Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
In an era dominated by keyboards, it is easy to think handwriting is a skill of the past. But are we shortchanging our brains by abandoning this ability? Our guests this week explore the critical cognitive benefits of handwriting and discuss how the physical act of writing by hand significantly boosts literacy, memory retention, and idea generation.
When youth running prodigy Mary Cain was scouted by top universities in the eighth grade, she thought she was chasing her athletic dreams – but the reality of the elite sports pipeline would cost her far more than she ever imagined. This week she pulls back the curtain on the toxic culture of high-stakes youth athletics, detailing how top-tier programs often …
All of that time you spend digging earwax out of your ear isn’t just a waste of time, but can be damaging your health. Earwax is a self-cleaning substance that protects our ears from infection and debris. Dr. Andrew Tagg explains the wax’s various roles and when to know when you truly need a cleaning.
For years, boxer Danny O’Connor didn’t realize his extreme methods of cutting weight masked a severe struggle with binge eating disorder. This cycle of dangerous physical manipulation followed by uncontrollable eating left him feeling like an unwilling passenger in his own body. This week he shares his story, highlighting the struggles of seeking help for …
Despite its historical prevalence in everything from ancient plumbing to 20th-century gasoline, lead is a highly dangerous metal that can accumulate in the human body over a lifetime. Researchers have been analyzing strands of hair to track long-term lead exposure and evaluate the impact of the EPA’s environmental regulations.
Psychologist Dr. Frank Putnam continues to detail the physical and mental impact of childhood sexual abuse. He also discusses his personal experience uncovering a child trafficking ring led by a coworker at the National Institutes of Health.
Death is never an easy topic to talk about. To help manage this difficult transition, many are turning to death doulas. They provide compassionate guidance for the dying, like how birth doulas support new mothers. Our experts this week discuss how to foster curiosity rather than fear, navigate the art of a peaceful end, and find meaning in the time that’s …
Despite what Hollywood shows us, the daily life of a paramedic rarely includes life or death emergencies. In reality, resources are thin, burnout runs high, and medics often face issues that would be better handled by social workers and lawyers. This week, Joanna Sokol details her experience on the job and why the field is desperate for better worker rights.
For decades, judicial systems in North America have been using formal assessments to identify these psychopathic individuals. Scoring high on these tests can lead to harsher sentencing and exclusion from rehabilitation programs based on the controversial belief that such inmates cannot be changed. However, our expert pushes back against these procedures and …
While Hollywood often portrays schizophrenia in its most extreme form, the actual progression of the disorder is much different than what we see on screen. This week, our expert explains why these symptoms are frequently misdiagnosed, how they can affect anyone under the right neurological conditions, and why identifying early warning signs is the most …
Modern advancements allow us to live in extreme environments and survive conditions that would’ve once been fatal. Do these technological leaps mean our species has finally bypassed the ancient laws of biological evolution? Our expert explains how our unique development might actually be working in harmony with these environmental pressures rather than …
This segment explores how emotions guide our daily lives, and whether learning to understand them can change how we respond to the world.
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