Causes or Cures
For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots
Curious about health? So is Dr. Eeks.
Causes or Cures is an independent health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeks (ErinKate Stair, MD, MPH). It is an offbeat, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a genuine love of making complicated health topics easier to understand. Science is fascinating. It does not have to sound corporate to be credible.
Dr. Eeks is a public health professional specializing in applied epidemiology and health communication. By day, she works on complex national public health issues. By choice, she spends her free time asking scientists, physicians, researchers, authors, clinicians, and other fascinating people questions she hopes everyone else is wondering too.
The goal is simple. Make good science understandable without watering it down.
Along the way, the podcast has wandered into everything from memory and longevity to self medicating animals, migraines, gene drive mosquitoes, public health history, the spiritual realm, and the occasional existential detour. If it has something to teach us about health or what it means to be human, it is probably fair game.
Recurring segments include Public Health is Weird, which uncovers strange but true stories from public health history, WTF Health News, where Dr. Eeks breaks down bizarre or buzzworthy health headlines, and Eeks Speakeasy, a more personal corner of the podcast where curiosity occasionally spills over into life, philosophy, and whatever else deserves a drink and a discussion.
A few housekeeping notes...
This podcast is for information, curiosity, and conversation. It is not medical advice.
Although Dr. Eeks has an MD, she does not practice medicine. She is a full time public health nerd and will never tell you what to do with your own health. If you have a medical question, your healthcare provider knows you far better than a podcast ever could.
Guests are invited because they have something interesting to contribute, not because Dr. Eeks agrees with every opinion they hold. Likewise, she does not endorse miracle supplements, mysterious oils, magic socks, potions, or anything that promises to solve all of life's problems.
If an episode is sponsored or underwritten by a company she genuinely enjoys working with, she will always tell you.
Causes or Cures is also not a news site. It is a place for thoughtful conversations. Dr. Eeks believes people can disagree respectfully, ask difficult questions, change their minds, and occasionally laugh at themselves along the way. Some of the best conversations she has ever had happened in hole in the walls, on sidewalks, and in places where nobody was trying to win an argument.
Sometimes Barnaby, her dog and unofficial executive producer, contributes his thoughts as well. Fortunately, he is a pretty smart dog.
Above all, Dr. Eeks hopes this podcast encourages people to stay curious, compassionate, honest, open minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful, delightfully messy thing, and one worth protecting.
The views expressed on this podcast are Dr. Eeks' own and do not reflect the views of any organization she contracts with or consults for.
Want to help keep Causes or Cures independent and ad free? Click the Support button at the top of the page.
Want to work together or say hello? Visit bloomingwellness.com.
Want more weird science, public health oddities, and behind the scenes thoughts? Sign up for the Eeks Weekly newsletter.
Causes or Cures
Exploring the Spiritual Realm: Angels, Healing Claims, and Skepticism, with Dr. Christopher Macklin
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Exploring the Spiritual Realm
Where spiritual belief meets health, culture, and skepticism
Disclaimer: This episode discusses spiritual and metaphysical beliefs that are not evidence-based medical treatments. Nothing in this conversation is medical or health advice. If you have a health concern, please seek care from a licensed clinician. This is entertainment only.
Recent surveys suggest around 69% of Americans say they believe in angels. Whatever you think of that, spiritual beliefs can shape real health decisions...what people trust, where they seek help, and how they make sense of illness.
In this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks speaks with Dr. Christopher Macklin, a British-born spiritual teacher and interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. Christopher describes his lifelong spiritual experiences and his belief that he can work with “angels” and other non-physical beings in ways he says help people.
We talk about what he believes, how he differentiates between types of angels, what he means by “Melchizedek beings,” and why some followers view his work as healing. And because Dr. Eeks is a skeptic, we also talk about skepticism: how he responds to critics, how he thinks about proof, and where he draws lines around claims.
This episode is part of Eeks' broader exploration of the “spiritual” element of health—not as endorsement, but because spirituality influences how many people approach health and wellness, interpret symptoms, choose treatments, and build meaning around suffering. Think of it as part belief, part culture, part mystery.
Guest bio:
Dr. Christopher Macklin is a British-born spiritual teacher, interfaith minister, and founder of the Global Enlightenment Project. He describes having unusual spiritual perceptions since childhood and now offers spiritual guidance and sessions to clients internationally based on his personal beliefs about non-physical realms.
Work with me? Perhaps we are a good match.
Keep Causes or Cures Ad-Free with Listener Support
You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.
Follow Eeks on Instagram here.
Follow Public Health is Weird
Or Facebook here.
Or X.
On Youtube.
Or TikTok.
SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here!