Podcasts about science based medicine

In this episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, Dr. Mark Bonta sits down with Dr. Marie Claire Bourque, a psychiatrist, executive coach, and mental performance consultant to elite athletes, including the Toronto Maple Leafs. Together, they dive into the world of high performance under pressure, uncovering what medicine can learn from the mental training of professional athletes.Dr. Bourque shares her insights on the importance of presence, focus, and resetting under stress—skills commonly built into the toolkit of elite performers but often neglected in the medical field. She discusses practical strategies like meditation, diaphragmatic breathing, and values-based living, emphasizing that these are trainable skills, not innate talents. Meditation, Dr. Bourque explains, isn't about getting good at meditating—it's about getting good at life, particularly in moments when it matters most.The conversation moves through the parallels between elite sports and the demands of medicine, exploring how even top professionals need to recognize when mental health support or even medication is necessary to maintain well-being and performance. Dr. Bourque candidly addresses the stigma around mental health and medication, both in sports and medicine, and the risks of trying to "white-knuckle" through life on hard mode.Listeners will come away with actionable advice on sleep, movement, nutrition, and discovering one's true values. Dr. Bourque's approach highlights the need to care for mental fitness just as intentionally as physical health, whether you're a surgeon, an athlete, or just navigating daily stress.This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in resilience, focus, and living with purpose—reminding us that training our minds is just as vital as training our bodies, and life doesn't have to be lived on hard mode.Episode HighlightsMeditation Enhances Daily Living — Meditation isn't just for calm; it helps you navigate real-life challenges by keeping you grounded in the present.Reset With Breathwork —Conscious diaphragmatic breathing helps you regain composure and focus, especially when distractions or stress threaten performance.Value-Based Living Drives Decisions — Identifying and living by your true values leads to greater fulfillment and resilience, rather than societal or external expectations.Sleep is Foundational Health — Adequate, restorative sleep is a non-negotiable for optimal performance, mental clarity, and emotional regulation.Movement Prevents Mental Illness —Regular, moderate-intensity exercise (150 minutes weekly) significantly lowers risk of depression and anxiety, supporting overall well-being.Substance Use Isn't a Solution —Self-medicating, especially with alcohol or cannabis, is common but ultimately harms performance, resilience, and long-term health.Purpose Motivates and Sustains Us — A clear sense of purpose, even if small, is essential for satisfaction and sustained motivation in day-to-day life.You Don't Have to Suffer — Life doesn't have to be lived on “hard mode”—seeking support and building skills makes it easier and more fulfilling.Episode Timestamps5:58 — Training Focus: Athletes vs. Doctors9:05 — Dedicated Daily Self-Improvement Practice11:50 — Mastering Presence through Meditation14:10 — Understanding Apologies and Distractions18:30 — Supporting Young Athletes' Mental Health23:05 — Athletes' Struggles with Substance Abuse26:45 — Reducing Self-Medication Through Therapy27:57 — Youth Misconceptions About Cannabis32:55 — Living by True Personal Values36:42 — Importance of Values in Decision-Making39:42 — Actionable Self-Improvement Tips41:42 — Escaping Life's Hard ModeDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome back to Ditch the Labcoat, the podcast where we cut through the noise and myths swirling around modern healthcare—one evidence-based conversation at a time. I'm Dr. Mark Bonta, and in today's episode, get ready to hear from one of our returning guests: Dr. Samira Jeimy, allergist, immunologist, associate professor, and the straight-talking force behind Allergies Explained.Dr. Jeimy is here to tackle her “Top 10 Propaganda Pieces” as an allergy expert—the big healthcare myths, media soundbites, and outright scams that drive her up the wall. From debunking the so-called ‘immunity debt' theory and the raw milk craze, to exposing the truth behind pricey food intolerance tests and the seductive marketing of wellness supplements, she brings a blend of humor, clinical wisdom, and no-nonsense clarity.You'll hear why “natural” doesn't always mean safe, how supplement and testing industries prey on patient anxiety, and why stories—more than science—often shape the health choices we make. Dr. Jeimy also takes us inside the real conversations she has with patients confused by allergy myths, and how she helps untangle fact from fiction, one appointment at a time.Whether you're a healthcare professional, a chronic allergy sufferer, a concerned parent, or just tired of being bamboozled in the supplement aisle, this episode brings fresh perspective, sharp debunking, and a dose of laughter to your feed. So cozy up and get ready to ditch the misinformation, as we dive into the truth behind the top allergy and immunology myths with Dr. Samira Jeimy.Episode HighlightsImmunity Debt Myth Don't believe the narrative that lack of infection "weakens" your immune system; real harm comes from infections, not their absence.Food Intolerance Tests Are Useless Expensive food intolerance tests measure exposure, not intolerance, leading to wasted money and unnecessary diet restrictions.Natural Isn't Always Safe “Natural” products (like raw milk, plant oils) aren't automatically safe—many can cause harm or severe allergic reactions.Eczema Not About Food Eliminating foods often doesn't cure eczema; the real issue is inflammation of the skin, not food allergies.Overtesting Creates False Allergies Unnecessary allergy testing leads to false positives, unhelpful labels, and dangerous food restrictions.Episode Timestamps 4:16 — Influencer Impact on Health Information 6:35 — "Storytelling's Impact in Tech and Health" 12:51 — Health Concerns or Misdirection? 16:52 — Food Desensitization and Lifestyle Changes 20:07 — Countering Misinformation on Allergies 21:46 — Dietary Restrictions and Relationship Strain 25:24 — Immune System Overreaction Dangers 27:48 — Benadryl: Canada's Sole IV Antihistamine 31:12 — Dairy, Sugar, and Skin Health 35:08 — Unreported Complementary Health Treatments 38:52 — The Limitations of Unvalidated Diagnostic Tests 42:46 — Dr. Jamie: Compassionate Healthcare AdvocateDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome back to another eye-opening episode of Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta! While we usually dig into the science behind medicine's biggest questions, on this episode, Dr. Mark is joined by the extraordinary Dr. Erwin Loh — a powerhouse at the intersection of medicine, law, healthcare leadership, and medical futurology. Dr. Loh is not only the President of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators and National Director of Medical Services for Calvary Healthcare in Australia, but he's also a trusted voice on LinkedIn, where he untangles medical breakthroughs and ethical dilemmas for his global audience on the daily (sometimes 5 to 10 times a day!)—all while juggling life as an executive and dad.Together, Mark and Erwin tackle some of the most pressing—and headline-worthy—topics in medicine today. They dig into Long Covid: what it is, why it's not just "all in your head," and why the recognition of this condition is also reshaping how we think about elusive illnesses like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. If you've wondered what's really happening with the mysterious gut microbiome, the resurgence of old viruses, or the risks of misinformation in today's media chaos, you'll find answers grounded in the latest evidence, not just the loudest opinions.But that's not all—they venture into the weird and wild wonders of scientific progress, from the looming issue of plastics in our cells to CRISPR gene editing and the promises (and perils) of AI in healthcare. Along the way, you'll hear why microplastics might be the “asbestos of our age,” how mixing vaccines can make you a lightning rod for online trolls, and why being cautiously optimistic about humanity's next steps—despite climate change, pandemics, and deepfake bioweapons—is not just reasonable, it's necessary.Whether you're a science junkie, a future-watcher, or simply want a hopeful, no-nonsense take on where medicine is headed (and how it affects your life), this episode delivers smart, ethical, and accessible conversation. Pour yourself something strong, turn your curiosity up to eleven, and get ready for a tour de force of myth-busting, insight, and inspiring optimism from two voices at the cutting edge of healthcare.Tune in for the kind of honest, evidence-based, and thought-provoking discussion you won't find anywhere else—right here on Ditch the Lab Coat!Dr Loh's Links( https://www.linkedin.com/in/erwinloh/ )( https://x.com/erwinloh )Episode HighlightsLong Covid: Real and Varied Long Covid is a legitimate, multifaceted syndrome. Most cases improve within two years, but symptoms and underlying mechanisms differ widely.Post-Viral Syndromes Aren't New Long-term illness after viral infections, like after influenza or Epstein Barr, has long existed—Covid just spotlighted this issue.Chronic Illness Recognition Grows Long Covid research is giving more credibility to conditions like chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia within the medical community.Silent Illnesses Challenge Healthcare Illnesses without definitive biomarkers, such as Long Covid, are harder to diagnose and treat, often leading to patient stigma.Microbiome's Expanding Influence Our gut, skin, and oral microbiomes profoundly affect physical and mental health, though much remains to be discovered about exactly how.Viruses and Chronic Disease Links Viruses may contribute to diseases like multiple sclerosis, cancers, and possibly Alzheimer's, highlighting new frontiers in research.Gene Editing: Transformative Power CRISPR technology lets us precisely edit human genes, promising cures for some diseases but raising major ethical and safety concerns.AI: Double-Edged Healthcare Tool AI accelerates medical discovery and innovation but can also enable harmful outcomes, including creation of bioweapons or misinformation.Plastics: Ubiquitous Unknown Threat Microplastics are everywhere, even in our cells. The true health risks are not fully understood but raise serious environmental and biological questions.Episode Timestamps4:22 – Long Covid: Global Challenge and Uncertainty9:31 – Recognizing Long Covid's Impact10:47 – Exploring Long Covid Treatments16:39 – Unknown Frontiers in Science18:22 – Understanding Microbiome and Disease Dynamics21:04 – COVID Vaccination Journey and Hybrid Immunity24:42 – LinkedIn: Fewer Trolls, Richer Conversations29:04 – Gene Therapy via Phage Infections31:58 – Genetic Correction: Hope and Ethics36:54 – AI and Humanity's Existential Challenges41:14 – Future of Microplastics and Society44:24 – AI, Cognition, and Future Governance46:28 – "Medical Futurology with Irwin Lowe48:31 – "AI in Medicine: Trust MattersDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome back to another eye-opening episode of Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta! While we usually dig into the science behind medicine's biggest questions, this week we're tackling the latest health fads and “wellness” trends lighting up your social feeds—from infrared saunas and cold plunges to mouth taping and chlorophyll water.Joining Mark is Dr. Samir Gupta, a leading Canadian health communicator, clinician, and respirologist known for translating the complex world of medical research into practical advice you can trust. Together, they sift fact from fiction on everything from the cardiovascular perks of sauna bathing (is it really the “new running”?), to the surprising metabolic effects of cold immersion, and what science truly says about intermittent fasting and its potential risks.If you've ever wondered whether that daily cold plunge will actually boost your immune system, or if packing your cart with ultra-processed foods is as dangerous as smoking, this episode is for you. Mark and Samir unpack the real data—both the encouraging findings and the cautionary tales—behind today's most viral wellness hacks, including why you might want to think twice before taping your mouth shut or spending a fortune on chlorophyll water.They also take a deep dive into the gut microbiome—what it actually is, how it impacts cravings and disease risk, and why you shouldn't rush to buy the latest “miracle” probiotic kit just yet. Plus, a frank discussion on the harms (and sometimes hilarity) of the social media health machine.Whether you're a wellness skeptic, a trend-chaser, or just someone confused by conflicting health advice, this episode delivers the scientifically sound, refreshingly honest perspective you've been looking for. Plug in for myth-busting, evidence-backed conversation—and a few laughs—about what it really takes to live healthier, longer, and smarter.Episode HighlightsSauna Science Surprises : Frequent sauna use, especially Finnish-style, is linked to reduced heart disease and dementia risk, with short- and long-term benefits.Infrared vs. Traditional Saunas : Infrared saunas might differ from classic dry saunas; less data supports their health claims, especially regarding respiratory or cardiovascular outcomes.Benefits and Limits of Cold Plunge : Cold plunges activate brown fat and may modulate immunity, but benefits depend on regular, protocol-based use—not occasional dips.Intermittent Fasting: Mixed Signals : Intermittent fasting can offer metabolic perks and moderate weight loss, but recent studies raise concerns about potential long-term cardiovascular risks.Ultra Processed Foods: New Tobacco : Growing evidence ties ultra processed foods to shorter lifespans, heart disease, cancers, and mental health risks—diet quality matters deeply.Fad Diets: Caution Required : Trends like the carnivore diet or chlorophyll water lack solid evidence and may distract from proven, common-sense health choices.Ancient Traditions, Modern Evidence : Heat and cold therapies are age-old practices; modern research is catching up to explain their physiological and health effects.Gut Microbiome: Emerging Frontier : The diversity and health of your gut bacteria impact metabolism, immunity, cravings, and possibly mental health; much remains unknown.Simple Habits Still Matter : Basic changes—better sleep, home cooking, activity, limiting processed foods—often have more impact than supplements or extreme regimens.Episode Timestamps06:00 – Sauna Benefits: Short and Long Term?08:44 – Evaluating Health Trends Skeptically13:19 – Ancient Health Benefits of Saunas17:00 – WeGovy Microdosing: Affordability and Efficacy19:52 – Intermittent Fasting: A Convenient Habit21:49 – Metabolic Adaptation and Eating Habits26:03 – Dangers of Ultra-Processed Foods29:46 – Ultra-Processed Foods: Health Risks Highlighted33:09 – Unexpected Health Outcomes: Smoking vs. Lifestyle35:55 – Microbiome's Impact on Health and Cravings38:14 – Gut Microbiome: Promising but Uncertain42:41 – Investing in Health Improvements44:33 – Rethinking Supplement Fads with ScienceDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome to a brand new episode of Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta! Normally, we dig deep into medical mysteries and healthcare headlines, but today we're taking a high-flying detour into the world of extreme movement and gravity-defying stunts. In this episode, Mark sits down with internationally renowned parkour athlete, free runner, stunt performer, and Ninja Warrior UK finalist, Joe Scandrett. If you've ever seen someone leap between rooftops or swing from lampposts like a real-life Spider-Man, you've probably watched Joe in action.But behind the jaw-dropping videos and viral stunts lies an athlete with intense focus, respect for his craft, and a work ethic rivaling Olympic champions. Joining the conversation is Dr. Sagar Desai, an orthopedic foot and ankle surgeon to elite athletes, who helps break down the anatomy of risk, recovery, and resilience when things go wrong.Together, they explore everything from the mental prep before attempting a death-defying pole slide, to how parkour athletes minimize injury, and how the sport's next generation is pushing the human body further than ever. We hear the honest truth about injury, fear, the importance of listening to your gut, and why sometimes the bravest move is to walk away.Whether you're a curious parent, a health professional, or someone itching to try a backflip in the backyard, this episode is packed with adrenaline, wisdom, and practical advice for athletes of any level. So plug in, get ready for an inside look into the world of extreme movement, and discover what it really means to chase mastery—without losing your head (or your ankles) along the way.Episode HighlightsCalculated Risk Over Recklessness : Progress carefully, know your limits, and differentiate between safe pushing and dangerous stunts.Preparation Beats Adrenaline Chasing : Success in extreme sports comes from meticulous mental and physical prep, not just thrill-seeking.Community Strengthens Skills : Being part of a community offers support, feedback, and encouragement for safer progression.Listen To Your Body : Recognize warning signs and walk away if something feels wrong; self-preservation is paramount.Injury Recovery Requires Patience : Take the time to heal and pace your return; rushing leads to setbacks.Respect Individual Progression : Focus on gradual, personal skill development rather than comparing yourself to others or rushing milestones.Technical Mastery Is Essential : Precision and practice trump brute force; landings and proper techniques prevent injuries.Mentorship Matters : Guidance from experienced athletes or coaches is critical for both safety and progression.Episode Timestamps01:00 – Unveiling Joe Scandret's Adventures04:22 – Extreme Sports Evolution: Instagram Phenomenon09:46 – Risky Movement Preparation11:59 – Parkour vs. Medicine: A Risky Comparison13:57 – Surviving Jumps: Risk and Technique17:08 – Achilles Injury Misdiagnosis20:19 – Rebuilding Confidence After Injury24:21 – Ego-Free Decision Making28:48 – Parkour Risks for Non-Professionals30:01 – Coaching Challenges in Parkour33:20 – Balancing Encouragement and Safety36:56 – Parkour Participation Across Ages42:42 – Athletes and Surgeons: A Unified Goal43:32 – Stay Grounded, Trust YouthDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In today's episode, Dr. Mark Bonta sits down with Dr. Sasha High—internist, obesity medicine specialist, founder of High Metabolic Clinic, and host of the High on Life podcast—to take a fresh, science-based look at weight management, obesity, and why sticking to those well-intentioned New Year's resolutions isn't just about willpower.Dr. High pulls back the curtain on one of the most stubborn misconceptions in medicine: that losing weight is simply about eating less and moving more. Instead, she invites us inside the fascinating intersection of biology, psychology, and our modern environment—unpacking everything from the brain's reward system and relentless food cravings, to the real effects of ultra-processed foods and why portion control strategies aren't always enough. Plus, they dig into headline-grabbing GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, exploring how these new tools fit into a holistic approach rooted in compassion and sustainability rather than shame.Whether you've ever found yourself battling the dessert buffet, struggling with food noise, or just curious about what truly works when it comes to lasting weight management, this episode is packed with evidence-based insights, practical strategies, and a healthy dose of empathy. So, plug in and get ready to challenge your assumptions—and maybe even get a little kinder to yourself along the way.Check out the High on Life podcast with Dr. Sasha High and sashahighmd.comEpisode HighlightsObesity Isn't Willpower Alone : Obesity is driven by biology and genetics, not just lack of willpower. Many factors influence eating behaviors beyond conscious choice.The Power of Food Environment : Ultra-processed, hyper-palatable foods hijack our brain's reward system, making moderation especially hard for some people.All-or-Nothing Thinking Sabotages ProgressRigid dieting mindsets cause yo-yo cycles. Adopting a “next best choice” approach is far more sustainable.Protein Keeps Hunger in Check : Including protein with every meal helps stabilize blood sugar, maintain satiety, and curb overeating, especially with snacks.Manage Emotional Eating Mindfully : Emotional eating is common and not always bad, but learning emotional regulation skills is key for sustainable weight management.Ultra-Processed Food Is UbiquitousAccessibility and cost make it hard to avoid unhealthy foods, so realistic, values-based strategies are essential for change.Small Changes Beat Drastic Diets : Stepwise, patient-led lifestyle changes tailored to individual values work better than strict, all-or-nothing overhauls.GLP-1 Medications: Tool, Not CureMedications like Ozempic can help some, but they must supplement—not replace—lifestyle and psychological interventions.Episode Timestamps02:00 – Challenging Weight Loss Myths05:08 – Understanding Obesity and Eating Motivation07:08 – The Cycle of Constant Hunger10:28 – Lifestyle Change: Beyond Basic Knowledge15:02 – Mindful Eating and Neuroplasticity16:59 – Insulin Resistance: Beyond Calorie Count22:51 – Reframing Sugar: Marathon Fuel25:48 – Food Risks: Health vs. Accessibility28:30 – Patient-Led Lifestyle Changes32:35 – Behavior Change Through Habit Design33:30 – Motivating Change Through Values37:18 – Psychology's Role in Weight Management43:32 – Empowering Healthcare Providers45:03 – Balancing Health: Meds & CompassionDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, Dr. Mark Bonta is joined by Dr. Robert C. Smith, University Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Psychiatry at Michigan State University, to tackle one of modern healthcare's biggest blind spots: mental health care in the medical system.Dr. Smith—renowned educator, author, and advocate—pulls back the curtain on how, despite mental health problems being the most common health condition seen in practice, most doctors are dangerously undertrained to diagnose or treat them. He explains that medicine's longstanding “mind-body split” traces back centuries, shaping medical education, health systems, and even our billing codes to treat mental and physical health as separate entities. The result? Nearly 75% of mental health care is provided in primary care settings by clinicians who received only about 2% of their training in mental health.The conversation is both a critique and a call to action. Dr. Smith advocates for a revolution in medical education—a new “Flexner Report”—to fully integrate mental health teaching and the biopsychosocial model at every level of training. He shares lessons from history, the cultural and structural forces behind the mind-body divide, and practical examples from the clinic—like why lifestyle factors and trauma histories are so often ignored.Dr. Bonta and Dr. Smith also offer practical advice for both clinicians and patients: how to advocate for better care, what questions to ask, and the importance of seeing patients as whole people rather than a sum of body parts or checklists.If you've ever felt that your mental health concerns weren't taken seriously, or if you're a healthcare provider frustrated by a broken system, this episode offers both context and hope—a blueprint for creating a healthcare system that truly sees and treats the whole person.Episode HighlightsBiopsychosocial Model's Limits : Treating biological, psychological, and social factors as separate fails patients; true integration is essential for holistic care.Insufficient Mental Health Training : Most doctors get minimal mental health education, despite facing these issues daily in primary care settings.Systemic Checkboxes Over People: Medical culture prioritizes checklists and protocols, often neglecting patients' real experiences and interconnected life factors.Chronic Disease and Mental Health : Overlooking mental health and lifestyle factors worsens outcomes for chronic illnesses like heart disease and diabetes.PTSD as Teaching Tool : Post-traumatic stress highlights how physical and psychological symptoms are deeply entwined and inseparable in patient care.Need For Top-Down Reform : Only policy-level, systemic changes can mandate integration of mental health into mainstream medical education and practice.Patient Advocacy Is Crucial : Change won't arrive without active voices from patients and the public demanding better, more integrated care.Actionable Lifestyle Advice : Regular exercise, good diet, mindfulness, and honest self-reflection can support both mental and physical resilience.Communication Beats Technology : As artificial intelligence advances, true human connection in healthcare—listening, understanding, empathy—remains irreplaceable.Episode Timestamps04:53 – Biopsychosocial Model Critique07:32 – PTSD: Linking Mental and Physical Health10:20 – “Mind-Body Split in Medicine”15:53 – Mind-Body Connection in Chronic Care17:40 – Lifestyle-Induced Health Complications21:32 – “Reforming Medicine: A Systems Approach”26:25 – Biopsychosocial Model in Healthcare29:35 – Mental Health Training Shortfall30:41 – Integrated Biopsychosocial Medical Training35:20 – Interdisciplinary Approach to Trauma Inquiry37:44 – Lifestyle Hacks for Mental and Physical Resilience43:24 – Healthcare System's Training Limitations45:11 – Prioritize Mental Health AwarenessDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    

