Your Doctor Friends

Alkaline water is EVERYWHERE! But is there really any benefits behind the booming business? In this episode we explore higher pH water and its supposed impact on hydration, acid reflux, bone health, and even cancer prevention. Through discussions on acidity, alkaline diets, and the Warburg effect, we aim to separate fact from marketing, highlighting that while alkaline water might have minor benefits for specific conditions like osteoporosis, it does not prevent cancer or necessarily provide superior hydration. Moreover, we emphasize safe use when experimenting with alkaline water at home. Have you been buying this water and wanted to know the dirty on the whether it actually helps? Check out this episode with Your Doctor Friends today! 00:00 Introduction: What's Your Preferred Form of Water? 00:25 The Alkaline Water Experience 04:45 Understanding pH and Alkalinity 08:10 The Warburg Effect and Alkaline Diet 13:39 Can You Change Your Body's pH? 17:16 Measurable Outcomes and the Warburg Effect 17:38 The Complexity of Human Biology vs. Lab Data 18:13 The Dangers of DIY Health Research 19:51 The Butterfly Effect and Alkaline Water Myths 20:12 Alkaline Water and Acid Reflux 25:46 Alkaline Water and Bone Health 28:20 Hydration and Alkaline Water 32:22 Final Thoughts on Alkaline Water 35:13 Podcast Disclaimer Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

In this episode, we discuss the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. We examine public unfamiliarity with the service, despite its crucial role in providing immediate help for mental health crises, substance abuse issues, and suicidal thoughts. We explore the history of the lifeline, its purpose, operation, and how people can better understand and utilize it. We emphasize that 988 is designed to be an easily accessible resource for anyone experiencing emotional distress, highlighting successful call rates and the importance of public awareness and education. 00:00 Introduction to 988 Hotline 00:14 Statistics and Public Awareness 03:05 History of Suicide Prevention Hotlines 05:28 Implementation and Accessibility of 988 07:42 Who Answers When You Call 988? 19:26 What to Expect When You Call or Text 988 26:23 988: More Than Just a Suicide Hotline 29:58 Final Thoughts and Encouragement 32:21 Disclaimer and Credits Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Get ready for cold and flu season with this entertaining and informative episode! Dive into everything you need to know about staying healthy this fall. From the latest on COVID-19 and flu vaccinations to understanding the rise of RSV, we've got you covered. Learn the importance of testing, find out the best time to get your vaccines, and discover fun facts about how viruses spread. Whether you're curious about the impact of climate change on diseases like dengue or want to ensure your kids are protected against measles, this guide will keep you informed and entertained. Stay ahead of the season and keep your family safe with tips and tricks from the experts. Don't let the bugs catch you off guard! 00:00 Introduction to the Big Three Fall Viruses 00:05 Current State of COVID-19 01:41 COVID-19 Testing and Vaccination Insights 03:41 COVID-19 Vaccination: Public Perception and Recommendations 15:22 Flu Season: What to Expect and How to Prepare 24:37 RSV: The Rising Concern 32:10 Other Emerging Viruses: What You Need to Know 36:34 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Have you noticed how heavy kid's backpacks are? It seems like a no-brainer that this could cause back pain. But does it? Your Doctor Friends give you the expert insights into whether back pain is actually worsened by backpacks and give parents actionable tips to make it better. We review key research findings, discuss practical solutions for reducing backpack weight, consider whether schools should play a role in managing backpack weights through better locker placement and digital textbook options. We conclude with tips for both parents and children to regularly clean out and minimize the load of their backpacks. 00:00 Introduction: Can Backpacks Cause Back Pain? 00:43 Personal Experiences with Backpacks 03:30 Scientific Studies on Backpack Weight and Back Pain 06:45 Recommendations for Choosing the Right Backpack 11:02 Proper Backpack Usage Tips 16:32 School Policies and Practical Solutions 20:19 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Can you feel it?!? The energy, the excitement, the smell of fresh-cut grass—football season is back! From Friday night lights to Sunday tailgates, there’s nothing quite like it. The thrill of the game, the hard hits, the big plays, the rivalries—we wait all year for this. It’s the heartbeat of fall.  But behind the touchdowns and tackles, there’s a conversation we can’t afford to ignore. As much as we love this sport, we can’t turn a blind eye to the growing concerns around traumatic brain injuries—injuries that have changed the lives of countless players, from the pros to the youth leagues. In the first week of the new season, two young people, Caden Tellier, 16, of Selma, Alabama and Cohen Craddock, 13, of West Virginia, died of traumatic brain injuries. While we don’t have all the details of their tragic injuries, it is a stark reminder of the risks players take when they step onto the field. In this episode, Your Doctor Friends dive into the other side of the excitement—the risks that come with those bone-crushing hits. We tackle topics such as whether the type of helmet matters, what those weird sponge-like helmet covers actually do and how tackle football compares to flag football (spoiler alert, this 2021 study by the CDC and published in Sports Health, found that youth tackle football players experienced FIFTEEN TIMES more head impacts than their youth flag football players).  We also give you tips on how to be mindful of signs of concussion or more serious brain injuries. The CDC's "Heads Up" program has great information on their website! Football is fun. Football can be dangerous. Informed consent matters! Your Doctor Friends are here to give you the breakdown and help you decide what's best for you and your family. Stay healthy, dear friends! Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

