Is it just us or has the bread aisle gotten complicated? Really complicated? White bread, multigrain, honey wheat, whole wheat — to name only a few. How do you know what’s actually healthy and what’s not? In this episode, we take one of the most confusing aisles in the grocery store and break it down into its simplest parts: the nutritious grains you can trust and the refined ones you can’t.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Katie McCallum (interviewer)

Expert: Kylie Arrindell, Registered Dietitian

Notable topics covered:

• Carbs don’t have to be the enemy
• The benefits of whole grains and downsides of refined ones
• Why you can’t judge a bread’s healthfulness just by its color
• One simple trick for identifying if bread is whole grain or not
• What “multigrain” really means
• Bakery vs. bread aisle: Is scratch-made more nutritious than packaged?
• Whether the crust is really the healthiest part of sliced bread
• Tortillas: Is corn better for you than flour?
• More of Kylie’s tips for navigating the bread aisle

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

We all know that the first crack of dawn is the prime time for some folks, an ungodly hour for others. But what do we really know about early birds and night owls, like who’s more productive or creative -- or healthier? It turns out, people’s chronotype, their natural inclination to sleep and wake at certain times, has a bigger impact on them than previously thought. In this week’s episode, we talk with a neurological expert about the prevalence of the two archetypes, the generalizations that can be made about them and why it’s not a good idea to fight your natural tendency.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Todd Ackerman (interview)

Expert: Dr. Randall Wright, Neurologist

Notable topics covered:

• The biological implications of sleep being tied to the sun
• Are you either a night owl or early bird or is there a continuum? 
• Whether a night owl can become a morning bird
• The ages at which sleep patterns naturally change
• Is being a night owl a bad thing or do early birds just have great PR?
• What happens when an early bird works a night shift, a night owl a morning one?
• Are there health risks associated with either archetype?
• Is remote working making society more tolerant of night owls?
• Should schools rethink their early start times?

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

Hosts Zach Moore, Katie McCallum and Todd Ackerman kick off the third season of On Health with Houston Methodist, sharing what listeners can expect each Tuesday morning for the next ten weeks.

Stay tuned for topics ranging from whether it's bad to be a night owl and how weather affects our mood to what you should know about sleep apnea and tips for keeping your brain young.

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

If you're among the estimated 25 million Americans suffering from seasonal allergies, spring may not be your favorite time of year. It marks the start of watery red eyes, runny nose, sneezing and coughing, all signs of airways inflamed because the immune system is overreacting to the presence of pollen, mold or some other allergen. What can an outdoor lover do? Are allergy seasons getting longer and longer or does it just seem that way? And why is Houston such a hotspot? In today's episode, we discuss one of the most common but overlooked diseases, allergic rhinitis.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Todd Ackerman (interviewer)

Expert: Dr. Mas Takashima, Otolaryngologist

Notable topics covered:

• What the 2023 season has in store for allergy sufferers
• How allergies are an unintended consequence of our ancestors' defense against parasites
• What allergy sufferers should do on high pollen days
• How to distinguish between allergies and sinus infections
• The most common triggers for Spring, Summer and Fall
• How global warming is affecting allergy seasons
• The ages at which allergies hit hardest and start to decline
• Potential solutions: Allergy shots? Masks?
• Which matters most when it comes to allergies — genetics or environment? 

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

Most people switch to diet soda as a way to appease their sweet tooth without losing control of their waistline. But some pretty serious accusations have been made about these calorie-free drinks. Links to cancer and other health conditions have been debunked, but what about weight gain and increased sugar cravings? In this episode, we discuss whether your diet soda habit is really any healthier, what current studies have to say about artificial sweeteners and tips for making the switch from full-sugar soda to diet.

Hosts: Zach Moore (interviewer), Katie McCallum

Expert: Dr. Karla Saint Andre, Endocrinologist

Notable topics covered:

• How artificial sweeteners in diet soda affect the body
• The eyebrow-raising claims about artificial sweeteners
• What you need to know about the acidic nature and caffeine content of diet soda
• How to know if your diet soda habit has become unhealthy
• Where diet soda ranks on a scale from water to energy drinks
• Whether Dr. Saint Andre recommends switching from regular soda to diet
• More suggestions for cutting back on full sugar sodas

