Critically Speaking

On each episode of Critically Speaking, your host, Dr. Therese Markow, interviews foremost experts in a range of fields. We discuss, in everyday language that we all can understand, fundamental issues that impact our health, our society, and our planet. Join our weekly journey where we separate fact from fantasy for topics both current and controversial.

Dr. Hussam Mahmoud: Preventing Wildfire Damage 11/19/2024

Dr. Keith McCormick: Osteoporosis and You 11/12/2024

Dr. Elizabeth Scott: Cognitive Distortions and Stress 11/05/2024

Dr. Elizabeth Scott: Cognitive Distortions and Stress In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Elizabeth Scott discuss the impact of cognitive distortions on stress. Dr. Scott explains what cognitive distortions are, how they lead to increased stress and emotional difficulties and gives examples of different types of distortions. They discuss how the distortions can be mitigated. They also talk about why addressing cognitive distortions is crucial for mental and physical health, reducing stress, and improving overall well-being. Finally, Dr. Scott provides free or minimal cost resources to help you change cognitive distortions and regain power over your mind. Key Takeaways: Cognitive distortions are patterns of thinking that skew our perception of reality. They are shortcuts of the brain, but they aren’t always accurate and can lead to increased stress and emotional difficulties. Cognitive distortions often prevent us from enjoying the good things in life through distortions such as catastrophizing, jumping to conclusions, emotional reasoning, or disqualifying the positive, among many others. Your brain's attempt to protect you from disappointment and from setting yourself up to be hurt can actually create stress. Remember, stress response is triggered when our mind thinks there's a threat, whether there is one or not. Over time, we can rewire our brains to think more positively and accurately. Intentionally focusing on the things that are going well and moments of gratitude, will help your brain to help notice the good as well as the bad. It is never too early to teach children about thoughts and recognizing patterns. "Once we can identify these distortions, we can challenge them and begin to think more realistically and positively." — Dr. Elizabeth Scott Check out Dr. Scott’s link for a new course Designed for anyone tired of being held back by negative thought loops. Take charge of your thoughts. Episode References: Woebot: CBT Thought Diary: The Five Minute Journal: Connect with Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.: Twitter: Facebook: Website: Instagram: Book: 8 Keys to Stress Management: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33707367

Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories? (Rerun) 10/29/2024

Dr. John Sweller: Why Johnny Can't Read 10/22/2024

Dr. John Sweller: Why Johnny Can't Read In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. John Sweller discuss the decline in student preparedness for college and how the modern education system, which has shifted from knowledge acquisition to inquiry-based learning, is at the root of that decline. Dr. Sweller explains his Cognitive Load Theory, breaks down the differences between working memory and long-term memory, and why ineffective teaching methods continue to survive. Finally, they talk about the changemakers in education and how political and bureaucratic intervention can drive educational reform. Key Takeaways: Education changed about 1-2 decades ago. The emphasis switched from the acquisition of knowledge to how to acquire knowledge itself. We need to emphasize the acquisition, not the discovery, of knowledge in education. Students who are subjected to inquiry-based educational approaches do substantially worse on international tests than students who are exposed to a knowledge-rich curriculum. The more emphasis your education system places on inquiry learning, the worse the students do. If you don’t show students how to do something and they don’t figure it out themselves, it cannot go into long-term memory. The best way to obtain information is to obtain it from somebody else. If you want to efficiently have somebody learn something, the best way to do it is to have somebody explicitly explain it. "An educated person who can do things, think about things, solve problems, which otherwise they couldn't dream about solving, is somebody who's got enormous amounts of information in long-term memory, and that immediately tells us what education should be about. You need to have lots of information in long term memory, and an educated person is different from an uneducated person because of that and solely because of that." — Dr. John Sweller Episode References: Greg Ashman: Connect with Dr. John Sweller: Professional Bio: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33499527

