

204 Episodes
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Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Australian medical herbalist Lee Carroll about Ergothioneine—what he calls "the most important nutrient you’ve probably never heard of." Found in high concentrations in mushrooms, Lee explains its properties, functions, and why some researchers have dubbed it a "longevity vitamin." While the scientific evidence is still emerging, Ergothioneine’s unique characteristics have sparked significant interest with researchers. Lee ...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Alan Lightman to explore "spiritual materialism," the idea that we can embrace awe-inspiring, spiritual moments without turning to the supernatural for explanations. Dr. Lightman shares insights from his new book, The Miraculous From the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature, and delves into profound topics like consciousness, near-death experiences, the possibility of a higher power, immortality, relationsh...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks welcomes Dr. Shai Efrati, a world-renowned physician from Tel Aviv specializing in internal medicine, nephrology, and hyperbaric medicine. Dr. Efrati is the director of the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, the largest hyperbaric center globally, treating over 350 patients daily. He is a leading researcher with over 170 scientific publications, a professor at Tel Aviv University, and co-founder of Aviv Scientific.Dr. ...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Professor Joyce Harper to discuss her fascinating study on the effects of cold water swimming on premenstrual and perimenopausal symptoms. Prof. Harper kicks off by sharing her background and what inspired her to dive into this unique research. They explore what qualifies as cold water swimming and how the study was conducted, revealing interesting findings—like the differences in benefits between wearing bathing suits ...
Subscriber-only episodeSend us a text In this bonus episode for subscribers of Causes or Cures, we uncover the strange history of a “truth serum” that began as a drug intended to ease labor pain but took an unexpected turn. First thought to compel honesty, this powerful substance soon became known for darker uses, from police interrogations to secret CIA operations. Over time, it even gave rise to modern “zombie” myths. Join us as we trace this drug's bizarre path, question its reliabili...
Send us a text In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Hooman Allayee and James Hilser to explore their new research on the lasting impact of COVID-19 on heart health. They reveal surprising findings about how COVID—especially in those who were hospitalized—elevates the risk of severe heart issues long after recovery, even years down the road. The conversation dives into the connection between blood type and post-COVID heart risk, and the researchers share their t...
Send us a textDo you struggle with constipation or diarrhea? How is that linked to your overall organ health? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Johannes P. Johnson-Martínez about his recent research on how variations in bowel movement frequency (BMF) can impact the gut microbiome, blood metabolites, and overall organ health. They discuss how abnormal BMF patterns are linked to toxins produced by gut microbes that enter the bloodstream and increase inflammation levels...
Send us a textAre you afraid of clowns?If you're like many who dread those painted smiles, you're not alone- especially as Halloween approaches and horror movies like It remind us just how unsettling they can be. In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Sophie Scorey about her research on the origins for the fear of clowns or coulrophobia. Sophie dives into the global prevalence of this bizarre phobia and explores why so many people, from kids to adults, are terrified of clowns...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with snake expert Bob Ashley on his fascinating new book, A Photographic History of Snakebite Treatments: Bad Medicine Snake Oils, Potions, Elixirs and Kits. From ancient remedies described in Hebrew Scriptures to modern day antivenom, he discusses the intriguing, sometimes shocking history of snake bite treatments throughout the centuries. He advises what everyone should do if they get bit by a venomous snake, and rest assured,...
Subscriber-only episodeSend us a textIn this bonus episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks dives into the "War on Misinformation" and unravels its complexities. Is misinformation truly an "infodemic," like a virus infecting our brains? Is the militaristic approach to misinformation missing the mark? Here we explore how misinformation is policed online, the rise of fact-checkers, and some of the biggest misinformation scandals of our time, including the opioid epidemic and the tobacco i...
Send us a textDiscovering new hope for hair loss! In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Sheila MacNeil and Dr. Muhammad Yar about their accidental discovery that a simple sugar compound may stimulate hair regrowth and help end male-pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia—a condition affecting many people. They dive into how an unexpected finding in a study on wound healing sparked their current study on hair loss, which they break down in the episode. The researche...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Andrea Casanova about his new research on how psilocybin impacts learning. This study is the first to explore how psilocybin (commonly known as "magic mushrooms") influences reinforcement learning, a type of learning driven by rewards and cues. Dr. Casanova breaks down how psilocybin affects the brain, the methods he and his team used to conduct the study, their key findings, and the potential future implications. He al...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Simon Gadbois and Dr. Laura Kiiroja about how scent-detection dogs can detect stress in breath samples from individuals with traumatic histories when exposed to trauma cues. They discuss the current use of dogs in detecting diseases, explaining what exactly these dogs are smelling and how they were recruited and trained for this unique study. The conversation also covers the role of human participants, key findings, and...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with America's Happiness Doctor, Dr. Elia Gourgouris, about practical steps people can take to achieve lasting happiness. Dr. Gourgouris breaks down the definition of happiness and shares how we can leverage it in our daily lives, at work, in relationships, and even during times of crisis. He also explores its connections to positive psychology, fear, and forgiveness.Dr. Elia Gourgouris, PhD, is a best-selling author of 7 Paths ...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Naaheed Mukadam to explore her latest findings on dementia. Dr. Mukadam sheds light on her recent research, delving into the changes in incidence and prevalence of dementia globally. They discuss the most current, evidence-based risk factors associated with the disease, identify populations and countries with the highest rates, and uncover practical, cost-effective strategies for reducing dementia risk. Tune in to g...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with filmmaker David Krissman about his groundbreaking grassroots initiative aimed at revolutionizing live kidney donations. David, a repeat guest (Episode 154) who previously discussed "The Great Social Experiment" and America's trial with universal healthcare for kidney disease, now shares how he's leveraging his filmmaking expertise and deep understanding of kidney disease, dialysis, and transplants to connect individuals in ...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jason Block about his research on weight gain caused by antidepressants. He compares weight gain across different antidepressants and explains what those taking these medications should expect. Dr. Block also discusses other medications his team is evaluating for weight gain, explores why these medications cause weight gain, and shares the practical implications of his findings in relation to the obesity epidemic.Dr. Ja...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Leonardo Tozzi about his research on identifying six unique biotypes for depression. He explains the current problem with the "one size fits all" diagnostic approach to depression, the development of personalized brain circuit scores, and how they led to the discovery of six distinct biotypes. He explains how the identification of unique biotypes for depression may prove to be a gamechanger for how depression is diagnos...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Geoff Cole about his research on trypophobia, an aversion to clusters of small holes or bumps. If you’re a fan of American Horror Story, you might have come across trypophobia there. Dr. Cole delves into the details of this phenomenon, exploring what causes it, theories on its origins, and strategies for overcoming it. Dr. Cole is a researcher and professor at the Center for Brain Science, University of Essex. You can l...
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jamie Zeitzer about his recently published research on the link between one's bedtime preference and mental health. He explains which sleep pattern correlates with better mental health and which correlates with poorer mental health. Unfortunately for night owls, he offers hypotheses on why going to bed late, regardless of preference, is associated with worse mental health. He also discusses the benefits and risks of day...
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