Advertise on podcast: Causes or Cures

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks sits down with transplant surgeon and author Dr. Josh Mezrich to talk about xenotransplantation—the use of animal organs, primarily from pigs, to try to address the massive shortage of human donor organs. More than 100,000 people in the U.S. are currently waiting for a transplant. For many, time runs out. Xenotransplantation offers a possible path forward, but it’s not a simple one. This conversation walks through both sides. We talk about the history—from early, controversial experiments using primates to today’s gene-edited pig organs—and what’s actually happening right now in human patients. But we also spend time on the part that often gets pushed aside: the ethical questions. What are we asking of these animals? How are they treated in the process? And how do we weigh that against the possibility of saving human lives? We discuss: • The evolution of xenotransplantation and key scientific breakthroughs • Real-world cases of patients receiving pig organs • The role of CRISPR and genetically engineered pigs • Ethical concerns around animal welfare and the use of nonhuman primates in research • Whether focusing on animal organs shifts attention away from improving human organ donation systems • The risks, including cross-species disease transmission Dr. Mezrich also shares insights from his new book Every Living Creature, which explores both the promise and the discomfort of this field. Dr. Mezrich is a transplant surgeon and Professor at the University of Wisconsin, where he holds the Mark A. Fischer Chair in Transplantation and serves as Surgical Director of the kidney transplant program. His clinical and research work focuses on liver and kidney transplantation, including how factors like the microbiome and biomarkers influence organ quality. He is also the author of How Death Becomes Life and his latest book, Every Living Creature, which explores the science and ethics of xenotransplantation.  Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Can what you eat influence your risk of colorectal cancer? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Fred Tabung, PhD, MSPH, a researcher studying diet, metabolism, and cancer prevention, about how certain dietary patterns may reduce colorectal cancer risk. Drawing on data from nearly one million people across the United States and Europe, Dr. Tabung explains how low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets are linked to lower colorectal cancer risk, and what this means for real-world prevention. We explore how insulin and inflammation may influence cancer pathways, how diet connects to obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and how those conditions are linked to cancer. We also discuss why early onset colorectal cancer is increasing in younger adults. The conversation also covers childhood and early life exposures, the microbiome, and what a population level approach to diet and cancer prevention could realistically look like. What we cover  What low insulinemic and anti-inflammatory diets actually mean  Foods associated with lower colorectal cancer risk  How insulin and inflammation may influence cancer development  The link between diet, obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and cancer  Why early onset colorectal cancer may be increasing  What a population level nutrition strategy for cancer prevention might look likeDr. Fred Tabung is an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine at The Ohio State University and a researcher at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James, where he leads the Diet, Metabolism, and Cancer Prevention Outcomes Lab. His work focuses on how dietary patterns influence cancer risk and progression, particularly through pathways related to inflammation and insulin. Using large-scale population studies and clinical research, he aims to identify practical, evidence-based dietary strategies for cancer prevention and improved outcomes across the cancer continuum.   Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Can a plant-derived polysaccharide formula affect Alzheimer’s symptoms? A researcher explains his study, and its limits.   In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with researcher Dr. John Lewis about his study investigating an aloe polymannose multinutrient supplement in Alzheimer’s disease. We discuss what polymannose is, why he feels mainstream wellness gets sugar wrong, why the intervention combines multiple nutrients rather than a single compound, and the biological theories behind how it might influence inflammation and immune signaling. Dr. Lewis also walks through the study design, including the open-label approach, the cognitive and functional outcomes measured, his thoughts on testing against a placebo, and how to interpret mixed results across different tests. We also talk about the bigger question: what early nutrition studies can suggest — and what they cannot yet prove.  John E. Lewis, Ph.D., is Founder and President of Dr Lewis Nutrition® and a Voluntary Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His research focuses on nutrition, dietary supplementation, and exercise in human health and disease, and he has led or contributed to over 30 studies and more than 180 peer reviewed publications. Dr. Lewis has presented his work nationally and internationally, mentored students across all levels of training, and delivered a TEDx talk on nutrition and brain health. He is also a Diplomate and Faculty Member of the Medical Wellness Association and continues to promote evidence based approaches to health and wellness.  Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with neurologist and neuroscientist Dr. Majid Fotuhi about brain aging, memory, intelligence, Alzheimer’s disease, and his new book: The Invincible Brain: The Clinically-Proven Way to Age-Proof Your Brain and Stay Sharp for Life We explore whether Alzheimer’s is being overdiagnosed and the idea that what we call Alzheimer’s may actually be a mix of different conditions.  