Dr. Hussam Mahmoud: Climate Change and Bridge Stability 10/15/2024

Dr. Ximena Lopez: Helping Transgender Youth 10/08/2024

Dr. Ximena Lopez: Helping Transgender Youth In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Ximena Lopez discuss the challenges faced by transgender youth, emphasizing the importance of gender-affirming care. Dr. Lopez explains the difference between sex and gender, noting that gender dysphoria is distress caused by a mismatch between one's gender identity and sex assigned at birth. She describes treatment options, including puberty suppression and hormone therapy, which can significantly improve mental health and reduce suicidality, particularly in teens. Dr. Lopez also criticizes state bans on gender-affirming care for minors and cites numerous studies showing its benefits, as well as discusses the inconsistencies in hormonal therapy for children and teens. Key Takeaways: In medicine and psychology, gender and sex are two different things. While aligned in most people, they are not aligned in those individuals on the transgender, nonbinary, or intersex spectrum. Adults who transitioned later in life typically knew they were different when they were young, but didn’t have the language or awareness. When a child comes out as transgender, most parents are typically in denial. It is not until their child or teen is depressed and often suicidal, that the parents are willing to take the next steps with their child. Gender-affirming care at the beginning of puberty can help to pause the puberty of the incorrect gender where changes happen that cannot easily, if at all, be reversed later in life. Puberty suppression can be reversed on the off chance the individual changes their mind. "Most of the stress comes from the adult world, and if the adults are transphobic and influence their kids to be transphobic, then we can also see kids who are transphobic, and then they can bully and discriminate. If it's a very affirming school where there are policies to protect transgender students, and the teachers and all the staff are on board, then that promotes well-being." — Dr. Ximena Lopez Episode References: TEDMED Talk: How one pediatrician is supporting transgender youth: Connect with Dr. Ximena Lopez: Professional Bio: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33318582

Janine LaSalle, Ph.D.: Detecting Autism Before Birth 10/01/2024

Janine LaSalle, Ph.D.: Detecting Autism Before Birth In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Janine LaSalle discuss Dr. LaSalle’s research on autism, focusing on prenatal gene-environment interactions. She explains that autism affects one in 36 children and talks about how genetic and prenatal environmental factors, such as maternal health and chemical exposures, play a role in autism. Dr. LaSalle discusses how they use placental DNA to identify epigenetic marks linked to autism, aiming to predict probability of autism before birth in order to intervene early. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding these factors to develop early intervention strategies. Key Takeaways: It's almost impossible to compare autism incidents across time because the diagnostic criteria have changed many times over this span. There's no definitive laboratory test for autism. A number of genes have been identified that increase the risk of autism, genes that affect prenatal neurodevelopment. Maternal obesity, maternal asthma or fever during pregnancy, and preterm birth are a few examples of maternal health factors implicated in autism. Environmental exposures during pregnancy that increase risk for autism include air pollution and some pesticide exposures - these have the best evidence because they can be measured easily. Prenatal identification of newborns at risk for autism allows treatment to begin immediately after birth to improve their developmental trajectories. While little boys have a much higher incidence of autism and ADHD, the mechanism underlying the sex difference is not understood. "The best explanation for most cases of autism is really the combination of common environmental factors and common genetics." — Janine LaSalle, Ph.D. Connect with Janine LaSalle, Ph.D.: Professional Bio: Website: UCDavisMind Institute: UCDavis Genome Center: LinkedIn: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33204252

Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.: Beware of Narcissists 09/24/2024

Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.: Beware of Narcissists In this episode, Therese Markow and psychologist Dr. Elizabeth Scott, discuss narcissism, its clinical definition and the characteristics of “malignant narcissism”. Dr. Scott explains that narcissism involves patterns of grandiosity, a need for constant admiration, a lack of empathy, high levels of manipulation, and the narcissist’s “kryptonite” - criticism. They view themselves as the victim, never at fault. Despite their arrogance, they are very insecure. Dr. Scott also discusses why treatment is challenging and why therapy often focuses on managing symptoms rather than the deeper core issues. They can’t see that they have a problem, and thus are resistant to treatment Key Takeaways: The myth of Narcissus illustrates the danger of excessive self-focus, which is the hallmark of narcissism in clinical terms and is becoming increasingly common in some aspects of our modern society. Narcissists are very good at manipulation. They consciously will do things to sort of manage their image in the eyes of others. They may appear to show empathy at times in a relationship, but it's usually more of a means to an end than a genuine concern for the feelings of others. Criticism is like a kryptonite to a narcissist, so even the mildest critique can provoke a strong defensive reaction: anger, denial, or shifting the blame to somebody else. You cannot change a narcissist's behavior, but you can control your own responses to it. Think about limits and then give yourself leeway within those to protect your own mental health. "[Narcissists] might mimic empathetic behaviors to achieve their own ends, but it's more about manipulation than genuine caring. So they can understand maybe what empathy looks like, but not really get how it feels and how it's supposed to feel and how those behaviors are supposed to be rooted in something inside them." — Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D. Connect with Elizabeth Scott, Ph.D.: Twitter: Facebook: Website: Instagram: Book: 8 Keys to Stress Management: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33167847

Dr. Adam Schiavi: Defining Brain Death 09/17/2024

Dr. Adam Schiavi: Defining Brain Death Dr. Adam Schiavi is an assistant professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine and neurology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His areas of clinical expertise include anesthesiology, neurological critical care, disorders of consciousness and brain death diagnosis, clinical ethics, critical care medicine, and traumatic brain injury. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Adam Schiavi discuss how the definition of death has changed throughout history, what the current definition is, and how that is determined by the medical technology of the time. Brain death is the current definition of death, medically, but what happens to a body after brain death is determined can vary depending on the state you live in. This can be a trying time for families and for the providers involved with the now-deceased patient as the definition of death is not understood by everyone. They also discuss how brain death differs from other states of consciousness and how people often confuse the terminology of those different states, as well as the ability to hope for healing from all but brain death. Key Takeaways: The total cessation of all functions of the brain is the current definition of brain death in the United States. This definition is based on a clinical exam testing all parts of the brain, typically done by somebody certified in doing brain death determinations. You have to have a reason for the neurologic exam to be declining. Without a reason, you can't call somebody brain dead. You can replace every organ in the body, but you cannot replace the brain and when the brain dies, the body dies all the time 100% unless those organ systems are artificially supportive. "Our culture changes with technology and the way we define death is a part of culture. As that culture has shifted, the way we define death has also shifted with our new technologies of how we can actually determine whether people are dead." — Dr. Adam Schiavi Connect with Dr. Adam Schiavi: Johns Hopkins Bio: Email: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/33006567

Dr. Katie Pelch: Toxins in Our Bodies 09/10/2024

Dr. Katie Pelch: Toxins in Our Bodies In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Katie Pelch discuss the harmful and pervasive effects of PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals." Found in various consumer and industrial products, contaminating air, water, and soil, they never break down. Dr. Pelch works for the Natural Resources Defence Council (NRDC) and has been studying PFAS throughout her career. Along with their many uses PFAS have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer and reduced vaccine effectiveness. The NRDC advocates for banning non-essential uses of PFAS and encourages public awareness and involvement in regulatory efforts. Dr. Pelch shares with us the prevalence of PFAS, its dangers, and the regulation or lack thereof. Key Takeaways: When you heat the nonstick cookware above a certain temperature, some of the PFAS can migrate from the pan and into the food you’re going to eat, or they could enter the air that you breathe. Exposures from the air that we breathe and from our skin have generally been less well studied, but there is evidence to suggest that PFAS do enter our skin. Per the CDC, at least 98% of people in the United States have PFAS in their bodies. The EPA stepped up in a big way this year by finalizing the regulation of six PFAS in drinking water. This ban was preceded by many states proactively setting enforceable limits to PFAS in drinking water, some banning the unnecessary use of them entirely by 2032. "Not only are PFAS persistent in the environment, but they're also persistent in our bodies, and in most cases, we don't have a great way to get PFAS out of our bodies. So the two most highly studied PFAS can last in our bodies for years." — Dr. Katie Pelch Episode References: Dark Waters: The Devil We Know: Environmental Working Group: PFAS Exchange: Connect with Dr. Katie Pelch: Professional Bio: LinkedIn: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32947432

