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PODCAST

Health Wanted

Health Wantedbrings you each week’s need-to-know public health headlines and breaks down the science behind trending topics. Host Laurel Bristow, MSc, draws on her experience as an infectious disease researcher and epidemiologist to cover everything from Ozempic to the ozone, interviewing experts and answering your questions, all in pursuit of better health. A collaboration between WABE and the Emory Rollins School of Public Health. --- This public health show is intended solely for general

science

All Episodes

52:46

DIY Health Care

Health Wanted ·

2026/01/23

The internet is a mecca for DIY enthusiasts. You can find out how to remodel your house, fix your car, and even…become your own doctor? This week on Health Wanted: As more Americans become disillusioned with our health care system, more tech companies are providing DIY alternatives to doctor’s offices…but is that a good thing? Plus: Is getting shingles protective against dementia? Do we all need to be testing our VO2 max? Will the Epstein-Barr virus kill us all? And the Sick of

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52:45

Radiation

Health Wanted ·

2026/01/16

Do you have acne? Low energy? Stinky feet? Ugly face? Crossed eyes? Well have we got the cure for you: RADIOACTIVE DECAY. This week on Health Wanted, we’re putting on our lead aprons to look back at the history of radiation as a cure-all, including an interview with Timothy Jorgensen, author of Strange Glow. Plus: Why returning to working out after a break might make you sick. Does viral load mean someone who’s sicker than you can make you sicker? What’s going on with the new

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51:52

Brain-Computer Interfaces

Health Wanted ·

2026/01/09

Mind control—it’s often thought of as a science fiction trope, borne from fears of body snatchers or domineering overlords. But what if we’re thinking about the term the wrong way? Maybe we should be considering the reverse. This week on Health Wanted, we talk about how brain-computer interfaces are expanding the possibilities for our minds to control our worlds, including an interview with Dr. Chethan Pandarinath of the Systems Neural Engineering Lab. Plus: an update on the flu

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51:59

Cleanses

Health Wanted ·

2026/01/02

New Year, new you, new opportunities to punish yourself for being human! This week on Health Wanted…we’re kicking off the new year by putting you on a cleanse to detox you from useless health morality. Laurel Bristow talks with health psychologist Dr. Charlotte Markey about so-called “fresh starts” and the role of body image in weight loss. Plus: Is testosterone the most active hormone during your period? What causes the “asian glow” when drinking alcohol? How do

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15:00

You Asked, Laurel Answered

Health Wanted ·

2025/12/26

2025 was a year of big questions: from our government, from our public health institutions, and, of course, from you, our lovely listeners. For this final episode of the year, we’re bringing you your best questions and Laurel’s best answers from 2025, including: Are indoor waterparks just a close cousin of cruises? Are there any real world applications of the finding that axolotl mucus attacks breast cancer and MRSA? What’s the danger in leaving flowers in a hospital room? And our

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52:21

Alcohol

Health Wanted ·

2025/12/19

We are smack dab in the middle of the holiday season, which usually comes with enough liquid cheer to kill a horse…or at least get some people to consider wringing themselves out in the new year. This week on Health Wanted, it’s a not-so-happy hour as we take a big old swig of the truth about the health risks of alcohol. Host Laurel Bristow also interviews with Dr. Marissa Esser, former head of the CDC’s Alcohol Program. Plus: What happened to the man with the pig kidney? Do

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52:17

CRISPR

Health Wanted ·

2025/12/12

In the mid 2010s “designer jeans” became a topic of conversation not just in the fashion world, but in the world of medical intervention as well. This week on Health Wanted: CRISPR was supposed to be the gene-editing tool to end all disease, so where has it gone? Host Laurel Bristow also talks to Dr. Ben Hurlbut about the ethics of curing disease through CRISPR. Plus: how do you address inaccurate health information at a party without starting a fight? Do vibration plates actually work

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51:46

Health Insurance

Health Wanted ·

2025/12/05

Health insurance: seems like a straightforward concept. Every month you put money into an account so that, when you need to pay health care costs, that account will cover it. If you’re laughing at the idea of using THAT description for THIS country, that’s probably because it’s a ridiculous oversimplification to the point that it’s closer to a lie. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow gives you an abridged explanation of health insurance in the U.S. She also talks

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18:01

Ask Laurel Anything (ALA), Part 6

Health Wanted ·

2025/11/28

Did you know Laurel has never had a pumpkin spice latte? Well, you do now! We're back with another ALA! With your help, we Ask Laurel Anything. Health Wanted host Laurel shares her Halloween recap and Christmas preview and explains why she is only just getting into Vanderpump Rules. Plus, we close things out with the ever-speedy Lightning Round. We'll be back next week to break down more science, in the pursuit of better health. Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a

