Critically Speaking

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Alexis Temkin, Senior Toxicologist at the Environmental Working Group, discuss toxic chemicals we can’t see or detect in our food and daily-use products.  Dr. Temkin describes common pesticides and other chemicals used in agriculture and how they enter the human body. She also shares resources provided by the Environmental Working Group that can help keep you and your family safer.     Key Takeaways: Chemicals in cosmetics and other daily-use products are often considered safe until proven otherwise. It often takes years before the harm is discovered and the chemical banned Pesticides are introduced into our bodies through the food we consume.  Despite a lack of EPA regulations, consumers can decrease their exposure to potentially harmful pesticides. Always wash your fruits and vegetables. It may not remove all pesticides, but it is good practice and will reduce at least some of your exposure to the chemicals.    "It’ll depend on the pesticide, but we’ve seen exposure to pesticides being linked to a variety of health harms. That could include brain and nervous system toxicity, we’ve seen associations with increased cancer after exposure to certain types of pesticides, impacts on reproduction, and dietary pesticide consumption has also been associated with cardiovascular health." —  Dr. Alexis Temkin   Episode References:  EWG Consumer Guides: https://www.ewg.org/consumer-guides  Center for Biological Diversity: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/  EWG’s 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php    Connect with Dr. Alexis Temkin: Professional Bio: https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/our-experts/alexis-temkin-phd  Website: https://www.ewg.org/  Email: alexis@ewg.org   LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexis-temkin-46345750    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Tara Zimmerman discuss how to “Fake News” proof children so that they can better interpret the vast amount of information available in the digital age, especially around misinformation and disinformation. They emphasize the importance of critical thinking skills, building those critical thinking skills, and how those important skills can be taught and practiced with children of all ages. In this digital age with so much information at our fingertips, media literacy and critical thinking are more important than ever and Dr. Zimmerman discusses how to empower everyone to make more informed decisions and draw more informed conclusions from what they see and hear every day.     Key Takeaways: When we hear information from someone we know and generally agree with, we are more likely to perceive that information as true. That same information coming from someone you have a history of disagreeing with, the more likely you are to disbelieve that information. Humans have developed a tendency to believe the information shared with us unless there is an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary. One person cannot know everything, so we trust others to pass on information to survive.  We can't possibly think critically about every single piece of information we're exposed to. The key is to determine what information is vital versus what information is superfluous to us. Bias happens to everyone, no matter their social class, race, gender, intelligence, education level, or anything else.  As a society, we need to normalize being open to new information and changing our opinions when necessary.      "I believe the best way to help society overall is to focus on teaching children how to think critically about all the information that they encounter, because by helping them develop the skills and the habits of critical thinking early on, they will make the biggest long term effect on how society responds to information." —  Dr. Tara Zimmerman   Connect with Dr. Tara Zimmerman: Professional Bio: https://apps.twu.edu/my1cv/profile.aspx?type=twp&id=JyyM03CAxnlQZrrdrpan7Q%3d%3d  Website: http://www.tarazimmerman.net/  Email: tzimmerman1@twu.edu  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tara-zimmerman-813421152/    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

A serious type of turbulence has been encountered during commercial airline flights has been in the news lately. “Pancake turbulence”.  Hard to detect in advance. Most recently, an Air Europa flight from Madrid to Uruguay was hit by “strong turbulence” and had to make an emergency landing in Brazil, In another recent event. a flight bound from London to Singapore with 211 passengers and 18 crew members encountered turbulence that resulted in the death of a passenger, and the hospitalization and critical care of about 20 more with spinal injuries. What's this type of turbulence all about? How concerned should we be about flying? Dr. Thomas Gwynn, head of the Department of Applied Aviation Sciences at the distinguished Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University,  explains about this type of turbulence and how turbulence may be increasing with global warming.    Key Takeaways: Turbulence result from eddies in the atmosphere and can be light, moderate, severe, and extreme. Chop turbulence is usually more moderate and rhythmic, similar to driving a car over a rumble strip. It can be annoying but isn’t usually dangerous.   While onboard radar can help determine storms enabling pilots to avoid them, pancake turbulence, such as what affected these recent flights, cannot be detected by instruments.  Pilots can only learn of these from other pilots. Some studies seem to suggest that turbulence could be increasing with climate change.  No form of travel is without some level of risk, but flying is still, statistically, the safest mode of travel.    "The smaller the aircraft, the more vulnerable it's going to be to turbulence. For commercial airliners, generally, they have roughly the same vulnerability. So what really determines the vulnerability is something called the wing loading. The least vulnerable aircraft is going to be heavy aircraft with smaller wing sizes like your large jets. The greater weight makes it harder for the airflow to disrupt or move the aircraft." —  Dr. Thomas Guinn   Connect with Dr. Thomas Guinn: Professional Bio: https://faculty.erau.edu/Thomas.Guinn  Email: guinnt@erau.edu  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-guinn-37686439    Connect with Therese: Website: www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. 