In this episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, Dr. Mark Bonta takes us into the underappreciated world of medical documentation—and the burnout it breeds—by shining a spotlight on two disruptors aiming to change the status quo. Joined by Dr. Kyle Fortinsky, a gastroenterologist and self-proclaimed tech enthusiast, and serial entrepreneur Jay Gilbert, the discussion pulls back the curtain on the all-too-familiar struggle of physicians, nurses, and healthcare workers documenting late into the night while real life passes them by.Together, they unpack the daily grind of charting and how the current EMR landscape keeps clinicians glued to screens, often at the expense of patient care and personal well-being. Jay and Kyle reveal the origin story of their innovative startup, Clever Consult, born from both firsthand medical experience and the intimate view of a spouse disappearing into late-night charting marathons. Listeners get a candid look at their journey from scribbled napkin ideas to building a privacy-first AI assistant that actually understands clinical nuance.Beyond the tech talk, this episode explores everything from the high-risk realities of endoscopy procedures to the frustrating hunt for vital information buried in endless patient charts. The conversation also delves into the real fears—and hurdles—of integrating AI into healthcare, from privacy concerns to the challenge of building tech that truly lightens clinicians' workloads.With humor and humility, Dr. Fortinsky and Jay Gilbert make the case that “doctor-built, doctor-focused” AI can finally start to reclaim the cognitive energy clinicians lose to admin overload. Rather than replace clinicians, this technology aims to empower them, helping doctors spend less time as scribes and more time as healers, problem-solvers, and humans.Tune in to hear how the marriage between entrepreneurial grit and frontline medical experience is forging a new path—one where AI does the heavy lifting behind the scenes, so healthcare professionals can get back to what truly matters: caring for people.Episode HighlightsWhy We NEED This: Kyle and Jay share horror stories of never-ending notes, missed dinners, and knowing your patient is safe to scope only after 20 minutes combing PDFs for hidden warfarin doses.The Product: An AI tool designed not to replace doctors, but to free them from scribal servitude. Clever Consult ingests mountains of charts, consults, labs, and more—then gifts you the focused summary you need, before you see the patient.Built by Doctors, for Doctors: "If physicians don't look after themselves, they can't look after patients.” That's the mantra guiding Clever Consult's development.Privacy FIRST: With patient confidentiality sacred, the team spent more money on privacy law than anything else. All data's in Canada, nothing is retained by AI vendors, and legal experts guide every tech decision.The Human Touch: While some fear robots will take the stethoscope, Jay and Kyle see AI as an assistant—not a replacement—to boost diagnostic accuracy, flag hidden dangers, and (finally!) give us more one-on-one time with patients.The Future: Imagine charting in a fraction of the time, cognitive energy reserved for real-life problem-solving (not formatting notes on endless EMR screens), and leaving “scut work” to the machines.Episode Timestamps03:35 – Revolutionizing Healthcare with Tech09:13 – Streamlining Medical Data Management12:52 – “Improving Medical Efficiency with AI”16:21 – Serendipitous Developer Collaboration17:14 – Building & Validating the Business Model20:57 – “Balancing AI's Strengths and Weaknesses”25:36 – AI Legal Consultation for Data Compliance28:27 – Bridging Software and Medical Expertise32:27 – AI Revolution in Medical Diagnostics34:33 – AI‑Enhanced Medical Diagnosis40:29 – Deep AI Solutions for Medical Documentation42:06 – “AI‑Driven Healthcare Documentation”47:33 – AI Revolutionizes Healthcare DocumentationDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    

In today's episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, we dive into the raw, real-world chaos of trauma that unfolds beyond the controlled environment of a hospital. Dr. Mark Bonta is joined by Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak, a trauma director and emergency medicine expert who specializes in designing effective healthcare systems, to explore the unpredictable nature of street-level emergencies.Throughout the episode, the duo unpacks the reality of responding to accidents in real-world settings, where medical tools are limited and the stakes are high. From discussing the importance of overcoming the bystander effect to the critical role of tourniquets in stopping a traumatic bleed, Dr. Petrosoniak shares actionable insights that go beyond traditional medical scenarios.Dr. Petrosoniak reflects on his experience with high-stress situations, emphasizing the power of a calm presence and strategic communication to provide reassurance until professional help arrives. The conversation highlights how anyone, not just medical professionals, can make a significant difference during emergencies through basic actions like calling for help and offering reassurance.Listeners are encouraged to rethink what being prepared means, urging them to consider keeping essential items like a tourniquet, defibrillator, and first aid kit nearby. This episode serves as a poignant reminder that life-saving efforts often start not in the ER but at the scene of an accident, where immediacy, intuition, and courage can have the most profound impact.Join Dr. Bonta and Dr. Petrosoniak as they explore the instinctual side of emergency response, sharing both practical advice and engaging anecdotes from the frontline of trauma care.Episode HighlightsApplying Tourniquets Properly Apply a tourniquet tightly enough to stop bleeding below the site. This is crucial in emergencies to prevent excessive blood loss.Understanding Trauma's Reality Trauma doesn't happen in a controlled environment. Real-life situations require quick thinking and improvisation with limited resources.Importance of the Bystander Effect Overcome the bystander effect by taking charge in emergency situations. Your presence and action can make a significant difference.Street-Level Medical Preparedness Real-life medical emergencies demand an understanding of how to act without hospital tools – a phone call and support can be vital.Interpreting Blood Loss Know signs of severe blood loss—confusion and cold extremities—rather than estimating based on visible blood alone.Role of First Responders Sometimes non-medical professionals, like St. John Ambulance volunteers, are better prepared for emergencies due to their specific training.Communication in Crisis In emergencies, communicate clearly, outlining the plan to provide comfort, rather than giving false assurances of safety.Understanding Electrical Injuries High-voltage injuries are extremely dangerous. Never approach if there's a risk of being electrocuted. Safety should be our top priority.Value of Proper Equipment Keeping simple equipment like a tourniquet and blanket in your car can be life-saving during an unforeseen emergency.Preparedness Beyond Hospitals Being prepared for emergencies means more than medical skills. It's about readiness to act and show compassion, no matter where you are.Episode Timestamps04:44 — Thrill-seeking risks and physiological reactions08:12 — Managing stress and preparedness in emergencies11:54 — Immobilization advice after falls15:55 — Survival odds after high falls18:20 — Crisis communication in prehospital care22:35 — Ski injury first-aid and bystander concerns26:09 — Tourniquet use: prioritize stopping bleeding27:01 — Emergency situational awareness tips31:29 — Assessing blood loss in hospital settings33:31 — Understanding the impact of blood loss36:38 — Electrocution safety and response challenges39:56 — “Mark's Power Room Dilemma”43:58 — Simplifying trauma response protocols45:48 — Compassion in crisis: the human side of trauma careDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization a

In today's episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, we're delving into the often overlooked world of long Covid and post-viral syndromes. Ever wondered why the medical community wasn't fully prepared for the enduring effects of post-viral conditions despite its potential impact?Dr. Mark Bonta talks with Dr. Funmi Okunola, a family physician and advocate for patients with Long Covid. Dr. Okunola discusses the challenges and frustrations surrounding the medical community's response to Long Covid and highlights her work in educating both the public and healthcare professionals about the condition.Throughout the episode, Dr. Okunola shares her journey from practicing family medicine to focusing on patient advocacy through digital education platforms. She aims to bridge the gap between medical evidence and public understanding, providing accessible and credible information to combat misinformation.Dr. Okunola emphasizes the lack of preparedness in the medical field for post-viral syndromes and the need for a shift in medical education to include complex chronic diseases like Long Covid, fibromyalgia, and ME/CFS as core parts of the curriculum. The conversation is rich with insights on how to better support patients with Long Covid and calls for a more proactive approach in the healthcare system to recognize and address complex chronic diseases. Dr. Okunola's passion for advocacy and education is a central theme in this episode, urging both healthcare providers and the public to acknowledge and act on the realities of Long Covid.Episode HighlightsUnprepared for Post-Viral Syndromes The medical community wasn't ready to tackle long-term effects of viral infections like Long Covid.Dr. Funmi Okunola's Journey From family medicine to Long Covid advocacy, Dr. Okunola founded educational initiatives during the pandemic to address patients' unmet needs.Navigating Healthcare for Long Covid Dr. Okunola and colleagues highlight the need for ongoing, informed care for Long Covid, often overlooked by the health system.Complexity in Diagnosis Treating conditions without clear tests or markers requires a multifaceted approach and reliance on patient narratives.Educational Gaps in Medicine Dr. Okunola argues for integrating complex chronic disease education in medical training as a part of core curriculum.Global Health Crises Insight Long Covid research offers a broader understanding of immune response and the impacts of viral infections on public health.Call for Systemic Change Dr. Okunola emphasizes that Long Covid is a public health issue needing urgent attention in both medical practice and policymaking.Episode Timestamps04:17 — Interprofessional approach for complex diagnoses10:01 — Urgent need for Long COVID recognition12:18 — Physician frustration with healthcare system15:56 — Misinformation & public health concerns17:48 — Somatic Symptom Disorder explained23:27 — Effective management strategies for Long COVID26:37 — Evidence vs. belief in diagnostics27:29 — Discussion on Long COVID & POTS33:28 — Long COVID exercise recommendations debunked37:28 — Causes and effects of Long COVID40:13 — Long COVID as an ignored immune threat42:43 — Public health vs. individual freedom47:13 — Campaigning for chronic disease education49:59 — Embracing complexity in healthcareDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    

