Brain & Body Things

High Intensity Pilates with Tremble owner, Aryan Rashed

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, host Dr. Natasha Mehta, a physical medicine & rehabilitation physician switches things up by interviewing a business owner. Aryan Rashed is not your average fitness instructor. She started her career in law before finding her passion, and ultimately success, in pilates. She has developed a highly sought after technique which can be found at her Tremble studios currently expanding throughout the country.

In this episode we discuss:
- Aryan's story.
- The history and development of high intensity pilates.
- The reformer.
- Benefits to pilates, and ways to use it in your own program.
- Words of caution to keep it safe and lower the risk of injury.

This episode wraps season 4! And gives you a taste of a direction you will see in season 5.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Aryan on Instagram, and be sure to check out Tremble.

This episode is not sponsored.

Fitness during pregnancy with OB/GYN, Dr. Linbee Sayat.

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, host Dr. Natasha Mehta, a physical medicine & rehabilitation physician delves into the intricacies of maintaining a fitness program during pregnancy. Expert OB/GYN Dr. Linbee Sayat covers key topics such as cardiovascular changes, hormonal impacts, and exercise modifications for expecting mothers. The discussion provides actionable tips for safe fitness practices and highlights the benefits of staying active during pregnancy, aiming to empower expectant mothers with knowledge and practical advice. Tune in to learn about the best ways to balance fitness with the physical demands of pregnancy.

00:00 Introduction to the Brain and Body Things Podcast
00:39 Navigating Pregnancy: Mental and Physical Health
01:36 Meet Dr. Linbee Sayat: Expert Insights on Pregnancy
06:22 Fitness and Pregnancy: Cardiovascular Changes
13:06 Hormonal Changes and Physical Activity
20:13 Exercise Guidelines for Pregnant Women
26:29 Precautions and Special Considerations
30:43 Dr. Sayat’s Personal Fitness Routine
31:56 Conclusion and Podcast Wrap-Up

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

The Power of a Patient: Lorena.

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

When a person or individual becomes a patient, their life changes forever. Sometimes it's a one time event, and things go back to what they once were. Other times, a new diagnosis or impairment alters the course of history.

Meet Lorena.

We discuss:

- Lorena as an individual and person.
- Her diagnosis.
- Her experience with treatment.
- Her decision to go beyond the treatment she received from her medical doctors in the United States and add in advice from Eastern practices.
- Emotional health & coping.
- How this experience has informed her own care as a clinician.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Brain Mapping with QEEG.

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0400

In this engaging episode of the Brain and Body Things podcast, the host delves into the intricacies of brain mapping with QEEG with return guest Dr. Andrew Hill. The episode explores a personal brain mapping session using Qualitative EEG (QEEG) with Dr. Hill, providing detailed insights into attention, executive function, and cognitive health. The host, Dr. Natasha Mehta, underscores the importance of understanding the complex nature of brain functions alongside stress, sleep and overall well-being.

The Neurofeedback interview with Dr. Hill from Season 3 can be found here.

00:00 Introduction
01:01 Receiving the QEEG Equipment
02:06 Brain Mapping Process
03:05 Performance Testing Insights
04:13 Understanding Brain Waves
07:09 Analyzing Attention and Response Control
08:30 Exploring Executive Function
11:58 Interpreting Brain Map Data
29:00 Meditation and Brain Activity
30:48 Obsessive-Compulsive Tendencies
35:46 Exploring Possible Causes: Migraines and Vestibular Issues
36:11 Brain Wave Speeds and Alpha Synchronization
36:58 Speed of Processing and Memory Recall
38:02 Delta Waves and Sleep Patterns
39:28 Chronic Fatigue and Brain Fog
39:44 Understanding Brain Maps and EEG
48:06 Meditation and Neurofeedback Benefits
51:07 Frontal Lobes and Emotional Balance
57:56 Real-Life Examples and Neurofeedback Success
01:02:19 Final Thoughts and Podcast Conclusion

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Hill on Twitter and Instagram. Here is the Peak Brain website.

Pelvic Health with Dr. Molly Bachman

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Brain and Body Things Podcast, host Dr. Natasha Mehta interviews Dr. Molly Bachman, a doctor of physical therapy specializing in pelvic health. They discuss the importance and nuances of pelvic rehabilitation, debunk common misconceptions, and explore how pelvic health therapy can address issues such as incontinence, pelvic pain, and post-surgical recovery. Dr. Bachman shares her journey into this niche field and highlights the significant impact pelvic therapists can have on improving patients' quality of life. The conversation also delves into how stress and trauma can influence pelvic health and the importance of comprehensive care.

00:41 Meet Dr. Molly Bachman
01:35 Journey to Pelvic Health
05:55 Understanding Pelvic Floor Therapy
09:06 Muscle Fiber Types in Pelvic Floor
12:23 Common Symptoms of Pelvic Floor Dysfunction
18:00 Gaps in Pelvic Health Care
24:49 Impact of Abdominal Surgeries on Pelvic Health
33:05 Post-Cesarean Care: When to Seek Pelvic Therapy
34:29 The Importance of Early Physical Therapy
37:59 Outpatient Care and Scar Tissue Management
40:13 Pelvic Therapy for Sexual and Mental Health
41:47 Understanding Pelvic Floor Muscle Dysfunction
47:55 Debunking Myths About Pelvic Rehabilitation
56:35 Encouragement for Seeking Pelvic Therapy
58:43 Self-Care and Community Support
01:00:08 Podcast Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Molly worked with Pelvic Health & Rehabilitation Center , @pelvichealth on Instagram, before moving on to start her PhD. Bravo, Molly!

This episode is not sponsored.

Understanding Early Onset Cancer with Drs Veda Giri and Nancy Borstelmann

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Brain and Body Things podcast, host Dr. Natasha Mehta is joined by Dr. Veda Giri and Dr. Nancy Borstelmann from Yale Cancer Center to discuss early onset cancer. Dr. Giri, a medical oncologist specializing in clinical cancer genetics, and Dr. Borstelmann, an expert in chronic disease epidemiology and social work, both co-lead Yale's Early Onset Cancer Program. They delve into the unique needs and challenges faced by young cancer patients, insights into genetic testing, the importance of tailored cancer screening, and the multifactorial nature of rising cancer rates in younger populations. The episode also highlights novel approaches in patient care, support systems, and the roles of lifestyle and mental health in managing cancer.

00:00 Introduction to the Brain and Body Things Podcast
00:41 Season Four Kickoff: Early Onset Cancer
01:18 Meet the Experts: Dr. Giri and Dr. Borstmann
02:51 Understanding Early Onset Cancer
09:07 Genetic Testing and Cancer Screening
18:27 Rising Rates of Early Onset Cancer
22:16 Holistic Care for Cancer Patients
29:18 Yale's Early Onset Cancer Program
33:26 Patient Engagement and Awareness
34:14 Personalized Patient Navigation
35:48 Addressing Clinical Trials and Support Needs
37:29 Psychosocial Focus in Healthcare
38:50 Cancer Screening and Risk Assessment
41:15 Healthy Lifestyle and Mental Health
47:49 Rising Cancer Rates and Prevention
49:13 Self-Care Practices of Healthcare Professionals
58:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Traumatic Brain Injury & Brain Health with Neurosurgeon, Dr. Ali Mesiwala.

