Health Matters

Dr. Tony Puliafico, a psychologist with NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, joins Faith to discuss procrastination. They explore how procrastination relates to mental health, how avoidant behaviors like procrastination get out of hand, and tips on how to stop procrastinating when it becomes a habit that its hindering our daily lives. 

To address one small change we can all make to make a big improvement in our health, we’re bringing back the conversation between Faith Salie and Dr. Carolyn Newberry, a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and the director of the Gastrointestinal Nutrition Program at Weill Cornell Medicine. They discuss the importance of fiber and why we need more of it than we may think.

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Susan Broner, neurologist and headache specialist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, explains the difference between a headache and a migraine. She also shares common migraine triggers and the new migraine treatments that offer hope and relief for people who suffer from migraines.

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Hoosna Haque, an OBGYN at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia, discusses what to know about birth control methods, including IUDs, progesterone, and progesterone and estrogen pills. She also dives into concerns people may have about weight gain, mood swings, or impacts to fertility.

This week we talk to a sleep medicine expert at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, to better understand just why sleep is so vital, how to make it a top priority, and to find specific steps we can take each day for a better night’s sleep.  

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Rahul Sharma, Emergency Physician-in-Chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and Chair of Emergency Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine, discusses how to stay safe during a heat wave, including signs of heat illness and the importance of staying hydrated and cool. Dr. Sharma explains how hydration impacts body function, provides guidelines for fluid intake, and addresses common misconceptions about electrolyte drinks. Dr. Sharma also highlights the importance of staying informed, dressing appropriately, and taking preventive measures.

This week, Faith talks to Dr. Daniel Freedberg, a gastroenterologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. They discuss how the gut microbiome contributes to our overall health, and what we can do to keep the microbes in our gut thriving. Along the way, Dr. Freedberg demystifies probiotics, explains the biggest threat to our gut microbes, and explains why fiber is the most powerful tool for supporting microbial diversity in our digestive system.

With new advances in the treatment of brain cancer, patients have more options than ever. This week, Faith talks with Dr. Kathryn Beal, a radiation oncologist at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine, to explore how breakthroughs in immunotherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery can successfully treat metastatic cancer in the brain. In recognition of Glioblastoma Awareness Day, Dr. Beal also explains treatment options for gliomas, and her hope for the future for patients with brain tumors and brain metastases.

With perspectives spanning hepatobiliary, gynecologic, and cardiac surgeries, NewYork-Presbyterian’s Dr. Jason Hawksworth (Columbia), Dr. Tamatha Fenster (Weill Cornell Medicine), and Dr. Arnar Geirsson (Columbia) describe how they each came to incorporate robotics into their practices. One of the biggest takeaways: robotic surgeries allow for more accuracy in minimally-invasive approaches; so patients experience shorter hospital stays and quicker recoveries, even after major procedures. But there are some limitations to robotic surgeries that the doctors are still navigating. Dr. Fenster discusses how there are haptics limitations in robotic surgery. As a result, she shares more about her innovative smartHER 3D MRI program that is addressing this issue and details how her and her team are developing a way of holographically projecting 3D MRIs over patients to help guide surgeons while they operate. For more information visit nyp.org/Advances

With summer in full swing, we’re revisiting an important episode on some of the most common myths about the sun and sunscreen. Faith Salie talks to Dr. Shari Lipner, a dermatologist at NewYork Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine.They discuss guidance on how to choose a sunscreen that works for you and also share helpful tips on how to gauge if a mole could be a sign of something more serious.