The Body of Evidence

We wrap up the year with a new case challenge. A 38-year-old radiology technician has a strange rash just above… his buttocks! Who’s to blame? Was it the dog? Was it his job? Or is it the special person in his life? Also: Chris learns about socks! Yet also: we say the phrase “ass crack.” We had to! And also also: an important announcement.     Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

Dr. Leon Tourian, a pain psychiatry expert at McGill University, opens up about the intricate relationship between pain and mental health disorders. He discusses the gaps in medical training regarding pain management and stresses the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. The conversation also dives into the effectiveness of unconventional methods like hypnosis compared to traditional therapies. Dr. Tourian highlights how personal factors shape pain perception and the need for a compassionate approach when dealing with patients who face both pain and addiction.

What does the body of evidence say about mold? Or if you’re part of the Commonwealth, mould? Some mould can make you sick, especially by triggering allergic symptoms, but beware of people selling you a service to detect mould in your home because there is no established “safe” threshold yet. How can you prevent mould from growing where you live? And how do you take care of it once you’ve spotted it?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.   References: 1) Health Canada’s Guide to addressing moisture and mould indoors: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/healthy-living/addressing-moisture-mould-your-home.html 2) Guidance for Clinicians on the Recognition and Management of Health Effects Related to Mold Exposure and Moisture Indoors: https://health.uconn.edu/occupational-environmental/wp-content/uploads/sites/25/2015/12/mold_guide.pdf 3) The EPA’s Course on mold: https://www.epa.gov/mold/mold-course-chapter-1

It’s not the “blues” you’re having, but the “mean reds.” It can be hard to spot the signs of an impending burnout, and Dr. Emma Jones knows all about it. As a medical student, she started being depressed and she never fully got over it, which resulted in a burnout as a practicing physician caring for children with cancer. But she found a way out and the means to prevent a future burnout from happening so that she can act as a lighthouse for others.   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.   Links: 1) Emma Jones’ website: https://www.emmajonesmd.com 2) Emma Jones’ book, The Phoenix Blueprint, about burnout: https://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Blueprint-Emerging-Stronger-Healthcare/dp/1957255358/

Will Montreal soon lose what little fluoridated tap water it has? Why do we even put fluoride in the drinking water in the first place? And do the arguments voiced to take it away from citizens even… hold water?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.   References: 1) The Montreal Gazette article about the proposal to stop adding fluoride to the West Island’s tap water: https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/montreal-aims-to-stop-fluoridating-west-island-water-in-2025  

Not so long ago, natural health products sold in Canada—which include a slew of dietary supplements of dubious effectiveness—were not regulated. When Kat McLeod got poisoned via the herbal supplement she was taking, she was offered a choice: sue the Canadian government or help them draft stronger regulation. The Body of Evidence reached out to Olsy Sorokina to report on this story. She will tell you how natural health products are regulated in Canada and what the latest legislation, Vanessa’s Law, means to consumers and to the natural health industry. And don’t worry: Chris and Jonathan appear throughout.   Story producer: Olsy Sorokina Interviewed for this story: Kat McLeod and Timothy Caulfield   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.