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the Brain and Body Things podcast, host Dr. Natasha Mehta welcomes back neurosurgeon Dr. Ali Mesiwala for an in-depth discussion on brain health, particularly focusing on injuries and their management. Dr. Mesiwala shares his rich experience from his practice and fellowship training, highlighting the intricacies of different brain injuries, from concussions in athletes to traumatic injuries from accidents. They explore diagnostic approaches, including advanced MRI techniques and the evolution of treatments like cognitive rehabilitation, medications, light therapy, and emerging stem cell and exosome therapies. The episode offers actionable insights for individuals looking to optimize brain health through both advanced medical interventions and fundamental lifestyle changes.

01:42 Guest Introduction and Background
02:18 Neurosurgery Training and Experience
05:06 Specialization in Skull Base and Vascular Surgery
06:49 Cedars Sinai and Complex Cases
08:59 Understanding Brain Injuries
14:59 Concussions in Sports
24:37 Mechanisms of Brain Injury
29:53 Emergency Room Protocols and Initial Assessments
35:30 Understanding Primary and Secondary Brain Injuries
36:00 The Importance of Rest and Re-engagement
36:29 Temperature Control and Sleep Post-Injury
37:00 Re-engaging with Life and Specialist Consultations
37:33 Advanced Imaging Options for Brain Injuries
38:09 Comparing MRI and CAT Scans
39:32 The Role of Neuropsychology Testing
44:13 Broad Therapies for Brain Injury Symptoms
45:09 Insurance vs. Cash-Based Therapies
46:21 Medications and Advanced Therapies
47:43 Exploring Stem Cells and Exosomes
54:28 Ethical Considerations and Sources of Stem Cells
58:07 Lifestyle Choices for Brain Health
01:03:11 Concluding Thoughts on Brain Health

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Ali Mesiwala on Instagram. Here is his practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Optimizing Longevity with Dr. Sandeep Palakodeti

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the 'Brain and Body Things' podcast, host Dr. Natasha Mehta, a physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist, sits down with Dr. Sandeep Palakodetti to explore the concept of longevity. Dr. Palakodetti, an internal medicine physician and co-founder of Rebel Health Alliance, shares his journey from traditional healthcare to focusing on longevity and wellness. They discuss the seven pillars of longevity: getting lean, getting strong, moving more, sleeping well, eating right, building community, and having purpose. The episode dives deep into each pillar, providing actionable insights and data-driven advice to enhance overall health and optimize lifespan.

00:00 Introduction to the Brain and Body Things Podcast
00:47 Meet Dr. Sandeep Palakodetti: A Journey in Medicine and Innovation
08:16 Understanding Longevity and Healthspan
11:21 The Seven Pillars of Longevity
12:26 Pillar 1: Get Lean
22:21 Pillar 2: Get Strong
28:13 Pillar 3: Move More
34:30 Setting Long-Term Fitness Goals
35:16 Effective VO2 Max Training Methods
36:12 Balancing High-Intensity and Base Training
37:23 Genetic Factors and Long-Term Improvements
39:53 The Importance of Balance and Proprioception
42:20 The Critical Role of Sleep
43:50 Sleep Hygiene and Tracking
52:02 Nutritional Challenges and Approaches
55:48 Personalized Nutrition and Tracking
59:44 Building Community and Finding Purpose
01:05:06 Living the Pillars: A Personal Journey
01:07:07 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Sandeep Palakodetti on LinkedIn or X, . Here is the Rebel Health Alliance website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Navigating Life, Health, and Medicine: A Multidisciplinary Conversation

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode of the 'Brain and Body Things' podcast, hosted by physiatrist Dr. Natasha Mehta, guests Dr. Ali Mesiwala, a neurosurgeon, and Dr. Leia Rispoli, a pain medicine specialist, join for an enriching roundtable discussion. They delve into the collaborative nature of their fields, share personal experiences and challenges in balancing professional and personal lives, and discuss the impact of their work on patient care. The conversation covers a wide range of topics including the stereotypes and misconceptions of their professions, the importance of lifestyle modifications in patient care, and the complexities of making difficult medical decisions. They also touch upon the emotional aspects of dealing with life-threatening conditions, the necessity of a collaborative approach in healthcare, and the personal coping mechanisms they've developed through their experiences in the medical field. This podcast provides valuable insights into the interconnectedness of physical and mental health, the dedication of healthcare professionals, and the unpredictable nature of life and health.

00:37 Introducing the Experts: A Roundtable Discussion
00:50 Exploring the Intersections of Physiatry, Pain Medicine, and Neurosurgery
03:28 The Power of Collaboration in Healthcare
07:08 Navigating Life and Death Decisions in Medicine
12:10 Quality of Life and Returning to Normal Activities
15:43 The Aging Athlete: Balancing Activity and Health
21:00 Reflections on Retirement and Continuing to Make a Difference
23:01 Exploring the Future of Medicine and Personal Fulfillment
24:07 Navigating the Uncertainties of Medical Practice
28:37 The Realities of Maintaining Personal Health as a Doctor
34:12 Balancing Career and Family: A Modern Woman's Challenge
37:05 Addressing Common Health Concerns and Myths
39:25 Coping with the Emotional Toll of Medicine
44:40 Reflecting on Personal and Professional Growth

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday's in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Ali Mesiwala on Instagram. Here is his practice website.

Follow Dr. Leia Rispoli on Instagram. Here is her practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Enhancing Neuroplasticity Through Enriching Treatments

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 06:00:00 -0400

Invited lecture at Kessler Grand Rounds (October 6, 2023).

Youtube link for slides: https://youtu.be/grl_6vn0e6c

In this episode of the Brain and Body Things podcast, host Natasha Mehta, a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor, delves into the concept of neuroplasticity and its implications for treating brain and body injuries. She discusses the various evidence-based and exploratory interventions, from rehabilitation exercises to brain stimulation, and the promising, yet still research-focused, avenues of supplementation and stem cell therapy. The episode aims to clarify myths surrounding neuroplasticity and offers actionable insights for patients and healthcare professionals alike. Recording during the middle of June 2024, Natasha shares recent experiences, professional journeys, and underscores the importance of critical periods for neuroplastic changes.