Today, we're diving into the captivating world where cardiology meets cutting-edge technology. Ever wondered how your smartwatch could potentially save your life or how wearable tech is revolutionizing heart rhythm monitoring? You're in for a treat! Joining us is Dr. Yaariv Khaykin, an internationally renowned expert in rhythm disorders. He's a self-proclaimed "heart electrician" with a knack for gadgets and tech, and he's here to guide us through the intersection of traditional cardiology and modern advancements. From exploring the 100-year-old ECG technology to discussing breakthrough wearable devices, this episode is packed with insights that will transform the way you think about heart health. So whether you're a medical professional, a tech enthusiast, or someone just curious about how wearables could benefit your health, stay tuned for a fascinating conversation that proves science fiction is quickly becoming present-day medicine.Episode HighlightsWearables Catch Fleeting Symptoms Wearables effectively detect fleeting health symptoms that traditional monitors might miss, especially heart rhythm abnormalities.ECG's Long-Standing Role ECGs have been crucial in cardiology for over 100 years, providing insight into heart's electrical activity.Technology Elevates Heart Monitoring Advanced tech offers multi-channel monitoring, improving safety and precision in diagnosing heart conditions like arrhythmias.Smartwatches: Medical Utility Evolving Smartwatches like Apple Watch are now FDA-approved for heart monitoring, offering reliable data for clinical decisions.Data in Wearables: Double-Edged Sword While empowering users, wearables can increase anxiety without proper context. Interpretation is key.Improving Life Through Wearables Devices encourage healthy behaviors, tracking sleep, steps, and exercise to guide lifestyle choices for longevity.Heart Rate Variability's Importance High heart rate variability indicates fitness and longevity, while low variability can signal health issues.Non-Invasive Monitoring Innovations Textile-based ECGs provide comfort, easy use, and continuous heart monitoring without traditional discomforts.Bridging Clinical and Consumer Tech The integration of wearables in daily life advances proactive healthcare, offering diagnostic-level insights easily accessible to all.Episode Timestamps00:00 - Ditch the Lab Coat Podcast06:09 - AI enhances ECG interpretation07:03 - Advanced cardiac mapping vest10:30 - Wearables revolutionize heart monitoring14:39 - Wearables' role in health monitoring18:58 - Assessing Apple Watch for heart rhythms21:00 - Atrial fibrillation detection limitations23:49 - Wearable limitations in symptom detection28:41 - Wearable ECG tech achieves 99.9% accuracy29:46 - Medical device risk and standards34:38 - "Tech bros & longevity obsession"38:17 - Wearables: balancing peace and anxiety42:32 - Heart rate variability explained46:02 - Heart tech: ECGs and innovation47:20 - Future of wearable cardiac technologyDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat, where we delve into health issues with a grounded, scientifically skeptical eye. Today, we're diving deep into the world of cholesterol science and statins with our special guest, Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, an acclaimed skeptic and thought provoker in the medical community. Dr. Kendrick, known for turning conventional wisdom on its head, will be sharing his insights on how statins really affect our health, stretching beyond the common narrative and challenging the status quo of the pharmaceutical-medical industry complex.In this episode, Dr. Kendrick shares his perspective on the actual benefits and risks associated with statins, exploring their history and the modern-day data controversies surrounding them. Are they truly the heart-protecting wonder drugs we have been led to believe? Prepare for a dialogue that ventures into the realm of medical guidelines, research transparency, and, most critically, how independent thinking can lead us to better healthcare decisions.Grab your headphones, get comfortable, and join us as we embark on this eye-opening journey to dissect the truths about statins and explore what might actually lie at the heart of cardiovascular health. This is an episode you won't want to miss.Episode HighlightsStatins and Life Extension Statins make you feel older, not necessarily extend life by 15 years.Challenge Conventional Wisdom Dr. Kendrick challenges mainstream cholesterol views, sparking debates and insights in the medical community.Studying Only Specific Populations Original statin studies lacked diversity, mostly involving young males, not reflecting today's patient demographics.Relative vs. Absolute Risk Be mindful of how risk reductions are presented; sometimes it's more about misleading percentages.Medical Research Conflicts Industry connections can bias studies. We must demand independent verification of data.Independent Medical Thinking Doctors should critically evaluate guidelines, balancing them with individual patient needs and circumstances.Cost of Conformity in Guidelines Blind adherence to guidelines, due to fear of malpractice, might not always benefit the patient.Lifestyle Over Medication Managing chronic conditions through lifestyle changes can often be more effective than medication.Potential of Lp(a) Lp(a) might provide clearer heart disease risk markers. However, it's crucial, to accurately interpret its significance.Empowering Patient Decisions Encourage patients to actively participate in their health decisions, weighing the true benefits and risks of treatments.Episode Timestamps04:18 - Prescription practices for elderly patients08:24 - Coenzyme Q10's role in energy11:44 - "Uncommon statin side effects"16:28 - Statins' minimal life extension19:59 - Statins: worth the effort?23:55 - Overprescription of statins debate26:02 - Reevaluating statins' efficacy and bias29:40 - Oxford data transparency concerns33:27 - Pharma-research funding influence34:16 - Challenging medical system norms40:09 - NICE's influence and conflict concerns43:19 - Human nature and medical conflicts45:58 - Advocating lifestyle over medication48:00 - Lifestyle over statins51:05 - Reevaluating statin use in elderly55:13 - Rethinking statins and patient care58:00 - Challenging healthcare's status quoLet me know if you need any modifications!DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat, where we delve into health issues with a grounded, scientifically skeptical eye. This week's conversation is truly special as we sit down with two giants in the field of medicine: Dr. David Carr and Dr. Sumon Chakrabarti. Join us as we unpack the essentials of travel medicine. From crafting the ultimate travel medical kit to knowing when to panic about that mysterious fever after your Southeast Asian adventure, these experts bring humor, experience, and a wealth of knowledge to the table. Whether you're planning a family vacation or a solo expedition, this episode promises to equip you with the wisdom you need to travel smart. Get ready to learn about must-have medications, the truth about travel vaccines, and how to handle those daunting, "Is there a doctor on board?" moments on a plane. Sit back, relax, and let us turn you into the savvy traveler you've always wanted to be. Let's get into it! and prepare to have your preconceptions about medicine and holistic care turned upside down.Episode HighlightsTravel Kits Essentials: Dr. Carr and Dr. Chakrabarti shared their must-have items for medical travel kits, including antiemetics like Zofran for nausea and glue (Dermabond) for minor injuries. They also discussed the importance of carrying Imodium for emergencies but warned against using it as a solution for diarrhea with fever.Medical Travel Tips: They emphasized preparing for potential health issues depending on the destination, especially in places with known diseases, such as malaria in certain regions. Pepto Bismol was highlighted as an effective preventive measure for traveler's diarrhea.Vaccination Advice: Dr. Chakrabarti recommended vaccinations based on the destination, particularly focusing on hepatitis A, typhoid, and yellow fever in certain regions. They also discussed the malaria prophylaxis options available today, like Malarone.Emergency Situations on Airplanes: Dr. Carr shared his experiences responding to medical emergencies on flights, describing the airplane's medical kits as adequate but limited, emphasizing the importance of an EpiPen and defibrillator.Healthcare Access While Traveling: They talked about how healthcare access varies by destination and shared personal stories of needing medical attention abroad, such as Dr. Bonta's trip to the Amazon.Safety Precautions: Emphasized no pills and no powders, especially for teenagers on trips. They suggested considering Narcan kits due to the prevalence of opioids tainting other substances and the importance of preventative measures like condoms to avoid STDs in areas with higher rates.Returning Traveler's Fever: Both guests stressed the importance of not dismissing a fever on returning from a tropical trip, as this could signify a serious condition like malaria.Episode Timestamps04:13 - Travel medical essentials insights.09:32 - Emergency eye and ear care prep.10:51 - Ducorel: Cholera vaccine limitations.14:33 - Plane medical emergencies: doctor's role?18:21 - Vaccine recommendations for Caribbean travel.20:46 - Essential travel vaccines and malaria prevention.22:56 - Avoiding travel health mistakes.27:27 - Check fever after tropical travel.31:45 - Essential travel health tips.32:41 - Gratitude and safe travels.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat," host Dr. Mark Bonta welcomes a groundbreaking guest who is reshaping how we understand gut health and integrative care. Dr. Kim Bretz, a naturopathic doctor with a unique approach, joins the conversation to challenge traditional frameworks and introduce innovative solutions for conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and reflux. With her expertise in the gut-brain connection, microbiome diversity, and holistic patient care, Dr. Bretz breaks down complex concepts and offers evidence-based insights into treating digestive disorders. Together, they explore the limitations of the conventional medical system, shed light on the often-overlooked gut-brain interaction, and discuss how interdisciplinary collaboration can enhance patient outcomes. Whether you're a healthcare provider or someone dealing with unexplained digestive symptoms, this episode is packed with knowledge and tools to expand your understanding of gut health beyond the typical medical approach. Tune in and prepare to have your preconceptions about medicine and holistic care turned upside down.Episode HighlightsGut Health Significance The importance of gut health to overall quality of life compared to serious conditions like heart failure.Collaborative Healthcare Approach The benefits of collaboration between MDs, naturopathic doctors, and other specialists.Patient-Centered Care Emphasizing care that considers patients' holistic needs, not just symptoms.Gut-Brain Connection Exploring the link between mental health and gastrointestinal symptoms.Role of the Microbiome Understanding how bacteria in our gut impact our health.Visceral Hypersensitivity Why some people feel digestion more keenly than others, impacting IBS symptoms.Low FODMAP Diet Dietary considerations for IBS symptoms management.Holistic Treatment Options Combining traditional and alternative treatments like gut-directed hypnotherapy.Skeptical Scientific Approach Navigating the balance between evidence-based medicine and alternative approaches.Building a Diverse Diet How plant-based foods and variety support gut health and microbiome diversity.Episode Timestamps05:38 - Traditional system failing gut health.07:13 - Longevity clinic benefits: beyond procedures.10:22 - Rethinking diet safety and microbiota.15:03 - Exploring IBS and brain-gut link.18:15 - Gut sensitivity and cognitive therapies.20:02 - Central sensitization impact on pain.23:53 - Managing IBS stress: techniques & therapies.29:04 - Gut issues: acute vs. chronic.29:57 - Gut-brain interaction and microbiota insights.35:47 - Balancing diet and microbiome connection.37:21 - Pro-bacteria gut health diet.40:38 - Dietary focus in Crohn's treatment.45:04 - System challenges to healthy eating.47:59 - Spontaneous career pivot to collaboration.52:04 - Addressing misinformation in healthcare.55:54 - Exploring complementary alternative medicine.59:29 - Rethinking gut health approaches.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat," Dr. Mark Bonta hosts Dr. Jane Thornton, an Olympian, world champion, and leading sports medicine physician. Known as the Olympian doc, Dr. Thornton brings a unique perspective to the intersection of elite sport, health, and science due to her dual experiences as an athlete and a healthcare professional.Dr. Thornton delves into the myth of athletic prodigies, emphasizing that while some genetic factors can contribute to success in sports, it is the environment, work ethic, and mental performance that truly create elite athletes. She shares her personal journey from being a sedentary teenager to competing in the Olympics, highlighting how sports can transform lives beyond athletic achievements by enhancing focus, motivation, and social connections.The discussion explores issues like gender disparities in sports, particularly how cultural pressures and a lack of supportive environments cause many adolescent girls to drop out of sports. Dr. Thornton underscores the need for environments where athletes can be open about their symptoms and the importance of preventing early sport specialization to promote long-term athlete health.Dr. Thornton also touches upon safeguarding in sports, which involves creating safe, supportive environments free from harassment and abuse. She explains the complexities involved in balancing athletes' desires to compete despite injuries with the duty of care healthcare professionals owe them.Finally, Dr. Thornton and Dr. Bonta address the transition of athletes from sports to other life phases, noting the importance of a supportive community and maintaining physical activity as key to positive long-term health outcomes.Tune in for an episode filled with insights on developing and sustaining a healthy relationship with sports while exploring the broader implications for athlete health.Episode HighlightsMental Health and Performance Creating supportive environments boosts performance and wellbeing. Open communication is key to reducing anxiety about symptoms and injuries.The Role of Genetics in Sports Genetics isn't destiny in sports. While genetics influence certain attributes, work ethic, mental performance, and enjoyment are crucial.Early Specialization Risks Early specialization can harm long-term health. Diverse sports experiences during youth promote holistic growth and prevent burnout.Safe Sporting Environments Safe sport ensures fairness, respect, and freedom from harassment. Preventing injuries and illness involves creating a positive training culture.Transition After Sports Identity shifts post-career can impact athletes' mental health. Support and social belonging help in reintegration to non-athletic life.Balanced Athletic Training A structured, well-planned workload minimizes injuries. Sleep and recovery are essential in maintaining peak performance and health.Parent-Child Dynamics in Sport Cultivating joy is key. Encouraging kids to love their sport nurtures long-term engagement and potential elite performance.Ethical Considerations in Athletics Decision-making involves balancing risks. Safe return-to-play protocols are vital, especially in ambiguous injury scenarios.Episode Timestamps04:03 - Building an Elite Athlete08:20 - Early specialization vs. holistic development.10:55 - Addressing barriers for girls in sport.17:15 - Positive messaging for young athletes.18:18 - Social media's impact on youth athletes.22:53 - Injury prevention and safe sport.27:06 - Athlete injury decision-making factors.30:48 - Preventing injuries through workload management.33:37 - Olympic athletes: long-term health impacts.36:14 - Olympian lifespan: beyond the sport.40:30 - Post-sport transition and psychological impact.43:43 - Embrace joy in pursuit.47:07 - Insightful athlete podcast highlights.48:24 - Insightful sports and life tips.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome to another insightful episode of Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta. In today's conversation, we're diving deep into the intricate world of chronic pain with the renowned Dr. Andrea Furlan, a global authority in pain management. With a career dedicated to understanding and conquering chronic pain, Dr. Furlan sheds light on the misconceptions surrounding pain as we age, the role of stress, and how our modern virtual lifestyles are influencing our health. We'll explore the significance of the mind-body connection, the impact of stress on muscle pain, and the manifold strategies that can help alleviate chronic pain, from mindful techniques and lifestyle changes to the benefits of proper sleep and diet. Whether you're a healthcare professional, enduring chronic pain, or simply curious about how to manage pain more effectively, this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical advice informed by Dr. Furlan's extensive career and research. I apologize, but I notice you're asking for key takeaways about fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, but the transcript provided is actually about chronic pain and features Dr. Andrea Furlan discussing pain management. Let me provide the key takeaways from this actual transcript:Key Takeaways:1. Mind-Body ConnectionDr. Furlan emphasizes that chronic pain often has strong connections to stress, mental state, and emotional wellbeing, with the body using pain as a way to communicate underlying issues.2. Parasympathetic Nervous SystemA major focus is placed on activating the parasympathetic nervous system through techniques like mindful breathing, meditation, and mindful walking to help manage chronic pain.3. Modern Lifestyle ImpactWhile modern behaviors like prolonged sitting and screen use are often blamed for pain, Dr. Furlan notes that similar sedentary behaviors existed 100 years ago without the same pain complaints, suggesting other factors are involved.4. Nutrition's RoleUltra-processed foods are identified as "poison" for the body, potentially contributing to various health issues including chronic pain. The importance of natural, whole foods is emphasized.5. Treatment ApproachRather than relying solely on medications, Dr. Furlan advocates for a comprehensive approach including:- Sleep improvement- Proper nutrition- Exercise- Stress management- Mind-body techniques6. Validation of PainFor chronic pain patients, Dr. Furlan emphasizes the importance of validating their experience and understanding that their pain is real, even when not visible on medical imaging.06:01 - Chronic pain across all ages.09:43 - Rethinking pain management approaches.11:20 - Muscle pain and nociception origins.13:55 - Breaking the fear avoidance cycle.18:06 - Processed vs. natural foods awareness.23:14 - Jaw massage experience and benefits.24:26 - Massage: Temporary relief for muscle pain.30:19 - Overwhelmed and Overheating Connections.30:59 - Rethinking pain and treatment.34:39 - Managing pain with parasympathetic activation.41:06 - Chronic pain and central sensitization.42:14 - Overcoming recovery challenges.47:57 - Healing trauma: Brain and emotions.49:51 - Stress, trauma, and health connection.54:31 - Chronic pain management tools.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

In this episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat," Dr. Mark Bonta sits down with Dr. Jeff Alfonsi, an internal medicine and obesity medicine doctor with a focus on nutrition. The conversation revolves around the impact of nutrition on health and the importance of moving away from ultra-processed foods.Dr. Alfonsi explains that the modern diet often prioritizes convenience over health, leading to increased consumption of processed foods laden with additives that can have various negative health impacts. He emphasizes that significant health benefits can be achieved even with incremental improvements in diet quality. For instance, decreasing the consumption of ultra-processed foods and increasing the intake of whole foods can improve various health metrics, including blood pressure, blood glucose levels, and cognitive function.The episode delves into how the food industry focuses on factors like taste, convenience, and consumption rather than the nutritional value and health benefits of food. Dr. Alfonsi points out that this disconnect between the food industry and health guidelines contributes to poor dietary habits and chronic diseases.One of Dr. Alfonsi's major ventures, Rx Food, aims to address this issue by using technology to help individuals track their food intake and get personalized dietary assessments. He emphasizes the importance of using both subjective and objective measures to monitor progress and make sustainable dietary changes.The episode concludes with practical advice on how to implement healthier eating habits, such as preparing healthy snacks in advance and keeping less-healthy options out of easy reach. Dr. Alfonsi advocates for balance and moderation rather than perfection in dietary changes.Overall, the episode sheds light on the critical role of nutrition in overall health and offers actionable insights for individuals looking to make sustainable improvements in their diet.Key Takeaways:The Inconvenient Truth About Ultra-Processed FoodsDr. Alfonsi discusses the hidden dangers of additives found in everyday ultra-processed foods and how they can impact our health. From changes in taste buds to cognitive function, the impacts are far-reaching.Red Food Dye ControversyWhat's the deal with Red Food Dye Number 2? Dr. Alfonsi explains the risks associated with food additives and why moderation is crucial.The Power of Personalized NutritionLearn about Rx Food, a groundbreaking technology co-founded by Dr. Alfonsi, that transforms how we view our dietary habits. This tool helps individuals make smarter, more sustainable food choices.Cheat Days: Yay or Nay?Dr. Alfonsi shares his nuanced view on cheat days and how they can fit into a balanced diet, depending on the individual.From Numbers to NutritionUnderstand the importance of measuring dietary intake and how it can help you make informed choices about your health. Discover how Dr. Alfonsi uses technology to create detailed food logs for better healthcare outcomes.(https://www.rxfood.ca/)05:55 - Impacts of food additives on health.09:53 - Challenges surrounding processed food safety.13:37 - The rise of convenience foods in modern diets.14:21 - Busy lives driving the demand for fast food.19:26 - Benefits of shifting to a healthy diet.21:13 - How sodium-potassium imbalance affects health.25:37 - "Complex Impact of Food Additives" discussion.30:36 - Undervalued non-medical solutions to health issues.34:24 - Analyzing dietary composition and quality.35:53 - "Stepwise Health Strategy" for sustainable changes.39:08 - The importance of transparent nutritional education.42:21 - Objective vs. subjective metrics in evaluating health.47:31 - "Comforting snacks during a snowstorm commute."50:44 - Exploring antidepressants and medication deprescribing.52:05 - Rethinking diet and its environmental harms.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Welcome to another insightful episode of Ditch the Lab Coat, the podcast where we explore life, medicine, and everything in between. I'm your host, Dr. Mark Bonta, and today's episode promises to leave you inspired and ready to perform at your peak.Our guest today is Dr. David McDuff, a retired Army Colonel with extensive combat and special operations experience who has transitioned into a leading sports psychiatrist and mental skills trainer. With over 30 years of experience, Dr. McDuff has helped athletes from youth leagues to professional teams like the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and the MLB's Baltimore Orioles unlock their full potential.In this episode, Dr. McDuff shares his unique insights into the evolution of mental health in sports, drawing from his military service and extensive work with elite athletes. He dives into practical strategies for achieving balance, resilience, and peak performance, emphasizing the importance of mental training, breath control, and positive self-talk. Whether you're an athlete, coach, or someone striving to thrive under pressure, this conversation is packed with wisdom and actionable tips that can benefit everyone.So sit back, relax, and get ready to expand your knowledge on the critical intersections between mental health, sports performance, and everyday life. Let's dive right in!Key Episode Highlights:Background and Experience:Dr. McDuff shares his unique journey from military psychiatry to sports psychiatry, highlighting his transition and the relevance of military principles like immediacy and proximity in providing mental health care to athletes.Impact and Evolution:He discusses how mental health support has evolved in professional sports, noting increased acceptance and integration, with leagues like the NBA and NFL mandating on-site mental health services.Mental Skills and Techniques:Breathing Techniques:Dr. McDuff explains the importance of breath control in physical performance and stress management. He provides examples using stretching and running, emphasizing how proper breathing aids muscle relaxation and reduces tension.Mental Visualization:The episode delves into the concept of mental rehearsal and how visualization can enhance performance, citing examples like free throw routines in basketball.Practical Strategies:Dr. McDuff offers insights into fostering mental resilience and peak performance, underscoring the importance of staying grounded and focusing on process goals over outcome goals.Translating Skills to Younger Athletes:The discussion covers coaching young athletes, suggesting methods for parents and coaches to use positive reinforcement and avoid emphasizing negative feedback. Dr. McDuff uses anecdotes from his own coaching experiences to illustrate effective strategies.Key Takeaway:One major takeaway for athletes at any level is the significance of staying grounded in how they play the game and maintaining a love for their sport. He suggests focusing on the intrinsic joy and pride in mastery rather than solely on outcomes.09:35 - Ravens' trainer finds psychiatric relief through innovative methods.14:05 - Mental health awareness in the pre-woke era.15:47 - A holistic approach to mental health in the military.24:13 - The importance of trust in doctor-patient relationships.31:14 - The role of breath control in sports performance.34:22 - Facing fears during SEAL training.41:21 - Pitching focus and breathing techniques for athletes.43:03 - Coaching young athletes to build resilience.50:48 - Keeping instructions crisp and quick.53:29 - Visualization techniques enhance tennis performance.01:02:07 - Bringing positivity and checking in with others.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome to another episode of "Ditch the Labcoat," the podcast that brings a critical, science-based perspective to healthcare discussions. I'm your host, Dr. Mark Bonta, and today we dive deep into the intersection of nutrition and surgery. Joining us are Dr. Sagar Desai, an orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Kyle Waldman, an anesthesiologist.We'll explore the influence of pharmaceutical companies in medicine, the importance of non-drug interventions, and how nutritional modifications can offer significant patient benefits. Our focus will be on immuno and pharmaco nutrition—innovative approaches combining amino acids, omega-3s, vitamins, and other nutrients to improve surgical outcomes and patient recovery.Sagar and Kyle will share their entrepreneurial journey with Proven Therapeutics, aiming to provide better perioperative care. We'll discuss the challenges of patient compliance, the evidence supporting these nutritional strategies, and the practicalities of implementing them in both academic and community settings.Plus, for a bit of levity, we'll be addressing some of the common stereotypes in the medical profession and the humorous side of our intense, life-saving work.So, grab your headphones and get ready to ditch the labcoat. Let's jump into a conversation that blends serious science with a touch of humor, all in the pursuit of better healthcare.06:21 - Unexpectedly switched career focus from orthopedics to internal medicine.09:32 - Steroids and diet significantly impact bowel surgery recovery.10:39 - Oral immunonutrition reduces the risk of anastomotic leaks.16:33 - Nutritional changes can outperform medications after heart attacks.17:26 - Nutrition data from general surgery applies to orthopedics as well.22:44 - Challenges and strategies for managing surgical anesthesia effectively.23:53 - Perioperative immunonutrition addresses the surgical stress response.28:12 - Evidence-based nutritional products are underutilized despite proven benefits.32:08 - Healthcare workers are genuinely dedicated to helping patients.37:18 - Thorough research ensures positive feedback on nutritional products.43:52 - Low financial risk, careful work, and significant patient benefits.45:29 - Enjoyable interviews with intellectual, humorous, and influential guests.47:28 - Evidence-based treatments are often overlooked in medical prescriptions.

