Help! Make it Make Sense with Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee

Send us a textToday we sit down with Dr. James Alwine who is a virologist, a professor emeritus at the University of Pennsylvania, a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the American Academy for Microbiology and a member of the coordinating committee of the public health movement Defend Public Health.  We discuss his oped ed Trump is Killing Life Saving Health Research where he highlights the need for our scientific, medical and public health communities to fight back at this moment of our current administration and the impact of federal decisions on local day to day experiences.  We need to be loud.  We need to get out of our labs and clinics and from behind our desks and let our communities know how important this work is to their day to day lives, their babies, their spouses, their neighbors.  It is a short but powerful discussion about the magic of science and how scientists dont have secrets we will talk you to death about our love of the work and how we actually cured cancer!Please see the link to his oped here https://progressive.org/op-eds/trump-is-killing-life-saving-health-research-alwine-20250416/Please see the link to the oped from Elizabeth Jacobs https://tucson.com/opinion/column/local-opinion-robert-f-kennedy-jr-is-dangerous-for-the-health-and-economy-of-arizona/article_6bc1d020-e2f9-11ef-b359-6732f13f6300.htmlPlease see link to Dr. Aimee's oped The Critical Need for Science Funding https://frontporchne.com/opinion-the-critical-need-for-science-funding/Join Defend Public Health by emailing defendingpublichealth@gmail.comSend us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com.

Send us a textToday we have a very special guest, Taryn Chapman also known as "The Vaccine Mom" on instagram, to talk about the power of social media as an advocacy tool.  She has a master's in molecular medicine from the University of South Florida. Before becoming a mother, she worked in vaccines and virology for USF's College of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering. Currently, she's a science and vaccine communicator for vaccine- and health-related organizations nationwide and her content can also be found on her website https://www.thevaccinemom.com/Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing our music!Contact us with your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Send us a textWe sit down today with Dr. Torian Easterling to talk about the challenges of working in health equity and care delivery for the most vulnerable in these uncertain times, the importance of checking in, being steady and steadfast in our goals, understanding that while it is important to promote justice and preserve the progress, the status quo wasn't completely working for those that are the most vulnerable and that it is important to rebuild our programs with true equity at the forefront and not performative DEI by building relationships and collaborations with non science or non health entities (law, community organizations, laundromats!) to get everyone to live the lives that we all deserve to live. We cannot go back and NYC is leading the way through the work of NYC Commission on Racial Equity.Dr. Easterling is a distinguished physician and public health leader, currently serving as the Senior Vice President for Population and Community Health and Chief Strategic and Innovation Officer for One Brooklyn Health (Brookdale, Interfaith and Kingsbrook- Jewish). In this senior leadership role, Dr. Easterling spearheads the Office of Community Health and Health Equity- with a mission to strengthen the system's capacity to address health inequities and improve the health and well-being of the communities served.Prior to his tenure at One Brooklyn Health, Dr. Easterling held the positions of First Deputy Commissioner and Chief Equity Officer at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH). In these roles, he led New York City's equity response to the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured equitable distribution of vaccines to vulnerable populations and communities.Dr. Easterling is a member of several boards and commissions, including the NYC Commission on Racial Equity (NYC CORE). He continues to drive local policy and planning efforts to improve community health. Dr. Easterling is the Co-Founder and Director of Education for the Young Doctors Project, intergenerational mentoring program for high school boys of color.Book Recommendation:We Are The Leaders We Have Been Looking For By: Eddie S. Glaude Jr.Health Insurance 101Medicare And Commercial Health Insurance: The Fundamental Difference", Health Affairs Blog, February 15, 2012Cindy Mann and Adam Striar, “How Differences in Medicaid, Medicare, and Commercial Health Insurance Payment Rates Impact Access, Health Equity, and Cost,” To the Point (blog), Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 17, 2022NYC Racial Equity Legislation and InfrastructureNYC City Charter Section on Racial EquityMayor's Office of Racial EquityNYC CORENY 1. Commission calls on city to release Racial Equity Plan by March 21Link to Charter Preamblehttps://codelibrary.amlegal.com/codes/newyorkcity/latest/NYCcharter/0-0-0-4Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!Email your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Send us a textWe are here today with Dr. Gregg Gonsalves to discuss ways forward to defend public health.  Dr. Gonsalves is an epidemiologist focused on substance use and infectious diseases. He is also an expert in policy modeling on infectious disease and substance use, as well as the intersection of public policy and health equity.  In the past he worked in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for 25+ years, in HIV/AIDS, global health and human rights, in the US and Southern Africa.  He started a grassroots coalition - Defending Public Health - on LinkedIn in November 2024 in response to the nomination of RFK Jr. to lead HHS.We discuss the tragic battle of the billionaires, the strength of people power, what we can learn from the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, the way doctors and scientists can reach the communities they care for and translate our work in ways that communities can digest, and advocate for policy changes that can strengthen the health of the public in the current political climate and beyond.  The persistence of a few people is enough!!The article he mentioned below:How Public Health Took Part of its Own Downfall.  Ed Yonghttps://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/10/how-public-health-took-part-its-own-downfall/620457/Dr. Aimee's favorite podcast besides ours LOL:Unbiased ScienceAnd learn more about the movement to defend public health by reaching out to the below!EMAIL: defendingpublichealth@gmail.comWEBSITE: coming soon!GOOGLE GROUP: need to 'ask to join' - go to Google Groups, search for defendpublichealth (lowercase, no spaces) and request to joinThanks as always to Jeff Jeudy for providing our music!  And don't forget to check out our youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY4BNZEI5dk.Send us your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Send us a textWe are back to wrap up the year after an accidental hiatus!!  We wanted to stop by before the end of the year to discuss what our work looks like in the near future under leadership changes in the US, our worries about the increase in misinformation and confusion as we all just try and survive this life and do what is right for ourselves and our families, and valuing science education and science communication so we can bring people along in confidence instead of fear. Science and medicine have done great things for the health of our populations AND we are not speaking in words and terms that non-science people understand nor are we patient enough to explain during encounters and that stokes conspiracy.  We must do better!  Dr. Aimee recommends 3 resources of science information that can help you understand the world of health:Your Local Epidemiologist https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/Unbiased science podcast https://www.unbiasedscipod.com/Immunologic https://news.immunologic.org/Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing our music and see you all in 2025!!

