Feeling as if your body needs a reset after a stretch of questionable food and drink decisions? A body cleanse might sound like a practical answer, but do detox diets and supplements really help? In this episode, we explore whether your body needs help detoxifying itself and how to support optimal health. 

Expert: Dr. Kyle Mueller, Primary Care Physician 

Interviewer: Katie McCallum 

Notable topics covered: 

• Are greasy foods, sugary snacks and alcohol truly “toxic” to the body? 
• Your body is naturally detoxifying itself all the time 
• What does a detox diet do for the body? 
• The hidden harms of juice cleanses 
• Should you try a detox supplement instead? 
• Why “cheat days” don’t work for everyone 
• The principles of keeping a healthy body 

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The use of ice and heat as medical therapy dates to ancient times, easy-to-apply treatments for the management of everything from inflammation to stiffness. They’re today’s go-to remedies for minor injuries and workout recovery, and a recent survey found they’re also American’s most-used relief option for chronic pain. But how do they work? Are you using them appropriately? And are some of the old ways of thinking about them out of fashion? In this episode, we explore all you need to know before you pull out that soft heating pad or chilly ice pack. 

Expert: Dr. Megan Arthur, Primary Care Sports Medicine Physician 

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman

Notable topics covered:

• To ice or to heat: slowing blood flow vs. promoting it 
• Do some people just respond to one better than the other? 
• They’re not just for sports injuries: ice and heat for other conditions 
• Polar plunges: Do they provide any benefits in healthy people? 
• Contrast therapy: The benefits of alternating cold and heat 
• Is RICE being replaced by a more holistic approach? 
• The best ways to intervene with ice and heat 
• How long and how often should you apply ice or heat? 

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A plant-forward diet is your best bet for healthy aging, according to a recent high-profile study, but it doesn’t mean becoming a vegetarian or vegan. Plant-forward diets encompass a wide range of diets that include some meat — including pescatarian, flexitarian, and the popular Mediterranean diet — all of which are rich in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, legumes and beans. This eating pattern doesn’t mean going fully plant-based; it simply means deprioritizing meat as the star of your plate. In this episode, we delve into plant-forward eating, exploring its health benefits and how to get started with this approach.   

Expert: Fatima Zamudio, Registered Dietitian

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered:

• The health benefits of a plant-forward diet 
• Debunking myths around protein requirements, soy dangers and protein combining 
• What does our plate look like when meat isn’t included? 
• The types of plant-based protein to include with your meals 
• How to veg-ify our favorite dishes 
• Plant-based meat alternatives: Can we eat too many burger and sausage alternatives? 
• The easiest meal for starting a plant-forward diet (and your day) 
• Why you don’t have to identify as a vegetarian or vegan to eat plant-forward 

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Coffee is the wake-me-up beverage used to start the day around the world. Americans alone drink 400 million cups of coffee each day, more than any other beverage except water. Whether you drink coffee for its unique flavor or you just want that jolt of java, you may wonder: Is coffee good or bad for my health? In this episode, we explore the benefits and potential downsides of coffee consumption. 

Expert: Dr. Priya Davar, Primary Care Physician

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• What we actually consume when we drink coffee 
• The science-backed benefits of coffee consumption 
• The potential downsides of drinking coffee 
• How to approach your overall caffeine consumption 
• Who should limit their caffeine intake 
• What is the healthiest way to take your coffee? 
• Coffee alternatives: Do the benefits match the hype? 
• Does bean preparation and brew matter, and is decaf really decaf? 

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Whether you love working out or just tolerate it, no one enjoys the soreness that sometimes follows. This explains why there’s no shortage of advice and products promising to help speed recovery — or prevent muscle soreness altogether.  In this episode, we break down why sore muscles happen and what actually helps your body as you recover.

Expert: Dr. David Braunreiter, Sports Medicine Physician

Interviewer: Katie McCallum

Notable topics covered:

• All about delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS)
• Aerobic vs. resistance exercise: How each leads to soreness
• Is lactic acid really to blame?
• Muscle soreness vs. pain: how to tell the difference
• Is muscle soreness ever a reason to skip a workout?
• How to limit your chances of sore muscles
• Recovery supplements? Salt bath soak? Cryotherapy? Stretching? What’s the best way to relieve sore muscles
• The physical and mental benefits of a varied workout regimen

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Artificial sweeteners are everywhere these days — soft drinks, iced coffees, yogurt, energy drinks, pre-workout powders, protein bars and the list runs on. The prevailing logic is that they’re smart swaps for regular sugar. But could artificial sweeteners be too good to be true? In this episode, we explore how even a “zero calorie” food or drink might still affect your blood sugar. 

