Parent Health and Wellbeing

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #51 – Paul Smolen, MD – Parenting Class

This weeks guest is my friend, Dr. Paul Smolen, also known as Doc Smo by his friends, is a pediatrician with 38 years of experience caring for children and families. He is a graduate of Duke University (1974), Rutgers Medical School (1978), and Wake Forest University-N.C. Baptist Hospital (1982). At Wake Forest University he completed a residency in general pediatrics, served as chief resident, and completed a fellowship in ambulatory pediatrics. For over 38 years, he was an Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill helping to train a generation of medical students and pediatric residents as well as author several research papers. He is also the author of two parenting books,  Can Doesn’t Mean Should (2015) and Great Kids Don’t Just Happen (2019). Doc Smo is a bona-fide expert in knowing what parents want and need to know about parenting and child health. Imparting practical and useful advice is the goal of every “Pedcast” that he produced over his podcasting career.
This week we discuss his book Great Kids Don’t Just Happen.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #50 – Richard Johnson, MD – Fructose and Perinatal Issues

This weeks guest is my favorite researcher, Dr. Richard Johnson.
He is the Tomas Berl Professor of Medicine and the Chief of the Renal Division and Hypertension at the University of Colorado since 2008. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, with a major in Anthropology, and a graduate of the University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, he is a physician and nephrologist whose research has focused on the role of sugar, and especially fructose, in driving obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease. Much of this work has explored the role of fructose metabolism, especially the generation of uric acid, in driving this phenotype, and his work has included studies ranging from molecular biology, integrative physiology, and evolutionary biology. He is the author of The Sugar Fix which introduced the first low fructose diet, and also The Fat Switch which explores the role of fructose in driving the obesity epidemic. His newest book, Nature Wants Us To Be Fat, is a tour de force of the entire pathway of survival via metabolic events in the body related to fructose and the polyol pathway. This is a must read book.
This podcast will follow up on the original conversation, podcast #14, and the exceptional work of Dr. Johnson this time looking at how we are mismatched metabolically for the environment of modern America and our food systems from the maternal health and perinatal perspective.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 13 Issue 24

Breastfeeding Versus Formula
Science versus Opinion
I read with somewhat of a frustrated feeling a recent article in Scientific American entitled: It’s Okay Not to Breastfeed by Kavin Senapathy. In principle, the reality of this statement is reasonable. Then you read the article as to what makes this reasonable. She states: “Exclusive breastfeeding is not imperative, and the “breast is best” mantra can be harmful to babies and parents, especially among marginalized people.”(K. Senapathy 2023) Again, at first blush this may seem reasonable. Let’s dig into the science and the truth of breast versus cow milk based formula for optimal health for a child. Does formula in all of its forms work for infant nutrition in order to grow and survive in a reasonable way? The answer is a resounding yes, however, this does not tell the whole story, far from it…..
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #37 Jeremy Goldberg – PhD – Words, Relationship and Life

This weeks Guest is Dr. Jeremy Goldberg. He styles himself as a compassion cultivating day making change agent/empathy collecting not quitting word wizard/chief burrito appreciator aspiring to inspire/struggle overcoming ranter in charge/ferocious idealist/never giver upper/a love bombing kindness pirate. What he really does, in my mind, is write and teach the world to project love and kindness where it is not layered enough.

On his website he writes:

My mission is to make kindness cool, empathy popular, and compassion commonplace.  As part of that purpose, I write articles, send emails, host retreats and workshops, give TEDx talks, coach clients, host a podcast, write books, and make spoken word poetry videos.  I am also active on Facebook and Instagram, leading an online tribe of more than 35,000 badass humans. If you want to learn more about me, click here for a short list of my favorite shit on the planet.

My name is Jeremy, I founded Long Distance Love Bombs, and I am fucking stoked to meet you.  Send me an email and let’s get going: LongDistanceLoveBombs at gmail dot com.

We breakdown words, relationship, connection and being happy in a world of silly tribal divisiveness!

This was a super fun conversation to have been a part of!

 

Dr. M

 

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 46

This week we look at PFAS Chemicals – Otherwise called “Forever Chemicals”

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) or forever chemicals are being found all throughout the world as their use has risen over the past 6 plus decades. PFAS are a family of chemicals known as POPS or persistent organic pollutants as they are reported to not break down easily. They have been found in products like Teflon based nonstick cookware, Scotch Guard and Gortex stain-resistant carpeting and clothing, dental floss, commercial firefighting foams and many types of food packaging. Unfortunately, these toxins have been detected in drinking water, house dust and foods/beverages of common consumption…..
We will also discuss children’s strengths and hospitals.
Enjoy,
Dr. M

Dr. M’s Women and Children First Podcast #29 – Dr. Tieraona Low Dog – Mother’s Health

A mother, wife, herbalist, educator, author, researcher, and medical doctor, Tieraona has trained hundreds of medical professionals as the Fellowship Director at the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, chaired dietary supplement expert panels for the United States Pharmacopeia, and has been appointed to numerous scientific advisory boards. In addition, she has authored best-selling books (including 4 published by National Geographic) and written over 50 peer-reviewed articles and 25 book chapters. Tieraona was appointed by the President of the United States to serve on a White House policy commission, has received many awards from academia, public health, and industry, and has lectured at over 600 conferences.

She is an incredible teacher with an equally incredible life story. In this episode, we discuss the world of maternal health as it relates to preparing for a healthy life and pregnancy setting the stage for a healthy child’s life.

I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Low Dog,

Dr. M

Dr. M’s SPA Newsletter Audiocast Volume 12 Issue 34

Issue 34

This week we look at The Truth About Lying, Acid Suppressors and Asthma Risk, Testicular Concerns and Obesity.
Adults lie? Shocker.
According to the research, most adults lie 1-2 times per day, but most lies are not damaging and often related to self inflation for ego or to spare another’s feelings. That is great news. Most people are honest most of the time! Ok. Now that we understand that most people are good what are the realities of the others? What do our kids see in us? Over the coming months I am going to dissect Dr. Talwar’s book for you in sections as I see them. You can get a big head start on all of this information by listening to the podcast #25 with Dr. Talwar herself.
Have a great day,
Dr. M