Send us a Text Message.Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee yuck it up about allergies after getting tons of questions that were really great!   We discuss why allergies exist, how annoying they are, why antibiotics dont work, why immunotherapy might or might now work, why pollen won't kill you but shellfish could, the peanut allergy saga,  how to be careful with that benadryl and so much more!  Send us your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com.Thanks Jeff Jeudy for rocking us out!Check out our Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/@helpmakeitmakesense6769

Yay we get a chance to talk to Dr. Aimee about her career journey!  She hilariously explains why she decided not to be a doctor, Dr. Toni is still laughing.She takes us through how she evolved into the amazing scientist-teacher that she is despite her high school biology teacher giving her some discouraging advice and how she fell in love, like literally fell in love with immunology.Shout out to being stubborn and John Lammert from Gustavus Adolphus University.She takes us through the challenges of her PhD experience, her two post docs, some not so fun teaching and landing her dream job of teaching all the students including  medical, dental, pharmacy, and physician assistants.Shout out to URMC where our friendship budded over offering chocolate and motrin to Dr. Toni's dysfunctional PCR machine!Shout out from us both to Tim Bushnell who carried both of us through our PhDs!!It is so important to get more than one mentor and to surround yourself with people who promote you and help you grow, not bring you down and say that you can't.  You may not be able to do it now but gosh darn it if there is a will there is a way!  And just because it looks different doesn't mean you haven't achieved success.  Maybe it will take longer than you thought.  So what?  Find your people. Ask for help.  Be patient.  Don't lose sight of the goal. And keep on swimming.  There were so many humans that took the time to mentor and inspire Dr. Aimee that we couldn't list them all and the story is likely incomplete.  No one has achieved anything without some form of support.  If it is not your family, then it is a teacher or a group of teachers.  If it is not your teachers then it is your social circle or someone you connected to through your social circle.  And if it is nothing like that then it is a book or a song, a presenter or a poem,  a portrait or a character.  You can be inspired and supported no matter the dream, it just depends on your perspective.   Find your people and open your heart and you will get where you want to go no matter how long it takes.Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!Send us your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Due to some requests, we are dedicating the next two podcasts to our career journeys and Dr. Toni goes first.Shout out to Dr. Toni's mom who got her a subscription to some animal cards as a child to influence her learning.Shout out to Dr. Toni's dad who believed she could do more than take care of animals, may he Rest in Peace.Shout out to the Minority Access to Research Careers program which saved Dr. Toni from dropping out of College (now known as Maximizing Access to Research Careers)https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/695https://www.nigms.nih.gov/training/MARC/Pages/USTARAwards.aspxShout out to Klaus Grohmann from Hunter College Organic Chemistry who took an interest in mentoring Dr. Toni (the internet has failed in trying to find him)Shout out to Peter Lipke, another mentor and leader of the MARC program at Hunter College who the internet says is in Brooklyn College who believed in all his students and encouraged applications to SURF programs (Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship) https://www.nist.gov/surfShout out to Wayne Bowen who led a lab at the NIH (National Institute of Digestive and Kidney Diseases) in Bethesda Maryland who was Dr. Toni's mentor for a Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship ( the internet helped  find him!  The internet says he is at Brown University y'all are lucky)Shout out to Dean Johnston, another mentor and leader of the Medical Laboratory Science Program at Hunter College who is retired and Dr. Toni is still connected to!Shout out to Antonia Bernard who just gave philosophies in life.Dr. Toni takes you through her windy path through Medical and Graduate school and then through residency training and her work in  Haiti.If you are interested in donating to the pediatric residency program in Haiti that is still going despite the the difficulties because while some people can leave many can't and the work continues, please donate at this link and specify Pediatrics Residency Program.https://donate.projectmedishare.org/give/85297/#!/donation/checkoutIt is so important to get more than one mentor and to surround yourself with people who promote you and help you grow, not bring you down and say that you can't.  You may not be able to do it now but gosh darn it if there is a will there is a way!  And just because it looks different doesn't mean you haven't achieved success.  Maybe it will take longer than you thought.  So what?  Find your people. Ask for help.  Be patient.  Don't lose sight of the goal. And keep on swimming.  There were so many humans that took the time to mentor and inspire Dr. Toni that we couldn't list them all and the story is likely incomplete.  No one has achieved anything without some form of support.  If it is not your family, then it is a teacher or a group of teachers.  If it is not your teachers then it is your social circle or someone you connected to through your social circle.  And if it is nothing like that then it is a book or a song, a presenter or a poem,  a portrait or a character.  You can be inspired and supported no matter the dream, it just depends on your perspective.   Find your people and open your heart and you will get where you want to go no matter how long it takes.Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!!Dr. Aimee is next!

