Ask Doctor Dawn

KSQD 05-30-2024: Topics discussed include: Cognitive errors in medicine dismissing unusual presentations as psychological A case of Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis causing psychiatric symptoms Failures of genetic research to identify causes Need for integrating neurology and psychiatry; Importance of...

KSQD 05-16-2024: The super power of the resilient Tardigrade is their fabulous DNA repair ability. How do I tolerate another knee surgery after getting intestinal adhesions because of previous surgery? Can I avoid an operation to fix a displaced cataract lens? A patient with Parkinson’s disease and knee problems is warned against speculative and expensive alternative treatment. A man with major sw...

KSQD 5-01-2024: This week's show explores how healthcare systems can inflict "moral injury" on dedicated doctors. We examine instances where factors like insurance company prior authorizations prevent optimal patient care and discuss related research. Dr. Dawn explores sweetness perception, reviewing a new study on how our bodies detect both natural sugars and substitutes like xylitol and stevia....

KSQD 4-24-2024: In this week's show, we tackle several important health topics. Dr. Dawn starts by investigating "the prescribing cascade," where side effects from an initial medication necessitate additional prescriptions. This is often seen with treatments for high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation. We then explore strokes of undetermined origin. Interestingly, Dr. Dawn notes that for preve...

KSQD 4-17-2024: This week's show explores the line between helpful health advice and harmful food-related misinformation, particularly the anti-diet trend being promoted by certain influencers. We delve into a fascinating medical breakthrough involving the creation of "mini livers" to support patients awaiting transplants. Listeners offered valuable insights and recommendations this week: one reco...

KSQD 4-10-2024: This episode explores the cutting-edge of medical science and the wonders of the animal kingdom. We'll discuss a remarkable first – the successful transplant of a genetically modified pig kidney into a human. Could this breakthrough pave the way for the future of organ donation? On a different note, did you know cows are being engineered to produce human insulin, potentially revolu...

KSQD 4-04-2024: This episode delves into a range of health topics, beginning with a unique case where a bone marrow transplant offered new hope for treating schizophrenia. We discuss the complexities of diseases such as sickle cell anemia and their unexpected interactions with other conditions. Our conversation extends to the gut microbiome, highlighting research on its link to various disorders a...

KSQD 3-27-2024: Colloidal silver for sinusitis was recommended, but does it work for molds? Advice to improve sleep besides taking drug sleeping aids; Sleep and mood can affect the effectiveness of vaccinations; SIBO and erythromycin are discussed; The US Supreme Court hears the case about the mifepristone abortion pill; Urinary tract infections (UTI) are very common in women. Hormones such as DHE...

KSQD 3-20-2024: Getting COVID affects the ability to heal from chilblains swelling; Why many doctors are not accepting new Medicare patients; Thigh pain after getting up in the morning should lead one to an Osteopathic doctor; What is the nutritional value of radishes? Are there any health problems with aluminum from soda cans? Plastic lining is the real problem! Silver and copper are good antibac...

KSQD 3-06-2024: Through work with the the Community Traffic Safety Coalition, Theresia and Tawn focus on traffic safety issues, including the rise of ebikes in Santa Cruz, CA; Problems arise when riders don’t understand the effect of heavier weight and momentum of ebikes; Cable disk brakes require regular maintenance; the importance of helmets; Do we need training and licenses for ebikes, especial...

KSQD 3-13-2024: Roshun's challenging background as a daughter of immigrants from Afghanistan; Experience translating for her mother with doctors launched her interested in medicine; Figuring out how one learns best is important for success in medical school; Understanding personality types for oneself and colleagues helps for good relationships and what medical subspecialty is most appropriate; Th...

KSQD 2-28-2024: A new drug for endometriosis pain is long overdue -- endometrial microbiome is discussed; Active release therapy for the psoas tendon; Side effects of long time use of Finasteride for prostate hypertrophy; Keeping off the weight you lose from semaglutide drugs requires exercise and diet; The complex issue of mycotoxins in the environment and your body; Questions about the FRAX scor...

The problems with drug prices and Pharmacy Benefit Managers; Cancer and telehealth -- COVID changed everything for doctors getting paid for telehealth; Supplemental enzymes and antioxidants can help control pancreatitis; Evidence that an increase in type 1 diabetes cases was caused by the COVID virus, but not the vaccine and not type 2 diabetes; The doctor who does the ablation procedure for AFIB...

