There is emerging evidence that spirituality is healthy for you. People who participate regularly in religious or spiritual services or rituals have better immune systems and cope with stress better. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks about religion and spirituality in the context of physical and mental health; she provides examples, benefits and personal experience with feeling good as a result of spirituality.

Birth defects are more common than you might think: one in 33 babies is born with a birth defect. Researcher Dr. Marcia Feldkamp says about 77 percent of birth defects have no known cause, but you still can take steps to decrease the risk of your baby having one. She discusses some of these options and talks about common birth defects—from minor issues like skin spots to major, scary defects such as gastroschisis. Listen to this podcast to learn how to have the healthiest pregnancy and baby possible.

Some sports injuries appear more commonly in women than in men. Sports medicine specialist Dr. Amy Powell bounces around some theories as to why that is. She and Dr. Kirtly Jones talk about the role hormones play in physical activities and some of the ways they can help and hinder female athletes.

What if your baby was born with some of its internal organs outside the body? You may not have heard of gastroschisis before, and therefore think it’s a rare condition. But rates of this birth defect have skyrocketed in recent decades, especially for young mothers. Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks with gastroschisis researcher Dr. Marcia Feldkamp about this shocking and scary birth defect, its recent treatment advancements and resources for parents.

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing more deaths in women than all cancers combined. Heart disease used to be a men’s issue, but in the last few decades, women have caught up and surpassed men in deaths from heart disease. Why? Dr. Kirtly Parker-Jones talks about the reasons women suffer from heart disease and how to best prevent it.

If you knew a simple vaccine could protect your children from cancer, would you give it to them? The HPV vaccine does just that, but many Utahns miss opportunities to vaccinate their children. Why? Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones and Dr. Deanna Kepka discusses the many benefits of the HPV vaccine, as well as Dr. Kepka’s research into the reasons teenagers in Utah go without it.

You may have been in great relationships, but none of them ever felt like the kind you see in movies: the type of love that gives you butterflies and makes your heart race. Is it normal to reach a certain age without being in love? Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks about the science of falling in love. Why the initial “butterflies” feeling of a relationship eventually wears off – and why some people never experience the butterflies at all.

Kayte Thomas’ daughter was born with some of her organs sticking out. Her daughter had gastroschsis, a rare and devastating birth defect. In this interview, Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks with Kayte and Marcia Feldkamp, a birth defects and gastroschisis researcher. Kayte talks about the moment she learned about her daughter’s condition and her journey to find support and connect mothers and children affected by birth defects. She talks about resources for mothers of children with birth defects and how to get involved to provide awareness about birth defects.

Everyone has body odors, but every person’s is a little bit different. Odors even vary between areas of our bodies. But did you know using certain soaps and deodorants could alter your body’s natural smell, sometimes in a negative way? Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones talks about the smells of the human body: why we like some odors and dislike others, what smells can tell us about a person, and how the body uses smells to communicate to others.

Chronic sleep deprivation can adversely affect work and family, and should be taken seriously. Focusing on insomnia in women, neurologist and sleep specialist Dr. Chris Jones talks about the dangers of learning to be an insomniac. Dr. Kirtly Jones questions him about sleep aids and therapies, managing stress and letting go of compulsions.