Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

TED Health's very own Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider has a new podcast, Before We Go. This is the first episode -- if you'd like more from Before We Go, check it out wherever you are listening to this.Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider's world shifts when her father calls to say that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer. As they navigate uncharted emotional terrain, Shoshana and her father explore options, including one they hadn’t before considered – medical aid in dying. But before they can decide, doctors tell Steven that something about his past might offer him hope. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on Body Stuff we’re excited to introduce TED’s newest podcast, Good Sport, hosted by veteran sports producer Jody Avirgan. What can sports teach us about life – and each other? Good Sport brings you invigorating stories from on and off the field to argue that sports are as powerful and compelling a lens as any to understand the world – from what happens when you age out of a sport, to how we do or don't nurture talent, to analyzing how sports arguments have become the mode for all arguments. Good Sport launched on February 8th and you can find it anywhere you’re listening to this. TED Audio Collective+ subscribers on Apple Podcasts can hear the whole season early and ad-free.When it comes to sports, is there anything more evocative –and elusive– than “the zone”? That mythical place an athlete goes to where focus is laser-sharp, nothing can go wrong, and time just vanishes. In this episode, Jody talks to NBA All-Star great Steph Curry about what “the zone” means for him – and whether or not it even exists. Then Jody works on his mental game with sports psychologist Dr. Nicole Detling, and follows Olympic biathlete Clare Egan in a step-by-step guide on how to foster mental resilience after failure. Transcripts for Good Sport are available at go.ted.com/GStranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When we are in pain, we often turn to over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen. Sometimes, however, we’re prescribed opioid painkillers, and there’s a perception that this will be a more effective treatment, because opiods are the “strongest” treatment. But a lot of what we think we know about opioids is due to propaganda from pharmaceutical companies and confusing medical guidelines. In today’s episode, Dr. Jen breaks down opioids: what ARE they? What do they do in our brain, and how do they affect pain? From discussing the difference between opioid addiction and opioid dependence, to tracing the history that’s led to today’s epidemic of opioid addiction (and what we might try as a society to fix it), this episode aims to arm you with information – because we all deserve access to responsible pain treatment.https://go.ted.com/BSTscript15 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

These days it can feel like anyone can be allergic to anything– with sensitivities ranging from common allergies to certain foods and animals to more unusual things, like semen or the chemicals used to treat leather. But is that true–ARE we becoming more allergic to things? What IS an allergy anyway and what are things that simply mimic an allergic reaction? Can you have a temporary allergy, and do we ever develop them later in life? In this episode, Dr. Jen explores theories of how allergies evolved and shares how to get tested – legitimately – to see if you really have one. For the full text transcript visit: https://go.ted.com/BSTscript13 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It might surprise you to know that if you’re a healthy human, you have yeast living in your body (and if you’ve had a delicious slice of bread or mouthwatering glass of wine, you also have fungi to thank for that). But what DOES yeast do for human health–and at what point does yeast become a problem? How much yeast is too much? And what treatments are appropriate for things like yeast infections? In today’s episode, Dr. Jen takes a look at the science to answer these questions and more, and gives us guidance on how to approach the fungus in –and among– us. https://go.ted.com/BSTscript12 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From metabolism gummies to spicy foods, the Keto diet to intricate exercise routines—it seems there’s always something that is being sold or promoted to speed up your metabolism. But do most of us even know what our metabolism IS? And is there any way to hack it (you know, so we can eat pizza all day and not stress about it)? In this episode, Dr. Jen outlines what science knows about this process and why the myths and misunderstandings about our metabolism’s ability to change can actually do us more harm than good. https://go.ted.com/BSTscript10 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Can you REALLY boost your metabolism? Is blue light actually ruining your sleep? How much vaginal yeast is healthy and when is it … too much? Body Stuff is BACK for a second season to bust the lies you’re told—and sold—about your personal health. Join Dr. Jen Gunter as she addresses common myths– from breaking down the incredible ways our senses of taste and smell work, to debunking some of the harmful misconceptions about opioids, to addressing the biggest pain on our backs (literally). Whether you are curious to learn more about the world inside you, or are wanting to escape the online hot takes that promise to tell you how to optimize your health, this season dives even deeper into helping you understand how your body REALLY works. Produced in partnership with Transmitter Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When a dentist tells us something is wrong with our teeth, we tend to follow their advice. But when Mona visits two different dentists, they give her two wildly different diagnoses (with wildly different price tags). So how do we know who's telling the tooth? Mona digs up the dental data to look for answers, and finds that in reality, the study of dentistry is riddled with holes. This is an episode of Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. If you like it, you can find all the episodes by following Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi wherever you're listening to this. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anxiety exists to keep us alive. But how can you tell when it crosses the line from survival instinct to serious problem? For the more than 30-percent of Americans who will experience an anxiety disorder, stigma around mental health problems makes it hard to find out. Dr. Jen breaks down where those stigmas originated, the science behind our brain’s threat-detection system, what makes it malfunction, and the most effective ways of treating it. Thanks to our guests, Dr. Kali Cyrus and Professor Helen King, for sharing their insights in this episode. Read the full text transcript at go.ted.com/BSTscript7 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’ve been told products like goji berries and pomegranate juice will boost your immune system—but attempts at “boosting” your immune system can do more harm than good. In fact, over the counter supplements contribute to over 20,000 ER visits per year! So is there a safe way to boost our immune systems, and should we even be doing it in the first place? An immunologist takes us through the body and down the “wellness” aisle to debunk products you’ve been sold and shares what you can really do to improve your body’s most important defense system. Read the full transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/BSTscript5 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are only two mammals who have evolved to survive after their child bearing years: toothed whales and humans. This stage of life is called menopause, and it makes humans an evolutionary wonder! But our perception of it has been shaped by centuries of stigma and shame—up until recently it was even considered a "disease" by the medical establishment that needed to be cured. Menopause isn’t a disease, but that doesn’t mean it’s a party either. There can be troublesome symptoms for many people. So you might be thinking, “I’m not in menopause now” or “I’m not going to go through menopause, ever. Why should I care?” Dr. Jen tells us why while taking us through the complex history of how we got here, giving hot tips on managing hot flashes, and sharing why menopause shouldn't be viewed as the end of the race, but a victory lap. You can read the text transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/BodyStuffTranscript3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Glowing skin, increased energy, higher mental function and weight loss: These are just a few of the benefits we have been promised for the low cost of 8 glasses of water a day. But can this magical elixir really do all that it claims? Dr. Jen Gunter takes us behind the fascinating (and scandalous) history of hydration pseudoscience, unpacks the investigative report that ROCKED the beverage industry, and sits down with a nephrologist who tells us what's fact and what's fiction about our kidneys. It will quench your thirst for the truth about hydration. You can read the text transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/BodyStuffTranscript1 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.