Can We Prevent Muscle Loss While Taking GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs?

GLP-1 medications like Zepbound have changed the way we treat obesity. But as more people lose significant amounts of weight, another question has emerged:

What happens to your muscle?

It's normal to lose some lean mass—including muscle—during weight loss. But researchers are now asking whether preserving more muscle could improve long-term health, particularly as we age.

In this episode, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Richard Pratley, lead author of a new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating whether an investigational antibody called apitegromab can help preserve lean mass in people taking tirzepatide (Zepbound).

Together they discuss:

• Why people lose lean mass during weight loss

• What "lean mass" actually means—and why it matters

• Why muscle preservation has become one of the biggest new questions in obesity medicine

• How apitegromab works by blocking myostatin—a protein that acts like a brake on muscle growth

• The results of the study and how much lean mass participants preserved

• Why preserving lean mass doesn't automatically mean preserving strength

• Whether concerns about muscle loss on GLP-1 medications have become exaggerated

• The importance of resistance training and adequate protein during weight loss

• Whether future obesity treatment will focus less on body weight and more on body composition

• The bigger question: Are we entering an era where one medication leads to another—or is there a better path???

This conversation explores one of the most interesting—and practical—questions in obesity research today: Can we lose fat without sacrificing too much muscle?

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Can using your smartphone on the toilet increase your risk of hemorrhoids?

In this episode of WTF Health News, Dr. Eeks explores one of the strangest health headlines of the year—and yes, it's based on a real scientific study.

Researchers found that adults who reported using smartphones while sitting on the toilet had a 46% higher likelihood of hemorrhoids compared with people who didn't bring their phones to the bathroom. But does that mean your phone causes hemorrhoids?

Not exactly.

Dr. Eeks breaks down what the study found. 

Topics discussed include:

•  Can smartphone use increase the risk of hemorrhoids? 
•  Why prolonged toilet sitting may matter more than straining 
•  The surprising study linking phones and hemorrhoids 
•  Why smartphone apps may distort our perception of time 
•  The difference between correlation and causation 
•  How technology quietly changes everyday human behavior 

If you've ever found yourself scrolling on the toilet for "just a minute"...this episode might make you think twice.

Source: Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids, Plos 0ne, 2025. 

About WTF Health News

WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor.

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Many people living with migraines say they can "feel a storm coming" before an attack. But is there scientific evidence that environmental exposures can influence migraine risk?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Gal Ifergane, neurologist and headache specialist, about his research on migraines and the environment. The conversation explores how air pollution, heat, solar radiation, and weather conditions may help lower the threshold for migraine attacks in people who are already susceptible.

Professor Ifergane explains why migraine is often considered a threshold disorder, where genetics, biology, and environmental exposures may all interact to influence when an attack occurs.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Can air pollution trigger migraines?
• Are weather-related migraines real?
• Can heat, sunlight, or solar radiation increase migraine risk?
• How researchers study environmental migraine triggers
• Why some people may be more sensitive to environmental exposures than others
• What these findings could mean for migraine prevention

If you've ever wondered whether your surroundings—not just your brain—could influence migraine attacks, this episode explores what the current science says.

About Professor Gal Ifergane:

Professor Gal Ifergane is a neurologist, headache specialist, and clinical researcher who serves as Head of the Neurology Department and Chair of the Brain Medicine Division at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, Israel. He is also a faculty member at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

His research focuses on migraine, headache disorders, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the effects of environmental exposures on neurological health. His work examines how factors such as air pollution, heat, and weather conditions may influence migraine risk and severity, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment for people living with migraine and other neurological disorders.

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Can listening to music help protect your brain as you age?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Joanne Ryan about her research on music, dementia risk, cognitive decline, and healthy aging.

Drawing on data from thousands of older adults participating in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), Professor Ryan discusses findings suggesting that frequent music engagement—including listening to music and playing a musical instrument—was associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive outcomes over time.

The conversation explores:

• Whether listening to music can help reduce dementia risk
• How playing a musical instrument may affect brain health
• Proposed biological and cognitive mechanisms behind music's effects on the brain
• Music, memory, and why some people with dementia can still remember and perform music
• Whether certain types of music may be more beneficial than others
• The limitations of observational research and what questions still remain unanswered

If you've ever wondered whether your favorite playlist is doing more than entertaining you, this episode explores what the science currently says about music, memory, cognition, and the aging brain.

About Professor Joanne Ryan

Professor Joanne Ryan is a Principal Research Fellow and leader of the Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia research team at Monash University in Australia. Her research focuses on understanding the causes, prevention, and early detection of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly dementia and depression.

Her team investigates biological, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors that influence brain health and works to identify preventive strategies that may reduce the incidence of dementia and cognitive decline. The group also studies biomarkers that may improve the timing and accuracy of diagnosis and help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. 

Professor Ryan has published extensively on aging, cognition, dementia risk factors, mental health, and preventive approaches to healthy brain aging.

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A recent asthma attack in a pet store sends Dr. Eeks down a rabbit hole of thoughts about breathing, chronic illness, menstruation woes, panic versus biology, strangers helping strangers, an anxious dog that needs emotional support during human emergencies, the cost of ambulance rides, and how the day rarely goes the way you think it will.

A story, a reflection...and a reminder that her lungs oppose intensity.

DISCLAIMER: Eeks Speakeasy is part storytelling, part health discussion, and part one public health nerd failing to make sense of the world. Nothing here is health or medical advice. It's just Eeks thinking out loud. 

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Can you be genuinely happy and, even thrive,  as a single person? 

In this episode, Professor Elyakim Kislev, author of Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living, discusses the growing global trend toward singlehood and what the research says about happiness, loneliness, marriage, and solo living. 

We explore the difference between being alone and being lonely, why some people enter relationships out of fear of loneliness, and most importantly, what distinguishes happy singles from unhappy singles.

 Professor Kislev also discusses the concepts of social loneliness and emotional loneliness, common myths surrounding singlehood, and findings suggesting that many never-married older adults report high levels of well-being and life satisfaction. 

We also examine cultural pressures surrounding marriage and family formation, whether marriage itself improves health and happiness, how researchers study these questions, and what it really takes to build a meaningful, connected, and fulfilling life—whether you're single, married, dating, or somewhere in between.

Professor Elyakim Kislev is a faculty member in the School of Public Policy and Government at The Hebrew University and a Research Fellow at the Truman Research Institute for the Advancement of Peace. He earned his Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University and holds master's degrees in counseling, public policy, and sociology. A Fulbright Fellow and recipient of the Award for Outstanding Fulbright Scholars, his research focuses on singlehood, family, well-being, and social policy. He is the author of Happy Singlehood: The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living.

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Today's Causes or Cures' WTF Health News with Dr. Eeks starts with olive oil and somehow ends with the microbiome.

A recent study suggests that older adults consuming more virgin olive oil may perform better on cognitive tests than those consuming more refined olive oil. Researchers also found differences in the gut microbiome because, at this point, the microbiome appears contractually obligated to show up in every health study.

Join Dr. Eeks in WTF Health News for a fun, quick, jargon-free look at what the study found, what it didn't find, and why nutrition science continues to keep us humble.

Source: For nerds and readers, here's a link to the study and to her plain-language blog. 

About WTF Health News

WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor.

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What makes you you?

Is it your memories? Your personality? Your sense of humor? Your motivation? What happens when a neurological disease changes one of those things?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with neurologist, neuroscientist, and author Dr. Masud Husain about his new book, Our Brains, Our Selves: What a Neurologist's Patients Taught Him About the Brain.

Drawing on the stories of seven patients with different neurological conditions, Dr. Husain explores how changes in the brain can profoundly affect identity, behavior, memory, motivation, humor, and our relationships with others.

We discuss pathological apathy after stroke, personality changes caused by frontotemporal dementia, memory and Alzheimer's disease, the neurological basis of humor, and how cultural and spiritual beliefs shape the way people understand illness. We also explore bigger questions about free will, responsibility, consciousness, and whether there may be aspects of human experience that lie beyond a purely biological explanation.

Dr. Husain shares what decades of caring for patients with neurological disorders have taught him about the brain—and about what it means to be human.

Dr. Masud Husain is Professor of Neurology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of Oxford and a Professorial Fellow at New College, Oxford. His work spans neurology, neuroscience, psychology, and brain imaging, with a focus on understanding how the brain supports cognition in both healthy individuals and people with neurological disorders. He is also Editor-in-Chief of Brain, one of the world's leading and most influential neurology journals. Our Brains, Our Selves is his first book.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Judson Brandeis, a board-certified urologist, sexual medicine specialist, surgeon, author, and founder of BrandeisMD, about erectile dysfunction, sexual wellness, aging, intimacy, and the rapidly growing men’s penile enhancement industry.

Dr. Brandeis discusses his recent clinical research exploring whether nitric oxide boosting supplements may work synergistically with medications like Viagra to improve erectile function, as well as broader issues surrounding circulation, lifestyle, vascular health, mental health and sexual performance.

He also describes 10 things men can do right now to improve their sexual health.

The conversation explores:

• What causes erectile dysfunction (ED) and why it becomes more common with aging
• The role blood flow and nitric oxide play in erections
• How ED can sometimes signal broader cardiovascular, metabolic or psychological issues
• The difference between prescription ED drugs and supplements
• Side effects and limitations of Viagra and Cialis
• Shockwave therapy and other emerging approaches in sexual medicine
•  “Sexspan” and maintaining sexual health later in life
•   Relationship dynamics, intimacy, and communication
•   Men understanding women’s bodies and sexuality after menopause
•   The psychology and emotional impact of erectile dysfunction
•   Concerns surrounding the supplement industry and “male enhancement” products
•  The difference between FDA approved medications and dietary supplements

Dr. Brandeis also discusses his “P-Long” protocol, which he describes as a safe and effective way to increase the length, girth and function of a healthy man’s penis.

Dr. Judson Brandeis is a board-certified urologist, surgeon, medical researcher, author, and physician educator with more than 25 years of experience in urology and men’s sexual health. Over his career, he has performed thousands of surgeries, helped pioneer surgical robotics, and served as Chief of Urology at John Muir Hospital and Hill Physicians for over a decade. Dr. Brandeis attended Brown University, earned his MD from Vanderbilt University, received a Howard Hughes research award at Harvard Medical School, and completed his surgery and urology residency at UCLA. In recent years, his work has focused on men’s wellness, sexual medicine, erectile function, intimacy, and “sexspan,” with an emphasis on helping men improve quality of life, physical intimacy, and overall health as they age.

You can learn more about Dr. Brandeis and his work at:
BrandeisMD

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Do you cough a lot? 

Does someone you know cough a lot? 

What if you could actually measure it, continuously?  

For people with chronic cough, those question matters. 

Because right now, most of what we know about cough comes from self-report. And that’s not very precise.

In this episode, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Peter Small from Hyfe, a company using AI to continuously detect and count coughs, turning a common but poorly measured symptom into something objective. Hyfe is the FIRST company to create a tool to continuously monitor coughing. 

Their technology processes sound in real time and records cough events without storing audio, allowing for long-term, privacy-preserving monitoring.

Hyfe is part of a growing field called acoustic epidemiology, which uses body sounds, like coughs, to better understand health and disease patterns.

We talk about:

• what a cough actually is, and how you define and quantify it
• how many people struggle with chronic cough
• what “continuous cough monitoring” looks like in real life
• bad coughs vs good coughs
• how Hyfe measures cough
• why measuring cough is useful for people who want to monitor their health more closely
• and whether cough monitoring and patterns could eventually be used for public health surveillance

We also discuss cough suppression therapy (CST), a behavioral treatment often delivered by speech-language pathologists, which has been shown to significantly reduce symptoms in many patients with chronic cough. Hyfe plans to offer it as a digital therapy folks can access from home. 

Dr. Peter Small is the Chief Medical Officer of Hyfe, where he focuses on using acoustic AI to improve human health. An infectious disease specialist, he has spent his career developing global health solutions, with a particular focus on tuberculosis. His work has spanned Stanford University, the Gates Foundation—where he led major TB initiatives—and global programs in India, Madagascar, and Nepal, using technology to expand access to care.  

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Amrita Vijay, a gut microbiome scientist who studies how diet shapes the microbiome and influences inflammation, mood, and overall health.

Her research tested three different dietary approaches over six weeks: a prebiotic fiber (inulin), omega 3 supplementation, and a synbiotic combining fermented kefir with prebiotic fiber. All three interventions reduced inflammatory markers compared to control, with the synbiotic approach showing broader effects across multiple markers.

