The Health Show on WAMC

It’s no secret that obesity continues to be one of the most pressing health problems in the US...and researchers are continuing to study the problem.  What’s to study, eat less and exercise, right?  Well, sometimes it goes deeper than that.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll talk to a clinical scientist about the chemistry of obesity.

We’ll also hear about the science of sleep and sleep deprivation by someone who was on a quest to understand his own sleeping disorder.

Prostate cancer isn’t easy.  Not that being diagnosed with cancer is ever easy...but with prostate cancer the treatment options literally go from all to nothing at all.  And sometimes, doing nothing is the best option.  On this week’s Health Show we’ll talk to one of the authors of “Invasion of the Prostate Snatchers”...and try to find out just how much fighting you should do against the disease.

In the past couple of decades a lot of money and effort have gone into the fight against drunk driving...with positive results.  The refrain of “one for the road” is now not taken literally often.  One reason for the success is the ease of testing a driver for alcohol use...a simple roadside breath test.  For some time now, there have been efforts to duplicate that technology to test for drugs other than alcohol.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll hear an evaluation of that technology and hear where it’s already being used.

So, is there ever a time when a doctor might suggest that you get a little more salt in your diet?  It probably won’t come to that, but most salt sold in the US contains Iodine...and for women who are expecting, that’s important.  On today’s Health Show, a look at thyroid issue in pregnant women.

We’ll also meet the new head of a world famous research facility in the Adirondack Mountains...and hear the story of a man in China who took extreme measures to save his wife’s life...and got arrested.

Here are three words you’ll be hearing a lot in the future: dense breast tissue.  At least you’ll be hearing them a lot in the next 25 minutes or so. For years it’s been known that is it harder to detect cancer on a mammogram if a woman has dense, as opposed to fatty, breasts.  Now, a number of states have passed laws mandating that doctors inform women of the density of their breasts...and give them options for further detection.  

It’s widely known that October is breast cancer awareness month, and there are many programs are articles devoted to the topic of breast cancer treatment and detection all month long.  We did one last week...we’ll do another next week.  What you may not know is that September was prostate cancer awareness month.  On today’s Health Show, ok, we may be a little late...but we’ll learn more about this disease that kills thousands of men each year.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in women aged 35 to 54.  I thought we’d start today’s program with that number, just to remind people that even though breast cancer awareness has grown and treatments have improved...it is still a deadly disease.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll talk to the author of the 5th edition of the Breast Cancer Survival Manual about how much has changed since the book was first published.

We’ll also head to the kitchen, when the Sneaky Chef will talk about her latest collection of speedy, healthy recipes.

When a condition affects about a third of the population, you’d think it would be getting a lot of attention.  But half the people in the US with  Hypertension, or high blood pressure, are not doing enough to control their pressure.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll learn more about the problem and find out what can, and should be done.

We’ll also hear from an artist who survived breast cancer...and wanted to do more to help than just wear a pink ribbon.  You’ll be surprised when you hear just what she IS wearing.

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of the word “trauma”, you get this: an experience that produces psychological injury or pain.  But trauma can’t be boiled down to just a one sentence definition and be totally understood.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll look at the effects and perhaps some readies for mental trauma.

Nobody likes a smart bacteria.  The growing number of antibiotic resistant germs is causing health officials around the world to find better treatments for infection.  On today’s Health Show, we’ll learn about antibiotic resistance...and how the scientific community is coming together to fight the problem.

We’ll also talk to a leading activist in the movement to stop bringing genetically modified foods to the market who has been hailed as a voice of reason...and dismissed as a blatant liar.  And we’ll find out how parents can make this a healthier school year.