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Causes or Cures is an independent health and public health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks. There are no corporate or academic sponsors, just a grassroots podcast rooted in curiosity and passion that tries to break down tough topics into digestible bits. Dr. Eeks works in the field of public health and health communications as a consultant & contractor. She is passionate about how science is communicated and has a penchant for using a blue-collar sense of humor as a health communications tool. On this podcast, she features experts in their field, doctors, public health experts, public figures, researchers, interesting people, "characters", and folks with compelling personal stories, with the goal of discussing hot topics in public health and wellness in a down-to-earth kinda way. Sometimes they will discuss stranger stuff too, mainly because life is short and it's fun. ;) DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not any kind of health advice. 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.) Some people are experts, some people are interesting or intriguing to talk to, and some people are both. 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 (or her dog) through her blog, bloomingwellness.com. (Keep in mind that there are some blogs on there that are advertisement only. She does not review them, they are usually awful, but they help fund Barnaby's treat habit.) Finally, thanks for listening, subscribing, sharing and supporting the show through the Support the Show Link! :)
174 Episodes
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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Mark Mamula about the vaccine he and his team created for cancer in dogs. In the podcast, he explains how they created the vaccine, how it works, how they are testing it in dogs, and what is currently known about how well it works. He describes the types of cancers in dogs that the vaccine is targeting, the similarities between cancer in dogs and cancer in humans and how the vaccine could one day also be used for cancer in humans. Dr. Mamula is a researcher and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine. His lab focuses on cancer immunology, tumor biology and autoimmune disease. You can learn more about his work here. You can read a scientific paper on the vaccine for cancer in dogs here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with venom expert Tim Friede about his twenty plus years' "unusual" journey with the world's most venomous snakes: Seeking protection from snake bites, Tim purposely injected himself with diluted venom at escalating doses until he achieved a level of hyperimmunity unknown to humans. Working by himself in his Wisconsin home, Tim achieved the uncanny ability of being purposely bitten by the world's deadliest snakes, including cobras, rattlers, black mambas, et al and surviving with no major side effects. He has been bitten by snakes at least 200 times. He has had some close calls, which he discusses in the podcast. Understanding that his blood was an anomalous, potentially life-saving stew for future victims of snake bites, Tim joined forces with Jacob Glanville, founder of biotech company Centivax, to create the world's first fully human broad-spectrum antivenom. In the podcast, Tim explains how Centivax is using his blood to do this and where they are in their research to create universal antivenom. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here! Support the show
On this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Prabhat Jha about his fascinating research recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine on the extent and speed at which quitting smoking reduces death rates from smoking-related illnesses. What he describes in the podcast will be encouragement for anyone, no matter how long they smoked, to consider quitting. In addition to his research, we also chat about evidence for and against vaping, and he also shares a colorful tale on the lows the tobacco industry will go to keep people hooked. Dr. Jha is an epidemiologist, researcher and founding director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. His research focus is death resulting from HIV, tobacco, alcohol, malaria and both infectious and non-communicable diseases in general. You can read more about him on his Wikipedia page here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Wilson Merrell about his recently published research on the percentage of people who hide the fact that they are sick with an infectious disease. In the podcast, he discusses who hides the fact that they are sick, when they do it, why they do it and how they do it. He explains their motives, things the researchers found surprising and the wider implications of his research. Dr. Merrell is a researcher who completed his PhD in social psychology at the University of Michigan. He is currently doing postdoc research at the Center for the Experimental-Philosophical Study of Discrimination at Aarhus University. His research focus is on psychological processes that help people manage fundamental threats and opportunities in their environment. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
On this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats wtih Dr. Dmitry Abramov about his and his team's research on the impact of substance use on heart-related deaths over time in the US. The research was recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association. In the podcast, he explains how he did the research, what substances have the greatest impact on heart-related deaths, and what subpopulations are most at risk, including some surprising trends. Substances assessed include alcohol, opioids, marijuana, and psychostimulants. He also describes how these substances may damage the heart. Dr. Abramov is a practicing cardiologist and researcher at Loma Linda University. His specialties include cardiovascular disease and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or TikTokOr Twitter.Or Youtube.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Erica Fernandes about the identification of a new syndrome linked to fentanyl exposure while in the womb. Dr. Fernandes first discusses how a new syndrome related to developmental or genetic abnormalities is identified and then explains how they carried out their study at Nemours Children's Hospital. She discusses the specific characteristics identified in the babies enrolled in their study and how fentanyl was identified as the common exposure. She explains how other known syndromes were ruled out and discusses ongoing research to determine how exactly fentanyl causes the new syndrome. Finally, she offers next steps in terms of informing the public and public health. Dr. Fernandes is a practicing physician and researcher in the division of medical genetics at Nemours Children's Health. Her and her team's study on the new syndrome was recently published here in Genetics in Medicine Open. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or TikTokOr Twitter.Or Youtube.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
