Critically Speaking

Some people live more than a hundred years with no health problems and very little cognitive decline. How come? While healthy lifestyles certainly play a part in healthy aging, these "centenarians" share a number of special biological attributes. Furthermore, these attributes, along with attaining an age of 100 or greater, show a strong genetic component. Dr. Stacy Andersen of the Boston University School of Medicine has been studying these centenarians and the factors that are associated with not only their attaining an advanced age, but doing so with no history of major physical or mental health problems. In her interview, Dr. Andersen discusses what she and her colleagues have discovered about this unusual group of older people. Key Takeaways: Centenarians are people who have reached 100 years of age, while "supercentenarians" are 110 and older. Recent studies of these groups of adults reveal that during their lives they have "escaped" the diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular problems, dementia, and diabetes that cause earlier mortality among adults born at the same time. Dr. Anderson discusses her work on the genetic bases for being an "escaper", as well as the lifestyle and personality characteristics they have in common. "The older you get, the healthier you've been." — Dr. Stacy Andersen Connect with Dr. Stacy Andersen: BUMC Bio: profiles.bu.edu/Stacy.Andersen 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.

The last decades have seen a continuing rise in really serious and often fatal health problems. The list is long: cancer, heart disease, diabetes, infertility, autoimmune diseases, autism, just to name a few. While vulnerability to disease often has an underlying genetic predisposition, there have to be environmental triggers to set these diseases in motion. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Aly Cohen discuss just these topics and what we can look for on a daily basis, as well as the small changes that we can, individually, do to make our lives a little healthier. Key Takeaways: It's estimated there are about 95,000 chemicals available on the US market for everything we use from cleaning products, makeup, and everything we use. The US has only banned 5 chemicals since 1976. European countries have banned around 1200, on average. There are resources out there to help you to vet the products you are using in your life such as The Environmental Working Group and Skin Deep Database. "The goal is less is more - use fewer products, the products that you use, if you want to use them, just vet them." — Dr. Aly Cohen Connect with Dr. Aly Cohen: Website: https://thesmarthuman.com/ TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSCeP0hyuTI Show: https://thesmarthuman.com/podcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSmartHuman Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheSmartHuman YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb6NhglVIu6ruM19QNhpJDw LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aly-cohen-md-facr-0b570749/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesmarthuman/ Book: https://thesmarthuman.com/dr-aly-cohen-and-dr-fred-vom-saals-new-book-available-now/ 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.

Should everyone go to college? Well, for years, this was considered an important goal in life - a college education. The idea being that with a college degree, a better paying job would result. There are so many college majors from art to business to engineering to language arts, among others. How does one know, besides what they happen to be interested in, if the degree they get is actually going to yield the expected employment benefits? In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Richard Phelps discuss what a college degree signals to employers, inefficiencies in the current US elementary and secondary school systems, the struggle that today's school counselors have with traditional career guidance, as well as looking at how college systems work in the United States and around the world. Key Takeaways: On average, college grads have higher lifetime earnings than non college grads, but there is overlap. Certified technicians in robotics or computer numerical controlled machining probably have higher lifetime earnings on average then college grads who majored in poetry or fabric art. Shorter programs can provide a career credential to students who would otherwise drop out with nothing to show for their time served The best career tech programs are found where career tech courses are offered in dedicated regional vocational schools. This can vary from state to state are more easily done in states, such as in the Northeast, where there is a denser population of students. "Supporters of the one size fits all US system, often label the European and East Asian systems as elitist...And they'll say that our system is a more democratic Second Chance system. That contrast may have been valid 67 years ago, but I don't think it is anymore." — Dr. Richard Phelps Connect with Dr. Richard Phelps: Twitter: @RichardPPhelps Website: RichardPhelps.net & NonpartisanEducation.org Research Gate: Richard P Phelps SSRN Scholarly Papers: Richard P. Phelps Academia: Richard P Phelps LinkedIn: Richard P Phelps LinkedIn Learning: Richard P Phelps 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.

