The Wellness Files with Kari Beal

A new FDA-approved treatment for Hunter syndrome (MPS II) is giving families hope, but it’s not a cure. We explore how close researchers may be to a cure, including promising gene therapy clinical trials, and what experts say still needs long-term study. 00:00 intro 00:45 How this story began: a mom reaches out about newly approved Avlayah. 01:03 Why it matters: therapy designed to cross the...

The federal government is fast-tracking some psychedelic-based medicines for research and development. Emergency physician Dr. Jonathan Leak explains how these therapies may work in the brain and if they’re safe. 00:00 — Fire captain recounts suicidal crisis; psilocybin changes his outlook and family life 00:36 — Intro: what psychedelics might do (neurotransmitters/neuroplasticit...

Musician Carnie Wilson is raising awareness about tardive dyskinesia (TD), an uncontrolled movement disorder that often goes undiagnosed. She shares why she’s advocating for screening, how stigma can keep people silent, and where listeners can find support and resources.  00:00 – intro 00:01:05 – What TD is: common symptoms (face/lips, chewing-like movements, eye twitch). 00...

USC School of Medicine Greenville experts break down lifestyle medicine and the evidence behind its “six pillars.” They discuss how food, exercise, sleep, stress management, social connection, and avoiding risky substances can improve chronic disease outcomes—and even support brain health in depression, Alzheimer’s risk, and more. 00:00 Intro 00:47 Welcome + live event at U...

After a seizure led to the discovery of a brain mass, FOX Carolina news anchor Tori Carmen shares the whirlwind from surgery to an unexpected malignant diagnosis and how recovery has challenged her physically and emotionally. One year later, she explains the tools that helped her cope (therapy, nature, faith, community) and the lifestyle shifts she’s made to support long-term health. 00:00 I...

X Ambassadors keyboardist and Grammy-winning musician Casey Harris shares what it’s like living with Leber’s congenital amaurosis and how learning music by ear shaped his career. He also explains why he partnered with Vision Through Music to connect blind and visually impaired kids with trained music teachers and why more educators are urgently needed. Vision Through Music: https://chi...

A groundbreaking randomized trial in Kinston, North Carolina is testing fluoridated vs. non-fluoridated water in young children to produce the most rigorous evidence yet on fluoride’s real-world benefits today.   00:00 Intro 01:01 Quick history setup: how fluoridation began and why it became widespread. 01:20 Early clues: mottled teeth but fewer cavities; investigators suspect water. 01...

Cities across the U.S. are battling over a question that hits close to home: what’s really in your tap water and what could it mean for kids? In Part 1, host Kari Beal goes on the road to investigate fluoride fears concerns, breaking down the latest science on thyroid markers, IQ findings, and why dosage matters, with a leading researcher explaining what we know (and what we still don’...

Nisha Patel thought she was “too young” for perimenopause because her labs were normal, but her mood and body told a different story. We hear from nutrition coach, Bonnie Papajohn on how to spot the real signs, advocate for yourself, and use practical nutrition and workout tweaks to feel like you again.  Sign up to attend The Wellness Files LIVE! https://app.smartsheet.com/b/form/...

Host Kari Beal talks with functional medicine physician Dr. Katherine Bircheough and esthetician Kim Manganella about how seasonal allergies can show up on your skin, not just your sinuses.

Host Kari Beal joins activist and forager Robin Greenfield on a Hendersonville greenway to sample wild edibles and unpack what it means to eat (and live) in closer connection with the earth. Greenfield shares how he reprogrammed his mindset away from consumer culture and even his views on aging and death. 01:42 Homemade, compostable clothing/footwear + living without plastic 03:05 Background: leav...

Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the U.S., but some recent studies find it's associated with cancer. Boston College pediatrician and researcher Dr. Philip Landrigan breaks down the science,  recent policy changes, and practical steps to lower exposure. 00:02 What glyphosate is, where it’s used, and how people are exposed (farmers + food supply). 00:03 Scale of use: ~90% o...