Prompted by an advisory from a person in power in the south,  Dr. Aimee and Dr. Toni chat about how that is literally not possible while we catch up since we hadn't talked in awhile.We review some pearls on how to decipher scary information and again review your risk tolerance which is personal for everyone.To review risk tolerance check out our podcast episode on the topic herehttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/help-make-it-make-sense-with-dr-toni-and-dr-aimee/id1617545906?i=1000628181144Or the YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugx61zraPnIReferences:DNA in Covid 19 vaccines by Katelyn Jetelina, Edward Nirenberg and Kristin Panthaganihttps://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/dna-in-covid-19-vaccines-7-piecesThanks to Jeff Jeudy as always blazing the tunes!Thanks to Shared Harvest sponsoring our episode!  Check out their heartwork here:https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/

Spurred by an outbreak in Philadelphia December 2023 and continuing into 2024 with some pockets of infection in Colorado we wanted to re-release our previous podcast on measles for those of you who are concerned!Breaking news! Measles outbreak in Ohio has prompted us to talk a little bit about this. (November 2022)Measles is highly contagious and requires 95% of eligible human beings in the community to be vaccinated.  25% in this Ohio community are unvaccinated.  It is an RNA virus, the only host is human.Clinically, viral syndrome like fever, malaise, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis,  so called "koplik" spots which we try to describe.  The scary stuff, is encephalitis (we explain), pneumonia, and other brain complications, and death.The freshly coughed pocket of air is not the only way it is transmitted!  And you can infect others before you have symptoms!Folks with measles have weakened immune systems!We explain how we got here and the autism story and how misinformation got us on lock.Mina MJ, Kula T, Leng Y, et al.  Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens.  Science 2019 November 01; 366(6465):599-606Petrova VN, Sawatsky B, Han AX, et al.  Incomplete genetic reconstitution of B cell pools contributes to prolonged immunosuppression after measles.  Science Immunology 2019 November 01; 4:1-14Vaccine is incredibly effective!  No known transmission among vaccinated folks. Send us your questions and comments at drtoniaanddraimee@gmail.comThanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music! https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jeudy-a4640826/Thanks to Shared Harvest for sponsoring our podcast episodehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/sharedharvestfund/Check out our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUeWN5Mmp2DKnT1ceDu4zg

Today we have two amazing leaders in mental health discussing the issues of holiday anxiety after experiencing the collective trauma of Covid and other global and local tragedies.  Do we gather?  Do we stay in solitude? How can we be authentic and still preserve the relationships that matter the most to us?  How can we hold two things to be true at the same time? And how can we center our choices and ensure they are not hurting anyone else?  We could have talked for hours! Kathy Rivera, CEO of North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-rivera-lcsw-80602222/Vibhuti Arya, PharmD, MPH, FAPhA. Global Lead, Gender Equity and Diversity Workforce Development; International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP); Professor, St. John's University https://www.linkedin.com/in/vibhuti-arya-amirfar-72777512/Link: TEDx Talk Bringing Light to Structural Racism www.VibhutiArya.com Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music! https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jeudy-a4640826/Thanks to Shared Harvest for sponsoring our podcast episodehttps://www.linkedin.com/company/sharedharvestfund/Check out our YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIUeWN5Mmp2DKnT1ceDu4zg

We have the distinct pleasure of sitting down and chatting with the esteemed Dr. Pooja Mehta.Pooja K. Mehta, MD, MSHP, is a board-certified practicing obstetrician gynecologist, and head of women's health at Cityblock Health, the first Medicaid-focused, value-based, tech-enabled provider for communities with complex health and social needs.In this episode we dive all the way in on Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and talk about the myths, transmission, and why the vaccine came to be such a big deal for humans of all genders and young ages.  You don't want to miss this even if you are a clinician, she teaches us all how to speak clearly and eloquently about this infection.https://www.cdc.gov/hpv/parents/vaccine-for-hpv.htmlShared Harvest Fund:https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/Check out our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@helpmakeitmakesense6769/videosShout out to Jeff Jeudy to providing the music!