We're back!!! And we're here to talk about GETTING OLD! We often hear people say something along the lines of, “I feel like once I turned 60, everything went downhill.” Or “It feels like all of a sudden in my mid-40s, I am falling apart.” Does this sound familiar? Historically, as physicians, Your Doctor Friends generally reassure those folks that it's all a coincidence and they weren’t rapidly deteriorating.  But what if there are times when we actually "fall apart"? Like on a biological level?? Perhaps you've come across a few of the headlines from major news outlets, with titles like: Research shows our bodies go through rapid changes in our 40s and our 60s - from NBC News. Feeling old? Your molecules change rapidly around ages 44 and 60 - from The Washington Post. Scientists find humans age dramatically in two bursts – at 44, then 60 - from The Guardian. What if you wanted the unfiltered data about aging, straight from the source?? Cue Dr. Michael Snyder, chair of Genetics at Stanford University, talking about HIS recent study, published by HIS lab, showing two distinct times in our lives in which we may age “faster.” So... when we say that all of a sudden we feel like we are falling apart, we may actually be right. Woof. Stay with us today as we talk to Dr. Snyder about when this aging happens, why it happens and perhaps most importantly, are there ways we can avoid these rapid aging moments? Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show or on socials! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

re-re-re-re-REEEEMIXXXXX TIME! Your Doctor Friends decided to follow the trend set by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark of the My Favorite Murder podcast, and upcycle a classic episode with a fun new twist! We've pared down our July 2023 episode about heat illness and added updates and commentary for your education and enjoyment, friends! YDF will be taking a SUMMER OLYMPICS break until Labor Day, and we are working on some HOT new content ideas for YOU, dear listeners! Check out our Instagram Reels for fun short-form educational content (with an Olympics lean over the next several weeks!), and we will see you again in September with slick new episodes for YOU! IT'S HOT! Dangerous levels of heat have led to increased rates of heat illness and even death. Chalk is up as another story of the climate affecting our health.  What is heat illness? Why does it happen? Who is at risk? And ultimately what you should do if you find yourself in a place with a dangerous heat warning? LET'S ASK AN EXPERT! Welcome Josh Blomgren, DO! Dr. Blomgren is our friend and colleague, a Sports Medicine Physician at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush for 15 years. He is the Chief Medical Officer for the Chicago Red Stars as well as team physician for Willowbrook High School. Pertinent to today’s topic, Josh has volunteered annually since 2007 at the Chicago Marathon overseeing the medical tents that are responsible for over 40,000 runners each year, a percentage of which will experience heat illness, our topic today! Key highlights in this episode include: What's the basic physiology behind heat illness? What are the most common symptoms people develop with heat illness? How can you tell if someone may be suffering from heat illness? How hot is too hot? At what temperature should we be cancelling events? What goes into calculating the "heat index"? What is a wet bulb globe temperature? Who is the most at risk for heat illness? How can you cool someone down most effectively? Dr. Blomgren recommends the following resources to learn about heat illness: Resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, including: "Climatic Heat Stress and Exercising Children and Adolescents" "Top Safety Tips for Preventing Heat, Sun-Related Illnesses in Children this Summer" "Extreme Heat: Keeping Kids Safe When Temperatures Soar". The Korey Stringer Institute- information on "heat illnesses". Cooling Centers by State- by the National Center for Healthy Housing. Chicago Cooling Centers. Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram

Feeling tethered to your screens? Doomscrolling much? Have you gotten that little message from your phone, ratting you out, informing you that "you spent an average of XX hours and xx minutes daily of screen time"?? Do you wish you could set some better boundaries with tech/social media/screens in general? Let's face it, our devices are here to stay. How can we make them work FOR US, instead of distracting us from the personal connections we need? How are we supposed to "multitask"?? Is the human brain even capable of such a feat?? Cue our expert in human-computer interaction (HCI), Gloria Mark, PhD! WE ARE SO FORTUNATE to be able to pick her brain about how to make OUR BRAINS better at prioritizing our precious mental currency: OUR ATTENTION. Dr. Mark is the author of Attention Span and Multitasking in the Digital Age, the Chancellor's Professor of Informatics at UC Irvine, and has published over 200 papers in top academic journals, and appeared in scores of platforms, including the New York Times, BBC, NPR, the Atlantic, and recently on Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard (check it out, the episode is GREAT!) We are aware that we likely outkicked our coverage, and are SO HAPPY to share Dr. Mark's expertise with y'all. Strap in, pay attention, this is a can't-miss episode, friends! :) Topics in this episode include: The MYTH of multitasking. What is "distraction cost'? How attempting to "multitask" affects our brains and bodies (hint: stress!) Is it really the "notifications" on our phones that are distracting us, or is it something else? Are we really "victims of the algorithm" when it comes to social media? How can being "information rich" make us "attention poor"? How can we be aware of our "urges" to check our phones/email/computer and become more intentional in our use of devices? Learn more about Dr. Mark's work at her website. Her latest book, Attention Span, is available nationwide wherever books are sold! Learn more about her book here. Your Doctor Friends have some BIG THINGS in the works for "refreshing" the pod, and how we deliver meaningful, usable, valid health education to YOU, our dear friends! You'll be hearing some "upcycled" episodes this summer while we work on implementing these changes, and we will be back in full force in the next month or so with a brand new haircut ;) Thanks for tuning in, friends! Please sign up for our “PULSE CHECK” monthly newsletter! Signup is easy, right on our website, and we PROMISE not to spam you. We just want to send you monthly cool articles, videos, and thoughts :)  For more episodes, limited edition merch, to send us direct messages, and more, follow this link!  Connect with us: Website: https://yourdoctorfriendspodcast.com/ Email us at [email protected] @your_doctor_friends on  Instagram - Send/DM us a voice memo or question and we might play it/answer it on the show! @yourdoctorfriendspodcast1013 on YouTube @JeremyAllandMD on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X @JuliaBrueneMD on Instagram