The Checkup: A Chicago Health Podcast

Chicago Health and Caregiving have always prioritized fact checking. Our writers appreciate the verification, and our sources share that they do too. And today, with so much health mis- and disinformation flying around, fact checking is absolutely crucial. Here's a look behind-the-scenes at our process, why we value fact checking, and what makes health information so vulnerable to deceptions. [Spe...

Prolonged stress from caregiving can show up in a variety of ways: as headaches, body aches, insomnia, moodiness. It can lead to a lack of interest in activities you previously enjoyed, and create feelings of loneliness and isolation. About 63 million Americans are currently serving as family caregivers, which equates to about 1 in 4 American adults. At an average age of 51, they’re juggling a lot...

Maybe you know this already, but in case you don’t — composting is a form of natural recycling. Take natural materials like food scraps or leaves, and under specific circumstances, bacteria, fungi, or worms can decompose these materials into compost. People can then mix the compost into their soil to enrich their plants. How does this impact human health? Well, it cuts methane emissions — a greenh...

The foods we eat have a significant impact on how we live — from heart disease and cancer to brain and hormonal health. And our audience loves to learn about these connections. In this episode, we go behind the scenes with a look at how we decided on and developed our fall/winter 2025/2026 issue theme: nutrition and the body. During an uncertain time in our society, when much feels out of our cont...

The longest living human ever recorded made it to 122 years old. Is that age a fantasy for most, or an increasingly realistic possibility? In this episode, we explore the ethics of aging, impacts on aging, and what the future may hold — from research on biological vs. chronological age, to risk factors in our control.   Guest: Douglas Vaughn, MD, cardiologist and director of the Potocsnak Longevit...

What makes people vulnerable to news overwhelm? How can we stay grounded amidst the media chaos — and avoid polarization? Chicago Health contributor Dan Dean talks with media researchers about medical misinformation and disinformation, and how to protect your mental health during a stressful news cycle.   Guests: Stephanie Lynn Edgerly, PhD, Professor, Associate Dean of Research, Medill School of...