A 2023 survey by Cleveland Clinic found that 44% of men do not get an annual physical exam. How should men take control of their health? What are the top health concerns for men after the age of 40? What health screenings are essential? And why do we often overlook mental health when having these discussions? Neha Pathak, MD, and John Whyte, MD, discuss the importance of checking blood pressure and cholesterol, maintaining heart health, cancer risk and screening, and how wearable devices and...

In the first episode of the new year, Dr. Pathak takes a different approach to traditional New Year's resolutions. Rather than overwhelming you with the pressure of becoming a "new you," this episode encourages listeners to appreciate and love the "you" that exists right now. With a focus on embracing and accepting the current version of ourselves, we explore the transformative power of self-compassion. Guiding us through this topic is our guest, Kristin Neff, PhD, a pioneer in the field of...

Many of us can relate to feeling triggered or having our buttons pushed in our closest relationships, but what can we do about it? Is there an effective way to identify and communicate healthy boundaries? Can we create and sustain healthier connections even in the midst of conflict? We spoke with Whitney Goodman, LMFT, psychotherapist behind the hugely popular Instagram account @SitWithWhit, author of Toxic Positivity, host of the Calling Home podcast, and owner of the Collaborative...

It’s commonly said that we are what we eat. A great deal of research has been done to find a correlation between healthy diets and brain function, but misinformation persists. Figuring out how certain foods impact our physical, mental, and emotional health while also balancing our busy lives can become a frustrating exercise. So, how does food impact the brain exactly? To find out, we spoke to Uma Naidoo, MD, director of Nutritional and Metabolic Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital...

We've all heard of seasonal affective disorder, but did you know that it's more than just the winter blues? The cooler temperatures, seasonal changes, and limited daylight hours of the winter months can stir up a certain cozy feeling, but they can also bring a sense of lethargy, persistent sadness, and a loss of interest in activities that once brought joy. So, what exactly is seasonal affective disorder? What are the symptoms? Are there effective treatments available? We spoke with Michael...

What happens when vaccine hesitancy and medical misinformation evolve into an anti-science aggression? While navigating the COVID-19 pandemic, we found ourselves facing daily monumental decisions regarding our health. As the pandemic continued, many of us became well-informed about viral loads, the effectiveness of masks in preventing transmission, and the critical question of whether the vaccine would benefit or potentially harm us. The introduction of the COVID vaccine brought these...

Forty years ago, the idea that HIV would shift from a terminal illness to a chronic manageable disease was almost unthinkable. In recent years, another health crisis, COVID-19, much like HIV, was wrought with fear, stigma, and misinformation. In honor of World AIDS Day, we'll discuss key terminology, misconceptions, and advancements in HIV, including U=U undetectable equals untransmittable, the life-changing impact of current treatments and medical breakthroughs, and how science has prepared...

Have you ever been in a stressful situation where it feels as if you are losing control of your body? Activation of the sympathetic nervous system may cause our chest to tighten, our thoughts to race, and our breathing to become shallow. What are our options in these moments? What can we rely on to bring us back to center when we experience dysregulation? Breathwork, belly breathing, or paced respiration is an intentional manipulation of how we breathe to achieve specific mental, emotional,...

In 2023 alone, an estimated 64,050 Americans will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, accounting for 3% of all cancers in the U.S. and 7% of all cancer deaths. The most concerning thing about pancreatic cancer is that detection often occurs in later stages when it has spread beyond the pancreas. For this reason, pancreatic cancer is often referred to as the "silent killer." To explore the myths and facts of pancreatic cancer, we spoke with Malini D. Sur, MD, FACS, a board-certified surgical...

Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in the United States. An estimated 238,340 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2023, and 64% of lung cancers are diagnosed at stage III or IV. With all of these facts, it’s surprising that lung cancer screening, a tool that could save lives, is rarely used. Why is that? Who does that impact the most? And what changes can be made? We spoke with Jeff Yang, MD, a thoracic surgeon at Massachusetts General Hospital and founder of...

Type 1 diabetes is a condition in which your immune system destroys insulin-making cells in your pancreas. Typically diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, type 1 diabetes is not just a medical condition; it's a story of resilience and adaptability, requiring a lifelong commitment to managing one's health. In today's episode, we'll sort through the myths and learn the facts of type 1 diabetes—examining the science, the daily challenges faced by those living with it, and the groundbreaking...

Sexual health is crucial to our well-being. Despite its impact on our lives, it’s still not something we commonly discuss with our doctors. This is particularly true for cancer survivors, both during treatment and in the post-treatment phase. What are some of the challenges that cancer survivors have when it comes to sexual wellness? How do the mental, physical, emotional, and financial burdens of cancer impact connection and intimacy? How can doctors, patients, and caregivers foster a better...

There are many misconceptions about what people experience following a breast cancer diagnosis. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we decided to look at breast cancer through the eyes of a survivor. We spoke with Bossi, a two-time breast cancer survivor, founder of House of Bossi, and singer/songwriter of the 2022 EP titled Run with Lions, inspired by her battles with cancer. Bossi highlights the often unseen experience of breast cancer survivors. She shares her first thoughts...

More than 5% of the US population, 18.1 million people, are cancer survivors. Over the next decade, the number of people who have lived 5 or more years after their cancer diagnosis is projected to increase by approximately 30%. How do we define cancer survivorship? What does cancer rehabilitation look like? And what are lifestyle prevention strategies? We spoke to Amy Comander, MD, medical director of the Mass General Cancer Center-Waltham and director of the Breast Oncology Program at...

Each year in the United States, about 240,000 women and 2,100 men are diagnosed with breast cancer. The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 13%. This means there is a 1 in 8 chance she will develop breast cancer, which is why breast cancer awareness and screening are so important. In May 2023, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) lowered the breast cancer screening age from 50 to 40 – but do these age...

What is trauma? How does it manifest in our lives? How is trauma passed down through generations or within communities? And most importantly, what can we do about it? Most of us have some experience with trauma, but rarely, if ever, are we encouraged to discuss it. Instead, we are encouraged to muscle through it or transcend it. In this episode of the WebMD Health Discovered podcast, we explore the impact of trauma in our lives and the often-overlooked topic of intergenerational trauma. We...

Heart failure affects approximately 3 million women and is the leading reason for hospitalization and a major cause of death in women over age 65. What facts do women need to know about heart failure? Why is heart failure so prevalent in Black and Hispanic communities? How does premature onset heart failure impact people under the age of 65? We spoke with Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, attending cardiologist and professor of medicine/cardiology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, about...

The average adult uses a dozen personal care products daily, including shampoo, deodorants, lotions, and cosmetics. That averages to about 125 chemicals we are exposing ourselves to daily. How does this chemical buildup in our system increase the chance of health risks? What can we do in our everyday lives to minimize exposure to toxic chemicals? We spoke with Kristina Marusic, an award-winning journalist at Environmental Health Sciences and author of A New War on Cancer: The Unlikely...

Every 3 minutes, someone in the U.S. is diagnosed with a blood cancer. About half of the blood cancers that occur each year are lymphomas. Unlike some cancers, there is no widely recommended screening test for lymphoma, and as a result, people typically don't know something is wrong until they experience symptoms. In honor of Blood Cancer Awareness Month, we spoke with Peter Martin, MD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Lymphoma Program at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York, to learn...

Finding the right therapist can be challenging. Before we ever attend our first session, we must navigate health insurance, research available therapists who can meet our needs, and address our blocks to seeking therapy in the first place. So when should we seek help? How do we start looking for a therapist? What happens if we find a therapist and are unsure if they are the right fit? How can we practice self-care while waiting for an appointment? We spoke with Sue Varma, MD, a...

American mothers are spread thin and feeling the strain of unrealistic parenting expectations. The lack of parental leave, rising healthcare costs, and constant messaging from both media and social media about how to be a "good mother" can leave us confused and depleted. Add a pandemic on top of that, and you have a recipe for disaster. We spoke to Jessica Grose, an opinion writer at The New York Times and author of Screaming on the Inside: The Unsustainability of American Motherhood, about...

While many of us are familiar with well-known menopause symptoms such as hot flashes, libido changes, and mood swings, there is another symptom that deserves attention: brain fog. How exactly is brain fog linked to menopause, and what solutions and tools are available for individuals experiencing brain fog? We spoke with Gayatri Devi, MD, Director at Park Avenue Neurology and Clinical Professor of Neurology & Psychiatry at the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at...

We've all heard about what happens during menopause, but what exactly occurs during perimenopause, why is it so important, and why is no one talking about it? We spoke with Sharon Malone, MD, obstetrician-gynecologist and chief medical officer at Alloy Women's Health, about hormonal changes linked to perimenopause, lifestyle adjustments, treatment options, and how to talk about these things with your doctor for an empowered and collaborative experience in personal health. 

June is Migraine Awareness Month, shedding light on the over 1 billion people globally experiencing migraine. In this episode, Dr. John Whyte sits down with two migraine experts, Dr. Cynthia E Armand, clinical director of Montefiore Headache Center and fellowship director of the Montefiore Headache Program, and Dr. Addie Peretz, board-certified neurologist and clinical assistant professor at Stanford Medicine, to discuss diagnostic criteria, cardiovascular risks, the impact of social...

Perimenopause, the time in our lives leading up to menopause, can be isolating and confusing for many of us. A lot of medical literature surrounding perimenopause is often outdated, with language oriented toward the end of our sexuality and vitality, and symptom control often focused mainly around hot flashes. Where does that leave those of us experiencing a wide variety of changes? We sit down with Falguni Lakhani Adams and Kruti Majmudar of the “Getting Hotter” platform to discuss why it is...