Kicking off season 3 with updates on covid vaccinations (we only need one now yay!!) and what to do with masks.What is your risk tolerance?  What is the timing of this new shot? Why did Dr. Aimee walk though a freshly coughed pocket of air????There is no cookie cutter answer y'all.  We have tools now that we didn't have to keep us all safe and we discuss how to use them as responsibly as possible.Check out these resources:Vaccines:https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/vacc-specific/covid-19.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.htmlPaxlovid: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/treatments-for-severe-illness.htmlGuidance on what to do:Listen to our podcast LOL!  Email us at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comhttps://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/considerations-for-your-fall-covidhttps://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/faustfiles/106200Music:  Jeff Jeudy!!! He is the best!Shared Harvest Fund:https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/Check out our Youtube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@helpmakeitmakesense6769/videosHere is the episode on naming:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc4XWQf3kpUStay safe out there!

We bring back these episodes originally released in April 2022 about extra doses and the confusion of using the word booster. We talk about getting certain terms in the graveyard of tearing down terminology and  making sure folks understand what these extra vaccine doses are all about.  How many do we need??  And why are scientists and medical doctors not agreeing??  How do we manage the vaccine fatigue, the inequity and the inconvenience? How you decide for yourself using a risk benefit and alternative analysis, and what is the deal with the 87 dose man???  And isn't big pharma just saying we need this for them to get rich and we are just tiring the immune system??  You are not sheep!  You are survivors! Email us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.Check out our YouTube Channel! https://www.youtube.com/@helpmakeitmakesense6769Thanks to Jeff Jeudy as always for providing the tunes!!!Shout out to Shared Harvest for sponsoring this episodehttps://www.sharedharvestfund.org/1.  Ravindra K. GuptaEric J. Topol.  COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections.   Science, 374 (6575), • DOI: 10.1126/science.abl8487 2.  Katherine J Wu.  America Created Its Own Booster Problems.  The Atlantic. April 12, 20223.  https://fortune.com/2020/11/09/pfizer-vaccine-funding-warp-speed-germany/4.  Offit, P.  Covid-19 Boosters---Where from here? NEJM April 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2203329

Prompted by a question Dr. Aimee received this podcast tries to explain why we have so many colds and what the difference is between the mild symptoms of a cold and something more serious and why antibiotics don't work.We got profiled in Futurum Careers Magazine!  Check out our three page spread pages 34-37 https://futurumcareers.com/Issue-21.pdfWash your hands!!  Wear your mask in crowded areas, especially indoors.  And get vaccinated to give yourself the maximum protections to have a great rest of your year!See you next season!Send your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.comThanks again to Shared Harvest for sponsoring this episode.  Check out their heartwork at https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/

Meet Evan "the bioethicist" Thornburg, an expert on misinformation, disinformation, and conspiracy theories, who has found notoriety on Tik Tok, sits down with us to talk about health literacy, scientism, the exclusionary elitism of the medical and scientific realms which gate-keeps information and contributes to the public's mistrust, and the difficulty of science to compete with the sheer volume, creativity and sensationalism behind disinformation in our current infodemic.  Tiktok handle @gaygtownbae EVN the (Bio) EthicistCheck out our YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@helpmakeitmakesense6769Shout out to Jeff Jeudy for providing our music!  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeff-jeudy-a4640826/Thank you to Shared Harvest for sponsoring this conversation.  Find out about their heartwork at www.sharedharvestfund.orgSend us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

Trigger warning: Discussion includes suicide and substance useLate mother's day edition!How can you tell if your child is depressed? Anxious?  How do we manage our fears about getting "it" wrong or sitting with silence? How do we deal with how covid exacerbated and continues to exacerbate how young people are unable to manage their emotions, attention and the unlimited access to information?  And so many pearls about managing ourselves as parents, as clinicians, the never ending stigma of mental health in the most affected communities, the bravery of asking for help when it is hard, and the ecosystem of our littles and how we can forget that sometimes they have the answers too!  Today we sit down with Northshore Child and Family Guidance Center's CEO Kathy Rivera who dropped just so many pearls!!  There is not enough space here to write them all!  Just know that everything you do, you do for love.  Its just so good!  You are not alone!Northshore Child and Family Guidance Centerhttps://northshorechildguidance.org/For substance use services:www.samhsa.gov1-800-662-4357For suicide concerns call 988 it is a national number anywhere in the US.Shout out to Jeff Jeudy for our music!Thank you to Shared Harvest for sponsoring this conversation.  Find out about their heartwork at https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/Send us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Today we get the awesome opportunity to interview Dr. Ingrid Walker-Descartes, Pediatrician and Child Abuse expert, who works in almost all the spaces, clinical and direct patient care, medical education, administrative and leadership who talks to us today about how we define burnout and resiliency, how covid changed how we see ourselves and our work, discuss the importance of the social determinants of equity, how representation across the board matters in building accountable systems and how it all affects  pediatrics and the health care work force.Check out Maimonides Medical Center and their medical education programs at https://maimo.org/If you are in medical education you don't want to miss this!If you are a resident or junior attending, you want to talk about these issues.We shout out Dr. Bonnie Simpson Mason and her work on the diversity of the pipeline https://www.nationalacademies.org/event/12-06-2021/the-state-of-anti-black-racism-in-us-science-engineering-and-medicine-a-workshop (her presentation can be found at time stamp 1:31:58)Dr. Camara Phyllis Jones and the Cliff Analogy of the Social Determinants of Equityhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zAol4eKdFoShout out to Jeff Jeudy for our music!Thank you to Shared Harvest for sponsoring this conversation.  Find out about their heartwork at https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/Send us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

