Health is Everything™

How One Valley Changed the Equation: A Roadmap for Transforming Behavioral Healthcare in the United StatesIt's no secret that the United States is in the midst of a mental health crisis. There are a number of reasons why this is occurring, but none is more important than the fact that good mental health care is often somewhere between difficult and impossible to find. And when one can get in to see a provider the services offered are often inadequate: visits are short, help is usually unavailable to address all the problems of life that make us depressed or drive us to drugs or alcohol, and the answer to our psychiatric issues is usually a pill. If ever there were places that might be immune to these problems one might guess that beautiful Rocky Mountain resort towns like Vail, Colorado, would be outstanding candidates. The landscape is beautiful, and the active and outdoor lifestyle the mountains offer is the envy of all those living in less blessed locations. No surprise that people flock to places like Vail in hopes of tapping into the paradise that these places seem to be.But there is a paradox in paradise. The ski resort towns of the American West have suicide rates so high that the area has been dubbed a suicide belt. Vail and surrounding areas of Eagle County, Colorado, were no exception. In 2017 the area had one of the highest suicide rates in the United States with almost nothing in the way of services for many people struggling with mental health issues. No providers took private insurance and no treatment facilities were available for people who were acutely suicidal. These people were either shipped to cities several hours away or were booked and then housed in the local jail. Things were bad, with no clear path forward.Then a remarkable series of events occurred that have utterly transformed mental health care in Eagle County. Today Eagle Valley Behavioral Health, a new non-profit mental health entity overseen by Vail Health, has 150 clinicians at its disposal, all committed to providing a continuum of care, early intervention, and programs aimed at preventing the development of mental illness. A new state-of-the-art inpatient facility that will have 14 beds for adults and 14 beds for adolescents is nearing completion. All residents of Eagle County are eligible to receive six free psychotherapy sessions a year. And multiple wellness and preventive health programs are on offer.Join us in this podcast for a fascinating conversation with Chris Lindley, Executive Director of Eagle Valley Behavioral Health and the primary architect of the remarkable changes in mental health care that have occurred under his leadership. Mr. Lindley's recounting of how he and his team revolutionized behavioral health care will provide a wealth of ideas that will be of interest to healthcare administrators, clinicians, patients, and anyone who cares for someone struggling with mental illness. Although Eagle County had an even steeper uphill climb than About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Transcendent Experience and the Psychedelic Renaissance: A Conversation with the Co-Founders of the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality, Part 2Anyone interested in mental health knows about the so-called psychedelic renaissance that has been gathering steam for the last half-decade. Compounds such as LSD and psilocybin lauded for their mind-expanding potential in the 60s, and then demonized for a generation, have returned to the scene with a vengeance, fueled by an increasing number of studies showing the remarkable therapeutic potential of these previously stigmatized substances.While this psychedelic renaissance has been garnering all the headlines, a complimentary and far quieter revolution has also been occurring in medicine, which is the recognition of the importance of spirituality for health and disease. Along with a network of collaborators, the Department of Spiritual Health at Emory Healthcare has played a leadership role in this quieter revolution, training chaplains to implement evidence-based compassion-based practices for both patients and the clinicians who care for them.In the first part of this podcast, Boadie Dunlop, MD, and George Grant, MDiv, PhD, joined host Dr. Charles Raison to provide an overview of the mission and vision of the newly-formed Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality. In this second part of the podcast, Drs. Dunlop and Grant—co-founders of the new center—dive deeper into the role of spirituality in human health in general and in psychedelic-assisted therapy, or PAT, more specifically. A lively discussion ensues around a range of related topics, including spirituality as an evolved human capacity, strategies for enhancing the benefits and minimizing the risks of bringing spirituality more directly into healthcare and the need to explore the role of spirituality in PAT with novel scientific approaches. The podcast concludes with a provocative discussion of whether neurobiological understandings are really required to understand how to optimize the role of spirituality in PAT, or whether spirituality can be taken at face value as a phenomenon worthy of scientific study on its own terms.This episode is Part 2 in a two-part series. Featuring:Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Co-founder of  the Emory Center for Psychedelics and SpiritualityDr. George Grant, Co-founder of  the Emory Center for Psychedelics and SpiritualityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Transcendent Experience and the Psychedelic Renaissance: A Conversation with the Co-Founders of the Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality, Part 1Anyone interested in mental health knows about the so-called psychedelic renaissance that has been gathering steam for the last half-decade. Compounds such as LSD and psilocybin lauded for their mind-expanding potential in the 60s, and then demonized for a generation, have returned to the scene with a vengeance, fueled by an increasing number of studies showing the remarkable therapeutic potential of these previously stigmatized substances.While this psychedelic renaissance has been garnering all the headlines, a complimentary and far quieter