00:00 Introduction to the Brain and Body Things Podcast
00:43 Host's Personal Update and Podcast Plans
03:29 Understanding Neuroplasticity
04:27 Exploring Biohacking and Wellness Trends
20:41 The Role of Rehabilitation in Neuroplasticity
22:16 Neurotrophic Factors and Strength Training
22:39 Neuro Rehabilitation and Constraint Induced Movement Therapy
24:00 Cognitive Training and Brain Workouts
26:32 Brain Stimulation Techniques
28:31 Neuropharmacology: Prescription and Exploratory Approaches
31:37 Stem Cells and Neuroplasticity
34:12 Neurofeedback and Video Games
36:09 Virtual Reality and Neuroplasticity
37:47 Mind-Body Practices: Meditation and Yoga
38:49 Conclusions and Future Directions
40:13 Q&A Session
46:34 Podcast Outro and Disclaimer

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Should you get back surgery? A conversation with neurosurgeon, Dr. Ali Mesiwala.

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Board-certified neurosurgeon Ali H. Mesiwala, MD, FAANS, takes a solution-based approach to determine anatomic and functional abnormalities and then treats them with leading-edge technologies and integrative medicine. At his three offices in Newport Beach, Marina del Rey, and Rancho Cucamonga, California, he focuses on helping all of their patients return to their normal lives, getting back into motion as quickly as possible. His team treats a vast array of neurological conditions. After intensive neurological exams and diagnostic testing, they recommend the best nonsurgical treatments for each person's unique health care needs. They recommend surgery when symptoms are severe or persist despite conservative care.

Patients seek Dr. Mesiwala for his expertise in brain and spine surgery, as well as peripheral nerve surgery and artificial disc replacement surgery. He's an expert in complex brain and skull base surgeries, and he has the most experience in artificial disc replacements on the West Coast, including multi-level operations and all types of spinal decompressions.

After earning a Bachelor of Science in biomedical engineering and electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Mesiwala received his Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. Then he finished his neurological surgery residency at the University of Washington in Seattle, Washington. He completed his skull base and cerebrovascular fellowships at the University of Washington, International Neuroscience Institute in Hannover, Germany, and the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

As a respected researcher specializing in the development of novel technologies and minimally invasive techniques for brain and spine surgery, Dr. Mesiwala holds multiple patents for medical devices used in spinal surgery. In addition to his private practice, Dr. Mesiwala is the faculty surgeon for various artificial disc operations and spinal fusion operations with innovative techniques. He's a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (FAANS).

In this episode, we discuss:

Concerns and fears when considering back surgery.
The spectrum of spine treatments from the conservative to the invasive.
Decompressions, disc resections, disc replacements, and neuromodulation.
The future potential for spine treatments and surgery.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Ali Mesiwala on Instagram. Here is his practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Continuous Glucose Monitors with Dr. Arti Thangudu.

Mon, 11 Dec 2023 10:00:00 -0500

Arti Thangudu, MD, is a triple board-certified physician and endocrinology, diabetes, and thyroid specialist who provides high-level, well-rounded care at Complete Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. She takes an evidence-based approach to care, focusing on the whole patient, not their disease or symptoms. At her membership-based practice, Dr. Thangudu offers her patients direct access via phone, text and email, long and frequent visits, continuous glucose monitoring, access to diabetes technology and constant support to help her patients achieve their health goals.

She received her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio, internship in internal medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, and residency at Tulane University. She completed a fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, one of the busiest endocrinology training centers in the country.

She has received nutritional training at Cornell University’s Center for Nutrition Studies as well as a 200-hour yoga training so she could coach her patients on using mindfulness to prevent, treat, and reverse chronic disease.

Dr. Thangudu holds board certification in internal and lifestyle medicine, as well as endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. She’s also certified in plant-based nutrition.

In this episode, we discuss:

How a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is used in medicine.
How a CGM works.
Pros and cons of CGMs.
Glycemic index.
Personal, daily, and lifestyle variations in blood sugars.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday over the summer. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Arti Thangudu on Instagram @drartithangudu. Here is her practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

The eye health lifestyle with Dr. Shani Esparaz.

Mon, 04 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Shanika Esparaz M.D. is a board-certified Ophthalmologist who is currently in private practice at Northeast Ohio Eye Surgeons. She provides comprehensive care as well and performs cataract surgery. She serves as a clinical associate professor of surgery at NEOMED. She enjoys connecting with her patients in clinic as well as teaching and connecting with young professionals on social media platforms. She is also board certified in Lifestyle Medicine as well as a certified health coach. She enjoy coaching other women in healthcare in terms of their health and wellbeing.

Dr. Esparaz has launched two digital courses- Mindful Nutrition and Master Your Mindset. They are geared towards women in healthcare, especially early career physicians and physician moms who want to take a crash course in nutrition science and/or learn how to become more intentional and mindful to uplevel their mental well being. Here is the website to check out more!

In this episode we discuss:

The path to ophthalmology.
Ophthalmology versus other eye specialists.
Eye anatomy.
Red flag symptoms.
Screen time.
Healthy eye development in children.
My silly questions: eye rubbing, cosmetics, and eye skincare.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Esparaz on Twitter and Instagram. Here is her private practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Neurofeedback with Dr. Andrew Hill.

Mon, 13 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Andrew Hill is the founder of Peak Brain Institute and a leading neurofeedback practitioner and biohacking coach for clients worldwide. He has lectured on psychology, neuroscience, and gerontology at UCLA’s Department of Psychology where he received a PhD in Cognitive Neuroscience.

At Peak Brain, Dr. Hill provides individualized training programs to help you optimize your brain across goals of stress, sleep, attention, brain fog, creativity, and athletic performance. He is the host of the Head First podcast and continues to do research on attention and cognitive performance.

In this episode we discuss:

Neurofeeback - what is it?
Brain Mapping.
QEEG.
Specific disorders that neurofeedback may provide useful therapeutic potential.
Limitations and considerations to pursuing neurofeedback.
Opinions about the future of brain mapping with AI.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Hill on Twitter and Instagram. Here is the Peak Brain website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Grateful.

Mon, 06 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Just a quick thank you as I get my $tuff together.

Basic lipid things you need to know with lipidologist Dr. Anum Saeed.

Mon, 30 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Anum Saeed, MD is a Cardiologist & Lipidologist based in Pittsburgh. She is currently an Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and a staff cardiologist at UPMC. She completed a clinical and research fellowship in Atherosclerosis and Lipidology at Baylor College of Medicine followed by her clinical cardiology fellowship training at UPMC. She is a non-invasive cardiologist who is specialized in general cardiology, cardiovascular disease prevention strategies, echo reading and nuclear studies.

She has received numerous local and national awards for her research which currently is focused on investigating the longitudinal association of lipidomic and other novel metabolites with cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (aka alterations in the Heart-Brain axis). Additionally, Dr. Saeed investigates large healthcare systems based utilization and clinical outcomes for cardiovascular disease prevention.

Dr. Saeed serves on the Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Leadership Council of the American College of Cardiology and the Genomic and Precision Medicine Committee of the American Heart Association.