What does the body of evidence say about smoking cessation? Does counselling make a difference and, if so, what kind? Is vaping effective as a way to quit smoking? And did you know there are drugs that have been shown to help give up the habit? Chris attempts to pronounce their names and is left with one question: is his veranda clean?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.   References: Reducing vs. quitting smoking 1) Gerber Y, Myers V, Goldbourt U. Smoking reduction at midlife and lifetime mortality risk in men: a prospective cohort study. Am J Epidemiol. 2012 May 15;175(10):1006-12. doi: 10.1093/aje/kwr466. Epub 2012 Feb 3. PMID: 22306566. 2) Nina S. Godtfredsen, Claus Holst, Eva Prescott, Jørgen Vestbo, Merete Osler, Smoking Reduction, Smoking Cessation, and Mortality: A 16-year Follow-up of 19,732 Men and Women from the Copenhagen Centre for Prospective Population Studies, American Journal of Epidemiology, Volume 156, Issue 11, 1 December 2002, Pages 994–1001, https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwf150   Behavioural interventions for smoking cessation 3) Cahill K, Lancaster T, Green N. Stage-based interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 Nov 10;(11):CD004492. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD004492.pub4. PMID: 21069681. 4) Stead LF, Koilpillai P, Fanshawe TR, Lancaster T. Combined pharmacotherapy and behavioural interventions for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Mar 24;3(3):CD008286. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD008286.pub3. PMID: 27009521; PMCID: PMC10042551. 5) Hartmann-Boyce J, Hong B, Livingstone-Banks J, Wheat H, Fanshawe TR. Additional behavioural support as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Jun 5;6(6):CD009670. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009670.pub4. PMID: 31166007; PMCID: PMC6549450. 6) Hartmann-Boyce J, Livingstone-Banks J, Ordóñez-Mena JM, Fanshawe TR, Lindson N, Freeman SC, Sutton AJ, Theodoulou A, Aveyard P. Behavioural interventions for smoking cessation: an overview and network meta-analysis. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2021 Jan 4;1(1):CD013229. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD013229.pub2. PMID: 33411338; PMCID: PMC11354481. 7) Anthenelli RM, Benowitz NL, West R, St Aubin L, McRae T, Lawrence D, Ascher J, Russ C, Krishen A, Evins AE. Neuropsychiatric safety and efficacy of varenicline, bupropion, and nicotine patch in smokers with and without psychiatric disorders (EAGLES): a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Lancet. 2016 Jun 18;387(10037):2507-20. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30272-0. Epub 2016 Apr 22. PMID: 27116918.   Network meta-analysis of medications and e-cigarettes 8) Lindson N, Theodoulou A, Ordóñez-Mena JM, Fanshawe TR, Sutton AJ, Livingstone-Banks J, Hajizadeh A, Zhu S, Aveyard P, Freeman SC, Agrawal S, Hartmann-Boyce J. Pharmacological and electronic cigarette interventions for smoking cessation in adults: component network meta‐analyses. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 9. Art. No.: CD015226. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD015226.pub2. Accessed 04 November 2024.  

On a special live recording of The Body of Evidence, Jonathan sits down in conversation with Lewis, a reformed conspiracy theorist from Liverpool who tumbled down the rabbit hole during the COVID-19 pandemic. How should you talk to the conspiracy theorist in your life if you want to make progress? There’s no better person to answer this question than someone who was at the other end of this. The two discuss the strange alignment between gym bros and yoga moms—and the “cosmic Scousers” in Liverpool—that fed into the protests against public health measures, and they talk about how fast you can get a “diploma” on Telegram. And how critical thinking really is an aspiration.   * 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!

A new editorial calls pesticides “the new smoking.” This is based on a recent study comparing pesticide use in U.S. counties and cancer incidence. But do counties get cancer? We investigate the issue to see if we should worry about pesticides and if young adults are really getting more cancer than they used to.     Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.     References: 1) The Medscape article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/cancer-risk-are-pesticides-new-smoking-2024a1000h2n?form=fpf 2) The new study: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcacs.2024.1368086

It’s time for a COVID booster for your ears. Which strains are circulating? Why should you care? And which vaccines are available to boost your immune system this fall? Also, why will some Canadians be driving to Vermont to get a COVID vaccine?   Become a supporter of our show today either on Patreon or through PayPal! Thank you! http://www.patreon.com/thebodyofevidence/ https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=9QZET78JZWCZE   Email us your questions at thebodyofevidence@gmail.com.   Assistant researcher: Aigul Zaripova, MD Theme music: “Fall of the Ocean Queen“ by Joseph Hackl Rod of Asclepius designed by Kamil J. Przybos Chris’ book, Does Coffee Cause Cancer?: https://ecwpress.com/products/does-coffee-cause-cancer   Obviously, Chris is not your doctor (probably). This podcast is not medical advice for you; it is what we call information.