The Healing Podcast - Brought to you by MarinHealth

How’s your stress level these days? On second thought, let’s ask a different question: would you like to reduce your stress level–right now? Find a comfortable spot to sit or lie down – anywhere quiet where you won’t be undisturbed by children, pets, or outside noises. Then, close your eyes and let Healing Arts Practitioner Corliss Chan guide you through a peaceful imaginary landscape and watch yo...

Whether you just bike to and from work or you’re a hardcore mountain biker, there’s a lot more to bike safety than just putting your helmet on. Especially in Marin, where we have six times the number of bicycle accidents per trauma patient compared to your average trauma center!  As a Board-Certified General Surgeon at MarinHealth General & Colorectal Surgery | A UCSF Health Clinic and Trauma Medi...

If you’ve never smoked in your life, lung cancer may be the least of your health concerns. Unfortunately, lung cancer does occasionally develop in non-smokers and doctors are studying a variety of potential causes.  In this podcast, Dr. Alex Metzger, a Hematologist and Oncologist at Marin Cancer Care, discusses the incidence of lung cancer in never-smokers. Learn about symptoms, risk factors, and...

You could have kidney stones and not know it. That is, until one of those nasty little crystals forming on the surface of your kidneys break off and tries to pass through your urinary tract. The pain can be absolutely excruciating. In this podcast, MarinHealth urologist Dr. Patrick Bennett explains what kidney stones are made of and how they form in your body. Learn about the risk factors and trea...

As the Coronavirus Pandemic sweeps across the nation, we keep hearing about pre-existing conditions that increase our risk of complications from COVID-19 and other illnesses. One of the most critical aspects of total wellness is cardiovascular health. So how can you reduce your risk of developing preexisting conditions like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or atherosclerosis–conditions that can lead...

Kia De Lao leads a guided meditation.

An ostomy is a surgically created opening in the abdomen used to pass urine or stool from the body. Over a hundred thousand ostomy surgeries are performed each year, for a variety of reasons, from birth defects to cancer to bowel disease. Now, North Bay ostomy patients can get the specialized care they need at MarinHealth’s new Ostomy Clinic. In this podcast, MarinHealth certified ostomy wound nur...

Not every pregnancy is planned, but if you want to start a family in the not- too-distant future, a little planning can’t hurt–including talking to an OBGYN before you conceive. Dr. Tamar Segev, an OBGYN at Marin Health, provides lots of useful information for wannabe moms-to-be. Find out what health conditions your doctor needs to know about. Get tips on healthy pre-pregnancy habits for both you...

If you’re raising a teen, you know moodiness comes with the territory. Teenagers are sensitive creatures and they’re not always emotionally mature enough to process what’s happening around them–especially in a global pandemic. How well is your teen handling the stress of current events, a disrupted school schedule and being away from their friends? Dr. Sydney Sawyer, a Pediatrician at Marin Health...

According to a recent study by the World Health Organization, Americans are 25 times more likely to be victims of a gun related murder and 8 times more likely to commit suicide by firearm than the citizens of other developed countries. Is there a way for us to come together and change these sad statistics? Like most trauma surgeons, MarinHealth’s Dr. John Maa has operated on his share of gun viole...

You need help getting something off a high shelf because it hurts too much to reach. You roll over in bed in the middle of the night and shoulder pain wakes you up. Your arm feels week and you have a hard time picking up heavy objects. Shoulder problems can impact daily living in a multitude of ways. Dr. Eric Bava, an Orthopedic Surgeon at MarinHealth Orthopedic Surgery | A UCSF Health Clinic, has...

Gender affirmation surgery. Gender confirmation surgery. Gender alignment surgery. Surgeries to treat gender dysphoria go by a few different names, but the patients would all call them life-changing. Here, Dr. Dave Gurajal discusses the latest female-to-male procedures, including new techniques for creating a functional phallus. He also covers the necessary preparation for gender affirmation surge...