In this episode, we define public health emergency and the end of the State of Emergency and what does that mean for the rest of us in the country.  We talk about what that means for vaccines, medications, masks, the Emergency Use Authorizations or EUA, mandates, keeping our children and other vulnerable family members safe, insurance and what will be available for managing infection with this Emergency Declaration coming to an end.ReferencesWHO . Glossary of Humanitarian Terms. World Health Organization (2008). Available online at: https://www.who.int/hac/about/definitions/en/ What Happens When COVID-19 Emergency Declarations End? Implications for Coverage, Costs, and Access https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/what-happens-when-covid-19-emergency-declarations-end-implications-for-coverage-costs-and-access/Influenza data April 12, 2023https://cdc.gov/flu/weekly/indexCovid data, April 12, 2023https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_weeklydeaths_select_57 Please check out Shared Harvest Fund and their #heartwork:https://sharedharvestfund.com/index.phpSend us your questions and comments to DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

We are excited to be joined on the podcast today with Dr. NanEfua Baidoo Afoh-Manin in a University of Rochester reunion!!!  She is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician, with a masters in global public health and disaster medicine from Columbia University, public health advocate, and one of the founders of Shared Harvest Fund.  As an innovator and thought leader, she believes that health is a human right and has helped organizations and government agencies design programming and health equity initiatives that close the equity gap by addressing the social and political determinants of health. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated health disparities and increased the burnout rates of Black and Brown medical professionals. Witnessing this firsthand, Dr. Nana designed Project #Resus to resuscitate the medical pipeline and reinforce support around Black, women and first generation health professionals through their medical journey. We talk today about her journey to pivoting her work of supporting social impact volunteers with non profits to supporting these same volunteers working toward Covid 19 pandemic response, her dedication to her community and establishing trust despite vaccine fatigue, replenishing the workforce of humans who are experiencing the same things that the humans who seek care or avoiding care are experiencing, and how we move these mountains one pebble at a time.https://www.sharedharvestfund.org/https://drnanamd.com/Send us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comThanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!

In this episode we talk about natural remedies, vitamins and immune boosters which should not be called that.  We answer questions from friends and families about Vitamin C, Zinc, honey, elderberry and Dr.Aimee and Dr. Toni battle it out about Vicks vapor rub!  Too much of anything is not good and none is a substitute for good nutrition, good sleep habits and regular exercise and vaccines for those illnesses that we know we can prevent.Talk to your doctor!  This podcast is not a replacement for a conversation with your provider!Super fun podcast today.  Check it out.Send us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comFDA Dietary Supplements https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/fda-101-dietary-supplementsDietary Supplements and Money (so much $)https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-dietary-supplements-market#Shot of Prevention – Immune-Boosting Tips https://shotofprevention.com/2023/02/01/immune-boosting-tips-to-stay-well-this-winter/excellent reviewGombart, A, Pierre A, Maggini S.  A Review of Micronutrients and the ImmuneSystem–Working in Harmony to Reduce the Risk of Infection. Nutrients 2020, 12, 236.Rao G, Rowland K.  Zinc for the common cold—not if, but when Vol 60, No 11 | November 2011 | The Journal of Family Practice

We are so excited to introduce you to Julissa Soto, an independent health equity and vaccine advocate advocate in Colorado who developed a program called Vaccine Sundays where she immunizes community members in various churches around the the state and how she finds the strength to not slow down any time soon!  She has been honored and recognized by government, academics and community organizations with multiple awards for her relentless dedication to her community.We talk about her approach of combining theology, community empowerment and public health.  Send us your questions and comments to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com.Thanks as always to Jeff Jeudy for providing our song!