revolution has also been occurring in medicine, which is the recognition of the importance of spirituality for health and disease. Along with a network of collaborators, the Department of Spiritual Health at Emory Healthcare has played a leadership role in this quieter revolution, training chaplains to implement evidence-based compassion-based practices for both patients and the clinicians who care for them.This podcast explores a marriage between these two revolutions in the form of the newly created Emory Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality or the ECPS for short. Join host Dr. Charles Raison for a lively discussion with Boadie Dunlop, MD and George Grant, MDiv, PhD, co-founders of the ECPS. We hear how the center reflects a fully collaborative effort between perspectives often seen as separate or even conflictual: biomedical psychiatry and spiritual health. Drs. Dunlop and Grant take a deep dive into the many implications of taking the spiritual effects of psychedelics seriously. Among the many topics covered in this podcast, they discuss the role of spiritual experience in the long-term therapeutic benefits of psilocybin, how spiritual experience differentiates psychedelics from standard antidepressants, and how the risk of harm from psychedelic treatment may be increased if the spirituality-related effects of these drugs are not taken seriously.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series. Featuring:Dr. Boadie Dunlop, Co-founder of  the Emory Center for Psychedelics and SpiritualityDr. George Grant, Co-founder of  the Emory Center for Psychedelics and SpiritualityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Demystifying Purpose with Emory's New Purpose Professor: What Matters Most to You and How to Make it HappenPurpose is one of those big ideas that we muse about in late-night conversations … and promptly put aside in the light of day. It's a concept that can feel a little daunting, but research points to the fact that boosting our sense of purpose is good for our health and well-being. Living purposefully leads to more fulfilling relationships, better sleep, better sex, and even more rewarding and profitable careers. Host Charles Raison is joined by Dr. Christine B. Whelan, Emory University's new purpose professor for a podcast that will demystify and define the concept of purpose. They will take you through the steps to create your own personal purpose statement and frame the questions so that you can anticipate the practical and emotional obstacles on your path to purpose.  Featuring:Dr. Christine Whelan, Author, Professor, SpeakerHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Psychedelics as the Start, and Not the Ending, of the Journey of HealingAfter decades of stigmatization, psychedelic medicines have re-emerged onto the world stage as the most promising new mental health treatments in a half-century. Our guest for this podcast, Dr. Rosalind Watts, has played an outsized role in these remarkable developments. Dr. Watts is internationally recognized as a leader in the study and implementation of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy. She developed and led the psychedelic-assisted therapy program used in two of the first modern studies of psilocybin for the treatment of depression. More recently, she is the founder of Acer Integration (https://acerintegration.com/), an international, year-long integration community developed for connecting to the self, others, and the natural world. In this podcast we trace Dr. Watts' journey in the psychedelic world, listening to her describe her initial hope that psychedelics might routinely cure mental illness give way to a growing concern that increasingly unrealistic hopes for these medicines were distorting both their risks and benefits. The podcast concludes with Dr. Watts laying out a vision for integrating psychedelics into more holistic ways of promoting mental health and building healing communities.Featuring:Dr. Rosalind Watts, Clinical Psychologist, Founder of Ace IntegrationHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Want to Change Your Life? Take a Breath, Part 1Breathing is the most natural thing in the world; we do it all the time and pay no attention to it. And yet, this simple act holds huge potential for enhancing our physical and mental wellness. In this podcast, host Charles L. Raison discusses the health benefits of breath work with Donald J. Noble, PhD, an instructor in the Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory University, continuing a conversation started in a prior “Health is Everything” podcast. In this installment Raison and Noble open up a wide-ranging discussion on topics ranging from how breathing changes brain function on a moment-by-moment basis to the potential of both slow-deep and rapid breathing to improve well-being, along the way providing a quick guide to the bodily mechanisms involved in various therapeutic breathing strategies.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series.Featuring:Dr. Don Noble, Instructor at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human HealthHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

If You Are Lonely, You Are Not Alone: Explorations Into the Lonely SocietyThis podcast brings us face to face with one of the most distressing issues of the modern world. Despite unprecedented wealth, security and opportunity, rates of suicide have risen more or less continuously over the last generation. Young people, who have their entire lives before them, have been especially hard hit. Although we usually think of suicide as an individual problem, in this podcast Chikako Ozawa de Silva, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Emory University, shows how intimately suicide is connected with aspects of modern life that generate loneliness. We discuss her recent book, The Anatomy of Loneliness: Suicide, Social Connection and the Search for Relational Meaning in Contemporary Japan (University of California Press, 2021) which chronicles how a growing sense of alienation within Japanese society has resulted in problems ranging from hikikomori, the practice of young people shutting themselves away from the world, to internet group suicide, in which people voluntarily choose to commit suicide as a group so they can die in the company of others to avoid enduring a natural death so completely alone. We talk about how Japan may be a worrying bellwether for other developed nations in which loneliness increasingly means being unseen, unrecognized, unsafe and unloved. And although there are no magic bullets, Dr. Ozawa de Silva's unique perspective offers hope for ways we can work together as a society to reduce many of the sources of alienation that drive so many people to end their lives.Featuring:Dr. Chikako Ozawa de Silva, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