Dr. Alex Hinton: Genocide in the US?? 09/03/2024

Dr. Alex Hinton: Genocide in the US?? In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Alex Hinton explore the potential for genocide in the U.S., highlighting historical and contemporary atrocities. Dr. Hinton emphasizes that genocide can target groups based on social constructs such as race, gender, and sexuality, among others. They discuss the rise of white supremacism and hate speech, and Dr. Hinton identifies risk factors such as political upheaval, economic instability, and armed militias. Dr.Hinton also stresses the importance of critical thinking and depolarization to prevent genocide, and suggests an easy way for everyone to do so without committing 40 hours per week to stay abreast of all of the issues and topics. Key Takeaways: Genocide and mass violence are not typically planned from the beginning. They often evolve from other behaviors stemming from upheaval and past atrocities, scapegoating, grievance, and legitimation of formed hierarchies. Hate speech is everywhere—left, right, and center. Wherever someone is on the political spectrum, they can agree it's bad. The problem is that people sometimes disagree about what constitutes it. People are busy. Trying to keep informed can be a full-time job. One little thing everyone can do pretty easily to begin to do this in general, as we enter the political cycle, just pick a left-leaning, more centrist, and right-leaning news media source then on the top of the hour, turn on the TV, and flip between them and see the headlines. "Ideology is central to all genocides, in some sense. Ideologies provide legitimation to disempower groups, and to legitimate different forms of hierarchy within a society and in the extreme. That then lays the basis for saying that groups are inferior." — Dr. Alex Hinton Episode References: We Charge Genocide - The 1951 Black Lives Matter Campaign: 2019 Citizenship Amendment Act: Connect with Dr. Alex Hinton: Professional Bio: Twitter: Center for the Study of Genocide & Human Rights: Check out Dr. Hinton’s writings mentioned in this episode: It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32790347

Dr. Alex Hinton: Genocide and Perpetrators 08/27/2024

Dr. Alex Hinton: Genocide and Perpetrators In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Alex Hinton discuss the complexities of genocide, its definitions, and the role of perpetrators. Dr. Hinton gives us the conventional, legal, and social scientific definitions of genocide and gives examples of how these affect the legal battles and social impact of different incidents, highlighting the Khmer Rouge mass killings in Cambodia. They also discuss the moral and legal implications of perpetrators and why none of us can be complacent in our understanding of genocide. Key Takeaways: There are three main definitions of genocide. Most recognize it as mass deaths, often perpetrated by a state figure. The UN legal definition requires intent. And the social scientific definition expands beyond the UN definition. While genocide is an atrocity, not all atrocities are genocides. Similarly, not all mass murders are genocides. When legally looking at the genocide perpetrators, the courts typically go after the architects and lower-level individuals are often brought in as witnesses. However, the question of who the perpetrators are is a moral and ethical question still being debated. Education is key - the dynamics that gave rise to Auschwitz are all around us and we are all part of them. We must be self-critical, reflexive people as a first step to make sure that we don’t have a recurrence. "It's a potentiality that exists for ourselves and for our societies. You know, it's not comfortable. Many people will say ‘no,’ but that's the starting point of prevention, because only when you have that realization can you effectively begin to take action to stop genocide from taking place." — Dr. Alex Hinton Episode References: Ordinary Men: Reserve Police Battalion 101 and the Final Solution in Poland by Christopher R. Browning: To Save Heaven and Earth: Rescue in the Rwandan Genocide by Jennie E Burnet: Connect with Dr. Alex Hinton: Professional Bio: Twitter: Center for the Study of Genocide & Human Rights: Check out Dr. Hinton’s writings mentioned in this episode: Why Did They Kill?: Cambodia in the Shadow of Genocide: Perpetrators: Encountering Humanity’s Dark Side: Anthropological Witness: Lessons from the Khmer Rouge Tribunal: It Can Happen Here: White Power and the Rising Threat of Genocide in the US: Pol Pot’s Secret Prison: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32709452

