Your Doctor Friends

Can We Prevent Cardiac Disease? (with Danny Luger, MD and Max Fitzgerald, MD)

Many of the questions we answer here on Your Doctor Friends focus on a specific problem. What should I do if I am nauseous? Did I tear my meniscus? Do I have a kidney stone? 

However, the "holy grail" in healthcare lies in the question, can I prevent a problem?

Individually, we go to our annual physicals. We click on the headlines that suggest there is a "secret" or "one weird trick" we didn’t know that could make us feel better or live longer or perform better. We read nutrition labels, take vitamins and supplements, consult with nutritionists and personal trainers. Universally, we all want to live long, healthy lives. 

Alas, healthcare does not often encourage prevention. Insurance generally doesn’t cover preventative services. Healthcare companies, by and large, don’t invest in preventative care. Similarly, diagnostic testing, the backbone of identifying risks, remains underfunded and under-researched. 

Again, this all begs the question, can we actually prevent disease?

Today Your Doctor Friends are tagging in their friends, Max Fitzgerald, MD and Dr. Danny Luger, MD!

Drs. Max Fitzgerald and Danny Luger are physicians at Rush University Medical Center and direct the Center for Prevention of Cardiac Disease. Max is a Physiatrist (a specialist in musculoskeletal medicine and rehabilitation) and Danny is a Cardiologist. They are both exceptional clinicians, incredibly accomplished individually, and together they saw a hole in our medical system and Your Doctor Friends are super jacked to have them here on the show!

This episode underscores the necessity of habitual changes, like movement/exercise adjustment and sleep regulation, for preventing diseases and their efforts in setting up a care model focusing on prevention at Rush. Drs. Fitzgerald and Luger also share the community collaborations they have initiated to enhance community wellbeing.

Points of Interest in the episode:

00:13 The Importance of, and Challenges Regarding Prevention in Healthcare

01:15 The Role of Annual Physicals and Lifestyle Choices

01:41 The Current State of Healthcare and Prevention

02:07 The Potential of Disease Prevention

04:35 The Origin and Goals of the Preventative Clinic

09:48 The Role of Mental Health in Preventive Care

39:53 The Importance of Sleep and Diet in Preventive Care

42:28 The Role of Community and Policy in Preventive Care

To learn more about the Rush Center for Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, check out their website here!

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

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Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG) Send/DM us a voice memo/question and we might play it on the show!

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@HealthPodNet (IG)

Are Skittles Banned in California?!? The Food Additive Ban + Halloween Scaries

Happy HalloWEEK, FRIENDS! This week Your Doctor Friends are doling out TWO episodes of spoooooky stories and hair-raising health headlines! Each episode contains a "sharing size" story with a little "fun-sized" article at the end!

Today's main topic involves the TERRIFYING California "Skittles Ban"! Spoiler alert, it really doesn't have anything to do with Skittles (thank goodness!), but does involve four different food additives now being banned in California with Gov. Gavin Newsom's "California Food Safety Act".

What are these substances? Are they actually harmful to us to ingest? What does the data show?

At the end Julie does a deep dive into a certain parasitic fungus that can control the minds of insects to propagate itself! It's the source material for the hit video game and HBO/Max series The Last of Us and the closest thing to zombies we will probably cover on this show :)

We hope you enjoyed your Halloween and have a lovely Dia de los Muertos, friends!

Resources for this episode include:

The New York Times article titled "What to know about the 4 food additives banned by California".

A study from Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology about the effects of oral erythrosine on men's thyroid function, as well as pituitary-thyroid function in rats

A study from the Egyptian Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology about toxicity of parabens in adult male rats.

A review article from Environmental Health on potential impacts of synthetic food dyes on activity and attention in children.

An article from Food Chemistry on potassium bromate.

A National Geographic article on how Cordyceps fungus species take over ants' brains.

Another awesome National Geographic article entitled "Could a parasitic fungus evolve to control humans?"

