On Health with Houston Methodist
On Health with Houston Methodist is for the health conscious, curious and even skeptics out there. Each week, our hosts are joined by a Houston Methodist expert to explore an everyday wellness trend or significant health topic.
For more than 100 years, Houston Methodist has provided the best — and safest — clinical care, advanced technology and patient experience. We are proud to be a top hospital in Texas and the nation.
For more health advice and tips from Houston Methodist experts, check out our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.
Episodes
94 episodes
Stress & Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference & Tips for Coping
Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same — and understanding the difference matters. While stress actually can be helpful in short bursts, anxiety can take a serious toll on your mental and physical health. Wi...
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Season 9
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Episode 9
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33:35
Staying Active: What Counts as Exercise & How Much Is Enough?
Wondering whether your exercise routine is hitting the mark? You’re not alone. Most of us leave P.E. class behind without ever really learning how to work out as adults. In this episode, we break down what counts as exercise, how much you need ...
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Season 9
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Episode 8
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37:26
Fiber: Should You Be ‘Fibermaxxing’?
Move over, protein: Fiber is the newest macronutrient darling of the food world. Content creators promoting optimal digestion suggest we maximize fiber intake — “fibermaxxing” — by eating fiber-rich foods with every meal and snack as well as us...
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Season 9
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Episode 7
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38:27
Gut Microbiome Tests: What They Do (& Don't) Tell You
What if there were tests that could determine which foods to add or subtract from your diet for optimal health? That’s just one of many overarching claims of the various gut microbiome tests now available and gaining popularity online. But can ...
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Season 9
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Episode 6
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33:45
Burnout: How to Spot It & What to Do About It
Burnout has become one of the hallmarks of modern life. Nearly half of workers worldwide report the feeling, a percentage that’s been rising steadily since the pandemic blurred the line between work and free time. But what exactly is burnout? H...
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Season 9
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Episode 5
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39:13
Seed Oils: The Current Bad Guy in the Food World?
Seed oils are a hotly debated topic on social media. Some content creators claim that the cooking oils are toxic and cause a host of chronic conditions, from obesity to diabetes. Nutritional research tells a more nuanced story about these often...
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Season 9
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Episode 4
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31:05
Weight Loss Misconceptions: Factors Beyond Diet & Exercise
Few health topics get more oversimplified than weight gain and weight loss. Poor diet and lack of exercise take the brunt of the blame — and while these can of course contribute to weight gain or sabotage weight loss, the reality is far more co...
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Season 9
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Episode 3
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29:19
Headphones: How to Use Them & Protect Your Hearing
Wireless headphones and earbuds have become a part of everyday life: commuting, gym workouts, video calls, even sleep aids. But while they’ve made listening more personal and portable, that convenience comes with a risk. Audiologists are report...
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Season 9
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Episode 2
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27:22
Eating Healthy: What Does 'Everything in Moderation' Mean?
“Eat in moderation.” It’s a phrase that’s often tossed around but rarely defined — leaving each of us to interpret this vague guideline on our own. In this episode, we dig into the meaning behind the mantra. From portion sizing and balancing ma...
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Season 9
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Episode 1
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49:24
Painkillers: Navigating Your Over-the-Counter Options
Head throbbing? Back aching? Arthritis flaring up? People in such plights ― and countless others ― almost universally respond the same way: pop a painkiller. Indeed, recent surveys show 1 in 3 Americans take over-the-counter pain medication dai...
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Season 8
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Episode 10
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28:45
Exercise: How to (Re)Start the Habit
If you've ever Googled "How to start working out" and quickly abandoned the page, this episode is for you. Starting — or restarting — exercise can be as challenging mentally as it is physically. Our body and fitness levels may be different from...
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Season 8
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Episode 9
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45:20
Food Poisoning: How You Get It & How to Avoid It
We’ve all had that moment of regret — maybe it was the medium rare burger at a backyard barbecue or that salad bar that was just too convenient to pass up. But the unfortunate result — food poisoning — is no walk in the park for the estimated 4...