In this episode we discuss:

The impact of atherosclerotic disease on overall health.
How lipids contribute to atherosclerotic disease.
Definitions - what is a fat vs lipid vs cholesterol?
The Lipid Profile.
What you need to know about "good" cholesterol.
Additional work up and laboratory values such as Lp(a) and apoB.
Target reference ranges.
How dietary fats influence the lipid profile.
How dietary carbs influence the lipid profile.
Lipids and the brain.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Saeed on Twitter.

This episode is not sponsored.

The Painful Pelvis with Dr. Leia Rispoli.

Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Leia Rispoli, MD, is an experienced interventional pain medicine physician who offers exceptional pain management and physiatry services to patients in and around Marina Del Rey and Newport Beach, California.

Double board-certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Pain Management, Dr. Rispoli has a profound empathy for patients suffering severe or prolonged pain. She uses innovative, non-surgical interventions alongside evidence-based treatments to restore function and reduce or eliminate her patients’ pain.

She treats people with a variety of painful conditions but I’ve brought her on the podcast today to talk about pelvic pain. This is an area of the body that has been historically challenging to treat when it is painful and we are going to dive into the what’s, why’s, and how’s today.

Dr. Rispoli studied for her undergraduate degree at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She was co-captain for the Division-1 women’s soccer team and, for four consecutive years, was a National Athletic Honor Society member. Dr. Rispoli earned her medical degree at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School in Newark, New Jersey, and completed her Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital’s Columbia University and Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York City. Her interest in the treatment of pain led her to complete an interventional pain medicine fellowship under the Weill Cornell Tri-Institute Pain Fellowship program in New York City, doing rotations at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Hospital for Special Surgery. Dr. Rispoli specializes in advanced neuromodulation (spinal cord stimulation) techniques, pelvic pain (both male and female), ultrasound-guided interventional procedures, and regenerative medicine techniques such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) or stem cell therapy.

At her private practice, Dr. Rispoli offers comprehensive, compassionate care that aims to enhance and optimize her patients’ quality of life.

In this episode we discuss:

Common pelvic problems.
Things to do if you are experiencing pelvic pain.
Work up and treatment options.
Peri and Post pregnancy pelvis.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Leia Rispoli on Instagram, here is her practice website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Exercise and fitness with neurological disorders.

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Meredith Smith received her doctorate in Physical Therapy from Elon University and her Bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston in Exercise Science. She completed a neurologic residency program with OhioHealth and Ohio University. Meredith is a Board Certified Neurologic and Geriatric Clinical Specialist. She works in the outpatient setting treating individuals with neurologic and/or vestibular diagnoses. Meredith is also an adjunct professor with Bowling Green State University's DPT program in the neurologic and aging adult classes. Her clinical passion is treating individuals who have had a brain injury or stroke and is a strong advocate for best practice initiatives with these populations.

In this episode we discuss:

The neurologic benefits of high intensity exercise.
Aging with an exercise program.
The basic components to every exercise program.
Specific guidelines and considerations for: stroke, spinal cord injury, Parkinsons disease, multiple sclerosis, and traumatic brain injury.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

How movement relates to dementia with Dr. Joe Verghese.

Mon, 02 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Joe Verghese graduated from St. Johns Medical College, Bangalore, India in 1989. He did his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Neurology in United Kingdom. He completed his Neurology residency at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY in 1998. He did his fellowship training in Neurophysiology as well as Aging & Dementia in 1999 at the same institution. He received a Master of Science degree in Clinical Research Methods with Distinction in 2001. Dr Verghese is board-Certified in Neurology.

Dr. Verghese is Professor of Neurology and Medicine, Murray D. Gross Memorial Faculty Scholar in Gerontology, and Director, Resnick Gerontology Center at Einstein. He is the Chief of the Division of Cognitive and Motor Aging (Neurology), and former Chief of Geriatrics (Medicine 2012-2023).

Dr. Verghese is a recipient of the Beeson award from the National institute on Aging as well as national awards from the American Geriatrics Society and the Gerontological Society of America. His research interest is the effects of disease and aging on mobility and cognition in older adults. He has over 300 peer-reviewed publications, and several current and past federally funded grants in this area. His current projects include non-pharmacological interventions to prevent dementia, the role of divided attention tasks such as walking while talking in predicting outcomes such as disability and cognitive decline, pre-dementia syndromes (Motoric Cognitive Risk syndrome), and global health studies.

In this episode, we dive deep into the evidence between lifestyle and dementia.

In this episode we discuss:

Different types of dementia.
Differentiating dementia from other types of cognitive impairment.
Early predictors of dementia.
The impact of movement on the brain.
Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome.
The future landscape of dementia care.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Stroke Recovery with Dr. Preeti Raghavan

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Preeti Raghavan is a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Physican who specializes in neurorehabilitation after stroke or brain injury. After completing her medical education in India, Dr. Raghavan trained at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx and Columbia University. She began her career at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, followed by Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center, and is now at Johns Hopkins Medical Center where she is a Professor of Stroke Treatment, Recovery, and Rehabilitation. She is an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation and is a partner in a scientist founded start up called Mirrored Motion Works. She has recently published a text book on Spasticity and Muscle Stiffness. She has published in both the brain injury and stroke rehabilitation literature. Her research interests include interventions to enhance motor recovery after stroke and other forms of brain injury; development of novel technology and new treatments for muscle stiffness; emotional regulation and its interaction with recovery.

In this episode we discuss stroke recovery across a variety of different impairments with an emphasis on physical recovery.

In this episode we discuss:

A typical stroke recovery timeline.
Common concerns when recovering from a stroke.
Specific impairments such as weakness, spasticity, neglect, and cognitive changes.
Neuroplasticity.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Power lifting for pain after age 40 and beyond with Dr. Neal Mesnick.

Mon, 18 Sep 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Neal A. Mesnick, M.D., M.A., FAAPMR is board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is a fellow of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a member of the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a member of the American Medical Association and a member of the Medical Society of the state of New York. He is an attending physician at New York Presbyterian Medical Center and is on the faculty at Weill-Cornell Medical College where he is an Assistant Clinical Professor in Rehabilitation Medicine. He has published abstracts and has presented at national conferences.

Dr. Mesnick specializes in musculoskeletal injuries including neck and back pain, shoulder pain, knee and ankle pain. He believes and treating the patient as a whole in order to return them to full function.

Dr. Mesnick takes a thorough history and physical, including diagnostic testing if necessary, in order to oversee proper physical therapy. He may also prescribe medication or perform procedures such as injections to alleviate acute pain. He works closely with the licensed professionals at Advanced Sports Medicine & Rehabilitation to ensure the best possible outcome for his patients.

Dr. Mesnick has his own practice conveniently located next to Union Square in NYC.

In this episode we discuss:

Dr. Mesnick’s personal journey with strength training and reasons behind his preference for power lifting.
The importance of strength training particularly for injury prevention with aging.
Starting a power lifting program at any age.
Programming strength, hypertrophy, and maintenance.
The importance if recovery and how to individualize recovery time periods.
Re-evaluating goals and metrics as we age.
Considering mobility and cross training.