We break down what prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics actually mean in real life, how inflammation was measured, and how quickly diet can influence inflammation in the body. 

We also discuss the role of the microbiome, and how to think about food-based approaches for tackling inflammation and chronic illnesses. 

About the Guest

Dr. Amrita Vijay is a gut microbiome scientist and researcher specializing in the intersection of diet, the gut microbiome, and health. She has conducted nutritional intervention studies in both India and the UK, exploring how food influences inflammation, mood, and overall well being. Her work focuses on translating microbiome science into practical, evidence based strategies for improving health. She has received the Best Research Award and Best Achievement Award from the University of Nottingham.

(Follow her on Instagram!)

What we cover

• What prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics mean in real terms
• Why it's important to reduce inflammation
• Why inflammatory markers are important
• How fiber, omega 3s, and fermented foods affect inflammation
• Why the synbiotic intervention showed broader effects
• How quickly diet can influence inflammation
• The role of the gut microbiome 
• Whether food based interventions may shape the future of inflammation research

Takeaway

Simple dietary interventions including prebiotic fiber, omega 3s, and fermented foods may reduce inflammation, and even short term changes in diet can lead to measurable shifts in the body.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with transplant surgeon and author Dr. Josh Mezrich to talk about xenotransplantation—the use of animal organs, primarily from pigs, to try to address the massive shortage of human donor organs.

More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a transplant. For many, time runs out. Xenotransplantation offers a possible path forward, but it’s not a simple one.

This conversation walks through both sides.

We talk about the history—from early, controversial experiments using primates to today’s gene-edited pig organs—and what’s actually happening right now in human patients. But we also spend time on the part that often gets pushed aside: the ethical questions.

What are we asking of these animals?
How are they treated in the process?
And how do we weigh that against the possibility of saving human lives?

We discuss:

• The evolution of xenotransplantation and key scientific breakthroughs
• Real-world cases of patients receiving pig organs
• The role of CRISPR and genetically engineered pigs
• Ethical concerns around animal welfare and the use of nonhuman primates in research
• Whether focusing on animal organs shifts attention away from improving human organ donation systems
• The risks, including cross-species disease transmission

Dr. Mezrich also shares insights from his new book Every Living Creature, which explores both the promise and the discomfort of this field.

Dr. Mezrich is a transplant surgeon and Professor at the University of Wisconsin, where he holds the Mark A. Fischer Chair in Transplantation and serves as Surgical Director of the kidney transplant program. His clinical and research work focuses on liver and kidney transplantation, including how factors like the microbiome and biomarkers influence organ quality. He is also the author of How Death Becomes Life and his latest book, Every Living Creature, which explores the science and ethics of xenotransplantation. 

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Can what you eat influence your risk of colorectal cancer?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Fred Tabung, PhD, MSPH, a researcher studying diet, metabolism, and cancer prevention, about how certain dietary patterns may reduce colorectal cancer risk.

Drawing on data from nearly one million people across the United States and Europe, Dr. Tabung explains how low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets are linked to lower colorectal cancer risk, and what this means for real-world prevention.

We explore how insulin and inflammation may influence cancer pathways, how diet connects to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and how those conditions are linked to cancer. We also discuss why early onset colorectal cancer is increasing in younger adults.

The conversation also covers childhood and early life exposures, the microbiome, and what a population level approach to diet and cancer prevention could realistically look like.

What we cover

•  What low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets actually mean 
•  Foods associated with lower colorectal cancer risk 
•  How insulin and inflammation may influence cancer development 
•  The link between diet, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer 
•  Why early onset colorectal cancer may be increasing 
•  What a population level nutrition strategy for cancer prevention might look like

Dr. Fred Tabung is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University and a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James, where he leads the Diet, Metabolism, and Cancer Prevention Outcomes Lab. His work focuses on how dietary patterns influence cancer risk and progression, particularly through pathways related to inflammation and insulin. Using large-scale population studies and clinical research, he aims to identify practical, evidence-based dietary strategies for cancer prevention and improved outcomes across the cancer continuum.  

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Can a plant-derived polysaccharide formula affect Alzheimer’s symptoms? A researcher explains his study, and its limits.  

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with researcher Dr. John Lewis about his study investigating an aloe polymannose multinutrient supplement in Alzheimer’s disease.

We discuss what polymannose is, why he feels mainstream wellness gets sugar wrong, why the intervention combines multiple nutrients rather than a single compound, and the biological theories behind how it might influence inflammation and immune signaling.

Dr. Lewis also walks through the study design, including the open-label approach, the cognitive and functional outcomes measured, his thoughts on testing against a placebo, and how to interpret mixed results across different tests.

We also talk about the bigger question: what early nutrition studies can suggest — and what they cannot yet prove. 

John E. Lewis, Ph.D., is Founder and President of Dr Lewis Nutrition® and a Voluntary Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His research focuses on nutrition, dietary supplementation, and exercise in human health and disease, and he has led or contributed to over 30 studies and more than 180 peer reviewed publications.

Dr. Lewis has presented his work nationally and internationally, mentored students across all levels of training, and delivered a TEDx talk on nutrition and brain health. He is also a Diplomate and Faculty Member of the Medical Wellness Association and continues to promote evidence based approaches to health and wellness. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi about brain aging, memory, intelligence, Alzheimer’s disease, and his new book: The Invincible Brain: The Clinically-Proven Way to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life

We explore whether Alzheimer’s is being overdiagnosed and the idea that what we call Alzheimer’s may actually be a mix of different conditions. 

Dr. Fotuhi breaks down intelligence beyond IQ, including why IQ tests were originally designed to detect deficits, and how environment can shape cognitive potential. We talk about memory, why we forget names but remember certain details, and he shares fun exercises anyone can do to significantly improve their memory.

We also examine how technology may be affecting the brain, the concept of use it or lose it, and the role of neuroplasticity in shaping brain function over time.

The conversation then turns to prevention. We cover genetics, including the APOE gene, and what you can do to lower your risk, even if you have the high-risk gene. We discuss lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, diet, and what having a sense of purpose means for your brain health. We also talk about current treatments, including antibody therapies targeting plaques, and why reducing plaques does not always improve function.

Finally, Dr. Fotuhi shares his approach to building brain reserve and maintaining cognitive health through his Brain Fitness Program.

Dr. Majid Fotuhi is a neurologist and neuroscientist trained at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Mind Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins and also teaches at George Washington University and Harvard. With nearly four decades of experience in clinical care, research, and teaching, Dr. Fotuhi has developed a multidisciplinary approach to  improving brain health and cognitive performance. His Brain Fitness Program combines personalized assessment with targeted lifestyle and cognitive interventions, with results published in peer reviewed journals. He is the author of several books, including Boost Your Brain, and is widely recognized for his work on memory, neuroplasticity, and successful aging, with lectures and media appearances around the world.

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Exploring the Spiritual Realm
Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticism 

Disclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or public health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only. 

In this episode, Dr. Eeks sits down with Master Nick Eagle, a man whose life has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn.

Before becoming a spiritual teacher, Nick Eagle was Nick Hawk, best known as the star of Gigolos, the Showtime series that followed male escorts in Las Vegas. He built a larger-than-life persona—muscular, confident, and unapologetically masculine. Along the way, he became a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, ran a stripper booking agency, wrote for Penthouse, and appeared in outlets like Cosmopolitan and TMZ.

Today, he goes by Master Nick Eagle.

He now leads a very different life...teaching meditation, studying philosophy, practicing yoga, and guiding others through what he describes as spiritual awakening. He runs retreats in Arizona and is the author of The Golden Laws of Enlightenment, a book centered on transcending suffering and connecting to a deeper sense of self.

In this conversation, we explore:

• His transition from nightlife and performance to spirituality and teaching
• How he defines masculinity...then vs. now
• What prompted his personal transformation
• His approach to meditation, Reiki, and Kundalini practices
• The philosophy behind his teachings and retreats
• What it means to “reinvent” your identity

This episode touches on spiritual perspectives that may not align with conventional medical or scientific views. Listeners are encouraged to approach these ideas thoughtfully and seek qualified medical advice when needed.

At its core, this is a conversation about identity, reinvention, and what happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels like your own.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Gil Bashe, author of Healing the Sick Care System, about why the US healthcare system is failing the very people it is meant to serve.

Bashe argues that the problem isn’t a lack of innovation or investment, but a system that has drifted away from empathy, human connection and patient-centered care. We discuss the growing disconnect between physicians, insurers, hospitals, and patients, the pressures that turn medical encounters into brief transactions, and how this fragmentation contributes to rising costs, declining trust, doctor burnout and patients who feel left behind. 

The conversation also explores medical debt, the prevention gap in U.S. healthcare spending, the impact of poverty on health outcomes, and the unintended consequences of overspecialization.

Bashe shares why he believes the future of healthcare must focus on empathy, collaboration, prevention, and measurable patient outcomes.

 Gil Bashe is Chair Global Health and Purpose at FINN Partners. 

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In this episode of the Causes or Cures Podcast, Dr Eeks speaks with Dr. Sam West, a researcher at the University of Oxford, about his study on what happens after people stop taking GLP 1 weight loss medications.

While much of the attention has focused on how these drugs work while people are taking them, this conversation looks at what happens when people stop. Dr West discusses how quickly weight tends to return (and how much), what happens to cardiometabolic markers after stopping treatment, and how these outcomes compare with weight regain after behavior-based interventions.

They also explore what these findings mean in practice, including long-term weight maintenance, patient expectations, and how insurers may weigh coverage for these medications. 

This episode offers important real world context for one of the most widely discussed drug classes in medicine today.

Dr. Sam West is a postdoctoral researcher with the Health Behaviours team based in the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford. He completed his PhD with the Nutritional Physiology Research Group at the University of Exeter, where his research centred around assessing how modulating dietary protein form influences postprandial skeletal muscle metabolism. His current research focuses on understanding how lifestyle (diet and exercise) and pharmaceutical interventions can be used in the treatment and management of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

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"So how'd that person die?"

In this episode of Causes or Cures, I’m joined by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Byard, an internationally recognized expert who has spent decades investigating deaths that are rare, misunderstood, and often deeply unsettling.

We talk about what really happens at the edges of life and death, including:

• Fatal animal encounters involving kangaroos, roosters, cattle, and donkeys
• Whether pets truly consume their deceased owners, and what the evidence shows
• The real story behind the death of Rasputin and why the myths refuse to die
• Cannibalism, including its different forms and the true cases that shaped how we understand it
• Historical fears of being buried alive and the strange methods once used to confirm death
• The one case that has stayed with Dr. Byard long after the autopsy was finished

Dr. Byard is a repeat guest on Causes or Cures. The topic of his first episode was the forensic elements of killer selfies. 

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Topics include forensic pathology, unusual causes of death, animal attacks, Rasputin’s death, cannibalism case studies, and historical death practices. 

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In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Joel Stanley, entrepreneur and biotech founder, about the long and often misunderstood road from plant based therapies to FDA approved medicines.

Joel shares the personal story behind building Charlotte’s Web, the company named after a young girl whose experience with severe epilepsy helped spark a global conversation about medical cannabis. He reflects on what it was like to grow a family run operation into a major force that reshaped public perception, while navigating science, regulation, and skepticism.

The conversation then turns to Joel’s current work at Ajna BioSciences, where he is pursuing FDA approval for botanical drugs, including a botanical-based drug being studied for autism, with trials to be conducted in 2 countries. Joel explains where this research currently sits in the regulatory process and why he has chosen the traditional drug approval route rather than supplements or wellness markets.

We also dig into the key differences between botanical drug development and conventional pharmaceutical development, from standardization challenges to clinical trial design, and why plant based medicines are often held to a different and sometimes contradictory standard.

Finally, Joel discusses his research into psychedelics, including psilocybin for depression, and why he believes these compounds represent more than a passing trend. 

This episode is a grounded look at science, policy, and the tension between nature and modern medicine.

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Healthcare corruption doesn’t just happen in broken systems or far away countries.

It happens in hospitals with shiny floors.
In billion dollar healthcare industries.
In systems filled with rules, audits, and professionals sworn to protect patients.

It happens quietly. And it happens everywhere.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Professor Graham Brooks, an international expert on healthcare corruption and criminal justice, to expose how fraud and corruption operate across healthcare systems around the world, from low resource settings to some of the most regulated and well funded systems on Earth.

Rather than treating corruption as something that belongs “elsewhere,” this conversation reveals the shared vulnerabilities that allow it to thrive in plain sight.