It's time for some “real talk” about kids' mental health. This week Eleanor and Dr. Raison discuss the evolution of depression and tools to help kids cope with depression.Featuring:Dr. Charles Raison, Psychiatrist & Depression Researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Host of Health is Everything PodcastHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Juan Carlos Avila, founder and creator of HappiLyfe, and Eleanor discuss how taking small steps to make positive changes can impact one's quality of life.Featuring:Juan Carlos Avila, Founder and Creator of HappiLyfe, a purposeful living and wellness aggregator app for all ages (including teens!).Host:Eleanor Barrett, 6th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Spirituality, Health and Compassion: a Conversation with the Reverend Maureen Shelton, Part 2More than other healthcare professions, chaplaincy is undergoing profound change, and nowhere is this change more apparent than in the Emory Department of Spiritual Health, where chaplaincy is being transformed from an ancillary hospital offering to an integral component of the healthcare system. In this second part of a two-part series Maureen Shelton, M.Div, joins host Charles L. Raison, MD, to continue their conversation on the role that rigorous training in compassion has played for development of spiritual health as a scientific discipline. In particular, Reverend Shelton brings us into the world of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH™), a novel program designed at Emory with the goal of optimizing the ability of spiritual health clinicians to care for their patients while also building the resilience within themselves needed to thrive in the emotionally taxing environments in which chaplaincy so often occurs. Reverend Shelton shares the core concepts of CCSH, bringing these to life in a series of beautiful vignettes of patient-chaplain meetings, or in the parlance of spiritual health—at the place of vulnerability where care seeker and care provider can meet in ways that impact emotional and physical health. Maureen Shelton is the System Director of Education and Director of the Division of CCSH in the Department of Spiritual Health at the Woodruff Health Sciences Center.This episode is Part 2 in a two-part series.Featuring:Maureen Shelton, M.Div, System Director of Education and Director of the Division of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Spirituality, Health and Compassion: a Conversation with the Reverend Maureen Shelton, Part 1“Spirituality is a seeking and discovery of one's sacred values; values that are influenced by connectedness to self, others and earth; the aspiration to realize ideals; and the journey of asking the profound questions of life.” Thought of in this way, it is not hard to grasp why spirituality has become increasingly recognized as an essential, but often missing, component of optimal healthcare. No one is better trained and positioned to meet the need of better integrating spirituality into the American medical system than hospital chaplains, who play an increasingly outsized role in supporting the emotional and physical health, not just of patients, but of medical staff as well. Join us on this podcast as Maureen Shelton, M.Div engages us in a wide-ranging discussion about chaplaincy in general, and more specifically about remarkable developments in the Emory Department of Spiritual Health, for which she serves as System Director of Education and Director of the Division of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH). In particular, we discuss how the addition of compassion training to chaplaincy education has begun to transform the ability of spiritual health clinicians to meet the spiritual, emotional, and social needs of patients and personnel within the Emory Healthcare system. In this first of a two-part series, Reverend Shelton walks us through the steps of Cognitively-Based Compassion Training (CBCT®), which forms the first step of training in the clinical practice of CCSH, a research-supported approach to spiritual health that is our focus in the second podcast of this series.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series.Featuring:Maureen Shelton, M.Div, System Director of Education and Director of the Division of Compassion-Centered Spiritual Health (CCSH) at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Makeba Williams, Director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, specializes in the changes that women go through at the various stages of their life. Dr. Williams and Eleanor discuss puberty in children and what to expect.Featuring:Dr. Makeba Williams, Director of the Division of Academic Specialists in Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Inflammation and Depression: From Evolutionary Understandings to the Discovery of New TreatmentsIn our first podcast with Dr. Andrew H. Miller, we explored links between inflammation and mental illness. But we left unanswered several key questions. Why as a species we should be so prone to inflammatory disorders? Why, from an evolutionary point of view, should inflammation so readily cause depression? In this podcast we cover these questions and more, exploring why humans have an inflammatory bias, why the link between inflammation and depression likely enhanced survival and reproduction across human evolution and why the absence of co-evolved bacteria, viruses and worms in the modern world is making both inflammation and depression worse. Finally, we turn to cutting-edge research underway in Dr. Miller's laboratory that seeks to harness the link