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We’ve always heard that you are what you eat. Research shows that diet can have an impact on heart health. Can we improve our brain function by paying attention to nutrition? Dr. James Joseph and his colleagues have investigated the effects of antioxidant and flavonoid rich foods such as blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and spinach. In rodents, supplementing the diet with such foods can reverse some of the mental decline associated with aging. How well will they work in humans? Instead of aging brains, Dr. Steve Zeisel has examined the other end of the life span. His rodent research shows that choline intake during pregnancy can have a profound effect on the offsprings’ brain and cognition. If these effects also hold for people, pregnant women should be eating plenty of nuts, seeds, wheat germ and eggs. Guests: James Joseph, PhD, is Director of the Neuroscience Laboratory of the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University. Steven Zeisel, MD, PhD, is Director of the Nutrition Research Institute at the University of North Carolina. He is also the Kenan Distinguished University Professor in the Departments of Nutrition and Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina and Director of the Human Clinical Nutrition Research Center there. Click here to download our podcast.

The Institute of Medicine reports that the average patient experiences at least one error every day he is hospitalized. The annual death toll from medical errors is estimated at 44,000 to 98,000 Americans. How can you protect yourself or a loved one from a dangerous mistake? Learn how one woman discovered that her doctors had covered up a serious surgical error they made when she was a teenager. Guests: Janet Lynn Mitchell, a patient’s right’s advocate and author of Taking A Stand. Her Web site is http://www.janetlynnmitchell.com/ Pierce Scranton, MD, an orthopedic surgeon in private practice in Seattle, Washington. He has been team physician for the Seattle Seahawks and president of the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society. He is author of a novel, Death on the Learning Curve. His Web site is: http://www.piercescranton.com/ Here are Dr. Scranton's questions: Top 10 Questions to Ask Your Doctor Before Accepting Medical Treatment How long have you been in practice? What is your experience in treating this condition? What are the treatment options, and what other options are available that you or the health plan are not offering? If you don’t understand the doctor’s basic explanation of your condition and treatment, then by all means ask him or her for more information. What are the possible complications of the proposed medical treatments or surgeries? If there are any complications, how will you correct the problem? Aside from your own partners, who would you go to for medical treatment if you had this condition? Are you personally going to perform the surgery? Will others assist and participate, in a major way, in this medical treatment? Can I ask your bookkeeper what my financial responsibility will be? You need to know in advance…and don’t be afraid to negotiate!
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Over the last several decades, the American waistline has been expanding relentlessly. But obesity is not only a problem in our country; it has now spread around the world. We explore the causes and possible cures for global obesity. Nutrition scientists have been debating the best diet for weight loss for decades, but there have been little data to help determine which approach is best. Researchers pitted low-fat and low-protein approaches in a well-controlled two-year study and found that the diet that works is the one you can stick with. Results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine. Guests: Barry Popkin, PhD, is the Carla Steel Chamblee Distinguished Professor of Global Nutrition. He is Professor of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and directs the University’s Interdisciplinary Center for Obesity. His book is titled: The World Is Fat: The Fads, Trends, Policies, and Products That Are Fattening the Human Race. The photo is of Dr. Popkin. Frank Sacks, MD, is Professor of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health. He was the lead investigator on “Comparison of Weight-Loss Diets with Different Compositions of Fat, Protein, and Carbohydrates”
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Peanut allergies can be life threatening, but scientists are finding new ways to reduce the danger. Good medical care requires the right diagnosis along with the proper treatment. We talk with an expert on patient safety about the hazards of misdiagnoses. We take your questions about Rx drugs, dietary supplements and home remedies. Guests: David Newman-Toker, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and co-author of “Diagnostic Errors--The Next Frontier for Patient Safety” in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The photo is of Dr. Newman-Toker. Wesley Burks, MD, chief of the division of pediatric allergy and immunology at Duke University Medical Center
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The very medicines many people take to relieve pain may actually be causing their headaches. A vicious cycle of pain relievers is behind too many cases of chronic headache. How can you break out of this insidious cycle? Guest: Joel Saper, M.D., FACP, FAAN, is founder and director of The Michigan Head-Pain and Neurological Institute. He is past president of the American Association for the Study of Headache, past chairman of the American Council for Headache Education. Dr. Saper is professor of medicine (neurology) at Michigan State University.
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More than a million people get an angioplasty, stent or bypass surgery each year. How many of these costly procedures are really essential? Guidelines for cardiologists have proliferated in the last decade, but how many of these recommendations are based on solid evidence? Cold sores are common. There are some natural ways to prevent or treat then. We take your questions about Rx drugs, dietary supplements and home remedies.

Michael D. Ozner, MD, is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology. He is Medical Director of Wellness and Prevention at Baptist Hospital of Miami and medical director for the Cardiovascular Prevention Institute of South Florida. His book is The Great American Heart Hoax.

Pierluigi Tricoci, MD, PhD, MHS, is a cardiologist at the Duke Heart Center and a faculty member at the Duke Clinical Research Institute.

Tieraona Low Dog, MD, is Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and a Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. Her Web site is www.drlowdog.com

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Next time on the People’s Pharmacy, We talk with Dr. Tieraona Low Dog about getting our lives back in balance. Grandmothers all over the world have some common sense recommendations about sleep, exercise, diet and social support. What does science have to say about these old wives’ tales? Find out what the country’s leading expert on the science behind alternative medicine recommends for good health on the next People’s Pharmacy. In stressful times, people often take short cuts that may ultimately undermine their health. They snack on junk or comfort food, skimp on sleep and do without exercise. But this won’t help develop the resilience we need to cope with challenges. Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is one of the country’s leading experts on the evidence base behind herbal medicine and alternative therapies. She has some solid advice on keeping your head and your health, even when adversity strikes. Guest: Tieraona Low Dog, MD, is Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and a Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. Her Web site is www.drlowdog.com
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Back pain is one of the most common reasons people seek medical attention. Nearly everyone has a sore back at some time or another, but some people are incapacitated for long periods of time. How should back pain be treated? When is surgery appropriate? Guests: Andrew Hecht, MD, is Co-director of Spine Surgery at Mount Sinai in the Leni and Peter W. May Department of Orthopaedics. Dr. Hecht is the spine surgical consultant to the New York Jets and New York Islanders professional teams, as well as numerous collegiate teams at Hofstra University and Molloy College. The black-and-white photo is of Dr. Hecht. His Web site is www.mountsinai.org/spine Nortin Hadler, MD, is Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is attending rheumatologist at UNC Hospitals. His books include The Last Well Person: How to Stay Well Despite the Health Care System and Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America. Backbone: Personal, social and policy consequences of low back pain will be published in early 2009.
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Exercise has a reputation for improving health. Just how much does it take to improve your quality of life? People are often told to lose weight or quit smoking, but they have trouble following through. Do financial incentives help? Some doctors worry about giving their patients false hope. Do they worry enough about making sure that patients do have hope when they leave the office? We talk with two prominent physicians about their essay on the power of hope in the Journal of the American Medical Association. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Catherine de Angelis, MD, Editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American Medical Association, where the editorial on The Power of Hope was published (Dec. 24/31, 2008). James C. Harris, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Pediatrics, and Mental Hygiene at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland. The photo is of Drs. De Angelis and Harris, who are married to each other. Alan Greene, MD, founder of DrGreene.com, president of the Society for Participatory Medicine and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps and Raising Baby Green. Click here to download our podcast.