We explore:

• The hidden ways corruption shows up in both poor and wealthy healthcare systems
 • Real world schemes that drained millions while patients paid the price
 • How much money vanishes globally each year and why the true cost is likely far higher
 • Why rules, oversight, and trained professionals often fail to stop exploitation
 • How financial incentives and conflicts of interest quietly shape care and clinical decisions
 • Where today’s biggest corruption hotspots exist, from billing to drug pricing to procurement
 • Whether AI and data could help uncover fraud or create new risks of surveillance
 • What patients and clinicians can do when the system itself feels rigged

This episode pulls back the curtain on a side of healthcare most people never see and shows why corruption isn’t a rare scandal. It’s a systemic threat hiding in plain sight.

About the Guest

Professor Graham Brooks is an international expert on corruption in healthcare and criminal justice. He has advised governments, law enforcement bodies, and international organizations on counter fraud and anti corruption efforts, and has been a keynote speaker at major conferences across Europe.

He has participated in United Kingdom Cabinet Office round table discussions on anti corruption, worked with the Royal United Services Institute on money laundering and online business risks, and currently serves as a member of the Group of Experts for the European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network.

Professor Brooks has published extensively with international collaborators and is the author of Healthcare Corruption: Causes, Costs, Consequences and Criminal Justice.

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Exploring the Spiritual Realm
Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticism 

Disclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only. 

Recent surveys suggest around 69% of Americans say they believe in angels. Whatever you think of that, spiritual beliefs can shape real health decisions...what people trust, where they seek help, and how they make sense of illness.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christopher Macklin, a British-born spiritual teacher and interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. Christopher describes his lifelong spiritual experiences and his belief that he can work with “angels” and other non-physical beings in ways he says help people.

We talk about what he believes, how he differentiates between types of angels, what he means by “Melchizedek beings,” and why some followers view his work as healing. And because Dr. Eeks is a skeptic, we also talk about skepticism: how he responds to critics, how he thinks about proof, and where he draws lines around claims.

This episode is part of Eeks' broader exploration of the “spiritual” element of health—not as endorsement, but because spirituality influences how many people approach health and wellness, interpret symptoms, choose treatments, and build meaning around suffering. Think of it as part belief, part culture, part mystery.

Guest bio:

Dr. Christopher Macklin is a British-born spiritual teacher, interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. He describes having unusual spiritual perceptions since childhood and now offers spiritual guidance and sessions to clients internationally based on his personal beliefs about non-physical realms.

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What if cancer didn’t have to be eradicated, but could be remembered, monitored, and controlled by the immune system itself?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Zachary Hartman, the lead researcher who revisited an extraordinary breast cancer vaccine trial conducted over 20 years ago. The trial involved a small group of women with advanced breast cancer. Women who, remarkably, are all still alive today.

By analyzing their blood decades later, the research team discovered that these women still carried immune cells capable of recognizing their cancer, suggesting durable immune memory lasting more than two decades. (Study link here.)

We discuss:

• The original breast cancer vaccine trial and what it was designed to do, in plain language
• What it was like to discover that the women from the trial were still alive more than 20 years later
• How the immune systems of these women continued to recognize cancer cells long after the trial
• What CD27-positive immune cells are and why they matter, explained simply
• Why helper CD4 T cells may be just as important, or more important, than killer CD8 T cells when it comes to cancer
• What happened when researchers combined a CD27-boosting antibody with a cancer vaccine in mice
• What surprised the research team most
• The challenges of translating findings from mice to human trials
• Whether cancer could someday be managed long-term by the immune system
• How generalizable this immune memory might be across different cancers
• What this research could mean for how we think about vaccines in a post-pandemic world
• The one key message the researcher hopes the public takes away
• What’s next in this line of research

 Guest Bio: Dr. Zachary C. Hartman is an Associate Professor at Duke University in the Departments of Surgery, Pathology, and Integrative Immunobiology, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Applied Therapeutics and is a member of the Cellular and Molecular Biology and Genetics and Genomics programs. He earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and completed his PhD at Duke University, followed by postdoctoral training in tumor immunology and breast oncology at Duke and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In 2012, Dr. Hartman returned to Duke to establish a research program focused on tumor immunology and the development of cancer immunotherapies, including therapeutic vaccines, immune agonists, checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-based therapies, and strategies to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses.  

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*Disclaimer*   This episode is part of the Causes or Cures Public Health Is Weird bonus series and is for educational and entertainment purposes only. If you’re worried about a child or pet eating a poinsettia, contact a medical professional or veterinarian. This podcast is not a poison control center.  :)

Every December, poinsettias show up, and so does the panic.

Suddenly, a festive red plant is treated like antifreeze with leaves: dangerous to kids, deadly to pets, and one accidental nibble away from an emergency vet visit. But where did this fear actually come from, and does the evidence support it?

In this bonus episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks dives into one of the most persistent holiday health myths and asks a very public-health question: How did a weak claim turn into a century-long panic?

Using poison-control data, toxicology studies, veterinary evidence, and a little personal history (including a dog named Barnaby and the hazards of NYC sidewalks), this episode unpacks what poinsettias really do, and don’t do, to humans and animals.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Where the myth of the “deadly poinsettia” originated and why it stuck
• What large U.S. poison-control data shows about poinsettia exposures in children
• Why poinsettias behave very differently in real life than in our imaginations
• What toxicology studies in animals actually found (hint: no lethal effects)
• What the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center reports when pets chew on poinsettias
• Why dose and curiosity matter more than fear
• How risk is often exaggerated when kids, pets, and holidays collide
• Whether Dr. Eeks would let her own pets near a poinsettia (spoiler: probably not, but not for the reasons you think)
• A Christmas legend behind the poinsettia...and a gentle reminder that miracles don’t pause for plant anatomy

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References: All scientific references discussed in this episode are below and available on the accompanying blog post at BloomingWellness.com. 

1. New York Botanical Garden Article: Dispelling a Seasonal Myth: For Humans, The Poinsettia is Not a Toxic Plant – Science Talk Archive
2. Krenzelok, E. P., Jacobsen, T. D., & Aronis, J. M. (1996). Poinsettia exposures have good outcomes… just as we thought. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14(7), 671–674.
3. Evens, Z. N, & Stellpflug, S. J. (2012). Holiday Plants with Toxic Misconceptions. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 13(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2012.8.12572 Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0q1973x2
4. Winek CL, Butala J, Shanor SP, Fochtman FW. Toxicology

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Microplastics are everywhere—but what are they doing inside the human body?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christian Pacher-Deutsch about his lastest study and the growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may affect the digestive system, the gut microbiome, and long-term health. He explains why this problem has reached crisis level. 

Rather than focusing on dramatic claims or quick fixes, this conversation explores what the science actually shows, including how probiotics may help mitigate some of the harmful effects of microplastics...not by breaking them down, but by supporting gut integrity and immune balance.

We discuss:

• What microplastics and nanoplastics are, how they’re formed, and where human exposure comes from
• Why nanoplastics may be especially concerning due to their size and biological interactions
• The range of health effects microplastics have been linked to, including immune, neurological, reproductive, and carcinogenic effects
• How microplastics may disrupt the gastrointestinal tract, including digestion, inflammation, barrier function, and gut permeability
• What the microbiome is and why it plays a central role in health
• Why probiotics were considered as a potential solution, and what the research found
• Why probiotic bacteria are unlikely to directly degrade plastics
• How probiotics may still help reduce inflammation and support the gut’s protective barriers
• Whether certain bacteria appear more protective than others
• The role of industry collaboration and whether probiotic formulations are being explored
• Whether probiotics can realistically help us get ahead of the microplastic crisis, or if they are only part of a larger solution
• Practical ways people can reduce exposure, and where reduction may be unrealistic
• How diet, including probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods, might help mitigate risk
• What this research changed about Dr. Pacher-Deutsch’s own habits
• What’s next in microplastics and health research

This episode offers a clear, evidence-based look at microplastics inside the human body—without panic, hype, or false promises.

GUEST BIO: Dr. Pacher-Deutsch is a scientist and researcher in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine (CBmed), Graz, Austria. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, a clinical psychologist, researcher and trauma expert about an early and deeply sensitive study examining how different substances may have influenced early trauma responses among survivors of the October 7 Nova music festival attack.

Many survivors had taken substances just hours before the traumatic event — including classic psychedelics, MDMA, cannabis, alcohol, or none at all. Dr. Rubinstein’s team approached this research with extreme care, focusing on respect, consent, and the ethical challenges of studying trauma in real time.

Together, they discuss:

• Why Dr. Rubinstein became interested in studying trauma at the moment it happens, not years later
• How the research team worked respectfully with survivors in the aftermath of mass trauma
• The challenges of studying real-world substance use without lab-verified dosing
• Why survivors who had taken classic psychedelics reported lower anxiety and fewer early PTSD symptoms compared with other groups
• How timing and state of consciousness during trauma may influence how the brain encodes memory and fear
• What we can, and cannot, conclude from an early, observational study
• Why these findings do not justify self-experimentation, but may justify further controlled research
• What mental health professionals and policymakers should take away from this work
• How doing trauma research has shaped Dr. Rubinstein’s own understanding of resilience and healing

This conversation does not promote psychedelic substance use. Instead, it explores how brain state, context, and timing may shape trauma responses, and why studying these questions responsibly matters.

Content note: This episode discusses trauma related to the October 7 attacks. Listener discretion is advised.

Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice.

Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, organizational psychologist and founder of the Morphic Institute. He is a founding member of the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Emergency and Disaster Management at the Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, where he lectures on trauma, resilience, and mental health in emergency settings. His research focuses on trauma, testimony, and resilience, including how individuals and societies process extreme events. Dr. Rubinstein developed an intensive short-term group intervention model for treating traumatic casualties and has led multidisciplinary research collaborations on trauma across psychology, history, and architecture. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Claudia Suemoto in Brazil about her new 8-year study looking at whether artificial sweeteners are linked to changes in thinking and memory.

We cover:
• How she started studying dementia and why she became curious about sweeteners.
• What the research team hoped to learn and what they actually found.
• Why these results are different from older, one-time “snapshot” studies.
• Why the link between sweeteners and thinking problems showed up in people under 60, but not over 60.
• The seven sweeteners they studied and whether any looked more concerning than others.
• What a small decline on a cognition test really means in everyday life.
• Whether people who switch to sweeteners because of health issues make sweeteners look guilty.
• Whether there seems to be a “safe range” or if more sweetener means more risk.
• How to use studies like this when they show association, not proof.
• Easy ways to cut back on sweeteners without doubling your sugar.
• What policies she thinks make sense while we wait for more data.
• Her top tips for protecting your brain and lowering dementia risk.

If you want a clear, calm, evidence-based take on sweeteners and brain health, this episode is for you.

Guest Bio:  Claudia Suemoto, MD, PhD, is a geriatrician and researcher at the University of São Paulo whose work centers on successful brain aging, dementia, and the cardiovascular risks that shape both. She runs the Suemoto Lab, directs the Biobank for Aging Studies, contributes to the major ELSA-Brazil cohort, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Suemoto has been recognized with major awards, including the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science honor and the Ewald W. Busse Research Award for her contributions to aging biology. She also serves in leadership roles with ISTAART and the Brazilian Society of Geriatrics and Gerontology. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Jaap de Roode, an evolutionary biologist and author of Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves, about one of the most fascinating corners of biology: the ways animals use plants, minerals, insects, and even toxins as medicine.

They talk about:

• What sparked his interest in animals treating their own illnesses
•  Why medicine isn’t only a human invention
•  How scientists tell the difference between random behavior and true self-medication
•  His favorite examples of animal doctors in the wild
•  Whether animals know they’re taking medicine or if it’s instinct or trial-and-error
•  The weirdest substances animals use to heal themselves
•  What traditional healers who observed animals for years and years could teach us ,and what we ourselves could learn from observing this type of animal behavior.
•   Whether animal self-medication could lead to new drugs or therapies
•  The risks of over-romanticizing “nature knows best”
•  The scientific challenges in proving an animal is self-medicating
•   How seeing animals as medicine-users might change how we respect their lives and value their habitats
•   And the big question: Who is the best doctor in the animal kingdom?

If you love animals, nature, weird science, evolutionary biology, or the idea that your pet might actually be a doctor or furry-little pharmacist, you’ll love this episode.

Dr. Jaap de Roode runs a research lab at Emory University focused on how hosts and parasites co-evolve, from monarch butterflies to honey bees. He also leads science outreach, directs the Infectious Diseases Across Scales training program, and hosts the Virulent Vortex podcast. You can learn more about him and his research here. 

