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 works as a public health consultant, in the realm of epi/scicomms. 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. 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! 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. You can contact Dr. Eeks through her website, bloomingwellness.com.If you are interested in sponsoring an episode, write erin@bloomingwellness.com.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jun 11, 2024 • 54min
What is the Wim Hof Method's Impact on Mind & Body? With Omar Almahayni
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with researcher Omar Almahayni about his published systematic review on the physiological and psychological benefits of the Wim Hof Method for both healthy and non-healthy individuals. Wim Hof, known as "The Iceman," is a Dutch extreme athlete and motivational speaker famed for his extraordinary ability to endure extreme cold.During the podcast, Omar discusses his interest in Wim Hof, the components of the renowned Wim Hof Method, and theories on its potential health benefits. He explains his evaluation of the published studies on the method, the results, future research possibilities, and who might be interested in joining Wim Hof on one of his extreme excursions.Omar conducted his research at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, UK, and now works for a mental health biotechnology company based in Syria.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.Support the show
Jun 4, 2024 • 59min
Beyond Ozempic: New Therapies for Post-Obesity Drug Weight Management, with Dr. Harith Rajagopalan
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with cardiologist, physician-scientist and CEO of Fractyl Health Dr. Harith Rajagopalan about solutions his company is developing for the problem of keeping weight off after someone stops taking the obesity/weight loss medication, such as Ozempic. Dr. Rajagopalan explains the issue of weight rebound after stopping the medication, and describes two new therapies Fractyl Health is developing that would allow a person to sustain weight loss without the need for ongoing medication. He also provides an overview of the multifaceted approach necessary for tackling obesity and offers a unique perspective on chronic disease. 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. Support the show
Jun 1, 2024 • 58min
Love, Loss & a Soulmate with Lewy Body Dementia, with Renowned Publicist, Mary Lou Falcone
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with internationally renowned music publicist Mary Lou Falcone to discuss her new book, I Didn't See It Coming. The book takes readers on an emotional journey filled with love, a dream job working with some of the world's most famous classical music stars, romance, and profound loss. Mary Lou shares her experiences as a caretaker, first for her sick father during her childhood and later for her soulmate, Nicky Zann—a 1950s rock 'n' roller turned world-famous cartoonist and illustrator who battled Lewy Body Dementia until his passing. Part of her motivation for writing the book was to raise awareness about Lewy Body Dementia. In the podcast, Mary Lou vividly recounts the early signs that something was wrong with Nicky, the series of doctor visits and tests that led to his diagnosis, and how she cared for him in his final years. She also explains how Lewy Body Dementia differs from more commonly known dementias, such as Alzheimer's Disease.You can learn more about Mary Lou here. 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.Support the show
May 24, 2024 • 39min
The Link between Long COVID, Growth Hormone & the Microbiome, with Dr. Randall Urban
Send us a textDisclaimer: Causes or Cures is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, and no medical claims are being made. Always talk to a qualified healthcare provider about your personal health. In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Randall Urban about his research on the link between Long COVID and growth hormone and how growth hormone may potentially reverse or decrease the neurological symptoms/brain fog associated with Long COVID. Dr. Urban is an endocrinologist at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston, Texas. He is the Vice Dean of Clinical Research in the School of Medicine, Vice President and Chief Research Officer, and the Principle Investigator of UTMB's Clinical Translational Science Award. You can learn more about his research here. 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.Support the show
May 14, 2024 • 1h 1min
How the Fasting-Mimicking Diet Reduces Biological Age and Disease Risk, with Dr. Valter Longo
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Valter Longo about his latest research on the fasting-mimicking diet (FMG) and how it has been shown in studies to reduce biological age and disease risk. In great detail, he describes the fasting-mimicking diet and its components while explaining how it was tested in clinical trials for its effect on biological age and disease risk. Dr. Longo describes the difference between biological age and chronological age and how he and his team measured biological age in the studies. Not attributing the benefits of the fasting-mimicking diet to weight loss alone, Dr. Valter offers theories for how it reduces biological age. Importantly, he comments on the controversial fasting study that suggests 8-hour-time-restricted eating is linked to a 91% higher risk of death from heart disease and closes by telling us what he thinks is the best fasting protocol and why. Dr. Longo is a professor of gerontology and biological sciences and director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, a leading center for research on aging and age-related diseases. He also serves as the Director of the Longevity and Cancer Program at the Institute of Molecular Oncology in Milan, Italy. He is author of the international best-selling book, The Longevity Diet. Holding a PhD in biochemistry from UCLA, his research focuses on the mechanisms of aging, including dietary and genetic interventions to slow biological aging. Read more about him here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or X.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here.Support the show
