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"For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots"Causes or Cures is a health podcast hosted by "Dr. Eeks"—an independent, offbeat, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a passion for breaking down complex health topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand insights. Dr. Eeks is a public health professional specializing in applied epidemiology and health communication. She works on complex and timely public health issues and is all about making science relatable, often using a blue-collar sense of humor to drive the message home. On this podcast, Dr. Eeks talks with experts from around the world (doctors, researchers, public health pros, and more) to dive into the latest hot topics in health and research, all in a down-to-earth kind of way. She also includes people with compelling stories of healing and "characters" because life is too boring and short to leave out characters and not embrace the weird. ;) DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not health advice. If you are battling an individual health issue, always check in with your doctor & don't run with anything on podcast as advice. Dr. Eeks doesn't endorse any of her guests' views, and despite a strict health routine, nor does she endorse any products, supplements, oils, magic socks or potions. (If an episode is sponsored by a company she likes, she will say so in the show notes.) While she has a MD, she does not practice medicine (she's a full-time public health nerd) so she does not give out medical advice nor should you treat anything on this podcast as medical advice. Causes or Cures is not a "news site." It's about having conversations, and Dr. Eeks is confident that she can have a respectful conversation with anyone, even people who think far differently than she does. (At least that's been her experience at hole-in-the-walls & on sidewalks across the world.) The point is to not take anything here as Gospel. Sometimes Dr. Eeks' dog Barnaby makes his opinion known, but the good news is that he's a smart dog. Most importantly, she hopes this podcast encourages folks to stay curious, empathic, hopeful, compassionate, honest, open-minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful thing, delightfully messy, and one that many take for granted. *The views on this podcast do not reflect the views of anyone she contracts with or consults for on various public health projects. You can help keep Causes or Cure independent and ad-free by hitting the "Support" button in the upper corner. You can contact Dr. Eeks through her website, bloomingwellness.com. SIGN UP for her Newsletter HERE: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/sl/xnqmy06

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Check latest episodes from Causes or Cures podcast

Can an Air Purifier Actually Help Your Brain? With Professor Doug Brugge

2026/10/11

Send us Fan Mail Can cleaning the air in your home affect how your brain works? In this episode, Eeks talks with Prof Doug Brugge, Professor and Chair of Public Health Sciences at UConn, about a randomized crossover study testing HEPA air filtration in people living near busy highways. Researchers gave participants both real HEPA filtration and sham filtration and measured cognitive performance along the way. Overall, the study did not find a statistically significant improvement in cognitive-test performance with HEPA filtration. But researchers found something interesting when they looked at age: among participants 40 and older, performance on one test of executive function and cognitive flexibility was about 12% faster following HEPA filtration compared with sham filtration. The finding was not seen among younger participants or on the other cognitive test. Eeks and Doug talk about what we're breathing when we live near heavy traffic, how air pollution could potentially affect the brain, what HEPA filters actually remove, the study's unusual crossover design, the very real problem of getting better at a cognitive test simply because you've taken it before, and whether these results mean those of us over 40 should be shopping for an air purifier. And, importantly: what this study does and does not prove. Read the study in Scientific Reports Link to how to build your own Hepa Filter UCONN Indoor Air Quality Initiative **************************************************************** Work with Eeks? Perhaps you are a good match. Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Would You Want to Know? A Family’s 50% Chance of Inheriting Dementia, with Robert Kolker