An Annals of Internal Medicine study on the worsening spread of Candida auris in the US from 2019-2021.

The CDC webpage about Candida auris.

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

Do Full Moons Cause Crazy Behavior? (Special Halloween Episode)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, FRIENDS! This week Your Doctor Friends are doling out TWO episodes of spoooooky stories and hair-raising health headlines! Each episode contains a "sharing size" story with a little "fun-sized" article at the end!

Today we start with the (maybe not-so-scientific) connection between the full moon and erratic behavior (if there really is one...). We dive into the origins of this widely-held belief that the full moon triggers weird demeanor, and what the studies suggest may be closer to the truth.

At the end Jeremy explains the health benefits of eating actual pumpkin!

Stay tuned for another eerie episode this Thursday, November 2nd (the end of the Dia de los Muertos!) for another bag of treats!

Happy Healthy Haunting, y'all!

Resources for this episode include:

A Canadian Medical Association Journal article titled "Bad Moon Rising: the persistent belief in lunar connections to madness."

A 1985 Psychological Bulletin journal article by Rotton and Kelly titled "Much ado about the full moon: a meta-analysis of lunar-lunacy research."

A study published in the World Journal of Surgery investigating full moons, zodiac signs, and Fridays the 13th and their relationships (or lack thereof) to emergency operations and intraoperative blood loss.

A Scientific American article titled "Lunacy and the Full Moon. Does a full moon really trigger strange behavior?"

A New York Times article on the health benefits of eating pumpkin!

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

Are Food Allergies Exploding? Digesting the Data (with David Stukus, MD)

Food allergies are super common. According to the American College of Asthma and Immunology and the CDC, about 5% of kids and about 4% of adults are affected by food allergies. The allergic reactions can range from mild to severe and life threatening.

Food allergy symptoms are most common in babies and children, but they can appear at any age. You can even develop an allergy to foods you have eaten for years with no problem (bummer).

As we learned in our previous episode about Celiac Disease with Dr. Alessio Fasano, when we restrict people’s diets, it can create a really stressful and isolating situation for them.

How can we support people with food allergies? Can we treat the allergies? Are food allergies actually more prevalent now than they have been historically?

Thankfully, we have our friend and renowned expert in the field of Allergy and Immunology to help us understand more!  

Welcome, Dave Stukus, MD!

Dr. Stukus (DR. DAVE!!) is a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy/Immunology Nationwide Children's Hospital and The Ohio State University College of Medicine.

• He’s also the director of the Food Allergy Treatment Center.
• He’s very active on social media with @AllergyKidsDoc on Twitter and Instagram.
• We remember Dr. Stukus from his AWESOME episode about seasonal allergies!

Hold on to your EpiPens, folks, let’s learn about food allergies!

Key moments in this episode include:

00:06:32 - What Are Food Allergies?

00:09:47 - Major Culprits and Unknowns

00:13:57 - Different Methods of Testing

00:14:50 - Over-the-Counter Allergy Tests

00:15:29 - High IgE Levels and Allergies

00:24:35 - Diagnosing Food Allergies

00:27:10 - Reactivity to Cow's Milk Allergy

00:28:58 - Prevention of Food Allergies

00:30:26 - Treatment Options for Food Allergies

00:37:57 - What to Do in an Allergic Reaction

00:39:08 - Role of Antihistamines

00:48:36 - Food Allergy Labels

00:49:01 - EpiPen Availability in Schools

00:50:11 - Number of EpiPens to Have, Expiration Dates

00:52:35 - Evolving Understanding of Food Allergies, Future Research

Dr. Stukus recommends the following trusted resources if you want to learn more:

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

The American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.

The Support Groups page of FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education org).

Dr. Dave's professional page via Nationwide Children's.

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

Do Weighted Blankets Improve Anxiety or Sleep?

Have you ever used a weighted blanket? What was your experience? Did you feel like a human in a “thundershirt”?

