#health
61 episodes
#5551: Why Learning Makes Us Happier at Any Age
The credential isn't what makes learning feel good — choosing it is. What the research says about self-directed learning, aging, and hard times.
#5470: What a Hot Bath Actually Does for You
A friend's "you're stewing in your own dirt" comment ruined baths for Daniel for years. Here's what the research actually says.
#5418: Why Dehydration, Not Hunger, Is the Real Risk of a 25-Hour Fast
Twenty-five hours without water is a different problem than twenty-five hours without food. Here's the physiology of dehydration — and how to prepare.
#5363: One Well Adult vs. a Stomach Bug
Solo caregiver, sick kid, sick partner — how to run fluids, spot red flags, and decide on night checks.
#5269: Why 4 A.M. Wake-Ups Hit Different
A listener asks why 4 a.m. wake-ups feel so much worse than 1 a.m. — and what the insomnia science actually says to do about it.
#5167: The Stethoscope Isn't Dead, It's Getting AI Ears
Two centuries of the stethoscope — and why AI is now making it more useful than ever, not obsolete.
#5166: Why Your Baby Tracker Can't Log Oxygen Saturation
Baby apps have templates for everything — except the metrics you actually need. The custom tracking framework exists. It just never shipped.
#5157: When Labored Breathing in a Baby Means Go
A reassuring oximeter reading isn't the whole story. How to read the work of breathing, count infant breaths, and know when to head in.
#5121: Measuring Bloating: Photos, Tape, and What's Normal
Is your bloating normal? One man's quest to document abdominal distension reveals what doctors actually know — and don't.
#5075: Monitoring a Warm Toddler Without Losing Your Mind
What to track when your kid feels warm but reads normal — and which apps help without becoming a second job.
#5029: How Much Tuna Is Actually Safe to Eat?
We break down the science of mercury in tuna, the real symptoms of toxicity, and whether canned fish can actually hurt you.
#5008: Why "Superfoods" Are Marketing, Not Science
The $200 billion superfood industry has no scientific definition. Here's what antioxidants actually do.
#4851: What Half-Life Tells You About Tapering Off Sleep Meds
Why short-half-life drugs are actually harder to quit, and how the bathtub analogy explains it all.
#4744: Lyme Disease: Facts, Myths, and Tick Safety
What Lyme actually is, why Storrs is ground zero, and how to stay safe outdoors without spiraling.
#4613: Baby Gear That Costs More Than a Used Car
From $1,500 bassinets with firmware updates to app-connected bottle makers — a look at the most absurdly engineered baby products.
#4480: The Doctor Visit You Can't Make: Health Anxiety's Hidden Trap
Why avoiding the doctor can be more dangerous than what you're afraid of finding.
#4355: How to Treat Back Pain Without NSAIDs
Safe pain relief for back pain when NSAIDs aren't an option, plus how to stop acute pain from becoming chronic.
#4278: Designing a DIY Meal Replacement from First Principles
Powder beats bars for low-fat, shelf-stable meal replacements. Here's how to design your own from scratch.
#4192: Is Organic Worth It for Your Toddler?
Hannah in Jerusalem asks: is organic food actually worth it for her toddler?
#4093: Blood Pressure, Kidneys & Gout: The Hidden Loop
How hypertension, kidney damage, and uric acid form a three-way feedback loop — and what to do about it.
#3753: How to Safely Recover from Hypothermia
The safe way to warm up after getting dangerously cold — and why a hot shower can actually kill you.
#3702: The Silent Side Effect of SSRIs
60% of patients on SSRIs experience sexual dysfunction. We break down the why and what to do.
#3696: N95 vs N99 vs SN98: Which Mask Actually Works?
N95, N99, and SN-98 masks compared — what the ratings really mean, how fit matters more than numbers, and when to switch to a respirator.
#3591: How SSRIs Change Your Body's Thermostat
Why some people melt in heat while others thrive — and how SSRIs, brown fat, and air conditioning all play a role.