Referenced in the podcast:

Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe
The Barbell Prescription: Strength Training for Life after 40

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Connect with Dr. Mesnick via his website.

This episode is not sponsored.

BONUS Episode: Exercise Prescription & the Brain

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0400

In this episode you will hear - just me.

A break from our usual interview-style content while I work on next season for you all!

I'm sharing a little bit about exercise prescription with a spin towards the brain and nervous system considerations. Inspired by a lecture I recently gave about this topic. We will have a future episode next season diving into exercise prescription specifics for neurological disorders.

This is a short episode, so take a listen and let me know what you think!

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Exercise, lifestyle, and so much more with Dr. Eddie Phillips.

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Edward M. Phillips, MD, is Associate Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School and is Founder and Director of the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine (ILM) at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. In his work at the ILM since 2006 he has directed 26 live CME programs attended by over 25,000 clinicians from 115 countries.

In 2015 Phillips joined the VA Boston Healthcare System and now serves as Whole Health Medical Director. He is integrating Whole Health-lifestyle medicine training for students and trainees across the VA as National Whole Health Education Champion for Health Professions Trainees. Additionally, Phillips is a Fellow of American College of Sports Medicine (FACSM) and serves on the executive council that developed the Exercise is Medicine global initiative. He has >80 scientific publications. He served on the Advisory Board of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, the Health Sector and Military Settings Sectors of the United States National Physical Activity Plan and is a founding director of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.

Phillips is an active clinician, educator and advocate who speaks and consults nationally guiding a broad-based effort to reduce lifestyle-related death, disease, and costs through clinician directed interventions with patients. His medical school, SUNY Buffalo, honored him with its Distinguished Alumni Award for his accomplishments in Lifestyle Medicine. The President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition has recognized Dr. Phillips, the ILM and the Lifestyle Medicine Education Collaborative with its Community Leadership Award. He appears on national media including Good Morning America, ESPN radio, Huffington Post, Slate, and Time Magazine. He co-hosted the NPR Daily Exercise Podcast, WBUR’s Magic Pill which was awarded an Edward R. Murrow award for Excellence in Innovation and >2.4 million downloads of the sequel podcast “Food, We Need to Talk.” He is co-authoring his third book, “Food, We Need to Talk: The science-based, humor-laced last word on eating, diet, and making peace with your body” from St. Martin’s Press, July 2023.

In this episode we discuss:

Zip code vs genetic code in health outcomes
Exercise culture and barriers to exercise
Finding joy in physical activity
Individualizing someone's reason for exercise
Assessing readiness for exercise
The aging athlete
Expanding the idea of health & wellness beyond exercise

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks. This is the last episode in season 2!

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Connect with Dr. Phillips on Twitter @EddiePhillipsMD.

This episode is not sponsored.

Moving past pain with sports physical therapist, Dr. Leada Malek.

Mon, 27 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Leada Malek is a licensed physical therapist and board-certified sports specialist located in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is one of the 9% of therapists in the US who are specialized in sports therapy. She received her doctorate degree from Samuel Merritt University and completed her bachelors degree from the University of San Francisco in Exercise & Sport Science. She completed her graduate internship with Stanford University's varsity athletics and has since continued to work in the outpatient setting treating a variety of patients.

Dr. Malek uses a combined approach of manual therapy and specific therapeutic exercise to help her patients move better, perform better, and compete again. She is passionate about using a variety of modalities including cup therapy and the TRX system to get creative with her care. She believes in retraining the body as a whole, and not just the area of discomfort. She has worked with patients of all ages and has treated professional dancers, athletes, weekend warriors, and young athletes. She is a volunteer physical therapist for triathlons and local semi-professional soccer and basketball teams. Her professional insight has been featured in numerous media outlets including Popsugar, Healthline, SELF, Livestrong, and Thrive Global.

Contrary to popular misconceptions, physical medicine & rehabilitation (PM&R) doctors are different from physical therapists (PT). I (a PM&R doctor) loved having this conversation with Leada (a PT) because we often work together to treat patients. This type of teamwork is what first drew me to this field of medicine.

In this episode we discuss:

A typical physical therapy appointment or visit
Working through pain with physical therapy
Why mindset matters
Timing of physical therapy
Translating physical therapy to a virtual platform
Cost concerns related to therapy

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Malek on Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube @drmalekpt. You can check out her favorite products on her Amazon storefront. If you'd like to learn more about her business & how to work with her, check out her website.

This episode is not sponsored.

Feeling old? Unique considerations in geriatric medicine.

Mon, 20 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Kirkham is currently serving as the Program Director for the Geriatric Fellowship at Grant/OhioHealth in Columbus, OH. She is proud to be part of a team dedicated to teaching residents, fellows, and peers the very real opportunities that exist in the care of their older adults. She was a university system internist until 5 years ago when she completed a mid-career, geriatric fellowship and moved to a large community-based teaching setting. With her new-found knowledge and resources, she looks forward to engaging others in the very real potential of clinically richer, more effective care of their older adult patients.

In this episode we discuss:

The role of a geriatric physician in healthcare
When you or a loved one should consider an evaluation
Factors associated with aging including falls, muscle atrophy, appetite, memory, and more

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Headaches, substances, and supplements with Dr. Aniket Natekar.

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Aniket Natekar, MD, MSc, is a board certified general neurologist and board certified headache specialist. He uses individualized approaches to the treatment of headache and develops long-term relationships with his patients.

He completed his undergraduate degree from Western University in London, Ontario and his Master’s of Science in Pharmacology at the University of Toronto. He then moved to Honolulu, Hawaii for 4 years to complete his medical education at the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawaii. He then completed his residency in neurology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, including a fellowship in Headache Medicine.

Dr. Natekar believes in a complete approach when treating patients, working as a team with patients and other providers to provide the best patient care. He enjoys learning about new advances in neurology and within headache medicine, as many of these conditions are treatable. Treatment of headache disorders is rapidly expanding and there is renewed optimism to improve the quality of life.

In this episode we discuss:

Headache pathophysiology
Substance impact on headache including alcohol, cannabis, and hallucinogens
Supplements and headache

The point of this conversation is not to be authoritarian or admonishing to anyones choices - but to better educate people on how & why they could be experiencing changes in headache with substances.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Natekar on Twitter @natekar_MD

This episode is not sponsored.

All things core with Dr. Richard Ulm.

Mon, 06 Mar 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Richard Ulm is a chiropractor who developed his interest in the human body and it’s physical capabilities as an athlete. He studied English, philosophy and political science at Ashland University while training in track and field under the guidance of now 4 time Olympian, Jud Logan.

He is a former collegiate track and field coach who competed in the 2004 Olympic Trials in Sacramento, California. Following the Olympic Trials he coached at New Mexico State University where he was both a strength and conditioning coach as well as the head throwing coach.