In today's SECOND COURSE, we delve into the data behind weighted blankets, and how they may help improve anxiety and sleep. We cover studies related weighted blankets during cancer treatment, inpatient psychiatric care, and for improving sleep in people with co-occurring mental health issues (like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD). Weighted blankets already have been studied extensively as a sensory tool for folks with autism spectrum disorder, and perhaps they can work for you too!

Plus, in the DESSERT CART Jeremy explains a recent study explaining that 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit might not be the accurate "normal temperature" for humans. Do you run HOT or COLD? Listen to find out!

Resources for today's episode include:

Oncology Nursing News article "Weighted Blankets Effectively Reduce Anxiety for Patients Undergoing Cancer Treatment".

Poster presented at the 48th Annual Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) Congress by Oncology Nurses at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Article in the American Journal of Occupational Medicine- "Weighted Blanket Use: A Systematic Review".

Article from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine- "A randomized controlled trial of weighted chain blankets for insomnia in psychiatric disorders."

Article in the Journal of Integrative Medicine- "Using weighted blankets in an inpatient mental health hospital to decrease anxiety."

A Harvard Health article about benefits of weighted blanket use.

New York Times article- "The Average Human Body Temperature is Not 98.6 Degrees".

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

Is Artificial Turf Unsafe for Athletes?

Let's STRETCH this brain meal out, shall we? This week we are separating the entrees into courses with a little trip to the dessert cart! Jeremy serves up the FIRST COURSE today! Keep an eye out for Julie's course this THURSDAY!

Let's gobble up the "brain nutrition" that helps YOU feel more empowered to appraise health stories in the news.

Today's HEALTH HEADLINES include:

Which is safer for athletes, artificial turf, or REAL GRASS playing surfaces?

With the recent Achilles injury suffered by Aaron Rodgers on the turf field at the Jets home stadium, the debate between turf vs. grass was reignited, to say the least.

What are the pros and cons of turf versus grass fields. What does the data suggest regarding injuries in athletes. Is there any increased risk of cancer to athletes playing on turf fields?

Let YOUR DOCTOR FRIENDS give you the digestible chunks of info!

PLUS our "Dessert Cart" contains quick bites about a new intra-uterine device (Jada) that can stop postpartum hemorrhage and save lives, as well as "sound colors" and picking what kind of "white noise" can help you!

Resources for today's topics include:

An ESPN article discussing the turf debate.

The NFL Players Association's take on turf.

American Journal of Sports Medicine article on injury rates on turf fields.

AJSM systematic review on lower extremity injury rates on turf vs grass fields.

AJSM article on padded vs non-padded turf fields.

British Medical Journal article on concussions and artificial turf.

OJSM article on ACL injuries on turf.

Safe Healthy Playing Fields Inc website on costs of grass vs turf.

Washington State Department of Health investigation of cancer and turf/crumb rubber.

Healio article on the RUBY study about the Jada system for treating acute postpartum hemorrhage.

Jen Hamilton (labor and delivery RN) viral TikTok about the Jada system.

Washington Post article about "sound colors."

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

What Is ”Prediabetes”? (with Greg Dodell, MD)

What comes to mind when you think of “metabolic disease”? It seems as though terms like “metabolic disease” and “metabolic health” are everywhere in social media.

Are we talking diabetes? Thyroid dysfunction? Is this just a new way to package and market the diet/weight loss industry? Is it all about the number on the scale??

Today we will dive into a few facets of metabolic health, and we will focus specifically on “prediabetes”. 

According to the CDC:

• Prediabetes is a serious health condition where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough yet to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes.
• Approximately 96 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—have prediabetes.
• Of those with prediabetes, more than 80% don’t know they have it.
• Prediabetes puts you at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.

How can we know if we are at risk for prediabetes? Is it all genetic? Are there things we can control to reduce our risk? Are there system-based changes that can be made in the American healthcare system that can help folks improve their risk of developing metabolic disease on a large, population-based scale?

Thankfully, we have our friend and renowned expert in the field of Endocrinology to help us understand more!  