Expert: Mag Ayyad, Exercise Dietitian 

Interviewer: Katie McCallum 

Notable topics covered: 

• What are blood sugar spikes? When are they bad? 
• A surprising fact you probably didn’t know about artificial sweeteners 
• Are artificial sweeteners always better than added sugars? 
• Why sugar-free foods can still spike your blood sugar 
• Sugar cravings? Gut problems? Cancer? How else might artificial sweeteners affect the body? 
• What people with diabetes need to know about artificial sweeteners 
• Are some artificial sweeteners better for you than others? 

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Ultra-processed foods are ever-present in the American diet: they make up about 60% of what adults eat and nearly 70% of what children eat. These foods (and beverages!) are delicious and affordable by design, and they’re everywhere — gas stations, grocery stores, big-box retailers. And while they’re easy on the palate and pocketbook, they’re linked to more than 30 health conditions, including type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In this episode, we explore the entire spectrum of food processing, so you're able to spot ultra-processed foods and make better choices when you can.  

Expert: Amanda Beaver, Senior Registered Dietitian  

Interviewer: Zach Moore 

Notable topics covered: 

• The processing continuum between whole foods and ultra-processed foods   
• What research says about eating a diet heavy in ultra-processed foods 
• How your body responds to ultra-processed foods vs. minimally processed foods 
• The reasons ultra-processed foods have come to dominate the American diet 
• How to shift your diet away from ultra-processed foods 
• Minimally processed meal options that are as fast as the drive-thru 
• How to spot ultra-processed food wherever you shop 

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Losing weight is hard work, and hitting a plateau can feel frustrating, gut-wrenching and demotivating. You’re doing everything right — eating well, exercising, staying committed — but, suddenly, the scale won’t budge. Is it time to switch things up? Or should you just be patient? In this episode, we break down what’s really happening when weight loss stalls and provide tips for pushing past it. 

Expert: Dr. Garth Davis, Weight Loss Physician 

Interviewer: Zach Moore 

Notable topics covered: 

• Why weight loss plateaus happen (hint: it’s not about willpower) 
• How your metabolism, hormones and genetics play a role 
• The impact of age and medical conditions on weight loss 
• Why crash diets hurt more than help 
• The surprising truth about calorie tracking 
• When to tweak your approach vs. when to stay the course 
• This underconsumed macronutrient might be the simplest weight-loss hack 

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Is your preferred sleep position hazardous to your health? You may not realize it, but how you sleep — on your back, your side, your stomach — not only can determine whether you get a good night’s rest, it can make you more likely to snore, exacerbate back pain and acid reflux disease or cause heart issues. So is there a best sleeping position? What are the benefits and downsides of each one? And just how detrimental can the wrong position be? In this episode, we explore a little talked about aspect of sleep’s health impact: the position most people settle into without thinking about it. 

Expert: Dr. Mas Takashima, Sleep Medicine Specialist 

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman 

Notable topics covered: 

• All the aspects of health your sleep position can affect 
• The study that showed how sleeping on your back facilitates snoring 
• Is sleeping on your stomach definitely the least healthy position? 
• Aligning the spine: side sleeping with a pillow between the knees 
• How do you know if your position is affecting you if you sleep alone 
• Restless sleepers: the effect of moving from position to position 
• Can you train yourself to sleep in a different position? 
• Advice on what to do with your hands in different sleeping positions 
• If you’re sleeping well, do you need to change your position? 

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Nearly half of all people in the U.S. have some type of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association, including coronary heart disease (CAD), heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure. Heart disease has also been the No. 1 cause of death in the U.S. for over 100 years. So it’s safe to say that at some point, many of us will require care from a cardiologist. In this episode, we break down when you may want to consider seeing a cardiologist and what you can expect so you can make the most out of your care.

Expert: Dr. Joe Aoun, Cardiologist

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• What is a cardiologist, and what do they do? 
• The common and not-so-common conditions that cardiologists treat 
•  Which cardiologist subspecialists support those specific conditions? 
• Do you need to work with a primary care provider in order to see a cardiologist, or can you make an appointment with a cardiologist directly? 
• The classic symptoms that signal someone should see a cardiologist 
• The symptoms that can be managed during an office visit with a cardiologist, and those that indicate an emergency 
• The risk factors that should make someone consider seeing a cardiologist even if they’re not showing symptoms 
• What you can expect at your first appointment with a cardiologist 
• The tests and questions you may be asked during your first appointment  
• What you can do to make the most out of the cardiologist-patient relationship 

If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.