He completed a doctorate of chiropractic in 2008 at National University of Health Sciences. National University is an evidence-based institution for Chiropractic Physicians. While at National, he focused his efforts on biomechanics, anatomy, orthopedics, gait assessment and rehabilitation.

In 2011, Dr. Ulm opened Columbus Chiropractic & Rehabilitation Center (CCRC). To ensure that he is providing the best, most cutting edge care to his patients, he has continued to study multiple techniques and approaches from around the world. He is now full body certified in Active Release Technique (perhaps the best soft tissue technique in the world); he became one of only 177 Chiropractic Physicians in the world certified in the McKenzie Method (traditionally a certification reserved for physical therapists); he became a certified therapist of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization by the Prague School of Rehabilitation (regarded by many as the most cutting edge rehab approach in the world). Dr. Ulm blends all of these techniques to provide the most effective and patient-specific care he can to the patients and athletes with whom he works.

He teaches rehabilitation and strength training to medical professionals, personal trainers and strength coaches all over the world. He is a International instructor of DNS for the Prague School of Rehabilitation; he is an instructor for the Motion Palpation Institute and is the founder and lead instructor for Athlete Enhancement, an education platform where Dr. Ulm is able to take his clinical experience and knowledge and apply it to the performance industry, helping coaches better train their athletes.

In this episode we discuss:

A deep dive into the history of core bracing.
The different components of the core brace.
How the core brace protects the low back.
Improving spinal effeciency.
The importance of practicing stabilization.
How you stabilize your core matters.
The continuum of rehabilitation to performance.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Richard Ulm on Instagram @richardulmdc. Also, check out his podcast.

This episode is not sponsored.

Re-imagining fitness after spinal cord injury.

Mon, 27 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Aaron Bunnell, M.D., is a board certified physician at the Rehabilitation Clinic at Harborview and a UW assistant professor of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Dr. Bunnell specializes in treatment of severe traumatic and neurologic injuries and neuromuscular diseases. He aims to help patients return to the health, activities and interests that give them quality of life by providing individualized, compassionate care.

Dr. Bunnell earned his M.D. at UC San Francisco. He is triple board certified in Brain Injury Medicine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. His clinical interests include acute inpatient rehabilitation of stroke, spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury, early mobilization and rehabilitation of critically ill patients, outpatient stroke rehabilitation, diagnosis of neuromuscular diseases including peripheral neuropathies, carpal tunnel syndrome and motor neuron disease. His research interests include critical Illness neuromyopathy, electrodiagnostic testing and neuromuscular ultrasound.

In this episode we discuss:

Dr. Bunnell's personal experience with spinal cord injury.
The life changing implications of a spinal cord injury.
The transition from rehabilitation to fitness.
Ableism in fitness.
Tips for adapting fitness.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

You can't follow Dr. Bunnell on social media, and good luck trying to catch him with his busy & active lifestyle in Seattle :)

This episode is not sponsored.

Living with cancer.

Mon, 20 Feb 2023 07:00:00 -0500

Laura B. Vater, MD, MPH is a gastrointestinal oncologist, writer, and speaker. She has published a number of narrative medicine essays, is a member of the Pegasus Physician Writers at Stanford, and is working on her first novel.

In 2017, she developed and trademarked a tool to help patients and clinicians simplify and prioritize health (the SMILE Scale™). This tool is being used in schools and clinics in the US and UK.

Laura earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Notre Dame, a Master of Public Health from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Doctor of Medicine from Indiana University School of Medicine. She completed her residency in Internal Medicine and fellowship in Oncology at Indiana University. She stayed on as faculty at IU where she cares for patients with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary cancers, among others.

In this episode we discuss:

Managing life with a cancer diagnosis.
Navigating treatment options.
Dealing with the unknown.
Preventing what you can with lifestyle choices.
Looking with hope into the future.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Laura Vater on Instagram and Twitter @doclauravater.

This episode is not sponsored.

Joint pain with Dr. Heidi Prather.

Mon, 13 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Heidi Prather is an Attending Physiatrist at Hospital for Special Surgery. She specializes in sports medicine and the diagnosis and nonsurgical treatment of spine and hip disorders and conditions.

After receiving a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in biology and chemistry from Drury College, she received her Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine from the University of Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine. Following medical school, she completed a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation residency at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

Dr. Prather served as Professor, Vice Chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Founder and Division Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in the departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis, Missouri from 1998-2020. Dr. Prather also served as the Outpatient Medical Director of the Joint and Spine Center at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital, and Founder of the Living Well Center. Dr. Prather co-founded the Sports Medicine Fellowship in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and served as Co-Director of the NASS recognized Spine and Intervention Fellowship.

Dr. Prather is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine. She is also a Certified Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She has been an Oral Board Examiner and Written Board Examination-item writer and self-examination assessment writer for the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. She is a founding Senior Editor for the journal of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, PM&R. She has served as President of the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports and Occupational Rehabilitation and North American Spine Society.

Dr. Prather has authored many peer-reviewed articles, review articles, and book chapters teaches and lectures nationally on topics related to the sports, spine, and musculoskeletal medicine. Her clinical and research interests include the lifestyle medicine approach to care for musculoskeletal conditions with a special interest in gender differences, pre-arthritic hip disorders and their relationship to pelvic girdle and lumbar spine disorders.

In this episode we discuss:

Common reasons joints can become painful.
Joint anatomy.
Determining the cause of joint pain.
Joint pain over a lifespan.
Lifestyle choices and impact on joint pain.
Integrating lifestyle medicine into joint pain management.
Decision making for joint replacement.
The lumbar pelvic and hip connection - challenges in evaluation and management.
The importance of individualizing treatment.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Heidi Prather on Twitter @heidipratherpmr.

This episode is not sponsored.

You’ve got some nerve! Nerve injury and repair with Dr. Amy Moore.

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Amy Moore is a plastic surgeon at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. She specializes in super microsurgery for peripheral nerve injuries and peripheral neuropathies including complex hand and trauma reconstructive surgery. She regularly performs procedures to reanimate limbs, relieve patients’ debilitating pain, and restore sensation for those with nerve injuries.

She is one of the few peripheral nerve surgeons in the world, and she has a focus on improving her patients’ quality of life. Nerve growth is a years-long process, and she supports her patients the entire way through recuperating and regaining function after surgery.

Her research is focused on developing treatments to make nerve regrowth more efficient and faster. She is also exploring strategies for rewiring nerves with the goal of preventing muscle atrophy, restoring motion and relieving pain.

She has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles in addition to other publications.she also leads a federally funded translational scientific research investigation of advanced limb reconstruction.

In addition to this she helps to train the next generation of physicians. She is a professor ands serve as the chair of the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She is on the scientific advisory board for the International Symposium of Neural Regeneration, the board of the American Association for Hand Surgery and the American Society for Peripheral Nerve.