Welcome, Greg Dodell, MD, FACE!

Dr. Dodell is a board-certified Endocrinologist. He received his medical degree from Albany Medical College. He completed his internal medicine and endocrinology Fellowship at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center, affiliated with Columbia University. He is in private practice at Central Park Endocrinology, PC. 

He also is active on social media ( Everything_Endocrine on IG), where he posts wonderfully helpful information about metabolic health. He supports weight-neutral healthcare, combats toxic diet culture, and is active in campaigning for legislation to end size discrimination.

His testimony in February of this year at NYC City Hall helped pass a bill banning body size discrimination in the workplace, and added weight and height as protected classes under NYCs Human Rights Law!

Dr. Dodell and Your Doctor Friends recommend the following resources to learn more about prediabetes and metabolic disease:

The American Academy of Clinical Endocrinology website.

Dr. Dodell's practice, Central Park Endocrinology website.

NAAFA: National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance's research on fat bias in the news.

FLARE: Fat Legal Advocacy, Rights, and Education website.

DOVE'S website on supporting the movement to end body size discrimination.

NYC official website covering the signage of legislation to prohibit height/weight in employment, housing, and public accommodations.

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

• This includes the famous "Advice from the last generation of doctors that inhaled lead" shirt :)

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)

Do LED Light Masks Actually Work? Why Do Women Pay More For Healthcare? And MORE!

This week you get TWO entrees with a little trip to the dessert cart!

Julie and Jeremy picked some juicy stories from health headlines, strained out the inedible parts, and left you the sweet nectar.

Let's gobble up the "brain nutrition" that helps YOU feel more empowered to appraise health stories in the news.

This week's HEALTH HEADLINES include:

Why do women pay more out-of-pocket for healthcare in the US? Julie breaks down a Deloitte analysis, and teaches Jeremy about the PINK TAX, and how it's EVERYWHERE (including in our insurance healthcare costs).

Do LED light masks actually work? Do they result in younger-looking skin, less wrinkles, and fewer acne breakouts? Or are they just a scary cross-between-Jason-and-Ironman looking facial accessory??

Our "Dessert Cart" contains quick bites about blood tests for long COVID, expiration dates for COVID tests, and cannabis-related car crashes and ER visits.

Resources for today's topics include:

Deloitte's analysis- "Hiding in plain sight: The health care gender toll."

The CDC's Summary Health Statistics: National Health Interview Survey 2018.

A 2019 Harvard Health Article- "Mars vs Venus: The gender gap in health."

The Hysteria Podcast on Crooked Media (Sept 28 Episode features the Deloitte Analysis)

(lol not scientific, but funny) A HuffPo Listicle about THE PINK TAX.

American Society of Plastic Surgeons website on "What is LED light therapy and what are the benefits?"

Harvard Health Article- "LED lights: Are they a cure for your skin woes?"

Annals of Family Medicine article- "Blue-Light Therapy for Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis".

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews- "Light therapies for acne."

An article from Photomedicine and Laser Surgery on red-light therapy for facial skin.

A Healthline article- "LED Light Therapy for Skin: What to Know."

Healio article- "Traffic injury ED visits involving cannabis grow over recent years."

For more episodes, limited edition merch, or to become a Friend of Your Doctor Friends (and more), follow this link!

Also, CHECK OUT AMAZING HEALTH PODCASTS on The Health Podcast Network

 

Find us at:

Website: yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com 

Email: yourdoctorfriendspodcast@gmail.com 

 

Call the DOCLINE on 312-380-5005 and leave us a message. We will listen and maybe even respond/play it on the show!

 

(Disclaimer: we will not answer specific medical questions or offer medical advice. Consult your healthcare professional with any and all personal health questions.)

 

Connect with us:

@your_doctor_friends (IG)

@yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 (YouTube)

@JeremyAllandMD (IG, FB, Twitter)

@JuliaBrueneMD (IG)

@HealthPodNet (IG)