Causes or Cures
Dr. Eeks
"For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots"Causes or Cures is a health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks—an independent, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a passion for breaking down complex health topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand insights. Dr. Eeks (ErinKate Stair, MPH, MD) works as a consultant in the realm of public health, applied epidemiology, and health communication. She's all about making science relatable and often uses a blue-collar sense of humor to drive the message home.On this podcast, Dr. Eeks talks with experts from around the world (doctors, researchers, public health pros, and more) to dive into the latest hot topics in health and research, all in a down-to-earth kind of way. She also includes people with compelling stories of healing and "characters" because life is too boring and short to leave out characters. ;)DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not health advice. If you are battling an individual health issue, always check in with your doctor & don't run with anything on podcast as advice. Dr. Eeks doesn't endorse any of her guests' views, and despite a strict health routine, nor does she endorse any products, supplements, oils, magic socks or potions. (If an episode is sponsored by a company she likes, she will say so in the show notes.) While she has a MD, she does not practice medicine (she's a full-time public health nerd) so she does not give out medical advice nor should you treat anything on this podcast as medical advice. Causes or Cures is not a "news site." It's about having conversations, and Dr. Eeks is confident that she can have a respectful conversation with anyone, even people who think far differently than she does. (At least that's been her experience at hole-in-the-walls & on the NYC sidewalks.) The point is to not take anything here as Gospel. Sometimes Dr. Eeks' dog Barnaby makes his opinion known, but the good news is that he's a smart dog. Most importantly, she hopes this podcast encourages folks to stay curious, empathic, hopeful, compassionate, honest, open-minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful thing, delightfully messy, and one that many take for granted.*The views on this podcast do not reflect the views of anyone she contracts with or consults for on various public health projects. You can help keep Causes or Cure independent and ad-free by hitting the "Support" button in the upper corner.You can contact Dr. Eeks through her website, bloomingwellness.com.SIGN UP for her Newsletter HERE: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/xnqmy06
Episodes
Mentioned books
Mar 6, 2023 • 53min
WTF!?! How Swearing can Help Manage Physical Pain, with Dr. Nick Washmuth
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Nick Washmuth about how swearing (cursing, saying "bad" words, dropping "f bombs") can be used to help manage physical pain. He discusses the theories for why swearing helps with physical pain, the evidence for it, specific case studies, and how it might be used in a clinical setting. He also describes if some swear words are "better" than others for managing physical pain and whether or not making up swear words has any benefit. In addition, he'll talk about how swearing might help build a therapeutic alliance and help with physical performance too. Dr Washmuth is a doctor of physical therapy and an Associate Professor at Samford University, School of Health Professions. Disclaimer: If swearing disturbs you, this isn't the podcast for you. If you're fine with it...then let's f'ing go!You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here. Support the show
Mar 2, 2023 • 1h 24min
Final Choices: Exploring Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying Law (MAID), with Dr. Madeline Li
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Madeline Li about Canada's Medical Assistance in Dying Law or MAID. The Parliament of Canada passed MAID in 2016, allowing eligible Canadian adults to request medical assistance in dying. In 2021 the law was revised to allow for more chronic conditions to be included, and now they are in discussions to expand eligibility to those with a diagnosed mental disorder. Dr. Li is a psychiatrist specializing in cancer and palliative care who also has clinical expertise in applying MAID. She has done eligibility assessments for MAID and helped develop the MAID program for the University Health Network in Toronto, Canada.In the podcast, she tells us more about what MAID is, how the original eligibility criteria evolved since 2016, and describes how the law is applied to people who request MAID. She discusses the reasons put forth for expanding MAID to include those with chronic conditions, including mental disorders, and how she personally feels about that. She talks about the key challenges and ethical concerns. Finally, she offers her suggestions for improving MAID to overcome some of the challenges.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or YoutubeOr Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here. Support the show
Feb 23, 2023 • 59min
A COVID-19 Vaccine You can Drink?! The Story of QYNDR, with Dr. Kyle Flanigan