2026/09/29

Send us Fan Mail Would you want to know if you had a 50% chance of developing an inherited form of dementia? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Kolker about his new book, The Vanishing Family: Love, Fate, and the Quest to End Dementia. The book follows a Pennsylvania family across generations as they confront a rare inherited form of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) associated with a mutation involving tau. For family members, genetic testing can answer an extraordinary question: Did I inherit the mutation or not? But knowing the answer can affect virtually everything that follows—relationships, having children, plans for the future and how someone interprets changes in their own behavior. Eeks and Robert discuss the very different ways family members approached genetic testing; whether getting older without symptoms means you're in the clear; having children when there's a chance of passing on the mutation; and the unsettling way FTD can first appear as changes in personality, judgment and behavior rather than something obviously recognizable as neurological disease. They also get into some of the bigger questions raised by the book: How much of who we are is our brain? Would you want the option to end your life before a degenerative disease changed who you were? Can lifestyle meaningfully alter the course of a strongly inherited dementia? And what can medicine actually offer someone who learns today that they carry one of these mutations? Finally, they discuss why researchers are so interested in this family's rare form of FTD. The mutation affects tau, a protein also implicated in Alzheimer's disease, making families like this scientifically valuable for understanding how dementia develops and potentially how it might someday be prevented or treated. Robert Kolker is a contributing writer at The New York Times Magazine and the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Hidden Valley Road, which was an Oprah's Book Club selection and a New York Times Book Review Top 10 book of the year. He is also the author of Lost Girls. The Vanishing Family is published by Doubleday on September 29, 2026. The Vanishing Family — official publisher page *Robert Kolker photo credit: Jeff Zorabedian Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Can Reddit Reveal GLP-1 Side Effects that Clinical Trials Miss? With Neil Sehgal

2026/09/24

Send us Fan Mail What can hundreds of thousands of Reddit posts tell us about the side effects of GLP-1 medications? In this episode of Causes or Cures, I talk with researcher Neil K. R. Sehgal about his recent study examining self-reported side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide, commonly known by brand names including Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound. Neil and his colleagues used AI to analyze more than 410,000 Reddit posts mentioning the medications. Among users who reported taking them, researchers found plenty of familiar side effects, particularly gastrointestinal symptoms, but they also identified potential signals involving fatigue, menstrual changes, and temperature-related symptoms such as chills and hot flashes. We talk about why clinical trials can't capture every possible side effect before a drug reaches the broader population, how AI can sift through enormous amounts of online conversation, and why finding a signal on Reddit is not the same thing as proving that a medication caused it. We also get into a bigger question: Could social media eventually become a useful early-warning system for drug safety? In this episode, we discuss: why Neil turned to Reddit to study GLP-1 experiences; how AI analyzed more than 400,000 posts; which potential side-effect signals emerged; the difference between correlation, a safety signal, and causation; how researchers distinguish genuine signals from social-media influence; and how AI and online communities could complement traditional pharmacovigilance. About Neil: Neil K. R. Sehgal is a researcher affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania's Department of Computer and Information Science and Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics. His research includes using large-scale digital data to better understand patient experiences and healthcare. He led the analysis and was first author of the study discussed in this episode. Read the study: Self-reported side effects of semaglutide and tirzepatide in online communities — Nature Health Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Wait... How Did This Drug Cost $25 in India and $1,000 in the U.S.? | WTF Health News

2026/09/13

Send us Fan Mail A woman named Victoria went viral after sharing that a prescription medication that would have cost her $1,000 out of pocket in the U.S. cost just $25 when obtained through a Canadian pharmacy from an Indian manufacturer. But perhaps the most interesting part wasn't the price difference. It was the reaction. The comments filled with people sharing their own stories about prescription prices, insurance, and the sometimes absurd cost of healthcare in America. In this episode of WTF Health News, Eeks looks at why Victoria's story struck such a nerve, touches on some of the mysteries of U.S. prescription drug pricing, and asks what our collective reaction says about the American healthcare experience. Because maybe the biggest WTF isn't that one medication cost $25 instead of $1,000. It's how many Americans heard the story and thought: Yep. Sounds about right. Here's the original IG video: https://www.instagram.com/lemonsnlyme/reel/DZYgShBBKIP/ Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Smart Underwear: Because Regular Underwear Wasn't Doing Enough. With Dr. Brantley Hall

2026/09/09

Send us Fan Mail Yes, scientists have invented smart underwear. And yes, we're going to have to talk about farts. But this isn't really a story about underwear or even intestinal gas. It's about finding a new way to study the gut microbiome in real time. In this episode, researcher Dr. Brantley Hall joins me to talk about the development of wearable “smart underwear” that continuously measures hydrogen produced by gut microbes. We discuss why hydrogen can provide clues about what's happening inside the gut, how the device compares with traditional breath and stool testing, and what happened when participants wore it for more than 11 hours a day. We also get into the engineering challenges of making smart underwear both comfortable and safe, including the rather important matter of not putting a lithium-ion battery in your underwear. Brantley also explains how the device detected changes after participants consumed inulin, what this technology could teach us about individual responses to food, and whether continuous monitoring could someday have applications for personalized nutrition, IBS, food intolerances, and other digestive conditions. And, naturally, we address the important question: When you've helped invent smart underwear, how exactly do you explain what you do for a living? Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Are You Sharing Your Microbiome with Your Romantic Partner or Your Roommate? With Dr. Nicola Segata