Dr. Fotuhi breaks down intelligence beyond IQ, including why IQ tests were originally designed to detect deficits, and how environment can shape cognitive potential. We talk about memory, why we forget names but remember certain details, and he shares fun exercises anyone can do to significantly improve their memory. We also examine how technology may be affecting the brain, the concept of use it or lose it, and the role of neuroplasticity in shaping brain function over time. The conversation then turns to prevention. We cover genetics, including the APOE gene, and what you can do to lower your risk, even if you have the high-risk gene. We discuss lifestyle factors such as exercise, sleep, diet, and what having a sense of purpose means for your brain health. We also talk about current treatments, including antibody therapies targeting plaques, and why reducing plaques does not always improve function. Finally, Dr. Fotuhi shares his approach to building brain reserve and maintaining cognitive health through his Brain Fitness Program. Dr. Majid Fotuhi is a neurologist and neuroscientist trained at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School. He serves as an adjunct professor at the Mind Brain Institute at Johns Hopkins and also teaches at George Washington University and Harvard. With nearly four decades of experience in clinical care, research, and teaching, Dr. Fotuhi has developed a multidisciplinary approach to  improving brain health and cognitive performance. His Brain Fitness Program combines personalized assessment with targeted lifestyle and cognitive interventions, with results published in peer reviewed journals. He is the author of several books, including Boost Your Brain, and is widely recognized for his work on memory, neuroplasticity, and successful aging, with lectures and media appearances around the world. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! Support the show Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Exploring the Spiritual Realm Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticism  Disclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or public health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only.  In this episode, Dr. Eeks sits down with Master Nick Eagle, a man whose life has taken a dramatic and unexpected turn. Before becoming a spiritual teacher, Nick Eagle was Nick Hawk, best known as the star of Gigolos, the Showtime series that followed male escorts in Las Vegas. He built a larger-than-life persona—muscular, confident, and unapologetically masculine. Along the way, he became a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, ran a stripper booking agency, wrote for Penthouse, and appeared in outlets like Cosmopolitan and TMZ. Today, he goes by Master Nick Eagle. He now leads a very different life...teaching meditation, studying philosophy, practicing yoga, and guiding others through what he describes as spiritual awakening. He runs retreats in Arizona and is the author of The Golden Laws of Enlightenment, a book centered on transcending suffering and connecting to a deeper sense of self. In this conversation, we explore: His transition from nightlife and performance to spirituality and teachingHow he defines masculinity...then vs. nowWhat prompted his personal transformationHis approach to meditation, Reiki, and Kundalini practicesThe philosophy behind his teachings and retreatsWhat it means to “reinvent” your identityThis episode touches on spiritual perspectives that may not align with conventional medical or scientific views. Listeners are encouraged to approach these ideas thoughtfully and seek qualified medical advice when needed. At its core, this is a conversation about identity, reinvention, and what happens when the life you’ve built no longer feels like your own. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Gil Bashe, author of Healing the Sick Care System, about why the US healthcare system is failing the very people it is meant to serve. Bashe argues that the problem isn’t a lack of innovation or investment, but a system that has drifted away from empathy, human connection and patient-centered care. We discuss the growing disconnect between physicians, insurers, hospitals, and patients, the pressures that turn medical encounters into brief transactions, and how this fragmentation contributes to rising costs, declining trust, doctor burnout and patients who feel left behind.  The conversation also explores medical debt, the prevention gap in U.S. healthcare spending, the impact of poverty on health outcomes, and the unintended consequences of overspecialization. Bashe shares why he believes the future of healthcare must focus on empathy, collaboration, prevention, and measurable patient outcomes.  Gil Bashe is Chair Global Health and Purpose at FINN Partners.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Causes or Cures Podcast, Dr Eeks speaks with Dr. Sam West, a researcher at the University of Oxford, about his study on what happens after people stop taking GLP 1 weight loss medications. While much of the attention has focused on how these drugs work while people are taking them, this conversation looks at what happens when people stop. Dr West discusses how quickly weight tends to return (and how much), what happens to cardiometabolic markers after stopping treatment, and how these outcomes compare with weight regain after behavior-based interventions. They also explore what these findings mean in practice, including long-term weight maintenance, patient expectations, and how insurers may weigh coverage for these medications.  