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Kyle Flanigan, CEO and co-founder of US Specialty Formulations about his company's work on creating a COVID-19 vaccine you can swallow. Basically, a vaccine you drink instead of a shot in the arm. He will discuss his company's vaccine platform, called QYNDR, and how it produces oral vaccines. He'll tell us what an oral vaccine is and how it differs from the traditional vaccines we are used to, including differences in immune response, storage, accessibility and scalability. Dr. Flanigan will walk us through how they are testing the vaccine, the funding requirements involved, early results from an early-stage trial in New Zealand, safety concerns, and what's in store for the future.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here. Support the show
Feb 15, 2023 • 57min
The US Army's Holistic Health & Fitness (H2F): Enhancing Soldier Readiness & Lethality, with Col Michael McGurk (Ret)
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Col Michael McGurk (Ret), Director of Research for the US Army's Center for Initial Military Training, about the Army's Holistic Health and Fitness System, or H2F. Col McGurk was instrumental in the development of the system and directs test implementation, standards and evaluation of H2F components for the US Army. You can read his bio here. In the podcast he will discuss what H2F is, describe its components (physical, mental, sleep, nutritional and spiritual readiness) and link each component to the broader picture of holistic health. He'll explain why there was a need for H2F and relate it to soldier health and readiness. He'll tell us about H2F Human Performance Teams and plans for the Soldier Performance Readiness Center. Col McGurk will also discuss the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), one component of H2F, why it replaced the Army's Physical Fitness Test (APFT), some of its initial challenges, and how the Army is overcoming those challenges. Finally, he'll discuss how they are measuring outcomes and success rates for each of the H2F components, as well as ongoing and future research. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here. Support the show
Feb 9, 2023 • 57min
The Price of Insulin: Who is to Blame for the High Cost? With Dr. Karen Van Nuys and Dr. Neeraj Sood
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Karen Van Nuys and Dr. Neeraj Sood about the pricing of insulin in the United States. It's no secret that insulin is unaffordable for many Americans who need it. This discussion will center around how the price of insulin is set, all the players involved, and who is to blame for the high price of insulin in the US. We will explore who benefits the most from increasing insulin prices, whether or not the Inflation Reduction Act will make a significant difference, and what can practically be done to make insulin more affordable for more Americans. Dr. Van Nuys is the executive director of the Value of Life Sciences Innovation program and a fellow at the USC Schaeffer Center. She is also a research assitant professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy. You can learn more about her work here. Dr. Sood is a professor at the USC Price School of Public Policy with joint appointments at the USC Keck School of Medicine and USC Marshall School of Business. He is also a senior fellow at the USC Schaeffer center and you can learn more about his work here.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subcribe to her newsletter here. Thanks for listening! :)Support the show
Jan 29, 2023 • 1h 4min
Vaccine Nation: How America Falls In & Out of Love with Vaccines, with Dr. Elena Conis
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with medical historian Dr. Elena Conis, author of Vaccine Nation: America’s Changing Relationship with Immunization. Together they trace how U.S. attitudes toward vaccines (especially from the 1960s onward) have swerved with culture wars, political shifts, scientific discoveries, and biotech breakthroughs. From polio pride to modern pushback, they unpack why public trust rises and falls, how mandates gain or lose traction, and what sparks waves of skepticism.What we coverOrigin story: Why Dr. Conis wrote Vaccine Nation and the flashpoints that drew her in.1960s → today: Civil‑rights activism, women’s liberation, environmentalism, and new tech reshape the vaccine narrative.Trust on a roller coaster: When enthusiasm morphed into doubt, and back again.Mandates & might: The tug‑of‑war between public‑health authority and personal choice.Anti‑vax waves: What ignited them, who rode them, and how they steered policy and science.Science vs. spin: How epidemiology, media, and politics co‑evolved.Dr. Conis is a writer, historian of medicine, and an associate professor at the graduate school of journalism in the department of history at the University of California, Berkley. Previously she was a professor of history at Emory University and an award-winning health columnist for the Los Angeles Times. You can learn more about her here and order her book Vaccine Nation here.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here. Thanks for listening! :) Support the show
Jan 18, 2023 • 50min
Can Dogs Detect Parkinson's Disease before Humans Can? With Dr. Mandy Gulla
