On Health with Houston Methodist

Weightlifting has been around for ages, but it’s never been more popular than now, thanks in part to new research on its health benefits. The classic form of strength training — one of the cornerstones of the CDC’s exercise recommendations — weightlifting is linked to better bone strength, balance, metabolism, fat burning and cardiovascular health. Plus, it may help reduce cancer risk and even extend lifespans. But how much do you really know about it? Are you ready to start lifting? Are you getting the most out of your sessions? In this episode, we provide the lowdown on everything you need to know about what some experts call the fountain of youth.

Expert: Dwight Adsit, Athletic Trainer

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman

Notable topics covered: 

• Is strength training now considered more important than aerobic exercise? 
• The rate at which muscle declines as you age 
• The most common mistakes made by weightlifters 
• Guidance for beginners intimidated by the prospect of lifting weights 
• Guidance for aging lifters unsure how much weight to hoist 
• How to maximize your workout without getting injured 
• Which is better: machines or free weights, more reps or heavier loads? 
• How long you should rest between sets 
• How much does weightlifting increase your protein needs? 
• Strength training’s underappreciated benefit: your brain

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

Sinus problems are the bane of many people's existence, all that congestion and discharge, difficulty breathing, post-nasal drip, coughing, pressure. But is the issue an infection or allergies? It can be a tricky question, even for doctors, who see about 30 million people annually for sinus infections and more than 80 million annually for allergies. So what are the key distinguishing symptoms? Why is it sometimes so hard to tell the difference? And is there any overlap in the treatments? In this week's episode, we attempt to unlock the mystery of the two most common sinus ailments.

Expert: Dr. Mas Takashima, Otolaryngologist

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman

Notable topics covered:

• The tools sinus specialists use when severe allergies mimic symptoms of infections
• Is there a difference in the body's response to sinus infections and allergens?
• The study that found many chronic allergy sufferers' real issue was an infection
• Viral, bacterial, fungal — which sinus infection type is the most concerning?
• How to know if the antibiotic killed the infection when it's allergy season and you're still having symptoms
• Stricken with a viral sinus infection? Beware follow-up bacterial infection months later
• Do food allergies affect sinuses?
• How long is too long to have mysterious nasal symptoms?
• Distinguishing between long Covid and allergies or other infections

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

A diagnosis of coronary artery disease, or CAD, should be taken seriously. But what does this mean exactly? CAD is the most common type of heart disease — 18 million adults in the U.S. live with the condition — roughly the combined populations of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and our fair city of Houston. In this episode, we explore how we can prevent CAD from ever developing — and potentially prevent it from ever leading to heart attack or stroke.   

Expert: Dr. Mahmoud Al Rifai, Preventive Cardiologist

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• What causes CAD — and who’s at risk 
• Cholesterol: the major culprit behind the development of arterial plaque  
• Why someone should take a CAD diagnosis seriously 
• The four types of heart disease prevention 
• How cardiologists calculate your risk for heart attack or stroke 
• Coronary artery calcium score: The CT scan that can show the severity of CAD 
• The differences between heart disease, cardiovascular disease and CAD  
• Can you reverse the effects of coronary artery disease? 
• Ways to control CAD risk factors to prevent heart attacks, stroke 
• How to move past guilt, shame after a CAD diagnosis to change the course of the condition 
• How to support a loved one with heart disease 
• How stress and mental health affects your heart health  

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Body mass index, or BMI, has long been used to gauge whether a person's weight falls in a healthy range, but people are rightly wondering whether the measurement makes sense for today's world. Do we need better ways to talk about weight? In this episode, we explore what the formula does and doesn't measure, when focusing on BMI can lead to misleading conclusions and practical tips for keeping tabs on our weight.

Expert: Dr. Laura Choi, Weight Loss Surgeon

Interviewer: Katie McCallum

Notable topics covered:

• Is there even such a thing as an "ideal" weight?
• The "ancient" history of BMI, including what it measures and why it's so widely used
• The pros and cons of this measurement
• The misleading conclusions that can come from relying on BMI alone
• Why BMI is used for certain medical diagnoses and treatment plans
• If not BMI, how should you think about your weight?
• Alternatives to BMI: Could body roundness index (BRI) be a better tool?
• The importance of looking at trends (not single readings) when using a smart scale
• Body fat isn't all bad: The value of having some fatty tissue
• Number-free ways to think about your weight

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Milestone birthdays come with new rights and responsibilities. At 18, we can vote; at 21, we can drink; and at 40, women can get their first mammogram. Adding a potentially stressful cancer screening to your yearly to-do list (on top of everything else women manage) doesn't sound like much of a gift — but getting a mammogram is crucial to detecting breast cancer early, when it's easier to treat. In this episode, we explore what getting a mammogram (and the potential dreaded callback) is really like so you can feel confident about your first, fifth or twentieth.
 
Expert: Dr. Ainel Sewell, Breast Imaging Radiologist

Notable topics covered: 

• Why mammogram is the gold standard for detecting breast cancer 
• When (and how often) you should get a mammogram — and the criteria to start before age 40 
• The surprising conditions a mammogram can detect besides breast cancer 
• Know before you go: the time commitment, prep and whether you should schedule around your period   
• What a mammogram is like — from the time you step into the waiting room until the time you leave 
• How painful is getting a mammogram, really? 
• Do women with breast implants need to approach mammograms differently? 
• Is it common to get a callback — or be recalled — after your first mammogram? 
• Why consistency is key with mammograms (including where you get one) 
• You get a callback. How that "callback" appointment may go and the additional imaging that may be needed 
• You discover you have dense breast tissue or a benign breast condition. What's next? 
• What to expect if something suspicious is detected and you need a biopsy  
• Anxious or nervous about a mammogram? Why you're in good hands at a breast center 

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If you're over "diet" trends, we don't blame you. But the Mediterranean Diet isn't your usual diet. For starters, the U.S. News & World Report has named it the best overall diet for six years in a row. And most dietitians don’t even like referring to it as a diet anyway. In this episode, we cover how this eating pattern benefits everything from heart health to weight management and get tips for starting a Mediterranean Diet.