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Episode: Why Single Women Are Happier than Single Men, with Elaine Hoan
Guest: Elaine Hoan, PhD Candidate, Department of Psychology, University of Toronto

Forget the “sad cat lady” cliché. In this episode, Dr. Eeks chats with researcher Elaine Hoan about her new study showing that single women are, on average, happier than single men. They explore what that says about modern love, independence, and the pressure to couple up.

In this episode:

• What sparked Elaine’s interest in studying singlehood and well-being
• How she actually measured happiness, satisfaction, and sex without making it weird
• Why women report more contentment and autonomy in singlehood
• What traditional masculinity has to do with men’s lower happiness scores
• How cultural expectations shape who thrives alone
• Whether singlehood could use a total rebrand
• And the advice Elaine gives to anyone feeling the “you should be partnered” pressure

Read Elaine's full study here and check out her and her team's lab here. 

Elaine Hoan is a PhD researcher in Experimental Psychology at the University of Toronto where she uses surveys and various statistical models to examine the lives of single and partnered individuals. She studies the broad question of who is more likely to be happy single or in a romantic relationship.

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Episode: Psychedelics and  Prolonged Grief with Dr. Greg Fonzo
Guest: Greg Fonzo, Ph.D., Assistant Professor and Co-Director of the Charmaine and Gordon McGill Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Medical School.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Greg Fonzo about how psychedelics might help people suffering from prolonged grief, a form of grief that lasts longer and feels harder to heal than typical bereavement.

They discuss:

• The origins and mission of Dell Med’s Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy
• What “prolonged grief” really means and how it differs from normal grief
• Why his team is testing psilocybin and 5-MeO-DMT for survivors who lost loved ones
• Theories for why psychedelics may help prolonged grief
• Study design details, inclusion criteria, and their unique recruitment focus
• Ethical and safety considerations when studying powerful psychoactive substances
• The broader promise and pitfalls of the fast-moving field of psychedelic research.

If you’d like to learn more or see whether you qualify for a clinical trial involving psychedelics, check out the current studies at the Fonzo Lab at the McGill Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy at Dell Medical School.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Debbie Dobbins, international prosperity consciousness speaker/teacher and author of Your Inner Billionaire.

Why listen: Debbie’s origin story isn’t a soft-focus vision board. It's not feel-good Instagram or TikTok reels. It’s making millions..., then dollar-store cookies on food stamps; addiction, cancer, and IRS debt..., followed by a rebuild grounded in daily practices and a different relationship with money.  

What's covered in this episode: 

• “Inner Billionaire” 101: What it is (identity, not net worth) and why strategy fails without it.
• Prosperity ↔ Poverty cycles: How Debbie bounced after addiction, cancer, and tax debt, and the moment she stopped self-sabotaging.
• Knowing vs. Healing: Why giving great advice isn’t the same as living it and how she bridged the gap.
• Abundance as a foundation: “The universe responds to beliefs, not circumstances”  She goes beyond the feel-good memes and tells us what that means in practice.
• Your money story: Spotting the script you’re running and rewriting it so it serves you.
• Body–mind money cues: Posture for prosperity, the “money dance,” and somatic nudges that reinforce belief.
• First steps if you feel lost: One mindset shift and one tiny habit to start today.
• Setbacks: How to expect them, metabolize them, and keep going.
• Why “money is your most important relationship”: What she really means, and how to make it a healthier one.
• Queen of Magic? Yes, Eeks asked. 

Debbie’s book & links:

• Book: Your Inner Billionaire 
• Learn more about Debbie or Contact Her

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Dr. Acosta returns to Causes or Cures to talk about the next big leap in obesity research: using genetics and machine learning to predict which patients will get side effects to popular GLP-1 weight-loss medications like Wegovy and Zepbound. Previously, he was on Causes or Cures to discuss your individual obesity type. 

He and his team are uncovering why some people experience major weight loss while others face tough side effects—especially nausea. The goal? True precision medicine for obesity: matching the right treatment to the right person before treatment even begins. (You can learn more about their available tests and  company here.)

 Topics We Discuss

• Dr. Acosta’s background and what drew him to obesity research
• Why not all obesity is the same—and why that matters for patients and doctors
• The most common questions patients ask about GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound
• How big a problem side effects like nausea really are in practice
• New research using genetic markers to predict who’s more likely to experience side effects
• Whether eating style affects nausea and how Dr. Acosta coaches patients on nutrition while using these medications
• The possibility of genetic testing before prescribing GLP-1s
• What we know about rarer side effects, from vision to hearing changes, if he thinks more side effects will emerge
• What “satiation” (feeling full) means and why it varies so much between people
• How genetic risk and satiation scores could determine which obesity treatment works best
• Dr. Acosta's thoughts on obesity prevention, especially on renewed energy to take on the unhealthy food industry
• The persistence of stigma—why “willpower” doesn’t tell the whole story
• Whether the current obsession with obesity drugs distracts from prevention, nutrition, and community health

Why it matters

Obesity isn’t a one-size-fits-all condition—and neither should its treatment be. Dr. Acosta’s research could mark a turning point in how we approach weight loss: scientifically, compassionately, and individually. 

Dr. Acosta is a Consultant of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic, co-founder of Phenomix Sciences, as well as an Associate Professor of Medicine. His research focus is on gastrointestinal physiology and the complexity of food intake regulation as it relates to obesity. You can learn more about his work here.

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Disclaimer: Entertainment only. Eeks is not a public health historian; just a gremlin who reads too much and asks weird questions 

BONUS Episodes are part of the "Public Health is Weird" Causes or Cures Series. 

What’s inside

• The myth of “truth serum” and why scopolamine never earned the badge
• From twilight sleep in childbirth to spy stories and interrogation lore
• What scopolamine actually does: amnesia, confusion, suggestibility
• Modern misuse and crime angles, plus real risks
• Ethics, consent, and why the legend still sells
• Eeks' thoughts on an "actual" truth serum, but she really wants to know yours

Why listen
A sharp, strange, funny tour of medicine, memory, and power—where a drug’s reputation outruns its evidence.

References cited in the podcast: 

Embryo Project Encyclopedia

Physician's flowers

MKUltra

Jeremy Grey, AL.COM, Alabama Axe Murders

Alabama Axe Murder Confessions

Tinder Death News Story

State Dept Warning

Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. 

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On this episode, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Carlijn Wagenaar about the Plants for Joints research in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), exploring how a plant-centered lifestyle (not just diet) was tested and what changed in disease activity, inflammation, pain, and function.

Episode at a glance:

• Study design, plainly: who enrolled, program length, and how PFJ was evaluated for RA (disease activity & inflammatory markers) and OA (pain & function scores).
• What “plant-centered lifestyle” meant in real life: meals, movement minimums, sleep nudges, stress tools, and weekly support—not just a diet sheet.
• Why they taught cooking: inside the hands-on classes  and how skills improved adherence.
• Primary outcomes: what shifted in RA activity and labs, OA pain/function—and how quickly.
• The biology (in plain language) as to why plants help our joints
• Participant takeaways: less stiffness, easier mornings, better energy; the habits that made it stick.
• What’s next: how programs like PFJ could reshape everyday arthritis care.

Dr. Wagenaar is a physician and researcher in the Netherlands. Check out her and her team's recently launched  Plants for Health Website!

Disclaimer: This episode is for information only and not medical advice. Consult your clinician for personal care decisions.

Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. 

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What if cancer could be detected years before symptoms ever appear? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Yuxuan Wang, cancer researcher at Johns Hopkins, to discuss her team’s promising work on multicancer early detection (MCED) blood tests.

These ultra-sensitive sequencing tests can spot tiny fragments of tumor DNA circulating in the blood. In their recent study, the MCED test flagged early cancer signs in 8 out of 26 participants who were later diagnosed — half of them more than three years before their cancer was picked up clinically. While still experimental and not FDA-approved, this research points to a future where cancer screening might extend well beyond mammograms and colonoscopies.

In this episode, we cover:

• Dr. Wang’s journey into cancer research and what inspired her focus.
• What multicancer early detection (MCED) blood tests are and how they work.
• How the Johns Hopkins study was designed and what the key results showed.
• Which cancer types were detected and what limitations still exist.
• Challenges such as false positives, incidental findings, and overtreatment risks.
• The ethical and practical questions of telling patients they may have cancer years before symptoms.
• Cost and accessibility concerns: how to make such tests affordable if approved.
• Next steps toward larger trials, FDA approval, and clinical use.
• How MCED could change the landscape of cancer screening and prevention in the future.
• Balancing public enthusiasm, media attention, and scientific caution.

This is a fascinating and nuanced conversation about the possibilities, and challenges, of catching cancer earlier than ever before.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Katie Stewart, Holistic Nutritionist and founder of The Clear Skin Solution, about the emotional and physical toll of breakouts and unhealthy skin, and why lasting healing requires more than just spot treatment.

Katie shares how her own struggles with acne led her to ditch conventional prescriptions and create a protocol focused on addressing root causes like hormonal imbalances, gut health, stress, and diet. She explains her approach to identifying internal imbalances, common food triggers and additions, and what people can do today to start improving their skin.

They also dive into the skincare content overload on social media, topical trends, and how Katie handles pushback from the mainstream dermatology world. With a compassionate tone and science-backed perspective, Katie emphasizes that acne is not just skin deep, and there is real hope for those struggling.

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Psychedelics are in the spotlight. Some call them dangerous, others call them life-saving, and many believe they could reshape the future of mental health care. In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Martín Polanco MD, founder of The Mission Within Foundation and considered the most experienced ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT physician in North America. Over the past 25 years, he has treated more than 5,000 people — including over 1,300 veterans and special operators — giving him unmatched clinical credibility in a field often clouded by hype, controversy, and hope.

Dr. Polanco shares his perspective on why veterans and frontline workers struggling with overlapping mental health challenges — PTSD, addiction, depression, traumatic brain injury — are increasingly turning to these psychedelic medicines when conventional options fall short.

This episode covers:

• What ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT are, how they work in the brain, and what sets them apart from other psychedelics.
• Why mental health conditions rarely show up one at a time, and how these medicines may help with complex, co-occurring issues.
• How Dr. Polanco’s center guides people through treatment, integration, and long-term support — and why integration is just as important as the medicine itself.
• Results in veterans and first responders: what’s been seen, how long benefits last, and the factors that sustain recovery.
• The real risks, especially cardiac risks, and the safety protocols in place to minimize them.
• Misconceptions about psychedelic therapy and where skepticism is justified.
• The launch of the Mission Within Foundation, which has already raised over $2 million to provide psychedelic therapy scholarships for veterans and first responders.
• Why partnerships with institutions like UT Austin Dell Medical School are critical for building a scientific evidence base and wider acceptance.
• And finally: whether ibogaine and 5-MeO-DMT are ready for mainstream mental health care, or if the science still needs to catch up.

This is a candid conversation about possibility, risk, and the urgent need for new tools in mental health.

Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. 

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What if your biological age could be younger than the candles on your birthday cake? On this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Chris Mirabile who says he did just that. After surviving a brain tumor at just 16 years old, Chris committed himself to mastering his health. That journey led him to found NOVOS, the first health company to develop science-based solutions targeting the 12 biological causes of aging.

Chris states he has reduced his biological age by 13.6 years and slowed his pace of aging by 37%. In this episode, he explains what biological age actually means, how it’s measured, why it matters (and what it doesn’t tell you), and what it means to age more slowly than the calendar says you should.

We cover:

• Chris’ fascinating personal story of surviving a brain tumor at 16 and how that led him down the path of slowing down aging.
• What aging means to him personally, and his ultimate goal — with a little philosophy sprinkled in.
• How he slowed his pace of aging by 37%, reducing his biological age by 13.6 years 
• The 12 causes of aging and why they matter.
• The spiritual and emotional dimension of health — and how our inner life ties into the aging process.
• The story behind his supplement, NOVOS Core — what’s in it, the evidence so far (lab and human studies), and what future research is on the horizon.

👉 Quick disclaimer: Dr. Eeks does not endorse or recommend any specific supplements, including the ones discussed in this episode. But Chris brings a wealth of knowledge, real data, and genuine passion to this conversation, and I think you’ll find his story fascinating.

If you’ve ever wondered: Should I claim my chronological age or my biological age when someone asks? …this episode’s for you.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Irene Papanicolas, Professor of Health Services, Policy and Practice at Brown University, about her recent New England Journal of Medicine paper examining the links between wealth and mortality across the United States and Europe.