Dr. Alan Rogol: Sex, Gender and the Olympics 08/20/2024

Dr. Alan Rogol: Sex, Gender and the Olympics In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Alan Rogol discuss the complexities of gender, sex, and identity in elite sports, with a focus on the societal expectations and controversies surrounding gender eligibility in sports. Dr. Rogol touches on some of the history of women’s identities in elite sports, including some from the recent 2024 Paris Summer Games. Throughout the discussion, Therese and Dr. Rogol highlight the need for inclusive politics and having a respectful approach to athletes’ identities. This is a complicated topic, still undecided as to what is fair and acceptable. Key Takeaways: When women were allowed to compete in the Olympics, originally it was only allowed in three events: croquet, golf, and tennis. All were considered socially appropriate, with no bodily contact, and while wearing normal clothes of full, layered skirts. Sex and gender are not the same thing. Gender is self-identified, an expression, and is changeable. There are also varieties of sex - sex at birth, sex of rearing, legal sex, and chromosomal sex. Many of the girls who find out they have an XY chromosome after being identified as female at birth often don’t find out until later in life. Because while they had testosterone, they also had a gene that prevented their bodies from responding to it. These girls never developed as males, and in fact went through female puberty, but lacked a uterus. The IOC has many drugs that are banned except for certain situations. These include testosterone, endocrine drugs, growth hormones, and insulin among others. "It is not the level of absolute testosterone that you have that counts. What counts is the stuff that is biologically active, and that is very complicated, and that's why numbers aren't so helpful." — Dr. Alan Rogol Episode References: Personal Account: A woman tried and tested by Maria José Martínez-Patiño: The New York Times: Running in a Body That’s My Own by Caster Semenya: Critically Speaking Episode 9: You Go Girl: Testosterone with Dr. Alan Rogol: Connect with Dr. Alan Rogol: Professional Bio: LinkedIn: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32574832

Dr. Charles Easley IV: Paternal Effects on the Fetus 08/13/2024

Dr. Charles Easley IV: Paternal Effects on the Fetus In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Charles Easley IV discuss the significance of a father’s lifestyle before conception and its effects on prenatal development. This comes about not by mutations in the sperm DNA, but through heritable changes in the way the father’s genes are turned on and off during the development of the fetus. THese changes are referred to as epigenetic. So it’s not just about the mom, They thus explore the paternal origins of health and disease, highlight animal studies and human cohort studies that demonstrate intergenerational transmission of epigenetic changes, and discuss the dangers of toxic chemical exposure on male sperm. Key Takeaways: To study the paternal effects on the fetus, we are able to do animal studies in the lab, however, for human studies, we can only study in cohorts after the fact, such as with the Dutch Famine, Michigan PBB, or, lately, the effects of COVID-19. Gary Miller is one of the leaders studying how paternal exposure prior to conception can have profound effects on the lifespan and healthy aging of future offspring. While we cannot pinpoint all the chemicals as having a lasting effect yet, it is important to try to be as healthy as you can. Certain chemicals, such as BPA and certain pesticides, have been studied to have an effect. And not just the mother during pregnancy. "We've got a lot more evidence to suggest that what the father does prior to conception can have a profound effect on the genes that are expressed during development, and can have profound effects on how these organs develop in the offspring." — Dr. Charles Easley IV Episode References: The Dutch Famine Birth Cohort: The Michigan PBB Cohort: The Poisoning of Michigan by Joyce Egginton: Connect with Dr. Charles Easley IV: Professional Bio: Website: Email: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32518132

Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D.: Food Safety Lack Of FDA Oversight 08/06/2024

Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D.: Food Safety Lack Of FDA Oversight In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Daniel Aaron discuss the inadequate oversight of food additives by the FDA, particularly the agency's GRAS or “Generally Recognized as Safe” process, which allows unsafe additives to reach the market without proper scrutiny. Dr. Aaron highlights industry conflicts of interest, the lack of reporting requirements, the need for stricter regulation to protect public health, and discusses what is needed for the FDA to be better able to make impactful changes. Key Takeaways: The majority of food additives in the US are not vetted by the FDA. Since 1958, food additives have been presumed safe until proven otherwise. The Clean Eating movement in the US is indicative of the skepticism of the American food supply. While the FDA used to maintain a list of GRAS substances, today, reporting to the FDA is not required. Europe uses a more precautionary approach to food additives. The EFSA must approve all chemical substances prior to their use in foods. Food additives are known to cause synergistic harm. However, the FDA poorly regulates single additives so it is not surprising that its consideration of interacting chemicals is insufficient. "The FDA is the most accountable to corporate power. The largest impediment, in my view, to food regulation is funding. FDA’s Food Center has been underfunded for decades. Further funding from Congress is needed, but our legislators often are supported by industry that doesn't necessarily want a more robust review of food additives." — Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D. Episode References: Bystanders to a Public Health Crisis: The Failures of the U.S. Multi-Agency Regulatory Approach to Food Safety in the Face of Persistent Organic Pollutants by Katya S. Cronin: EFSA: FDA Food Center: Connect with Daniel Aaron, M.D., J.D.: Professional Bio: Email: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32439982

Dr. Alexis Temkin: Pesticides in Your Body 07/30/2024

149 Dr. Tara Zimmerman: No More Misinformation 07/23/2024

149 Dr. Tara Zimmerman: No More Misinformation In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Tara Zimmerman discuss how to “Fake News” proof children so that they can better interpret the vast amount of information available in the digital age, especially around misinformation and disinformation. They emphasize the importance of critical thinking skills, building those critical thinking skills, and how those important skills can be taught and practiced with children of all ages. In this digital age with so much information at our fingertips, media literacy and critical thinking are more important than ever and Dr. Zimmerman discusses how to empower everyone to make more informed decisions and draw more informed conclusions from what they see and hear every day. Key Takeaways: When we hear information from someone we know and generally agree with, we are more likely to perceive that information as true. That same information coming from someone you have a history of disagreeing with, the more likely you are to disbelieve that information. Humans have developed a tendency to believe the information shared with us unless there is an overwhelming amount of evidence to the contrary. One person cannot know everything, so we trust others to pass on information to survive. We can't possibly think critically about every single piece of information we're exposed to. The key is to determine what information is vital versus what information is superfluous to us. Bias happens to everyone, no matter their social class, race, gender, intelligence, education level, or anything else. As a society, we need to normalize being open to new information and changing our opinions when necessary. "I believe the best way to help society overall is to focus on teaching children how to think critically about all the information that they encounter, because by helping them develop the skills and the habits of critical thinking early on, they will make the biggest long term effect on how society responds to information." — Dr. Tara Zimmerman Connect with Dr. Tara Zimmerman: Professional Bio: Website: Email: LinkedIn: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32241712

148 Dr. Thomas Guinn: Safe to Fly? Turbulence 07/16/2024

148 Dr. Thomas Guinn: Safe to Fly? Turbulence A serious type of turbulence has been encountered during commercial airline flights has been in the news lately. “Pancake turbulence”. Hard to detect in advance. Most recently, an Air Europa flight from Madrid to Uruguay was hit by “strong turbulence” and had to make an emergency landing in Brazil, In another recent event. a flight bound from London to Singapore with 211 passengers and 18 crew members encountered turbulence that resulted in the death of a passenger, and the hospitalization and critical care of about 20 more with spinal injuries. What's this type of turbulence all about? How concerned should we be about flying? Dr. Thomas Gwynn, head of the Department of Applied Aviation Sciences at the distinguished Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, explains about this type of turbulence and how turbulence may be increasing with global warming. Key Takeaways: Turbulence result from eddies in the atmosphere and can be light, moderate, severe, and extreme. Chop turbulence is usually more moderate and rhythmic, similar to driving a car over a rumble strip. It can be annoying but isn’t usually dangerous. While onboard radar can help determine storms enabling pilots to avoid them, pancake turbulence, such as what affected these recent flights, cannot be detected by instruments. Pilots can only learn of these from other pilots. Some studies seem to suggest that turbulence could be increasing with climate change. No form of travel is without some level of risk, but flying is still, statistically, the safest mode of travel. "The smaller the aircraft, the more vulnerable it's going to be to turbulence. For commercial airliners, generally, they have roughly the same vulnerability. So what really determines the vulnerability is something called the wing loading. The least vulnerable aircraft is going to be heavy aircraft with smaller wing sizes like your large jets. The greater weight makes it harder for the airflow to disrupt or move the aircraft." — Dr. Thomas Guinn Connect with Dr. Thomas Guinn: Professional Bio: Email: LinkedIn: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/32080732