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome back to another episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat," where we tackle health issues with scientific skepticism and bring you the latest insights straight from the experts. Today, we have the pleasure of hosting Dr. Christine Suess, a seasoned ophthalmologist with over two decades of experience and a former Chief of Ophthalmology at Cornwall Community Hospital. Dr. Suess will shed light on the intricate world of eye health, from common conditions like presbyopia and myopia to the impacts of screen time on children's vision. We'll delve into the importance of regular eye exams, the realities of eye surgeries, and essential tips on preventing retinal damage with proper UV protection. Tune in as we bust some myths, discuss ocular emergencies, and explore the evolving role of technology in eye care. Plus, you'll get some unique insights, including how eye health can reflect overall body wellness and why a career in ophthalmology might just be the perfect blend of precision and patient care. This episode is packed with valuable information to help you keep your vision clear and your eyes healthy. Stay with us as we uncover these fascinating topics!01:00 – Dr. Christine Seuss discusses her ophthalmology expertise.04:48 – Chose career for balance; nurses' supportive advice.08:54 – How to connect with an ophthalmologist or optometrist?11:55 – Glasses ease presbyopia; adaptation or denial, discussed.13:43 – Screen time may increase myopia risks in children.18:47 – Crusting on eyelids may indicate blepharitis.22:00 – Use artificial tears and cool compresses; consult ophthalmologist.23:02 – Medical specialties attract people with specific traits.28:21 – Handling ocular emergencies and managing glaucoma remotely.32:33 – Wear sunglasses with 100% UVA, UVB protection.35:00 – Eye surgeries now use topical drops for numbing.37:09 – No patch, use shield; hydrate wound closure.39:18 – Serious eye injuries require urgent specialist care.43:22 – Limited experience with ophthalmology as a student.48:07 – Discussing teeth and vision care with an empathetic expert.

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome back to "Ditch the Labcoat," the podcast where we cut through the medical jargon to bring you clear, actionable insights on health and wellness. I'm your host, Dr. Mark Bonta, and today, we're diving deep into the complex world of type 2 diabetes with our esteemed guest, Dr. Satya Dash.In this episode, we'll explore how even simple changes, like short bursts of post-meal activity, can significantly improve insulin sensitivity and control blood glucose levels. We'll also bust the myth that sugary snacks are the real culprits behind kids going hyper on Halloween, and instead, look at the role excitement and events play.From the multi-faceted approach required for managing type 2 diabetes, including lifestyle changes, advanced medications, and the promising role of bariatric surgery, to the future trends in diabetes treatment with groundbreaking hormonal modulators, this episode has it all. Dr. Dash will also share insights from an intensive 12-week program based on the UK's Direct Study that has shown impressive diabetes remission rates.We'll discuss the role of caloric surplus in weight gain, the effectiveness of early intervention, and the challenges of sustaining long-term weight loss—touching on everything from genetic predispositions to the importance of individualized treatment plans.So hunker down and get ready to ditch that lab coat mentality as we uncover the truths about managing and potentially reversing type 2 diabetes. Stay tuned for an informative and unscripted dialogue designed to bring a scientific skepticism to the latest healthcare trends. Let's get started!05:28 – Excess calories cause organ fat, leading to insulin resistance.06:41 – Excess calories are stored differently by genetics.10:11 – Various tests diagnose diabetes and prediabetes status.14:13 – Does healthcare prioritize prevention or immediate treatment?16:06 – Meal replacement aids type 2 diabetes remission.20:20 – Weight loss primes overeating; habits revert easily.23:13 – Diabetes management improves health, despite temporary remissions.27:58 – Managing diabetes requires medication beyond conversation.31:43 – Surgery aids health; underutilized yet validated.34:18 – Various procedures offer health benefits for diabetes.37:29 – Tirzepatide reduces A1C; costly but effective.39:38 – Oral drugs may surpass injections, surgery options.46:07 – Episodes are unscripted, conversational, occasionally require guidance.47:25 – Simplifying complex topics for understanding diabetes management.

In the true crime space, we have noticed the creep of misinformation and conspiratorial thinking. It's not always easy to spot, though. Critical thinking can help us all engage better with stories about law and crime. But how can we start engaging in critical thinking around our favorite genre? Today's guest, Dr. Steven Novella, can help. Dr. Novella is a clinical neurologist at Yale University School of Medicine. He's also one of the hosts of the podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe. We'll talk to him about how to spot a con job, our adversarial criminal justice system, Occam's razor, and the appeal of conspiracy theories. Learn more about Dr. Novella and his podcast The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe here: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/Check out the Science-Based Medicine website here: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow by Dr. Steven Novella, Jay Novella, and Bob Novella: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542Read the other book from the Novella brothers: The Skeptics' Guide to the Future: What Yesterday's Science and Science Fiction Tell Us about the World of Tomorrow: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-skeptics-guide-to-the-future-what-yesterday-s-science-and-science-fiction-tell-us-about-the-world-of-tomorrow-steven-novella/18588557?ean=9781538709542Read the other books that Dr. Novella mentioned!The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-demon-haunted-world-science-as-a-candle-in-the-dark-ann-druyan/6315853?ean=9780345409461Why People Believe Weird Things: Pseudoscience, Superstition, and Other Confusions of Our Time by Michael Shermer: https://bookshop.org/p/books/why-people-believe-weird-things-pseudoscience-superstition-and-other-confusions-of-our-time-michael-shermer/11054136?ean=9780805070897Nonsense on Stilts by Massimo Pigliucci: https://bookshop.org/p/books/nonsense-on-stilts-massimo-pigliucci/8283291?ean=9780226495996Support The Murder Sheet by buying a t-shirt here: https://www.murdersheetshop.com/Send tips to murdersheet@gmail.com.The Murder Sheet is a production of Mystery Sheet LLC .See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome to "Ditch the Lab Coat," the podcast where we dive deep into health issues and medical discussions with leading experts.In today's episode, Dr. Mark Bonta chats with psychiatrist Dr. Nik Grujich, who specializes in mood and anxiety disorders and directs mental health programs at the University of Toronto.Together, they'll explore the intricacies of prolonged exposure therapy for PTSD, the evolutionary roots of anxiety, and the line between normal and abnormal behavior. They'll also tackle the impact of modern technology on children's mental health, delve into the complexities of diagnosing mental health conditions using the DSM and ICD, and highlight the resilience of the human mind.From personal stories and cultural insights to professional perspectives on mental well-being, this conversation promises a comprehensive look at the ways our minds cope with adversity and how therapeutic techniques can foster resilience. Plus, hear their engaging discussion on the role of cognitive behavioral therapy and the promising future of biomarkers in mental health diagnosis and personalized care.Get ready for an enlightening and thought-provoking episode that underscores the importance of holistic health and the powerful intersection between our minds, behavior, and physical well-being. Join us for this compelling conversation on "Ditch the Lab Coat" with Dr. Nik Grujich!Timestamps :06:52 Immigrant upbringing, limited discussion, led to psychiatry.11:11 Socialization and nurturing have evolutionary and practical aspects.19:40 Anxiety leads to checking and relief.20:34 Obsessive compulsive disorder: intrusive thoughts, rituals, distress.27:11 Anxiety linked to evolution and survival instincts.36:39 Anxiety disorders, specific phobias, and PTSD.38:15 Specific phobias may not be relevant.43:53 Parents struggle to address their children's anxiety.52:08 Anxiety treatment involves trust, support, and challenge.57:07 Flooding therapy works, especially for PTSD treatment.01:01:35 Rick Arsenault, a specialist in internal medicine, leads advanced training for unexplained symptoms nationwide. His approach integrates mind and body, with remarkable results, including lower recurrence of heart attacks compared to medication use.01:05:26 Fascination with normal and abnormal human behavior.

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Welcome to another episode of "Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta," where we critically examine health issues with a scientific lens, always reminding our listeners that this podcast does not replace professional medical services. Today, we delve into Part 2 of our conversation with Dr. Ric Arseneau, an expert on chronic conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.In this episode, Dr. Arseneau tackles the many misconceptions medical students and residents often hold about fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, two conditions frequently dismissed as mere psychological issues. He highlights the importance of recognizing these ailments as legitimate medical conditions and discusses the challenges patients face, both from the healthcare system and societal perceptions.Dr. Arseneau provides an in-depth look at the nature of central sensitivity syndromes and their treatments, advocating cognitive behavioral therapy and other behavioral therapies. He notes the crucial role of attitude over mere labeling of conditions, emphasizing a treatment approach focusing on remission.The conversation also covers the fight or flight system's influence on these conditions and highlights the importance of neuroplasticity, stress management, and self-care. Both Dr. Arseneau and Dr. Bonta discuss the significant impacts of small traumas, administrative burdens, and legal stresses on physician burnout and overall health.Moreover, Dr. Arseneau shares his initiatives, such as setting up neuroplasticity support groups, underscoring the power of group therapy despite the lack of extensive evidence. They discuss systematic issues within the healthcare system, the importance of good evidence-based interventions, and the hope for improved access to care for conditions like long COVID.In this informative installment, we also touch on the widespread benefits of mental care for physical health, the effects of neuroinflammation and neuroplasticity, and the low-cost, low-risk interventions like cyclic sighing. Dr. Bonta thoughtfully reflects on applying these insights to his practice and daily life to help patients and listeners alike build mental resilience.Join us as we explore how understanding, evidence-based treatment, and compassion can greatly improve the quality of life for patients with chronic conditions, challenging the existing healthcare paradigms and cultural misconceptions. Don't miss this enlightening discussion that promises to leave you with practical tips and hope for a brighter, more inclusive future in healthcare.Episode Timestamps :00:00 Healthcare expert discusses fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.03:25 Insightful interview with Dr. Rick Arsenault.07:12 Somatic symptom disorder misdiagnosed for unexplained symptoms.11:22 Impaired physical capacity affects societal support.15:48 Support groups provide crucial validation and understanding.17:40 Changing attitudes towards fibromyalgia treatment is crucial.22:48 Refrains from using "cure," emphasizes "remission."24:37 Inadequate support for central sensitivity syndromes in Canada.27:19 Zebra-escape prompts return to neurobaseline, program options.30:22 Vagal system, tone, and nerve for alternative treatments.34:00 Be cautious of costly, invasive health recommendations.37:25 Physician burnout due to non-clinical challenges.42:47 Early stress leads to serious health issues.46:56 Future of patient care for syndromes discussed.50:32 Remote recording lacks personal in-person nuances.54:29 Promote mental resilience and physical well-being. 

Dr. Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent tackle the contentious issue of school closures during the COVID-19 pandemic. They explore the narrative that school closures were merely a choice influenced by cautious politicians and unions, contrasting it with the reality that the virus itself forced many schools to shut down. The hosts discuss the devastating effects on students, teachers, and families, highlighting cases of illness, death, and the rise in COVID orphans.    They also criticize certain medical professionals for advocating mass infection strategies and collaborating with child labor proponents. The episode aims to debunk pandemic revisionism and emphasize the real costs of the pandemic on education and public health.   Resources "COVID has left thousands of U.S. children orphans. Few states are addressing the crisis," The Guardian, 2023. "New York City students are missing school in record numbers," The New York Times, 2021. "Child COVID deaths more than doubled in Florida as kids returned to the classroom," Politico, 2021. "Teen Suicide Plummeted During COVID-19 School Closures, New Study Finds," Forbes, 2023. "Let the Kids Work," Jeffrey Tucker, 2016. "Was Closing Schools an Obvious and Colossal Mistake?" Science-Based Medicine, 2022. "We Want Them Infected: The Realities of COVID-19 School Policies," We Want Them Infected Podcast, 2024. "The case against COVID tests for the young and healthy," Jay Bhattacharya and Martin Kulldorf, 2020. "Should we let children catch Omicron?" Vinay Prasad, 2022. "Leak Brownstone Institute Emails Reveal Support for Child Labor and Underage Smoking," Walker Bragman, 2022. Connect with us further on https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/jonathanhoward/  The Fine Print: The content presented in the "We Want Them Infected" Podcast and associated book is intended for informational and educational purposes only.    The views and opinions expressed by the speakers, hosts, and guests on the podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the creators, producers, or distributors. The information provided in this podcast should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical, scientific, or legal advice. Listeners and readers are encouraged to consult with relevant experts and authorities for specific guidance and information.   The creators of the podcast and book have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date. However, as the field of medical science and the understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve, there may be new developments and insights that are not covered in this content.   The creators are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. They disclaim any liability for any loss, injury, or damage incurred by individuals who rely on the content.   Listeners and readers are urged to use their judgment and conduct their own research when interpreting the information presented in the "We Want Them Infected" podcast and book. It is essential to stay informed about the latest updates, guidelines, and recommendations related to COVID-19 and vaccination from reputable sources, such as government health agencies and medical professionals. By accessing and using the content, you acknowledge and accept the terms of this disclaimer.   Please consult with appropriate experts and authorities for specific guidance on matters related to health, science, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.       Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. Introduction to our guestToday, we dive deep into the world of cardiac surgery with our esteemed guest, Dr. Bobby Yanagawa, Division Head of Cardiac Surgery at St. Michael's Hospital. This episode unpacks the thrilling, yet demanding life of a heart surgeon, exploring everything from the adrenaline of emergency surgeries to the finesse required for elective procedures. Dr. Yanagawa, distinguished for his mastery in the realm of heart health, shares his insights on managing heart disease risk factors and the advances in surgical technology like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). We'll also touch on the emotional weight of decision-making in life-threatening treatments, and how surgeons like Dr. Yanagawa navigate the complexities of patient care. Moreover, beyond the scalpel and sutures, we discuss the critical balance between personal life and professional dedication, aiming to unearth the reality of medical practice in contrast to its often sensationalized portrayals. So, tune in as we explore the heart of the matter on "Ditch the Labcoat."Episode Breakdown : The discussion opens with Dr. Yanagawa comparing the intensive concentration required in the operating room to entering a martial arts dojo, a place where focus is paramount and the external world fades away. This analogy extends into a broader discussion on the parallels between martial arts and medical education, emphasizing humility, continual learning, and respect for expertise.Moving through the intricacies of heart health, the conversation covers a wide array of topics, from the technological advancements in procedures like Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) to the challenges of maintaining a work-life balance in such a demanding field. Dr. Yanagawa shares insights into the surgical intricacies of managing acute emergencies like aortic dissections and the bread-and-butter of elective coronary bypass procedures.A significant portion of the dialogue focuses on the ethical and emotional dimensions of heart surgery, particularly regarding patient interactions and the decision-making process concerning surgical risks and life expectancy. The emotional weight of conveying the realities of heart surgery to patients and their families highlights the profound impact of medical professionalism and empathy in clinical practice.Moreover, Dr. Yanagawa reflects on the broader implications of modern lifestyle choices on health, contrasting today's sedentary habits with the more active, hunter-gatherer past, and how these shifts contribute to chronic health issues. This serves as a springboard into a deeper discussion on the interplay between genetics, lifestyle, and preventive health care.As the episode winds down, both doctors discuss the future of heart surgery, including the potential for growing organs in labs and the evolving role of artificial hearts. The conversation also touches on the use of different heart valves, from pig and cow valves to mechanical options, outlining the considerations that guide their use in different patient scenarios.Throughout the episode, Dr. Bonta and Dr. Yanagawa repeatedly circle back to the importance of deriving purpose from their work and the intrinsic motivation needed to navigate the pressures of the medical field. The episode not only sheds light on the technical and ethical facets of cardiac surgery but also humanizes the surgeons behind the scalpel, revealing their passions, challenges, and the delicate balance they maintain between saving lives and living their own.Topics Covered 1. Introduction to Guest and Episode Focus   - Introduction of Dr. Bobby Yanagawa, a division head of cardiac surgery at St. Michael's Hospital   - Overview of the episode's focus on heart surgery, health management, and the reality of healthcare.2. The Reality of a Surgical Career   - Dr. Yanagawa's excitement for elective and emergency procedures.   - Challenges and rewards of being a cardiothoracic surgeon and internist.3. Impact of Modern Lifestyle on Health   - Discussion on how modern living contrasts with hunter-gatherer lifestyles.   - Evolutionary lifestyle effects on human health.4. Handling Medical Emergencies and Procedures   - The thrill and pressures of dealing with medical emergencies.   - Mortality risks and emotional dimensions of discussing life-threatening treatments.5. Surgical Decision-Making and Ethics   - Patient reactions and emotional impacts when facing serious health decisions.   - Consulting with colleagues on borderline cases and ethical considerations in healthcare.6. Advancements in Medical Technology   - Discussion on the potential of growing blood vessels and organs in labs.   - Technological advancements like transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR).7. Education and Mentorship in Medicine   - Importance of providing proper feedback and support to medical learners.   - Drawing parallels between martial arts training and medical education.8. Personal Motivations and Career Choices   - Dr. Yanagawa's personal reasons for becoming a heart surgeon.   - The day-to-day realities and the diversities within the medical field.9. Health Management and Chronic Diseases   - Importance of medication adherence in managing diabetes.   - The role of lifestyle modifications in managing chronic diseases.10. Work-Life Balance and Burnout    - Importance of balancing professional obligations with personal life.    - Strategies to avoid burnout and maintain a fulfilling career.11. Discussion on Heart Valves and Prostheses    - Different types of heart valves and their suitability for various patients.    - Future possibilities and current limitations of artificial heart technology.12. Concluding Thoughts    - Reflections on deriving purpose from work and making a difference.    - Recap of the importance of a real understanding of the healthcare profession beyond media portrayals.This sequence offers a structured breakdown of the episode's discussion, providing a clear roadmap for listeners to understand the complexities and nuances of a career in heart surgery as well as broader healthcare issues.

