Ish Matters

Ever feel like the city is suffocating you? Like your stress levels are always high, sleep isn’t restful, and like you can’t come up with new ideas? In this episode, we’re uncovering the hidden truths about why you need nature to stay sane—biologically, neurologically, and emotionally. From lowering blood pressure and stress hormones to boosting creativity and happiness, nature does more than just...

Is the U.S. Government Poisoning Us? It might sound shocking, but in this episode, we take a deep dive into how government subsidies, big agriculture, and ultra-processed foods are contributing to America's rising chronic disease rates. From diabetes and heart disease to autoimmune disorders, we'll uncover the policies behind the problem and explore the hidden chemicals in our food supply. Join me...

This episode is about Guy Debord's idea of the spectacle: a social system where life is mediated by images and appearances. It’s not just about watching TV or scrolling through social media—though those are clear examples—but about how everything in society becomes a performance, a show. The spectacle turns real, lived experiences into representations, where appearances matter more than substa...

In this episode, we’re going to discuss the American Dream—the myth, the hustle, and the crisis it has driven us into. In this, we will learn about the “achievement society” as dubbed by Byung-Chul Han, the myth of self-improvement, and how we exploit ourselves to the point of burnout. My TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@knowthingss?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc References: The Burnout Soci...

Lora Marie has been creating (hilarious) educational content surrounding the experiences of living with an autoimmune disorder. She is an RA Warrior who has used her experiences, trials, and errors to inspire fellow autoimmune warriors with positivity, light, and connection. In this episode, we talk a little about a lot- including AIP diets, remaining hopeful and resilient through the hardships of...

Autoimmune disorders are on the rise: both in prevalence and in variation. Here's a little bit of background knowledge about what we know and what we don't know about autoimmunity. As promised, see links below for more information: Instagram: @_raniaasalah Role of Diet and Lifestyle: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11882-013-0404-6 Factors involved in the etiology of SLE: https:...

This is a heavy one! One factor contributing to racial health inequities is implicit bias- or rather the consequences of unchecked biases in healthcare settings.  Implicit or explicit negative attitudes toward patients may adversely impact quality of healthcare and perpetuate health disparities. Stigmatizing language written in a patient’s medical record contributes to attitudes and implicit...

Language is our portal to meaning making, and without the right language to describe and articulate our emotions, we may struggle to find healing. We may find that emotions begin to consume us, chip away at our physical and mental well-being, and manifest as destructive behaviors. When we lack the right vocabulary, connection becomes all the more difficult. When our emotional language is limited,...

Mindfulness is so much more than the image the word provokes: a formal meditation, silence, and deep breaths. It's everything from listening, pausing, to practicing non-judgement and acceptance. Mindfulness practices can and should be a part of your everyday life- science says so! So if you want to come along my journey of trying to live more mindfully, stay tuned for this series where we explore...

What keeps us happy and healthy in life? What's the secret to feeling satisfied despite changes in circumstance? How can we age whilst maintaining the best possible physical and mental health?  Well, we're going to draw upon and abundance of research that points to one answer: good relationships. This episode is endlessly important for our generation- a generation suffering from a loneliness...

In this episode, Rand H. joins me to discuss the book: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Treatment of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk. He is a psychiatrist, author, researcher and educator who delved deep into the physical responses, symptoms, and treatment of childhood trauma. Himself and a group of scientists came together, with their patients, to integrate neuroscience, attac...

Our memories are fallible, our story-telling skills are questionable, and we are all non-credible sources in some way. This is not because we are consciously trying to mislead or manipulate reality, but because we are simply human- prone to human error. But what can we do to mitigate the consequences of false narratives? How can we break free from the imprisonment of comfortable, old narratives? A...

I am joined by Isabella Brooke to discuss everything ranging from fatphobia to the evolution of the body positivity/neutrality movements. Isabella is the president of REbeL at American University, and is all about creating a safe space to talk about these issues. She is a huge proponent of body neutrality and attention to language, as they have played a pivotal role in her own recovery.  In this e...

In this episode, my research partner, Callen Wallace, and I discuss explore the issue of medical mistrust— the roots, implications, and impact on BIPOC women's health outcomes. We argue that medical mistrust plays a pivotal role in perpetuating disparate negative health outcomes, and is a result of both historical mistreatment and implicit bias in medicine that has long plagued those who have the...

In this episode, we discuss, the impact of fitness-related media consumption, eating disorders, the responsibilities of fitness influencers, and more. If you've ever found yourself comparing your body to images on instagram, you're not alone. If you've ever found yourself struggling with food, body image, and shame, you're not alone. My guests are here to to openly discuss some of these stigmatize...

Research suggests that when a child is raised in a home with a parent who exhibits narcissistic tendencies, or has narcissistic personality disorder, they are likely to experience a range of detrimental psychological effects that often carry on into adulthood. This can also be applied to long-term relationships with a narcissist such as marriages, sibling relations, and even close family members....

This episode surrounds the four main attachment styles, where they may be rooted in, and how they can help us understand our own behavior as well as others' behaviors- especially in relational conflicts. I am not a psychiatrist or mental health professional, this is simply my understanding of the theory developed by John Bowlby, and later expanded upon by Mary Ainsworth. The information discussed...

This episode, as always, is a casual conversation surrounding the main contributing factors of addiction, my personal experience, and how our nation can better approach addicts. If you've ever wondered about why addicts are so attached to their drug of choice, why our current system is failing at decreasing drug use and business, or what actually works in treating addiction, this episode may offer...

In this episode, I offer 5 scientifically-proven steps to break any habit and build new ones. I draw from James Clear's Book on habits to offer you some tangible ways to recognize, interrupt, and require your habit loops. I also give you 3 tips on how to set goals effectively, and actually go through with them even when faced with challenges. Excusing the tangents and failed examples, I hope you e...

In this very special episode, I get the chance to speak with youth mentor Mohammed Kibriya about how important it is to practice gratitude, find mentors, and belong to a community. He sheds light on how significant of a role mentors can play in guidance, and how that goes hand in hand with self-awareness and reflection. Kibriya urges us to develop habits like journaling about things you are gratef...

In this episode, I discuss the roots and impact of medical mistrust that exists within the African American community. From the transatlantic slave trade, to the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments, and the modern-day implicit biases that impact health outcomes, African Americans are continuously given reasons to be weary of medical professionals. This ultimately perpetuates health disparities, reinforc...

In this episode I discuss the the physiological and psychological of malnutrition. I draw upon The Minnesota Starvation Experiment and my own experiences with an eating disorder to demonstrate how your body reacts  a prolonged period of energy deficit. Grab a snack, your bodily functions are expensive and needs tons of energy to function optimally and keep you happy and healthy. 

In this episode I draw upon recent research that describes restrictive eating disorders as evolutionary responses to famine. When a person who is predisposed to anorexia enters energy deficit, the genes are triggered or activated, and the illness manifests. This is not to say there aren't psychological roots to eating disorders, as they serve as coping mechanisms and have a deep rooting in mental...

As impressionable youth, we learn that how we look is a direct reflection of who we are as people: how worthy, desirable, and successful we are. These ideas only serve the fitness industry, a multi-billion dollar industry that has consumed American culture for decades. In this episode, I discuss how psychologists and marketers in the industry have influenced our thoughts and behaviors, preyed upon...