between inflammation and depression to create better, and more personalized, treatments for mental illness. Andrew H. Miller, MD, is the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University. His discoveries have played a leading role in our current understanding of immune-brain interactions relevant to mental health.This episode is Part 2 in a two-part series.Featuring:Dr. Andrew Miller, William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About Inflammation, Stress and DepressionThe realization that inflammation contributes to most modern illnesses has been called one of the most important medical discoveries of the last century. Inflammation contributes to heart disease, stroke, diabetes and dementia. We now know that inflammation also plays a central role, not just in physical illness, but also in psychiatric disorders. Increased inflammation has been repeatedly observed in individuals with depression, manic-depression, schizophrenia and most other mental disorders. If you've ever wondered what this all means, in this podcast Dr. Andrew H. Miller joins host Charles Raison to talk about what inflammation is and how its association with mental illness was discovered. Dr. Miller, who is the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University, has been a world leader in unraveling how inflammation produces depression and how addressing inflammation might help identify new treatments for this disabling condition. Join us on this podcast to hear the history of this psychiatric and medical revolution from someone who made much of it happen.This episode is Part 1 in a two-part series.Featuring:Dr. Andrew Miller, William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

A Surgeon's Journey to the Heart of Health: Yoga as a Means of Physical, Mental and Spiritual HealthMedicine in general, and surgery in particular, can seem so mechanical and cold. In a world in which bodies are seen as biological machines and medical appointments consist of sitting quietly while the doctor sits with her back to you typing into a computer, the voice of Dr. Carla Haack is both refreshing and inspiring. Dr. Haack has been a towering presence in the Emory University School of Medicine. Among her many titles are Assistant Professor of General and GI surgery, Medical Director for Care Coordination for Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopedic and Spine Hospital and Henry B. Tippie Clinician Scholar, all of which fail to do justice to the outsized impact she has had on the University's medical community. In this podcast, we join Dr. Haack to discuss the beauty of surgery when set within the larger psychospiritual context informed by Dr. Haack's long-term commitment to yoga as a means of physical health and emotional well-being. Join us as we explore the many surprising ways in which yoga and surgery can inform each other to provide an inspiring vision of medicine characterized by a commitment to healing the body, mind, and spirit.Featuring:Dr. Carla Haack, Assistant Professor of General and GI Surgery, Medical Director for Care Coordination at Emory University Hospital and Emory University Orthopedic and Spine Hospital,  Henry B. Tippie Clinician Scholar,Host:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Heather Krug, Clinical Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Eleanor discuss dyslexia in children and useful practices to help improve speech, reading, writing, and more.Featuring:Heather Krug, Clinical Associate Professor in Speech-Language Pathology, University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Peter Locke, Head of High School at Madison Country Day School in Wisconsin, and Eleanor discuss why school is important and how school can help social and emotional development in children.Featuring:Peter Locke, Head of High School at Madison Country Day SchoolHost:Eleanor Barrett, 5th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Meditation Made Easier: The New Science of Wellness, Compassion and MindfulnessHave you wanted to meditate but can't seem to commit to sitting quietly and trying to concentrate for 20 or 30 minutes a day? Or have you tried to meditate, but find that the standard mindfulness practices of focusing on the breath or on bodily sensations produce little more than a desire to fidget with boredom or drift off into daydreams? If you identify with these or other challenges, this podcast will provide exciting alternatives. If you have mastered meditation, you will still find plenty here to inspire you to optimize your contemplative practice.Richard Davidson, PhD, is the William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy Minds. Long before he was the world's leading meditation researcher, Dr. Davidson was internationally recognized for his work exploring the relationship of brain function with emotional well-being and depression. This commitment to science has inspired him to continue exploring ways that meditation can be made more effective and attractive for wider and wider groups of people.In this podcast, Dr. Davidson describes exciting findings from a recent study of a free, widely available app-based wellness intervention developed by Healthy Minds Innovations. Dr. Davidson and colleagues found that even 5 minutes a day practicing a series of meditation-inspired wellness practices produced striking improvements in participant well-being. Even better, most of these practices can be done in the midst of daily life, while driving, walking, washing dishes…..We draw pragmatic lessons from these findings before concluding the podcast with a discussion of ways that compassion can supercharge our ability to meditate.Featuring:Dr. Richard Davidson, William James and Vilas Professor of Psychology and Psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Founder and Director of the Center for Healthy MindsHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

