Living Healthy Together

Breast Cancer is the most common cancer among women in Vermont, yet fewer women are getting screened. 

Join cancer researcher Sarah Nowak of University of Vermont Cancer Center to discuss troubling new research that highlights declining mammography rates across Vermont – and what those trends could mean for women’s health. 

We explore how shifts in national screening guidelines, changing perceptions of risk, personal experiences and broader health care trends may be influencing women’s decisions about breast cancer screening. The conversation also examines the lasting effects of guideline changes made more than a decade ago and what researchers are still trying to understand about the gap between awareness and action. 

Whether you’re approaching screening age, supporting a loved one or interested in how public health recommendations influence everyday decisions, this conversation offers a fascinating look at how health behaviors spread through families and communities, and how those experiences can shape decisions about preventative care for one of the most significant women’s health challenges facing Vermont today. 

You’ve recognized the symptoms. Now what actually helps? 

Continue the conversation on perimenopause with Colleen Horan, MD; Kirsten Berggren, NP; and Karin Ward. Together they explore treatment options, lifestyle changes and the importance of making self-care a priority rather than an afterthought. 

Whether you’re considering hormone therapy, looking for help feeling more like yourself again, or simply wondering what options exist, this candid conversation blends medical expertise and personal experience to offer practical strategies that can make a difference. 

What if, at a time when the world expects you to be at the top of your game, you suddenly stopped feeling like yourself, but couldn’t figure out why? 

Join us for the first of a two-part series exploring Perimenopause and the often-overlooked challenges that come with it. Obstetrician and Gynecologist Colleen Horan, MD, and nurse practitioner Kirsten Berggren, NP – both certified menopause providers – and educator Karen Ward lead an honest conversation exploring a transition that millions of women begin every year, but is rarely discussed with the same openness as puberty or pregnancy. 

Through personal stories and clinical insights, they examine the symptoms that frequently catch women off-guard and the difficult-to-describe feelings that something fundamental has changed. As well as why many women attribute symptoms like poor sleep, anxiety, brain fog, mood changes and more to external factors, rather than a hormone-driven transition. 

They also explore how perimenopause can affect relationships, careers, confidence and daily life at a time when many women are expected to be at the top of their game. 

Whether you’re experiencing perimenopause yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply want to better understand this major life transition, this conversation offers validation, perspective and the reminder that you’re not alone. 

Infectious disease physician and researcher Peter Hyson, MD, is looking for new treatments to one of the fastest-growing tick-borne diseases in the northeast: babesiosis. 

Caused by a parasite that infects red blood cells, babesiosis shares similarities with malaria and is becoming increasingly common across Vermont and northern New York. 

Dr. Hyson explains why cases are rising, how changes in tick populations are reshaping disease risk, and what scientists are learning about the environmental and public health factors driving these trends. He also explores the current challenges of treatment, why some patients experience more severe illness and how new research may lead to more effective medications in the future. 

You’ll also hear about One Health – a concept that encapsulates the connection between environmental change and human disease, and the importance of developing new tools to address emerging infectious threats. For anyone concerned about tick-borne disease or interested in the future of medicine, this episode offers an inside look at how research is helping prepare us for what’s next. 

Could a tick bite make you allergic to red meat? 

Lyme disease is just one of several tick-borne health threats emerging across the Northeast. Continue the conversation as Natalie Kwit and Patti Casey take a closer look at the diseases ticks carry and the growing public health challenges they present. 

Natalie and Patti explore Lyme disease, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, alpha-gal syndrome and other emerging health concerns linked to tick bites. You’ll learn why Vermont remains one of the nation’s highest-incidence states for several tick-borne diseases, how changing environmental conditions may be influencing disease patterns, and why public health officials closely monitor both tick populations and human disease trends. 

The conversation also covers common Lyme disease symptoms, the importance of early diagnosis and treatment, practical steps you can take to reduce your risk while enjoying the outdoors, and essential information on recognizing risks, preventing tick bites and protecting yourself and your family. 

Ticks are a growing public health concern across Vermont and the Northeast, but many don’t understand how they live, spread and transmit disease. 

Natalie Kwit, Vermont Public Health Veterinarian, and Patti Casey, Vermont Agency of Agriculture Environmental Surveillance Program Director, explain the fascinating and often misunderstood world of ticks. From their unique life cycle and feeding behavior to the role wildlife plays in spreading tick-borne pathogens, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at the tiny arachnids that are reshaping public health across the region. 