In this episode we discuss:

What is a nerve? How does it function?
Various ways nerves get damaged and try to heal themselves.
The anatomy of nerve regrowth, for better or for worse.
Nonsurgical options after nerve injury.
Neuropathic pain descriptors.
What is Wallerian degeneration? How does it influence timing of nerve testing?
Surgical options after nerve injury.
Common and uncommon examples.
The growing & expanding field of peripheral nerve injury.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Amy Moore on Instagram @amymooremd.

This episode is not sponsored.

Orthobiologics & regenerative medicine with Dr. Shounuck Patel.

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 00:00:00 -0500

Dr. Shounuck Patel is double board-certified in Sports Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation as well as fellowship trained in interventional pain management. He focuses his clinical practice on the use of exercise, nutrition, osteopathic manipulation, and natural therapies such as regenerative cell therapy for the treatment of orthopedic injuries and pain conditions.

Dr. Patel earned his degrees across the nation at the George Washington University in Washington DC, Drexel University in Philadelphia, and Midwestern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine in Chicago. He completed his residency at the prestigious Kessler Institute in New Jersey, fellowship with the Orthopedic and Spine Specialists hospital of Pennsylvania, and advanced regenerative medicine training with Regenexx and the Interventional Orthobiologics Foundation (IOF) – a non-profit for which he became a master instructor for other physicians and Chair of the Curriculum Committee.

Dr. Patel is an invited speaker and instructor for medical conferences and courses across the world and I’m honored to have him on the podcast to talk about all things regenerative for orthopedic & pain conditions.

In this episode we discuss:

What is regenerative medicine?
What are the different orthobiologics?
Clearing confusion about stem cells.
Safety and efficacy.
Evidence-based considerations for treatment.
Challenges in studying and creating evidence-based guidelines for treatment.
Insurance payment challenges.
Future directions for treatment to increase efficacy.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Mondays in seasonal chunks.

Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website, www.natashamehtamd.com.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Shounuck Patel on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @regendrpatel. Learn more about him and his practice on his website fxregencenter.com.

This episode is not sponsored.

Things you should know about sleep - with Dr. Meredith Broderick.

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Meredith Broderick, MD is neurologist specializing in sleep medicine and behavioral sleep medicine. She is one of the only physicians in the country to hold this trifecta combination of board certifications. Her career has included academics, private practice, urban and under-served areas. She has spent most of her career practicing in the Puget Sound region. In 2021 she started Sound Sleep Guru, a holistic boutique sleep medicine practice located in Bellevue, WA and with telehealth reaching WA, CA, and AK.

In this episode we discuss:

Sleep for cognition, energy, strength, and happiness.
Chronic sleep deprivation and memory.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBTi).
Food and sleep.
Temperature and sleep.
Working out and sleep.
Light exposure and sleep.
Supplements and sleep.
Wearables and sleep.

This is the last episode of this first season of Brain & Body Things! Subscribe to stay up to date about the next season, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Meredith Broderick on Instagram @sleepdoctormer.

This episode is not sponsored.

Is hormone imbalance a thing? Hormones and more with Dr. Arti Thangudu.

Mon, 25 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Arti Thangudu, MD, is a triple board-certified physician and endocrinology, diabetes, and thyroid specialist who provides high-level, well-rounded care at Complete Medicine in San Antonio, Texas. She takes an evidence-based approach to care, focusing on the whole patient, not their disease or symptoms. At her membership-based practice, Dr. Thangudu offers direct access, frequent coaching, and continuous blood glucose monitoring to patients all over Texas through telemedicine.

Dr. Thangudu holds board certification in internal and lifestyle medicine, as well as endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. She’s also certified in plant-based nutrition.

In this episode, we discuss:

What is hormone imbalance?
Common myths and sales tactics around hormone imbalance.
Normal hormone variance.
When to check labs.
What labs are needed and what labs are unnecessary.
Beware of scams and misinterpretation of labs! See an endocrinologist.
Lifestyle approaches in endocrine disorders.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

Follow Dr. Arti Thangudu on Instagram @drartithangudu.

This episode is not sponsored.

Brain fog...with Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez.

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez, MD is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio. She previously was the Medical Director of the Brain Injury and Stroke Program at a top three US News and World Report Best Hospital for Rehabilitation. Her area of clinical expertise is the care of patients with traumatic brain injury, stroke rehabilitation, and interventional spasticity management. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has developed a Post-COVID Recovery Clinic to aid in the rehabilitative recovery of patients with functional, mobility, and cognitive deficits after infection with coronavirus. She strives to increase awareness of the long-term debilitating aspects of Long COVID and lobbies to improve access to care.

In this episode we are going chat with Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez about all things brain fog. This is a very common symptom experienced in the setting of fatigue, chronic insomnia, mood disturbance, stress and, most recently, after a COVID-19 infection. You will definitely want to tune in to hear about what she has to say if you or a family member has experienced brain fog, or if you are simply interested in the topic.

In this episode we discuss:

What is brain fog?
Brain fog in Long COVID.
Helpful strategies for people with brain fog.
Treatment options.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.
Follow Dr. Verduzco-Gutierrez on Instagram & Twitter.

This episode is not sponsored.

Understanding Long COVID with Dr. Janna Friedly.

Mon, 11 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Janna Friedly, M.D., is a board certified physiatrist at the Rehabilitation Medicine Clinic at Harborview Medical Center and a Professor at University of Washington School of Medicine. She is the Vice Chair for Clinical Affairs in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington. She is also the Editor in chief of the PM&R journal - the official scientific journal of the American Academy of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.

She has spoken extensively on the topic of Post-Acute Sequelae of Sars-COV2 (PASC) or “Long COVID”. She developed a Post Covid rehabilitation clinic at Harborview Medical Center, and has been invited by clinics all over the country to help them develop similar programs.

I had the honor of working with Dr. Friedly in her clinic for several months over this last year. The multidisciplinary, multimodal treatment model spearheaded by her expertise on the topic is extremely successful at helping people with this often debilitating diagnosis.

In this episode we discuss:

Dr. Friedly’s personal experience with COVID and Long-COVID.
Common symptoms people continue to experience after COVID.
What makes some people more susceptible to Long COVID.
Possible mechanisms for ongoing symptoms.
The medical work up for Long COVID.
Successful treatments for Long COVID.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.
Follow Dr. Janna Friedly on Twitter, @JannaFriedlyMD.

This episode is not sponsored.

The system is unwell - Dr. Roger Luo on becoming a coach and a teacher.

Mon, 04 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Roger Luo, MD is board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). He specializes in the non-operative management of musculoskeletal and sports injuries affecting the spine, peripheral joints, muscles and tendons.

He is an assistant professor of spine and musculoskeletal medicine and serves as the associate residency program director in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. He is active in a number of professional organizations and has presented or published several case studies on orthopedic, musculoskeletal and other injuries.