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51:53

The Fertility Crisis

Health Wanted ·

2025/11/21

In 1968, biologist Paul Ehrlich cautioned that by the 1980s we’d see hundreds of millions of people starving to death due to overpopulation. Turns out… he was a bit off. This week on Health Wanted, the so-called “fertility crisis” is creating a panic about the fate of society and inspiring a movement for more babies. But what’s really driving our low birth rate, and what can we do to reverse it? Host Laurel Bristow also sits down with Dr. Karen Guzzo to discuss whether

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13:47

OOPS- Q and A only

Health Wanted ·

2025/11/14

Formula recall. What to do if you need to buy health insurance on the ACA market place? What’s the status of Long COVID research? Do COVID infections in pregnancy cause autism? Are we getting enough protein? Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630! For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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51:22

Longevity Science

Health Wanted ·

2025/11/07

After a month of Halloween-themed shows, everyone is probably a little tired of talking about dying. Finally, it’s time to start LIVING. Maybe FOREVER. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow is looking at the field of longevity science to see how close we are to cheating death, and what’s still in the realm of fantasy. Laurel also sits down with Dr. Tom Frieden to discuss his new book “The Formula for Better Health,” to talk about what practical changes everyone can

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51:12

The Black Death

Health Wanted ·

2025/10/31

Put on your favorite medieval tavern playlist, check yourself for signs of pestilence, and bring out your dead. This week on Health Wanted, we’re rounding out our month of Halloween horrors by talking about the original plague: THE PLAGUE. We’ll also be talking with medical entomologist Dr. Adelaide Miarinjara about battling plague in Madagascar. Plus: Do you need to worry about chikungunya now? How much lead is too much for protein powders? What are the ethical issues of a full-body

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51:39

Frankenstein

Health Wanted ·

2025/10/24

You ever hear the one about the two headed dog that walked out of a soviet research center? Well, you’re about to! This week on Health Wanted we’re rounding out our Halloween series by talking about the closest we’ve come to a real-life Dr. Frankenstein through the weird history of transplants past, present, and future, and talking to author Mary Roach about her new book exploring all the modern ways we can replace our parts. Plus—are Kegels actually good for you? How many

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51:30

Vampires

Health Wanted ·

2025/10/17

Quick! Here’s a round of Kiss, Marry, Kill: Nosferatu, Lestat, and Count Chocula. This week on Health Wanted, we’re accessorizing with our best garlic necklaces and inviting everyone in to get up close and personal with the medical explanations for vampires. Plus, do COVID vaccines cause “turbo cancer?” What’s going on with the lawsuit saying some birth control causes brain tumors? And why would anyone claim there’s a connection between circumcision and autism

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51:27

Zombies!

Health Wanted ·

2025/10/10

A term for a mindless person. A tiki drink that will make you wish you were dead if you have too many. An iconic dance break in a Michael Jackson video. Laurel’s favorite Cranberries song. What do these have in common? This week on Health Wanted Laurel investigates the medical origins, and possible explanations, for zombies, and interviews Dr. Roger Byard about real-life cases of people consuming a zombie’s favorite treat: human flesh. Plus, Laurel answers questions about if Tylenol

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51:17

DEATH!

Health Wanted ·

2025/10/03

In this episode of Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow takes on the often-taboo topic of death and the difficult discussion of what to do with our own bodies when we go. And she interviews filmmakers Barry Koch and Jason Zamer about their documentary “A Butterfly Has Been Released,” exploring how a lifetime spent near death can create a more peaceful view of dying. Plus, Laurel answers questions about the safety of gel nail polish, whether it’s bad to hold in a sneeze, deceptive

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51:54

Respiratory Virus Season

Health Wanted ·

2025/09/26

In this episode of Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow helps you gear up to avoid getting taken down by a winter virus—COVID, flu, and RSV—and chats with friend of the show Dr. Seema Lakdawala about the best ways to stop transmission. Plus, Laurel recaps the recent Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meeting and talks about why we should be wary of supplements claiming to be alternatives for a recently announced autism treatment. For a full rundown on all the information shared

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51:38

Ye Olde Workplace Safety

Health Wanted ·

2025/09/21

If you’ve ever found yourself muttering the phrase “this job is killing me,” take a moment to be grateful you mean it metaphorically and not literally. In this episode of Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow dives into forgotten occupational diseases—from jobs that turn you yellow to jobs that melt your face off. She’s joined by guest Linda Forst, MD, to explore workplace safety today, in the United States and around the world. In the Q&A, Bristow talks about the

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51:20

7-OH: The New Opioid Crisis?

Health Wanted ·

2025/09/12

Walking into a gas station in the past handful of years, you might have noticed a new product on the shelves: pills, powders, gummies, or energy shots containing “pure kratom alkaloids.” But what is kratom? And what is the new substance (7-hydroxymitragynine) that the FDA is concerned about? This week on Health Wanted host Laurel Bristow dives into the rise of 7-OH, the substance being dubbed the “next opioid crisis.” Then, she is joined by guest Oliver Grundmann, PhD, to

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80 results

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