We Are the Stories We Tell Ourselves: The Role of Self and Family Narratives in Human Well-BeingIt's no accident that most of us crave stories, in books, in movies on the internet. In many ways, our lives are created by the stories we tell others— and ourselves. And we don't just tell stories, we live them, and not infrequently we are willing to die for them. Stories have beginnings, middles, and ends. Research has shown that endings are especially important for how we think about our lives. Did we fail or succeed, try or avoid trying? Stories that go wrong are one of the strongest drivers of depression and anxiety in our lives.But what about people without enough personal stories in their lives, or who lack stories about their families? Welcome to the research of Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts at Emory University. Dr. Fivush has spent a career studying the role of memory and narrative in forming our adult selves. Her work points to the importance of developing coherent, detailed stories of ourselves and of our family heritage. And she has shown how important it is for parents to help young children began to craft these types of stories about themselves and their families. More recently, she has identified disturbing trends in how the COVID-19 pandemic has begun to change the stories young adults are telling themselves about who they are and what their futures might or might not hold. Join us on this podcast as Dr. Fivush describes her work and gives pointers on how stories can promote our well-being.Featuring:Dr. Robyn Fivush, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Psychology and Director of the Institute for Liberal Arts at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Creativity in Biomedical Science: How a Drug Never Expected to Work is a Life-Saver for AIDS and COVID-19Medical science has come under a lot of criticism lately for waffling on its understandings of the COVID-19 virus and of how we can best protect ourselves. Why the confusion? The answer this points to one of science's greatest gifts to humanity: the ability to change our minds and behavior based on new evidence. Unlike many religions, science never provides certainty. What it does provide is surprise, because the world we live in is far stranger and more creative than our limited imaginations can conjure.This podcast with Christina Gavegnano, assistant professor in the Emory University Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, illustrates this beautifully.Many of the most important scientific discoveries in history initially had to buck conventional wisdom to change the world. As a young researcher, Dr. Gavegnano realized that patients struggling with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, might benefit from drugs that blocked a particular immune pathway. The problem was that conventional wisdom at the time held that blocking this pathway could never be safe in patients with severe viral infections. Dr. Gavegnano persevered and eventually proved that not only were Jak inhibitor drugs that blocked this inflammatory immune pathway safe, but they were highly effective. These things might have stood, had the COVID-19 pandemic not come along. But once again, Dr. Gavegnano was able to see the type of novel connections that science gives us. The drugs she initially pioneered for use in HIV have now been given emergency use approval by the FDA for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 requiring oxygen. Join us as Dr. Gavegnano gives us a window into the creativity and patience that led to this story of scientific discovery.Featuring:Dr. Christina Gavegnano, Assistant Professor in the Emory University Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

As you read this, you are breathing and taking no notice of this. After listening to this podcast, we think you may never completely ignore breathing again. In fact, like us, you might become fascinated with the potential breathing holds for changing how we think about ourselves and the world around us. Few scientists understand this better, both professionally and personally than Don Noble, our guest for this podcast. Dr. Noble has devoted his research career to understanding how breathing—especially slow deep breathing—contributes to the benefits of meditation and yoga techniques. Many people study meditation, but Dr. Noble has done so with a twist, having developed an animal model for the physical benefits of meditation by training rodents to slow their breathing, as happens when humans meditate. In addition to his research, Dr. Noble has been at the forefront of developing novel experiential classes that explore mind-body wellness practices for the Emory Center for the Study of Human Health.Join us as we explore with Dr. Noble how to harness the mysteries of breath to improve our mental and physical health.Featuring:Dr. Don Noble, Instructor at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human HealthHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Most of us who lived through the back half of the 20th Century forgot about infections. We had vaccines for the terrible diseases of childhood and antibiotics for the scary diseases of adulthood. When we caught an infection, it was usually a cold. Certainly, AIDS sent shock waves of grief through many communities, but then antiretroviral medications converted it from a death sentence to a chronic condition. In general, we feared the things that killed most of us: heart disease, cancer and dementia.But how times change. The COVID pandemic has taught us that our human world is inextricably linked to the world of pathogens. Indeed, just as our civilization requires that we interact successfully with each other, so does it demand that we find intelligent ways forward in our relationship with the microbial world.Few scientists are better positioned to discuss ways to optimize our relationships with the microbial world than Christopher A. Lowry, PhD, Associate Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado Boulder. Dr. Lowry is famous for his work investigating how bacterial species we co-evolved with effect the brain in ways that promote an antidepressant effect. Building on this work, he has published widely on ways to optimize health and well-being by re-establishing more ancient and appropriate connections with the bacterial worlds within and without us.Join us as Dr. Lowry brings this expertise into a practical discussion of how our relationships with the microbial world can be harnessed to promote well-being.Featuring:Dr. Christopher A. Lowry, Associate