Expert: Lea Obeid, Registered Dietitian
Interviewer: Katie McCallum

Notable topics covered:

• A deep dive into the underlying principles of the Mediterranean Diet
• Yes, you can still have meat on the diet
• How many whole grains can you actually name?
• The two types of veggies — starchy and nonstarchy
• The health benefits of healthy fats, including olive oils
• How to get enough protein from plants
• Burgers, avocado toast, cereal, chips and dip — do they fit?
• How to make the Mediterranean Diet work for your lifestyle
• Tricks of the trade from a dietitian who grew up in the Mediterranean

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

Neurological disorders are the world’s leading cause of ill health and disability, but people are often slow to recognize the relevant symptoms. More than 3.4 billion people have a disorder of the nervous system — the brain, spinal cord and nerves — and the numbers will only keep growing as the population ages. The disorders range from Alzheimer's disease to neuropathy and stroke to multiple sclerosis and cause a wide range of symptoms. So what are the early symptoms that suggest you might have a neurological disorder? And how can a neurologist help? In this week’s episode, we discuss the most common of the more than 600 neurological disorders and what patients should expect during a first-time appointment with a neurologist.

Expert: Dr. Tanu Garg, Neurologist

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman

Notable topics covered: 

• The neurology symptoms that warrant an immediate trip to the ER 
• Might an episode of vertigo really be a symptom of stroke? 
• Spouse staring into space? They might not be ignoring you, they might be having a seizure  
• The role neurologists play in the diagnosis and management of brain tumors 
• How do you know if the pain in your arm or lower back is caused by a pinched nerve 
• Why shingles patients need to make an appointment at the first sign of pain and rash 
• Not getting headache relief? You might get a different medication from a neurologist 
• The stroke acronym that has replaced FAST 
• The questions and tests you’ll likely get at an initial neurologist appointment 

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"The Change." "Ovarian Retirement." "Private Summer." "Reverse Puberty." "Second Spring." There are many ways society describes perimenopause and menopause, both positive and negative. But while we sit down with preteens to give them "The Talk" about how their bodies will change during puberty, there isn't an analog for 35-year-old women facing their next transition. In this episode, we talk with a gynecologist who specializes in menopausal medicine about what that second "Talk" might sound like so women (and the men in their lives) can be more informed about the transition and get proper care and support when they need it.

Expert: Dr. Erin Manning, Gynecologist

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered:

• Is menopause really a second puberty?
• The difference between menopause and perimenopause
• The common and not-so-common symptoms of perimenopause
• How treating menopause symptoms has changed over time
• The controversy around hormone therapy — and why its use is resurging
• Non-hormonal medications & lifestyle changes to help manage perimenopausal symptoms
• Are there long-term health issues associated with not treating perimenopausal symptoms?
• Is there a link between menopause and dementia?
• "Doctor, I think I'm in perimenopause" — framing the conversation, advocating for yourself
• Why testing hormone levels isn't an accurate gauge for diagnosing or treating perimenopause
• Are the newer telehealth startups, at-home tests, devices and supplements helpful or hype?
• Why you should have a second "The Talk" with your doctor to not fear menopause

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

Fatigued? Libido fading? Muscle wasting away? You’re the perfect candidate for testosterone therapy, at least according to those seductive TV commercials. There’s certainly an ample market, with more than 1 in 3 men older than 45 suffering from a deficiency in the hormone responsible for masculine characteristics. But is low T therapy really a fountain of youth? Who really benefits from it? And is it safe? In this episode, we talk to a urologist about what’s often called the male menopause and when replacement therapy is the appropriate response. 

Expert: Dr. Nathan Starke, Urologist 

Interviewer: Todd Ackerman 

Notable topics covered: 

• Does too much testosterone really cause “roid rage?” 
• Is declining testosterone inevitable? What are normal levels? 
• Natural ways to boost your testosterone 
• The symptoms that warrant going in for a blood test  
• Why testosterone use tripled in the century’s first decade 
• Types of prescription testosterone: injections, gels, patches and, now, pills 
• Have concerns about heart side effects been debunked? 
• The connection between testosterone and prostate cancer 
• Testosterone’s little-known precipitous drop: impending fatherhood 
• The causes of low testosterone 
• The difference between testosterone therapy and performance-enhancing steroids 

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

There’s no shortage of advice on the internet about how you should approach skin care. Whether it’s celebrity GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, influencers promoting their skin-care companies or Big Beauty targeting you with social media ads, we’re inundated with messaging about how to care for our skin — especially if antiaging is a concern. In this episode, we speak with a medical aesthetician who shares what works and what doesn’t when it comes to all things skin care: antiaging, devices, procedures and more. 

Expert: Annie Christenson, Licensed Medical Aesthetician 

Interviewer: Kim Rivera Huston-Weber

Notable topics covered: 

• The surprising steps of a bare-bones healthy skin-care routine 
• Why skin care is like exercise  
• Tretinoin vs. over-the-counter retinols: Is one better than the other? 
• You’ve seen the ads — are teledermatology startups a good option? 
• How to know when products work for your skin type 
• What it’s like working with a medical aesthetician 
• The at-home skin-care devices worth buying  
• How long you should wait to see results from your skin-care routine  
• Microneedling, dermaplaning and other skin-care treatments  
• Do collagen supplements work?  
• The red and green flags for finding a skin-care professional to work with 
• Aging gracefully with little intervention is a valid choice 

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