Get Real Health with Dr. Chana Davis

Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Setting the Record Straight (Dr. Avrum Bluming)

Dr. Avrum Bluming sheds light on why there is so much controversy and confusion about menopausal hormone therapy. Dr. Bluming is a medical oncologist and researcher who has been studying breast cancer and hormone therapy for many years. 

Bluming explains the different estrogen replacement strategies, from bioidenticals, to Premarin, to patches, including what we know, and what we don't know, about these options. He also explains how the notorious Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study created a disconnect between the science and the headlines.

This episode is the second of a two part conversation. Check out part one for an overview of the risks and benefits of hormone replacement therapy.

Dr. Avrum Bluming is a hematologist, medical oncologist, professor, and cancer researcher. In addition to treating women with breast cancer for four decades, Bluming was a clinical professor of medicine at University of Southern California and a senior investigator for the US National Cancer Institute.

Together with Dr. Carol Tavris, Bluming literally wrote the book on post-menopausal estrogen therapies. Learn more about Bluming, Tavris and their book, Estrogen Matters, including links to the latest scientific studies at: https://estrogenmatters.com/

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Risks & Benefits (Dr. Avrum Bluming & Dr. Carol Tavris)

Dr. Avrum Bluming and Dr. Carol Tavris discuss the benefits and risks of taking estrogen during menopause and beyond. Dr. Bluming is a breast cancer oncologist and researcher, and Dr. Tavris is a social psychologist who studies cognitive biases.

In this episode, they also explain that hormone replacement therapy can offer far more than just relief from hot flashes, with potential benefits ranging from bedroom to boardroom to bones and beyond. They also explain why many common fears around hormone therapy are not supported by the latest scientific evidence.

Bluming and Tavris have literally written the book on this controversial topic. Their 2018 book - Estrogen Matters - has been described as: "A compelling defense of hormone replacement therapy, exposing the faulty science behind its fall from prominence and empowering women to make informed decisions about their health."

Dr. Avrum Bluming is a hematologist and medical oncologist who has been treating women with breast cancer for forty years. Bluming has worked as a clinical professor of medicine at USC and as a senior investigator for the US National Cancer Institute. He holds an MD from the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons.

Dr. Carol Tavris is a social psychologist who is highly regarded for her efforts to promote science, skepticism, and gender equality. Tavris has written several influential books including Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me), Why we justify foolish beliefs, bad decisions, and hurtful acts". She holds a PhD in social psychology from the University of Michigan.

This episode is the first of a two part conversation. In part two, Bluming and Tavris explain why the conclusions presented by the Women's Health Initiative Study (WHI) were deeply flawed. Both episodes contain important lessons on how research findings are communicated - or miscommunicated - to clinicians and the public

Learn more about Estrogen Matters, including links to the latest scientific studies at: https://estrogenmatters.com/

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Debunking the Dirty Dozen (Food Science Babe)

Food Science Babe joins Dr. Chana Davis for a chat about the dirty dozen, and organic vs conventional pesticides.

The "dirty dozen" is a list created by the EWG with the stated goal of helping consumers decide "when you should splurge for organic produce".

Food Science Babe is a food scientists committed to "facts not fears". In this conversation, she debunks the dirty dozen, exposing the unscientific methods and pro-organic funding interests behind it. She also sheds light on how pesticides are tested and regulated, and why conventional and organic pesticides are not as different as you think.

It turns out that both organic and non-organic fruits and veggies are safe, and that anyone can see this for themselves through publicly available pesticide testing programs (e.g. the US Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program).

Food Science Babe has worked in the food industry for over 10 years in both the conventional and organic sectors as a Food Scientist and Engineer. She has a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Learn more from FoodScienceBabe on social (Facebook & Instagram & Twitter)

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Re-thinking Food Rules and Fear of Processed Foods (Food Science Babe)

Food Science Babe joins Dr. Chana Davis to talk about processed foods, and why "processed" is not a dirty word.

We have all heard it: "Eat whole foods, with five ingredients or less, and ingredients you can pronounce". Is this rule supported by science?

Food Science Babe explains why a black-and white view of processed foods as "bad" or "toxic" is not only scientifically unfounded but potentially harmful. She highlights debunks common misconceptions around additives, and shares core concepts to help you shift from fear-based to fact-based choices.

Learn more from FoodScienceBabe on social (Facebook or Instagram)

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

The Case for COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing Programs (Dr. Zoe McLaren)

Zoe McLaren, PhD takes you on a deep dive into COVID-19 testing programs.

This conversation covers how to optimally make use of COVID-19 testing, how to use regional COVID-19 testing data to understand your local situation, and why broad COVID-19 testing programs are a powerful tool for managing the pandemic. Dr. McLaren also peers onto her crystal ball to share her thoughts on what we may see in this next phase of the pandemic, now that vaccines are arriving.