The New York Times recently suggested that vitamin D may become the nutrient of the decade. The CDC estimates that more than half the American population gets too little vitamin D. A study published this month in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that fully one-fourth of the population tested in sunny southern Arizona was deficient in this, the sunshine vitamin. Why are Americans falling short on vitamin D? And what are the health consequences. We talk with a clinician and a researcher about this critical—and often underappreciated—nutrient. Guests: James E. Dowd, M.D., F.A.C.R., is Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at Michigan State University and the founder and director of both the Arthritis Institute of Michigan and the Michigan Arthritis Research Center. He is the author of The Vitamin D Cure; Five Steps to Heal Your Pain and Improve Your Mood. His Web site is www.thevitamindcure.com. Michael Holick, Ph.D., M.D., is Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at Boston University School of Medicine, and Director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Lab. Since 1987 he has been the Program Director of the General Clinical Research Center. He also directs the Bone Healthcare Clinic and the Biologic Effects of Light Research Center. He is the author of The UV Advantage: The Medical Breakthrough that Shows How to Harness the Power of the Sun for Your Health. The photo is of Dr. Holick. His Web sites are www.uvadvantage.org and www.vitamindhealth.org.
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Consciousness is one of the great puzzles of modern neuroscience. Most scientists believe that awareness arises from interactions between neurons in the brain, but the details on how that works, exactly, are still unclear. And what happens as we die? Does consciousness disappear as soon as the heart stops beating? If so, how do we explain near-death experiences? Join us for a conversation with three scientists exploring these issues. Guests: Bruce Greyson, MD, is Carlson Professor of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences at the University of Virginia. He is also Director of the Division of Perceptual Studies at the University of Virginia Health System. Sam Parnia, MD, PhD, is an Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the School of Medicine of the University of Southampton, U.K. He is founder and director of the Human Consciousness Project there. He is also a Fellow in Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical Center in New York. Dr. Parnia is leading the AWARE study (AWAreness during REsuscitaion), aimed at studying the brain and consciousness during cardiac arrest. His book is What Happens When We Die; A Groundbreaking Study into the Nature of Life and Death. The photo is of Dr. Parnia. Melvin Morse, MD, is a pediatrician who has studied near-death experiences in children. He is author of four books: Closer to the Light, Transformed by the Light, Parting Visions, and Where God Lives. Click here to download our podcast.

Human beings seem to be wired for music. Neurologists get some unique insights into that wiring when things go wrong, such as musical hallucinations. They can also use music therapeutically for conditions ranging from autism to stroke and Parkinson’s disease. Explore the meaning of music with one of the country’s foremost neurologists, Dr. Oliver Sacks. Guest: Oliver Sacks, MD, is Professor of Neurology and Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center and has written ten books. The latest is Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain. Dr. Sacks has also been designated a Columbia University Artist. The photo of Dr. Sacks was taken by Elena Seibert. His Web site is www.oliversacks.com.
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Dental health may be as important as mental health in affecting the rest of the body. Periodontal disease appears to provide a reservoir of inflammation and possibly infection that can greatly increase the risk of other conditions, such as heart disease or diabetes. Some prescription drugs can have a deleterious effect on oral health. The osteoporosis drugs Actonel, Boniva and Fosamax, for example, have been linked to jaw bone death. And several anticonvulsant drugs have long been known to contribute to gum overgrowth. How can we manage such medicines for maximum health? Guest: Susan Karabin, DDS, is board certified by the American Board of Periodontology. She is also past president of the New York Academy of Dentistry as well as the Northeastern Society of Periodontists, and the immediate past president of the American Academy of Periodontology. The Web site is perio.org
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People with diabetes have been urged to keep their blood sugar as close to normal as possible. Doctors believed that this would reduce the likelihood of serious complications from the disease. A new study from the Veterans Affairs Health Centers throws this assumption into question. As the Obama administration takes office, health care will be targeted for reform. No one knows quite what that will look like, but we get a sneak preview from the president-elect’s advisor on health care policy. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: John Buse, MD, PhD, Past President of the American Diabetes Association. He is Professor and Chief of Endocrinology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill. Ezekiel Emanuel, MD, PhD, breast oncologist; Chair of the Clinical Center Department of Bioethics at the National Institutes of Health; author of several books, including the recent Healthcare, Guaranteed: A Simple, Secure Solution for America (Public Affairs); and senior counselor at the White House Office of Management and Budget on health policy for the Obama administration. The photo is of Dr. Emanuel. Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy.
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Five million Americans have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, and as the baby boom generation ages, many more will develop dementia. Not all confusion and forgetfulness is due to Alzheimer’s disease, however. Sometimes the cause is treatable. How can a family get the correct diagnosis for a beloved elder? What treatments can be helpful? Learn how families cope with Alzheimer’s disease. Guests: Murali Doraiswamy, MD, is Chief of Biological Psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center and is a senior fellow at Duke's center for the study of aging. Lisa Gwyther, MSW, is Associate Professor in the Duke University Medical Center Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and Education Director of the Bryan Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Duke and President of the Gerontological Society of America. Together they have written a new book, The Alzheimer’s Action Plan. Click here to download our podcast.

David Servan-Schreiber was a young doctor and neuroscientist when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. After it recurred and he had gone through the standard treatment, he combed the medical literature to find ways to strengthen his defenses against its return. The evidence-based approaches he uncovered can benefit all of us as we attempt to reduce our risk of developing cancer. Guest: David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, is a neuroscientist and clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He co-founded the Center for Integrative Medicine there. He is also a founding member of Doctors Without Borders. The Australian Web site he mentioned on the glycemic index of foods is glycemicindex.com. His new book is Anti-Cancer: A New Way of Life.
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Roxanne Black was diagnosed with lupus at the age of 15. She had been an athletic teenager, a rower on her high school crew, and suddenly she had to shun the sun and face a life of chronic illness. Instead of moping, she formed a support group for people with lupus. Then she started Friends Health Connection, an organization that matches people around the world with others who are going through similar illness experiences. Many people have benefited from Roxanne’s energy and dedication. We talk with Dr. Larry Dossey about the importance of community in healing and discuss the relevance of the human spirit with Dr. Nancy Snyderman. Guests: Roxanne Black, founder of Friends Health Connection and author of: Unexpected Blessings: Finding Hope and Healing in the Face of Illness. Her Web site is www.friendshealthconnection.org.The photo is of Ms. Black. Larry Dossey, MD, former Executive Editor of the peer-reviewed journal Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine and is currently Executive Editor of Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. His widely acclaimed books include Space, Time and Medicine, Healing Words, Recovering the Soul, Be Careful What You Pray for, and his most recent, The Extraordinary Healing Power of Ordinary Things. Nancy Snyderman, MD, chief medical editor for NBC News. She reports for Nightly News with Brian Williams, Today, and MSNBC. She also has an academic appointment in the Department of Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Snyderman is the author of several books, including Medical Myths That Can Kill You: And the 101 Truths That Will Save, Extend and Improve your Life.
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Before 2000, the FDA rarely highlighted suicide as a possible side effect. But in 2004, after years of controversy, the agency reversed course and issued warnings to doctors and patients that some popular antidepressants are linked to suicidal thoughts and behavior in adolescents. It was a long hard battle by a number of dedicated individuals to bring this problem to the agency’s attention and get it to be taken seriously. Science writer Alison Bass has talked with many of them. We talk with her about the struggle over Paxil and the implications for other drugs. Guests: Alison Bass is a science writer. She teaches journalism at Brandeis University. Her new book is Side Effects: A Prosecutor, a Whistleblower, and a Bestselling Antidepressant on Trial. Read her blog at alison-bass.blogspot.com
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Generic medicines have been hailed as the best way to economize without sacrificing quality. A new analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that heart drugs work equally well if they are generic or brand-name. But most of the studies included in the analysis are older, and many were carried out overseas. How can you use generic drugs safely? Budgets are tighter than ever this year, and prices at the drugstore have been rising. Pharmacists have hints on how to save money on medications. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Alan Greene, MD, founder of DrGreene.com, president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps and Raising Baby Green. Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Stephanie Ferreri, PharmD, CDE, FAPhA, Clinical Assistant Professor and Director of the Community Residency Program at the University of North Carolina School of Pharmacy. Click here to download our podcast.

