Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Polycystic ovary syndrome affects about 10% of American women, but has such a wide variety of troubling symptoms that it’s often misdiagnosed. Experts discuss the disorder and what women should know.
Food Deserts, Eating Habits, and Health
Public policy is built on the food desert theory: the lack of neighborhood supermarkets drives people to eat less fresh food and more junk food. New research is challenging that theory, but finding values of grocery stores in other, unexpected places. Experts discuss how nearby supermarkets change people and the neighborhoods where they live.
Genes and High Cholesterol
More than 100 million Americans have high cholesterol, a major risk factor for heart disease. Most people think of their diets as the main cause, but genetics also play a role in both good and bad ways. A noted expert discusses how scientists are harnessing cholesterol genes to lower the risk of heart attacks.
Needle Phobia
Untold millions of people are afraid of needles. Most manage by looking the other way when they’re facing an injection, but many may avoid the doctor as a result of their fear. The problem is increasingly dangerous for the rising number of people with diabetes, who must inject themselves with insulin to survive. A needle-phobic woman and doctor who’s …
Crushing Medical Debt
Nearly a quarter of us owe past due medical debt, and hospitals are moving more aggressively to collect. The rise is the result of a tradeoff--Americans have avoided higher health insurance premiums only to be jeopardized by extremely high deductibles and out-of-network costs. Experts explain what unpaid medical debt can mean, how patients can escape its …
Smoldering Concussions
Doctors are realizing that concussions can smolder in the brain for years with symptoms that are missed, making diagnosis at the time of occurrence all the more important. Yet a new study shows that protocols affecting the most vulnerable—young athletes—often are not followed. Experts explain why, and what people should do when they receive any blow to the …
Broken Heart Syndrome
When a person suffers a severe emotional shock, they may suffer what looks like a heart attack but is actually what doctors call “stress cardiomyopathy.” Most patients recover but the condition can be fatal, confirming that it is possible to die of a broken heart. An expert explains.
Trypophobia: The Fear of Clustered Holes
As much as 16 percent of the population suffers from Trypophobia, which makes them uneasy at the sight of holes clustered together, as in a honeycomb. Two experts and a sufferer discuss this phobia, which can be remarkably debilitating.
Genetic Testing and Family Secrets
The availability of consumer DNA tests and databases has allowed long-hidden family secrets to be revealed, including mistaken paternity and unknown siblings. It has also taken the anonymity away from some cases of sperm donation. Two experts discuss the ethics of overturning this promised secrecy and the impact that the revelation of secrets can have on …
Mirror Touch Synesthesia
Dr. Joel Salinas has mirror touch synesthesia, a condition involving cross-wiring in the brain. The result is that visual stimuli prompt a response in his touch system. He literally feels it when people experience pain. Salinas discusses how this strange condition works and how he is able to use it in diagnosis.
Importing Canadian Drugs
The Trump Administration has proposed wholesale import of drugs from Canada to ease high US prescription drug prices. But since Canada is 1/10th the size of the US, could it supply enough drugs to make a difference?
A Closer Look at Food Waste
Experts believe about 40 percent of the food available in America is thrown away. Solving this environmental problem also creates an opportunity to help with food insecurity. It starts with consumers. Experts explain where waste comes from and how people can cut down on its production.