Hosts Jonathan Howard and Wendy Orent critically examine the strategy of intentionally infecting unvaccinated populations to reach herd immunity. The discussion revisits predictions made by health experts in the early stages of the pandemic, highlighting how optimistic expectations often fell short in the face of evolving challenges, such as the emergence of new variants. The conversation covers significant dates and statements from various health experts, analyzing their implications and the reality of their outcomes. The hosts discuss the ethical and practical considerations of exposing children and young adults to the virus, questioning the morality and feasibility of such approaches. Reflecting on the journey of the pandemic, the episode emphasizes the complexity of herd immunity as a concept and its role in public health strategy. It calls for a nuanced understanding of herd immunity, recognizing the importance of vaccination and the limitations of natural infection in controlling the spread of COVID-19. Through this detailed examination, "We Want Them Infected" provides listeners with a comprehensive understanding of herd immunity, challenging previous assumptions and advocating for a more cautious and evidence-based approach to ending the pandemic.   List of Resources Articles by health experts mentioned in the podcast (e.g., Dr. John Ioannidis, Marty McCary, Monica Gandhi, Dr. Lucy McBride). Science-Based Medicine website for articles on herd immunity and COVID-19 predictions. Johns Hopkins resources on herd immunity and vaccination strategies. The Great Barrington Declaration and its frequently asked questions for perspectives on herd immunity. CDC and WHO guidance on COVID-19, vaccination, and herd immunity. Research studies on the effectiveness of natural immunity and vaccination against COVID-19 variants.   Connect with us further on jonathanhowardmd.com  The Fine Print: The content presented in the "We Want Them Infected" Podcast and associated book is intended for informational and educational purposes only.    The views and opinions expressed by the speakers, hosts, and guests on the podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the creators, producers, or distributors. The information provided in this podcast should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical, scientific, or legal advice. Listeners and readers are encouraged to consult with relevant experts and authorities for specific guidance and information.   The creators of the podcast and book have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date. However, as the field of medical science and the understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve, there may be new developments and insights that are not covered in this content.   The creators are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. They disclaim any liability for any loss, injury, or damage incurred by individuals who rely on the content.   Listeners and readers are urged to use their judgment and conduct their own research when interpreting the information presented in the "We Want Them Infected" podcast and book. It is essential to stay informed about the latest updates, guidelines, and recommendations related to COVID-19 and vaccination from reputable sources, such as government health agencies and medical professionals. By accessing and using the content, you acknowledge and accept the terms of this disclaimer.   Please consult with appropriate experts and authorities for specific guidance on matters related to health, science, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Dr. Jonathan Howard takes a solo dive into the rationale behind some medical professionals' controversial endorsement of natural COVID-19 infection over vaccination to achieve herd immunity. Addressing a query from a listener, the podcast episode aims to uncover the motivations behind such a high-risk strategy, beyond the commonly cited reasons of greed and political influence. Throughout the episode, Howard examines the stance of several respected doctors from prestigious institutions who surprisingly supported the notion of purposeful exposure to the virus among the unvaccinated, particularly children and young adults. This approach starkly contrasts with the global push for vaccination and stringent public health measures. Central to the discussion is Dr. John Ioannidis, known for his early pandemic research that suggested COVID-19's infection fatality rate was significantly lower than initially feared, likening it to that of seasonal influenza. Ioannidis's viewpoints, including skepticism towards lockdowns and the emphasis on the severe potential side effects of pandemic containment measures, are dissected to understand the underpinning logic of the pro-infection movement. Howard critically navigates through Ioannidis's and others' assertions, contrasting them with the devastating impact of COVID-19 as it unfolded, highlighting the dangers of underestimating the virus's lethality and overestimating herd immunity's achievability without vaccines. The episode concludes on a reflective note, pondering the lessons learned from this pandemic approach and the importance of humility and adaptability in the face of evolving scientific evidence.   List of Resources: Perspectives on the Pandemic, Dr. John Ioannidis Interview on YouTube. COVID-19 Antibody Seroprevalence in Santa Clara County, California - Study by Dr. John Ioannidis. The Great Barrington Declaration website. Science-Based Medicine blog - Analysis and critique of pandemic responses. CDC COVID-19 Response - Official data and guidelines. WHO COVID-19 Dashboard - Global statistics and research updates. "Coronavirus Disease 2019: The Harms of Exaggerated Information and Non-Evidence Based Measures" - Article by Dr. John Ioannidis. The Washington Post - Articles discussing Dr. Ioannidis's pandemic viewpoints. Stat News - "A Fiasco in the Making? As the Coronavirus Pandemic Takes Hold, We Are Making Decisions Without Reliable Data" by Dr. John Ioannidis. Fareed Zakaria GPS - Interviews discussing the pandemic response. Connect with us further on jonathanhowardmd.com  The Fine Print: The content presented in the "We Want Them Infected" Podcast and associated book is intended for informational and educational purposes only.    The views and opinions expressed by the speakers, hosts, and guests on the podcast do not necessarily reflect the views of the creators, producers, or distributors. The information provided in this podcast should not be considered as a substitute for professional medical, scientific, or legal advice. Listeners and readers are encouraged to consult with relevant experts and authorities for specific guidance and information.   The creators of the podcast and book have made reasonable efforts to ensure that the information provided is accurate and up to date. However, as the field of medical science and the understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to evolve, there may be new developments and insights that are not covered in this content.   The creators are not responsible for any errors or omissions in the content or for any actions taken based on the information provided. They disclaim any liability for any loss, injury, or damage incurred by individuals who rely on the content.   Listeners and readers are urged to use their judgment and conduct their own research when interpreting the information presented in the "We Want Them Infected" podcast and book. It is essential to stay informed about the latest updates, guidelines, and recommendations related to COVID-19 and vaccination from reputable sources, such as government health agencies and medical professionals.   By accessing and using the content, you acknowledge and accept the terms of this disclaimer.   Please consult with appropriate experts and authorities for specific guidance on matters related to health, science, and the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Welcome to Ditch the Lab Coat with Dr. Mark Bonta, the podcast that delves into science-based medicine and health skepticism. In this episode, we'll explore the question of whether your doctor practices what they preach when it comes to health advice. From diet tips to exercise routines and vaccination choices, we'll uncover what's really happening behind the scenes. Join us as top healthcare experts engage in lively debates on the latest medical issues and make complex concepts accessible to all. Don't miss out on the new episode every Wednesday, available on your favorite streaming platform or at Labcoat FM.DISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.                                                  >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.                                                                                  Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (Podkind.co) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. © 2024 ditchthelabcoat.com - All Rights Reserved 