There’s a lot of focus on longevity today, from biohackers chasing longer lives to new medical innovations. But how much does the money in your bank account matter when it comes to lifespan? And why do those relationships between wealth and health look different across countries?

The study analyzed data from over 73,000 adults, exploring how wealth impacts lifespan within and across countries, including comparisons between the wealthiest and poorest quartiles, the concept of a “survivor effect,” and why even wealthy Americans may be dying earlier than poorer Europeans.

We discuss:

• How “wealth” was defined in the study.
• The differences in life expectancy between the U.S. and Europe.
• What factors might explain why U.S. outcomes lag (diet, food environment, culture, lack of universal healthcare).
• Which European countries stood out for protecting longevity.
• Policy implications, and what interventions could have the biggest impact if implemented tomorrow.

 Read the full paper here: NEJM: Wealth, Mortality, and the U.S.–Europe Gap

If you’re curious about the intersections of wealth, health, and longevity, and want to understand what money can (and can’t) buy when it comes to living longer, this episode is for you.

 Dr. Irene Papanicolas is a Professor of Health Services Policy and Practice at Brown University. A health economist and researcher, her work focuses on assessing how health systems perform and using international comparisons to inform policy. She leads the International Collaborative on Costs, Outcomes and Needs in Care (ICCONIC), a 16-country partnership studying care patterns and outcomes for high-need, high-cost patients. Dr. Papanicolas has published widely on health system performance and cross-country comparisons. 

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

🎙️ In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dane Johnson, CEO and founder of Crohn’s Colitis Lifestyle.

Dane shares his story of going from modeling and acting in Los Angeles to a life upended by severe ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. At the height of his career he looked like the picture of health, yet behind the scenes he faced extreme weight loss, pain, anemia, exhaustion, sleepless nights, and a long stretch of treatments that did not bring relief.

After a near-death hospitalization in 2014, Dane decided to become the "CEO" of his day-to-day health. He reassessed options, leaned into nutrition and lifestyle strategies, and rebuilt routines from the ground up. A decade later he describes full recovery and now works with others through Crohn’s Colitis Lifestyle.

We discuss:

• Early warning signs and the spiral into severe IBD
• What it felt like when standard options did not help
• The turning-point moment in the hospital
• How he rebuilt daily habits around food, stress, sleep, and support
• Why he launched Crohn’s Colitis Lifestyle and how his team operates with clinicians
• What “healing journey” means in real life when you live with a chronic condition

This is a raw, personal episode for anyone navigating Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, or long-haul chronic illness, and for listeners curious about functional and holistic approaches from a patient’s perspective. It is also for people in that restless middle when tests are inconclusive, symptoms persist, and you are mapping your own next steps. We talk about what that search can look like in real life: asking better questions, trying thoughtful lifestyle changes, building a support team, and thinking outside the box while staying grounded and safe with your clinician. 

🎧 Listen in, and share with someone who might need this story today.

Dane Johnson is a board-certified nutritionist who specializes in Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. He is the CEO and founder of Crohn’s Colitis Lifestyle, where he and a team that includes licensed physicians support clients with practical nutrition and lifestyle strategies. After a near-fatal IBD crisis in 2014, he rebuilt his health and now focuses on helping others navigate day to day life with IBD.

Our Sponsor:  Today’s episode is brought to you by my favorite coffee, Lifeboost Coffee! It is low acid for an easier sip, organic and non-GMO, and third-party tested for 450 plus contaminants. Shade-grown, bird-friendly, and fairly traded. Coffee without the junk!  Get 58% off Your First Order HERE!   (Use code DrEeks for 10% off all additional orders!) *Affiliate link,I may earn a small commission.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jerry Avorn, a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, drug safety watchdog, and author of Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take. If you’ve ever felt uneasy about the rising cost of prescription drugs, the process or speed by which new meds are approved, or why the side effects list is longer than your grocery receipt, this episode is for you.

Dr. Avorn pulls no punches. We talk about:

• How our current system rewards speed over evidence, and why “accelerated approval” may sound good but can lead to disaster.
• The rise of drugs approved with weak or surrogate endpoints, yet priced like gold (yep, you still pay full price for half-baked science).
• Shocking case studies, like the Vioxx heart attack debacle and the controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm.
• The FDA’s evolution from watchdog to lapdog (in some cases).
• Conflicts of interest.
• Public funding, private profits: how taxpayer money fuels breakthroughs that we can’t afford. (WTF!)
• And, yes, we talk about the “Do Your Own Research” crowd.

Dr. Avorn’s mission? Help patients and doctors actually understand what they’re taking or prescribing, and what forces are shaping those decisions.

Why listen?
Because behind every pill is a story, and it’s not always the one you’re told in the ad with the beach scene and happy jazz flute.

Links:
Grab the book: Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take (Simon & Schuster, 2025)

Jerry Avorn, MD, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a senior internist in the Mass General Brigham health-care system. He built a leading research center at Harvard to study medication use, outcomes, costs, and policies and developed the educational approach of “academic detailing” to provide evidence-based information about medications to prescribers. One of the nation’s most highly cited researchers, Dr. Avorn is the author of Powerful Medicines: The Benefits, Risks, and Costs of Prescription Drugs, and he has written or cowritten over six hundred papers in the medical literature as well as commentaries in the New York Times, The Washington Post, JAMA, and The New England Journal of Medicine.

Work with Me? Perhaps we are a match!

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

Can a Daily Supplement Really Reverse Biological Age? A 12-Month Study, Explained

What actually happens when real people take a daily “healthy aging” supplement for an entire year?

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Varun Dwaraka of TruDiagnostic to unpack the results of a 12-month clinical study of the Cel System, a supplement regimen tested in adults aged 54 to 84.

We dive into:

• Why this supplement was developed in the first place
• How the study was designed, including regular checkpoints
• What biological or “epigenetic” age tests really measure (in plain language)
• Why different biological clocks sometimes disagree
• What it means to analyze the apparent age of specific body systems
• What results the team saw after a year
• What those findings do—and don’t—mean for slowing aging
• Big caveats and what smarter, next-gen studies could look like

If you’re curious about “reversing” biological age or just want the hype filtered before you spend money on a supplement, this one’s for you.

🧪 Read the peer-reviewed study published in Aging: https://www.aging-us.com/article/206221/text

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Modern medicine rests on a centuries‑old decision to split mind from body. 

That fault line still runs through every clinic and classroom, raising an uncomfortable question: if the foundation ignores half of human experience, how scientific are we really? In this episode, Dr Eeks talks with physician‑author Dr Robert Smith about why his new book Has Medicine Lost Its Mind? argues it is time to reunite what never should have been divided. 

What We Cover

• The Great Split: A medieval Church decree let scientists dissect bodies but barred them from the head, setting up the mental‑vs‑physical divide that still guides clinical practice.
• Primary‑Care Patchwork: Family doctors now manage roughly 75 percent of U.S. mental‑health care despite minimal formal training in mental health.
• Medicalizing Real‑Life Messes: Trauma, chronic stress, and tough social conditions often get reframed as diseases because the system lacks better options.
• The “Complex” Patient Label: How “complex” often translates to “we’re overwhelmed and don’t know what’s really wrong.”
• Culture on Autopilot: Rituals, hierarchy, and resistance to change can block genuine healing even when evidence points elsewhere.
• A Way Forward: The biopsychosocial model that addresses lab values and life stories—and what it would take for mainstream medicine to embrace it.

If you have ever felt that your doctor’s office visit left half of you outside the exam room, press play and join the conversation about what real, whole‑person healthcare could look like.

 Dr. Robert C. Smith is a nationally acclaimed authority on evidence‑based mental health care and doctor–patient communication. A University Distinguished Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry at Michigan State University, he pioneered the first patient‑centered training approach that teaches clinicians how to forge strong, collaborative relationships with their patients. His contributions have earned him numerous honors, including Master status from the American College of Physicians and the prestigious George Engel Award for Outstanding Research. Dr. Smith has authored more than 150 peer‑reviewed articles and continues to garner hundreds of academic citations each year. His expertise has been featured in outlets such as The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Today Show, and he writes regularly for Psychology Today. 

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with immunology expert Dr. Maziar “Maz” Divangahi about his research on how fiber found in mushrooms may help us beat the flu, and he introduces us to the concept of disease tolerance. 

What We’ll Cover

1. Beta-Glucan 101
   • What it is: a natural fiber in the outer wall of fungi (think mushrooms).
   • Why it matters: growing evidence says it may help fight off the flu by improving something called disease tolerance. More research is needed to confirm. 
2. Two Immune Playbooks
   • Host Resistance: the classic “seek and destroy” tactic.
   • Disease Tolerance: a quieter, damage-control strategy our bodies use to stay functional even when a pathogen sticks around.
   • Dr. Maz will unpack how beta-glucan may tilt the balance toward disease tolerance.
3. From TB Labs to Flu Research
   • Insights from Dr. Maz’s tuberculosis studies that set the stage for his beta-glucan–flu work.
   • Early data on how this fungal fiber might boost flu-specific disease tolerance.
4. Should We Eat More Mushrooms or Supplement?
   • Practical tips and caveats on dietary vs. supplemental beta-glucan.
   • What the current evidence actually supports.
5. Beyond Infections: Beta-Glucan in Cancer Trials
   • Snapshot of ongoing studies in breast and bladder cancer.
   • Why disease tolerance is a hot oncology frontier.
6. Future Directions & Take-Home Points
   • Where Dr. Maz’s research is headed next.
   • Simple, science-backed actions listeners can try today.

Listen If You’ve Ever Wondered…

• Why some people sail through the flu while others end up in the ER.
• Whether “disease tolerance” might rewrite how we tackle pandemics.
• If tossing extra shiitakes into your stir-fry can really make a difference.

Dr. Maziar (Maz) Divangahi is a Professor of Medicine at McGill University. He is the Associate Director of the Meakins-Christie Laboratories and the Associate Director of the McGill Interna onal TB Centre. He is an internationally recognized pulmonary immunologist and the overarching focus of his research program is to inves gate the regulatory mechanisms involved in host resistance and disease tolerance against major pulmonary bacterial (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and viral (influenza virus and SARS-CoV2) pathogens. He is currently inves ga ng how to harness the power of innate memory response (Trained Immunity) in vaccine development. Throughout his career, he has been a prolifera ve inves gator publishing in outstanding journals and received numerous awards, including a CIHR New Inves gator Award, FRQS Award, and the CIHR Founda on grant. His scholarly work has been recognized by elec on to the Royal Society of Canada. He is currently holding the Strauss Chair in Respiratory Diseases. 

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In this episode, Dr. Eeks sits down with world-renowned cardiologist and nutrition dynamo Dr. Kim Williams to pull the lid off “healthy” plant-based restaurant meals, and a whole lot more.

What’s on the menu:

• First-of-its-kind restaurant study – How Dr. Williams scored plant-based dishes for heart health, what shocked him, and the sneaky “health halo” traps you’ll now spot a mile away.
• Plant-based vs. junk-based – Could plant-based be sliding toward the same fate as the Western diet? He breaks down where things are headed and how to dodge the pitfalls.
• Cardio-nutrition deep dive – The eating plan Dr. Williams follows himself, plus straight talk on saturated fat, carbs, sugar, cholesterol, animal welfare, and factory farming.
• Big-picture fixes – Population-level policies he believes could actually move the needle on improving nutrition at the public health level.

If you eat out, care about your heart, or just want the unvarnished science behind plant-powered plates, this episode is packed with gems you won’t want to miss.

Dr. Kim Allan Williams, MD, MACC, FAHA, MASNC, FESC is Chair of Medicine at the University of Louisville and a triple-threat in general, preventive, and cardiovascular-imaging cardiology. He’s a former President of both the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Nuclear Cardiology, and he previously led the Association of Black Cardiologists as Board Chair. At Wayne State he launched the Urban Cardiology Initiative, and later created Rush University’s H.E.A.R.T. Program (Helping Everyone Assess Risk Today)—community screenings that pair education, nutrition, and lifestyle coaching. A lifelong advocate for nutrition literacy, health-equity, and system-wide reform, Dr. Williams has advised the FDA, CMS, and served more than 25 years as an AMA delegate. Most recently, he sat on the 2022 task force that briefed the White House Conference on Nutrition, Health, and Hunger.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Erin Williamson, a national expert on child trafficking and a leader at Love146, an organization dedicated to ending child trafficking and caring for its survivors.

