Causes or Cures
"For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots"
Causes or Cures is a health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks—an independent, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a passion for breaking down complex health topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand insights. Dr. Eeks works as a public health consultant, in the realm of epi/scicomms. She's all about making science relatable and often uses her blue-collar sense of humor to drive the message home.
On this podcast, Dr. Eeks talks with experts from around the world—doctors, researchers, public health pros, and more—to dive into the latest hot topics in health and research, all in a down-to-earth kind of way.
DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not health advice. Dr. Eeks doesn't endorse any of her guests' views, and despite a strict health routine, nor does she endorse any products, supplements, oils, magic socks or potions. Causes or Cures is not a "news site." It's about having conversations, and Dr. Eeks is confident that she can have a respectful conversation with anyone, even people who think far differently than she does. (At least that's been her experience at hole-in-the-wall bars.) The point is to not take anything here as Gospel. Sometimes Dr. Eeks' dog Barnaby makes his opinion known, but the good news is that he's a smart dog. Most importantly, she hopes this podcast encourages folks to stay curious, empathic, hopeful, compassionate, honest, open-minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful thing, delightfully messy, and one that many take for granted.
The views on this podcast do not reflect the views of anyone she contracts with or consults for. You can contact Dr. Eeks through her website, bloomingwellness.com.
Causes or Cures
The Hygiene Hypothesis & its Link to the Microbiome, Leaky Gut & Chronic Inflammatory Diseases, with Dr. Alessio Fasano
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks chats with Dr. Alessio Fasano about the Hygiene Hypothesis and its connection to our guts, microbiomes and chronic inflammatory diseases.
The Hygiene Hypothesis is a proposed explanation that states that improved hygiene in an industrialized world and less exposure to infectious agents ( bacteria & viruses) has led to an increase in chronic inflammatory conditions. ( This is why some supporters of the Hygiene Hypothesis will tell you to take your kids to a farm or play in the dirt.) In this episode, Dr. Fasano discusses how this hypothesis relates to a leaky gut and how our modern way of life may affect our microbiome ( bacteria that live in our gut) in a way that puts us at risk of developing a chronic inflammatory condition. He will discuss the 5 pillars that he believes need to be in place for this to happen, how probiotics and gluten relates to this, and ways we can improve leaky guts.
Dr. Fasano is a pediatric gastroenterologist and researcher. He is a professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and professor of nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health. He is the director of the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment at Mass General for children and co-director of the Harvard Medical School Celiac Research Program. He's the director of the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center, where he oversees over 50 researchers and staff. Dr. Fasano is credited with discovering Zonulin, a protein responsible for regulating intestinal tight junctions ( and he explains this in the podcast) and he is the author of over 300 peer-reviewed publications. He is considered a world expert on Celiac disease and is in the top 1% of scientists cited worldwide.
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