On this TWD episode, we will be talking about meat alternatives, specifically plant-based meat and lab-grown meat. Do these meat substitutes have a good taste that rivals real meat? Are they good for our bodies and provide us with nutrients comparable to normal meats? Finally, are they good for the environment? We answer these questions and also dive into what they are made of and how they are made!

TLDR: The nutritional content of lab-grown meat can be controlled to make them healthier, but whether or not they are better for the environment compared to animal farming is still up for debate.

Links:

https://sciencemeetsfood.org/plant-based-burgers/

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2020.00007/full

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-20061-y

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-47283162

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

The first episode of #FoodMonth is here, and it is about vegan and vegetarian diets! Are vegetables and plant-based foods enough to make you full? Can you get enough proteins and nutrients without meat? And is switching to a more plant-based diet *really* enough to combat climate change and promote sustainability? Listen to this week’s TWD episode to find out if these wonder foods are enough.

TLDR: With careful planning, switching to a plant-based diet may be more healthy and equally satiating. Bonus: Plant-based or plant-forward diets are better for the environment!

Links:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/animal-vs-plant-protein

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4081456/#!po=1.47059

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20200122-are-there-health-benefits-to-going-vegan

https://files.wri.org/d8/s3fs-public/Shifting_Diets_for_a_Sustainable_Food_Future_1.pdf

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

Five Mondays in May?! We decided to record an extra TIS because tighter pandemic restrictions have derailed our original plans. Hear us chat about how research is going with the current measures, coping mechanisms and content recommendations, excessive respirators, and exercise regimens. Want more of these episodes? DM/email us or leave a comment to let us know!

TLDR: Throughout this pandemic, just do you (responsibly)! And share this podcast with the people in your lives!

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

With tighter restrictions, we have moved to recording remotely, so why not talk about the pandemic? In this TIS episode, we cover the few COVID-19-related topics at the forefront of our minds. What is a good mask and should we stop wearing masks after getting vaccinated? What are the modes of transmission of SARS-CoV-2 and what does airborne transmission mean for all of us? And finally, why do people succumb to panic buying? Listen along, and please bear with the lag and not-as-crisp audio!

TLDR: Stay safe and stay calm! Wear your masks and do your best to avoid crowded and poorly ventilated areas.

Links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-57160923

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-021-00535-6.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7277661/

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

This week’s TWL episode was inspired by our mild annoyance at having to constantly cut our nails and hair, which made us wonder, what is the point of fingernails and toenails, and all the different kinds of hairs on our body? How do nails that have fallen off grow back clear and how do hair on some parts of the body know when to stop growing? Listen on as we answer all these questions!

TLDR: Nails serve as a form of protection for the ends of our extremities whilst the primary purpose of hair is temperature regulation.

The episode contains content related to sexual topics.

Links:

https://www.livescience.com/65277-why-fingernails-keep-growing.html

https://www.healthline.com/health/beauty-skin-care/hair-stopped-growing

https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/why-do-humans-have-eyebrows-eyelashes

https://www.healthline.com/health/purpose-of-pubic-hair#tips-for-overall-hygiene

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

Email: [email protected]

This month, we start off with the AstraZeneca vaccine, specifically discussing the reported blood clot cases and symptoms to look out for if you are taking it. Next up, are humans vain, or just seeking happiness? We talk about a recent study that studied looking at your own face and the dopamine reward pathway. Finally, in lieu of the upcoming festivities, we share the pros and cons of the four-day workweek. To all our Muslim listeners, Selamat Hari Raya!

TLDR: If you want to look at yourself in the mirror, treat yo’ self.

Links:

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55302595

https://academic.oup.com/cercor/advance-article/doi/10.1093/cercor/bhab096/6227018

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

Does getting on a cruise, ferry or any waterborne vessels make you feel like vomiting? Then we are in the same boat (pun intended)! On this TWL episode, we find out why people get motion sickness and how common remedies (including traditional Chinese and Western medicine) prevent dizziness or combat the urge to puke.

TLDR:

Motion sickness is an evolutionarily conserved response to rid your body of poison (in this case, sensations that make your body think that it is poisoned) and can be counteracted with medicine and conditioning.

Links:

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/176198#causes

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11452572/

https://www.simpleonlinepharmacy.co.uk/blog/how-do-travel-sickness-tablets-work/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S000368702030212X?dgcid=author

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

Email: [email protected]

On this TWL episode, we will be talking about some familiar ailments that plague our bodies’ largest organ: the skin. Like why are insect bites itchy, and come to think of it, why do we feel the sensation of itch? Why do scars form and should we peel scabs? And finally what is the point of pimples, and should we pop them?

TLDR:

Pimples actually keep the bacteria and the gunk contained, so popping them may cause the nasty stuff to splatter in other pores, spread and cause more pimples.

Links:

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160226-why-its-feels-so-good-to-scratch-an-itch

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20160226-why-its-feels-so-good-to-scratch-an-itch

https://dermatix.asia/the-science-of-scars/what-are-scars-and-why-do-they-form

https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/pop-a-zit

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

Email: [email protected]

For our monthly Today In Science episode, we start off by sharing our experience with intermittent fasting after practising it for a month. Moving along the similar vein of fasting, we discuss a recent study that reported the positive impact of caloric restriction in leukemic patients receiving chemotherapy. We finally move on to more light-hearted topics on whether walking with a partner is bad for your health and Singapore’s clean energy efforts by setting up one of the world’s largest floating solar farms.

TLDR: Holding hands slows down walking speed and reduces gait quality of both partners, which may inadvertently reduce the health benefits of walking.

Links:

https://ashpublications.org/bloodadvances/article/5/7/1853/475625/Caloric-and-nutrient-restriction-to-augment

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210402141736.htm

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-now-home-to-one-of-the-worlds-largest-floating-solar-farms

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031

What happens to your body from that first sip of alcohol? What is with the Asian flush and can you prevent it? Are there health benefits to drinking alcohol (in moderation, of course)? We answer these questions and more including the impact of excessive alcohol consumption on your body in this week’s TWD episode.

TLDR: Whilst light to moderate alcohol consumption may provide certain health benefits, the risks of any level of alcohol use (especially heavy drinking) greatly outweigh the potential benefits.

Links:

https://www.healthline.com/health/alcohol/effects-on-body

https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/wellness/asian-flush-drinking-alcohol-red-face-solutions-11507338

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/alcohol/art-20044551

https://www.healthline.com/health/alcoholism/withdrawal#symptoms

Socials:

instagram.com/thelabdoctors

twitter.com/thelabdoctors

Email: [email protected]

Credit for theme music: Fresh Time by Roa https://soundcloud.com/roa_music1031