147 Dr. Mary Rysavy MD: Obesity in the Delivery Room 07/09/2024

147 Dr. Mary Rysavy MD: Obesity in the Delivery Room In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Mary Rysavy discuss all aspects of obesity during pregnancy. This is a significant concern that is growing. A study of 2000 deliveries in a single year highlighted the need for proper care and management of obese pregnant women to minimize risks and help ensure a healthy delivery. With 60% of women having a BMI over 30, and 16% having a BMI over 40, this is becoming a larger concern for both expectant mothers and for the hospitals and care providers. They also discuss the complications that mothers and babies can face during and after birth, how weight can impact those complications, and why it is so important for physicians to talk about obesity with their patients directly, but with compassion. Key Takeaways: Mothers with obesity are more likely to have to deliver by C-Section, have greater blood loss, and experience preeclampsia. The study found that obese mothers had worse complications during delivery. While fetal monitoring in obstetrics is a highly debated topic, we know it helps to prevent stillbirth. It is our best tool when we see when mom or baby are in trouble to help. Obesity is a medical condition. But it is also emotional and psychological and there are many components to it beyond only the medical side. Many feel shame about it even when there are aspects outside of their control. "The biggest, most important thing to do is to talk about it. As physicians, we have to be willing to bring this up so that patients understand that this is not a cosmetic issue that we’re concerned about. We just want them to be safe and healthy, and we want them to know what they can do to be as healthy as possible." — Dr. Mary Rysavy MD Episode References: Steffen HA, Swartz SR, Kenne KA, Wendt LH, Jackson JB, Rysavy MB. Increased Maternal BMI at Time of Delivery Associated with Poor Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes. Am J Perinatol. 2024 Mar 21. doi: 10.1055/a-2274-0463. Connect with Dr. Mary Rysavy MD: Professional Bio: Email: Connect with Therese: Website: Threads: @critically_speaking Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/31998047

146 Dr. Jerald Kay & Dr. Joel Yager: Ambition and Psychopathology 07/02/2024

145 Fewer Sperm, More Infertility 02/02/2022

144 Our Failing Education System 01/26/2022

144 Our Failing Education System Dr. Richard P. Phelps is founder of the Nonpartisan Education Group, editor of Nonpartisan Education Review (), a Fulbright Scholar, and fellow of the Psychophysics Laboratory. He has authored, or edited and co-authored Correcting Fallacies about Educational and Psychological Testing (APA); Standardized Testing Primer (Peter Lang); Defending Standardized Testing (Psychology Press); Kill the Messenger (Transaction), and several statistical compendia. Phelps has worked with several test development organizations, including ACT, AIR, ETS, the OECD, Pearson, and Westat. He holds degrees from Washington, Indiana, and Harvard Universities, and a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. In this episode, Therese Markow and Dr. Richard Phelps discuss the education system in the United States, especially in comparison with Western Europe and other industrialized societies. They look at how Common Core, No Child Left Behind, and the changes to the SAT test have affected the curriculum, learning, and student preparedness both for further education as well as life after school. These trends in educational standards and standardized tests continue to impede our students compared to those of the industrialized world. Students from all levels and backgrounds are affected by these programs and the changes that need to be made are discussed. Key Takeaways: The U.S. is falling behind other countries, even those with less spending on education. Common Core and No Child Left Behind have caused progress to be lost in elementary and secondary education standards. The SAT has become less of an aptitude test and more of an achievement test, and can discriminate against talented students from underrepresented groups that attended lower quality high schools. "Most information is not on the world wide web, much of what is there is wrong, and search rankings are easily manipulated by money and interests." — Dr. Richard Phelps Connect with Dr. Richard Phelps: Twitter: Website: & Research Gate: SSRN Scholarly Papers: Academia: LinkedIn: LinkedIn Learning: Connect with Therese: Website: Twitter: Email: /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/21858821