The science of nutrition seems to lead to a lot of contradictory advice. Vitamin E is a great example. At one time, it was supposed to prevent cancer and heart disease and help people stay healthy into their later years. Now, though, the vitamin is in the doghouse. We find out why scientists have reversed their stance. Dr. Christopher Gardner talks with us about how to evaluate the changing news on nutrition and design a healthy diet. Guest: Christopher Gardner, PhD, Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA.
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A large trial of Crestor was stopped early because it reduced inflammation and the risk of a heart attack. How should we interpret the JUPITER trial, and what does it mean for you? Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Paul Ridker, MD, Professor of Medicine at the Harvard Medical School and Director of the Center for Cardiovascular Disease Prevention at the Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA. He led the JUPITER trial of Crestor against CRP. The photo is of Dr. Ridker. Nortin Hadler, MD, Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is attending rheumatologist at UNC Hospitals. His books include The Last Well Person: How to Stay Well Despite the Health Care System and Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America. Stephen Sinatra, MD, FACC, cardiologist at the New England Heart Center in Manchester, CT. He edits the monthly newsletter, “Heart, Health and Nutrition” and is author of several books, including The Sinatra Solution. His Web site is drsinatra.com.
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Twelve years ago, we spoke with actor Evan Handler about his fascinating book Time on Fire: My Comedy of Terrors. It described his battle with acute myeloid leukemia in his early 20s. Since that time, Evan Handler has won acclaim as an actor both in movies and on television. He may be best-known for his portrayal of Harry Goldenblatt in the popular TV series, Sex and the City, and he is currently starring in Californication. But he should be just as well-known as an author. His book, It’s Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive, is an exploration of how being cured of cancer has affected his outlook on life. Guest: Evan Handler is a well-known actor, currently appearing in the hit series Californication on Showtime. His most recent book is It’s Only Temporary: The Good News and the Bad News of Being Alive. His Web site, www.evanhandler.com, has information on his current book tour.
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Stroke is the third leading cause of death in America, killing 150,000 people a year. The survivors can face a difficult challenge, as they may need to relearn simple activities such as talking, reading or dressing themselves. For one neuroscientist, experiencing a massive stroke and recovering from it resulted in a completely different understanding of how the brain works. Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor stars in a popular YouTube videoclip. Now she shares her unique perspective on how the two halves of our brains work together, and what the right brain contributes when the left side is affected by a stroke. This is the second show in a two-part series on stroke. Guest: Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD, is a neuroanatomist and a stroke survivor affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for 2008. Her book is titled: My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist's Personal Journey. Her Web site is drjilltaylor.com
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Stroke is a leading cause of death in America, right behind heart disease and cancer. In fact, some neurologists call stroke a “brain attack,” analogous to a heart attack. Strokes can be disabling, but neuroscientists have been learning that the brain is more flexible than once thought. Given time, support and the appropriate training, many stroke survivors can recover at least some of the skills they lost. What do you need to know about preventing and treating stroke? Guests: Larry B. Goldstein, MD, Director of the Duke Center for Cerebrovascular Disease and the Duke Stroke Center Ronald Keeney, MD Jill Bolte Taylor, PhD, National Spokesperson for Psychiatric Disorders for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center and Adjunct Instructor at Indiana University School of Medicine. She is author of My Stroke of Insight: A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. Her Web site is drjilltaylor.com
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We expect our pricey prescription pills to be as reliable as our toasters—that they will work every time. But when it comes to medications, the success rate is much lower. Just how effective are medications for lowering cholesterol or treating osteoporosis? Screening programs like mammograms for breast cancer or PSA for prostate cancer are considered the foundation of the fight against cancer. But how well do they work, and are there any downsides? Guest: Nortin Hadler, MD, is Professor of Medicine, Microbiology and Immunology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is attending rheumatologist at UNC Hospitals. His books include The Last Well Person: How to Stay Well Despite the Health Care System and Worried Sick: A Prescription for Health in an Overtreated America.
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Millions of American kids have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This can make for challenges in the classroom, and even at home or with friends. People with ADD are often prescribed stimulant medications to help them focus better. What are the benefits and risks of such drugs? What other approaches can help? How does ADD affect relationships such as marriage? Dr. Ned Hallowell is one of the country’s leading experts on ADD and ADHD. His books, Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction are classics in the field. Guest: Edward (Ned) Hallowell, MD, is a child and adult psychiatrist and founder of The Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Massachusetts. His books include Driven to Distraction, Delivered from Distraction, and CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked and About to Snap. His Web site is www.drhallowell.com
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Despite our seeming obsession with sex on television, in movies and on the Web, Americans might know less about sex than they think. A puritanical streak in our culture tends to discourage discussion of the topic. But scientists have been studying sex for decades, even before Kinsey or Masters & Johnson. Science writer Mary Roach looked into the history of the experiments and talked with modern day investigators to summarize for us what the researchers have learned. Guest: Mary Roach is a science writer who has been contributing editor at the science magazine Discover and a winner of the American Engineering Societies' Engineering Journalism Award. Her books include Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers; Spook: Science Tackles the Afterlife; and Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex. Her Web site is www.maryroach.net
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Inhaled medicines used to treat a respiratory condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) may increase the likelihood of heart attacks and strokes. Who is at risk? Homocysteine is thought to be a bad actor, increasing the chances of heart disease. Folic acid and other B vitamins can lower homocysteine. How well do they work to protect the heart? Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Sonal Singh, MD, MPH, assistant professor of internal medicine, Wake Forest University School of Medicine Christopher Gardner, PhD, Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center at Stanford University.
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When the hazards of smoking first started to surface, a clever public relations firm figured out that by casting doubt on the emerging science, the tobacco companies would be able to fend off regulation for years. This tactic worked so very well that other industries have taken note. Environmental groups may worry about endocrine disruptors like bisphenol A and phthalates, but the chemical industry insists that the science is no good. This leaves consumers in a quandary. How do you determine which dangers are real? Guest: David Michaels, PhD, is Research Professor and Associate Chairman in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and directs the Department's doctoral program. He directs the Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy and holds faculty appointments at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. His book is Doubt Is Their Product: How Industry’s Assault on Science Threatens Your Health (2008).
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Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in many plastic beverage and food containers, not to mention baby bottles. The FDA says it’s safe, although a recent study shows an association between BPA levels in adults and problems such as heart disease or diabetes. BPA is not the only potential endocrine disruptor in the American diet, though. We’ll talk with a scientist about her research on a component of soy. Generic drugs are supposed to be identical to their brand name equivalents. Is quality control good enough to make sure that they are? Problems in India, China and here in the US raise doubts. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guest: Heather Patisaul, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology, North Carolina State University. The photo is of Dr. Patisaul.
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Diabetes research has generated a certain amount of confusion in the past several months. Avandia lowers blood sugar, but it may increase the risk of heart attack, heart failure and broken bones. Byetta, one of the newest diabetes drugs, is suspected of causing pancreatitis, a rare but potentially lethal reaction. People with diabetes have been urged to keep their blood sugar under control, as close to the ideal values as possible. New research throws that advice into question, though. Find out what HbA1c means and how to use it to stay healthy with diabetes. Guests: John Buse, MD, PhD, is President of the American Diabetes Association. He is Professor and Chief of Endocrinology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine at Chapel Hill. The photo is of Dr. Buse. Marc Allen Brenner, DPM, is editor of the textbook, Management of the Diabetic Foot. He is on the medical staff of North Shore Hospital and Long Island Jewish Hospital. His Web site is: www.icare4yourfeet.com
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Watching the Olympics was certainly inspiring. Perhaps many more of us will revive old interests in sports and become more active. But what kinds of risks does the weekend warrior run? Children are being encouraged to specialize in just one or two sports at increasingly early ages. Does this concentration on early athletic achievement pose hazards of injury? Guest: Dean C. Taylor, MD, Professor of Surgery (Orthopaedics); Director of the Duke Sports Medicine Fellowship; and Head Team Physician for Duke Basketball.
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Cancer is a major cause of illness and death in this country and around the world and has been for decades. Back in the 1970s, the United States declared war on cancer. Are we winning or losing this war? Researchers have made amazing progress when it comes to diagnosing cancer early. But cancer prevention has not received the same research attention. We speak with one of the country’s foremost cancer epidemiologists about the secret history of the war on cancer. Why has it placed so little emphasis on environmental factors? Guest: Devra L. Davis, PhD, MPH, Director of the Center for Environmental Oncology at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute. She is also Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. Her book is: The Secret History of the War on Cancer (Basic Books, 2007). Web site: www.environmentaloncology.org/
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As men get older, they become more likely to experience symptoms of prostate enlargement. This is a common phenomenon that isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it can be inconvenient to have urine flow slow or to be unable to empty the bladder completely. There are medications for enlarged prostate. Are there natural alternatives as well? Most men will develop prostate cancer if they live long enough. In many cases, it is very slow growing and has no impact on the quality of life. In other cases, though, it is more aggressive. How is prostate cancer treated and what are the pros and cons of a watch and wait policy? Erectile dysfunction can be a red flag for other health concerns. What treatments are best? What other issues should be considered for men with this problem? Guests: Culley C. Carson III, MD, Rhodes Distinguished Professor and Chief of Urology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. (Photo is of Dr. Carson) Mark W. McClure, MD, Founder and director of Landmark Urology and Complementary Medicine in Raleigh, NC. He is author of Smart Medicine for a Healthy Prostate.
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We usually assume that the primary problem with health care in the U.S. is that so many people don’t have good access to it. But while many Americans suffer because of lack of medical care, others undergo unnecessary procedures or take potentially dangerous drugs they don’t really need. How does the health care system lead to overtreatment and what are the consequences? Guest: Shannon Brownlee, essayist and writer, has written for The Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times, The New Republic, Slate, Time, Washington Monthly, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications. Ms. Brownlee is a Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C. Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer, is her first book. She is the winner of several prestigious journalism awards, including the 2004 Association of Health Care Journalists Award for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting, the National Association of Science Writers Science-in-Society Award, and the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.
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Before industrialization made it easy to light city streets and homes late into the night, people had very different sleep patterns. When these patterns resurface today, they get labeled as pathology, but they might not be as dangerous as we think. Sleep deprivation has become a way of life for many Americans. Can you tell the difference between simple snoring and sleep apnea? Sleep apnea may have even more dire health results than keeping your bed partner awake. One condition characterized by poor sleep is fibromyalgia, a hard-to-treat chronic pain syndrome. We get an update on how restoring sleep in sufferers improves their quality of life. Guests: Mary Klink, MD, clinical associate professor of pulmonary medicine at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. She is director of the Wisconsin Sleep Clinic. A. Roger Ekirch, Professor of Early American History, Virginia Tech Martin B. Scharf, PhD, Director of the Tri-State Sleep Disorders Center; Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Wright State University College of Medicine
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Losing weight is hard work, as anyone who has tried it knows. Diet experts have been debating the pros and cons of counting calories, reducing fat or cutting carbs. A new Israeli study compares the health effects of the Mediterranean diet to a low-fat (Dr. Ornish-type) diet and a low-carb (Dr. Atkins-type) diet. You may be surprised by the outcome. Statin-type drugs are effective at lowering cholesterol and helping prevent heart disease. But some people report severe muscle pain and weakness as a side effect. A British team used sophisticated genome analysis to find a gene variant that greatly increases the risk of this bad reaction. As children come home from camp and prepare to go back to school, parents are tearing their hair out over lice. Dr. Alan Greene has an interesting approach. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Eric Westman, MD, MHS, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of the Lifestyle Medicine Center, Duke University Medical Center; Vice-President of the American Society of Bariatric Physicians. The photo is of Dr. Westman. Rory Collins, MD, British Heart Foundation Professor Epidemiology, University of Oxford Alan Greene, MD, founder of www.DrGreene.com, president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps and Raising Baby Green.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are popular, but do they make sense? Many people have been told that taking vitamins just results in expensive urine. Find out which vitamins really make a difference—you may be surprised. Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is one of the country’s leading experts on the evidence base behind herbs and dietary supplements. She knows how to overcome insomnia and anxiety without medications. Are there supplements that can boost the immune system against colds and flu? Is there value in mangosteen, hoodia, goji berries, black cohosh or milk thistle? Guest: Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Her Web site is: www.drlowdog.com
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The problem of antibiotic resistance is increasing. Superbugs like MRSA (methicillin-resistant staph aureus) are becoming harder and harder to treat as they evolve resistance to the most powerful antibiotics used against them. Back before the development of antibiotics, scientists were working on a different way to fight bacterial infections. They enlisted viruses that attack only those particular bacteria. Should we go back to this old bacteriophage technology for the future of fighting infection? Guests: David Weber, MD, MPH, professor of medicine, pediatrics and epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Schools of Medicine and Public Health. He’s also associate chief of staff and medical director of infection control at UNC Health Care. Elizabeth Kutter, PhD, Professor of Biophysics at the Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. She heads the Laboratory of Phage Biology there. Randall Wolcott, MD, CWS, director of the Southwest Regional Wound Care Center in Lubbock, Texas; director of the Medical Biofilm Research Institute in Lubbock, Texas.
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There’s a lot of hype about superfoods that are said to have near-mystical properties to promote health. Should we be chowing down on blueberries, Swiss chard, pomegranates and pumpkin? Or do we need to concentrate on goji and acai berries and galangal? Get the straight and skinny on superfoods from one of the world's leading nutrition researchers. Guest: Walter C. Willett, MD, DrPH, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition and Chairman of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He is the author of Eat, Drink and Be Healthy: The Harvard Medical School Guide to Healthy Eating, and Eat, Drink and Weigh Less (with Mollie Katzen). He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Click here to download our podcast.