This episode offers important real world context for one of the most widely discussed drug classes in medicine today. Dr. Sam West is a postdoctoral researcher with the Health Behaviours team based in the Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford. He completed his PhD with the Nutritional Physiology Research Group at the University of Exeter, where his research centred around assessing how modulating dietary protein form influences postprandial skeletal muscle metabolism. His current research focuses on understanding how lifestyle (diet and exercise) and pharmaceutical interventions can be used in the treatment and management of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail "So how'd that person die?" In this episode of Causes or Cures, I’m joined by forensic pathologist Dr. Roger Byard, an internationally recognized expert who has spent decades investigating deaths that are rare, misunderstood, and often deeply unsettling. We talk about what really happens at the edges of life and death, including: Fatal animal encounters involving kangaroos, roosters, cattle, and donkeysWhether pets truly consume their deceased owners, and what the evidence showsThe real story behind the death of Rasputin and why the myths refuse to dieCannibalism, including its different forms and the true cases that shaped how we understand itHistorical fears of being buried alive and the strange methods once used to confirm deathThe one case that has stayed with Dr. Byard long after the autopsy was finishedDr. Byard is a repeat guest on Causes or Cures. The topic of his first episode was the forensic elements of killer selfies.  Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match. Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Topics include forensic pathology, unusual causes of death, animal attacks, Rasputin’s death, cannibalism case studies, and historical death practices.  Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Joel Stanley, entrepreneur and biotech founder, about the long and often misunderstood road from plant based therapies to FDA approved medicines. Joel shares the personal story behind building Charlotte’s Web, the company named after a young girl whose experience with severe epilepsy helped spark a global conversation about medical cannabis. He reflects on what it was like to grow a family run operation into a major force that reshaped public perception, while navigating science, regulation, and skepticism. The conversation then turns to Joel’s current work at Ajna BioSciences, where he is pursuing FDA approval for botanical drugs, including a botanical-based drug being studied for autism, with trials to be conducted in 2 countries. Joel explains where this research currently sits in the regulatory process and why he has chosen the traditional drug approval route rather than supplements or wellness markets. We also dig into the key differences between botanical drug development and conventional pharmaceutical development, from standardization challenges to clinical trial design, and why plant based medicines are often held to a different and sometimes contradictory standard. Finally, Joel discusses his research into psychedelics, including psilocybin for depression, and why he believes these compounds represent more than a passing trend.  This episode is a grounded look at science, policy, and the tension between nature and modern medicine. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Healthcare corruption doesn’t just happen in broken systems or far away countries. It happens in hospitals with shiny floors. In billion dollar healthcare industries. In systems filled with rules, audits, and professionals sworn to protect patients. It happens quietly. And it happens everywhere. In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Professor Graham Brooks, an international expert on healthcare corruption and criminal justice, to expose how fraud and corruption operate across healthcare systems around the world, from low resource settings to some of the most regulated and well funded systems on Earth. Rather than treating corruption as something that belongs “elsewhere,” this conversation reveals the shared vulnerabilities that allow it to thrive in plain sight. We explore: • The hidden ways corruption shows up in both poor and wealthy healthcare systems  • Real world schemes that drained millions while patients paid the price  • How much money vanishes globally each year and why the true cost is likely far higher  • Why rules, oversight, and trained professionals often fail to stop exploitation  • How financial incentives and conflicts of interest quietly shape care and clinical decisions  • Where today’s biggest corruption hotspots exist, from billing to drug pricing to procurement  • Whether AI and data could help uncover fraud or create new risks of surveillance  • What patients and clinicians can do when the system itself feels rigged This episode pulls back the curtain on a side of healthcare most people never see and shows why corruption isn’t a rare scandal. It’s a systemic threat hiding in plain sight. About the Guest Professor Graham Brooks is an international expert on corruption in healthcare and criminal justice. He has advised governments, law enforcement bodies, and international organizations on counter fraud and anti corruption efforts, and has been a keynote speaker at major conferences across Europe. He has participated in United Kingdom Cabinet Office round table discussions on anti corruption, worked with the Royal United Services Institute on money laundering and online business risks, and currently serves as a member of the Group of Experts for the European Healthcare Fraud and Corruption Network. Professor Brooks has published extensively with international collaborators and is the author of Healthcare Corruption: Causes, Costs, Consequences and Criminal Justice. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail Exploring the Spiritual Realm Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticism  Disclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only.  