Jonathan Howard is a neurologist and psychiatrist who practices at NYU-Bellevue and posts frequently on Science Based Medicine.Transcript, unedited, with links to audioEric Topol (00:05):Well, hello, Eric Topol with Ground Truths and I'm really pleased to have the chance to talk with Jonathan Howard today, who is a neurologist and psychiatrist at NYU at Bellevue and has written quite an amazing book published a few months months ago called We Want Them Infected, so welcome Jonathan.Jonathan Howard (00:27):Hey, thanks so much for having me. I really appreciate it.Eric Topol (00:30):Yeah, I mean, there's so much to talk about because we're still in the throes of the pandemic with this current wave at least by wastewater levels and no reason to think it isn't by infections at least the second largest in the pandemic course. I guess I want to start off first with you being into the neuropsychiatric world. How did you become, obviously caring for patients with Covid, but how did you decide to become a Covidologist?Jonathan Howard (00:59):Well, I developed a strong interest in the anti-vaccine movement of all things about a decade ago when a doctor who I trained with here at NYU in Bellevue morphed into one of the country's biggest anti-vaccine doctors a woman by the name of Dr. Kelly Brogan. I knew her well and we were friends; She was smart and after she left NYU in Bellevue, she became one of the country's most outspoken anti-vaccine doctors and really started leaving off the wall things that germ theory didn't exist, that HIV doesn't cause AIDS. When Covid struck, she felt that SARS-CoV-2 was not killing people because she doesn't believe any virus kills people and so I became very fascinated about how smart people can believe strange, incorrect things and I dedicated myself to learning everything that I could about the anti-vaccine movement. In 2018, I wrote a book chapter on the anti-vaccine movement with law professor Dorit Reiss.(02:01):And so when the pandemic came around, I was really prepared for all of their arguments, but I got two very important things wrong. I thought the anti-vaccine movement would shrink. I was wrong about that and I was also really caught off guard by the fact that a lot of mainstream physicians started to parrot pandemic anti-vaccine talking points. So all of the stuff that I'd heard about measles and the HPV vaccine, these are benign viruses, the vaccines weren't tested, blah, blah, blah. I started hearing from professors at Stanford, Harvard, UCSF, Johns Hopkins, all about Covid and the Covid vaccine.Eric Topol (02:40):Yeah, we're going to get to some of the leading institutions and individuals within them and how they were part of this, and surprisingly too, of course. Before we do that in the title of your book, We Want Them Infected, it seems to bring in particularly the Great Barrington Declaration that is just protect the vulnerable elderly and don't worry about the rest. Can you restate that declaration and whether that's a core part of what you were writing about?Jonathan Howard (03:21):Yeah, the title of the book is to be taken literally. It comes from a quote by Dr. Paul Alexander, who was an epidemiologist in the Trump administration and he said in July 4th, 2020, before anyone had been vaccinated, infants, kids, teens, young people, young adults, middle age with no conditions, et cetera, have zero to little risk so we want to use them to develop herd, we want them infected. This was formalized in the Great Barrington Declaration, which was written by three doctors, our epidemiologist, none of whom cared for Covid patients, Jay Bhattacharya at Stanford, Martin Kulldorf who at the time was at Harvard, and Sunetra Gupta who is at Oxford. If I could state their plan in the most generous terms, it would be the following that Covid is much more dangerous for certain people, but we can relatively easily identify older people and people with underlying conditions.(04:19):It's much more benign for a healthy 10-year-old, for example and their idea was that you could separate these two groups, the vulnerable and the not vulnerable. If the not vulnerable people were allowed to catch the virus develop natural immunity that would create herd immunity. They said that this would occur in three to six months and in that time, once herd immunity had been achieved, the vulnerable people who have been in theory sheltering at home are in otherwise safe places could reenter society. So it was really the best of both worlds because lives would be saved and schools would be open, the economy would be open. It sounded very good on paper, kind of like my idea of stopping crime by locking up all the bad guys. What could go wrong? It was a very short document. It took about maybe an hour to write.(05:17):I imagine there were some nefarious forces behind it. One of the main instigators of it was a man by the name of Jeffrey Tucker, who sounds like a cartoon villain and he worked at the, I forget, is the American Enterprise Research Institute. It was some right-wing think tank and he is a literally pro child labor. He wrote an article in 2016 called Let the Kids Work, which suggested that children drop out of school to work at Walmart and Chick-fil-A I'm not making that up and he's overtly pro child smoking. He feels that children, teenagers should smoke because it's cool and then they can quit in their twenties before there are any bad harms from it. Needless to say, the Great Barrington's premises that one infection led to permanent immunity didn't really work out so well, but they were very influential. They had already met with President Trump in August of 2020 and the day after their Great Barrington Declaration was signed, they were invited to the White House. This was October 5th, 2020 to meet with Secretary Human Health and Secretary Services, Alex Azar, and they are advisors to Ron DeSantis. They became mini celebrities over the course of the pandemic and it was a very pro infectious movement. As I said, the title of the book, We Want Them Infected, and they did.Eric Topol (06:42):Right. In fact, I debated Martin Kulldorf, one of the three principals of the Great Barrington Declaration. It was interesting because if you go back to that debate we brought out, at least I tried to highlight the many flaws in this. You've mentioned at least one major flaw, which was to this virus. There's not a long-term immunity built by infections. It's just, as we say with vaccines the immunity for neutralizing antibody production and protection from infections and severe Covid is limited duration for four to six months, and at least for the antibodies and maybe the T-cell immunity is longer, but that doesn't necessarily kick in and quickly. So that was one major flaw, but there are many others, so maybe you could just take that apart further. For example, I like your analogy to lock up all the bad guys, but compartmentalizing people is not so easy in life and I think this is a significant concern of the idea that is, while you indicated there may be some merits if things went as planned, but what else was a flaw of that argument or proposition?Jonathan Howard (08:11):So yeah, this could be a 10-hour conversation and I think importantly, we don't have to speak hypothetically here. A lot of defenders of the Great Barrington Declaration will say, oh, we never tried it, but they promised that herd immunity would arrive in three to six months after lockdowns ended. So we don't have to speak theoretically about what would've happened had we done it. Lockdowns ended a while ago and we don't have herd immunity. They were very clear on this. Dr. Kulldorf tweeted in December 2020 that if we use focus protection, the pandemic will be over in three to six months. So, what could have gone wrong if about 250 million unvaccinated Americans contracted Covid simultaneously in October and November of 2020? A lot of things, as we said, they dichotomized people into vulnerable and not vulnerable, but of course it exists on this. The only bad outcome they recognized was death.(09:11):They felt that either you died or you had the sniffle for a few days and you emerged unscathed. Separating vulnerable people from not vulnerable people is a lot easier than it sounds and I think by way of comparison, look at the mRNA vaccine trials. You can read their protocols and the protocols for these trials were 300-400 pages of dense policies and procedures. The Great Barrington Declaration, if you go to their frequently asked questions section, they made some suggestions, which sound great, like older people should have food delivered at home during times of high transmission, but setting up a national or even statewide food delivery program, that's a lot harder than it sounds. When asked about that later, Dr. Bhattacharya has said they could have used DoorDash, for example. So it was just very clear that no serious thought went into this because it was really an unactionable thing.(10:21):It's not as if public health officials had billions of dollars at their disposal and they weren't many dictators. They couldn't set up home food delivery programs overnight like they suggested and two months after the Great Barrington Declaration was published, vaccines became available so it became obsolete. Not that vaccines have turned out to be the perfect panacea that we had hoped for, unfortunately, but the idea that young people should continue to try to get natural low immunity in favor instead of vaccination became at that point obscene, but they still are anti-vaccine for young people and for children, which I find despicable at this point.Eric Topol (11:07):Right, the data is unequivocal that there's benefit across the board. In fact, just last week in JAMA two senior people at FDA, Peter Marks and Robert Califf published the graphs of how across all ages there was reduction in mortality with the vaccines. That gets us to, as you say now into the vaccine era of Covid and one of the things that the anti-vax community jumped on was when we moved from Delta to Omicron where previous Omicron, there was exceptionally good protection from infections, 95%. It was rare for people to get to have spread with the up-to-date vaccine with the third original strain booster. But with Omicron that fell apart and if infections were breakthroughs were exceedingly common, this led to tremendous fodder for the anti-vax saying the vaccines don't work beyond the false claims that they were, whether they're killing people or gene therapy or microchips or all these other crazy notions. But can you talk to that? Because if you still protect against deaths, Long Covid and hospitalizations, that seems to be pretty important. It's disappointing, and obviously we need ways to prevent infections or otherwise we don't really have an effective exit strategy for the pandemic. This was used and still is used today as a reason that vaccines are worthless if indeed, they're not even dangerous.Jonathan Howard (12:55):The vaccines when they were initially came out, as we all know, were 95% effective, but the vaccines were brand new and the virus was brand new. All of this was less than a year old and what's interesting is, unfortunately, I realized this after I wrote my book, but I published an article about this on Science-Based Medicine where I've been blogging throughout the pandemic. So, if anyone can go there, I wrote an article on October 1st, 2023, called over-hyping vaccines it wasn't pro-vaccine it was pro stop worrying about Covid. So almost all of the doctors that I mentioned in this book vastly overhyped vaccines as soon as they came out saying they were 100% effective against severe disease, that they completely blocked transmission and just really overselling the vaccine saying that they're going to definitely end the pandemic and mocking anyone who disagreed. Now these doctors are saying, oh, there's a lack of trust in the medical community.(13:57):We need to rebuild trust without holding a mirror to their statements. Dr. Bhattacharya, for example, participated in a round table discussion with Governor Ron DeSantis at the very end of July. On August 1st, 2021, Ron DeSantis tweeted out a quote by Dr. Bhattacharya that said, we have protected the vulnerable by vaccinating the older population. We have provided them with enormous protection against severe disease and death. That's why you see, even as the cases have risen in Sweden, blah, blah, blah, we've protected the vulnerable. The number of deaths have not risen proportionally and this was right when the Delta wave was taking off within. This is the one thing that was interesting, this pandemic, because you had people make prediction and within days their predictions were falsified. That was a tragic thing to see, but that's 20,000 Floridians or some number like that died during the Delta wave in Florida. More Floridians died after Dr. Bhattacharya said the vulnerable have been protected than before that. So I think there was a lot of over-hyping in the vaccines, and I get where this came from. We as doctors, we wanted everyone to get the vaccines. We wanted to encourage everyone to get the vaccine. I probably did this myself at some times, but I do think that that was a problem, but the same doctors who are now saying that the vaccines were overhyped and were often guilty of them.Eric Topol (15:35):Right. Well, I mean, I think as you said, we didn't know the virus is going to evolve with this Omicron event with well over 35 new mutations in the spike protein, no less other parts of the virus and then of course, recently we saw another superimposed Omicron event with this BA.2.86 or JN.1 variant. The problem with this of the vaccine takedown, and as you well know because you've been studying this for more than Covid, is that it extended to many other parts of the pandemic, such as masks, such as there's no such thing as Long Covid or it's exceptionally rare and it bleeds through other areas. So could you comment about that? That is the anti-science. It's not just anti-vax.Jonathan Howard (16:30):No, you're absolutely right. I don't talk a lot about Long Covid just because I think a lot of other people do a much better job of that. I have a hard time grasping the numbers myself. You'll read one study, it's one in a thousand, you'll read another study. Oh, 50% of people have Long Covid. My attitude towards Long Covid is I don't know exactly how many people have it, but some people are severely affected by it. We have a lot to learn about it, this is a brand new virus. We are going to be learning about this the rest of our lives, especially the consequences of repeat infections. A baby born today is going to be infected, what? 10 times by the time they go away to college. Who knows what are going to be the consequences of that? What does this mean for autoimmunity?(17:15):So my attitude with Long Covid and the long-term consequences are we just have to be very humble about this and again, all of the doctors who I discussed were very arrogant about this. They were writing in as early as March 2020 that school closures may prevent children from developing herd immunity. They spoke about infections as being beneficial for children, but you're right as well that these doctors cast doubt on all in any measures that were used to stop the virus masks, testing, ventilation, lockdowns. One of their core objections wasn't that they didn't feel that these were ineffective necessarily. They objected to lockdowns precisely because they stopped the spread of the virus, so you can read some articles from Scott Atlas in April 2020. He wrote several articles in the Hill, that publication saying it's time to stop the panic, et cetera. If people were as if panic was a bad reaction to Covid, as morgues were overflowing with dead bodies, panic was the right action. He said that the lockdowns have stopped Covid from spreading and stopped natural immunity from developing, which prevents us from reaching herd immunity. So again, these guys and the authors of the Great Barrington Declaration objected to lockdown saying they just postponed the inevitable, which there may be some truth to that. Probably everyone here has been infected by Covid at least one time, but postponing the inevitable, that's what I go to work every day trying to do.Eric Topol (19:04):And you could say a lot for putting off an infection, of course, as long as possible. And of course, even trying to put it off forever, because as you know very well, as we went on in the pandemic, we learned a lot then there was treatments such as paxlovid and far better treatments that were available for severe Covid, many randomized trials to help prevent deaths for people who were of high risk. The other thing that I guess I can't emphasize enough, and you had a whole chapter in the book, which is about children, kids, they're not so intrinsically protected. They can die, they can be hospitalized and there have been many deaths among them from Covid, even those who don't have coexisting conditions. So maybe you could talk a little bit about that, the flaw in that it's only people of advanced age or immunocompromised and that young people are bulletproof. That doesn't seem to be the case in reviewing all the data throughout the pandemic.Jonathan Howard (20:12):I mean, just to reemphasize the point that you made, that someone who gets Covid today, especially if they're vaccinated and boosted is in much better shape than someone who gets Covid, who got Covid in March or April 2020. The same way I hope someone who gets Covid in the year 2030 is going to be in better shape than we are today. But yes, back to pediatric Covid, the risk to any individual child is very small. So my kids have it, my nieces and nephews had it. I wasn't particularly worried and they fortunately had very mild disease, but there's 73 million children in the United States, and when you multiply a rare event by 73 million children, the numbers began to add up. So far around 2,000 children have died of Covid, which is comparable to what measles used to do before. In the pre pandemic days, hundreds of thousands of children have been hospitalized, and depending on the variant, about a third have needed ICU care.(21:15):And five to 10% have been intubated. Some children have had strokes, some children have had amputations. So it's not as bad, it's not as bad as car deaths. It's not as bad as bullets, but we don't have vaccines for those conditions and the vaccine is not a panacea for children. Some vaccinated children have died, but it's like wearing a seatbelt. You can die in a car crash wearing a seatbelt, but your odds are greatly enhanced if you are wearing a seatbelt, but all of these doctors who in 2020 state to their name, to the idea that we could get rid of Covid by spreading Covid be the purposeful infection of children, were unwilling to recognize that the vaccine can help them. They use many different techniques to minimize the benefits of the vaccine. One was to say that it never demonstrated efficacy against hospitalizations and deaths in randomized controlled trials, which is true in as far as it goes because it is very hard to detect rare events in randomized controlled trials unless you do a study of 200 to 300,000 children as was done with the polio vaccine.(22:36):And they suggested that this should have been done, that we should have re-enrolled hundreds of thousands of children in these trials, which would've taken, I don't know, five, ten years. So that's number one. We now have about 30 observational studies, and they all show the same. And by the way, there were six randomized controlled trials of the vaccine in children involving about 25,000 children. So they're not small trial. As I said, there are about 30 trials from around the world showing that the vaccine observational trials, so observational studies, I should say, showing that the vaccine is not perfect, but it's very good at preventing rare but serious side effects or serious harms of Covid. As you know, there was just a large study out of Penn a couple days ago showing that the vaccine during the Delta in the Omicron wave was extremely effective at preventing children from entering the ICU.(23:36):They also treated rare mild vaccine side effects as a fate worse than death and I mean that very literally, the vaccine in young men can cause myocarditis, which is mild in about 90-95% of people with it. I'm unaware of a single American who has been known to have died from vaccine myocarditis. These doctors made dozens of YouTube videos and editorials and commentaries all saying what a catastrophe vaccine myocarditis was. How dare you minimize vaccine myocarditis. When they also wrote editorials saying, young people should not fear death from Covid, and they spoke about death from Covid as milder than vaccine myocarditis when talking about deaths from Covid, they would say, oh, it's less than suicide. More children drown every year. They would just all sorts of crazy double standards.Eric Topol (24:38):Right. One of the things that's extraordinary in the book, Jonathan, is that you have, it isn't like you're just writing text about it. You have all the quotes, you have all the tweets, you have all the articles. I don't know how you did that. I mean, were you keeping an active list of everything that was, I mean, I liken it to remember during in the Trump administration, there was a guy in CNN, I'm trying to remember his name.Jonathan Howard (25:09):Dale something.Eric Topol (25:10):Dale, yeah. And he had a fact check every day, and he kept track of everything. That was his job full time, but it seemed like you were the only one that has this record of every statement written on the topics that we're discussing. How did you do it?Jonathan Howard (25:35):Well, I did it through the blog at Science-Based Medicine is that I'd been collecting these statements starting in May 2021, and it just grew out of that. And so basically, the book is sort of a reorganization, everything that I've been writing on that blog and I will say that the fact that I have so many direct quotes has made it impossible for these doctors to refute me, because if I'm wrong, then they're right. If they're right, then we'll have herd immunity in three to six months once the lockdowns are lifted, reinfections are very rare. Variants are nothing to worry about and so they have to make that case. What they've tried to do is they've tried to do some revisionist history. So, for example, Dr. Jerome Adams, who was Trump's surgeon general, and turned out to be very reasonable guy, recently posted on Twitter, I'll still call it that, that Scott Atlas wanted to, and he was right, wanted to infect people to achieve herd immunity.(26:49):And Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and Dr. Vinay Prasad, who's a misinformation oncologist at UCSF, we're a gas. They said, oh no, he didn't want to purposely infect children. We just wanted schools open. The harms of school closures were just so great. So they cast themselves as these very benevolent, we were just looking out for the children. We never wanted them infected. I never said that, I never thought that, but all you have to do is just read their own words. The ones who have responded to me have responded just by childish insults, really just calling me names. I'm a schmuck, I'm a grifter, I'm a B-list Covid influencer. None of them have ever tried to engage with any of the content and all that would require them to do is stand up for their own words, which they won't.Eric Topol (27:46):Alright. Now, we touched on it early in our conversation, but what was one of the surprising things on the one hand there are anti-vaxxers, like RFK Jr. and people, as you mentioned, the person that you knew at NYU who went on, but then there were these surprise people who were at top academic medical centers in the country that went into misinformation campaigns, whether it was deliberate because it was associated with all sorts of attention, or whether it was misinterpretation of data. I don't understand, but can you speculate what's going on there and whether or not the universities involved should have been somehow engaging with these individuals?Jonathan Howard (28:39):Yeah, so it's tough for me to understand their motives. I do think that what made them more dangerous than someone like Kelly Brogan or RFK Jr. By the way, these two worlds, which I kind of treated as separate, they're beginning to merge with people like Joseph Ladapo, for example. So they're not as separate as they once were and Dr. Vinay Prasad has praised RFK Jr. saying he would destroy Dr. Peter Hotez, a hero of vaccines in the debate. I mean, it's crazy, crazy stuff up, but I think the guys who I write about were more dangerous in that they mixed good advice with bad advice. So they would say very sensible things like, yes, you have to protect grandma. Grandma has to get vaccinated with bad advice, that the vaccine is more dangerous than Covid for children, for example. They also are very good, eloquent speakers who can speak in scientific jargon and use the language of evidence-based medicine, someone like Kelly Brogan, for example, would say that she uses intuition and higher ways of knowing, and crystals and tarot cards, these guys don't do that.(29:51):If we were to discuss our general approach to medicine, it would be no different than ours, than anyone's. They would say, we try to use science, evidence, data, logic, and reason to reach the best conclusions. So I think that that made them more dangerous. Again, what do I think their motivations were? I think a lot of it is some of these guys are natural born contrarians, which means that they just have to be a little bit different, that when everyone else is saying X, they got to say Y and that served them well in the beginning, in most of their careers and we need people like that In medicine, I would say that Nobel Prize winner, Katalin Kariko, I am probably butchering her name, but the Hungarian woman who developed the mRNA vaccines maybe fits that profile and so we need people like that in medicine.(30:39):I also think they had a hard time admitting air when they drastically underestimated Covid at the start of the pandemic, and all of them did predicting 10,000 people would die predicting that it would be less severe than the flu. They had a hard time saying, oops, I was wrong. Some doctors did that. Famously, Dr. Paul Offit, another vaccine hero, said at the beginning of March, I believe, or early February 2020, that he thought the flu was going to be more dangerous than Covid and when he turned out to be wrong, he said, oops, I was wrong. You might as well make an ass of yourself in front of a million people. But I think these guys couldn't admit air and once they had committed themselves to a policy, the purposeful mass infection of unvaccinated youth, it was hard to backtrack from that. What are you going to say?(31:26):Oops, I was wrong, and young people suffered and died because of what I said. No, I'm not going to say that. I'm going to say the vaccine is more dangerous than the virus so I think it was a lot of that. In terms of what universities should do, they're at a bind because if they speak out against these people, they're experts at weaponizing their delusions of self-persecution. I've been silenced, I've been censored. We need, even though, like I said, they became mini celebrities and met with Trump and DeSantis and advised Governor Glenn Youngkin and they were all over the news. They're huge social media presences. They were everywhere, but where I was in a hospital with Covid patient. So I think that if universities speak out, they run the risk of the Streisand effect. It's called amplifying people inadvertently and allowing them to claim their precious victim status, but if they don't speak out, which they really haven't done, they run the risk of what they're saying is this person carries the aperture. Am I pronouncing that word of our university, that we feel that this person is competent to speak on our behalf which is a problem.Eric Topol (32:38):No, I think we've just seen that, of course, with the three institutions that the presidents were brought in about a whole different matter, and how they didn't necessarily speak out as they could have a totally different matter, of course. This is a real tough one as you've outlined as to whether leaders of university, for example, at Stanford, the faculty did stand up and say, we're not supporting Scott Atlas or this or that. This didn't really happen at other universities that we've touched on at least. So the individuals now going forward here, there's a much bigger story than just Covid, and it's the anti-science, anti-vax movement, which is very dangerous. I think most people who are reasonable reviewing the data would say vaccines are just extraordinary for preserving health, but we're seeing now this movement has gotten legs, it's gotten funding, it's organized, and you're well familiar with Peter Hotez's book who gets through some of that substantiates where this has been with autism and where it's going.(33:59):So one of the problems is that there hasn't been much in the way of any antidote, any aggressive response to basically you have the corrections, the real time, the hall of shame, if you will, of this misinformation to have fact checkers, to get the story straight and perhaps not governmental sponsored because that's also an area of uncertainty of trust in public health, but some type of agency that could take on a corrective effort for the public to know what's fact and what's not. What are your thoughts of how we can get out of this mess?Jonathan Howard (34:46):Oh, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. I think skepticism about the Covid vaccines, we're already seeing this as going to bleed into other vaccines. States are doing everything they can to get rid of what were once considered normal vaccine mandates. So I don't know how we're going to get out of it and I think any government agency designed to combat misinformation would become itself as, first of all, you got to be a little bit careful. We don't know who's going to be running that in 2025, right? I mean, Joseph Ladapo might be in charge of the government industry of misinformation depending on who wins election next. So we got to be careful with handing government that sort of, but I do think that more doctors need to do what I have done, what Dr. Peter Hotez has done, what you've done, what my mentor(35:37):Dr. David Gorski, who runs Science-Based Medicine and Steve Novella have done, which is to just speak out and to call out doctors. When we say, when we hear this misinformation, I think a lot of doctors are what we call shruggy, meaning they sort of shrug it off like, that person's kind of wacky. What are you going to do about it? But I think that we need to not tolerate it. We don't have to give them the victim status by saying, oh, you should be fired, you should be censored, this sort of thing, but just when these doctors make absurd statements by saying that the flu is more dangerous for children than Covid, we need to say no. Over the past three years, Covid has killed 2,000 children. The flu has killed about 300. 2,000 is bigger than 300. If I told you in 2019 virus A kills 2,000 people, virus B kills 300, you would not have a hard time answering that question and if you are trying to tell me now that the virus that killed 200 children is worse than the one that killed 2,000, that's absurd and we just shouldn't tolerate that sort of nonsense. I think that's the attitude that we need to have.Eric Topol (36:51):Yeah, I mean, I think it's very scary where we're headed, and it's ironic because we're seeing vaccine progression to pathogens never seen before, whether it's malaria, obviously, we have RSV vaccines and so many more that are coming. In addition, these same vaccines on the platform, whether it be mRNA and nanoparticles or proteins or whatnot, are being directed now to help amp up the immune response to cancer or to create vaccines that could help achieve tolerance to the immune system, an area that you work in multiple sclerosis and many other neurologic type one diabetes and on and on autoimmune conditions. So if we don't get this right, that if vaccines are trashed, we got some problems going forward.Jonathan Howard (37:46):We shouldn't call those vaccine. That's my suggestion number one. I'm half joking about that. We shouldn't. Sorry to cut you off, but yeah, we do have problems going forward, and like I said, I think it's going to get worse before it gets better and look at the Covid booster vaccination rates. I don't know what they are off the top of my head, but they're in the garbage.Eric Topol (38:08):19% in all Americans and we're one of the few countries that has it widely available for all adults, and only 35% in people 70 years and older, where there's a spike in hospitalizations right now that's comparable to the other waves of BA.2 and BA.5, and it's still rising. So yeah, the booster uptake has been very poor, especially in people at high risk. Absolutely right.Jonathan Howard (38:37):I think people have been influenced by the anti-vaccine movement, even when they don't recognize it. I think it's kind of permeated the culture because people have a very different attitude towards vaccines than they have to almost anything else in their life. I wouldn't say, for example, I don't need to go to the dentist again, because I went in 2020 and 2021 and 2022, I wouldn't say I don't need to go to the gym anymore because I went 10 times last year, for example. We recognize that there are certain things that we have to do for our health that have to be done on a frequent basis, and it's too bad that vaccination doesn't fit that bill. Again, I think one reason for this is that the vaccines were overhyped at the start of the pandemic, or at least in 2021, they were pitched as this panacea. This we're definitely going to solve things, and in retrospect, that was a mistake. We needed to proceed with a little bit more humility just about a brain. This is everyone's first pandemic, right?Eric Topol (39:35):Yeah. I mean, I think the unpredictability of the virus's evolution, which was very slow at first, and then of course it accelerated, was unforeseen and changed the entire profile of the protection forwarded by vaccines. I guess to wrap it up, Jonathan, I want to thank you for all the hard work you did to put this book together and your efforts to try to stand up for the evidence, the science that supports vaccines and the things that we can do to help preserve human health in a pandemic and beyond. I mean, in your practice of medicine that goes well, different and beyond a pathogen in caring for patients with neurologic conditions. I also, I guess would say I'm more hopeful that we will have oral nasal vaccines that do block infections, maybe just for a few months per spray or per inhalation and more durable vaccines that don't only last four to six months if we put our efforts and resources and priorities into it.(40:44):But I'm also worried that, as you say, the V word is a bad word now to many people. So I don't know that we've come up with any solution here outside of your idea of not calling vaccines, but it seems to me we have to be much more direct at dealing with the miss and disinformation movements that have grown so profoundly in the last few years and taking advantage of course of the pandemic fatigue and all the holes in our current tools that obviously there are no things that are fully protected, whether it's a vaccine or N95 mask or you name it. Any last comments about where are you headed? Are you still going to track this or are you had enough of it, or what's your next chapter in your work?Jonathan Howard (41:42):I'm going to still continue to write at Science-Based Medicine on this theme because I think that it's important as doctors that we regulate our own profession and that we hold our public communications to high standards, and I include myself in that. So in my book, I include several really stupid things that I said, and that might be the subject of a future article of dumb things I said, because I did say some dumb things. So I think we have to hold ourselves to a high standard when communicating with the public in a pandemic. So that's what I'm going to continue to do. I'm going to continue to do what I always do at Bellevue psych and NYU treat MS patients around on the inpatient service at Bellevue Hospital wouldn't trade it for the world.Eric Topol (42:29):Well, I want to thank you, and Bellevue is a tough place to work. I know it well, and that in itself says a lot about you. You're a person who I had not met before, only having read your work, but I don't detect one scintilla of hubris. You come across as a genuine person who is really interested in facts and evidence. I want to thank you for all of your work and look forward to future conversation.Jonathan Howard (42:58):Well, thanks for the kind words. I really appreciate it. It means a lot, and I appreciate all you've done on your Twitter feed. Whenever there's a new story. I get it from you first, and so I appreciate it.Eric Topol (43:08):Thanks so much, Jonathan.Commentary on this book's significance by Gregg Gonsalves, Associate Professor, Yale School of Public HealthOne of the untold stories of the COVID pandemic in the US is the role of medical and public health professionals in spreading disinformation, pushing for policies that exacerbate the virus' spread, and drive people away from important interventions, particularly vaccines, which blunt the deadly effects of SARSCOV2. Because of professional courtesy, solidarity or just sheer cowardice, many inside the professions have refused to take on these frauds, egomaniacs, purveyors of sickness and suffering in white coats. Jonathan Howard's book We Want Them Infected, though, names names. In painstaking detail, he builds an indictment of these men and women who have blood on their hands, abusing the trust of millions to peddle lies and falsehoods. This book is one for the ages, making it hard to sweep the complicity of these individuals with the virus under the carpet, leaving a record for the future, a cautionary tale for all of us. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