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Mary Rysavy discuss all aspects of obesity during pregnancy. This is a significant concern that is growing. A study of 2000 deliveries in a single year highlighted the need for proper care and management of obese pregnant women to minimize risks and help ensure a healthy delivery. With 60% of women having a BMI over 30, and 16% having a BMI over 40, this is becoming a larger concern for both expectant mothers and for the hospitals and care providers. They also discuss the complications that mothers and babies can face during and after birth, how weight can impact those complications, and why it is so important for physicians to talk about obesity with their patients directly, but with compassion.     Key Takeaways: Mothers with obesity are more likely to have to deliver by C-Section, have greater blood loss, and experience preeclampsia. The study found that obese mothers had worse complications during delivery.  While fetal monitoring in obstetrics is a highly debated topic, we know it helps to prevent stillbirth. It is our best tool when we see when mom or baby are in trouble to help.  Obesity is a medical condition. But it is also emotional and psychological and there are many components to it beyond only the medical side. Many feel shame about it even when there are aspects outside of their control.    "The biggest, most important thing to do is to talk about it. As physicians, we have to be willing to bring this up so that patients understand that this is not a cosmetic issue that we’re concerned about. We just want them to be safe and healthy, and we want them to know what they can do to be as healthy as possible." —  Dr. Mary Rysavy MD   Episode References: Steffen HA, Swartz SR, Kenne KA, Wendt LH, Jackson JB, Rysavy MB. Increased Maternal BMI at Time of Delivery Associated with Poor Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes. Am J Perinatol. 2024 Mar 21. doi: 10.1055/a-2274-0463.    Connect with Dr. Mary Rysavy MD: Professional Bio: https://med.uth.edu/obgyn/2022/10/28/mary-b-rysavy-md/  Email: Mary.B.Rysavy@uth.tmc.edu    Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net   Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.

In this episode, Therese Markow, Dr. Jerald Kay, and Dr. Joel Yager discuss the various forms of ambition. They discuss lack of ambition, mismatched ambition, and delve into some of the potential negative consequences of Machiavellian ambition and how to deal with malignant narcissists.     Key Takeaways: There are biological underpinnings to ambition, but much of what we know about ambition is built on repeated interactions as children.  Not everyone who is Machiavellian is ambitious. Not everyone who is ambitious is Machiavellian. But when you have people who have dark triad characteristics it can mean trouble for those around them.  There are levels of narcissism. Some are treatable. The last division of severe narcissistic personality is called malignant personality disorder and is relatively untreatable.   "It’s both nature and nurture. We know ambition runs in families. And we know kids that are adopted into families with ambitious parents turn out to be more ambitious than if they weren’t adopted into those kinds of families." —  Dr. Joel Yager   Episode References: https://journals.lww.com/jonmd/fulltext/2023/04000/ambition_and_its_psychopathologies.1.aspx   Connect with Jerald & Joel: Dr. Jerald Kay Professional Bio: https://people.wright.edu/jerald.kay  Dr. Joel Yager Professional Bio: https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/1789  Email Dr. Jerald Kay: jerald.kay@wright.edu  Email Dr. Joel Yager: joel.yager@cuanschutz.edu    Connect with Therese: Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net Threads: @critically_speaking Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.    

Infertility is on the rise, leading otherwise healthy young couples to seek a form of assisted reproductive technology appropriate for their particular situation. This increase infertility of considerable concern. Is one sex affected more than the other? What are the long-range implications if the trend keeps going? Is it only humans that appear to be affected? And the critical question is why? In today’s episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Shanna Swan, author of the new book Count Down, answer many of these questions, including discussion of the types of chemicals and other factors that may contribute to the rising infertility.    Key Takeaways: The number of “good” sperm observed in human populations (as indicated by the WHO) has dramatically decreased. Other characteristics for function, such as abnormal shape, inability to swim correctly, and chromosomal abnormalities are increasing as well. Male and female infertility is about 50/50. Newborn babies are being born “pre-polluted” with up to 100 environmental chemicals.  One solution you can undertake yourself is to determine where your food comes from, as that’s what’s going into your body.   "I'm convinced that a large proportion of the decline we're seeing is due to chemical exposures, man-made chemicals." —  Dr. Shanna Swan   Connect with Dr. Shanna Swan: Professional Bio: mountsinai.org/profiles/shanna-h-swan   Website: shannaswan.com  Book: Count Down - shannaswan.com/countdown LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/shanna-swan-phd-339a4258 Instagram: instagram.com/drshannaswan Twitter: twitter.com/DrShannaSwan   Reference: Environmental Working Group: ewg.org     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Dr. Richard P. Phelps is founder of the Nonpartisan Education Group, editor of Nonpartisan Education Review (http://nonpartisaneducation.org), a Fulbright Scholar, and fellow of the Psychophysics Laboratory. He has authored, or edited and co-authored Correcting Fallacies about Educational and Psychological Testing (APA); Standardized Testing Primer (Peter Lang); Defending Standardized Testing (Psychology Press); Kill the Messenger (Transaction), and several statistical compendia. Phelps has worked with several test development organizations, including ACT, AIR, ETS, the OECD, Pearson, and Westat. He holds degrees from Washington, Indiana, and Harvard Universities, and a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School.   In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Richard Phelps discuss the education system in the United States, especially in comparison with Western Europe and other industrialized societies. They look at how Common Core, No Child Left Behind, and the changes to the SAT test have affected the curriculum, learning, and student preparedness both for further education as well as life after school. These trends in educational standards and standardized tests continue to impede our students compared to those of the industrialized world. Students from all levels and backgrounds are affected by these programs and the changes that need to be made are discussed.    Key Takeaways: The U.S. is falling behind other countries, even those with less spending on education. Common Core and No Child Left Behind have caused progress to be lost in elementary and secondary education standards. The SAT has become less of an aptitude test and more of an achievement test, and can discriminate against talented students from underrepresented groups that attended lower quality high schools.   "Most information is not on the world wide web, much of what is there is wrong, and search rankings are easily manipulated by money and interests." —  Dr. Richard Phelps   Connect with Dr. Richard Phelps:  Twitter: https://twitter.com/RichardPPhelps Website: https://richardphelps.net/ &https://nonpartisaneducation.org/ Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Richard_Phelps SSRN Scholarly Papers: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/cf_dev/AbsByAuth.cfm?per_id=1592150 Academia: https://204.academia.edu/RichardPhelps LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardpphelps/ LinkedIn Learning: https://www.slideshare.net/search/slideshow?searchfrom=header&q=Richard+P+Phelps   Connect with Therese: Website:  www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticiallyspeaking.net   