The field of genetic medicine has been evolving rapidly. We all know our DNA determines certain characteristics such as our eye color, hair texture and height. It is also important in considering our risk for certain conditions such as Huntington’s disease or cystic fibrosis. Now that the genome can be analyzed, how will that affect medicine in the 21st century? One area in which genes and the environment interact is weight. The rates of obesity are increasing worldwide. What factors may be contributing? One scientist suggests that contaminants in plastic water pipes might be part of the problem. Guests: James Evans, MD, PhD, Director of Clinical Cancer Genetics Services and the Bryson Program in Human Genetics, and Clinical Associate Professor in the departments of genetics and medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His commentary on “Health Care in the Age of Genetic Medicine” was published last year in the Journal of the American Medical Association. The photo is of Dr. Evans. Bruce Blumberg, PhD, Professor in the Departments of Developmental and Cell Biology, Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biomedical Engineering, at the University of California at Irvine, CA. His article on environmental obesogens as emerging factors in the obesity crisis was published in Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders.
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If you find it hard to converse in a busy restaurant, the problem could be your hearing. Nearly 10 percent of Americans have trouble with their hearing, but a surprising number aren't doing anything about it. What are the latest developments in treating hearing difficulties and tinnitus? Guest: Charles Limb, MD, Assistant Professor of Otolaryngology in the Department of Head & Neck Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD; Staff Physician and Research Fellow at the National Institute on Deafness and Communication Disorders in the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD; also on the faculty of the Peabody Conservatory of Music. Click here to download our podcast.