We dive deep into what child trafficking really is—both labor and sex trafficking—and explore its prevalence, evolving risk factors, and the role social media plays in recruitment. Erin breaks down how traffickers often target children, sometimes people they know, and how some do it through the internet. She shares eye-opening examples and challenges some of the most persistent myths we’ve seen in media, pop culture, and even online activism.

We also explore:

• What makes a child more vulnerable to trafficking?
• Is child trafficking really increasing?
• Are "rescue missions" always the best path to freedom, or can they sometimes do harm?
• Why the idea that traffickers lurk in white vans is outdated and unhelpful.
• And why it’s not just girls who are trafficked for sex.

Erin also explains what Love146 actually does—why the name “Love146” matters—and offers practical, evidence-based tips for parents who want to protect their kids in a digital world. Finally, we talk public health and policy: What needs to change at the systems level to better prevent trafficking in the first place?

Erin is the Chief Programs & Strategy Officer at Love146, where she leads efforts to prevent child trafficking and exploitation. With over 20 years of experience in social services and child protection, Erin has developed trauma-informed programs that have reached thousands of vulnerable youth across the U.S. She is also a parent, advocate, and expert in human trafficking prevention and survivor care.

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Could gene drive mosquitoes be the key to ending deadly diseases like malaria and dengue or do the risks outweigh the benefits? 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Michael Santos about the controversial yet potentially groundbreaking technology known as gene drive. Unlike traditional genetically modified organisms, gene drive mosquitoes are engineered to pass on specific traits to nearly all of their offspring, drastically altering or suppressing mosquito populations that spread disease. With real-world field trials set to begin very soon, we dive into how this technology works, how it differs from standard genetic modification, what diseases it targets, and what could go wrong. We also explore how the trials will be conducted, regulated, and monitored to ensure safety and transparency. Is this the dawn of a public health breakthrough or are we opening a Pandora’s box we can’t close? 

Dr. Michael Santos is the Senior Vice President of Science Partnerships and Chief Population Health Science Officer at the Foundation for the NIH. He leads global programs focused on biomedical innovation and health equity, and directs the GeneConvene Global Collaboration, which supports informed decision-making around genetic biocontrol technologies like gene drive. Prior to this, he held leadership roles at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was a Principal at Boston Consulting Group, working across global health strategy. Dr. Santos began his career in astronomy and holds a Ph.D. from Caltech. 

To learn more about GeneConvene, Gene Drive Mosquitoes (and gain access to the infographic discussed in the episode) please click here. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Professor Maureen Cropper, Chair of the Economics Department at the University of Maryland and a leading environmental economist, about her recent research on the health and economic impacts of toxic chemicals in plastics.

We explore how an economist came to study chemical exposures and what her research reveals about the true cost of common compounds found in everyday plastic products. The conversation focuses on three major groups of toxic chemicals (BPA, DEHP, and PBDEs) and the serious health risks linked to them. Professor Cropper explains where these chemicals are commonly found, who is most at risk, and how she estimated both the public health burden and the economic costs tied to ongoing exposure.

You’ll also hear about what she believes needs to change: the policy actions, regulatory strategies, and paradigm shifts necessary to move toward safer, healthier materials. 

If you're concerned about chemicals in consumer products, interested in environmental health policy, or curious how economists quantify health risks, this episode is a great listen! 

Professor Maureen Cropper is a Distinguished University Professor of Economics at the University of Maryland and Chair of the Economics Department. She is also a Senior Fellow at Resources for the Future and a former Lead Economist at the World Bank. Dr. Cropper is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Her research focuses on valuing environmental amenities, estimating consumer preferences for health and longevity improvements, and analyzing the trade-offs inherent in environmental regulations. Her recent work examines the public health and economic impacts of toxic chemicals found in plastics. 

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, we explore insights into brain health and longevity with NYT bestselling author and neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen.

Dr. Bredesen explains why he believes cognitive decline is not an inevitable part of aging and outlines six biological processes he identifies as impacting brain aging. He also shares practical tools he recommends for assessing how well your mind is functioning. 

We discuss the alarming rise in early-onset dementia among people in their 30s and 40s and the potential causes behind this increase. Dr. Bredesen also talks about the links between COVID, sugar intake, and dementia risk. He offers science-based advice on diet, sleep, and lifestyle strategies that support an ageless brain.

Additionally, Dr. Bredesen addresses how the for-profit healthcare system can hinder Alzheimer’s management and shares his comprehensive ReCODE Protocol™, which he presents as a promising approach to preventing and potentially reversing cognitive decline, though it has sparked passionate discussions and differing opinions in the Alzheimer's and broader medical communities.

About Dr. Dale Bredesen
Dr. Bredesen is an internationally recognized expert in neurodegenerative diseases and the author of The Ageless Brain and The End of Alzheimer's Disease. He earned his M.D. from Duke University Medical Center, completed his neurology residency at UCSF, and was an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in Nobel laureate Stanley Prusiner’s laboratory. He has held faculty positions at UCSF, UCLA, and UC San Diego, and was founding President and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Dr. Bredesen’s pioneering research has led to innovative treatments and the development of the ReCODE Protocol™, offering new hope in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease.

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with aging and longevity expert Dr. Heike Bischoff-Ferrari about whether simple lifestyle interventions, like supplementation and exercise, can actually make us biologically younger.

Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari breaks down:
 • What DNA methylation clocks are and how they’re used to measure biological age

•   The design and findings of the DO-HEALTH Bio-Age Trial
•   Whether vitamin D, algae-based omega-3s, and exercise can turn back your biological clock
•   The science behind how these interventions may work
•   Practical takeaways for longevity and healthy aging
•   What’s next in this fast-moving field

Dr. Bischoff-Ferrari is a physician and researcher with board certifications in geriatrics, internal medicine, and rehab. She’s a professor at the University of Zurich where she chairs the Department of Geriatrics and Aging Research, and the principal investigator of DO-HEALTH, Europe’s largest study ever on healthy longevity. With a doctorate from Harvard and a long-standing commitment to aging research, she’s at the forefront of understanding how to extend not just lifespan, but healthspan. You can learn more about her here. 

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

 In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Nazlie Latefi about her new research on an over-the-counter (OTC) product that takes a fresh approach to tackling cold symptoms. They explore how the common cold is defined, its massive economic impact, and why many popular OTC medications surprisingly lack scientific support. 

Dr. Latefi, co-founder of Applied Biological Laboratories, discusses her innovative approach to treating the common cold and why Biovanta is different from what’s currently available. She also reveals the promising results from a recent randomized controlled trial and shares insights into her ongoing research in respiratory health.

🎧 Curious about why many cold remedies fall short and how new research is changing the game? Tune in for the full conversation.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Amir Baniassadi about how indoor temperature affects the aging brain.

Dr. Baniassadi shares what we know so far about the relationship between temperature and cognitive function, and explores the theories behind how temperature might influence cognition as we age. He discusses the findings of his recent study on temperature and cognition, including what surprised his team most. He also touches on an earlier study he conducted on temperature and sleep, and offers practical tips for optimizing your home environment. Is there a “sweet spot” for room temperature that supports both clear thinking and better sleep?

Dr. Baniassadi is an instructor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a scientist at the Marcus Institute for Aging Research. His work focuses on the aging brain and how environmental factors affect health and well-being in older adults. He holds a PhD in Civil, Environmental, and Sustainable Engineering from Arizona State University and an undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Tehran. He also completed postdoctoral training in Translational Research in Older Adults, as well as a fellowship at the Harvard Graduate School of Design.

Learn more about his work here. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Mary Abed Al Ahad about how long-term exposure to air pollution is quietly driving people to the hospital. Drawing from her recent study, Dr. Abed Al Ahad breaks down which specific pollutants were linked to higher hospitalization rates and how those effects vary—some pollutants hit the lungs harder, others may affect the immune system or even mental health. They also explore the science behind why certain pollutants cause different kinds of harm, and wrap up with ideas for how we can clean up the air and protect our health. If you've ever wondered what’s really in the air you breathe—and what it’s doing to your body—this episode is worth a listen. 

Dr. Abed Al Ahad is a researcher and associate lecturer in Population and Health Geography at the School of Geography & Sustainable Development, University of St Andrews in Scotland. You can learn more about her research here. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. David Amaral and Kathy Stein about the powerful impact of brain donations through Autism BrainNet in advancing our understanding of autism. Dr. Amaral offers a comprehensive overview of autism, exploring what science currently knows about its risk factors and potential causes. He discusses the rising rate of autism and explains how brain donations provide researchers with a rare and invaluable opportunity to study autism at the neurological level—offering insights that can’t be uncovered any other way. He also shares key discoveries that have already emerged through Autism BrainNet’s efforts.

Kathy Stein joins the conversation to share a deeply personal story: that of her brother Ed, who lived with autism and viewed it as "a different way of seeing the world." After Ed’s passing, Kathy donated his brain to Autism BrainNet, a decision she describes as a gift to science, one that reflects her commitment to supporting research that might bring answers to families in the future. Together, Dr. Amaral and Kathy explain how the brain donation process works, what it means for scientific discovery, and why it's an act of profound generosity.

Dr. David Amaral is a distinguished professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at UC Davis. He serves as the scientific director of Autism BrainNet and was the founding research director of the renowned MIND Institute, a center for autism research founded in collaboration with parents of children on the spectrum. He is also a past president of the International Society for Autism Research and currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of its journal, Autism Research.

Kathy’s brother Ed called Concord, New Hampshire home for 25 years. A beloved community member, Ed worked at the Concord Monitor, operating the advertisement insert machine until his retirement. A familiar and friendly face at the Concord Public Library, Ed had a wide range of passions—including steam trains, photography, travel, and musicals. He lived with warmth, curiosity, and an enduring grace that left an impression on all who knew him.

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 In this episode, Dr. Eeks is joined by neuroscientist Dr. Dwayne Godwin and cartoonist Dr. Jorge Cham, the creative duo behind Out of Your Mind, a book that makes neuroscience both fun and digestible—perfect for Nerds and Nerd Nots alike (yes, that’s my podcast tagline). They kick things off with love—what it is, why we fall for some people and not others, and whether science could create a love potion that turns romance into a biochemical hostage situation. From love, they move to hate and how some people actually get addicted to hate. They'll also discuss AI—whether it could ever develop consciousness and what that might mean for humanity—before diving into addiction and the ongoing debate over how much of it is choice versus biology. They'll talk about happiness, whether money can actually buy it, and a bizarre true medical case of a man who, after a brain surgery gone wrong, was left permanently stuck in the present moment.  Finally, they'll explore what happens when we die and whether the authors ever get existentially bummed out thinking about how fragile and robotic we really are. If you like science with a side of humor and deep, slightly absurd questions, this episode is for you. 

Dr. Dwayne Godwin is a neuroscientist, educator, and professor in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. His research focuses on abnormal brain rhythms, exploring calcium channel function, epilepsy, and traumatic brain injury to develop potential treatments for neurological diseases. Beyond the lab, he is passionate about science outreach, co-creating Mind in Pictures for Scientific American Mind and contributing to blogs for the Society for Neuroscience and the Museum of the Moving Image. 

Dr. Jorge Cham is a Daytime Emmy-nominated, best-selling cartoonist and the creator of PHD Comics, a popular online comic strip about academia. He is the co-creator, Executive Producer, and Creative Director of Elinor Wonders Why, a top-rated PBS Kids animated series. Cham has co-authored several popular science books, including We Have No Idea: A Guide to the Unknown Universe and Frequently Asked Questions about the Universe, as well as the children’s book Oliver’s Great Big Universe. He also co-hosts and co-creates the hit podcast Daniel and Jorge Explain the Universe. Originally from Panama, Cham earned his Ph.D. in robotics from Stanford University and was a researcher at Caltech.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Kevin Maki to dive into his systematic review on the impact of beef consumption on heart disease risk factors. Dr. Maki breaks down the complexities of defining red meat in research, highlighting the challenges and inconsistencies in dietary studies. He explains the key differences between processed and unprocessed meats, and the comparison groups used in these studies, offering a deep dive into the heart health risk factors that matter most. Tune in as Dr. Maki shares the interesting findings from his research, how they should shape our diets and dietary recommendations, and the innovative dietary interventions he believes could optimize heart health in the future. (Since they are currently dominating the news...,he also discusses interesting research about seed oils!)  If you're curious about the science behind beef, heart disease, and what dietary changes might make the biggest impact, this episode is for you. 

Dr. Maki is the President and Chief Science Officer of MB Clinical Research and Consulting, LLC, specializing in clinical studies on nutrition, metabolism, and chronic disease risk management. He holds adjunct faculty positions at DePaul University and Illinois Institute of Technology and is a Fellow of the National Lipid Association, The Obesity Society, and the American College of Nutrition. Dr. Maki has contributed to over 250 clinical trials and published more than 200 scientific works. With a Ph.D. in Epidemiology and an M.S. in Preventive Cardiovascular Health, he is an expert in cardiometabolic disease prevention and the science of genetics, lifestyle, and chronic disease risk. 

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 Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks to Dr. Sarah Daccarett about the "hidden hormone crisis" affecting women long before menopause. They dive into the basics of hormones—what they are, how they function, and the signs that something’s off when imbalances occur. Dr. Daccarett shares her thoughts on birth control, hormone replacement therapy, and the myths surrounding both. She also explains her unique, all-natural, bio-identical hormone approach to helping women feel their best. 

Dr. Daccarett is a physician, hormone specialist, anti-aging expert and founder of Inner Balance. 

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 In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Timothy Yeatman about  the connection between diet, inflammation, and colon cancer. He’ll explain why cancer can be thought of as a "poorly healing chronic wound" and describe his recent study highlighting how chronic inflammation, fueled by dietary choices, plays a key part in the progression of colorectal cancer. We’ll explore the alarming rise of colon cancer in adults under 50 and any common patterns he’s observed in this population. Dr. Yeatman will shed light on the immune tumor microenvironment, how it influences colon cancer, and its potential role in future treatments. Plus, we’ll discuss natural approaches to prevention and treatment, including key lifestyle interventions, such as achieving the right balance of omega-3s and omega-6s. 

 Dr. Yeatman is the Associate Center Director for Translational Research and Innovation at Tampa General Hospital Cancer Institute and a Professor of Surgery at the University of South Florida. With a career spanning leadership roles at Intermountain Healthcare, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, and Moffitt Cancer Center, he has spearheaded groundbreaking research in colorectal cancer, genomics, and biomarker development. He founded the Guardian Research Network, led a $100M Moffitt-Merck collaboration, and co-founded M2Gen, a biotech company. His work has been funded by the National Cancer Institute since 1993, and he continues to advance cancer research and clinical innovation. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Benjamin Lightburn, CEO of Filament Health, to explore the key differences between natural and synthetic psychedelics—and why those differences matter. Ben breaks down how Filament Health develops its natural psychedelic medicines, shares insights from ongoing clinical trials with top academic institutions, and discusses the early results. He also explains how Filament plans to bring these treatments to market and what sets them apart in the rapidly growing psychedelic space.

Ben is a pioneer in natural drug development, having co-founded Filament Health to create the first-ever safe, naturally derived psychedelic medicines for conditions like substance use disorder. With 15 clinical trials underway across North America and Europe and a business now valued at $210M, Filament is making waves in the industry. Before this, Ben built and sold a successful natural extraction startup, Mazza Innovation, securing major deals with multinationals before its $26M acquisition.

Tune in for a fascinating deep dive into the future of psychedelics—where nature meets science!

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Torkil Færø about heart rate variability and why he believes it's key to optimal health and longevity. Dr. Færø explains what heart rate variability is, the differences between high and low variability, and how to monitor it using top wearables. He also discusses his best-selling book, The Pulse Cure, which offers a revolutionary method to balance stress, optimize health, and live longer. Plus, he shares eight strategies everyone should adopt to add '24 years' to their life. 

Dr. Færø is a physician, documentary filmmaker, author, and award-winning photographer. With 26 years as a freelance doctor across Norway and over 100,000 consultations, he recognized that many diseases stem from lifestyle-induced stress. After his father's death at 73, he overhauled his own health, shedding 40 pounds and using wearables to track and regulate his nervous system. He has authored The Pulse Cure, The Camera Cure, created TV films on pilgrimages, and traveled to over 80 countries, speaking eight languages. He lives in Norway. 

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Chris Kilham, the renowned "Medicine Hunter," to discuss his incredible global adventures in search of medicinal plants. Chris shares fascinating stories about traveling to over 45 countries, collaborating with indigenous communities, and transforming botanical discoveries into market-ready products. He provides practical advice on plant-based solutions for hair and skin health, managing anxiety, and even low libido, drawing on his deep exploration of natural aphrodisiacs.

Chris also delves into how plant-based medicinals can be thoughtfully incorporated into conventional approaches to medicine, bridging the gap between traditional remedies and modern healthcare. He explores the rising popularity of psychedelics and offers valuable tips for identifying reputable supplement companies in a crowded market.

With more than 50 years of experience in natural health, Chris leads Berkem's Global Plant Exploration Initiative, spearheading sustainable plant discovery and development, while simultaneously supporting the natural environment and indigenous communities. As a researcher, author, yoga teacher, and advocate for traditional remedies like ashwagandha, kava, and maca, Chris brings unparalleled expertise and insight into the world of medicinal plants and wellness.

*Keep in mind that this is a conversation and not medical advice. The podcast team does not endorse any supplements or natural products and advises anyone interested in either to do their homework.

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 In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Sherlock Li to explore his recent research on the impact of forever chemicals (PFAS) on sleep, a pressing public health concern given the strong links between poor sleep and a range of health issues. Dr. Li begins by providing an overview of what forever chemicals are and how they persist in the environment and human body. He then delves into the methodology of his latest study, detailing the observed effects of PFAS on sleep patterns and the emerging theories behind these disruptions. The conversation also touches on the broader public health implications of PFAS exposure and Dr. Li’s cautionary note that the replacement chemicals being introduced may not offer any improvements for our well-being.

Dr. Sherlock Li, PhD, is a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at the Keck School of Medicine.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with international infectious disease expert Dr. Eskild Petersen to discuss the current bird flu outbreak. Dr. Petersen provides an overview of the history of influenza and the origins of avian influenza (bird flu), shedding light on the ongoing outbreak in animals and its unexpected detection in cows. He explores the science behind the receptors bird flu binds to, explains the differences in these receptors between humans and animals, and highlights how they play a crucial role in determining the severity of infections and the potential for human-to-human transmission. (As of now, there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission.) Finally, he outlines actionable steps for prevention, early treatment strategies, and shares his perspective on the current level of concern. 

Dr. Petersen is a Professor Emeritus of infectious diseases, Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, Aarhus University, Denmark, and is a member of the PandemiX Center of Excellence at Roskilde University, Denmark. He served as chair of the European Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Emerging Infections Task Force, Basel, Switzerland and is internationally renowned for his contributions to global health, travel medicine and emerging infections. He worked at the Danish national public health institute, Statens Serum Institut, from 1989 to 2003 after which he returned to clinical work in hospitals and treating patients with infectious disease. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Infectious Diseases from 2012 to 2022 and is now Editor-in-Chief of IJID Regions. Professor Petersen has authored several textbooks, including “Infectious Disease: a Geographic Guide” now published by Routlege in its 3rd edition.

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You’ve heard the phrase, “Sitting is the new smoking,” but is it really true—or just an oversimplification? And do standing desks at work actually improve your health? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Bethany Barone Gibbs about her recent study on standing desks and their surprising effects on blood pressure, a key indicator of health. Dr. Gibbs explains how the study was conducted, what the outcome measures revealed, the unexpected findings, and her recommendations for the broader public. Plus, she shares her expert take on whether “sitting is the new smoking” holds up to scientific scrutiny.

Dr. Bethany Gibbs is the chair and professor of the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at West Virginia University School of Public Health. Her research focuses on cardiovascular and physical activity epidemiology, as well as lifestyle interventions to prevent heart disease. Learn more about her work here.

So, before you fully commit to a standing desk, tune in to hear what the science really says about the workplace wellness trend!

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Lorenzo Pasquini and Hannes Kettner about their research on the effects of psychedelics in older adults who attended psychedelic retreats! They delve into their shared interest in exploring psychedelics as a potential avenue for improving mental health and well-being in this population, where better treatments are urgently needed. The conversation covers their research process, details about the psychedelic retreats attended by participants, and the substances used. They also share key outcomes related to participants' health and well-being and discuss exciting future directions for their work.
Dr. Pasquini is Assistant Professor of Neurology at UCSF whose research focuses on the brain's role in emotional states and social behavior. Using neuroimaging and neurophysiological techniques, he explores how these systems change with aging, neuropsychiatric diseases, and novel interventions like psychedelics. Hannes Kettner is a researcher and PhD candidate at the Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences at Imperial College, London.

This episode is sponsored by Greco Gum, the all-natural chewing gum for your mouth and gut that is made from only ONE ingredient! Visit GrecoGum.com and use code ERIN15 to get 15% off your first order.


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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Australian medical herbalist Lee Carroll about Ergothioneine—what he calls "the most important nutrient you’ve probably never heard of." Found in high concentrations in mushrooms, Lee explains its properties, functions, and why some researchers have dubbed it a "longevity vitamin." While the scientific evidence is still emerging, Ergothioneine’s unique characteristics have sparked significant interest with researchers. Lee also shares the best ways to cook and eat mushrooms to maximize their health benefits.

Lee Carroll, Chief Medical Herbalist with the Science Team at Real Mushrooms, brings over 30 years of expertise in holistic health and botanical medicine. A renowned educator and mentor, he has dedicated his career to exploring the health benefits of mushrooms. Since 2013, he has run a clinical practice in Australia and founded Herba Meditari, an innovative platform for educating health professionals worldwide.

With degrees in Western Herbal Medicine and Botany, Lee seamlessly blends traditional wisdom with modern science. His prior roles at MediHerb, where he excelled in research, development, and education, further highlight his extensive expertise.

This episode is sponsored by Greco Gum, the all-natural chewing gum for your mouth and gut. Visit GrecoGum.com and use code ERIN15 to get 15% off your first order!

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Alan Lightman to explore "spiritual materialism," the idea that we can embrace awe-inspiring, spiritual moments without turning to the supernatural for explanations. Dr. Lightman shares insights from his new book, The Miraculous From the Material: Understanding the Wonders of Nature, and delves into profound topics like consciousness, near-death experiences, the possibility of a higher power, immortality, relationships, and whether falling in love leaves space for magic. If you love pondering life’s biggest questions, this episode is a must-listen.

Dr. Lightman is a renowned physicist, author, and entrepreneur. A former Harvard faculty member and current professor at MIT, he holds a degree from Princeton University and a PhD in physics from Caltech. He’s the bestselling author of the modern classic Einstein's Dreams, The Diagnosis, The Transcendental Brain, and The Accidental Universe. Dr. Lightman also hosts the acclaimed PBS series Searching: Our Quest for Meaning in the Age of Science. Since 2023, he is a member of the United Nations’ Scientific Advisory Board.

This episode is sponsored by Greco Gum, the all-natural chewing gum for your mouth and gut. Visit GrecoGum.com and use code ERIN15 to get 15% off your first order!

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health.

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks welcomes Dr. Shai Efrati, a world-renowned physician from Tel Aviv specializing in internal medicine, nephrology, and hyperbaric medicine. Dr. Efrati is the director of the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, the largest hyperbaric center globally, treating over 350 patients daily. He is a leading researcher with over 170 scientific publications, a professor at Tel Aviv University, and co-founder of Aviv Scientific.

Dr. Efrati recently released his book, Beyond Normal, which explores how the latest advancements in enhanced medicine can boost performance and repair brain injuries. In this episode, he explains what enhanced medicine is, with a special focus on his pioneering protocols for hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). They explore how HBOT can be utilized to enhance both body and mind, diving into studies on PTSD, Long COVID, fibromyalgia, and an ongoing investigation into its effects on dementia prevention. Dr. Efrati also shares insights on how professional athletes use this therapy to optimize performance and potentially slow the aging process.

Join us as we connect with Dr. Efrati to learn about the cutting-edge world of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and its potential to reshape health and performance enhancement.


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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Professor Joyce Harper to discuss her fascinating study on the effects of cold water swimming on premenstrual and perimenopausal symptoms. Prof. Harper kicks off by sharing her background and what inspired her to dive into this unique research. They explore what qualifies as cold water swimming and how the study was conducted, revealing interesting findings—like the differences in benefits between wearing bathing suits versus wetsuits and the optimal time women spent in cold water. The conversation delves into the potential physical and mental effects of cold water exposure and why it might alleviate certain symptoms. To wrap up, Prof. Harper offers insightful advice on aging gracefully and happily.