Yale public health researcher Dr. Vasilis Vasiliou explains how alcohol raises cancer risk and why risk can depend on genetics, dose, and other exposures in your environment. The conversation also breaks down alcohol flushing syndrome, the “red wine is healthy” myth, and emerging concerns about PFAS (“forever chemicals”) interacting with alcohol.

Life coach and mom Ashley Howard opens up about how her nightly “wine on the couch” habit turned into emotional dependence and the Halloween scare that pushed her to go alcohol-free. Ashley shares how sobriety reshaped her parenting, friendships, fitness goals, and why cutting back on alcohol can be a powerful health decision. 01:40 – Growing up drinking, becoming a mom, and livi...

A new clinical trial at the Cleveland Clinic may be preventing triple-negative breast cancer from recurring. And it could also help those with the BRCA-1, BRCA-2 genes. Patient Chase Johnson and Anixa Biosciences CEO, Dr. Amit Kumar, explain. 00:02:17 — Chase’s treatment path (chemo, surgery, radiation, oral chemo) and why she pursued added protection. 00:03:37 — Trial logistics:...

Meliah Bowers-Jefferson experienced a widowmaker heart attack with subtle symptoms and was initially sent home with a pneumonia diagnosis. She shares what it took to get properly diagnosed, what recovery looked like, and why women’s heart attack symptoms are often missed. 00:03 No classic chest pain, just “something is wrong.” 00:04 Sent home with pneumonia diagnosis despite fami...

This Heart Month episode features emergency physician Dr. Alyson McGregor on why heart disease is rising in younger women and how women’s heart risks and symptoms can differ from men’s due to biology, hormones, and research gaps.  00:10 | Women’s biology differs “to the cellular level”; hormone impacts 01:22 | Heart disease #1 killer of women; awareness & sel...

For this segment, we invited three doctors: Jennifer Grier, who has a PhD and is an associate professor of immunology at the USC School of Medicine, Greenville. Dr. Melissa Robinson and Dr. George Haddad are pediatricians with Prisma Health and hold teaching roles with USC SOMG.

Dr. Jonathan Leake explains why we lose NAD as we age, the difference between IV and a pill, and if you should try this biohack.

One woman shares her weight loss journey, how she kept it off for six years, but a hormone imbalance almost caused her to gain it all back.  00:00 Intro and why Leah’s full story needed more than a broadcast segment 00:29 Weight loss statistics and why long term maintenance matters https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16002825/ 01:00 Leah’s childhood weight gain emotional eating and fa...

FOX Carolina's Kari Beal sits down with a doctor who is helping patients wean off of GLP-1s.

In this episode, we hear from two mental health experts on using AI as a friend, partner, or for emotional support. First, we hear from Dr. John Delony, who has a PhD in counseling and is known for giving advice on The John Delony Show. Then, we hear from psychologist Dr. Joe Paciarelli, who explains why humans crave connection and shares two patient stories.

Did you know that around 80% of women experience baby blues after giving birth? Many others experience postpartum depression. Host Kari Beal speaks with Prisma Health reproductive psychiatrist Dr. Neha Hudepohl about why so many mothers struggle, how common perinatal mental health conditions are, the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression, and what real support looks like at home...

In this gripping episode of The Wellness Files, host Kari Beal sits down with Connor Shaw, a former NFL quarterback and USC Gamecocks star, who suddenly collapsed at his son’s football game. We hear from the first responder, Caleb Carter, who performed five minutes of life-saving CPR, and Dr. Jonathan Kim of Emory Healthcare, who is helping diagnose the cause of sudden cardiac arrest. ...

Amid a measles outbreak in South Carolina, host Kari Beal explores the profound impacts of measles, rubella and the MMR vaccine through the powerful personal stories of three families. Hear from Christine Castle, whose sister was born with congenital rubella syndrome; Emmy Herman, whose sister suffered permanent brain damage from measles encephalitis; and Deirdre Downs, whose daughter developed a...