Anatomy and Physiology - Bit by Bit

Episode 99 covers blood clots, superficial and deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism. In light of the news on the status of Philadelphia Eagles star quarterback Jalen Hurts, I feel this is a timely discussion. I am not here to criticize or second-guess his medical team, the NFL, the Philadelphia Eagles, and especially Jalen Hurts himself. This is simply to explain what a blood clot is, its purpose, how it forms, and what happens when it goes wrong. #JalenHurts #PhiladelphiaEagles #NFL #DVT #pulmonaryembolism

This episode is a reboot of episode 10, "Integumentary System: Part 2." I take a deeper dive than in the originally posted episode. My discussion finishes the integumentary system with hair, nails, skin glands, and pathologies from acne to skin cancer.

This episode covers the anatomy of skin and its general functions, including the cells and layers of the epidermis, the dermis, and the hypodermis. I also discuss the anatomical and physiological basis for skin color.

Episode 98 is about longevity with my guest, Dr. Brent Ridge, MD. Dr. Ridge is a physician trained in geriatrics and has spent his career thinking about how we age and how we can age better. Harvard researchers with the American Federation of Aging research found that the biggest influences on longevity are optimism, mindset, and social connections with other people, not genetics. Dr. Ridge and his husband are the founders of Beekman 1802, a skin health company using goat milk from their farm in upstate New York.

Episode 97 covers athletic training and ACL tears with my guest, Kayla Parker, MS, ATC, LAT, a certified athletic trainer and Sports Medicine Market Director with CommonSpirit Health in Denver, Colorado. Kayla works with the Denver Summit FC Professional Women’s Soccer Team and the Denver Broncos Cheerleaders. We discussed the root of the ACL epidemic, the 3:1 Training Law, and the static stretching flaw. The knee is the most complex joint in the body, and ACL tears are common and can be catastrophic to an athlete’s season and possibly even career. I have posted images on Instagram that will help you follow along.

Episode 96 covers genes and Genetic Counseling with Dr. Caralynn Wilczewski. Dr. Wilczewski earned her PhD in Genetics and Molecular Biology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her master’s degree in Genetic Counseling through the joint program at Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Wilczewski is a genetic counselor and Chief Laboratory Genetics and Genomics Fellow at the National Human Genome Research Institute within the National Institutes of Health.

Episode 95 is about fascia and myofascial release therapy, a form of manual therapy that uses sustained, carefully directed pressure and stretching techniques intended to improve the mobility of the fascia and surrounding soft tissues.

Episode 94 focuses on prostate cancer. Other than skin cancer, it is the most common cancer for biological males. In this episode, I discuss prostate cancer and other urologic cancers with Dr. Alexander Kutikov, MD, of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Kutikov, a graduate of Harvard Medical School, is a surgical oncologist and the chair of urology at Fox Chase, one of the premier cancer centers in the United States.

Episode 93 covers the genetic connective tissue disorders called Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). My guest is a doctor of occupational therapy and a person living with EDS. Dr. Janine Rajauski is also a professor of anatomy & physiology, a death doula, and she runs a foundation in memory of a loved one who was the victim of domestic violence. We talked about all of these topics and much more.

Episode 92 covers the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis. My guest, Selena Buongiorno, is a certified physician assistant practicing functional and lifestyle medicine, an MS researcher, and host of the “MSWired Podcast,” which is about multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions.

Episode 91 covers the basics of autoimmune disease with special guest Dr. Alexis Barbut. Dr. Alexis is a double board-certified rheumatologist with a clinical focus on reproductive rheumatology, women’s health, and autoimmune disease. We talked about the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options of autoimmune disease in general. We also touch on some of the more common ones, like multiple sclerosis, lupus, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Sjogren’s disease. You can find Dr. Alexis on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, where she shares important and engaging information on health and scientific literacy.

Episode 90 covers the third leading cause of death in the world: stroke. Stroke goes hand-in-hand with cerebrovascular disease and aneurysm, so I put it all together in this episode. We talk about what a stroke is, the different kinds, the risk factors, how they happen, diagnosis, treatment, and more. This episode is essential for any practicing or aspiring healthcare professional.

Episode 89 covers two of the most common neurological diseases of aging, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. I know it sounds odd without the possessive, but that's the standard when it's written. These diseases are often reduced to "dementia" and "tremors," but there is so much more to their mechanisms, signs, symptoms, findings, treatments, and prognoses. We discuss the anatomical background needed to understand these diseases and their clinical significance.

For this episode, I am joined by Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist. Dr. Viswanathan and I discuss bacteria, viruses, signs & symptoms, fevers, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, vaccines, vaccine hesitancy & denial, and Anusha’s own podcast with Diana Leygerman, “Everyone Deserves Sunshine,” which is about the HBO Max show, Heated Rivalry. Outbreaks of diseases that have been under control for decades are popping up all over the United States because of vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Anusha explains the scientific legitimacy of vaccines and why this poses a danger to public health.

Episode 87 is all about the 3rd most common cause of death in the United States: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Joining me to discuss this extremely important clinical topic is Philadelphia-area interventional pulmonologist Dr. Nina Maouelainin. Dr. Nina is the founder of Lung Health Services and the Women in Interventional Pulmonology organization. We discussed what COPD is, the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis. It is the perfect clinical application of the respiratory system.

This is ANOTHER bonus mid-week episode at the request of a listener! Mykenzie from Minnesota asked for an episode on joints, and that is what you’re all going to get. In fact, you’re getting TWO episodes on joints because it’s just too much information for one! Joints (Part 2) focuses on synovial joints. I discuss the angular movements that take place at joints and the most clinically significant synovial joints in the human body, including their structure, function, and the common injuries that harm them. Thanks again, Mykenzie, for reaching out!

This episode is all about the disease of obesity, its related illnesses, and treatments, such as GLP-1 agonists, like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Monjaro. My guest, Dr. Angela Fitch, M.D. is an obesity medicine specialist who is the co-founder and chief medical officer of knownwell, a medical clinic that specializes in judgement-free, evidence-based weight management and weight-inclusive primary care.

This is a bonus mid-week episode at the request of a listener! Mykenzie from Minnesota asked for an episode on joints, and that is what you’re all going to get. In fact, you’re getting TWO episodes on joints because it’s just too much information for one! Joints (Part 1) covers the basics of arthrology, basic anatomy, classes of joints, lever systems, and range of motion. Thanks, Mykenzie, for reaching out!

This episode asks the important and broad question, “What is Cancer?” To answer it, I spoke with Dr. Christy Kestner, PhD. Dr. Kestner has a PhD in Neuroscience, with a focus on immunology and oncology. We discuss the cellular basis of cancer, signs & symptoms, types, risk factors, causes, treatments, and more. Basically, the nuts and bolts of cancer. You can find Dr. Kestner on Instagram, Substack, TikTok, Medium, YouTube and LinkedIn.

This episode covers one of the most common diseases in the world, diabetes mellitus. Most people know someone with diabetes, whether it’s type 1 or type 2. We discuss exactly what diabetes mellitus is, the difference between type 1 & 2, the causes, risk factors, signs & symptoms, lab findings, exam findings, complications, treatments, prognoses, and more. It is the 7th leading cause of death in the US and 8th in the world, costing over $1 trillion per year in healthcare costs.