2026/08/27

Send us Fan Mail Are you sharing your microbiome with your roommate? What about your romantic partner? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with microbiome researcher Dr. Nicola Segata about new research showing that we may share parts of our microbiome with the people we live with—including family members, roommates, and romantic partners. They discuss how our microbiomes are shared between people, why romantic partners show particularly high levels of oral microbiome sharing, and whether kissing may be partly responsible. They also explore the surprising connection between the oral and gut microbiomes and what the findings could mean for our health. Dr. Segata and Dr. Eeks also discuss whether some microbes are better at spreading than others, what the research does—and doesn't—tell us about cardiometabolic health, whether probiotics can meaningfully change our microbiome, and how much control we really have over the microbial communities living within us. And if we're sharing our microbiomes with the humans we live with...what about our dogs? About Dr. Nicola Segata: Dr. Nicola Segata is a professor and microbiome researcher at the University of Trento in Italy and a principal investigator at the European Institute of Oncology in Milan. He founded his research laboratory in 2013, bringing together computational scientists, experimental biologists, statisticians, and clinicians to study the human microbiome, its diversity, and how it may influence human health and disease. Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

When Tuberculosis Was Blamed on Vampires | Public Health is Weird

2026/08/23

Send us Fan Mail Once upon a time, people blamed tuberculosis on vampires. Seriously. In this Public Health Is Weird episode, we head to 1892 Rhode Island, where the deaths of several members of one family led to an exhumation, a suspected vampire, and a truly horrifying attempt at a cure. The real culprit was tuberculosis. We explore the strange connection between TB and vampire folklore, the discovery and treatment of tuberculosis, a messy Nobel Prize controversy, and a bigger question: Why do humans reach for supernatural explanations when something frightening happens that we can't explain? Vampires, tuberculosis, human psychology, and somehow, Dr. Eeks' great grandfather and groundhog grease. Welcome to Public Health Is Weird. Be sure to check out the other Public Health is Weird episodes too! Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Sources used in the podcast are listed below and in my blog here. Food for the Dead, by Michael Bell Mysterious, medieval child vampire, The Independent Consumptive Chic, by Carolyn Day Smithsonian Magazine, Kat Eschner, March, 2017 CDC MMWR, 1982 Streptomycin, American Chemical Society, 2014 World's Top Infectious Killer, Science Alert, 2025 Support the show

Why Are Middle-Aged Americans Doing So Much Worse? With Dr. Frank Infurna

2026/08/07

Send us Fan Mail Why do so many middle-aged Americans feel like they're barely keeping their heads above water? In this episode, Dr. Eeks is joined by Dr. Frank Infurna, Professor of Psychology at Arizona State University and lead author of a recent paper examining historical changes in midlife well-being in the United States and Europe. His research paints a concerning picture: today's middle-aged Americans appear to be faring worse than previous generations—and worse than many of their counterparts across Europe—in areas ranging from physical health and memory to loneliness and depression. During the conversation, Dr. Infurna explains why these patterns are emerging, why they seem to be largely unique to the United States, and what they might tell us about the way we live, work, and age. We explore whether Americans are experiencing cognitive decline earlier or simply feeling mentally overwhelmed, how financial stress and "job lock" may be shaping health, why living farther from family could be taking a greater toll than many realize, and why spending more on healthcare hasn't translated into better midlife outcomes. We also discuss the challenges of interpreting these trends, whether today's generations are truly struggling more or simply more willing to talk about it, and what evidence-based strategies may help people navigate midlife more successfully. Whether you're in your 40s or 50s, care for someone who is, or are simply interested in the intersection of psychology, aging, and public health, this episode offers an insightful look at one of the most important—and underappreciated—health trends facing Americans today. In this episode, we discuss: Why middle-aged Americans appear to be doing worse than previous generationsWhy these troubling trends are largely unique to the United StatesThe growing roles of loneliness and depression during midlifeMemory, cognitive health, and the difference between decline and mental overloadWhy education hasn't protected against worsening well-beingThe impact of financial stress, healthcare costs, and "job lock"Whether living farther from family affects health and resilienceWhat the U.S. can learn from European countriesPractical, evidence-based advice for improving well-being during midlifeYou can follow Dr. Infurna's Substack here! Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Can We Communicate with Angels? With Alisha Das | Exploring the Spiritual Realm