Episode 2 - Latest Update on Urgent Virus Outbreaks, August 2023 Dialogue on Urgent Viral Diseases     This episode of Going anti-Viral features an IAS–USA Dialogue titled "Latest Update on Urgent Virus Outbreaks," which is a panel discussion held on August 1, 2023. Dr Paul A. Volberding from the University of California San Francisco serves as the moderator and welcomes three distinguished panelists: Dr Carlos del Rio from Emory University, Yvonne Maldonado from Stanford University and Dr Michael Saag from the University of Alabama Birmingham. discuss recent developments in COVID-19, MPOX, RSV, and HIV. This includes the the paradigm-shifting results of the REPRIEVE study, current hurdles in COVID-19 vaccination and antiviral treatment, and trends in RSV and MPOX. They also discuss the overall impact of COVID-19 on education and child development. 00:08 Introduction and Panel Discussion Overview 01:56 Discussion on the REPRIEVE Study 05:59 COVID-19 Updates and Vaccination Challenges 13:35 The Role of Antivirals in COVID-19 Treatment 20:39 Future of COVID-19 Vaccines and Age Group Considerations 27:20 The Importance of Transparency28:18 The Need for Open Discussions on COVID-19 Vaccines 29:47 The Existential Threat to Science-Based Medicine 31:49 The Challenge of Testing for RSV 33:11 The Potential Impact of RSV Vaccines 36:45 The Ongoing Struggle with Long COVID-19 42:46 The Increasing Cases of MPOX 48:27 The Tragic Impact of the Pandemic on Education 53:42 The Importance of In-Person Interactions 54:10 Closing Remarks __________________________________________________Produced by IAS-USA, Going anti–Viral is a podcast for clinicians involved in research and care in HIV, its complications, and other viral infections. This podcast is intended as a technical source of information for specialists in this field, but anyone listening will enjoy learning more about the state of modern medicine around viral infections. Going anti-Viral's host is Dr Michael Saag, a physician, prominent HIV researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and volunteer IAS–USA board member. In most episodes, Dr Saag interviews an expert in infectious diseases or emerging pandemics about their area of specialty and current developments in the field. Other episodes are drawn from the IAS–USA vast catalogue of panel discussions, Dialogues, and other audio from various meetings and conferences.

This episode is sponsored by KyurMD.com – technically advanced medical apparel.  In the second part of the "We Want Them Infected" series, Dr. Jonathan Howard delves into the allure of the anti-vaccine movement among doctors. He explores the psychological factors, including the pursuit of fame and financial gain, that drive some doctors to embrace contrarian views. Audience capture, a phenomenon where public personalities echo the sentiments of their followers, is discussed as a key factor that reinforces extreme stances and perpetuates misinformation. The episode draws parallels to how public figures like Donald Trump can also fall prey to audience capture. Looking for something specific? Here you go! 00:01 - Introduction to Part Two of "We Want Them Infected" 00:26 - Discussion on the allure of contrarianism and audience capture 01:56 - Comparing audience capture to Donald Trump's changing stances 03:01 - Strategies to prevent falling into the trap of audience capture 03:43 - The importance of humility and openness to correction 06:16 - Engaging respectfully in disagreements on social media 08:12 - The "IKEA effect" and recognizing biases in our ideas 10:07 - Examining arguments used by anti-vaxxers against COVID vaccines 14:15 - Critiquing the demand for more randomized controlled trials 16:01 - The shifting goalposts of critics 18:14 - Reactions of doctors mentioned in the book 20:53 - The consequences of misinformation and what gives hope 24:43 - Encouragement for doctors to speak out against medical misinformation More on Dr. Howard: A distinguished author, Dr. Howard has penned several authoritative textbooks on neurology. Notably, he is the writer behind Cognitive Errors and Diagnostic Mistakes: A Case-Based Guide to Critical Thinking in Medicine. Well before the pandemic emerged, Dr. Howard had a deep-rooted interest in vaccines and the counter-vaccine movement. Preceding the global health crisis, he was a co-author for a book chapter titled The Anti-Vaccine Movement: A Litany of Fallacy and Errors. Throughout the pandemic, he has been actively contributing to the discourse on the mainstream acceptance of anti-vaccine sentiments within the medical field.  His writings on this matter can be found on Science Based Medicine. Moreover, he has collaborated on research papers focused on the neurological implications of COVID-19 patients and the vaccination process for individuals with multiple sclerosis. Find Dr. Howard on his LinkedIn.  Did ya know…  You can also be a guest on our show? Please email me at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more about the show! Socials: @physiciansguidetodoctoring on FB  @physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube @physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter

Back in the early days of the podcast, we tried to take a rest from the wearisome repetition of polemical partisan gurus by covering JP Sears- an alternative-health self-help coach with a sideline in 'comedic parody'. Sadly, we soon discovered he was a red-pilled Roganite 'just asking questions' about all the usual right-wing partisan topics, but with an added dollop of pseudo-profound, self-indulgent spiritual blather.JP Sears wasn't an isolated case; he exemplified a disturbingly prevalent trend. One that was supercharged during the pandemic and can be observed clearly in figures like Russell Brand, Aubrey Marcus, RFK Jnr and a whole slew of QAnon and anti-vaccine influencers.To help us disentangle this quagmire and the dynamics at play, we are joined by the three co-hosts of the popular Conspiritualty podcast: Matthew Remski, Julian Walker, and Derek Beres.We've spoken with them many times over the past few years about a variety of topics but in today's conversation, we explore the contemporary state of the Conspirituality sphere and discuss broader themes they have observed (& how they relate to the gurus we cover). We also examine whether they view activism as core to their podcast, how they handle attacks or engage with legitimate criticism, and how they feel about their own place in the ecosystems they discuss.We hope you enjoy the conversation as much as we did!Also covered in the opening segment is a cursed guru-sphere crossover between the Triggernometry guys and our old favourite, Scott Adams.LinksThe new Conspirituality Book!Our recent appearance on Conspirituality to hear the tables get turned!Review of Conspirituality at Science Based Medicine by Jonathan HowardNY Times: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the Coalition of the Distrustful'Why I quit the Conspirutality Podcast' by Be ScofieldMedium article referenced on the Defamation caseTriggernometry: Trump Must Win to Avoid Prison - Scott AdamsOther LinksOur PatreonContact us via email: decodingthegurus@gmail.comThe DTG Subreddit

This episode is sponsored by Charm Economics.  Dr. Jonathan Howard once again joins the podcast to talk about his new book, "We Want Them Infected." The book examines a movement led by doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic who advocated for intentionally infecting unvaccinated individuals to develop herd immunity. Dr. Howard discusses how this idea influenced the national pandemic response and the real-world consequences that ensued. He also acknowledges the harms caused by lockdowns but emphasizes the flawed assumptions and lack of consideration for collateral damage in the proposed strategy. Looking for something specific? Here you go! 00:01:06 Book explores dangerous COVID strategy.  00:05:32 Misinformation about COVID and vaccines.  00:12:10 Contrarians mix good and bad advice.  00:17:24 Contrarians react defensively to criticism.  00:26:52 Lockdowns had negative consequences. Bio/links! A distinguished author, Dr. Howard has penned several authoritative textbooks on neurology. Notably, he is the writer behind Cognitive Errors and Diagnostic Mistakes: A Case-Based Guide to Critical Thinking in Medicine. Well before the pandemic emerged, Dr. Howard had a deep-rooted interest in vaccines and the counter-vaccine movement. Preceding the global health crisis, he was a co-author for a book chapter titled The Anti-Vaccine Movement: A Litany of Fallacy and Errors. Throughout the pandemic, he has been actively contributing to the discourse on the mainstream acceptance of anti-vaccine sentiments within the medical field.  His writings on this matter can be found on Science Based Medicine. Moreover, he has collaborated on research papers focused on the neurological implications of COVID-19 patients and the vaccination process for individuals with multiple sclerosis. Find Dr. Howard on his LinkedIn.  Did ya know…  You can also be a guest on our show? Please email me at brad@physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to connect or visit www.physiciansguidetodoctoring.com to learn more about the show! Socials: @physiciansguidetodoctoring on FB  @physicianguidetodoctoring on YouTube @physiciansguide on Instagram and Twitter

The Non-Prophets, Episode 22.32.1 featuring Phoebe Rose, Dr. Ben, Scott Dickie and Helen GreeneRichard Dawkins used his new podcast to promote more transphobic lies, Friendly Atheist.com, By Hemant Mehta, July 31, 2023 https://www.friendlyatheist.com/p/richard-dawkins-used-his-new-podcast The Science of Biological Sex, Science Based Medicine.org, By Steven Novella, July 13, 2022 https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-science-of-biological-sex/

Seemingly-reliable sources give you diametrically-opposed views on vaping. Are e-cigarettes “95% less harmful” than cigarettes, or aren't they? Are vapes gateway drugs that lead people to smoke, or are they a great way to give up smoking? Is it both? Neither?In Episode 5 of The Studies Show, Tom and Stuart look into the research on the health effects of vaping and try to answer these questions - as well as explaining the origin of the fabled “popcorn lung”.The Studies Show is brought to you by the i, the UK's best daily newspaper. For the next 7 days only, you can take advantage of the i's current deal: 50% off a full digital subscription + the physical weekend paper. Thanks to the i for their support!If you like the sound of The Studies Show, then please consider becoming a subscriber. You can join as a free subscriber and get an email whenever we release an episode. If you join as a paid subscriber, you'll be able to access some features like ask-me-anything chats with Tom and Stuart, and (soon) paid-only episodes. Either way, you can subscribe right here:Show Notes* The WHO praises India for banning vapes* Article on The Conversation arguing the “vaping is 95% less harmful than cigarettes” claim has been debunked* Long UK Government/King's College London report defending the “95% less harmful” claim (2022)* Earlier (2018) Public Health England report with similar conclusions* New Nicotine Alliance (unaffiliated anti-smoking charity) report with useful references on addictiveness, risk, etc.* Popcorn lung: Science-Based Medicine piece illustrated with lungs full of popcorn; Johns Hopkins piece saying popcorn lung is a concern; American Lung Association piece agreeing; Cancer Research UK piece saying no cases ever linked to vaping* Study retracted for erroneously comparing different age groups; study retracted for time-travelling heart-attacks* UK cigarette smoking rate dropping in adults; dropping in children* Tom's article on this from 2017* 2017 study showing vaping and cigarette smoking correlate in teenagers* 2022 Cochrane review on vaping and smoking cessation* Study of vaping in pregnant mice; press release; article in The Sun with scary headline* Study on vaping vs. nicotine patches for smoking cessation in pregnant women* People's beliefs about vaping: increasing belief that it's as dangerous as smoking in adults; in adults again; in childrenCreditsThe Studies Show is produced by Julian Mayers at Yada Yada Productions. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.thestudiesshowpod.com/subscribe

Although the numbers may be low, COVID-19 and other illnesses remain a significant threat to patients. The role of masks in preventing SARS-CoV-2 spread has been politicized since the beginning. A new meta-analysis purports to answer the question of mask effectiveness. Join host Geoff Wall, with guest Jake Galdo, as they deep dive into the article and evaluate the science.The GameChangerA new meta-analysis suggests that mask mandates do not affect the prevention and spread of COVID-19. However, the study has numerous limitations and errors, making its interpretation difficult.Show Segments00:00 - Introductions01:31 - Pros and Cons of a Meta-Analysis06:31: Looking at the Analysis10:24 - The GameChanger: Jefferson et al. Results11:24 - Connecting to Practice: Recognizing Limitations28:43 - Closing Remarks HostGeoff Wall, PharmD, BCPS, FCCP, CGPProfessor of Pharmacy Practice, Drake UniversityInternal Medicine/Critical Care, UnityPoint HealthJake Galdo, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, BCGPCourse Content and Developer, CEimpactManaging Network Facilitator, CPESN Health EquityCEO, SeguridadReferences and ResourcesJefferson T, Dooley L, Ferroni E, et al. Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses (Review). Cochrane Library.  Novella S. Masks Revisited. Science Based Medicine. Redeem your CPE hereCPE (Pharmacist) Get a membership & earn CE for GameChangers Podcast episodes (30 mins/episode)Pharmacists: Get a membershipCE InformationLearning ObjectivesUpon successful completion of this knowledge-based activity, participants should be able to:1. Discuss the pros and cons of a meta-analysis2. Describe the limitations of the Jefferson et al meta-analysis0.05 CEU/0.5 HrUAN: 0107-0000-23-119-H01-PInitial release date: 03/22/2023Expiration date: 03/22/2024Additional CPE and CME details can be found here.Follow CEimpact on Social Media:LinkedInInstagramDownload the CEimpact App for Free Continuing Education + so much more!

What does the body of evidence say on the topic of healthcare-acquired infections? Plus: CBD is put on trial to see how well it does against the symptoms of advanced cancer, and the world's elites reveal their most damning secret: they don't think COVID is just a bad cold.   Block 1: (2:02) Nosocomial infections: what they are, difference from iatrogenic infections, what the US did to reduce them, types of infections   Block 2: (9:51) Nosocomial infections: hand hygiene, disposable equipment, single-patient rooms, bed cleaning, ventilation, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MRSA, VRE), decolonization protocols, C. difficile, #DeathToAllSinks, UV light, copper   Block 3: (32:13) Clinical trial of cannabidiol against placebo for the symptoms of advanced cancer [We briefly mention the Hawthorne effect. It turns out to be a phrase we probably shouldn't use. See here.]   Block 4: (42:13) Davos' COVID measures   * Jingle by Joseph Hackl * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl * Assistant researcher: Nicholas Koziris   To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.   To make a one-time donation to our show, you can now use PayPal! https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     References:   1) Chris' proof that you can, in fact, live a perfectly normal life after donating a kidney: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa0804883   2) Nosocomial infections are particularly prevalent in ICUs: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184963   3) Medicare no longer pays for hospital-acquired infections: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/184963   4) Hospital-wide hand hygiene programs do work to reduce hospital infections: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(00)02814-2/fulltext   5) Washing hands properly for 30 seconds is necessary to kill bacteria like VRE: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/infection-control-and-hospital-epidemiology/article/abs/recovery-of-vancomycinresistant-enterococci-on-fingertips-and-environmental-surfaces/FBFBC3EABFA22A7A28420AFB2CCACC51   6) The REACH study found that hospitals implementing a new cleaning bundle reduced VRE but not C. difficile infections: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(18)30714-X/fulltext   7) MRSA decolonization with chlorhexidine baths does reduce infections in the ICU: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa1207290 & https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30850112/     8) Basic infection control measures do work for C. difficile as well, even if regular alcohol disinfectants do not: https://www.cochranelibrary.com/central/doi/10.1002/central/CN-01604607/full   9) Ultraviolet light can also be used as an adjunctive disinfection agent: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5935446/   10) UV-C light can also be caused to clean the air as a COVID mitigation strategy: https://ghdcenter.hms.harvard.edu/keeping-public-spaces-safe   11) Sinks as a source of outbreaks: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34438134/   12) Scott Gavura's Science-Based Medicine article: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/cbd-oil-fails-to-improve-symptom-control-in-advanced-cancer/   13) The clinical trial on CBD for advanced cancer symptoms: https://doi.org/10.1200/jco.22.01632   14) World Economic Forum's Guidance on Health Measures: https://www3.weforum.org/docs/AM23_Health_and_Safety_Measures.pdf   15) “Billionaires at Davos Don't Think COVID Is a Cold:” https://slate.com/technology/2023/01/davos-covid-precaution-uv-lights-air-filters.html   16) “The Last Holdouts:” https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/26/us/covid-masks-risk.html   17) What Bonnie Henry said about masking: https://twitter.com/frozen/status/1614053203800383489   18) Gregg Gonsalves' article in The Nation: https://www.thenation.com/article/society/orwellian-white-house-covid-policy/     It's Not Twitter, But It'll Do:   1) Jonathan talking about so-called complementary and alternative medicine on the Yoga Meets Movement Science podcast: https://www.jennirawlings.com/podcast/whats-the-deal-with-complementary-alternative-medicine   2) Jonathan's article on the low-oxalate diet: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition/demonization-dietary-oxalate-has-begun   3) Death Panel podcast, “COVID Year Three:” https://www.stitcher.com/show/the-death-panel/episode/covid-year-three-unlocked-210210266   4) Chris' Gazette article about Canada's new alcohol guidelines: https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-new-guidelines-reflect-fact-that-alcohol-isnt-good-for-you   5) Chris on CTV talking about alcohol: https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2591451   Time Machine:   1) Our episode on fibromyalgia: https://bodyofevidence.ca/073-fibromyalgia-mixing-vaccines-myocarditis-risk   2) Our interview on CPR: https://bodyofevidence.ca/interview-trysha-gellis-and-jacqueline-joza-on-cpr-and-sudden-cardiac-arrest  

