Get Real Health with Dr. Chana Davis

Caroline Buckee, PhD, an epidemiologist at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health, talks about navigating risk in the midst of a pandemic.

We are all asking the same questions: Is it worth the risk? What can I do to mitigate risk? What will happen if I get COVID? Whether you're grappling with back-to-school, birthday parties, haircuts, fitness classes, or grocery shopping, science can help you make informed choices.

Dr. Buckee shares science-based insights on COVID-19 transmission, severity, immunity, and the factors that will shape the future of the pandemic. She also reflects on the science of science - how the COVID pandemic has provided a rare glimpse of the dynamic nature of science, and how we, and our COVID models, are still learning.

Dr. Caroline Buckee is an Associate Professor of Epidemiology and Associate Director of the Centre for Communicable Disease Dynamics at Harvard's School of Public Health. Learn more about Dr. Buckee. NOTE: This video was filmed on 24 August 2020 and all information was up-to-date as of that date.

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Rachele Pojednic, PhD, a nutrition and exercise scientist, dishes practical advice on how to reap the many benefits of exercise at any age, and busts common exercise myths along the way. As a researcher, educator, coach, and spin instructor, she truly "walks the talk". Dr. Pojednic sets the record straight on: - What is lifestyle medicine and how does it differ from alternative medicine? - What can exercise - and other types of physical activity - do for my body? - How much exercise does it take to reap these benefits? - When does exercise help lose weight, and when does it not move the needle? - Which types of exercise are best? (e.g. cardio, strength? low intensity? high intensity?) - Is exercise safe for the elderly? Dr. Rachele Pojednic is an Assistant Professor of Nutrition at Simmons where her research and teaching focus on i) nutrition and physical activity education for healthcare professionals; ii) nutrition and physical activity interventions for muscle recovery and healthy aging.

Pojednic holds a PhD from Tufts University in Biochemical & Molecular Nutrition and Exercise Physiology and Masters of Education in Physical Education and Coaching. She is a former Research Fellow at Harvard Medical School's Institute of Lifestyle Medicine and founder of Strong Process: a wellness education platform. See more from Dr. Rachele Pojednic on her website and on social at @rachelepojednic

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Happiness expert Prof Elizabeth Dunn, PhD shares insights into the science of happiness, and tips for being happier.

Dunn sheds light on a wide range of questions: - How do we define and measure happiness? - Can we control our happiness - or is hard-wired into our DNA? - Can money buy happiness? - How can we spend our money - and time - in ways that boost happiness? - Do smartphones impact our happiness? Can we minimize any negative effects? - How has COVID-19 pandemic life changed our happiness and feelings of social connection?

Prof Elizabeth Dunn is a leading researcher in the science of happiness. She is a professor of Psychology at the University of British Columbia where she heads up the Happy Lab. She is also author of Happy Money: The Science of Happier Spending, and keynote speaker (e.g TED, TEDx, Pop!Tech).

Links:

• Twitter @DunnHappyLab
• Sign up for one of Prof Dunn's happiness studies
• Prof Dunn's TED talks and more
• Book: Happy Money by Dr. Dunn

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Bonnie Maldonado, Stanford's Chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, sheds light on the risks and benefits of childhood vaccines. She speaks to the dramatic effect that vaccines have had on childhood mortality, the dangers of dismissing the disease we now rarely see, and the safety hurdles that vaccines must jump through in order to be approved.

Drs Maldonado and Davis discuss how to use science-based resources to guide the choices we make for ourselves and our children, and why the anti-vax movement continues to thrive despite its lack of scientific support. Maldonado's bottom line is clear: vaccines save lives, and their safety risks are minuscule compared to their benefits. More information about Dr. Maldonado from Stanford University.

Links:

• American Academy of Pediatrics
• HealthyChildren.org (by American Academy of Pediatrics)

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Dr. Maya Adam, Stanford's Director of Health Media Innovation, shares her passion for creating "evidence-based health entertainment" - health education messages that are fun and accessible across cultures and countries. Dr. Adam and Davis also discuss their shared passion for healthful, family-friendly home cooking. Learn more about Dr. Adam and Stanford's Center for Health Education.

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Bronwyn MacInnis, PhD is on the front lines of tracking the COVID-19 pandemic through genomics tools (RNA and DNA). She shares insights into COVID-19 transmission, strains (variants), and testing. It turns out that the word "mutation" need not always be scary. Dr. MacInnis is director of pathogen genomic surveillance in the Infectious Disease and Microbiome Program at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, where she is also an institute scientist. She has a long history of being a "genomic sleuth" and worked on many other infectious diseases before COVID-19, including malaria and Zika virus.

Her COVID-19 work is in collaboration with the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Learn more about Dr. MacInnis here.

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Christopher Gardner, PhD, a nutrition scientist and professor at Stanford University, shares the latest science on diet wars. Spoiler alert: there is no one best diet for weight loss.

Dr. Gardner explains what we have learned from decades of research comparing different diets including trials that he led (e.g. the 2018 DIETFITS trial that compared moderate low-fat and low-carb diets). In this conversation, he shares some of the common themes among long term winners and how to put this into practice. For more from Dr. Gardner, check out his frequent tweets. Links:

Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults and the Association With Genotype Pattern or Insulin Secretion: The DIETFITS Randomized Clinical Trial

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Dr. Alison Bernstein is a toxicology expert and science communicator. She explains how potentially harmful compounds are tested, and how she approaches risk assessment in her daily life as a mother.

Buckle up for a speedy primer on toxicology fundamentals, including hazard, risk, and exposure, and be prepared to rethink what you stress about (including pesticides). Dr. Bernstein is Assistant Professor at Michigan State University where she studies toxicants. She is also co-founder of SciMoms and runs a popular page called MommyPhD. Links:

• Risk in Perspective (by SciMoms)

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Dr. Brett Finlay, a microbiome researcher, shares insights into the little zoo that lives inside your gut.

What's in there? How does it impact your health? How do researchers study it? What can you do to get yours into tip top shape?

[NOTE: This interview was recorded Feb 20, 2020, prior to COVID-19 becoming a serious outbreak]

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)

Dr. Jennifer Gardy is a genomic sleuth who uses DNA and RNA to track infectious disease outbreaks. In this conversation, she sheds light on the science of epidemiology - including the key factors that determine outbreak severity.

Dr. Gardy is Deputy Director, Surveillance, Data, & Epidemiology at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. She is also a stellar science communicator, who has narrated popular TV shows and authored science books for kids including "It's Catching: The Infectious World of Germs and Microbes" and "It Takes Guts". Follower her on Twitter at a https://twitter.com/jennifergardy

NOTE: This interview was recorded on March 1, 2020, before COVID-19 had taken off around the world.

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HOSTED BY CHANA DAVIS, PHD

Access more of Dr. Davis' work at fueledbyscience.com or on social @fueledbyscience (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter)