Hormonal imbalance is this week's topic, and our guest is Dr. Dan Murauski. As humans we are all made of the same set of biological systems but how those systems interact with one another is unique to each individual.  Dr Murauski believes that the goal of a patient physician relationship is to develop an understanding of the unique variables within each system and how they interact with one another in order to optimize health and create longevity. Dr. Daniel Murauski’s path to functional medicine began with his roots in his undergraduate education in biomedical engineering.  I ..read more

This week we discuss the differences between conventional western medicine, functional medicine and complementary medicine.  We also will touch on the 42 different subsets of conventional medicine. Western medicine refers to the traditional healthcare practices commonly used in the United States and much of the world. It relies on evidence-based methods to diagnose and treat symptoms and conditions. Healthcare providers in Western medicine use scientifically proven techniques to improve overall health. Examples of Western medicine include blood tests, X-rays, dietary changes, prescri ..read more

This week we will discuss childhood trauma with author, speaker, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker Shari Botwin.  Shari has been practicing since 1996 and is a certified trauma expert treating those with eating disorders, anxiety, depression and trauma. She’s here today to talk about her work helping individuals recover from childhood trauma. ​ Few of us will escape our lives without some sort of trauma—some more or less severe than our peers. Whereas previous discussions around trauma were conducted only on therapists’ couches or in private diaries, they are now being more normalized ..read more

This week we will discuss the warnings some medications carry due to the dangerous side effects they may cause.  In the past these were called "Black-Box" now the term used is simply "boxed". Boxed warnings apply to certain medications that carry serious risks for the person taking them. The FDA decides which medications require boxed warnings. A doctor must review the risks and benefits of a medication with a boxed warning before prescribing it. They will decide whether a medication is safe to prescribe based on a person’s health conditions, any medications they take, and other important ..read more

Our topic this week is Lupus and how doctors are frequently considered to be gaslighting the patients in their care.   Our guest knows from first-hand experience that when you’re relatively healthy, you tend not to think much about ‘wellness.’ But when this slips away and lupus comes barreling in… your world gets rocked. That’s why she wrote the book, The Girlfriend’s Guide to Lupus, to help other women struggling with this chronic disease feel less alone and more empowered to take control of their health and manage their lupus. Amanda holds an Master’s degree in counseling and owns ..read more

This week we will discuss Multi-Organ transplants with Zachary Colton.  Zach is 35 years old and recently underwent a successful 5 organ multivisceral intestinal transplant surgery at the Toronto General Hospital in his home country of Canada. The organs he received were: stomach, small intestine, colon, liver, and pancreas.   In 1954, the kidney was the first human organ to be transplanted successfully. Liver, heart and pancreas transplants were successfully performed by the late 1960s, while lung and intestinal organ transplant procedures were begun in the 1980s. ​From the mid ..read more

This week we will discuss Ectoparasites.  The CDC says: "Although the term ectoparasites can broadly include blood-sucking arthropods such as mosquitoes (because they are dependent on a blood meal from a human host for their survival), this term is generally used more narrowly to refer to organisms such as ticks, fleas, lice, and mites that attach or burrow into the skin and remain there for relatively long periods of time (e.g., weeks to months). Arthropods are important in causing diseases in their own right, but are even more important as vectors, or transmitters, of many different pat ..read more

Over 200 years ago Louis Pasteur was born in Dole, France. Among Pasteur's major contributions and their benefit to society, the most important is the heat treatment of foods and beverages to reduce spoilage and eliminate pathogens for consumers. Probably the greatest achievement of Pasteur was the process that bears the name of this famous scientist who perfected the technique: pasteurization. For liquids, this process does not involve boiling the product to sterility but simply applying just enough heat (ie, par-boiling) to 50–60°C for a specified period to reduce spoilage microbes and poten ..read more

In this episode we are talking again with our audio editor Jack Scaro.  The topic again is: spontaneous pneumothorax, or collapsed lung. Spontaneous pneumothorax is an abnormal condition of the lung characterized by the collection of gas in the pleural space between the lungs and the chest wall. This condition occurs without an obvious etiology and can be classified as either primary or secondary. Patients may present with symptoms such as tachycardia and dyspnea. The diagnosis is based on clinical suspicion and can be confirmed with imaging.  Jack had this condition which surprised ..read more

This week we will continue our coverage of Bile acid malabsorption (BAM),  a gastrointestinal disease. It’s a common cause of chronic diarrhea. When bile acids aren’t properly absorbed in your intestines, they build up, upsetting the chemical balance inside. Excess bile acids trigger your colon to secrete extra water, leading to watery stools. This week we will continue our coverage of Bile acid malabsorption (BAM),  a gastrointestinal disease. It’s a common cause of chronic diarrhea. When bile acids aren’t properly absorbed in your intestines, they buil ..read more