Gender dysphoria, in which the mind isn’t aligned with the gender you were born with, is a lifelong, emotionally painful condition. Fortunately, surgery that can help is now considered reconstructive and covered by most insurance plans in California. In this podcast, Dr. Thomas Satterwhite, a surgeon who specializes in these sophisticated surgeries, discusses his passion for helping people sufferi...

Home is the most reassuring place to be for most of us, especially our children. But in this unprecedented pandemic, kids have to deal with a major life disruption they can barely comprehend. They may get anxious, have problems with sleep and concentration, or even develop symptoms of PTSD. In this podcast, MarinHealth Pediatrician Cindy Greenberg explains how structure and routine can help ground...

While the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of family, being homebound together can be stressful. Lack of exercise and too much snacking can impact children’s physical health. Little kids may be anxious and more accident-prone. Teens may act more sullen and rebellious. Dr. Sydney Sawyer, a MarinHealth pediatrician, discusses the effects of the COVID-19 crisis on children’s physical...

Sheltering in place and social distancing have altered our way of life and are wearing on us mentally and emotionally. Fear of the unknown, loneliness and isolation, confinement, and worries about the future are impacting us all to some degree. For those with existing mental health and/or substance abuse issues, the current situation can be especially destabilizing. Jennifer Bates, Manager of Outp...

As we deal with confinement, scary news stories, and a shuttered economy, self-care is more important than ever. Sheltering in place alone can lead to feelings of anxiety and isolation. On the other hand, caring for a home and family with little opportunity to take a break can leave you feeling stressed, fatigued and short-tempered, and even lead to burnout. In this podcast, Kora Schmid, palliativ...

Good food can be a real comfort when you’re sheltering in place for days. But we all need to resist the temptation to boredom-binge on sweets, or fatty, salty snacks. In this podcast, you will get advice on how to shop, cook, and eat to help your household stay healthy during the pandemic. Pamela Riggs is the outpatient nutrition coordinator and registered dietician nutritionist at MarinHealth. He...

Most women experience pregnancy at least once, and all women eventually go through menopause – two “facts of life” that increase your risk for pelvic organ prolapse. This occurs when the muscles and tissues supporting the uterus, bladder or rectum become weak or loose and one or more of the pelvic organs drop or press into or out of the vagina. While pelvic prolapse is no threat to your health, it...

Immunizations don’t just protect your child’s health – they help protect the entire community. Thanks to vaccines, we have eliminated smallpox from the face of the earth and are well on our way to eradicating polio. According to the CDC, since the year 2000, the measles vaccine has prevented 20.4 million deaths globally. So why is there still so much controversy and misinformation around these pot...

Life can be a little hectic, and enjoying this 20-minute guided imagery audio file can help you relax and recharge. Guided relaxation is a powerful tool that helps manage stress, find inner peace, and improve mental function. It can also cultivate self-awareness, compassion, and empathy.

The radius is the most commonly broken bone in the arm. When the break occurs at the wrist, the injury is known as a distal radius fracture. Some of these fractures are “lucky breaks” in that there is no bone displacement. In such cases, the arm can heal nicely with just a cast to support and immobilize the break. However, when bone is shattered or displaced, surgery will be needed to restore norm...

MarinHealth Medical Center’s renowned cardiology program has expanded its expertise to include the growing discipline of Sports Cardiology. This new medical specialty helps active people of all ages and proficiency levels, from weekend warriors to professional athletes, perform at their peak while protecting their cardiovascular health. In this podcast, Medical Director Brian Keeffe MD provides an...

The opioid crisis has caused many physicians to rethink pain management and stop turning to opioids as the default solution. Surgeons are increasingly turning to multimodal solutions including setting patient expectations through preoperative education, ice, elevation, pre-operative blocks, and over-the-counter analgesics. Board-certified in orthopedics, Dr. David Nelson is the only hand surgeon i...

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles was considered to have been eradicated in the United States in 2000. But in 2014, the disease made a comeback: The CDC tracked 644 cases. More recently, there was a large outbreak of 380 cases in a religious community in Ohio, where vaccination was opposed. While some parents still question the benefits of vaccinating their...