In this episode, we chat about the relentless click bait that is out there confusing the masses about sudden deaths, vaccines and hospitalizations.  We remind you to stay the course, ask good questions, if its scary or invokes emotion that is a signal to take a pause, and reach out for help if you are confused by intentionally manipulated information in order to get clicks.  https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/covid-19-vaccines-and-sudden-deathshttps://flaglerlive.com/185445/covid-sudden-death/ (same article not behind pay wall)Another plug for our episode on long covid (We don't talk about long covid, no no no!!)Another plug for our episode of  covid vaccine side effects (Don't cough on my baby1 part 2)https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/08/opinion/grant-wahl-celine-gounder-vaccine.htmlThanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!if you have questions or comments send them to drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

We are thrilled to have our first guest on the podcast, the incredible Dr. Stella Safo!!We talk about masks, covid and vaccine fatigue, provider fatigue, mis- and dis-information, how we repair trust in our communities, and learn from all our mistakes so we can have a better tomorrow.Check out her work at:justequityforhealth.comThanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music.Send us your questions and comments to DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.Dr. Stella Safo is a board-certified HIV primary care physician, public health advocate, and the founder of Just  Equity for Health (https://justequityforhealth.com), a health care improvement company that uses advocacy, education and care model design  to ensure equitable care delivery across all sectors of medicine. She is a founding member of several organizations dedicated to gender and racial equity and to civic  engagement in medicine.  In 2020, Dr. Safo was named one of Modern Healthcare's top minority  clinicians to watch and she is a current New York Academy of Medicine Fellow. In addition to consulting in equity projects and her unwavering dedication to  social justice work, Dr. Safo also provides clinical care to patients in New  York. Her work has been featured in various academic and popular media, including CNN and MSNBC. 

How did we get here???!  We go through the exact moments that caused the targeting of MMR vaccine, the vaccine that includes measles, fraudulently as a cause of autism.The study was fraud.Tools to identify autism, a spectrum of neurological illness, have improved over time.We are not sure what causes autism yet, BUT we DO know for a FACT it is NOT vaccines!  It has been studied to death!Beware of misinformation!Send us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com.Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!REFERENCESMeasles outbreak e-article Fri Dec 2https://arstechnica.com/science/2022/12/ohio-measles-outbreak-nearly-triples-expected-to-last-several-months/Factsheet about Measleshttps://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/measles/factsCDC Measles Signs and Symptomshttps://www.cdc.gov/measles/symptoms/signs-symptoms.htmlHerd Immunity: Will We Ever Geth There?https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/herd-immunity#:~:text=Measles%2C%20for%20example%2C%20spreads%20so,the%20threshold%20is%20about%2080%25.Brian Deer Wakefield Lancet Summary websitehttps://briandeer.com/mmr/lancet-summary.htmJohns Hopkins Vaccine Hesitancy as global threathttps://ccp.jhu.edu/2019/02/05/measles-vaccines-hesitancy/?gclid=CjwKCAiAp7GcBhA0EiwA9U0mtuXj91zhrF6RzsbM6-zrk_WaqE9HHjjg8KIhY1kUPWWWNIq_Ks2ooRoCBIQQAvD_BwEHow to Protect Your Child During a Measles Outbreakhttps://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/immunizations/Pages/How-to-Protect-Your-Children-During-A-Measles-Outbreak.aspx?gclid=CjwKCAiAp7GcBhA0EiwA9U0mto7Ac0xeZPJsTu6Q0X_uBiDQN53GQQFGhk-vyMqMpcljBtYjl4IL7xoCbVkQAvD_BwE

Breaking news! Measles outbreak in Ohio has prompted us to talk a little bit about this.Measles is highly contagious and requires 95% of eligible human beings in the community to be vaccinated.  25% in this Ohio community are unvaccinated.  It is an RNA virus, the only host is human.Clinically, viral syndrome like fever, malaise, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis,  so called "koplik" spots which we try to describe.  The scary stuff, is encephalitis (we explain), pneumonia, and other brain complications, and death.The freshly coughed pocket of air is not the only way it is transmitted!  And you can infect others before you have symptoms!Folks with measles have weakened immune systems!Mina MJ, Kula T, Leng Y, et al.  Measles virus infection diminishes preexisting antibodies that offer protection from other pathogens.  Science 2019 November 01; 366(6465):599-606Petrova VN, Sawatsky B, Han AX, et al.  Incomplete genetic reconstitution of B cell pools contributes to prolonged immunosuppression after measles.  Science Immunology 2019 November 01; 4:1-14Vaccine is incredibly effective!  No known transmission among vaccinated folks. Send us your questions and comments at drtoniaanddraimee@gmail.comThanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!Part 2 is about Voldemort!

Pediatric Vaccines overall are losing popularity in the age of misinformation and disinformation and we decided to address it!  We answer the most popular question that Dr. Aimee gets as a vaccine advocate and that Dr. Toni gets as a pediatrician.We talk through how vaccines don't overwhelm the system, how delayed schedules can be harmful and how we are under assault on a minute to minute basis.For those who want to know about our breakdown of the autism story check out one of our popular episodes, Don't cough on my baby part 2 at the following linkhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1912655/episodes/10571547Jeff Jeudy is the best for providing our theme song.email us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comHave a safe holiday season!