2026/08/02

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 public health methods or 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. In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Alisha Das, author of Angelic Ancestry. Alisha shares her personal story and discusses how her experiences shaped her understanding of angels, healing, intuition, and what she describes as our spiritual ancestry. During the conversation, they discuss: Alisha's personal journey and what led her to write Angelic AncestryWhat she means by "angels" and how she understands themWhy belief in angels appears across cultures and throughout historyThe concept of "angelic ancestry"Whether she believes people can communicate with loved ones who have diedWhat she believes happens after deathWhat "angelic language" is and how she experiences itHer personal healing journey and how it influenced her worldviewWhether someone must follow a particular religion to connect with these ideasHow she responds to skeptics and those who question her experiencesThis conversation explores ideas that exist outside mainstream science and medicine. It is intended as an exploration of one person's beliefs and experiences rather than an endorsement or validation of those claims. Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, or simply curious, we hope you'll find the conversation interesting and thought-provoking. Work with Eeks? Perhaps you 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Seasonal Blues, Melancholy, and the Winter Splinter | Eeks Speakeasy

2026/07/29

Send us Fan Mail Seasonal Blues, Melancholy, and the Winter Splinter... Do you only get the Winter Blues? Lucky you. In this episode of Eeks Speakeasy, Dr. Eeks confesses to suffering from the entire seasonal collection—from the Autumn Bottom and Spring Sting to the Summer Bummer and the newly diagnosed Winter Splinter. Along the way, she explores why our moods seem to shift throughout the year, why spring doesn't bring optimism for everyone, why daylight saving time continues to confuse humans and dogs alike, and why melancholy might deserve a little more respect than it gets. This isn't an episode about diagnosing depression or treating Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). It's a short, lighthearted take on the many ways seasons shape our emotions, complete with bad puns, Greek medicine, philosophical detours, Jack and his "Winter Jollies," and her dog Barnaby's unwavering belief that breakfast should never be a political decision. If you missed the first episode of Eeks Speakeasy, it's here: The Long Whatever. 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 on X. Follow Public Health is Weird Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to the Eeks Weekly Here! Support the show

Do Bananas Make Your Smoothie Less Healthy? With Professor Gunter Kuhnle

2026/07/26

Send us Fan Mail Can bananas change the nutritional value of your smoothie? Bananas are often considered one of the healthiest fruits you can eat. But what happens when they're blended with berries or other foods rich in beneficial plant compounds? In this episode, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Gunter Kuhnle, Professor of Nutrition and Food Science, about his research examining how bananas may affect the absorption of flavan-3-ols—naturally occurring compounds found in foods like berries, cocoa, tea, and apples that have been associated with cardiovascular and cognitive health. Together, they discuss: What flavan-3-ols are and why researchers study them The enzyme in bananas (polyphenol oxidase) and why it matters How the smoothie study was conducted Why the banana smoothie resulted in lower flavan-3-ol absorption than the berry-only smoothie Why this doesn't mean bananas are "bad" or that they destroy nutrients Whether other fruits may have similar effects The challenges of measuring diet and nutrient intake in nutrition research—and why nutrition studies can be difficult to interpret Common misconceptions about nutrition research and what individual studies can (and cannot) tell us Tips for building a smoothie if maximizing flavan-3-ol intake is your goal How food combinations—not just individual foods—may influence nutrition Take-home message: Bananas remain a nutritious food. This study simply suggests that if your goal is to maximize absorption of flavan-3-ols, it may matter what foods you combine together. More broadly, this episode explores why nutrition science is often more complex than headlines suggest—and why interpreting nutrition research requires careful measurement and context. Disclaimer: This episode is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical or nutritional advice. 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show Support the show

