Anatomy and Physiology - Bit by Bit

Episode 92 covers the autoimmune disease Multiple Sclerosis. My guest, Selena Buongiorno, is a certified physician assistant practicing functional and lifestyle medicine, an MS researcher, and host of the “ MSWired Podcast ,” which is about multiple sclerosis and other chronic conditions. She is also a person living with multiple sclerosis, diagnosed in 2020. In our conversation, we cover the anat...

Episode 91 covers the basics of autoimmune disease with special guest Dr. Alexis Barbut. Dr. Alexis is a double board-certified rheumatologist with a clinical focus on reproductive rheumatology, women’s health, and autoimmune disease. We talked about the causes, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment options of autoimmune disease in general. We also touch on some of the more common ones, like mult...

Episode 90 covers the third leading cause of death in the world: stroke. Stroke goes hand-in-hand with cerebrovascular disease and aneurysm, so I put it all together in this episode. We talk about what a stroke is, the different kinds, the risk factors, how they happen, diagnosis, treatment, and more. This episode is essential for any practicing or aspiring healthcare professional. Tell your profe...

Episode 89 covers two of the most common neurological diseases of aging, Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. I know it sounds odd without the possessive, but that's the standard when it's written. These diseases are often reduced to "dementia" and "tremors," but there is so much more to their mechanisms, signs, symptoms, findings, treatments, and prognoses. We discuss the anatomic...

For this episode, I am joined by Dr. Anusha Viswanathan, MD, pediatric infectious disease specialist. Dr. Viswanathan and I discuss bacteria, viruses, signs & symptoms, fevers, antibiotics, antibiotic resistance, vaccines, vaccine hesitancy & denial, and Anusha’s own podcast with Diana Leygerman, “ Everyone Deserves Sunshine, ” which is about the HBO Max show, Heated Rivalry . Outbreaks of disease...

Episode 87 is all about the 3rd most common cause of death in the United States: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. Joining me to discuss this extremely important clinical topic is Philadelphia-area interventional pulmonologist Dr. Nina Maouelainin . Dr. Nina is the founder of Lung Health Services and the Women in Interventional Pulmonology organization. We discussed what COPD is, the causes,...

This is ANOTHER bonus mid-week episode at the request of a listener! Mykenzie from Minnesota asked for an episode on joints, and that is what you’re all going to get. In fact, you’re getting TWO episodes on joints because it’s just too much information for one! Joints (Part 2) focuses on synovial joints. I discuss the angular movements that take place at joints and the most clinically significant...

This episode is all about the disease of obesity, its related illnesses, and treatments, such as GLP-1 agonists, like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Monjaro. My guest, Dr. Angela Fitch, M.D . is an obesity medicine specialist who is the co-founder and chief medical officer of knownwell , a medical clinic that specializes in judgement-free, evidence-based weight management and weight-inclusive prim...

This is a bonus mid-week episode at the request of a listener! Mykenzie from Minnesota asked for an episode on joints, and that is what you’re all going to get. In fact, you’re getting TWO episodes on joints because it’s just too much information for one! Joints (Part 1) covers the basics of arthrology, basic anatomy, classes of joints, lever systems, and range of motion. Thanks, Mykenzie, for rea...

This episode asks the important and broad question, “What is Cancer?” To answer it, I spoke with Dr. Christy Kestner, PhD. Dr. Kestner has a PhD in Neuroscience, with a focus on immunology and oncology. We discuss the cellular basis of cancer, signs & symptoms, types, risk factors, causes, treatments, and more. Basically, the nuts and bolts of cancer. You can find Dr. Kestner on Instagram , Substa...

This episode covers one of the most common diseases in the world, diabetes mellitus. Most people know someone with diabetes, whether it’s type 1 or type 2. We discuss exactly what diabetes mellitus is, the difference between type 1 & 2, the causes, risk factors, signs & symptoms, lab findings, exam findings, complications, treatments, prognoses, and more. It is the 7th leading cause of dea...

This episode covers the number 1 cause of death in the history of the human race, coronary artery disease, the most common form of heart disease. It’s also known as ischemic heart disease. It is still the leading cause of death in the world. Listen in to find out exactly what it is. Among other things, we discuss its causes, risk factors, signs, symptoms, exam findings, lab findings, treatments, a...