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Mandy Gulla about the PADs for Parkinson's Program, the first program of its kind in North America that teaches dogs how to detect an odor associated with Parkinson's Disease. In the podcast, she will provide an overview of Parkinson's Disease, talk about a dog's sense of smell and how good it is, and discuss when they first discovered an odor associated with Parkinson's Disease. She will discuss how the program trains the dogs to detect the odor, their accuracy rate, more specifics about the dogs that join the program, the importance of early detection, and the overall goals of the program. Dr. Gulla is a holistic physician and founder and medical director of the Living Medical Arts Center that serves the San Juan Islands. Her dog Piglet is one of the biodetection dogs in the PADs for Parkinson's Program. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Follow Public Health is WeirdOr Facebook here.Or X.On Youtube.Or TikTok.SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here!Support the show
Jan 2, 2023 • 1h 13min
The Amish Response to the COVID-19 Era, with Dr. Rachel Stein
Send us a text In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Rachel Stein, Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University, about the Amish community’s experience during the COVID-19 pandemic.Dr. Stein’s research focuses on community building and health in Old Order Amish communities, and she shares how she became interested in studying them. The conversation dives into Amish values and way of life, how they responded to the pandemic, and what risk-reduction strategies—if any—they used.We discuss their excess death rates during COVID-19, their perspectives on preventive medicine and vaccination in general, and their specific views on the COVID-19 vaccines. Dr. Stein also explains where the Amish turn for health information, how that differs from mainstream society, and what role “misinformation” may or may not play. Finally, she touches on the Amish lifespan and cultural attributes that may give them health advantages compared to the wider population.You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or X.On Youtube.Or TikTok.SUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here! (Now featuring interviews with top experts on health you care about!)Support the show
Dec 18, 2022 • 1h 14min
Can We Truly Live on Mars? With Space Medicine Guru Dr. Thais Russomano
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with Dr. Thais Russomano to explore the fascinating topic of human health in space. Dr. Russomano will discuss the changes the human body undergoes in space, the health challenges of living on Mars versus the Moon, and how medicines might behave differently in these environments. She’ll also touch on the diagnostic tools required for space missions, long-term health monitoring, and how clinical trials could be conducted in space. Finally, Dr. Russomano will share her insights on the possibility of humans living on Mars one day and the health considerations involved in such an endeavor.Dr. Russomano is an internationally recognized expert in space medicine. She holds both an M.D. and a Ph.D. in space physiology. She has worked as a space scientist at the Institute of Aerospace Medicine in Germany and founded the Microgravity Center, an international research hub for human space physiology. As a former head of the center, she has shaped much of the field. Additionally, Dr. Russomano has served as a professor of space physiology at King’s College London and a visiting professor at several universities worldwide. With numerous publications on space health, she is also the co-founder and director of InnovaSpace. You can read more about her and her work here. *SUBSCRIBE FOR BONUS EPISODES HERE"You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
Dec 7, 2022 • 41min
Steps of Longevity: Mapping the Optimal Number of Steps for Lowering Risk of Death, with Dr. Borja del Pozo Cruz
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Borja del Pozo Cruz, PhD, about his and his team's study recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine on the association between daily steps/step intensity and new cases of cancer, cardiovascular disease and death. (To date, it is the largest population sample and analysis of adults wearing an accelerometer.)In the podcast, Dr. Pozo Cruz will discuss his current research interests and why he is interested in the link between number of daily steps and health. He will explain how he and his team conducted the study and what they were measuring, including daily step counts, cadence-based metrics, and stepping intensity. He'll discuss their findings related to number of daily steps and association with cancer, cardiovascular disease and death, and if there were any differences noted among age groups. He'll answer the question, "Is there a magic number" of steps we should be taking to reduce our risk of disease and death. Finally he'll discuss limitations, potential individual and public health implications based on his findings and where he's taking his research next.Dr. Borja del Pozo Cruz is a scientist, professor and senior researcher with the Department of Sport Sciences and Clinical Biomechanics at the Center for Active and Healthy Aging at the University of Southern Denmark. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Dr. Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.Subscribe to her newsletter here!Support the show