Professor of Integrative Physiology at the University of Colorado BoulderHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Tessa Roseboom is famous for her groundbreaking studies of the long-term effects of babies born during the World War II Dutch famine. Those studies showed unequivocally that the diets of pregnant women affect the health of their children in later life. Subsequent studies have shown that a wide variety of negative exposures in the womb or in childhood exact lasting costs in terms of poor mental and physical health. So what can be done? Join us for this podcast as we explore this and other related questions with Dr. Roseboom. We cannot describe Dr. Roseboom’s work any better than to quote her website: “I am scientist, teacher and advocate. As a biologist, I am fascinated by the wonder of life. In the past 25 years, I have investigated how the early environment in which humans grow and develop affects later development and health throughout life. By teaching students, professionals and (future) parents I share knowledge and increase awareness about the fundamental importance of a good start in life. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to giving each child the best possible start in life to allow it to develop to its full potential in order to create a healthier more equal future for all.”Featuring:Dr. Tessa Roseboom, Professor of Early Development and Health at the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA) Faculty of MedicineHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

The scale shows you a number you just can’t abide by. Or you swore you would not buy clothes one size bigger…. So you try to diet. You try to be reasonable so you eat less often. Maybe you decide to be au courant so you fast. But no matter what you do, the weight hardly comes off. Or maybe it comes off but then when you ease up, even just a little you immediately gain the weight back. What is going on?Join us in this podcast to the answers to these and other related questions from Dan Benardot, our guest for this podcast.Dan Benardot is an internationally-recognized expert on nutrition, especially as nutrition pertains to peak athletic performance. Dr. Benardot has served as nutritionist for a number of US Olympic teams, including Track and Field, Ice Skating and gymnastics. In recognition of this work, he received the Outstanding Educator Award following the US gymnastic team’s 1996 Gold Medal. In 1997, he became the first American appointed to the Medical Commission of the international governing body for gymnastics. Dr. Benardot served for a number of years as nutritionist for the Atlanta Falcons, culminating in the team’s 2017 National Football Conference championship. In addition to teaching, Dr. Benardot has written a number of books, co-authored the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine joint position paper on “Nutrition and Athletic Performance, and is the inventor of NutriTiming software, which assesses real-time energy balance and nutrient intake. Featuring:Dr. Dan Benardot, Registered and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, Professor of Nutrition at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human HealthHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

It’s common knowledge that stress can make you sick. But why? It’s also becoming increasingly understood that it is the body’s own inflammatory system that is responsible for most COVID deaths. Why does the immune system get so confused?If these questions seem interesting but unrelated, this is the podcast for you. Our guest is Steve Cole, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine and hero to many of us working in the field of mind-body medicine. Dr. Cole is famous for his work using the expression of genes to examine how stress impacts our immune system to produce mental and physical illness. In recent years he has revolutionized the field by providing the most cogent evolutionary arguments yet advanced for why stress seems to be so bad for us, and conversely, why loving relationships and altruistic mindsets are so beneficial for health. And before the podcast is done we explore how COVID can trick the immune system in ways that look eerily similar to the effects of loneliness. Join us as Dr. Cole explains these fascinating and timely connections.Featuring:Dr. Steve Cole, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Host:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

If you follow these podcasts you know that Dan Benardot, a nutritional expert, warns us about the many problems of fasting as a weight-loss strategy. How, then, are we to understand the growing popularity of practices like intermittent fasting, not just as a way of losing weight, but as health-enhancing lifestyles? Is fasting good or bad? If it has benefits, what are these and why does it work?Addressing these questions and many more in this podcast is Dr. Rhonda Patrick, host of the wildly-popular podcast and website FoundMyFitness. Dr. Patrick describes herself as dedicated to the pursuit of longevity and optimal health through a focus on nutrition, aging, and disease prevention. Her legion of fanatically loyal listeners spans the globe and includes everyone from top athletes and movie stars to world-famous doctors and scientists, all drawn by her uncanny ability to translate complex scientific ideas into actionable health practices. This skill is in full display on this podcast, as Dr. Patrick talks about links between nutrition, cellular health and aging, well-being, and weight loss, always with a focus on evidence suggesting that fasting may be a natural human way to eat.Featuring:Dr. Rhonda Patrick, Cell Biologist, Cofounder of FoundMyFitnessHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Karl Doghramgi, Medical Director at the Jefferson Sleep Disorder Center at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, and Eleanor discuss the importance of sleep to keep our lives regular. Dr. Doghramgi gives some tips on how to sleep better and fight off insomnia.Featuring:Dr. Karl Doghramgi, Medical Director at the Jefferson Sleep Disorder Center at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Professor of Psychiatry and