Can We Prevent Muscle Loss While Taking GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs? With Dr. Richard Pratley

2026/07/08

Send us Fan Mail Can We Prevent Muscle Loss While Taking GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs? GLP-1 medications like Zepbound have changed the way we treat obesity. But as more people lose significant amounts of weight, another question has emerged: What happens to your muscle? It's normal to lose some lean mass—including muscle—during weight loss. But researchers are now asking whether preserving more muscle could improve long-term health, particularly as we age. In this episode, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Richard Pratley, lead author of a new randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial investigating whether an investigational antibody called apitegromab can help preserve lean mass in people taking tirzepatide (Zepbound). Together they discuss: • Why people lose lean mass during weight loss • What "lean mass" actually means—and why it matters • Why muscle preservation has become one of the biggest new questions in obesity medicine • How apitegromab works by blocking myostatin—a protein that acts like a brake on muscle growth • The results of the study and how much lean mass participants preserved • Why preserving lean mass doesn't automatically mean preserving strength • Whether concerns about muscle loss on GLP-1 medications have become exaggerated • The importance of resistance training and adequate protein during weight loss • Whether future obesity treatment will focus less on body weight and more on body composition • The bigger question: Are we entering an era where one medication leads to another—or is there a better path??? This conversation explores one of the most interesting—and practical—questions in obesity research today: Can we lose fat without sacrificing too much muscle? 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Is Your Smartphone Giving You Hemorrhoids? | WTF Health News

2026/07/06

Send us Fan Mail Can using your smartphone on the toilet increase your risk of hemorrhoids? In this episode of WTF Health News, Dr. Eeks explores one of the strangest health headlines of the year—and yes, it's based on a real scientific study. Researchers found that adults who reported using smartphones while sitting on the toilet had a 46% higher likelihood of hemorrhoids compared with people who didn't bring their phones to the bathroom. But does that mean your phone causes hemorrhoids? Not exactly. Dr. Eeks breaks down what the study found. Topics discussed include: Can smartphone use increase the risk of hemorrhoids? Why prolonged toilet sitting may matter more than straining The surprising study linking phones and hemorrhoids Why smartphone apps may distort our perception of time The difference between correlation and causation How technology quietly changes everyday human behavior If you've ever found yourself scrolling on the toilet for "just a minute"...this episode might make you think twice. Source: Smartphone use on the toilet and the risk of hemorrhoids, Plos 0ne, 2025. About WTF Health News WTF Health News is a recurring series within Causes or Cures, where Dr. Eeks breaks down strange, surprising, and occasionally ridiculous health headlines with evidence, context, and a healthy dose of dry humor. 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

Can Air Pollution, Weather, or Heat Trigger Migraines? With Prof Gal Ifergane

2026/07/05

Send us Fan Mail Many people living with migraines say they can "feel a storm coming" before an attack. But is there scientific evidence that environmental exposures can influence migraine risk? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Gal Ifergane, neurologist and headache specialist, about his research on migraines and the environment. The conversation explores how air pollution, heat, solar radiation, and weather conditions may help lower the threshold for migraine attacks in people who are already susceptible. Professor Ifergane explains why migraine is often considered a threshold disorder, where genetics, biology, and environmental exposures may all interact to influence when an attack occurs. In this episode, you'll learn: • Can air pollution trigger migraines? • Are weather-related migraines real? • Can heat, sunlight, or solar radiation increase migraine risk? • How researchers study environmental migraine triggers • Why some people may be more sensitive to environmental exposures than others • What these findings could mean for migraine prevention If you've ever wondered whether your surroundings—not just your brain—could influence migraine attacks, this episode explores what the current science says. About Professor Gal Ifergane: Professor Gal Ifergane is a neurologist, headache specialist, and clinical researcher who serves as Head of the Neurology Department and Chair of the Brain Medicine Division at Soroka Medical Center in Be'er Sheva, Israel. He is also a faculty member at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. His research focuses on migraine, headache disorders, stroke, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the effects of environmental exposures on neurological health. His work examines how factors such as air pollution, heat, and weather conditions may influence migraine risk and severity, with the goal of improving prevention and treatment for people living with migraine and other neurological disorders. 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 on X. Or Facebook here. On Youtube. Or TikTok. SUBSCRIBE to her Newsletter here! (the bits not posted on socia media) Support the show