In this episode, Therese Markow answers questions from the listeners! Today, she discusses why you can sell plasma or semen, but not something like a kidney. She also talks about the current hot topic of inflammation, including chronic inflammation, and what is and is not, and reminds us all, that knowledge is power for a healthy life. Key Takeaways: It's illegal in the United States to sell a kidney. Laws against kidney selling are designed to keep you healthy, and to keep economically disadvantaged people from being exploited. Data from a large number of studies suggests that over time, chronic untreated, internal inflammation can lead to many serious age related diseases, not just heart disease and cancer, but also neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Knowledge is power - if you think it is inflammation, get tested and you will know rather than potentially treating yourself for the wrong thing. "Knowledge is power. While there are many benefits to avoiding so called inflammatory foods, and to taking some supplements that may appear to reduce inflammation, it's better to find out if you have inflammation and, if you do, what's causing it." — 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.

Dr. Therese Markow talks with psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Daniel Blumberger about depression that does not respond to medications and behavioral cognitive therapy. Approximately one third of patients suffering from major depression are "Treatment Resistant". Fortunately, there are a range of brain stimulation techniques that help the majority of these patients. Electroconvulsive therapy or ETC, has evolved into a much more benign procedure than depicted earlier in movies and has the best outcomes in patients with major depression. New techniques, involving stimulation of the brain magnetically, such as Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) also can be effective and are being refined for broader use. Depression is a serious and sometimes fatal disease, and there is hope for those resistant to pharmaceutical approaches. Key Takeaways: Major Depressive Disorder, or MDD, is a debilitating disorder that can be fatal About a third of those suffering from MDD, do not respond to. pharmaceutical treatments. The majority of these patients benefit from ECT, which now has been greatly improved. A newer group of brain treatments, using magnetic stimulation, also are useful for Treatment Resistant Depression. Sufferers should ask their physicians about access to these non-pharmaceutical treatments. "It is very important to intervene early when someone isn't responding to medication. The more treatments that someone doesn't respond to, the less likely that they will respond to each subsequent course of treatment. The longer things linger, the harder it is to get someone better." — Dr. Daniel Blumberger Connect with Dr. Daniel Blumberger: CAMH Profile: Dr. Daniel Blumberger 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. Daniel Blumberger Date of appointment May 8, 2020 Date created May 3, 2020 Critically Speaking Guest Interview https://app.acuityscheduling.com/schedule.php?owner=16987289&action=appt&id%5B%5D=29e531037007b14b2f367229a9f7cb65 Name: Daniel Blumberger Phone: (415) 535-8501 Email: daniel.blumberger@camh.ca Guest Intake Form ============ Provide a link to your website or online professional profile/bio: https://www.camh.ca/en/science-and-research/science-and-research-staff-directory/danielblumberger Provide any links to social media or publications such as articles or books you would like to share with the audience.: Please provide your professional affiliation and areas of expertise and you would like it to appear in our show notes.: Medical Head and Co-Director, Temerty Centre for Therapeutic Brain Intervention at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto Is there anything specific you'd like to share with our audience?: no Are there specific questions you'd like Therese Markow to ask you? Please include them here.: By selecting yes, you grant permission to Therese Markow to record the interview, post content on the internet obtained during the interview, and promote the content. Once published, any editing will not be possible.: yes

With up to 1 in 5 people having dyslexia, dyslexia impacts people every single day. In this episode, Therese Markow and Lorraine Hightower discuss what distinguishes dyslexia from other learning disabilities, how to identify and diagnose dyslexia, as well as the impact that dyslexia has on not only individuals, but also society as a whole. As a dyslexia advocate, Lorraine Hightower has spearheaded movements to identify kids with dyslexia early, to advocate for them within the educational system, and help parents of dyslexic kids navigate their journey. This ultimately allows for kids to reach their full potential and avoid unfortunate outcomes as they become adults. Key Takeaways: Dyslexia is neuro-biological and is genetic in origin. It can often be identified even before kindergarten, though is more often identified in early elementary. Dyslexia impacts different individuals in different ways and the severity can vary wildly. When given appropriate interventions or taught reading differently, the outcomes can be very positive for students with dyslexia. "When these children are not taught how to read in our public school systems, the consequences extend well beyond this one individual and it does become a societal problem as well." — Lorraine Hightower Connect with Lorraine Hightower: Professional Bio: https://www.lorrainehightower.com/lorraine Website: https://www.lorrainehightower.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LorraineMHightowerLLC/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lorraine-hightower 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.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. David Beversdorf discuss what exactly autism is, the theories of the causes of autism, and what we do know from research of autism. Numerous non-evidence based cures for autism are becoming more common and understanding the facts of autism is becoming more critical. In this discussion with Dr. Beversdorf, we will understand more about what is autism, what are the symptoms, who first discovered it, what really causes it (and what doesn't), and what effective treatments may be out there. Key Takeaways: Vaccines do not cause autism. We do know there is a genetic component and several environmental factors that appear to be important. There is a variability aspect of autism. It may be extremely important to be able to track patients to see what they respond to in treatment research to see why and how they are responding. Without more research, we will not be able to create personalized treatment plans for the bio markers. There are a number of organizations around the world that working to achieve this research, which is where the answers will be coming from. "Two, almost opposite biological aspects, could even be coming to this final common pathway of repetitive behaviors. If you blindly target the repetitive behaviors with a drug, without being aware of this biology, you will get nowhere, because one will get better and one will get worse." — Dr. David Beversdorf Connect with Dr. David Beversdorf: Professional Bio: Dr. David Beversdorf Twitter: @MU_CogNeuroLab Facebook: MU Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory 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.