0:00:00 Introduction Richard Saunders 0:04:22 You Can Count on Adrienne. With Adrienne Hill Vale 'SkepDoc' Dr Harriet Hall MD Adrienne pays tribute to Harriet, who was a retired family physician, former U.S. Air Force flight surgeon, author, science communicator and skeptic of international acclaim, who wrote about alternative medicine and quackery for magazines and articles discussing evidence-based medicine for the Science-Based Medicine blog. She usually wrote under her own name or used the pseudonym "The SkepDoc". She was also a frequent speaker at science and skepticism related conventions in the US and around the world. https://tinyurl.com/skepdocseries https://skepticzone.libsyn.com/size/5/?search=Harriet 0:17:42 Sydney Skeptics in the Pub At long last Sydney Skeptics in the pub is back and looking forward to 2023. We hear from new pubber Stephen Bavaro, who was a recent speaker at the Australian Skeptics convention. Also from Tim Mendham and Richard Saunders as they address the crowd to talk about the Bent Spoon Award and more. 0:32:00 Australian Skeptics Newsletter What skeptical news has caught the eye of Tim Mendham this week? Read by Adrienne Hill. http://www.skeptics.com.au 0:40:28 A Dive into a Trove A wander through the decades of digitised Australian newspapers on a search for references to "Medical Quackery". http://www.trove.nla.gov.au Also https://pintofscience.com.au/eoi 10 Years Ago The Skeptic Zone #222 - 21.Jan.2013 Maynard's Spooky Action.. An interview with Dr Krissy Wilson about talking to the dead - Danger 5. Just for fun, Richard Saunders checks in with Maynard as he hosts a public Q & A with the cast of this Australian TV show - Skeptical BBQ. Richard Saunders travels to Canberra for a screening of "Here be Dragons" by Brian Dunning and enjoys a chat with Kevin Davies, the president of Canberra Skeptics - The Think Tank. Join a host of Canberra Skeptics as they chat about Conspiracy Theories. https://skepticzone.libsyn.com/the-skeptic-zone-222-21-jan-2013

Chris and Jonathan welcome back Dr. Jonathan Howard to talk about the doctors who repeatedly said the pandemic was ending and who became anti-vaccine in the process. When doctors become brands, narcissism can easily lead them and their fans astray, as these media figures chase an ever elusive limelight. Dr. Howard has been tracking their claims and predictions and brings the receipts.   (2:38) Dr. Vinay Prasad, pre-pandemic (8:41) ZDoggMD, Marty Makary, and Vinay Prasad on vaccine boosters (12:01) Paediatric COVID vaccines (15:00) An appeal to civility on the one hand, mockery on the other (16:56) Dr. John Ioannidis and basic math (27:22) “You have to accept it” (32:27) Classic anti-vaccine talking points (36:10) “Where's the RCT?” (39:37) Jonathan Howard's connection to the anti-vaccine movement (41:53) Audience capture (44:49) Charisma and credibility (49:33) New York City denialism (51:36) Ron DeSantis' Vaccine Accountability Roundtable (55:41) Self-reflection   A quick note on sound quality: the clicking sound on Dr. Howard's end very quickly disappears. The rest of the audio is not up to our usual standards, and for this we apologize. Audio engineering is closer to magic than science, it seems.   * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.   To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     Links: 1) The ZDoggMD Show episode you hear at the beginning: https://youtu.be/cNcVCFLhbAs?t=42 2) Dr. Jonathan Howard's articles on Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/author/jonathanhoward/ 3) Dr. Jonathan Howard on Twitter: https://twitter.com/19joho  

With pediatric covid vaccination levels stalled and no big programs on the horizon to change that, Bea speaks to Dr. Jonathan Howard about the figures who have stepped in to fill that void with a series of false claims about vaccine side effects in children. Read Dr. Howard's latest piece in Science Based Medicine here: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/framing/ As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod Pre-orders are now live for Bea and Artie's book! Pre-order HEALTH COMMUNISM here: bit.ly/3Af2YaJ Death Panel merch here (patrons get a discount code): www.deathpanel.net/merch join our Discord here: discord.com/invite/3KjKbB2 Find the Kaiser Family Foundation report Bea cites in this episode here: "COVID-19 Vaccination Rates Among Children Under 5 Have Peaked and Are Decreasing Just Weeks Into Their Eligibility" https://www.kff.org/coronavirus-covid-19/issue-brief/covid-19-vaccination-rates-among-children-under-5-have-peaked-and-are-decreasing-just-weeks-into-their-eligibility/

Chris and Jonathan welcome back to the show Paul Ingraham, the founder of PainScience.com. He charts his early days as a woo believer, his transformation into a skeptic, and the thing that got him in trouble with his massage therapy regulatory body: tone. Do healthcare regulators care for snark? Is it their role to tone-police their members? The Internet took many regulators by surprise and some overreacted. How do you kick the foxes out of the henhouse of massage therapy if the rule is that foxes should be treated as hens?   No time stamps for this one. It's a story that goes from “crack” addiction to growing out of the adolescent phase of skepticism to the difference between evidence-based medicine and science-based medicine. And for the first time ever, our podcast has been turned all the way up to 11.     * Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl.   To contribute to The Body of Evidence, go to our Patreon page at: http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/.   Patrons get a bonus show on Patreon called “Digressions”! Check it out!     Links: 1) Paul Ingraham's website: https://www.painscience.com/ 2) Paul Ingraham's Science-Based Medicine post on why he quit being a massage therapist: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/why-i-quit-my-massage-therapy-career/

In this episode I was joined by Dr. David Gorski, managing editor and prolific writer at the thoroughly indispensable website, Science-Based Medicine. Dr. Gorski earned his MD at the University of Michigan and a PhD in cellular physiology at Case Western Reserve University. He is both a professor of surgery at Wayne State University as well as a surgical oncologist at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute where he specialises in breast cancer surgery. Near the beginning of our conversation, I asked Dr. Gorski for his view on the scientific method and how skepticism is one of its central characteristics. My guest explained how science-based medicine is related to, but still in important respects distinct from, evidence-based medicine, which is itself a fairly new approach dating back only a few decades. We discussed an excellent essay from earlier this year in which he argued that all examples of science denial are essentially a form of conspiracy thinking. While his argument is largely persuasive, I ventured to propose a yet deeper analytical layer involving the high degree of religiosity in American society, as compared to other developed nations, that serves as another crucial driver for the pervasive conspiratorial ideation so prevalent in the United States. We then spoke about the highly frustrating asymmetry between those trying to assiduously gather reliable information and rectify inaccuracies and those who effortlessly churn out misleading and false claims. Dr. Gorski mentioned Brandolini's Law, which states that it takes an order of magnitude more to refute bullshit than it does to create bullshit, that perfectly summarise this dilemma, and one the Covid pandemic has brought into horribly stark relief. I asked him about his first forays into skepticism in the late 1990s when he grappled with Holocaust deniers, before moving onto discussing fallacious ideas about Covid-19, the anti-vaccine movement, the breakthrough new MRNA technology used in some Covid vaccines, the efficacy of vaccines developed against the virus, and the often unethical behaviour of pharmaceutical companies witnessed during this unprecedented global pandemic. We also spoke about how the Republican Party has become the party of choice for anti-vaxxers, some prominent figures in this movement, including Mike Adams of Natural News infamy and Joseph Mercola, what might motivate these players, and ways to counter the tidal wave of irrationality, idiocy, disinformation, and propaganda to which we are incessantly subjected, particularly on social media. In light of this seemingly inexorable multi-pronged tsunami of lunacy, I averred that we sadly appear to live in an age of Endarkment, rather than one of Enlightenment. Science-Based Medicine: https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ Dr Gorski's essay, ‘All science denial is a form of conspiracy theory': https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/all-science-denial-is-a-form-of-conspiracy-theory/ Dr. Gorski's Respectful Insolence blog: https://respectfulinsolence.com/ Dr. Gorski's Twitter account: @gorskon Twitter account for Skeptically Curious: https://twitter.com/SkepticallyCur1 Patreon page for Skeptically Curious: https://www.patreon.com/skepticallycurious

Welcome viewers! The Topic for tonight's episode is Critical Thinking. In this episode we discuss: Jenny McCarthy, Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Jay Gordon, Dr. Phil, Wonder Woman, Vaccines, Socrates, Plato and how all this stuff combines to help us explore critical thinking and logical fallacies. We'll explore it all on tonight's episode of Topic - Discuss #topicdiscuss You Tube

On this episode Dr. Serenity talks about how to be a savvy health consumer in our current, confusing, capitalist health care system. She discusses important ways to make informed health choices, and some of the things that can make it challenging to prioritize health day-to-day. Explore what it means to find good health information and qualified experts to help you along the way, whether you want to maintain good health or are facing chronic health concerns.We all know how frustrating it can be to deal with health issues. Any person who has gone through our health care system in any significant way knows that our version of modern medicine can present us with repetitive, frustrating, expensive, confusing, and emotionally draining experiences. In other words, getting help isn't easy. American health care costs us time and money, and can be a real pain to navigate.The dynamics of doctor-patient relationships push us to only discuss physical aspects of health, which as we know is only a part of our health story. It misses some really important information. Leaving out the psychosocial aspects of our health inhibits doctors from being able to treat the whole individual. It is hard to know how to best empower patients to make healthy choices on their own, when they are out of the doctor's office. Doctors are historically used to patients relying upon their expert evaluation of the evidence to determine the diagnosis and method of treatment. But when treatment recommendations are made without any explanation as to why this is the best course of action, which is often the case in doctor-patient relationships, the patient is left relying on the doctor to make their decisions rather than being brought on board with that decision. They are treated as a passive recipient rather than a valued partner, and the underlying assumption becomes that for patients to achieve health they must simply adhere to their doctors' recommendations. This paternalistic nature of medicine is dysfunctional and problematic. Ultimately, it creates health consumers who are largely unable to advocate for themselves. Many doctors today work hard to try and avoid paternalism, but it is baked into the system itself. They must work against the system. Doctors and patients must commit to a system of shared decision making where both are active participants in choosing treatment options.Ideally, our health choices would be informed by evidence. We have more information than ever before to help us make good health choices. Doing this requires being very savvy, however, because there is also more misinformation than ever before. Savvy health consumers need to have basic scientific literacy, but they need not be fully trained scientists. A big part of being savvy is also being able to find good professionals to rely on, and how to spot when a seemingly good professional throws up some red flags.Savvy health consumers use competent experts and scientific resources to make health choices that are most likely to be beneficial and move them toward their goals. This means knowing your goals, generally speaking, and being clear about your health values. Each of us will have different things that matter most to us. People need to be properly taught how to question things and think critically using reasoning and evidence. Being savvy means asking why a particular set of health advice is being given or evaluating the evidence for oneself when you have good scientific literacy. But this can lead us down the wrong path when seeming experts or what passes as science is pawned off on unknowing consumers as being legitimate. What is an average health consumer to do when even physicians disagree about the evidence or apparent experts present persuasive but contrasting opinions?A huge weakness in our current system is that consumers are often unable to discern which self-proclaimed experts have valid qualifications and are deserving of their trust versus which are simply trying to profit or who have no legitimate expertise at all. Often, the true experts on a particular topic are siloed in their professional or academic communities, while pseudo-experts flood social media and local communities claiming to have mastered complex health topics.Lots of people attempt to sell health because they are personally interested in it. You can find a gazillion wellness influencers who combine tips and tricks for eating well, staying active, and practicing self-care. Their advice may be sound in principle but is much better sourced from trained physicians, psychologists, dietitians, occupational and physical therapists, or other properly trained allied health professionals who have the training and education to understand the evidence and theories underlying their advice. A savvy health consumer must carefully evaluate the qualifications of any professional before handing over money for a health-related service or product. You deserve health professionals who are properly trained. Take the time to review the qualifications of any potential or current health professional. Given how many highly qualified people now offer affordable and accessible services like weekly newsletters, apps, blogs, or consultations, why would you waste your time and money on someone who is underqualified?When you want to work with someone one-on-one regarding your health, ask yourself these kinds of questions: Does this health professional possess the proper expertise and clinical experience necessary to understand and evaluate my health and advise me? What evidence is this person using to make their recommendations? Is this person more committed to science and integrity or making money? Can this person clearly articulate why this is the best course of action for me using an evidence-based approach? How much will this cost me in terms of time, money, energy, and emotional distress? How invasive are the recommended treatments? (The more invasive the higher your bar for evidence should be.)There are some wonderful resources for people who want to improve their ability to advocate for themselves and make informed health choices. One initiative I like because it is straightforward and easy to remember is the Ask Me 3 campaign. There's a great channel on YouTube called The Psych Show that teaches many things about psychology and mental health. There's an organization called the Society for Participatory Medicine that works to empower doctors and patients to work together as active participants in medical care. There is another website called Science Based Medicine featuring thoughtful and informed articles on a variety of topics written by legitimate scientific experts. These are just a few of the resources available to you that come from highly educated and properly trained professionals. There are many well trained and passionate people from a variety of professional and educational backgrounds who have the proper skills to help you understand and improve your health. Find a health professional who can clearly explain how their recommendations are made using clinical expertise and best available evidence, and who can tailor their recommendations to your personal goals and values.

Taped in front of a live audience at Baruch College in New York, this episode of Rationally Speaking features special guest Steve Novella: neurologist, author of the blogs NeuroLogica and Science Based Medicine, and co-host of the Skeptic's Guide to the Universe (SGU) podcast. Steve, Massimo, and Julia discuss the recent lawsuit facing the SGU, share their gripes about the ways that skeptics sometimes oversimplify the issues, and answer audience questions such as, "Is anything off-limits to skeptical activism?" Sped up the speakers by ['1.0', '1.0']

Our Guest, Dr. Steven Novella discusses a recent article in The Atlantic in which researcher John Ioannidis shows that 40% of papers published in top medical journals are either wrong or make exaggerated claims (and those are the top journals!). He also discusses the difference between Science and Evidence based medicine. Also, Zombies: are they epidemiologically possible? Steven Novella is an academic clinical neurologist at the Yale University School of Medicine. He is the host of the Skeptics Guide to the Universe podcast, author of the Neurologica blog, and co-editor of the Science Based Medicine blog. Sped up the speakers by [1.0416666666666667, 1.0]

Sponsor: Fried chicken pizza (http://bit.ly/2skwzfP) or... A chiropractor (http://bit.ly/2rArl2g) (YOU can sponsor the show- be a patron at http://bit.ly/tSEpodcast JUST LIKE: All three Michaels, Trevor, Nathan, Alice, Cynthia, Magnus, Savhannah, Felix, Kris, James, Sarah, and Josue!) GoTW: Whatever this (http://bit.ly/2tc2n6z) post is Interview: Dr. David Gorski! Follow Dr. Gorski on Science Based Medicine (http://bit.ly/2tbKlS3), his blog (http://bit.ly/2tx2Wax), and Twitter (bit.ly/Gorkson)! Why we love the internet: Because Dan got 'deflated' by Deflating Atheism (http://bit.ly/2satLDM)! QoTW: The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. -Neil deGrasse Tyson Next week: Jon Stewart (of the band Sleeper) talks to us about addiction and secular recovery treatments! Follow the podcast on YouTube (http://bit.ly/SciEnthusiastPodcast)! Contact us- podcast@aScienceEnthusiast.com! Music: Adam Johnson (AdamJohnsonDC@gmail.com). This podcast is a production of Not Narrow or Straight, LLC ©2017, all rights reserved.

tSE 027 - Former Naturopath Britt Hermes! Hosts: Natalie Newell (Skeptical Parenting) and Dan Broadbent (A Science Enthusiast)! Login to access this episode's bonus-level content! God of the week: Plutus: Greek god of wealth Interview: Britt Hermes! Britt is a former naturopathic doctor who now works tirelessly to raise awareness of the dangers of naturopathic medicine. Britt is a Master's of Science student in Medical Life Sciences at the University of Kiel, writer at Naturopathic Diaries, contributor to Forbes, Science Based Medicine, and Science 2.0. Links to things referenced in the interview: Bastyr University (a

Science Enthusiast Podcast 005: Grant Ritchey & Dental Woo Hosts Natalie Newell (Skeptical Parenting) and Dan Broadbent (A Science Enthusiast): God of the week:Sheela Na Gigs, AKA "the old hag of the breasts" Guest: Dentist Grant Ritchey! We discuss some BS about root canals thanks to Joseph Mercola, what makes for effective science communication, and asked him why dentists always try to talk to us when they have their hands in our mouths. You can follow Dr. Ritchey on Twitter as @SkepticalDDS, read his articles on Science Based Medicine, and listen to his podcast (with friend of the show Clay Jones), Prism Podcast Why we love the Internet:Joan Cornella on Facebook! Particularly: this post,