Apr 23, 2024 • 47min
Understanding the Science of Nature's Health Benefits, with Dr. Jay Maddock
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks converses with Dr. Jay Maddock about his research on the scientific connection between nature and mental health benefits. The discussion centers on one of his recent studies, which examined the relationship between a community's "Nature Score" and levels of anxiety, stress, and depression. Dr. Maddock explains the concept of a "Nature Score," the methodology of the study, and its findings. He also highlights other research indicating that exposure to nature can help with PTSD and ADHD, and explores theories on why nature positively impacts mental health and why a lack of it can be harmful. Finally, he delves into ongoing research in this field and discusses its implications for public health practices. Dr. Maddock is a researcher and regents professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health at Texas A&M University. He is director of the Center for Health and Nature, Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Healthy Eating and Active Living and Chair of the Nature and Health Alliance. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here!Support the show
Apr 18, 2024 • 44min
Sleeping Less, Ailing More: The Link Between Short Sleep, Diet and Type 2 Diabetes, with Dr. Diana Noga
Send us a textOn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Diana Noga about her new research on the relationship between short sleep and the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. This is especially relevant in a busy world that doesn't prioritize sleep and is already facing growing rates of Type 2 Diabetes, even in younger age groups. In the podcast, she discusses how they conducted their study and the theories for why a short nightly sleep duration may increase risk for Type 2 Diabetes. She also explains a surprising finding, which was that a healthy diet did not mitigate risk of Type 2 Diabetes when short sleep was involved. Dr. Noga is a researcher at Uppsala University in Sweden where she focuses on the relationship between sleep and health. You can learn more about her work here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here!Support the show
Apr 16, 2024 • 52min
The Bark Side of Medicine: a Vaccine for Cancer in Dogs is in the Works, with Dr. Mark Mamula
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Mark Mamula about the vaccine he and his team created for cancer in dogs. In the podcast, he explains how they created the vaccine, how it works, how they are testing it in dogs, and what is currently known about how well it works. He describes the types of cancers in dogs that the vaccine is targeting, the similarities between cancer in dogs and cancer in humans and how the vaccine could one day also be used for cancer in humans. Dr. Mamula is a researcher and professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine. His lab focuses on cancer immunology, tumor biology and autoimmune disease. You can learn more about his work here. You can read a scientific paper on the vaccine for cancer in dogs here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here!Support the show
Apr 1, 2024 • 1h
From at least 200 Deadly Snake Bites to Using his Blood to Create Antivenom, with venom expert Tim Friede
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with venom expert Tim Friede about his twenty plus years' "unusual" journey with the world's most venomous snakes: Seeking protection from snake bites, Tim purposely injected himself with diluted venom at escalating doses until he achieved a level of hyperimmunity unknown to humans. Working by himself in his Wisconsin home, Tim achieved the uncanny ability of being purposely bitten by the world's deadliest snakes, including cobras, rattlers, black mambas, et al and surviving with no major side effects. He has been bitten by snakes at least 200 times. He has had some close calls, which he discusses in the podcast. Understanding that his blood was an anomalous, potentially life-saving stew for future victims of snake bites, Tim joined forces with Jacob Glanville, founder of biotech company Centivax, to create the world's first fully human broad-spectrum antivenom. In the podcast, Tim explains how Centivax is using his blood to do this and where they are in their research to create universal antivenom. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or TikTokSUBSCRIBE to her monthly newsletter here! Support the show
Mar 12, 2024 • 51min
Unveilling the Rapid Benefits of Quitting Smoking at Any Age, with Dr. Prabhat Jha
Send us a textOn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Prabhat Jha about his fascinating research recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine on the extent and speed at which quitting smoking reduces death rates from smoking-related illnesses. What he describes in the podcast will be encouragement for anyone, no matter how long they smoked, to consider quitting. In addition to his research, we also chat about evidence for and against vaping, and he also shares a colorful tale on the lows the tobacco industry will go to keep people hooked. Dr. Jha is an epidemiologist, researcher and founding director of the Centre for Global Health Research at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. His research focus is death resulting from HIV, tobacco, alcohol, malaria and both infectious and non-communicable diseases in general. You can read more about him on his Wikipedia page here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or Twitter.On Youtube.Or Threads.SUBSCRIBE to her newsletter here.Support the show
