Health Wanted

In this special bonus Q&A, the Health Wanted team jumps into the listener mailbag to Ask Laurel Anything, from getting to know Laurel to axolotl updates to holiday favorites. Thanks to everyone who submitted a question or comment! We'll be back next week to break down more science, in the pursuit of better health. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630. For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted. To support Health Wanted and other public media programing this Giving Tuesday, visit wabe.org/give  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Artificial intelligence (AI) holds great potential to improve and expedite a variety of processes in health care. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Sayash Kapoor explore AI's capabilities, current limitations, and highlight the next steps in using its power to reach better health outcomes. In the Q&A, Bristow breaks down the roles of the HHS and CMS, gives an update on the latest food contamination story in a new segment (Total Recall), and answers listener questions on hookah, fluoride in Europe, vitamin patches, and mouth taping. This week's Sick of the Week salutes scientific research via a recent stem cell transplant story. For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects over 10% of the world’s population and is the eighth leading cause of death worldwide. This week on Health Wanted, in honor of World Diabetes Day, host Laurel Bristow and Mohammed Ali, MD, professor of global health, discuss the factors driving the global rise in diabetes cases and the latest advancements in diabetes research. In the Q&A, Bristow answers questions on exercise recommendations and the safety of black plastic kitchen utensils before giving updates on bird flu, including recent detection in Los Angeles wastewater and the diagnosis of bird flu in a teenager in Canada. For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From anti-smoking campaigns to advertisements for fruit-flavored vapes, marketing has played a huge role in how Americans interact with smoking products for over a century. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Johannes Thrul, PhD, associate professor of public health, explore the evolution of smoking and the latest research into helping people quit. In the Q&A, Bristow answers questions about flesh-eating bacteria, a possible link between COVID-19 and type 2 diabetes, and winter respiratory illness season. She then reflects on the importance of context in public health during the Sick of the Week. For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health misinformation is a growing public health crisis, shaping behaviors, fueling skepticism, and undermining trust in science. Today on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Jessica Malaty Rivera discuss common origins of misinformation and ways to combat its spread. In the Q&A, Bristow answers questions about State Based Exchanges for healthcare, GLP-1 capsules, and current food-borne outbreaks, setting up the Sick of the Week: federal regulations . For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or @healthwantedshow on IG. You can also leave a comment on YouTube. Or, leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630 - the possibilities are endless! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Halloween is here, listen if you dare! Turns out some of the most popular horror myths are based in public health reality. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow is joined by two special guests: comedians Mark Kendall and David Perdue. The three talk through some of the science behind vampires, zombies, mummies, and other things that go bump in the night. In the Q&A, Bristow answers questions about one of her favorite treats, candy, before coming to its defense in the Sick of the Week. For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or @healthwantedshow on IG. You can also leave a comment on YouTube. Or, leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630 - the possibilities are endless! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lifespans have increased significantly in the past century, and while plastic surgery and eye cream may slow the visible effects of aging, getting older is both an inevitable and natural stage of life. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow talks with Regina Shih, PhD, professor of epidemiology, about the current challenge in the U.S. to ensure quality care and support for aging adults.   Bristow also answers questions on West Nile, air and water quality, and misinformation following natural disasters in the The Q&A, before discussing the recent Marburg outbreak in Rwanda in Sick of the Week.  For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or @healthwantedshow on IG. You can also leave a comment on YouTube. Or, leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630 - the possibilities are endless! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this engaging discussion, Ali John Zarrabi, a palliative care physician, Roman Politsky, a psychiatry researcher, and Caroline Peacock, a spiritual health expert, delve into the fascinating world of psychedelics. They explore the historical evolution of these substances as therapeutic tools and their modern resurgence in treating mental health issues. The conversation highlights the crucial intersection of spirituality and therapy, emphasizing the need for interdisciplinary collaboration in ensuring patient safety. Tune in for insights on the cultural implications of psychedelics in medicine!

Since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, the availability of reproductive health care has become fragmented, with states implementing widely varying restrictions and protections. This week, on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest, Whitney Rice, DrPH, cover the current state of reproductive rights in the United States and  the impact on reproductive health and care. Bristow also speaks on recent updates in public health news, including new data released regarding opioid-related overdoses and a rise in bird flu cases. She also answers listener questions on take-home flu vaccines and using zinc as a treatment for the common cold before breaking down homeopathy in Sick of the Week.  For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or @healthwantedshow on IG. You can also leave a comment on YouTube. Or, leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630 - the possibilities are endless! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clinical trials play a crucial role in advancing medical knowledge and developing life-saving therapies, but it has taken decades for medical testing and human research to become scientifically and ethically sound. On this week’s episode of Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Seema Lakdawala, PhD, cover the evolution of clinical trials and highlight their importance in studying flu transmission dynamics. Bristow also answers listener questions on fluoride, DEET, fruit flies, and rapid at-home flu tests before scrubbing through the details of toxic mold in Sick of the Week. For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or @healthwantedshow on IG. You can also leave a comment on YouTube. Or, leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630 - the possibilities are endless! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwantedSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.