Review of monthly infectious disease report by the Santa Cruz County Health Dept.; Syphilis cases are on the rise -- its history is detailed; Is ablation operation for atrial fibrillation a good idea in an 85 yr-old man? Will constipation affect my stool test for parasites?

KSQD 2-07-2024: The epidemic of PTSD in the military results in using psychedelics for treatment; An examination of Neuralink and Blackrock Neurotech brain-computer research progress; The off-label use of Mupirocin for Lichen Sclerosus of the vulva; Training an AI to learn language like a human child ;Post-death human composting is approved in California; Sexually transmitted infections are increa...

KUSP 4-25-2009 and KSQD 1-31-2023: Problems of the mind such as depression, memory loss, insomnia, etc are mostly caused by metabolic problems; The problems with Proton Pump Inhibitors; the "myth of diagnosis" is Dr. Hyman's way of framing the fallacies in the drug-centered approach of conventional medicine; The seven core concepts of Functional Medicine; The importance of healthy mitochondria and...

KSQD 01-24-2024: Introduction to mitochondria and related diseases that associate with Long COVID; Practical advice if you have post-COVID syndrome; Mitochondria research related to post-COVID symptoms and nutritional supplements that help; more about chronic fatigue, myalgic encephalitis and long COVID; Does a caller have long COVID? What to check to confirm; The function of neutrophils in autoim...

KSQD 1-17-2024: Compounding the Semaglutide weight-loss drugs reduces its cost If you have had COVID, you can now return to work after 24 hrs if you are fever-free; Exposure to the smell of tears from women appears to reduce aggression in men! Psialic helps stop the spread of flu; The problems of using cloned rhesus monkeys for drug development research; Does Ibuprofen help getting to sleep? Urina...

KSQD 1-10-2024: All about the new Family Practice Residency program in Santa Cruz and the lack of primary care doctors locally and nationally; The rise in research in medical applications of psychedelic drugs, such as MDMA for PTSD; The lack of reproducibility in medical research; Conflicting meta analysis reports of Vitamin D research; Modern marijuana is more addictive because of higher THC leve...

KSQD 1-03-2024: Cold is good for healthy aging; 10th anniversary of CRISPR -- the new sickle cell cure is discussed; Alleviating effects of chemo and radiation therapy for colon cancer; World’s largest invasive organism: Hippos in Colombia! Delaying clamping the umbilical cord by 2 minutes helps survival during premature delivery; Biological engineering issues in space; Reservations concerning a n...

KSQD 12-27-2023: The energy needed to make lab-grown meat is a big problem; Review of enlarged prostate biology and treatments; Benefits of mushrooms include help in remembering dreams? Advice to prevent or reduce long COVID; The promise of using organoids and cellular bots for health purposes; Neonatal brain development

KSQD 12-20-2023: Cold weather increases the tendency to have atrial fibrillation; Help interpreting an abdominal ultrasound; Should my wife and I get the RSV vaccine? Brain implant device greatly improves mental skills in traumatic brain injury patients; Singing to your baby helps develop language development; Recalling memories as therapy for PTSD and other brain problems; Medical alert for hair...

kSQD 12-13-2023: Interview with Dr. Jytan Sahni: the adventures of a doctor from India who is applying to the Dominican Hospital Family Practice residency program; Could COVID or the vaccine affect my menstrual cycle long term? Turmeric may cause some liver injury; Various forms of dermatitis and other skin rash conditions; Interesting wound-healing technique for a diabetic patient who burned his...

KSQD 12-06-2023: Advice for reducing gum disease; Guidelines for using statins in elderly women; Vigorous exercise can increase the risk of viral infections; 5 MTHFR can help treat depression if you have the appropriate gene variants; low folate levels can cause problems; Adequate vitamin D during pregnancy will improve the child’s neurological development; Dietary flavonoids help detoxify bad eff...

KSQD 11-29-2023: The problems with Medicare Advantage plans; An AI program to evaluate CT scans of stroke victims helps focus quicker treatment -- other AI applications are reviewed; Can I crush my calcium carbonate to increase its absorption? What are the side effects of taking a statin and what can I do about them? An interesting case of heart arrhythmias and possibly POTS after an ear infection...