Radio Health Journal
Each week, Radio Health Journal breaks down important news in medicine, science and technology with the help of world-renowned experts. Our three weekly segments will help guide you to a happier, healthier life – with some fun facts to share at dinner parties. Can magic mushrooms cure your depression? Have we outrun natural selection?
Hosted by Elizabeth Westfield, Greg Johnson and Maayan Voss de Bettancourt and produced by Kristen Farrah and Amirah Zaveri. New shows posted each Sunday by 5 a.m. EST. Subscribe, listen, and rate. If you’re looking for older episodes, you can find our entire segment catalog on our website radiohealthjournal.org. Also, check out the latest on Facebook and Instagram @radiohealthjournal and on X @RadioHealthJrnl.
451
“It’s Like Losing a Body Part”: Why Alopecia is...
Alopecia is an autoimmune disease that can lead to a partial or complete loss of hair. While the condition appears to be purely cosmetic, we speak with one patient, Deirdre Nero, about how it can lead to a plethora of physical problems and can greatly...
13 min
452
Ending The Epidemic: Life-Saving Treatment For HIV
For many years, an HIV diagnosis was thought to be a death sentence. Although this is no longer the case, many affected individuals still face barriers to receiving treatment. Dr. Timothy Harrison, a deputy director at the U.S. Department of Health...
9 min
453
Medical Notes: July 24, 2022
A new questionnaire can determine the risk of car accidents in elderly drivers. Then, industrialization is bad for breast milk. Then, does spanking increase the likelihood of experiencing physical abuse? And finally, can scientists use plants to study...
1 min
454
Forever Small: Muscle Dysmorphia’s Place In Bod...
Bodybuilding is a sport that requires athletes to constantly monitor their phisiques. This fixation can often develop into a subtype of body dysmorphic disorder called muscle dysmorphia. Dr. Roberto Olivardia explains how the condition fits into the...
13 min
455
Why Are Men Skipping Their Annual Checkups?
A recent survey by Orlando Health finds that many men overestimate how healthy they are, prompting one-third of them to skip their annual health screening. Dr. Thomas Kelley addresses common fears that keep men away from the doctor’s office, and why...
10 min
456
Medical Notes: July 17, 2022
Anti-inflammatory drugs may increase chances of developing chronic pain. BMC Infectious Diseases study finds immunity diminishes to 22% four months after Covid-19 vaccine. Aspirin may be able to disrupt spread of colorectal cancer. And finally, an...
1 min
457
How Clickbait Headlines Gave False Hope to SIDS...
Sudden infant death syndrome has baffled the scientific community for years. What causes the condition is still unknown, though media headlines for a recent SIDS study would make you think differently. Dr. Fern Hauck explains the confusion and where...
14 min
458
How Has Covid-19 Shaped the Public Response to ...
An outbreak of monkeypox, a viral disease, has popped up in numerous countries around the world. Public health agencies have issued safety recommendations, but with growing mistrust in these institutions, will anyone heed the advice? An expert...
8 min
459
Medical Notes: July 10, 2022
Why is homemade baby formula a bad idea? Medication doesn’t always work, especially if you have a severe form of asthma. Also, pregnant women are being exposed to chemicals more than ever. And finally, want to improve your kidney health? Drink more...
1 min
460
Orphan Disease Research: Overcoming Years Of In...
Doctors diagnosed Patrick Girondi’s son with thalassemia in 1992, declaring he’d die by age 14. Like most other rare conditions, treatments for thalassemia were slim to none. Dr. Stanley Nelson explains how orphan disease research has progressed...
14 min
461
How Just One Night In A Hospital Can Cause Year...
Research has shown that hospitalized adolescents can walk away physically healthy, but years later, are still dealing with symptoms of posttraumatic stress from their experience. Dr. Justin Kenardy discusses the signs of posttraumatic stress and...
8 min
462
Medical Notes: July 3, 2022
Why have experimental therapies for fragile X syndrome not worked? Then, antibiotics are great, but only when they’re actually needed. Plus, don’t try to vape your daily vitamins. And finally… allergies could save you from contracting Covid....
1 min
463
Venom: A Lethal Weapon or Medical Miracle?
Researchers have discovered how to use evolutions deadliest and oldest weapon for good. But how can scientists create medicine from lethal venom? Dr. Leslie Boyer reveals the entire process and explains why horses are so valuable to the research....
14 min
464
Can Wellness Apps Actually Improve Your Health?
The World Health Organization reports a 25% global increase in anxiety and depression throughout the pandemic. During the same time, the mental health app industry skyrocketed. But how helpful are these programs? Dr. Stephanie Collier discusses the...
9 min
465
Medical Notes: June 26, 2022
Increasing green space in U.S. cities can significantly decrease mortality. Can a diabetes drug be used to treat cardiovascular disease? And finally, firefighters are more likely to get cancer than the general population but one bracelet may be able...
1 min
466
What Happens When Medicine Meets The Metaverse?
Doctors can now treat chronic pain with the technology of virtual reality. Patient Tom Norris joins us to share his experience using a VR headset in place of sedatives when doctors removed three tumors from his bladder. Dr. Brennan Spiegel at...
12 min
467
Why Doctors Say A "Healthy Tan" Doesn't Exist
Summer’s finally here, which means enjoying popsicles and pool days. But if you’ve been waiting all year for a summer tan, you may want to rethink that plan. Even a ‘healthy glow’ means our cells have already been damaged, and the sun isn’t...
10 min
468
Medical Notes: June 19, 2022
Why do some painkillers cause heart disease while others prevent it? A new gel film could provide relief for areas with water shortages. Antibiotics are shrinking. And finally, parasites might be a good thing. Learn more at:
1 min
469
Wombs For Rent: The Legalization Of Commercial ...
Commercial gestational surrogacy allows parents to have a biological child that’s carried and birthed by another woman who receives a salary. Though many countries have outlawed commercial surrogacy, states in America are beginning to legalize it....
14 min
470
Breastfeeding May Be Natural, But That Doesn’t ...
Mothers across the nation panicked when a major recall and supply chain issues caused a baby formula shortage. One response to the shortage told women to ‘just start breastfeeding again,’ but Dr. Karen Federici explains why that’s not as simple...
8 min
471
Medical Notes: June 12, 2022
Scientists are sending bacteria to the front lines. A new drug cocktail reduces the risk of having an asthma attack. Then, what should you know about hepatitis in children? And finally, driverless cars may not yet be the safest option. Learn...
1 min
472
Not Just For Wrinkles: How Botox Can Treat Your...
Though now known for its anti-aging effects, Botox was first used to manage medical conditions like hyperhidrosis and migraines. Today, doctors are also using Botox to treat overactive bladder symptoms, a condition that plagues over 30 million...
8 min
473
Medical Notes: Week of June 5, 2022
Are tattoos the future of medicine? Teens who have a miscarriage are twice as likely to attempt suicide. Antibiotics may not be the cure to your urinary tract infection. And finally, as the temperature rises, so do emergency room visits. Learn...
2 min
474
Empty Nose Syndrome: When A Routine Nose Surger...
Empty Nose Syndrome is a rare condition that can develop after some of the most common nose procedures. Those affected are left in a constant feeling of suffocation – and there’s no cure. An ENS sufferer describes his experience living with the...
14 min
475
Why Do Elderly Men Have the Highest Rate of Sui...
It’s long been the case that men over 70 have the highest rate of suicide. This demographic is more likely to complete their first attempt than any other age group. Dr. Carrie Ditzel discusses some possible reasons as to what’s driving elderly men...
8 min