Environmental Health Chat

Arsenic poisoning is a recognized health threat worldwide. Although contaminated drinking water is a primary culprit, people can also be exposed to arsenic through foods. In this podcast, learn why rice and other foods sometimes contain arsenic and get tips on how to reduce your exposure.

All of the things we're exposed to, taken together, make up what's called the "exposome." In this podcast, we learn how studying the exposome helps scientists take a holistic look at how environmental exposures can keep us healthy -- or make us sick.

If the genome is like a biological "hard drive," the epigenome is like a computer program that provides instructions for translating genetic information into action. Recent insights about how the epigenome affects our health are leading to a new way of thinking about environmental exposures.

As summer heats up, so does business in the nation's nail salons. But workers in the booming nail care industry--and their customers--may be exposed to compounds that have been linked with cancer, lung irritation, and reproductive health problems. In this podcast, we discuss the latest research on environmental exposures in the nail salon.

According to some estimates, up to 500,000 abandoned mines--areas where coal, ores, metals, and uranium were once extracted from the Earth--are scattered across the United States. Materials left behind at these sites can be picked up in the wind, leach into soil, or drain into water sources, presenting a health threat to those living nearby. In this podcast, we learn how some Native American groups are teaming up with researchers to address the health legacy of abandoned mines on Tribal lands.

More than 25 million people in the United States have asthma. Environmental factors like air pollution, cigarette smoke, and mold are known to trigger asthma attacks, but new research suggests that the quality of your diet can affect your susceptibility to these triggers. In this podcast, we learn why a healthier diet might help reduce asthma attacks.

In Part 2 of this 2-part series, we talk to an expert about translating breast cancer research into the decisions we make in our everyday lives.

In Part 1 of this 2-part series, we talk to experts studying how the chemicals and other environmental factors we're exposed to early in life might contribute to the development of breast cancer later on.

What could healthier than a backyard garden? In this podcast, we learn why soil contamination makes gardening potentially risky in some areas. Our experts explain what recent research can tell us about safe gardening practices.

The practice of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) to extract natural gas has expanded in recent years. The practice has fueled a national debate about the shale gas extraction process. Some people think that this practice will help provide for energy security. Others are concerned about the environment. Increasingly there are people who are worried about how fracking might affect their health and safety. In this podcast, we talk about the science of fracking, what we do - and don't - know about its impacts, and how Health Impact Assessments could be used as an approach to identify how drilling might affect community members.