If you’ve ever had something on the tip of your tongue that you just couldn’t recall, you know how frustrating it is to have trouble retrieving information from the memory banks. Is it because we store too many factoids as we age? There’s nothing more embarrassing than running into an old acquaintance and not remembering his name, unless it is repeatedly mislaying your glasses. Normal aging has an impact on memory, but there are ways to compensate. Guests: Martha Weinman Lear, formerly staff writer for the New York Times magazine and author of Where Did I Leave My Glasses?: The what, when and why of normal memory loss. Yaakov Stern, PhD, division leader of the cognitive neuroscience division at the Taub Institute at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and professor of clinical neuropsychology and head of neuropsychology for the Memory Disorder Center at New York State Psychiatric Institute. Barry Gordon, MD, PhD, behavioral neurologist and cognitive neuroscientist. He is a founding member of the Mind-Brain Institute and directed the division of cognitive neurology-neuropsychology at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. Click here to download our podcast.

When the FDA approves a new medication for the market, it has undergone extensive testing to demonstrate it is safe and effective for the intended use. But once it is available, doctors can prescribe it for nearly any purpose that seems reasonable to them. We speak with an expert who has warned his colleagues about the pitfalls of this practice. Senator Ted Kennedy has begun his treatment for brain cancer. What sorts of treatment are given after surgery, and what is on the horizon for the future? A listener tantalized others with his testimonial on using a dietary supplement, l-carnosine, to reverse his cataracts. We discuss this approach with the ophthalmologist who suggested it. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Randall S. Stafford, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine at the Stanford Prevention Research Center in the program on Prevention Outcomes and Practices at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. His article on off-label drugs was published in The New England Journal of Medicine April 3, 2008. Henry Friedman, MD, James B. Powell, Jr., Professor of Neuro-Oncology; Professor of Pediatrics; Associate Professor of Surgery and Medicine; Assistant Professor of Pathology; Co-Deputy Director of The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center. Robert Abel, Jr., MD, ophthalmologist and author of The Eye Care Revolution: Prevent and Reverse Common Vision Problems. His Web site is www.eyeadvisory.com
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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is the medical term for severe heartburn. Doctors prescribed more than $88 million worth of acid-suppressing drugs to help people handle GERD last year. What should you know about them, and are there other ways to ease the pain? IBD, or inflammatory bowel disease, and IBS, or irritable bowel syndrome, are very different conditions but they can both make life miserable. What are the best treatments? Colorectal cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death among American adults. Better prevention and more regular screening could reduce the death toll. Learn about the most important guidelines for avoiding colon cancer. Probiotics may be helpful for a number of GI problems. Dr. Pochapin mentioned Lactobacillus GG, Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus rhamnosus. L. GG is sold under the brand name Culturelle. He also mentioned Saccharomyces boulardii, sold under the brand name Florastor. Guests: Mark Pochapin, MD, is director of The Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health. He serves as Chief of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Associate Attending Physician at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the Weill Medical College of Cornell University. He is author of What Your Doctor May Not Tell You About Colorectal Cancer: New Tests, New Treatment, New Hope.
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Bisphenol A (BPA), a compound found in hard clear plastic, has come under intense scrutiny lately. The National Toxicology Program issued a report acknowledging that it might harm humans, especially infants. Health Canada announced it may ban the compound from baby bottles. We talk with a biological researcher, Dr. Fred vom Saal, about this hormone disrupter. You know about the germs lurking in your kitchen sink, but have you ever thought about the ones you are tracking into the house on your shoes? Dr. Chuck Gerba says they are worth worrying about, especially if there are small children in the household. A stop-smoking drug called Chantix has become very popular. But epidemiologist Curt Furberg says the side effects can be hazardous to public health. People operating machinery such as airplanes, cranes or vehicles may lose consciousness or control. A People’s Pharmacy/iGuard survey shows that muscle aches and pains are common among people taking statin cholesterol medicines. iGuard is a community for patients to learn about risk and interaction concerns as well as share feedback. www.iGuard.org. Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Frederick vom Saal, PhD, is professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri at Columbia, Missouri. Charles Gerba, PhD, is professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. Curt Furberg, MD, is professor of public health sciences at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
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The practice of yoga goes back thousands of years in India. Although many Americans think of it as an exotic form of exercise, yoga has many other aspects. It could be used to manage disease as well as to improve strength and flexibility. But it is also possible to go astray. Practicing the wrong postures or doing them too rapidly could lead to injury instead of healing. Listen to several experts on the healing power of yoga: a medical doctor, a yoga teacher and a musician who learned yoga (as well as music) as part of his family tradition during his Indian childhood. Guests: Timothy McCall, MD, is a primary care physician. His first book was Examining Your Doctor: A Patient’s Guide To Avoiding Harmful Medical Care. After that he got interested in yoga, both personally and professionally. He is now medical editor of Yoga Journal and author of the book, Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing. Carol Krucoff is a yoga therapist at Duke Integrative Medicine. She is co-author of Healing Moves: How to Cure, Relieve and Prevent Common Ailments with Exercise. Her latest project is "Healing Moves Yoga,” an audio CD that offers a basic, home yoga practice for all levels. It can be ordered on her Web site, www.healingmoves.com. K. Sridhar is a musician who grew up in India and has been playing the traditional Indian stringed instrument, the sarod, for more than 50 years. He has also been practicing yoga most of his life. For more about his music, consult his Web site, www.sridhar.org
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Dr. Ruth Westheimer is America’s most renowned sex expert. She shares her decades of experience answering questions on sex. What are the most common concerns facing couples? The husband and wife team of Irwin and Sue Goldstein have blazed a trail for recognizing sexual medicine as a specialty. They share secrets about female sexual dysfunction and reveal some surprising new research about drug development for women. Pink Viagra may not be a pipe dream. Guests: Dr. Ruth Westheimer is America’s best known sex expert. She has degrees in sociology and a doctorate in education from Columbia University. She completed post-doctoral work in human sexuality at New York Presbyterian. She hosted a radio show on WYNY called "Sexually Speaking" for many years. Some of her books include: Sex for Dummies Rekindling Romance for Dummies Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Safer Sex Sex and Morality: Who is Teaching our Sex Standards? Dr. Ruth’s Guide to Good Sex Sex After 50: Revving Up the Romance, Passion and Excitement Her Web site is www.drruth.com Irwin Goldstein, MD, is editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine and Director of Sexual Medicine at Alvarado Hospital in San Diego, California. He is also Clinical Professor of Surgery at University of California at San Diego and Director of San Diego Sexual Medicine. Sue Goldstein is sexual medicine education coordinator and co-author of the book, When Sex Isn’t Good: Stories and Solutions of Women with Sexual Dysfunction.
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Everyone needs health care at some point, and in today’s complex health-care system, patients are at risk for errors. Some people with chronic illnesses who have logged a lot of time in hospitals have thought hard about how patients can help providers give them the best possible care. We talk with two expert patients and get their recommendations for communicating with health care providers and coping with a complicated health care system. An amazingly uplifting show. Guests: Tiffany Christensen, patient advocate and author of Sick Girl Speaks: Lessons and Ponderings Along the Road to Acceptance. She has had cystic fibrosis since infancy and has undergone two double lung transplants. The photo is of Ms. Christensen. Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, is clinical professor of Family and Community Medicine at UCSF School of Medicine and founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Health and Illness at Commonweal. Her groundbreaking curriculum, The Healer's Art, is taught in nearly half of America's medical schools. She is author of the bestsellers, Kitchen Table Wisdom and My Grandfather's Blessings. Dr. Remen has had Crohn's disease for more than 50 years, and her work is a unique blend of the viewpoints of both physician and patient.
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Urinary tract infections are the leading cause of emergency room visits and hospital admissions for American women. As any woman who has experienced one can attest, they are exceedingly painful. How are they best treated? Is there any way to prevent them? Television commercials touting drugs for overactive bladder are all too evident. How effective are these medications? They have been reported to cause cognitive problems. Are they worth the risk? We speak with a female urologist (one of only 500 in the U.S.) about incontinence, infections and other urinary issues. Guest: Elizabeth Kavaler, MD, Board-certified urologist and author of: A Seat on the Aisle, Please! The essential guide to urinary tract problems in women. Her Web site is: http://www.elizabethkavalermd.com/
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The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most profitable, both in America and around the world. But recently in the US, fines for malfeasance have stained its image. We speak with Dr. Peter Rost, who worked inside the pharmaceutical industry for decades. He was a vice president at Pfizer when he saw first-hand how pharmaceutical marketing can cross the line. After he blew the whistle on illegal marketing practices, Dr. Rost lost his job in the drug industry. We discuss his memoir, Whistleblower: Confessions of a Health Care Hitman, and get his critical perspective on the business of prescription drugs. Guest: Peter Rost, MD, former vice-president of Pfizer. Author of Whistleblower: Confessions of a Health Care Hitman and a novel, Killer Drug. His blog is: http://peterrost.blogspot.com/
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Medical errors and adverse events are much too common, especially when it come to pediatric patients. Is there a way to protect children in the hospital? Traumatic brain injury affects more than 1,000,000 people in the United States each year, not counting veterans returning from Iraq. The trauma often results in death or permanent injury, but one researcher has come up with a treatment that could save lives. A People’s Pharmacy/iGuard survey shows that chronic cough from the ACE inhibitor blood pressure medicine lisinopril is common. iGuard is a community for patients to learn about risk and interaction concerns as well as share feedback. www.iGuard.org. CT scans are extremely useful for making some diagnoses, but doctors and patients don’t always stop to think about the ramifications. Is this technology as safe as it seems? Explore the stories behind the health headlines. Guests: Paul Sharek, MD, MPH, Medical Director of Quality management and Chief Clinical Patient Safety Officer at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Stanford University School of Medicine Michael Esposito, MD, radiologist in Tampa Bay, Florida and author of Locked In, a medical thriller. Alan Greene, MD, founder of www.DrGreene.com, president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps and Raising Baby Green. Donald Stein, MD, Asa G. Candler Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine
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Exercise is essential for keeping the heart and circulatory system healthy. It helps, too, to moderate blood sugar and control metabolism. Now, animal research suggests that physical fitness also benefits the brain. Guest: John Ratey, MD, is an associate clinical professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and has a private practice in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has co-authored Driven to Distraction: Recognizing and Coping with Attention Deficit Disorder from Childhood through Adulthood with Dr. Ned Hallowell. His most recent book is Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain.
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The very medicines many people take to relieve pain may actually be causing their headaches. A vicious cycle of pain relievers is behind too many cases of chronic headache. How can you break out of this insidious cycle? Guest: Joel Saper, M.D., FACP, FAAN, is founder and director of The Michigan Head-Pain and Neurological Institute. He is past president of the American Association for the Study of Headache, past chairman of the American Council for Headache Education. Dr. Saper is professor of medicine (neurology) at Michigan State University.
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Israelis love their cell phones and have used them heavily for a long time. New research suggests a link with salivary gland cancer. Placebos work surprisingly well for many symptoms, including pain. But do pricey placebos work better than cheap ones? Explore the stories behind the health headlines.
Guests: Siegal Sadetski, MD, epidemiologist on the Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine Dan Ariely, PhD, behavioral economist and author of Predictably Irrational. His Web site is www.predictablyirrational.com/ Alan Greene, MD, founder of DrGreene.com, president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps and Raising Baby Green.
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Dr. Aaron Beck made a revolutionary change in psychology when he developed cognitive therapy. His daughter and colleague, Dr. Judith Beck, has found a way to apply these principles to weight control. Learn how the Beck Solution can train the brain to think like a thin person. Guests: Judith Beck, MD, is Director of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research www.beckinstitute.org She is also Clinical Associate Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Beck Solution; train your brain to think like a thin person. (The photo is of Dr. Beck.) Aaron Beck, MD, is University Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania and President of the Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and Research. www.beckinstitute.org Winner of the 2006 Lasker Clinical Research Award and the 2006 Leinhard Award
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Bisphenol A is an estrogen mimic, found in some of the plastics we use in our everyday lives. How much of a problem is this endocrine disrupter? Are there other compounds that should concern us? Biologists suggest that some natural experiments could help illuminate this question. For example, cats are experiencing an unusually high number of thyroid problems. What could be triggering this hormone disturbance? Alligators in Florida lakes also demonstrate abnormal development. What can they teach us? This is the second in a two-part series on endocrine disruption. Guests: Linda Birnbaum, PhD, is Division Director of Experimental Toxicology at the United States Environmental Protection Agency. She is past president of the Society of Toxicology and president elect of the International Union of Toxicology. Dr. Birnbaum also serves on the faculties of both Duke University and the University of North Carolina. Louis Guillette, PhD, is distinguished professor of zoology at the University of Florida in Gainesville and professor at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Click here to download our podcast.