143 The mental health crisis: dreams and nightmares 01/19/2022

142 Cold and Colder 01/12/2022

141 Breast Cancer Risks: Underarm Products 01/05/2022

140 Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld: The Placenta and the Fetal Brain 12/29/2021

140 Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld: The Placenta and the Fetal Brain What's the placenta? Some people think of it as a bag filled with fluid that protects the fetus inside from accidental blows, or a structure that sends maternal nutrients to the fetus while removing its waste products. Well, it's actually much more than this. When we may think that the placenta is protective, it can also create detrimental effects to the fetus - effects that can be lifelong. In fact, the placenta is a complex organ on its own and we've only recently been discovering some of the things that the placenta really does, and also what it can't do. Every new person that has arrived on this planet developed in a placenta, so to ensure the health and wellbeing of future generations, understanding what goes on with the placenta has become more critical. Today's guest is a leader in the field of placental biology. Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld is professor of biomedical sciences and her cutting edge research on the multiple roles of the placenta and fetal development provides critical guidance for prenatal maternal lifestyle and care. Key Takeaways: The placenta does have some ability to metabolize things, and it does offer some buffering capacity to the fetus. The placenta is an endocrine organ. It also produces neurotransmitters. Endocrine disrupters can be found in household items and everything around us. Understanding the green chemistry movement can help us lead a healthy life style. "Even though we can't really, completely, eliminate our exposure to environmental chemicals. We can try to offset it by living with good healthy practices." — Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld Connect with Dr. Cheryl Rosenfeld: Professional Bio: The United States Developmental Origins of Health and Disease Society: Connect with Therese: Website: Twitter: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/21602303

139 Dr. Jon Lieff: Consequences of Head Injuries 12/22/2021

138 Egg Donation: Long Term Risks? 12/15/2021

138 Egg Donation: Long Term Risks? Millions of women are undergoing ovarian stimulation to harvest either their own eggs or to donate, for monetary compensation, to egg banks that can help infertile couples, gay couples, and single infertile women to, through in vitro fertilization, conceive. Donors can receive considerable payments for their donations and, in fact, many young women undergo multiple cycles of ovarian stimulation treatments. These payments can help with student loans, living expenses, and other things. The treatments consist of hormone injections for over a week in order to get the ovaries to produce a lot of eggs. The short term risks, like the painful ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, are infrequent and women are usually informed of this. But there have been mixed reports as to the long term risks of cancers associated with these hormone treatments. The studies are mixed because they have not been conducted with sufficient rigor. Women undergoing treatments, either to retrieve their own eggs or to donate, are mostly unaware of these long term risks as they can manifest some years later. Women need to be fully informed before undergoing injection with ovarian stimulation hormones. Key Takeaways: Egg donation clinics are mostly "for profit" organizations and businesses. There needs to be a national registry of all egg donors in the US. The registry must contain the ages, types of hormones used, number of cycles of stimulation, history of birth control pill use, ethnicity, and the clinic where they donated. Only then can we conduct the long term studies to clearly assess risks and properly inform women about the potential risks of these treatments. "We already know that long term hormone replacement therapy is a risk for breast cancer and other female cancers. It's only logical to wonder if a possibility exists that the hormones injected to harvest eggs also increase the risk of certain cancers down the road." — Therese Markow, Ph.D. Resources: Schneider J, Lahl J, Kramer W. Long-term breast cancer risk following ovarian stimulation in young egg donors: a call for follow-up, research and informed consent. ReprodBiomed Online. 2017 May;34(5):480-485. Brinton LA, Sahasrabuddhe VV, Scoccia B. Fertility drugs and the risk of breast and gynecologic cancers. Seminars in Reproductive Medicine. 2012 Apr;30(2):131-145. Connect with Therese: Website: Twitter: Email: Audio production by You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it. /episode/index/show/criticallyspeaking/id/21410021

137 Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories? 12/08/2021

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