NeurologyHost:Eleanor Barrett, 4th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Charles Raison, host of the Health is Everything podcast, and Eleanor discuss why it’s important to wear your mask and practice social distancing while empathizing with the human need for socialization. Dr. Raison helps explain how to help combat the fear and anxiety that kids are experiencing during this pandemic.Featuring:Dr. Charles Raison, Psychiatrist & Depression Researcher at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Host of Health is Everything PodcastHost:Eleanor Barrett, 4th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Rakesh Jain is a psychiatrist and researcher. Dr. Jain and Eleanor sit down to discuss anxiety and nervousness, and how allowing yourself to have these feelings is okay. Dr. Jain also explains helpful & easy ways to manage these emotions.Featuring:Dr. Rakesh Jain, Psychiatrist, ResearcherHost:Eleanor Barrett, 4th GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Malia Jones is a social epidemiologist with the University of Wisconsin Applied Population Laboratory and the UW-Madison Department of Community and Environmental Sociology. Dr. Jones and Eleanor sit down to discuss what going back to school in the middle of a pandemic will be like and how to navigate those situations.Featuring:Dr. Malia Jones, Social Epidemiologist with the University of Wisconsin Applied Population Laboratory and the UW-Madison Department of Community and Environmental SociologyHost:Eleanor Barrett, 3rd GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

It’s All About Relationships, and Not Just With Other People. What COVID Is Trying To Tell Us About Well-Being Why are people more frightened by COVID than by global warming? Despite being frightened, why are many of us now choosing to be with other people, even at a risk to our own health? Can we draw lessons from these contradictions that will allow us to deepen our relationships with each other while staying healthy, as individuals and societies? And how can we best use the COVID pandemic to recognize changes we will need to make if we want to continue living in a modern, interconnected world? In this podcast as Professor Christine Whelan interviews “Health Is Everything” host Charles L. Raison, MD, who explores these and related topics through the lens of evolutionary psychology and behavioral immunology. A psychiatrist and researcher, Dr. Raison is the Mary Sue and Mike Shannon Distinguished Chair for Healthy Minds, Children & Families in the School Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison and is a Visiting Professor in the Center for The Study of Human Health at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.Featuring:Dr. Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityGuest Host:Dr. Christine Whelan, Mother of Eleanor Barrett (Host of Health is Everything No Kidding), Clinical Professor in the School of Human Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and director of MORE: Money, Relationships and EqualityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Life is often wonderful, but it is also difficult. Given how much we want happiness, why can’t we be happy more often in our lives? What stands between us and mental peace? Join us for compelling and challenging answers to these questions courtesy of Dr. John Dunne, our guest on this podcast. Dr. Dunne is a Distinguished Chair of Contemplative Humanities in the Center for Healthy Minds and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Dunne’s work at the intersection of meditation and cognitive neuroscience has made him a world leader in broadening our understanding of commonalities between modern scientific and Buddhist perspectives on the human condition. Featuring:Dr. John Dunne, Distinguished Chair of Contemplative Humanities in the Center for Healthy Minds and the Department of Asian Languages and Cultures at the University of Wisconsin-MadisonHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, PhD, is Executive Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University and Director of the Emory Tibet Science Initiative. Dr. Negi and Eleanor sit down to discuss different ways kids can show compassion to their friends and family members, and why being compassionate & kind is so important.Featuring:Dr. Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Executive Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, Director of the Emory Tibet Science InitiativeHost:Eleanor Barrett, 3rd GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Think you should eat less often if you want to lose weight? Think again says Dan Benardot, our guest for this podcast.Dan Benardot, PhD is an internationally-recognized expert on nutrition, especially as nutrition pertains to peak athletic performance. Dr. Benardot has served as a nutritionist for a number of US Olympic teams, including Track and Field, Ice Skating and Gymnastics. In recognition of this work, he received the Outstanding Educator Award following the US gymnastic team’s 1996 Gold Medal. In 1997, he became the first American appointed to the Medical Commission of the international governing body for gymnastics. Dr. Benardot served for a number of years as a nutritionist for the Atlanta Falcons, culminating in the team’s 2017 National Football Conference Championship. In addition to teaching, Dr. Benardot has written a number of books, co-authored the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada and the American College of Sports Medicine joint position paper on “Nutrition and Athletic Performance", and is the inventor of NutriTiming software, which assesses real-time energy balance and nutrient intake.In this podcast, we explore Dr. Dan’s perspective on the downsides of popular fasting-based diets and discuss what science tells us about how to eat to function at our best. In particular, we discuss his strategies for maintaining consistent blood sugar levels by eating multiple small meals a day and tailoring food intake to the ever-changing energy needs of our bodies.Featuring:Dr. Dan Benardot, Registered and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, Professor of Nutrition at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human HealthHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Think that COVID-19 virus is the greatest potential infectious threat facing the modern world? Think again. In this podcast, noted journalist and author Maryn McKenna joins host Charles Raison, MD to discuss why our modern lifestyles make us especially vulnerable not just to viruses, but also to bacteria capable of producing a host of frightening illnesses. Unlike viruses, which are generally best dealt with by vaccination, antibiotics have been our primary defense against bacterial infection for almost a century. But these days of protection are coming to an end. It is against this background that we discuss the health risks posed by antibiotic resistance, why we have been unable to bring new antibiotics to market and what we as a society need to do to avoid a return to the days when a scratch could start a lethal infection.Featuring:Maryn McKenna, Award-winning Journalist and Science Writer Host:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

George H. Grant, PhD, is a psychologist and theologian who serves as Executive Director of Spiritual Health for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, GA. In this role, Dr. Grant oversees the delivery of chaplaincy care throughout the Emory Healthcare system and guides the country’s largest chaplaincy education program. Join us as we discuss Dr. Grant’s pioneering vision for transforming chaplaincy from an ancillary support role to being an essential resource for shoring up the human face of medicine. We discuss the value of recognizing human spiritual needs and aspirations as important elements in health and disease and explore ways in which clinicians can maximize the provision of compassion within the often impersonal world of modern medicine.Featuring:George H. Grant, PhD, Executive Director of Spiritual Health for Emory Healthcare in Atlanta, GAHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Dan Benardot is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist and Professor of Nutrition at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health. From fruits to vegetables to proteins, Dr. Benardot helps us understand what types of food our bodies need and how to get the most out of them. Featuring:Dr. Dan Benardot, Registered and Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist, Professor of Nutrition at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human HealthHost:Eleanor Barrett, 3rd GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Cassandra L. Quave is an Ethnobotanist, Herbarium Curator and Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology and the Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Dr. Quave is widely regarded for her research into the potential of indigenous, plant-based medicines to treat infectious disease and to combat antibiotic resistance. Join us as we focus on the food-medicine continuum and the potential of plant-based diets for enhancing immune health in the age of COVID 19.Featuring:Dr. Cassandra L. Quave, Ethnobotanist, Herbarium Curator, Assistant Professor in the Department of Dermatology and the Center for the Study of Human Health at Emory UniversityHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, PhD, is Executive Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University and Director of the Emory Tibet Science Initiative. Among Dr. Negi’s many accomplishments is developing Cognitively Based Compassion Training, or CBCT, a highly influential meditation program, which is a major focus of our discussion in this podcast, and which forms a foundation for Social, Emotional, and Ethical (SEE) Learning, an innovative K-12 education program being adopted by school systems around the world. In addition to his work with compassion meditation and education, Dr. Negi leads efforts that are revolutionizing Tibetan Buddhist monastic education by introducing training in modern science as a core competency in monastic training.Featuring:Dr. Geshe Lobsang Tenzin Negi, Executive Director of the Center for Contemplative Science and Compassion-Based Ethics at Emory University, Director of the Emory Tibet Science InitiativeHost:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Lindsey Leininger is a public health educator and researcher, and a clinical professor at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business. Eleanor and Dr. Leininger talk about numbers, health and, of course, the global pandemic on this week's episode of Health is Everything: No Kidding.Featuring:Dr. Lindsey Leininger, Public Health Educator and Researcher, Clinical Professor at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of BusinessHost:Eleanor Barrett, 3rd GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Dr. Monika Roots is a Child Psychiatrist and the Chief Medical Officer of Sanvello Health, a telemedicine startup from United Healthcare. Join the host of the Health is Everything: No Kidding segment, Eleanor Barrett, as Dr. Roots helps give insight on how to navigate the COVID pandemic as a kid and stay emotionally healthy.Featuring:Dr. Monika Roots, Child Psychiatrist, Chief Medical Officer of Sanvello HealthHost:Eleanor Barrett, 3rd GraderAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH

Maryn McKenna is an award-winning journalist and science writer who has spent decades studying pandemics and other issues on the frontline of infectious disease and health. Join guest host, Charles Raison, as Maryn provides insider knowledge on the COVID pandemic. They discuss how COVID compares to past pandemics; how and why the COVID pandemic happened; what we might have done differently to protect ourselves; and what we can do now to minimize the risk of COVID to our health and economy.Featuring:Maryn McKenna, Award-winning Journalist and Science Writer Host:Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory UniversityExplore MoreMedicine’s Long, Thin Supply ChainAmid Coronavirus Fears, a Mask Shortage Could Spread GloballyOnline Course – Journalism in a pandemic: Covering COVID-19 now and in the futureMaryn McKenna's websiteAbout Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health. Follow Us:Blog: Exploring HealthFacebook: @EmoryCSHHInstagram: @EmoryCSHHTwitter: @EmoryCSHH