Health is Real

National Public Health Week is a great time to highlight topics that are important everyone in our community! Today we chat with Susan Polan from the American Public Health Association about climate action, health equity, advocacy, and the future of public health. And later, how much coffee is too much? Our wide-awake co-hosts discuss their favorite caffeinated drinks, including some from days gon...

Art is everywhere in Franklin County! Today we chat with Lydia Simon and Lauren Emond from the Columbus Museum of Art about the many connections between art and public health. We learn about the history of the museum and what they’re doing to improve public health and accessibility. Also, find out who wants to make a paper mache basketball shoe!

Community Health Workers help our community every day! We chat with our expert Cassie Baker about how CHWs empower residents to take control of their own health. Also, can listening to music before bed help you get better sleep? What about listening to a public health podcast? (We think so.) Angela and Zach go head-to-head in a sleep quiz, and we learn about everything from how to prevent snoring...

Public health means everyone is included! But how do we make sure we bring everyone to the table? Today we chat with Lisa Dent, Associate Director of Equity and Inclusion at Franklin County Public Health about what DEI means for public health and some important takeaways as we celebrate Black History Month. Also, we discuss some simple things we can all do every day to be more inclusive in our com...

Happy American Heart Month! Today we chat about the importance of good heart health with Nancy Tobbe and Dr. Amrita Karve from the American Heart Association. They discuss warning signs, the importance of prevention and unique risk factors for both men and women. Also...we hear terms like whole grain, organic and free range all the time, but what do these healthy buzzwords actually mean and which...

The numbers don’t lie! Today we have not one but TWO data experts here to talk about why data is so important in public health and give some examples of where it’s made a difference in people’s lives. We play some games—of course!—and also check out the FCPH Data Hub to learn more about what’s happening in our communities. The best news is…anyone can use the data hub! Find it here: https://fcph-da...

In the digital age, vital information is available at our fingertips – but so is a lot of misinformation. This raises important questions for everyone, including public health professionals: Whose responsibility is it to monitor the information we see online? How do we avoid falling victim to our own biases? What role does AI play moving forward? We have an in-depth conversation about these topics...

It’s the end of the year already! Can you believe it? Today we chat with Franklin County Health Commissioner Joe Mazzola about all the great things that have happened at the health department this year. He talks about what a health commissioner does and some of the most rewarding parts of his job. Plus: his thoughts on holiday parties, Secret Santa, and boss titles he does (and doesn’t!) want to b...

You know what’s good for your health? Enjoying the holiday season! We have so much to discuss in this special episode. What are the best side dishes and pies on Thanksgiving? What about some must-see holiday movies and our favorite Christmas memories? Plus, we learn about unique family traditions this time of year and even take a page from Seinfeld and chat about Festivus. It’s holiday fun all aro...

We see dates listed on food all the time: Use by, sell by, best by…but what do those really mean in terms of food safety? Our expert Mike Hils is here to fill us in and discuss how to cook safely at home whether you’re headed out to tailgate or just cooking dinner for the family. Plus, do you think chili is a soup? What about if it’s on a hot dog? We break down these VERY important questions and c...

Voting is more than just your right, it’s also good for your health! Today we learn more about the benefits of voting and play a game where we guess real and fake laws from around the country…some of these laws are pretty interesting to say the least! Plus, we talk with Franklin County Public Health’s Medical Director, Dr. Miller Sullivan, about the shifts he’s seen in the public around preventati...

We take a trip to the Franklin County Coroner’s office and chat with Dr. Nate Overmire about the importance of breaking down stigmas and bringing awareness to issues like gun violence prevention and overdose prevention. Plus, in honor of spooky season, we test our Halloween candy IQ with a quiz from the New York Times. What’s the most popular Halloween candy? And which candy from years gone by do...

Tomatoes, pumpkins, and…hazelnuts? Test your knowledge in a rapid-fire game as we discover why some foods are classified as fruits while others are vegetables. Plus, we take a trip to Zucchini Fest and chat with Obetz Mayor Angela Kirk! We discuss the rich history of the festival, some notable musicians who've performed there, and (of course) our favorite zucchini dishes!

How can we limit our risk of infectious diseases? We chat with Radhika Iyer, Infectious Disease Program Epidemiologist & Supervisor at Franklin County Public Health about how we collect information and report on diseases. She also shares how she stayed motivated during the COVID-19 pandemic and what the process was like behind the scenes. Plus, we have a little fun with some trivia! Play along...

Let’s get sustainable! What goes in your recycling bins, and what can you compost? Learn about the air quality sensors installed throughout Franklin County, as well as the many health benefits of tree canopy (including a 20-degree difference in temperature!) Also, why does the TV show Captain Planet still resonate with people today? We chat about all this and more with Jennie McAdams, Environmenta...

Why does it seem like every year is “the year of the cicada?” Are mosquitos only attracted to certain blood types? What repellant should you use to protect yourself? And what can the hit 90’s song “Waterfalls” teach us about ticks? We chat with bug expert Zach Holbert-Watson, Vector Program Coordinator at Franklin County Public Health, about the many insect pests of central Ohio.