In this episode, we address a negative review and invite conversation.We will go over the signs and symptoms of respiratory distress in your little ones, all the things RSV, how we treat it and discuss why this serious illness doesn't have a vaccine.  That freshly coughed pocket of air can sit on your tables and doors so that is fun!  We know you are sick of these viruses but knowledge is power!Jeff Jeudy is our musician!Reach out at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

In this episode we give you the low down on the flu...how you get it, how vaccines can help protect you and your loved ones and we shop a shark tank idea for an immunoninja bandaid...its trademarked y'all as of this episode!Jeff Jeudy's song is still with us!Holla at us at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

Well, we talk about the resurgence of polio, and answer your questions about the why behind it, how it is transmitted and how to protect yourselves and your littles.  We were so close to eliminating this one!  Dr. Aimee cannot contain herself talking about the structure of the virus and how it caused the invention of the iron lung, the life support that predates mechanical ventilation and....she shares her screen!Thanks as always to Jeff Jeudy for this lovely song.And email us your questions and comments at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comhttps://www.cdc.gov/polio/what-is-polio/index.htm

In this episode, we break down a blog that is against vaccination that came across our proverbial desks!  We go line by line and explain the true parts in the blog and the inaccurate parts of the blog.  It is important to understand what you are reading, what the sources are, and why the scary sounding stuff may be true but why it wont be harmful.Jeff Jeudy is killing the game with this tune!Check out our girl Dr. Aimee Bernard's amazing opinion article hot off the presses!https://www.twincities.com/2022/09/25/aimee-pugh-bernard-an-immunologist-offers-tips-for-assessing-health-info-in-the-wilds-of-the-internet/

Welcome to season two!!  We are talking about other viruses in this season so check it out!We talk today about all the things monkey pox.What kind of virus is this? Why is it in humans? Is it deadly? Is it an STI? What's the deal with bedsheets?  Kids?  Vaccines?  Prevention?  Your mail??  Is it a gay disease?We got a ton of questions from friends and family and spend the episode doing our best to answer them.  One thing is for sure, we need to not characterize this as a gay illness or an illness of men who have sex with men.  While it is important to know who conditions and diseases are affecting so that we can target our strategies to effectively protect our communities and population, we need to do a better job taking into consideration the social contexts of that information so we do not further stigmatize, condemn, disparage already marginalized or made to be insignificant populations.  Illnesses can hit a community through the kind of food they eat, the kind of clothes they wear, the hygiene they practice, their access to safe housing, the jobs they do,  the health care they have access to, and the way they socialize.  Mode of transmission is discussed at length and focusing on sexual orientation or the gender spectrum can further stigmatize these communities.  Let's be scientific about this!Check out these references:https://www.verywellhealth.com/can-you-contract-monkeypox-from-surfaces-6499690https://www.ajc.com/news/atlanta-news/early-data-shows-monkeypox-disproportionately-affecting-black-men/D5C6I4VUSVBUZLMBFO75SETFGI/https://www.statnews.com/2022/08/11/new-data-from-several-states-show-racial-disparities-in-monkeypox-infections/https://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/transmission.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/symptoms.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/vaccines.htmlhttps://www.cdc.gov/poxvirus/monkeypox/treatment.html Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for rocking us out!Send questions and comments for this episode or others or requests at drtonianddraimee@gmail.comCheck out our Youtube Channel!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY4BNZEI5dk

We follow up our criticisms of language and naming with how do we live with this virus?  We do a little myth busting, go over why these variants are able to trick the immune system, and commiserate on how to assess your risk, the tools we have to keep safe in addition to vaccines, and how to navigate this world and keep you and your loved ones safeIn case you want to see Dr. Aimee's English bulldog loving powerpoint:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PVGmBVAda6s0UfNcf83PApcPEuWIKdxR/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103842547462819810109&rtpof=true&sd=trueSend us your questions at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.Jeff Jeudy is the truth!

We breakdown some words that have been heavily used in the media to make sure you all understand what they mean, like strain, variant, mutation, Dr. Aimee reveals her English Bulldog bias through a power point presentation, and why the nerdfest of naming could include Sonic the Hedgehog! Here is a link to the powerpoint:https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1PVGmBVAda6s0UfNcf83PApcPEuWIKdxR/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103842547462819810109&rtpof=true&sd=trueThanks as always to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music and send us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

Short but sweet episode giving you as much as we know and understand about long covid.  The punchline is that WE BELIEVE YOU!!  We are still learning about this syndrome and it is complicated.  Don't underestimate the power of journaling your symptoms! Tune in so that you can figure out if this applies to you!Thanks Jeff!  This song is rockin'!Send us your questions at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

Whats up with this flu season??!  And why is my baby still coughing its summer time!!! We try and break it down for you in ways for you to understand!Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing the music!!!Send us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

We are still learning about Covid folks!  Nothing is perfect but we have some ways to put that seat belt on to avoid a catastrophe in the case of a crash if you like Dr. Aimee's analogy for describing infection and decreasing your risk for serious disease and death and in this case in your littles.  We have two choices for vaccines that are different and it all depends on your preference.  We go through it for you in a way you can understand so that you can make the right decision based on you and your family's needs and circumstances.  There is no silver bullet but we have some shields!Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for his awesome music.If you have questions and comments please email us at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com.Check out our youtube channel if you wanna see our faces :)

This episode is dedicated to answering questions that have come to us regarding pregnancy, infertility, menstruation, breast feeding, DNA alteration, natural infection, capitalism, vaccines causing variants, the danger of ingredients, microchips, magnets and tracking, vaccines creating disease in the future, population control,   vaccines causing covid, and tyranny.The 4 year old podcaster has help from the bulldog and a husband this time in honor of Father's Day! Keep sending us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.  If you want to see the chaos with your own eyes check out our youtube channel!Thanks to Jeff Jeudy for providing this awesome song!  