A common compound found in the lining of cans, plastic water bottles and even baby bottles can mimic the hormone estrogen. Environmental contamination is widespread and most Americans have measurable levels of the compound, bisphenol A, in our bodies. Will these hormone disruptors affect our health and our children’s health? When Agouti mice are exposed to bisphenol A pre-natally, lean brown mice become fat and blond. The implications for humans are not yet fully known. The photo shows two genetically identical mice with differing prenatal exposure in Dr. Jirtle's laboratory. This is the first in a two-part series on endocrine disruption. Guests: John McLachlan, PhD, Weatherhead Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Professor of Pharmacology at Tulane University and Director of the Tulane-Xavier Center for Bio-Environmental Research. Randy Jirtle, PhD, Professor of Radiation Oncology at Duke University Medical Center http://www.geneimprint.com/lab/ Frederick Vom Saal, PhD, Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri at Columbia, Missouri. http://endocrinedisruptors.missouri.edu/vomsaal/vomsaal.html Click here to download our podcast.

Living a long time is appealing, but only if the extra years can be healthy ones. Dr. Mark Liponis, medical director of the Canyon Ranch Resorts, says paying attention to the immune system can make a big difference. We discuss his thesis that managing the immune system to keep it from becoming overactive can slow down the aging process. He shares his seven steps for a healthier life—and we find out what barnyard animals have to do with it. Guest: Mark Liponis, MD, Corporate Medical Director of Canyon Ranch Resorts and author of UltraLongevity: The Seven-Step Program for a Younger, Healthier You. His previous book, with Dr. Mark Hyman, was Ultraprevention. Click here to download our podcast.