This is a REBOOT of episode 5. I have added more pertinent content that you are probably going to need in A&P. This reboot is an in-depth look at the cytoplasm of a human cell. We discuss organelles, inclusions, cytosol, the cytoskeleton, glycolysis, anaerobic fermentation, aerobic respiration, and a little bit about the nucleus. You can check out my ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠ for more A&P cont...

Anatomy & Physiology: Bit by Bit is shifting gears! Now that most of the content covered in a typical A&P course has been covered, it's time to move toward CLINICAL APPLICATION. Each episode will now focus on specific diseases, conditions, and injuries. Being able to apply the concepts in A&P to clinical scenarios is the best way to show mastery! The first clinical episode will drop on...

This episode is a reboot of episode 4, in which I discuss the important topic of membrane transport. I re-recorded it for better quality and added a lot more pertinent content. Listen to review how water, solutes, ions, metabolic waste, and other materials enter and exit the cell across its plasma membrane. Diffusion and osmosis, passive and active transport, you name it. This is one of the most i...

This episode introduces the cell and discusses the plasma membrane in detail. This includes the phospholipid bilayer, cholesterol, and membrane proteins. Since it was first released in 2019, I have added some content and improved the audio quality. Check it out for a much-needed review! Tell your professors about A&P Digital Suite where they can assign up to 175 of my tutor videos as well as indus...

This Bonus Holiday Episode is all about how your body reacts and adjusts to all the happenings of a typical Christmas Day, for those who observe. It may also apply to Hanukkah, American Thanksgiving, or any other gathering of friends and family around a dinner table. I hope you enjoy this fun take on the holidays and how they relate to anatomy & physiology. Happy Holidays to all, and I wish you al...

This BONUS episode is a beefed-up version of my original Episode #2. I have tightened up the quality of the recording and added more content. Episode 2 now covers the 6 essential characteristics of living things and the principles of homeostasis. Homeostasis is the way our bodies maintain a consistent internal environment despite living in an inconsistent external environment. Negative and positiv...

This BONUS Episode is a reboot of Episode 1 from back in 2019. I have re-recorded some of it for better audio quality and added more content than existed in the originally aired episode. The basis for Human Anatomy & Physiology is how the body is organized and the anatomical terminology we use to discuss it. I recommend listening to this episode and then going all the way back to Episode 2 and...

The goal of episode 80 is to explain the process of evolution and natural selection through the lens of the scientific method. If you’re not sure exactly what evolution is or how it works, this episode is for you. If you are doubtful of the existence of evolution, this episode is also for you! Tell your professors about A&P Digital Suite where they can assign up to 165 of my tutor videos as well a...

Episode 79 covers Genetics and Heredity for A&P. This is an accessible discussion of genetics for anyone interested in a general overview of genes and heredity. Almost every A&P text will cover some level of genetics, which is essential for understanding the basis of many diseases. I discuss chromosomes, dominance, co-dominance, incomplete dominance, epigenetics, and more. I also recommend one of...

This episode covers the physiology of exercise. What happens to our body when we are exercising and what happens after? How do different kinds of exercise change our response? Who should do what? Why is it good for us? All these questions are answered. I also speak with personal trainer April Hattori of yes2next . Yes2Next is a very popular YouTube channel with hundreds of exercise instruction vid...

Episode 77 is the second half of my coverage of aging and senescence. We talk about the effect of aging on the immune, respiratory, urinary, digestive, and reproductive systems. I also answer a listener question about anti-aging and what we can do to prevent senescence. Tell your professors about A&P Digital Suite where they can assign up to 165 of my tutor videos as well as industry-leading A&P l...

Episode 76 is Part 1 of Aging and Senescence. We discuss what happens to our body systems, one at a time, during the aging process. We cover osteoporosis, vision loss, skin changes, muscle atrophy, the slowing of nerve conduction velocity, and the dampening of our senses. Make sure you tell your professors about A&P Digital Suite where they can assign up to 165 of my tutor videos as well as indust...

Episode 75 covers the most common complications in pregnancy as well as the neonatal period for a newborn. I discuss gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, C-sections, the neonate’s adjustments to the outside world, and common challenges and birth defects. I also talk with Dr. Julia Helstrom of Bucks County Center for Integrative Medicine . Dr. Helstrom provides a clear explanation of what integrativ...