Recent surveys suggest around 69% of Americans say they believe in angels. Whatever you think of that, spiritual beliefs can shape real health decisions...what people trust, where they seek help, and how they make sense of illness. In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christopher Macklin, a British-born spiritual teacher and interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. Christopher describes his lifelong spiritual experiences and his belief that he can work with “angels” and other non-physical beings in ways he says help people. We talk about what he believes, how he differentiates between types of angels, what he means by “Melchizedek beings,” and why some followers view his work as healing. And because Dr. Eeks is a skeptic, we also talk about skepticism: how he responds to critics, how he thinks about proof, and where he draws lines around claims. This episode is part of Eeks' broader exploration of the “spiritual” element of health—not as endorsement, but because spirituality influences how many people approach health and wellness, interpret symptoms, choose treatments, and build meaning around suffering. Think of it as part belief, part culture, part mystery. Guest bio: Dr. Christopher Macklin is a British-born spiritual teacher, interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. He describes having unusual spiritual perceptions since childhood and now offers spiritual guidance and sessions to clients internationally based on his personal beliefs about non-physical realms. Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail What if cancer didn’t have to be eradicated, but could be remembered, monitored, and controlled by the immune system itself? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Zachary Hartman, the lead researcher who revisited an extraordinary breast cancer vaccine trial conducted over 20 years ago. The trial involved a small group of women with advanced breast cancer. Women who, remarkably, are all still alive today. By analyzing their blood decades later, the research team discovered that these women still carried immune cells capable of recognizing their cancer, suggesting durable immune memory lasting more than two decades. (Study link here.) We discuss: The original breast cancer vaccine trial and what it was designed to do, in plain languageWhat it was like to discover that the women from the trial were still alive more than 20 years laterHow the immune systems of these women continued to recognize cancer cells long after the trialWhat CD27-positive immune cells are and why they matter, explained simplyWhy helper CD4 T cells may be just as important, or more important, than killer CD8 T cells when it comes to cancerWhat happened when researchers combined a CD27-boosting antibody with a cancer vaccine in miceWhat surprised the research team mostThe challenges of translating findings from mice to human trialsWhether cancer could someday be managed long-term by the immune systemHow generalizable this immune memory might be across different cancersWhat this research could mean for how we think about vaccines in a post-pandemic worldThe one key message the researcher hopes the public takes awayWhat’s next in this line of research Guest Bio: Dr. Zachary C. Hartman is an Associate Professor at Duke University in the Departments of Surgery, Pathology, and Integrative Immunobiology, where he also serves as Director of the Center for Applied Therapeutics and is a member of the Cellular and Molecular Biology and Genetics and Genomics programs. He earned his undergraduate degree from Northwestern University and completed his PhD at Duke University, followed by postdoctoral training in tumor immunology and breast oncology at Duke and the MD Anderson Cancer Center. In 2012, Dr. Hartman returned to Duke to establish a research program focused on tumor immunology and the development of cancer immunotherapies, including therapeutic vaccines, immune agonists, checkpoint inhibitors, antibody-based therapies, and strategies to stimulate anti-tumor immune responses.   Work with Eeks ? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support Subscribe to Eeks' weekly newsetter You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Support the show

Send us Fan Mail *Disclaimer*   This episode is part of the Causes or Cures Public Health Is Weird bonus series and is for educational and entertainment purposes only. If you’re worried about a child or pet eating a poinsettia, contact a medical professional or veterinarian. This podcast is not a poison control center.  :) Every December, poinsettias show up, and so does the panic. Suddenly, a festive red plant is treated like antifreeze with leaves: dangerous to kids, deadly to pets, and one accidental nibble away from an emergency vet visit. But where did this fear actually come from, and does the evidence support it? In this bonus episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks dives into one of the most persistent holiday health myths and asks a very public-health question: How did a weak claim turn into a century-long panic? Using poison-control data, toxicology studies, veterinary evidence, and a little personal history (including a dog named Barnaby and the hazards of NYC sidewalks), this episode unpacks what poinsettias really do, and don’t do, to humans and animals. In this episode, you’ll learn: Where the myth of the “deadly poinsettia” originated and why it stuckWhat large U.S. poison-control data shows about poinsettia exposures in childrenWhy poinsettias behave very differently in real life than in our imaginationsWhat toxicology studies in animals actually found (hint: no lethal effects)What the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center reports when pets chew on poinsettiasWhy dose and curiosity matter more than fearHow risk is often exaggerated when kids, pets, and holidays collideWhether Dr. Eeks would let her own pets near a poinsettia (spoiler: probably not, but not for the reasons you think)A Christmas legend behind the poinsettia...and a gentle reminder that miracles don’t pause for plant anatomyWork with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! References: All scientific references discussed in this episode are below and available on the accompanying blog post at BloomingWellness.com.  New York Botanical Garden Article: Dispelling a Seasonal Myth: For Humans, The Poinsettia is Not a Toxic Plant – Science Talk ArchiveKrenzelok, E. P., Jacobsen, T. D., & Aronis, J. M. (1996). Poinsettia exposures have good outcomes… just as we thought. The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, 14(7), 671–674.Evens, Z. N, & Stellpflug, S. J. (2012). Holiday Plants with Toxic Misconceptions. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine: Integrating Emergency Care with Population Health, 13(6). http://dx.doi.org/10.5811/westjem.2012.8.12572 Retrieved from https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0q1973x2Winek CL, Butala J, Shanor SP, Fochtman FW. ToxicologySupport the show