Dr. Zoe McLaren holds a PhD in Public Policy and Economics from the University of Michigan and is currently an Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She has worked extensively in infectious diseases, including HIV, TB, and COVID-19. She has written and spoken about COVID-19 testing policies and is currently developing methods to estimate COVID-19 prevalence.

Learn more about Dr. McLaren here and follow her on Twitter at @zoemclaren

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

How to Customize a Plant-Based Diet For Your Body Weight Goals (Dr. Pamela Fergusson)

Dr. Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD shares tips on how to customize a plant-based diet to meet your goals, whether that means losing weight, gaining weight, or fueling athletic performance. 

The conversation gets into tailoring food choices, meal timing, and portion size, and touches briefly on psychological considerations.

Guest Dr. Pamela Fergusson is a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition from the University of Liverpool. She and her family embrace a plant-based diet and love helping others to do the same.

Find more of Dr. Fergusson's tips and recipes on her website and on social (Instagram, Facebook).

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Building a Healthy Plant-Based Diet (Dr. Pamela Fergusson)

Pamela Fergusson, RD, PhD shares advice for building a healthy plant-based diet that meets all your nutrient needs. As a scientist, registered dietitian, and plant-based advocate, her advice marries science, passion and experience.

She discusses which nutrients to be aware of, and which come easily, and shares simple tips for easily covering your nutritional bases. She also shares advice on how to gauge whether or not you may be at risk of a deficiency, and what NOT to do on a plant-based diet.

Guest Dr. Pamela Fergusson is a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition from the University of Liverpool. She embraces a plant-based diet for her whole family and loves helping others to do the same.

Find more of Dr. Fergusson's tips and recipes on her website and on social (Instagram, Facebook).

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

COVID-19 Vaccine Development (Dr. Galit Alter)

Galit Alter, PhD, a leading immunologist with expertise in vaccines, shares  insights what we can expect from a  COVID-19 vaccine, and when they will become available.

Note: This interview was recorded on October 2, 2020 - before COVID-19 vaccine trials were completed.

Questions discussed include:

• How effective will COVID-19 vaccines be?
• How long will they protect us?
• How will their safety be ensured?
• What types of vaccines are leading the pack?
• When will they be ready?

This episode is the second part of a two part conversation. Part one discussed the immune response to COVID-19.

Galit Alter, PhD is a Professor of Medicine at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard and co-Director of Harvard's Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Dr. Alter received her PhD in experimental medicine from McGill University.

Learn more about Dr. Galit Alter

Links:

• COVIDexplained.org

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

COVID-19 Risk Factors and Your Immune System (Dr. Galit Alter)

Galit Alter, PhD joins host Dr. Chana Davis to discuss why COVID-19 infections can be either deadly or invisible - and why age, health, and obesity matter so much. Dr. Alter, a leading immunologist, sheds light on how our immune response to viral infection shapes our fate.

Questions include:

• Why do kids tend to escape COVID-19 infection with little to no symptoms?
• Why are older adults at such high risk of severe disease?
• What is the biology beneath the other key COVID-19 risk factors (e.g. obesity, hypertension, immunocompromised state)?
• How does COVID-19 compare to other viruses?
• Can we "boost" our immune systems?

This episode is part one of a two part conversation. Part two is focused on what to expect from COVID-19 vaccines.

Galit Alter, PhD is a Professor of Medicine at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard, where she studies the immune response to viral infections, and how to use this knowledge to improve vaccines. She is also co-Director of Harvard's Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). Dr. Alter received her PhD in experimental medicine from McGill University.

Learn more about Dr. Galit Alter

Links:

• COVIDexplained.org

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

The Science of GMOs and Our Food System (Dr. Anastasia Bodnar)

Anastasia Bodnar, PhD a plant geneticist, joins Chana Davis, PhD a human geneticist, for a conversation about GMOs - Genetically Modified Organisms. What are GMOs? Are they safe? Where and why are they in our food?

Learn about the three different categories of GMO foods, where GMOs are found in our food supply, how GMOs are tested, and how GMOs are labeled (or not). Get the scoop on the new Bioengineered food label in the United States and how it compares to the non-GMO project label.

Dr. Bodnar also sheds light on the origins of the anti-GMO movement and some of the broader issues surrounding the GMO debate, such as food security and supporting farmers.

Dr. Bodnar is a co-founder of SciMoms and Policy Director of Biology Fortified, a non-profit organization that fosters conversation about issues in food and agriculture. She has worked for the USDA in risk assessment and risk management and for the US Army in public health and environmental inspections. Dr. Bodnar holds a PhD from plant genetics with a minor in Sustainable Agriculture, from Iowa State University.

Learn why Dr. Davis and Dr. Bodnar are both passionate about helping the public understand biotech.

Links:

• Intro to GMOs (SciMoms)
• Social Consequences of the GMO debate (SciMoms)

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)