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

You probably don't think about your health when you buy shoes, but they support one of the body's most complex structures — your feet, the site of 25% of your bones and muscles. According to polls, 8 in 10 adults experience problems with their feet. What's more is that the wrong shoes or wrong fit can also affect your legs, knees, hips, back and neck. What do you need to know to choose the right footwear? What happens when you don't? In this episode, we discuss the different conditions caused by improper footwear, what makes for the perfect fit and how to select the right shoe for the right activity.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Todd Ackerman (interviewer)

Expert: Dr. Andrew Friedmann, Orthopedic Surgeon

Notable topics covered:

• The signs it's time to replace your shoes
• How often you can wear those boots, heels and flip-flops
• What's more important for foot health – the shoe or the fit
• What happens when shoes are too big or when they're too tight
• The optimal time of day to shop for new shoes
• Specialized athletic shoes: Necessary? Or just capitalism run amuck?
• Are there actually health benefits to barefoot shoes?
• How to care for your feet after removing your shoes

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

Few of us are strangers to having our hearts broken. Whether the cause is a breakup, crushed dream or death of a loved one, a broken heart inflicts a special kind of pain. It's considered an emotional state, but we allude to more than just our frame of mind when we describe it. We "feel it in our bones," say our chest hurts and call it heartbreak, after all. In today's episode, we explore the science of a broken heart — how it can physically affect the body and whether it can cause actual heart damage or even, in certain cases, death.

Hosts: Zach Moore (interviewer), Katie McCallum

Expert: Dr. Devang Parikh, Structural Interventional Cardiologist

Notable topics covered:

• Whether heartbreak can have physical effects on the body
• Yes, broken heart syndrome is an actual medical condition
• Why the syndrome can be confused with a heart attack
• The emotional and physical triggers of broken heart syndrome
• Everyday heartbreak can affect the body, too
• How common is broken heart syndrome? Who's most at risk? What's the prognosis?
• How your doctors can help unravel heartbreak syndrome's root cause
• A reminder of why it's important to have great relationships with your doctors

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

We let them into our hearts, our homes, even our bedrooms. Yes, we adore our pets, a love affair that goes back tens of thousands of years, even if it began because these domesticated animals served a specific purpose, such as protection or pest control. Most pets today play less functional roles. Or do they? In today’s episode, we learn how pets aren’t just our trusted companions. They’re also partners in good health.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Katie McCallum (interviewer)

Expert: Dawn Brown, Certified Therapeutic Recreational Specialist

Notable topics covered: 

• How pets improve our mental and social well-being 
• The surprising way pets improve our physical health 
• The age-old controversy: are dogs better companions than cats? 
• Fun facts about the benefits of being a pet owner 
• How animals don’t just benefit their owners 
• Why just watching animal videos is a mood booster 
• Animal-assisted therapy, the ultimate example of the power of pets

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

The average smartphone user unlocks their phone about 150 times a day. Staying in touch, taking photos, getting directions, watching videos, reading the news — there are many reasons we rely on our smartphones so much. But they can also become a distraction. In today’s episode, we explore the double-edged sword that is the smartphone, a tool that can improve our lives but also cause a reliance bordering on addiction — and how this impacts our mood, sleep, interpersonal interactions, ability to learn and more.

Hosts: Zach Moore, John Dabkowski (interviewer)

Expert: Dr. Kenneth Podell, Neuropsychologist

Notable topics covered:

• Nomophobia, the fear of being without your smartphone 
• The way excessive screen time leads to smartphone addiction 
• How reading on your phone is different from reading from a book 
• Whether the blue light emitted from our smartphones affects our sleep 
• When smartphones affect how we interact with other people 
• It’s not all doom and gloom — the benefits of smartphones 
• Dr. Podell’s tips for forming a healthier relationship with your smartphone  

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

Heartburn is one of the most common digestive disorders in the world. But is that post-eating burning sensation in the middle of your chest just an annoying fact of life or something more concerning? What are the risk factors? And should you be eliminating certain foods from your diet? In this episode, we discuss the causes of heartburn, when and when not to worry and the best ways to prevent and treat the condition.

Hosts: Zach Moore, Todd Ackerman (interviewer)

Expert: Dr. Neeharika Kalakota, Gastroenterologist

Notable topics covered:

• Whether there’s a genetic component to heartburn 
• No, it doesn’t actually have anything to do with the heart 
• Which heartburn home remedies are worth trying 
• Whether you’re ok regularly taking antacids to relieve symptoms 
• What’s the best sleep position to prevent heartburn? 
• The complications that can occur if serious cases aren’t treated 
• When symptoms warrant making a doctor’s appointment 
• Treatments, from over the counter to prescription to surgery 

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