You’ll learn how ticks move through the environment, why some species are expanding into new parts of Vermont, and how scientists track both established and emerging tick populations. Patti explains Vermont’s extensive tick surveillance efforts and Natalie discusses the public health challenges posed by diseases carried by black-legged ticks and other species of concern. 

Whether you’re a hiker, gardener, pet owner, outdoor enthusiast, or simply curious about the changing landscape of tick-borne disease, this episode provides essential insight into the ecology, surveillance and public health science behind one of the Northeast’s fastest-growing environmental health concerns. 

E-bikes are changing the way people get around: offering new opportunities for transportation, recreation and independence. But as their popularity grows, so do questions about safety, especially for children and teenagers. 

Living Healthy Together sits down with pediatric critical care physician Dr. Rebecca Bell, MD, MPH, and injury prevention specialist Stephanie Busch, AEMT, CPSTI, to explore this growing conversation. Together, they discuss what e-bikes are, how they differ from traditional pedal bicycles, why injuries are increasing nationwide, and what parents need to know before purchasing one for their child. 

The conversation covers rider readiness, age recommendations, helmet selection, injury prevention, battery safety, community regulations and the unique challenges e-bikes present because of their speed and weight. Dr. Bell and Stephanie also explain how families can balance the benefits of e-bikes with practical steps to reduce risk and keep riders safe. 

Whether you’re considering an e-bike for yourself or your child, already have one in the garage, or simply want to better understand this rapidly evolving mode of transportation, this episode offers expert guidance to help you make informed decisions. 

What happens when your body’s built-in cooling system can’t keep up? 

Emergency medicine physician Dr. Robert Inglis joins Living Healthy Together to explain how the human body regulates temperature, why extreme heat can become dangerous, and what happens when that delicate balance begins to fail. From dehydration and heat exhaustion to serious cardiovascular stress, heat-related illness affects far more than comfort. 

You’ll learn how heat impacts your heart, kidneys and other vital organs, why humidity can be just as important as temperature, and how medications, chronic health conditions and age can increase your vulnerability during hot weather. Dr. Inglis also discusses heat illness warning signs, practical steps families can take to stay safe, and why communities in the Northeast may be less prepared for rising temperatures than regions where extreme heat is more common. 

Whether you’re caring for children, checking in on older adults, managing a chronic condition, or simply trying to stay active during the summer, this episode provides practical guidance for staying safe as temperatures continue to rise. 

Wildfire smoke is no longer just a problem for the western United States. 

Join University of Vermont researcher Christina Barsky and Moms Clean Air Force public health manager Elizabeth Bechard as they explore the growing impacts of wildfire smoke on our region and discuss the heightened risks facing children, pregnant people, older adults, outdoor workers and individuals with chronic conditions. 

Learn what emerging research reveals about respiratory illness, cardiovascular health, pregnancy outcomes and long-term health effects – and how wildfire smoke and extreme heat can combine to create especially dangerous conditions. 

Christina and Elizabeth also discuss the unique challenges facing rural communities and how families can take practical steps to protect themselves. From air quality alerts and indoor air filtration to community support, this episode offers actionable guidance as we navigate a future where poor air quality is becoming a more common part of summer life. 

Whether you’re a parent, athlete, outdoor worker, caregiver or are concerned about the air you breathe, this episode provides essential information for protecting your health and your family. 

Heat isn’t just uncomfortable. It can be dangerous. 

Join University of Vermont researcher Elizabeth Doran to explore how heat and humidity affect communities and daily life across Vermont and the Northeast. From heat stress and heat stroke to the challenges faced by older adults, renters, outdoor workers and people with chronic health conditions, we examine why the emergence of extreme heat is one of the most important public health issues of our time. 

You’ll learn why the first major heat wave of the year can be especially dangerous and how local research is helping communities better understand heat exposure in both urban and rural environments. We also dive into how resources like cooling centers, air conditioning access, heat-risk forecasting tools and simple actions can help keep families safe during hot weather. 

Whether you’re planning outdoor activities, caring for a loved one or trying to stay cool this summer, Living Health Together offers practical advice and a deeper understanding of how heat affects all of us.