We talked with:

• Beth Macy is a Virginia-based journalist with three decades of experience and an award-winning author of three New York Times bestselling books: "Factory Man," "Truevine" and "Dopesick: Dealers, Doctors, and the Drug Company That Addicted America." Her newest book is "Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America's Overdose Crisis."
• Dr. Holly Geyer is an addiction medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. Her work focuses on care of complex patients in the hospital with a focus on quality of life and the best use of nondrug interventions for treating symptoms, including pain. She is the author of "Ending the Crisis: Mayo Clinic's Guide to Opioid Addiction and Safe Opioid Use."

We talked about:

In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests discuss:

• Addiction as a medical condition. Opioid use disorder (OUD) isn't a moral weakness, and it's not just a social problem or a mental health disorder. It's a health condition, and everyone is at risk.
• The need for nonjudgmental, evidence-based care. Many people with OUD think they can't get better. Beth Macy argues this is partially because they've never been able to access evidence-based care. Holly argues it's time to stop battling against opioids and start battling for the people impacted by them.
• Hope for healing. Ending the opioid crisis may seem like an impossible task, but both of these books offer ideas and solutions for battling and preventing opioid addiction. Beth Macy's book looks at the heroes on the front lines — sometimes in unexpected locations like a McDonald's parking lot. They say that ultimately, we all have a role to play.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase Dr. Geyer's book "Ending the Crisis: Mayo Clinic's Guide to Opioid Addiction and Safe Opioid Use."
• Purchase Beth Macy's book "Raising Lazarus: Hope, Justice, and the Future of America's Overdose Crisis."
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Barnes & Noble
  • From Amazon
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • Opioids aren’t the only effective treatment for pain management
  • What exactly are opioids?
  • What does fentanyl do and how is it misused?

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

We talked with:

• Linda Villarosa is a journalist, an educator and a contributing writer to the New York Times Magazine. She covers the intersection of health and medicine and social justice. Her book "Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation" was published in June 2022.
• Amaal Starling, M.D. is an associate professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Arizona. She is an expert in concussion and headache — particularly in women.

We talked about:

In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests talk about:

• The problems start at birth. Linda talks about her reporting on disparities in pregnant women and their babies — but the problems of racism in medicine don't stop there. The guests explain how chronic stress from racism and bias accelerates aging and contributes to disparities.
• The problems are often ignored. All too often Black people seek care and are ignored, disrespected, misdiagnosed or blamed for their medical problems.
• The problems have solutions. There's hope! Our guests talk about personal and political solutions. They've seen medical trainees and residents challenge practices and push change to correct systemic problems.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase Linda Villarosa's book "Under the Skin: The Hidden Toll of Racism on American Lives and on the Health of Our Nation"
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Barnes & Noble
  • From Amazon
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • Uterine fibroids are more common and severe in Black women – but there are treatment options
  • What are barriers to cancer screening and what can you do about them?
  • Be sure to check out Mayo's RISE for Equity hub.

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

We talked with:

• Lauren Bosworth is the founder and CEO of total-body care brand, Love Wellness. Since launching the company in 2016, she has expanded Love Wellness to include vaginal health, gut health and ingestible beauty. Lo is seeking to change the narrative around self-care culture and empower others to feel supported, welcomed and safe during their own wellness journeys.
• Jodie Horton, M.D., is a board-certified OB-GYN practicing in Washington, DC. She is a graduate of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Medical College of Virginia. She combines holistic and western medicine to provide the best care for her patients and is a medical expert for Love Wellness.

We talked about:

In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests discussed:

• Empowered self-advocacy. Lo was written off or dismissed by too many doctors on her journey to wellness. She's here to teach you what to watch for and how to be your own advocate — inside and outside the doctor's office.
• Keeping it simple. Lo jokes that her role is to ask health professionals, "But why, exactly?" By breaking down the body and its processes into simple pieces, it helps women understand and accept their bodies. She keeps it simple with her advice for lifestyle changes — offering doable and gradual strategies to help turn the tide of your health.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase the Mayo Clinic Press book "Taking Care of You."
• Purchase Lo's book "Love Yourself Well: An Empowering Wellness Guide to Supporting Your Gut, Brain, and Vagina."
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Amazon
  • From Barnes & Noble
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • Try these nutrient-packed recipes
  • Do collagen and biotin supplements work?
  • Vaginal moisturizers and lubricants: What's the difference? Which do I buy?
  • UTIs: Do you always need an antibiotic?

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion are voluntary.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.

We talked with:

• Susan Wiggs is the author of more than 50 novels, including the beloved Lakeshore Chronicles series and the instant New York Times bestseller "Family Tree." Her award-winning books have been translated into two dozen languages. She lives with her husband on an island in Washington State's Puget Sound.
• Kate White, M.D., M.P.H., is an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Boston University School of Medicine and the vice chair of academics in the OB-GYN department at Boston Medical Center. A board-certified OB-GYN, Dr. Kate has been caring for women for more than 20 years, helping them navigate periods, childbirth, pregnancy loss, and every other stage leading up to menopause. She's the author of the Mayo Clinic Press books "Your Sexual Health" and "Your Guide to Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss."

We talked about:

In this episode, Dr. Millstine and her guests discuss:

• There is hope after trauma. Many women and people experience life-altering trauma, which can lead to depression and feelings of hopelessness. But healing is possible — and this is a romance book, so you know there's a happy ending coming.
• Reproductive rights are real life. Susan talks about how she pulled from her friends' lives and stories straight from the headlines to inform the writing of her book.

Can't get enough?

• Purchase Dr. Kate's books
  • Your Sexual Health
  • Your Guide to Miscarriage and Pregnancy Loss
• Purchase Susan Wigg's book "Sugar and Salt"
  • From Bookshop.org
  • From Amazon
  • From Barnes & Noble
• Want to read more on the topic? Check out our blog:
  • Ask the Gynecologist: Is abortion illegal?
  • Why do miscarriages happen?
  • Adoption: Bonding with your child or baby
  • Trauma and women: Untangling the complex emotional and physical consequences

Got feedback?

• If you've got ideas or book suggestions, email us at [email protected].
• We invite you to complete the following survey as part of a research study at Mayo Clinic. Your responses are anonymous. Your participation in this survey as well as its completion is voluntary.

The podcast is for informational purposes only and is not designed to replace the physician’s medical assessment and judgment. Information presented is not intended as medical advice. Please contact a healthcare professional for medical assistance with specific questions pertaining to your own health if needed.