Professor Joyce Harper is an acclaimed author, researcher, and award-winning Professor of Reproductive Science at University College London's Institute for Women's Health. With nearly 40 years of experience in fertility, genetics, and women's health, she founded Reproductive Health at Work, leads the Reproductive Science and Society Group, and co-leads InTune, a UK-based menopause education and support program.

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 In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Hooman Allayee and James Hilser to explore their new research on the lasting impact of COVID-19 on heart health. They reveal surprising findings about how COVID—especially in those who were hospitalized—elevates the risk of severe heart issues long after recovery, even years down the road. The conversation dives into the connection between blood type and post-COVID heart risk, and the researchers share their theories on why blood type matters. Plus, they discuss the implications of these findings for public health and clinical practice, offering important recommendations for how the public health and medical community should respond.

Dr. Allayee is a professor of populations and public health sciences and biochemistry and molecular medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. His research focuses on utilizing genetics and genomics to better understand complex cardiovascular, metabolic, and inflammatory diseases.
James Hilser holds a masters of public health, is a bioinformatics specialist and a PhD candidate in molecular medicine in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences at Keck School of Medicine.

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Do you struggle with constipation or diarrhea? How is that linked to your overall organ health?
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Johannes P. Johnson-Martínez about his recent research on how variations in bowel movement frequency (BMF) can impact the gut microbiome, blood metabolites, and overall organ health. They discuss how abnormal BMF patterns are linked to toxins produced by gut microbes that enter the bloodstream and increase inflammation levels and how abnormal BMFs may be early warning signs of organ dysfunction. Finally, he highlights how diet and lifestyle choices can influence BMF variations and the larger health implications and "take-home" points of this research.

Dr. Johnson-Martinez is a researcher interested in the gut microbiome who conducted this research in the Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington.

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Are you afraid of clowns?
If you're like many who dread those painted smiles, you're not alone- especially as Halloween approaches and horror movies like It remind us just how unsettling they can be.
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Sophie Scorey about her research on the origins for the fear of clowns or coulrophobia. Sophie dives into the global prevalence of this bizarre phobia and explores why so many people, from kids to adults, are terrified of clowns. Whether it’s their exaggerated features or eerie unpredictability, you'll want to tune in to this first-of-its-kind investigation into what makes clowns so nightmare-worthy.

Sophie is a psychologist and researcher working towards her PhD at the School of Psychology and Therapeutic Studies, University of South Wales.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with snake expert Bob Ashley on his fascinating new book, A Photographic History of Snakebite Treatments: Bad Medicine Snake Oils, Potions, Elixirs and Kits. From ancient remedies described in Hebrew Scriptures to modern day antivenom, he discusses the intriguing, sometimes shocking history of snake bite treatments throughout the centuries. He advises what everyone should do if they get bit by a venomous snake, and rest assured, it's not to use a snakebite kit from your local store.

Bob Ashley is a herpetologist, entrepreneur and museum director. He is founder of the Chiricahua Desert Museum in New Mexico and has a lifelong passion for reptiles and amphibians.


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Discovering new hope for hair loss!
 
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Sheila MacNeil and Dr. Muhammad Yar about their accidental discovery that a simple sugar compound may stimulate hair regrowth and help end male-pattern baldness, or androgenic alopecia—a condition affecting many people. They dive into how an unexpected finding in a study on wound healing sparked their current study on hair loss, which they break down in the episode. The researchers walk us through how the study was conducted, results, how their findings compare to current prescription treatments for hair loss, and what’s next in their research.

Dr. MacNeil is an Emeritus Professor of Tissue Engineering at the University of Sheffield, UK, with over 550 peer-reviewed publications in soft tissue engineering. You can learn more about Dr. MacNeil here. Dr. Yar is an Associate Professor at the Interdisciplinary Research Center for Biomedical Materials at COMSATS University in Islamabad, Pakistan. Previously, he served as an Assistant Professor at King Fahd University in Saudi Arabia. You can learn more about his work here.

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Disclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. 

In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Andrea Casanova about his new research on how psilocybin impacts learning. This study is the first to explore how psilocybin (commonly known as "magic mushrooms") influences reinforcement learning, a type of learning driven by rewards and cues. Dr. Casanova breaks down how psilocybin affects the brain, the methods he and his team used to conduct the study, their key findings, and the potential future implications. He also shares a psychiatric perspective on how psychedelics could be used to treat common mental disorders that are often resistant to current medications. Lastly, Dr. Casanova touches on the current state of psychedelic treatment and research in his home country of Switzerland.

Dr. Casanova is a Swiss medical doctor specializing in psychiatry and training in Jungian analytical psychotherapy.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Simon Gadbois and Dr. Laura Kiiroja about how scent-detection dogs can detect stress in breath samples from individuals with traumatic histories when exposed to trauma cues. They discuss the current use of dogs in detecting diseases, explaining what exactly these dogs are smelling and how they were recruited and trained for this unique study. The conversation also covers the role of human participants, key findings, and the next steps, including the future practical implications of their work.

Dr. Gadbois leads the Canine and Reptile Behaviour and Olfaction Research Lab in the Department of Psychology and Neuroscience at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Dr. Kiiroja, who recently earned her PhD from Dalhousie University in biomedical scent-detection dogs, has also worked extensively with wolves for animal welfare purposes and contributes to official Estonian national animal websites with her writings on wolves.


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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with America's Happiness Doctor, Dr. Elia Gourgouris, about practical steps people can take to achieve lasting happiness. Dr. Gourgouris breaks down the definition of happiness and shares how we can leverage it in our daily lives, at work, in relationships, and even during times of crisis. He also explores its connections to positive psychology, fear, and forgiveness.

Dr. Elia Gourgouris, PhD, is a best-selling author of 7 Paths to Lasting Happiness and 7 Keys to Navigating a Crisis: A Practical Guide to Emotionally Dealing with Pandemics & Other Disasters. He is the President of The Happiness Center and a Founding Partner at The Global Institute of Thought Leadership. Known for his motto “Happiness is a choice!”, Dr. Gourgouris has become a leading authority on happiness and corporate wellness, offering coaching and keynotes around the world for the past 25 years. Through his work, he’s helped thousands find happiness and fulfillment, both personally and professionally.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Naaheed Mukadam to explore her latest findings on dementia. Dr. Mukadam sheds light on her recent research, delving into the changes in incidence and prevalence of dementia globally. They discuss the most current, evidence-based risk factors associated with the disease, identify populations and countries with the highest rates, and uncover practical, cost-effective strategies for reducing dementia risk. Tune in to gain valuable insights into the science of dementia and learn actionable steps to safeguard your brain health.
Dr. Mukadam is a clinical specialist in psychiatry of older people, professor, and researcher at the University College London, UK who focuses on using inter-ethnic epidemiology to find new ways to prevent and treat dementia.


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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with filmmaker David Krissman about his groundbreaking grassroots initiative aimed at revolutionizing live kidney donations. David, a repeat guest (Episode 154) who previously discussed "The Great Social Experiment" and America's trial with universal healthcare for kidney disease, now shares how he's leveraging his filmmaking expertise and deep understanding of kidney disease, dialysis, and transplants to connect individuals in desperate need of a kidney with living donors. He explains how anyone can become an "angel advocate" and make a life-saving impact simply by sharing someone's filmed story. This episode highlights how spreading kindness can lead to finding a kidney and ultimately saving a life.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jason Block about his research on weight gain caused by antidepressants. He compares weight gain across different antidepressants and explains what those taking these medications should expect. Dr. Block also discusses other medications his team is evaluating for weight gain, explores why these medications cause weight gain, and shares the practical implications of his findings in relation to the obesity epidemic.

Dr. Jason Block, MD, MPH, is a physician, researcher, and associate professor in population health medicine at Harvard Medical School. His research focuses on social and environmental determinants of weight gain and obesity, as well as innovative strategies to improve diet quality.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Leonardo Tozzi about his research on identifying six unique biotypes for depression. He explains the current problem with the "one size fits all" diagnostic approach to depression, the development of personalized brain circuit scores, and how they led to the discovery of six distinct biotypes. He explains how the identification of unique biotypes for depression may prove to be a gamechanger for how depression is diagnosed and treated in the future, as well as the broader impact and benefits of precision psychiatry.

Dr. Tozzi, MD, PhD is a neuroscientist and researcher who leads the Computational Neuroscience and Neuroimaging Program at the Stanford Center for Precision Mental Health and Wellness.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Geoff Cole about his research on trypophobia, an aversion to clusters of small holes or bumps. If you’re a fan of American Horror Story, you might have come across trypophobia there. Dr. Cole delves into the details of this phenomenon, exploring what causes it, theories on its origins, and strategies for overcoming it.

Dr. Cole is a researcher and professor at the Center for Brain Science, University of Essex. You can learn more about his work here. You can read his recent publication on trypophobia here.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Jamie Zeitzer about his recently published research on the link between one's bedtime preference and mental health. He explains which sleep pattern correlates with better mental health and which correlates with poorer mental health. Unfortunately for night owls, he offers hypotheses on why going to bed late, regardless of preference, is associated with worse mental health. He also discusses the benefits and risks of daytime naps, the ideal "sleep" temperature, and provides general recommendations for achieving optimal sleep. 
Dr. Zeitzer is a researcher, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, and Co-Director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences at Stanford University.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Aaron Mitchell about his recent research on pharmaceutical industry payments to medical doctors for promoting specific drugs on X (formerly known as Twitter). Dr. Mitchell describes the financial relationships between pharmaceutical companies and doctors, the prevalence of this issue, and what is known about its impact on prescribing practices and patient outcomes. He also shares his thoughts on direct-to-consumer drug advertisements and offers solutions to mitigate the massive influence of pharmaceutical companies on our health system.

Dr. Mitchell is an oncologist and health services researcher at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in NYC, with a research focus on the interaction between financial incentives and physician behavior. You can learn more about him and his work here. 

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Andres Acosta MD PHD about the identification of 4 phenotypes for obesity and how they can revolutionize the future of obesity treatment. In great detail, he describes the 4 obesity phenotypes (Hungry Brain, Emotional Hunger, Hungry Gut, and Slow Burn) and explains what treatment, diet, and exercise plan works for each. He also describes his company, Phenomix Sciences, a precision-medicine endeavor that predicts how well someone will respond to various obesity interventions.
Dr. Acosta is a Consultant of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the Mayo Clinic, as well as an Associate Professor of Medicine. His research focus is on gastrointestinal physiology and the complexity of food intake regulation as it relates to obesity. You can learn more about his work here.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with gastroenterologist Dr. David Clarke about the viral wellness trend of fart walking. He, an avid fart walker himself, describes the health benefits of fart walking, particularly how it can help with digestion, heart burn, bloating, and possibly even Type 2 Diabetes. He offers tips on how to optimize fart walking for your intestines and overall wellness. 
Dr. Clarke is a repeat guest on Causes or Cures, having appeared on Episode 164 where he discusses the hidden causes of chronic pain. He is the President of the Psychophysiologic Disorders Association (PPDA), a nonprofit dedicated to ending the chronic pain epidemic. He earned his medical degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine, and is Board-certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. His organization’s mission is to advance the awareness, diagnosis, and treatment of stress-related, brain-generated medical conditions. You can learn more about him at EndChronicPain.org.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with ovarian cancer survivor Meg Wilkinson about the omentum, her cancer journey, and her advocacy group, The Omentum Project. As part of her cancer treatment, Meg had her omentum removed. Though little is known about this mysterious apron of "fat",  Meg decided to explore further after she and other cancer survivors living without omentums developed debilitating gastrointestinal symptoms.  On the podcast, Meg shares what she has learned about the omentum, including why it is known as the "abdomen's policeman", ongoing research on its many, fascinating functions, and the birth of The Omentum Project, a citizen scientist/volunteer effort to help those living without an omentum improve their quality of life. Meg also describes The Omentum Project's research study, Eat Popcorn for Science, for which they are currently recruiting.

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In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with researcher Omar Almahayni about his published systematic review on the physiological and psychological benefits of the Wim Hof Method for both healthy and non-healthy individuals. Wim Hof, known as "The Iceman," is a Dutch extreme athlete and motivational speaker famed for his extraordinary ability to endure extreme cold.

During the podcast, Omar discusses his interest in Wim Hof, the components of the renowned Wim Hof Method, and theories on its potential health benefits. He explains his evaluation of the published studies on the method, the results, future research possibilities, and who might be interested in joining Wim Hof on one of his extreme excursions.

Omar conducted his research at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UK, and now works for a mental health biotechnology company based in Syria.

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