
the NUANCE by Medicine Explained.
From Medicine Explained on TikTok:
“The Nuance” covers topics in health, the human experience, community health, and the intersection of human and environmental health. We explore the nuance, depth, and complexity that has been lost in today’s conversations.
We have conversations to help educate and empower people toward a healthier life and community.
This is for educational purposes only, not medical advice. Visit medicineexplained.org to see our full disclaimer and privacy policy.
© 2024 Medicine Explained, LLC. All rights reserved.
Latest episodes

Aug 17, 2024 • 33min
99: HOMELESSNESS: Unhoused Veterans, acquiring & retaining housing for Vets with serious mental illness, and harm reduction. | Sonya Gabrielian, MD MPH
Sonya Gabrielian, MD, MPH, is a psychiatrist and health services researcher at the VA Greater Los Angeles and an Assistant Professor at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine. At the VA, she is an investigator with the Center for the Study of Healthcare Innovation, Implementation, & Policy (CSHIIP) and the Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center (MIRECC). She is also an Affiliated Researcher at the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans and a current Fellow with the Implementation Research Institute at the Washington University in St. Louis. Dr. Gabrielian’s research interests focus on improving housing retention and community functioning among homeless adults; she has a VA Career Development Award to use implementation approaches to improve housing acquisition and retention for homeless Veterans with serious mental illness. She is also a practicing psychiatrist in the VA’s homeless program.DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed on the show are those of The Nuance Podcast and of Medicine Explained and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of their places of employment. The opinions expressed on this podcast are meant for entertainment and education purposes only and should not be used to diagnose or treat any medical condition nor should they be used as a substitute for medical advice from a qualified board-certified practicing physician.

Aug 1, 2024 • 1h 1min
98: DEBUNKING common NUTRITION MYTHS, Keto vs Mediterranean, & the microbiome. | Dr. Christopher Gardner, PhD
In today's conversation we speak with Dr. Christopher Gardner, PhD is a nutrition scientist and Professor at Stanford, his research has been focused on investigating the potential health benefits of various dietary components or food patterns using randomized controlled trials.
He has served on many committees for organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association and has conducted and published dozens of human nutrition intervention trials. His ongoing trials involve examining the impact of dietary changes on the gut microbiome and inflammation/immune function.
Current research interests include collaborating with chefs and dining operators as research partners in an effort to identify strategies to optimize the intersection of taste, health, environmental sustainability, and social justice in institutional food settings (e.g., universities, hospitals, worksites).

Jul 1, 2024 • 51min
97: Is CLIMATE Health a NON-PARTISAN, human health and safety issue? | Climate Health Now
Dr Ashley McClure, is a Seattle native who has been practicing outpatient internal medicine in Oakland, California since 2016. After becoming a mom in 2018, followed by the infamous Paradise Fire that fall, she realized that for this moment in history being a doctor isn't enough. She felt compelled to reorient her life around doing everything possible to help catalyze the transition to clean renewable energy in order to protect her daughter’s— and all our children’s futures.
Since her climate awakening, she’s been collaborating with health colleagues to bring our trusted voices to climate solutions advocacy, including organizing in the medical community as a CMA and AMA alternate delegate and as a co-founder and now co-director of the California-based nonprofit Climate Health Now.
She welcomes your reaching out if you’re inspired to link arms in activism and advocacy-- and she hopes you do-- together we can be powerful.
Brenda Nuyen, MD is a comprehensive ophthalmologist at a private practice in Los Angeles, CA. She is currently on the Climate Health Now Statewide Leadership Team.
Brenda was first introduced to climate and advocacy work through Climate Reality Project in 2020. She then discovered Climate Health Now as a way to merge her interests in both climate and health. Brenda is also on the Editorial Board of EyeSustain, a global coalition of eye societies, organizations, and ophthalmologists collaborating to make ophthalmic care and surgery more sustainable. She recently was part of the Climate Advocacy Lab's inaugural Climate + Health Peer Learning Circle cohort.
Climate Health Now: https://climatehealthnow.org/

Jun 12, 2024 • 34min
96: Poverty & Health: The truth about cash transfers and universal basic income. | Dr. JZ (Jiaying Zhao)
Dr. Jiaying Zhao (she/her/hers) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability at University of British Columbia (UBC), Canada Research Chair in Behavioural Sustainability, and UBC Sauder Distinguished Scholar.
She received her PhD in Cognitive Psychology at Princeton University. She uses psychological principles to design behavioral solutions to address financial and environmental sustainability challenges. Specifically, she designs effective behavioral interventions to alleviate poverty, promote actions to mitigate climate change, increase recycling and composting rates, and encourage biodiversity conservation actions.
Sources:
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama-health-forum/fullarticle/2814253#:~:text=The%20recognition%20of%20climate%20change,of%20US%20greenhouse%20gas%20emissions.
https://www.umanitoba.ca/media/Simpson_Mason_Godwin_2017.pdf
Dr. Zhao lab: https://zhaolab.psych.ubc.ca/
TED TALK: https://www.ted.com/talks/jiaying_zhao_how_to_feng_shui_your_fridge_and_other_happy_climate_hacks