We continue our education on misinformation and disinformation by breaking down a video line by line that talks about covid as snake venom.  We highlight, using Dr. Toni's intensity, her son's singing and our efforts to keep Dr. Aimee from having a seizure, the truths and the falsehoods and the manipulations that are carefully weaved together to confuse non science people genuinely trying to make heads or tails of their fears and the right things to do.Jeff Jeudy continues to keep us rockin' with his awesome music.Contact us at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

In this week's episode, we break down the difference between misinformation and disinformation, the struggles of parents and family members to sort through it all if they feel that they have been personally harmed, a listener's personal story and how to apply that information to decision making, and breaking down what the VAERS reporting system is and how it is used.Jeff Jeudy spinning the tunes with some competition this episode LOL!Send us your questions at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

In this episode, your doctors give an overview of the history of vaccines, why there has been a delay in covid vaccines for kids and an overview of the immune system over time.  Vaccination is not new, fears toward vaccination are not new, and adult vs child/infant immune systems work differently.Shout out to Jeff Jeudy for our awesome music!Story of Onesimus:https://www.history.com/news/smallpox-vaccine-onesimus-slave-cotton-matherhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2020/12/15/enslaved-african-smallpox-vaccine-coronavirus/History of vaccineshttps://historyofvaccines.org/https://historyofvaccines.org/vaccines-101/misconceptions-about-vaccines/history-anti-vaccination-movementshttps://www.chop.edu/centers-programs/vaccine-education-center/vaccine-history/developments-by-yearChildren as vulnerable category for researchhttps://www.fda.gov/regulatory-information/search-fda-guidance-documents/institutional-review-boards-frequently-asked-questions (specifically #47)

In this episode we continue talking about vaccines and children by answering questions that have come to us from friends, family and patients regarding their concerns about autism, long term side effects, affects of vaccines on pregnant people and the consequences after birth, as well as those parents anxious about getting the vaccine now and trying to understand what the delay is all about.Jeff Jeudy is still the master behind the music!  Email us your questions at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com

In this episode, we continue to tear down terminology and give you the tools to understand the purpose of extra doses, how you decide for yourself using a risk benefit and alternative analysis, and what is the deal with the 87 dose man???  And isn't big pharma just saying we need this for them to get rich and we are just tiring the immune system??  You are not sheep!  You are survivors! Email us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.Thanks to Jeff Jeudy as always for providing the tunes!!!1.  Ravindra K. GuptaEric J. Topol.  COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections.   Science, 374 (6575), • DOI: 10.1126/science.abl8487 2.  Katherine J Wu.  America Created Its Own Booster Problems.  The Atlantic. April 12, 20223.  https://fortune.com/2020/11/09/pfizer-vaccine-funding-warp-speed-germany/4.  Offit, P.  Covid-19 Boosters---Where from here? NEJM April 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2203329

In this episode, we talk about getting certain terms in the graveyard of tearing down terminology and  making sure folks understand what these extra vaccine doses are all about.  How many do we need??  And why are scientists and medical doctors not agreeing??  How do we manage the vaccine fatigue, the inequity and the inconvenience? Email us your questions and comments at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com.1.  Ravindra K. GuptaEric J. Topol.  COVID-19 vaccine breakthrough infections.   Science, 374 (6575), • DOI: 10.1126/science.abl8487 2.  Katherine J Wu.  America Created Its Own Booster Problems.  The Atlantic. April 12, 20223.  https://fortune.com/2020/11/09/pfizer-vaccine-funding-warp-speed-germany/4.  Offit, P.  Covid-19 Boosters---Where from here? NEJM April 2022. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe2203329

In this episode, we answer questions about community immunity  from some of Dr. Toni's patients and from Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee's friends and family.  We love to hear from you so please send us your questions for possible subjects for future episodes to DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

In this episode we start talking about the basics of community immunity as we rebel against the term herd immunity.  What is this term all about, why is it used so often and why many people are thinking about this the wrong way.We love to get feedback so go ahead and email us at DrToniandDrAimee@gmail.com

Buckle up buttercups!!!  We introduce you to Dr. Toni and Dr. Aimee, a medpeds doc and immunologist and their backgrounds and motivations behind creating this podcast where we break down the science and medicine behind our current covid pandemic in English instead of jargon.Email us at drtonianddraimee@gmail.com to submit questions that we can use for future podcasts