Can Music Prevent Cognitive Decline as We Age? With Professor Joanne Ryan

2026/06/21

Send us Fan Mail Can listening to music help protect your brain as you age? In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Professor Joanne Ryan about her research on music, dementia risk, cognitive decline, and healthy aging. Drawing on data from thousands of older adults participating in the ASPREE Longitudinal Study of Older Persons (ALSOP), Professor Ryan discusses findings suggesting that frequent music engagement—including listening to music and playing a musical instrument—was associated with a lower risk of dementia and better cognitive outcomes over time. The conversation explores: • Whether listening to music can help reduce dementia risk • How playing a musical instrument may affect brain health • Proposed biological and cognitive mechanisms behind music's effects on the brain • Music, memory, and why some people with dementia can still remember and perform music • Whether certain types of music may be more beneficial than others • The limitations of observational research and what questions still remain unanswered If you've ever wondered whether your favorite playlist is doing more than entertaining you, this episode explores what the science currently says about music, memory, cognition, and the aging brain. About Professor Joanne Ryan Professor Joanne Ryan is a Principal Research Fellow and leader of the Biological Neuropsychiatry and Dementia research team at Monash University in Australia. Her research focuses on understanding the causes, prevention, and early detection of neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly dementia and depression. Her team investigates biological, lifestyle, and environmental risk factors that influence brain health and works to identify preventive strategies that may reduce the incidence of dementia and cognitive decline. The group also studies biomarkers that may improve the timing and accuracy of diagnosis and help evaluate the effectiveness of interventions. Professor Ryan has published extensively on aging, cognition, dementia risk factors, mental health, and preventive approaches to healthy brain aging. 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 on X. 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

Podcast reviews

Read Causes or Cures podcast reviews

4.7 out of 5

55 reviews

★★★★★

yssirhc19 2025/12/07

Must listen podcast

Fantastic podcast from a doctor and public health expert. Eeks is highly intelligent, engaging, and consistently delivers complex information with cla...

★★★★★

HayleyM_15 2025/12/07

Informative and timely

Take some time to listen to Dr. Eeks and featured experts on a variety of topics that relate to your well being and those you care about. The topics ...

★★★★★

Just a Backwoods Hillbilly 2025/11/26

Fantastic, Factual and Fun

I am a newbie and I have to say that I absolutely love this podcast for reliable health and public health information. Dr. Eeks is a brilliant, funny,...

★★★★★

Bethwriter33 2025/08/29

Evidence-Based Information

I really enjoy this podcast and look forward to listening to each episode. Dr. Eeks always features interesting and compelling guests who share scient...

★★★★★

Has Medicine lost its mind? 2025/05/02

Has Medicine lost its mind?

Eeks is tremendous! She’s not afraid to get into the nitty-gritty of medicine’s fundamental problems around the mind body split. Thanks for inviting m...

★★★★★

AlsoVeryUnhappy 2024/11/11

An Informative and Interesting Podcast

Causes or Cures is a joy. Informative and always presented with a touch of humor and humbleness. Dr Eeks is a great host and the podcasts delves into ...

★★★★★

LFLB85 2024/11/03

Engaging and enlightening

Great podcast with fresh and fascinating perspectives on a variety of topics, many of which are “off the beaten path” of typical health and wellness p...

★★★★★

BillJeezy 2024/10/30

Awesome!

Love this podcast!! The topics are really great and thought out. The conversations really provide a lot of different view points from experts across h...

★★★★★

MrsMightyQuinn 2024/10/30

I love this podcast!

I can’t recommend Causes and Cures enough! Every episode is packed with thought-provoking insight, humor, engaging stories, and guest who bring fresh ...

★☆☆☆☆

YourCabinMate 2024/10/29

boring

slow pace, couldn't hold on for 5 min.

check all reviews on apple podcasts