The last few decades have been filled with confusing information about women's hormones and what's happening with them across a woman's lifetime. How early are male versus female hormones produced? How birth control pills modify hormones and related metabolic processes? What about hormones and postmenopausal women? In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Felice Gersh discuss these questions and more. As an OBGYN and a dual certified integrative gynecologist, Dr. Gersh shares information on the effects of hormones in female puberty, the rise of acne as a disease of western, modern society, and the importance of menstrual cycles as a sign of underlying health conditions. Key Takeaways: From 12 weeks gestation, the placenta produces the hormones of embryonic formation. The menstrual cycle is a vital sign of reproductive age, female health - like blood pressure, vital signs, weight, or temperature. How well the menstrual cycle of a young, reproductive aged female is functioning is a vital sign of her underlying health status. In postmenoposal women, if we give estrogen vaginally, we can help both the bladder and the vagina to be significantly more functional and healthier. In menopause, all estrogen should be given transdermally. "You need hormones, and you need them in the beautiful rhythms and the right amounts that nature was designed to give us in order for a proper development and functioning." — Dr. Felice Gersh Connect with Dr. Felice Gersh: Professional Bio: https://integrativemgi.com/about-dr-felice-gersh/ Website: https://integrativemgi.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/DrFeliceGersh Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/IntegrativeMGI/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/felice-gersh-md-b0422b13/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.felicegersh/ Book: PCOS SOS: A Gynecologist's Lifeline To Naturally Restore Your Rhythms, Hormones, and Happiness https://www.amazon.com/Pcos-SOS-Gynecologists-Naturally-Happiness/dp/1911443119/ 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.

In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Cheryl Hawkes discuss the increasing scientific evidence that maternal obesity affects the developing fetal brain. While many of the effects manifest early, in infant temperament and childhood cognitive (IQ) decrements, other effects do not show up until years later, in adult psychiatric and neurodegenerative problems. The physical bases for these changes in fetal brains also are clearly evidenced in laboratory model systems, such as mice, where the maternal diets can be controlled and the offspring not only can be given behavioral tests, but their brains can be dissected to reveal the changes in the blood vessels caused by obese mothers. Key Takeaways: Children born to obese mothers have lower IQs and poorer motor, spatial, and verbal skills. Mice and rodents have similar brain development to humans, which is why rodent study models are so beneficial to science. Brain maturation takes many years. Your brain is fully formed at birth but continues to mature and change into your mid-twenties. "Because of the rise in obesity globally, a lot of people have started to look, rather than looking at famine…, to now shift our attention to looking at the long-term effects of obesity because 30% of women around the world, over the age of 18, are now considered to be obese." — Dr. Cheryl Hawkes Connect with Dr. Cheryl Hawkes: Lancaster University Profile: Dr. Cheryl Hawkes 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.

In this episode, Therese Markow discusses where the safest seat is on an airplane (and what safety means in different contexts). She passes on the current recommendations for reducing COVID exposure as well as the safest seat in different types of plane crashes. Key Takeaways: There is a difference between safety from COVID-19 and in a crash. There is some reduction in risk of infection by sitting by the window if you are sitting in economy. Wear your mask. Go to the bathroom before you fly so you don't have to get up and expose yourself to more people. Exit proximity and fitness are important factors in surviving a plane crash. "For both issues, avoiding COVID and having the highest survival after a crash, the safest seats seem to be the window seats at the exit row." — 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.