May 23, 2024 • 37min
94: Solidarity Economics: Connection, Community, and the CLIMATE GAP. | Dr. Manuel Pastor
Dr. Manuel Pastor is a Distinguished Professor of Sociology and American Studies & Ethnicity at the University of Southern California. He currently directs the Equity Research Institute at USC. Dr. Pastor holds an economics Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and is the inaugural holder of the Turpanjian Chair in Civil Society and Social Change at USC.
Dr. Pastor’s research has generally focused on issues of the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income urban communities – and the social movements seeking to change those realities.
Pastor’s research has generally focused on issues of the economic, environmental and social conditions facing low-income urban communities – and the social movements seeking to change those realities. 2021 saw the publication of two new books, Solidarity Economics: Why Mutuality and Movements Matter (co-authored with Chris Benner) and South Central Dreams: Finding Home and Building Community in South L.A. (co-authored with Pierrette Hondagneu-Sotelo). His previous 2018 book, State of Resistance: What California’s Dizzying Descent and Remarkable Resurgence Means for America’s Future was lauded in a New York Times review as “concise, clear and convincing.”
To read more about Dr. Pastor and his work: https://dornsife.usc.edu/eri/manuel-pastor/

Apr 11, 2024 • 46min
93: The Water Access Gap: How race & income impact access to water. | George McGraw
In todays conversation, we chat with cofounder and CEO of digdeep.org, George McGraw. George founded DigDeep to help those communities in America build and manage their own water systems. They’ve brought clean, running water to thousands of families on the Navajo Nation, Appalachia, and Texas border colonias. DigDeep also conducted groundbreaking research, empowers communities to advocate for their rights, and teaches Americans to use our resources more intelligently.
George received his Masters in International Law and Conflict Management from the United Nations University for Peace. He’s a leading voice in social entrepreneurship, environmental justice, and water and co-authored the first national report on water access, Closing the Water Access Gap in the United States (2019).
In this conversation, we talk about what the water access gap is, and why it is so important to have access to running water and sanitation. George explains how race and income impact communities' access to water. He explains the economic and health impact of the water access gap and how climate change is affecting access to water. He shares stories of how DigDeeps work is impacting people and how we can get involved in helping to ensure a fundamental human right for everyone, access to clean, running water.

Mar 15, 2024 • 48min
92: Good Stress, Engineered Discomfort, & Building Communities on Well-Being. | Jeff Krasno
Jeff Krasno, CEO of Commune Media, an online educational platform focused on personal and societal well being. He hosts “The Commune Podcast” in which he explores the ideas, values and practices that bring us together and help us live a healthy and purpose-filled life. Jeff received his BA in 1993 from Columbia University. In 2008, Jeff created the concept for Wanderlust, a series of large-scale events for well being that incorporate things such as yoga and art. Wanderlust has hosted more than 65 events in 20 countries. Jeff serves as Chairman.
Jeff is a contributor to the Huffington Post and Fast Company. He is the author of Wanderlust, 2015 and the Wanderlust cookbook, Find Your True Fork that released in 2017.
In 2016, he was selected by Oprah Winfrey to be part of the SuperSoul100 as one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs.
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Sleep is important for physical health, it is part of the American Heart Association's "Life's Essential 8". https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-lifestyle/lifes-essential-8
One study, in JAMA highlighted the benefits of sauna on health. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2130724

Feb 24, 2024 • 43min
91: Everything CERVICAL CANCER: How can we stop it? | Dr. Linda Eckert
Dr. Linda Eckert is a board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist and an internationally recognized expert in immunizations and cervical cancer prevention. She has worked as a consultant with the World Health Organization on global cancer prevention for the last fifteen years, facilitating policy development for the HPV vaccine and cervical cancer screening. She is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology with an Infectious Disease Fellowship at University of Washington’s Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Global Health. For over thirty years, Dr. Eckert has worked at Seattle’s Harborview Hospital, the largest public hospital in the Pacific Northwest, serving people from all over the globe who represent a broad spectrum of economic means and disease symptoms.
Dr. Eckert also serves on the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) Expert Immunization Committee and was the obstetrics lead for the Global Alignment of Immunization Safety in Pregnancy Program. She was a research investigator for COVID-19 and RSV vaccines in pregnancy and HPV vaccines in individuals living with HIV. Her areas of clinical expertise include infections in women, vaccines, vulvar disease, cervical cancer screening, and cross-cultural medicine. She is the author of more than eighty peer-reviewed research articles appearing in journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.
She recently wrote “Enough” Because We Can Stop Cervical Cancer.

Jan 4, 2024 • 40min
90: PLASTIC Pollution affects everything - especially your health. ⚠️ | Shilpi Chhotray
Shilpi Chhotray (@shilpichhotray) she/her is a globally recognized communicator on the plastic pollution crisis with an expertise in strategic communications, organizing, and narrative change.
Currently she is the co-founder and executive director of People over Plastic, a BIPOC-led media platform dedicated to uplifting the intersectional stories behind environmental racism. People over Plastic devlops platforms and safe spaces for frontline leaders to share their lived experiences in an unfiltered context. You can hear Shilpi as the host of PoP's podcast series. Previously, Shilpi served as the Break Free From Plastic Global Communications Lead.
Due to her experience on the issue and role as a media liaison, Shilpi is often a go-to source for journalists including the NY Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, BBC, Reuters, and Al Jazeera. Shilpi regularly speaks on plastic pollution, climate change, and intersectionality including Environmental Grantmakers Association, Grounded, and Bioneers. Throughout her career, Shilpi has worked for a number of environmental organizations including the Environmental Defense Fund and Mission Blue/Sylvia Earle Alliance where she guest authored for National Geographic.

Nov 20, 2023 • 46min
89: Psychedelics 🍄: Trauma & Mental Health | Maya Shetreat, MD
Maya Shetreat, MD is a neurologist, herbalist, urban farmer, and author of The Dirt Cure. She has been featured in the New York Times, The Telegraph, NPR, Sky News, The Dr. Oz Show and more.
Dr. Maya is the founder of the Terrain Institute, where she teaches earth-based programs for transformational healing, including training programs for psychedelic-assisted approaches.
For many years, she works and studies with indigenous communities and healers from around the world, and is a lifelong student of ethnobotany, plant healing, and the sacred.