Send us Fan Mail Microplastics are everywhere—but what are they doing inside the human body? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christian Pacher-Deutsch about his lastest study and the growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics may affect the digestive system, the gut microbiome, and long-term health. He explains why this problem has reached crisis level.  Rather than focusing on dramatic claims or quick fixes, this conversation explores what the science actually shows, including how probiotics may help mitigate some of the harmful effects of microplastics...not by breaking them down, but by supporting gut integrity and immune balance. We discuss: What microplastics and nanoplastics are, how they’re formed, and where human exposure comes fromWhy nanoplastics may be especially concerning due to their size and biological interactionsThe range of health effects microplastics have been linked to, including immune, neurological, reproductive, and carcinogenic effectsHow microplastics may disrupt the gastrointestinal tract, including digestion, inflammation, barrier function, and gut permeabilityWhat the microbiome is and why it plays a central role in healthWhy probiotics were considered as a potential solution, and what the research foundWhy probiotic bacteria are unlikely to directly degrade plasticsHow probiotics may still help reduce inflammation and support the gut’s protective barriersWhether certain bacteria appear more protective than othersThe role of industry collaboration and whether probiotic formulations are being exploredWhether probiotics can realistically help us get ahead of the microplastic crisis, or if they are only part of a larger solutionPractical ways people can reduce exposure, and where reduction may be unrealisticHow diet, including probiotic- and prebiotic-rich foods, might help mitigate riskWhat this research changed about Dr. Pacher-Deutsch’s own habitsWhat’s next in microplastics and health researchThis episode offers a clear, evidence-based look at microplastics inside the human body—without panic, hype, or false promises. GUEST BIO: Dr. Pacher-Deutsch is a scientist and researcher in the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Center for Biomarker Research in Medicine (CBmed), Graz, Austria.  Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. Or X. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! Support the show

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, a clinical psychologist, researcher and trauma expert about an early and deeply sensitive study examining how different substances may have influenced early trauma responses among survivors of the October 7 Nova music festival attack. Many survivors had taken substances just hours before the traumatic event — including classic psychedelics, MDMA, cannabis, alcohol, or none at all. Dr. Rubinstein’s team approached this research with extreme care, focusing on respect, consent, and the ethical challenges of studying trauma in real time. Together, they discuss: Why Dr. Rubinstein became interested in studying trauma at the moment it happens, not years laterHow the research team worked respectfully with survivors in the aftermath of mass traumaThe challenges of studying real-world substance use without lab-verified dosingWhy survivors who had taken classic psychedelics reported lower anxiety and fewer early PTSD symptoms compared with other groupsHow timing and state of consciousness during trauma may influence how the brain encodes memory and fearWhat we can, and cannot, conclude from an early, observational studyWhy these findings do not justify self-experimentation, but may justify further controlled researchWhat mental health professionals and policymakers should take away from this workHow doing trauma research has shaped Dr. Rubinstein’s own understanding of resilience and healingThis conversation does not promote psychedelic substance use. Instead, it explores how brain state, context, and timing may shape trauma responses, and why studying these questions responsibly matters. Content note: This episode discusses trauma related to the October 7 attacks. Listener discretion is advised. Disclaimer: This episode is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical or mental health advice. Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, PhD, is a clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, organizational psychologist and founder of the Morphic Institute. He is a founding member of the Interdisciplinary Master’s Program in Emergency and Disaster Management at the Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University, where he lectures on trauma, resilience, and mental health in emergency settings. His research focuses on trauma, testimony, and resilience, including how individuals and societies process extreme events. Dr. Rubinstein developed an intensive short-term group intervention model for treating traumatic casualties and has led multidisciplinary research collaborations on trauma across psychology, history, and architecture.  Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.  Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. Follow Eeks on Instagram here. Follow Public Health is Weird SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! (Now featuring interviews with Support the show