Dr. Luo and I both completed residency in PM&R at Rutgers-New Jersey Medicine School/Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Following graduation, he went on to complete a fellowship in Sports and Spine at Hospital for Special Surgery in NYC.

Dr. Luo works as a physician and a coach for both his patients and students. He’s always finding new ways to motivate people — and that’s why I had to interview him for this podcast. Because it’s not always easy to be well.

In this episode we discuss:

What is PM&R or physiatry?
How to empower people who have limited resources to exercise.
Different ways to combat burnout in healthcare.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

All things diet & nutrition with Dr. David Katz.

Mon, 27 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. David Katz is a medical doctor and specialist in Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, with particular expertise in nutrition. He is a voice of reason in an incredibly confusing space. His eloquent and articulate speaking style has brought him recognition by peers as the “poet laureate of health promotion.”

Dr. Katz is the founder and former director of Yale University’s Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center (1998-2019); Past President of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine; President and Founder of the non-profit True Health Initiative; and Founder and CEO of Diet ID, Inc.

The recipient of numerous awards for teaching, writing, and contributions to public health, he was a 2019 James Beard Foundation Award nominee in health journalism.

Katz has an extensive media portfolio, including serving as a nutrition columnist for O, the Oprah Magazine; an on-air contributor for ABC News/Good Morning America, and OpEds in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. He is one of the original 150 “Influencers” selected by LinkedIn and has a social media following of nearly one million.

He holds multiple US patents; has over 200 peer-reviewed publications; has published many hundreds of on-line and newspaper columns; and has authored/co-authored 19 books to date including multiple editions of leading textbooks in nutrition, preventive medicine, and epidemiology.

His career-long focus has been the translation of science into action for the addition of years to life, and life to years, and on the confluence of human and planetary health.

In this episode, we discuss:

Adding years to life AND life to years.
The limitations to researching diet.
How to interpret studies about diet.
Diet quality.
Choosing the best diet for you.
Choosing oils.
Choosing pantry items.
Taste bud rehab.

Reference links to topics in this episode:

How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered

Actual causes of death in the United States, JAMA 1993

“Vigevity”

Health effects of dietary risks in 195 countries, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017

Blue Zones

Healthy Eating Index (HEI) - Diet Quality measure

The EAT-Lancet Commission on Food, Planet, Health

Cuisinicity - Food Blog by Catherine Katz

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Back pain explained with Dr. Ricky Singh.

Mon, 20 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Jaspal Ricky Singh is Vice Chair & Associate Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. He is a triple-board certified physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine and Pain Medicine.

Dr. Singh specializes in a multidisciplinary approach to treat pain by integrating physical therapy and interventional techniques into his care. Through the use of minimally invasive, fluoroscopic-guided spine procedures, peripheral nerve blocks, electrodiagnostics and musculoskeletal ultrasound, Dr. Singh individualizes his treatment plan with a focus on functional restoration.

Dr. Singh has been honored as Super Doctors- New York Rising Star, New York’s Top Doctors in Pain Medicine and America’s Best Doctor by Castle Connolly.

He has a comprehensive website where you can learn more about him at rickysinghmd.com and make sure to tune into his podcast called The Back Story.

In this episode we discuss:

Causes of low back pain.
Treatment options for low back pain.
The importance of core strength in preventing and treating back pain.
How to best work your core.
Boutique fitness.
The importance of recovery.
Are there exercises you should never do?
Protecting your spine.
Learning what your body needs.

For more information about me, check out my website.

Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Health is only skin deep with Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky.

Mon, 13 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Lindsey Zubritsky, MD, FAAD, is a board-certified dermatologist specializing in general medical dermatology, surgical dermatology, cosmetics, and pediatric dermatology.

She is passionate about all things dermatology, especially debunking skincare myths and educating the public using her social media platforms. Find her on Instagram and Tik Tok as @dermguru.

She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and serves as one of their social media ambassadors. She is also an editor for the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology (JAAD), the leading evidence-based peer-reviewed medical journal for dermatologists, and routinely reviews submissions for publication. She has contributed to numerous beauty articles as a skincare and dermatologic expert including Women's Health, Byrdie, InStyle magazine, Forbes, CNN, MSN, Esquire magazine, BuzzFeed, Allure, Yahoo!, The EveryGirl and many more. She has lectured at several national and local conferences and was the guest speaker for Grand Rounds at numerous dermatology residency programs across the country.

In this episode we discuss:

Why skin is important.
How to take care of your skin at all ages.
Common areas of confusion in skin care marketing.
Stretch marks.
Scaring.
Hair loss.
Nail discoloration

For more information about me, check out my website.
Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Let movement be thy medicine: Dr. Joel Press on dealing with pain, injury, and the aging musculoskeletal system.

Mon, 06 Jun 2022 00:00:00 -0400

Dr. Joel Press is the Physiatrist-in-Chief at Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and a Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. He has published extensively, chaired numerous courses, and lectures both nationally and internationally on the rehabilitation of spine and sports-related injuries. He is a Past President of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, North American Spine Society, and the Physiatric Association of Spine, Sports, and Occupational Medicine.

In this episode we discuss:
- Movement as medicine.
- Buzz words like "pain-free" and "anti-aging".
- The truth about the natural history of the aging, active body.
- Pros and cons of the one size fits all approach to exercise.
- Living with chronic pain.
- Experiences, challenges, and hope for the future of the treatment of pain.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday over the summer. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about.

For more information about me, check out my website.
Follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or Tik Tok @drnatashamehta.

This episode is not sponsored.

Brain & Body Things Introduction Episode.

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 10:00:00 -0400

Welcome to the Brain & Body Things podcast! I'm your host, Dr. Natasha Mehta.

I'm a medical doctor here to help you wrap your mind around all things brain and body by talking with experts in a variety of fields of medicine. See below for this seasons line up!

1. Let movement be thy medicine: Dr. Joel Press on dealing with pain, injury, and the aging musculoskeletal system.
2. Dr. Lindsey Zubritsky on skin, hair, & nails - common misconceptions and frequently asked questions.
3. Back pain explained with Dr. Ricky Singh.
4. All things diet & nutrition with Dr. David Katz.
5. The system is unwell - Dr. Roger Lou on becoming a coach and a teacher.
6. Understanding Long COVID with Dr. Janna Friedly.
7. Brain fog...with Dr. Monica Verduzco-Gutierrez.
8. Is hormone imbalance a thing? Hormones and more with Dr. Arti Thangudu.
9. Things you should know about sleep - with Dr. Meredith Broderick.

The podcast episodes drop weekly on Monday over the summer. Subscribe to stay up to date, and tune in when you can! Be sure to rate, review, and follow on your favorite podcast app and let me know what other brain & body things you'd like to hear about. Follow me on Instagram, Tik Tok, or Twitter @drnatashamehta.

This podcast is not sponsored.