"Let food by thy medicine and medicine be thy food."In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Marissa Toussaint about how she is using culinary medicine to help her patients lose weight, maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic illnesses. Taking a holistic approach to health, she explains what culinary medicine is and how she uses it in conjuction with her training in family medicine and obesity medicine to help patients get to their healthiest state. She describes how people can eat healthier on any budget and what foods to prioritize, and she discusses our current approach to obesity, including the new obesity drugs, and what else needs to be done. She also describes how the body positive movement fits in with the war on obesity, as the two are not at odds with one another. Dr. Toussaint is a board-certified family physician, obesity medicine physician, and is certified in culinary medicine. With over fifteen years of clinical experience, she has spent much of her career working with underrepresented communities and is a champion for eliminating health disparities. If you are interested in learning more about her or are interested in working with her, please visit her website Anise Medical. You can also follow her food and cooking tips on her Instagram here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Or Youtube.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures I chat with Dr. Scott Kaplan about his research on the effectiveness of putting a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages. Sugar-sweetened beverages are significantly linked to heart disease, obesity and other chronic illnesses, and taxes are one (albeit controversial) approach we can take at the population level. Dr. Kaplan discusses price and purchasing changes afte a sugar-sweetened beverage tax was implemented in five major US cities. He discusses economic outcomes, health outcomes, and addresses criticism of these types of taxes, including that they are too "Big Brotherish" and discriminate against the poor. Dr. Kaplan is an applied microeconomist whose research interests include consumer behavior and food and health policy. He is an Assistant Professor in the Economics Department at the United States Naval Academy. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Or Youtube.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Paul Sutter about the declining trust in science and why it is happening. They discuss how regulatory capture and the pressure to publish as many papers as possible is leading to bad science and fueling a culture of distrust. They discuss the difference between an effective scientific communicator vs a polarizing one and what happens when you politicize science. They talk about how to manage an overwhelming amount of information and opinions (often conflicting) in a digital, social-media obsessed age. Finally, Dr. Sutter outlines a path forward on how to rebuild trust in science. Dr. Paul Sutter is a theoretical cosmologist, award-winning science communicator, NASA advisor, U.S. Cultural Ambassador, and a globally recognized leader in the intersection of art and science. He is a research professor at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science at Stony Brook University and a visiting professor at Barnard College, Columbia University. He is also a seasoned author and his next book, Rescuing Science in an Age of Doubt, is available this March. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Melanie Jay about the new weight loss drugs (Wegovy, Ozempic (Semaglutide), Manjaro (Tirzepatide), Zepbound). She starts by explaining what obesity is and how it impacts the body. Then she breaks down how the medications work; how effective they are at taking off weight and keeping it from coming back on; side effects; risks, and benefits. She talks about the best diet and exercise programs to follow while taking these medications and how to slow down muscle loss. She discusses access issues and how the medications may be widening health disparities related to obesity and remaining questions that require more research. Dr. Jay is an Associate Professor, Department of Medicine and an Associate Professor, Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She leads the "Jay lab" at NYU and her research focus is improving the treatment and prevention of obesity. You can learn more about her work on obesity here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jeffrey Iliff about his research on changes in sleep patterns over time and how that is linked to cognitive function. He discusses the relationship between sleep and cognitive function in general, and then describes how some sleep patterns over time may be more prone to cognitive decline than others and explains the theories behind that. He talks about the optimal number of hours of sleep a person should get each night and how that was determined. Finally, he explains the larger health impact of his work, particularly in an age when cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease are on the rise. Dr. Iliff is a researcher and professor at the University of Washington Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and the Associate Director for Research at the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center at the Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System. His research focuses on traumatic brain injuries and neurodegeneration.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the showSupport the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Chinwé Williams about the teen mental health crisis, what is causing it, and how we can address it. Dr. Williams discusses how social media impacts teen mental health, the "lying" spiral of anxiety, and offers practical tips for parents and guardians to try at home. She also comments on the link between faith and teen mental health. Dr. Williams is a trauma therapist, best-selling author and speaker with over twenty years of experience working with teens and adults. She is the co-author of the books Seen and Beyond the Spiral. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor, a Board Certified Counselor and a Counselor Educator & Supervisor, and a certified EMDR therapist with a doctorate in Counselor Education. You can learn more about her on her website and follow her Instagram here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Daniel Barvin, Vice President of Operations and Patient Advocacy at Coya Therapeutics, a trailblazing company working on groundbreaking treatments for ALS and Alzheimer's. In the podcast, Daniel will tell us more about the debilitating and fatal disease ALS and the therapies they are testing at Coya Therapeutics which target T cells, cells that form an important part of the immune system. Daniel's fight against ALS is personal. He has lost several family members to ALS, including his father, uncle, grandfather, and aunt. He is also a carrier of the ALS gene, and realizes it may only be a matter of time until he shows signs of the disease. As a young man now, he discusses what that feels like in the podcast. Daniel also talks about finding a way to have kids with his wife to avoid passing on the ALS gene and finding the group End the Legacy, a not-for-profit organization that provides support and resources for the 1 million individuals with or at risk of genetic ALS and FTD. Thank you to everyone who reviews and rates the podcast! You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with neuroscientist Dr. Katja Valli about what the function(s) of dreams is. She describes what a dream is and the potential theories for why we dream. She discusses the content of our dreams, who appears in our dreams, and if our dreams impact our behavior. She touches on nightmares, lucid dreaming and if we can "make ourselves" dream things we want to dream. Finally, she chats about the meaning of dreams and the important link between dream research and unraveling the mystery of consciousness. Dr. Valli is a neuroscientist and senior researcher who has researched various aspects of dreams and dreaming for the past 20 years. She works as a senior researcher at the Department of Psychology University of Turku, Finland and as an Associate Professor at the Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Skovde, Sweden. Her research focus is states of consciousness and the biological function of dreaming. You can learn more about her here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Or Youtube.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
Kicking off the New Year with a fun one! In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Naor Sagy on whether or not space aliens are out there; what they look like and how they act; our motivation for wanting to meet them (and their motivation for wanting to meet us); and what could possibly happen if we meet each other. Consider this a fun, shooting-the-breeze podcast. Neither Dr. Eeks nor Dr. Sagy have any special knowledge on space alien life form. However, they both like space, mysteries and shooting the shit. You can learn more about Dr. Eeks at her websites below. Dr. Sagy is an electrical engineer who also has a PhD in molecular biology and conducts anti-aging research at the University of Tel Aviv. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. David Clarke about the hidden causes of chronic pain and something he refers to as "the biggest blind spot" in the healthcare community. He discusses how adverse childhood experiences, traumas and stresses create chronic pain in adults and how they makes changes in the body. He also shares remarkable stories of patients he has successfully treated with something called Pain Relief Psychology. Dr. Clarke is the President of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA), a nonprofit dedicated to ending the chronic pain epidemic. He earned his medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. His organization’s mission is to advance the awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of stress-related, brain-generated medical conditions. You can learn more about him at EndChronicPain.org. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Or Youtube.Subcribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jamie O'Driscoll and Jamie Edwards about their research recently published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine on what is the best exercise for maintaining a healthy resting blood pressure. In the podcast, they explain how they conducted their study, their results, and the theories behind why one exercise did significantly better than others at lowering blood pressure. They will tell you how you can do the best exercise right now and also offer advice on how their findings should impact current exercise guidelines when it comes to high blood pressure, a serious health problem that affects millions of people! Dr. O'Driscoll is a researcher in Cardiovascular Physiology at Canterbury Christ Church University and a Clinical Scientist in Cardiology. You can learn about him here. Jamie Edwards is a PhD student at Canterbury Christ Church University. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Tera Fazzino about her research on how the biggest US tobacco companies owned the leading food companies from 1988 to early 2000s and disproportionately produced hyper-palatable foods (HPFs). She explains what a hyper-palatable food is and how they are created, the theory for why some Americans get hooked on them, and how these foods may impact our health. Then she takes us back in history to describe when and why the tobacco industries owned and controlled leading food companies (Kraft, Nabisco, General Foods...) and how her and her team determined that they were making hyper-palatable foods. She also discusses what is happening with the current food industry, why this is a big public health issue, and what we can do to move toward a healthier food supply. Dr. Fazzino is Associate Director of the Cofrin Logan Center for Addiction Research and Treatment at the University of Kansas and a Professor in the Department of Psychology. She has a doctorate in experimental psychology and her research focuses on addiction, obesity, eating disorders and health-risk behaviors. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jay Joshi about his new book, Burden of Pain, a Physician's Journey through the Opioid Epidemic. Dr. Joshi was a practicing physician at a clinic in rural Indiana when his world was turned upside down. The DEA, using a fake patient and a prescription monitoring system, investigated Dr. Joshi for his opioid prescription practices. He was eventually arrested, tried in court and served a prison sentence. While in prison he wrote the book Burden of Pain, which is his side of the story. After serving his time, he is back to practicing medicine. No matter your views on the causes and perpetrators of the opioid epidemic, in this episode Dr. Joshi provides valuable insights on the complexity of the epidemic; how we view and treat pain; the patient-Doctor relationship, the role of the DEA; and what he feels are the best steps forward. He also shares what it was like to be a doctor in prison, coming out and starting over. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with journalist Kristina Marusic about her book A New War on Cancer, the Unlikely Heroes Revolutionizing Prevention. In the podcast, Kristina discusses how rising cancer rates are linked to our widespread exposure to chemicals, specifically chemicals in everyday products that we all use. She provides an overview of how the United States regulates these chemicals compared to other countries and what testing is or isn't done before a chemical hits the market. She talks about the public health researchers and health advocates who are revolutionizing our understanding of cancer and its causes, as well as leading the fight against chemical pollution and corporate influence with scientific evidence. Finally, she describes her vision for the new war on cancer, including putting a "face" to prevention. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
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