In this culture where dreams and nightmares are such a part of our everyday language, the question becomes, what is dreaming? We all dream, so what does it mean, and how does it impact other areas of our lives, such as our mental health? In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Michael Nadorff discuss these questions, as well as diving deeper into the different cycles of sleep, the changes in our dreams and sleep as we age, different types of nightmare therapies, and the relationship between nightmares and suicide.      Key Takeaways: All dreams, good and bad, occur during the REM cycles of our sleep. The amount of REM sleep increases as the night goes on and, consequently, dreams get longer too.   Sleep loves the cold. If you fall asleep in too warm of an environment, during REM sleep when your temperature drops, you are more likely to wake up feeling overheated.  Having nightmares significantly increased the likelihood of future suicide attempts in those who had previously attempted suicide.    "REM is so important to us that, if you are sleep deprived, your body actually prioritizes REM, and it makes it even that much more intensive." —  Dr. Michael Nadorff   Connect with Dr. Michael Nadorff: Professional Bio: psychology.msstate.edu/people/michael-r-nadorff/     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Various forms of cold therapy, from ice on wounds to cold showers, have been successfully used for ages. And ice baths help athletes after an event. But these temperatures don't fall below freezing, or 32°F, and are usually above this. Recently, tanks providing whole body cryotherapy have been promoted for a wide range of health problems, some serious and progressive. This involves subjecting the body to anywhere from minus 160°F to 250°F, for several minutes. While this extreme exposure, even if for only a minute or so, definitely causes physical reactions, there have been no clinical trials to demonstrate their efficacy for the medical conditions supposedly helped. Furthermore, the tanks are not FDA approved.    Key Takeaways: Whole body cryotherapy is being promoted for a wide range of medical conditions. The WBC tanks are not FDA approved medical devices. The facilities offering WBC rarely have any medical personnel present during the treatments. No standard clinical trials have been conducted demonstrating their efficacy, as claimed, for the medical conditions mentioned. People considering using the treatment should consult their physicians, rather than the internet, as to the benefits, prior to spending the money to expose themselves to these extremes.   "Don't get all your information from celebrity testimony or social media promotions. Things that pass for research on the internet are not what serious investigators would define as quality research." —  Therese Markow, Ph.D.   Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.  

Breast cancer is on the rise, especially in women under 40. This is pretty scary and the increase points to something environmental. In today’s episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Kris McGrath talk about one of these environmental factors and how our individual underarm hygiene may play a role in our risk for breast (and prostate) cancers earlier in life. Dr. McGrath has had a long time interest in this trend and they discuss some of his work on the relationship between underarm shaving and the use of deodorants and antiperspirants.    Key Takeaways: The majority of breast cancer is environmental or lifestyle. Only 5-10% of breast cancer is due to genetic causes. So what are the factors? Both breast cancer and prostate cancer are hormone-driven cancers. More research needs to be done, but there already is a significant and scary relationship between underarm hygiene and beast and prostate cancers.    "In my paper, I showed that the earlier you began underarm habits, shaving your underarm and applying antiperspirant deodorant three times a week or more, the diagnosis of breast cancer began at a younger age, especially if you started using these products before the age of 16." —  Dr. Kris McGrath   Connect with Dr. Kris McGrath: Professional Bio: feinberg.northwestern.edu/faculty-profiles/az/profile.html?xid=15819     Connect with Therese: Website:   www.criticallyspeaking.net Twitter: @CritiSpeak Email: theresemarkow@criticallyspeaking.net     Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.