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Season 8
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Episode 8
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26:29
Blue Light: What Is It & Should You Use Blocking Glasses?
The blue light emitting from your screen as you read this has become a bit of a bogeyman, allegedly responsible for eye strain, headaches, poor sleep and much more. Enter blue light-blocking glasses, also called blue light glasses or blue light...
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Season 8
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Episode 7
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25:07
Body Cleanse: Do Detox Diets Really Work?
Feeling as if your body needs a reset after a stretch of questionable food and drink decisions? A body cleanse might sound like a practical answer, but do detox diets and supplements really help? In this episode, we explore whether your body ne...
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Season 8
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Episode 6
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23:30
Ice vs. Heat Therapy: When to Use Which
The use of ice and heat as medical therapy dates to ancient times, easy-to-apply treatments for the management of everything from inflammation to stiffness. They’re today’s go-to remedies for minor injuries and workout recovery, and a recent su...
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Season 8
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Episode 5
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20:52
Plant-Forward Eating: Why You Don’t Have to Break Up with Meat
A plant-forward diet is your best bet for healthy aging, according to a recent high-profile study, but it doesn’t mean becoming a vegetarian or vegan. Plant-forward diets encompass a wide range of diets that include some meat — including pescat...
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Season 8
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Episode 3
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35:31
Coffee: Is the World’s No. 2 Beverage Healthy?
Coffee is the wake-me-up beverage used to start the day around the world. Americans alone drink 400 million cups of coffee each day, more than any other beverage except water. Whether you drink coffee for its unique flavor or you just want that...
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Season 8
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Episode 3
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31:53
Muscle Soreness: What Causes It & How to Recover Faster
Whether you love working out or just tolerate it, no one enjoys the soreness that sometimes follows. This explains why there’s no shortage of advice and products promising to help speed recovery — or prevent muscle soreness altogether. In...
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Season 8
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Episode 2
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31:22
Artificial Sweeteners & Blood Sugar: Zero Calories, Zero Impact?
Artificial sweeteners are everywhere these days — soft drinks, iced coffees, yogurt, energy drinks, pre-workout powders, protein bars and the list runs on. The prevailing logic is that they’re smart swaps for regular sugar. But could artificial...
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Season 8
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Episode 1
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33:16
Ultra-Processed Foods: Are You Eating More Than You Think?
Ultra-processed foods are ever-present in the American diet: they make up about 60% of what adults eat and nearly 70% of what children eat. These foods (and beverages!) are delicious and affordable by design, and they’re everywhere — gas statio...
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Season 7
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Episode 10
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38:39
Weight Loss: What to Do When You Hit a Plateau
Losing weight is hard work, and hitting a plateau can feel frustrating, gut-wrenching and demotivating. You’re doing everything right — eating well, exercising, staying committed — but, suddenly, the scale won’t budge. Is it time to switch thin...
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Season 7
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Episode 9
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42:31
Better Sleep: Finding the Right Position for You
Is your preferred sleep position hazardous to your health? You may not realize it, but how you sleep — on your back, your side, your stomach — not only can determine whether you get a good night’s rest, it can make you more likely to snore, exa...
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Season 7
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Episode 8
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39:35
Cardiologists: What They Do & When to See One
Nearly half of all people in the U.S. have some type of heart disease, according to the American Heart Association, including coronary heart disease (CAD), heart failure, stroke, and high blood pressure. Heart disease has also been the No. 1 ca...
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Season 7
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Episode 7
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29:53
Back Pain: When to Rest & When to See a Doctor
Whether it’s stabbing, burning, aching or throbbing, back pain is one of mankind’s great curses. Afflicting 90% of people at some point in their lives, it’s one of the top medical problems for which people see doctors and the leading cause of j...
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Season 7
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Episode 6
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54:57
Immunity: Can You Boost It Naturally?
Plenty of supplements and wellness products claim to help boost immunity. But given that the immune system is one of the body’s most complex processes, is keeping it strong as simple as taking a mix of vitamins and minerals in a pill or powder?...
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Season 7
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Episode 5
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34:32