As men get older, they become more likely to experience symptoms of prostate enlargement. This is a common phenomenon that isn’t necessarily dangerous, but it can be inconvenient to have urine flow slow or to be unable to empty the bladder completely. There are medications for enlarged prostate. Are there natural alternatives as well? Most men will develop prostate cancer if they live long enough. In many cases, it is very slow growing and has no impact on the quality of life. In other cases, though, it is more aggressive. How is prostate cancer treated and what are the pros and cons of a watch and wait policy? Erectile dysfunction can be a red flag for other health concerns. What treatments are best? What other issues should be considered for men with this problem? Guests: Culley C. Carson III, MD, Rhodes Distinguished Professor and Chief of Urology at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. (Photo is of Dr. Carson) Mark W. McClure, MD, Founder and director of Landmark Urology and Complementary Medicine in Raleigh, NC. He is author of Smart Medicine for a Healthy Prostate. Click here to download our podcast.

Depression is debilitating and surprisingly common. Scientists have found that 5 percent of the people in a large survey reported symptoms of depression during the previous year. Nearly 13 percent of Americans experience depression at some point during their lives. The big question is how to treat depression? It’s hard to get a good picture of the effectiveness of antidepressants from the published medical literature, because many studies that show little or no benefit don’t get published. Dr. Erick Turner explains how unpublished studies may skew medical opinion. Dr. David Mischoulon discusses the pros and cons of antidepressant medication and many alternative treatments for this devastating mental disorder. Guests: David Mischoulon, MD, PhD, is the Director of Research, Depression Clinical and Research Program, at the Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Psychiatry. He is also an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Harvard Medical School. He is currently working on the second edition of his book, Natural Remedies for Psychiatric Disorders: Considering the Alternatives. (Photo is of Dr. Mischoulon.) Erick Turner, M.D. is Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and in the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology. He is the Medical Director of the Portland VA Medical Center Mood Disorders Program, where he acts as site principal investigator (PI) on several multicenter clinical drug trials. His article, "Selective Publication of Antidepressant Trials and Its Influence on Apparent Efficacy," was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 17, 2008. Click here to download our podcast.

A lot of people are suffering with winter colds at this time of year. Questions have been raised about the safety and efficacy of over-the-counter cold medicines for young children, and possibly even for the rest of us. Are there natural alternatives to help ease cold symptoms? A century-old drug, salsalate, is showing new promise. This chemical cousin of aspirin may help treat or even prevent type 2 diabetes by lowering blood sugar and reducing inflammation. A giant of cancer research passed away last month. We remember Dr. Judah Folkman and the contribution he made in the fight against cancer. Guests: Bruce Barrett, MD, PhD, Associate Professor in the Department of Family Medicine of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy Allison Goldfine, MD, head of the Clinical Research Section of the Joslin Diabetes Center and Assistant Professor at Harvard Medical School. Her research was published in Diabetes Care. Alan Greene, MD, founder of DrGreene.com, president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and Clinical Professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. His books include From First Kicks to First Steps (McGraw-Hill, 2004) and Raising Baby Green (Jossey-Bass, 2007). Sal Pizzo, MD, Distinguished Professor of Pathology and Chair of the Department of Pathology at Duke University Medical School Judah Folkman, MD, founder and director of the Vascular Biology program at Children's Hospital Boston until his recent death. Click here to download our podcast.

The skin is the largest organ in the body. And when something goes wrong with the skin, it is often very visible. This means skin problems can have psychological complications. Dr. Amy Wechsler is both a dermatologist and a psychiatrist. She can help her patients figure out when stress is aggravating their skin conditions, as well as how to minimize the social impact of problems like acne or psoriasis. Learn about treatments for rosacea, eczema, dry skin and wrinkles. She recommends Cetaphil cleanser or lotion and Cutemol for cracked fingertips. Guests: Amy Wechsler, MD, a family dermatologist practicing in New York City, board-certified in both dermatology and psychiatry. Her hospital appointments include Assistant Clinical Professor in Dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, and Adjunct Clinical Professor in Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College. Her Web site is www.dramywechsler.com (Photo is of Dr. Wechsler) Hilary Baldwin, MD, President of the American Acne and Rosacea Society, Associate Professor and the Vice Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the State University of New York at Brooklyn.Click here to listen to our podcast.

Vitamin and mineral supplements are popular, but do they make sense? Many people have been told that taking vitamins just results in expensive urine. Find out which vitamins really make a difference—you may be surprised. Dr. Tieraona Low Dog is one of the country’s leading experts on the evidence base behind herbs and dietary supplements. She knows how to overcome insomnia and anxiety without medications. Are there supplements that can boost the immune system against colds and flu? Is there value in mangosteen, hoodia, goji berries, black cohosh or milk thistle? Guest: Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. Click here to listen to our podcast.

Millions of American kids have been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, with or without hyperactivity. This can make for challenges in the classroom, and even at home or with friends. People with ADD are often prescribed stimulant medications to help them focus better. What are the benefits and risks of such drugs? What other approaches can help? How does ADD affect relationships such as marriage? Dr. Ned Hallowell is one of the country’s leading experts on ADD and ADHD. His books, Driven to Distraction and Delivered from Distraction are classics in the field. Guest: Edward (Ned) Hallowell, MD, is a child and adult psychiatrist and founder of The Hallowell Center in Sudbury, Massachusetts. His books include Driven to Distraction, Delivered from Distraction, and CrazyBusy: Overstretched, Overbooked and About to Snap. His Web site is www.drhallowell.com Click here to listen to our podcast.

The Food and Drug Administration is charged with ensuring the safety of our medications, but over the past several months it has endured mounting criticism. We discuss the criticism, morale at the agency, and what needs to be done with Dr. Janet Woodcock, Chief Medical Officer of the FDA. We hear a lot about the Mediterranean diet, but what exactly is it? Dr. Christopher Gardner, Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, explains. New research indicates that you don’t have to be Greek (or Italian, French, or Algerian) to benefit from a Mediterranean diet. Hand washing is crucial for preventing the spread of infection, particularly in winter when colds and flu are rampant. But how important is it to use warm water for washing up? We hear from an expert, Dr. Allison Aiello of The University of Michigan. Guests: Janet Woodcock, MD, Chief Medical Officer and head of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at FDA, Rockville, MD. Christopher Gardner, PhD, Director of Nutrition Studies at the Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA. Allison Aiello, PhD, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, The University of Michigan School of Public Health. Click here to listen to our podcast.

Vitamin E has been very controversial. A number of studies have shown that supplements don’t protect people from heart attacks or cancers. But a new study shows people who get plenty of vitamin E from foods are less likely to die from these problems. Doctors often treat depression with medications, but many people would like to find a way to lift their mood without the risk of antidepressant side effects. An Australian researcher has come up with a number of ideas for natural treatments. The People's Pharmacy pediatrician, Dr. Alan Greene, tells us about the dangers of ipods. The People’s Pharmacy herbal expert, Dr. Tieraona Low Dog, tells us how to cope with PMS naturally. And we open our lines for calls from listeners at 888-472-3366. Guests: Dianne Volker, PhD, nutrition scientists in the Department of Psychology at the University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Margaret E. Wright, Ph.D. Research Fellow in the Nutritional Epidemiology Branch of the Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, NIH, DHHS Alan Greene, MD, founder and CEO of www.drgreene.com and Stanford University Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics. His book is From First Kicks to First Steps: Nurturing Your Baby’s Development from Pregnancy Through the First Year of Life. Tieraona Low Dog, MD, Director of Education for the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona, Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Medicine and Clinical Lecturer for the University of Arizona College of Pharmacy. www.drlowdog.com
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Apitherapy, particularly the use of bee venom, has a history that stretches back thousands of years. It may sound flaky, but some medical doctors are reporting excellent results for the relief of pain from arthritis, tennis elbow or even post-herpetic neuralgia (excruciating pain lingering after shingles). We spoke with several people at the American Apitherapy Society.
Some practitioners apply the medicinal bee stings along acupuncture meridian points. Acupuncture itself has been considered outside the norm of medical practice, but an anesthesiologist at Duke University School of Medicine has found it reduces post-operative pain and complications such as nausea.
Guests: Andrew Kochan, MD, is President of the American Apitherapy Society. He practices physical medicine and rehabilitation in Los Angeles.
Frederique Keller is Vice-President of the American Apitherapy Society and practices apitherapy and acupuncture on Long Island, New York.
Fountain Odom is a beekeeper in North Carolina who uses apitherapy for his arthritis.
T. J. Gan, MD, is Professor and vice-chairman of anesthesiology at the Duke University School of Medicine. He has been pioneering a combination of acupuncture with anesthesia to alleviate post-surgical pain.

Listen to a free podcast of our December 22 program, 661 Apitherapy and Acupuncture

Diverticulitis accounts for 130,000 hospitalizations each year but many people don’t understand this common condition. Danny Jacobs, MD, MPH, is Chairman of Surgery at Duke University School of Medicine. He explains how to diagnose and treat diverticular disease.

Experts have told us that cough and cold remedies don’t work for kids, and may pose unexpected hazards. We talk with the Baltimore Commissioner of Health, pediatrician Joshua Sharfstein, MD, about his petition to the FDA asking the agency to crack down on kid’s cold medicines. Dr. Charles Gerba is the guru of germs. He has cultured bacteria, fungi and viruses from some unexpected places in our environment. He will tell us how to decontaminate our desks and avoid colds this winter?

Guests: Danny Jacobs, MD, MPH, Professor and Chairman, Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, NC. Author of article on Diverticulitis (Clinical Practice) in The New England Journal of Medicine, Nov. 15, 2007. (Photo is of Dr. Danny Jacobs)

Joshua Sharfstein, MD, Pediatrician and Commissioner of Health for Baltimore, MD. Author of Perspective in The New England Journal of Medicine, Dec. 6, 2007.

Charles Gerba, PhD, Professor of microbiology at the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ.

Listen to a free podcast of our December 15 program, 660 Health News Update

Health care has been hotly debated in the last few years, and many people have theories about what is wrong and how to fix it. Some 47 million people have no health insurance, but even those who think they are well covered may encounter unexpected difficulties getting the health care they need when they need it. We speak with Jonathan Cohn, author of Sick: The Untold Story of America’s Health Care Crisis.
Many pundits look to other countries for good models of health care, but one author believes we have an excellent model right in front of our noses. Philip Longman set out to find an innovative health care system in America and discovered the surprising strengths of the system run by the Veterans Administration.
Guests: Jonathan Cohn, senior editor of the New Republic, contributing editor at the American Prospect and a senior fellow at the Think Tank DEMOS. His new book is titled SICK: The Untold Story of America’s Health Care Crisis. (Photo is of Jonathan Cohn)
Philip Longman, Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation and author of Best Care Anywhere: Why VA Health Care is Better than Yours.

A majority of drugs that doctors prescribe for kids have never been tested in children. Even over-the-counter cough and cold remedies that used to be marketed to parents for sniffly tots are no longer considered effective or even safe for children less than 6 years old. How can we sort out how to treat children safely?
Parents and grandparents also want to do all they can to protect children from environmental hazards like lead or pesticides. Which ones are really worth worrying about, and how can you avoid them?
Guest: Alan Greene, MD, founder of DrGreene.com, an award-winning site for pediatric information, and chief medical officer of ADAM, a leading publisher of interactive health information. Dr. Greene teaches medical students and pediatric residents at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Intel has named him the Children’s Health Hero of the Internet. He is the president of Hi-Ethics (Health Internet Ethics) and serves on the board of directors of The Organic Center.
Dr. Greene’s books include From First Kicks to First Steps (McGraw-Hill, 2004) and Raising Baby Green (Jossey-Bass, 2007).

Listen to a free podcast of our December 1 program, 658 Children's Health

Solving medical mysteries has been turned into entertainment on TV’s popular series “House.” Dr. Gregory House may be a curmudgeon, but somehow he manages to unravel the disparate threads of a patient’s story just in time to save a life, and complete the episode. In real life, the drama may not be compressed into such a short time, but the outcome is just as important. Our guest, Dr. Lisa Sanders, writes the column on Diagnosis in The New York Times Sunday magazine section. She tells us how doctors think when they need to figure out what is wrong.

Guest: Lisa Sanders, MD, is Clinical Instructor for Yale University School of Medicine at Waterbury Hospital in Waterbury, CT. Her articles in the New York Times Sunday magazine section illustrate how diagnostic decisions and errors are made. She serves as a consultant for the producers of the television show, “House.” If you have a solved case to share with Dr. Sanders, you can email her at LSanders@pol.net. She is unable to respond to all email messages.

Listen to a free podcast of our November 25 program, 634 The Art of Diagnosis

Air pollution increases the risk of breathing problems, which is why many cities alert citizens when ozone is high. But how safe is the air inside your home? Better insulation may mean that people are exposed to more indoor air pollution from cleaning products, carpets, candles or even air fresheners. Mold and fungus can also pose hazards.

Guests: David B. Peden, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Immunology and Infectious Disease and Director of the Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology. He is also Associate Chair for Research in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Charles Gerba, PhD, microbiologist at the University of Arizona

Arnie Katz, Director of Training, Senior Building Science Consultant

Listen to a free podcast of our November 18 program, 657 Indoor Air Pollution.

Listen to a free audio podcast of our November 10 radio program, 656 Health News Update

There have been conflicting headlines lately about vitamin D, the sunshine vitamin, and whether it can ward off cancer. Dr. Joan Lappe, a scientist who did a placebo-controlled trial in postmenopausal women, found it could help. How much vitamin D do you need?

Discarding drugs is difficult. We are warned not to toss them away where children or animals might have access to them. Flushing them down the drain puts a strain on water treatment facilities. So what should you do with leftover pills?

 The FDA is considering a new medication (rimonabant) that helps people lose weight, improve their blood fats and lower their blood sugar. But it also may trigger psychiatric side effects.

The lines are open for calls from listeners at 888-472-3366.

Guests: Joan Lappe, PhD, Professor of Nursing and of Medicine, Creighton University: first holder of The Dr. C.C. and Mabel L. Criss and Drs. Gilbert and Clinton Beirne Endowed Chair in Nursing at the Creighton University School of Nursing

 Xavier Pi-Sunyer, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and Chief of Endocrinology at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital 

 

Listen to a free audio podcast of our November 3 radio program, 655 Overtreated?

We usually assume that the primary problem with health care in the U.S. is that so many people don't have good access to it. But while many Americans suffer because of lack of medical care, others undergo unnecessary procedures or take potentially dangerous drugs they don’t really need. How does the health care system lead to overtreatment and what are the consequences?

Guest: Shannon Brownlee, essayist and writer, has written for The Atlantic Monthly, the New York Times, The New Republic, Slate, Time, Washington Monthly, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times, among other publications.

Ms. Brownlee is a Schwartz Senior Fellow at the New America Foundation, a non-partisan think tank in Washington, D.C. Overtreated: Why Too Much Medicine Is Making Us Sicker and Poorer, is her first book.

She is the winner of several prestigious journalism awards, including the 2004 Association of Health Care Journalists Award for Excellence in Health Care Journalism, the Victor Cohn Prize for Excellence in Medical Science Reporting, the National Association of Science Writers Science-in-Society Award, and the Sigma Delta Chi Award from the Society of Professional Journalists.