Mayo Clinic Health Matters

In today's world, skincare is largely focused on aesthetics, but what about its impact on our physical well-being?

In this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Saranya Wyles joins us to discuss the vital functions of our skin, tips for maintaining its health, and the latest advancements in skin healing and rejuvenation.

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When was the last time you thought about your kidney? If you’re a healthy individual, maybe not so much. But this unassuming organ is vital—and kidney diseases, like polycystic kidney disease, can put people at serious risk of health complications.

On this episode of Health Matters, we’re talking with Dr. Fouad Chebib to sing the praises of the small but mighty kidney, learn how to maintain kidney health, and gain a deeper understan...

Remember the childhood warning about rusty nails and tetanus? Turns out, there’s more to the story.

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Priya Sampathkumar unpacks the truth about tetanus—how it spreads, the signs of infection, and why staying up to date on your vaccines is crucial.

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We've got a special episode for you today from our friends at Tomorrow's Cure! Tomorrow's Cure is a Mayo Clinic podcast that is bringing the future of healthcare to the present.

The stethoscope, one of the most iconic symbols of medicine, was invented over 200 years ago. Today, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing this essential tool, empowering doctors to detect cardiac disease at its earliest stages with gr...

Ozempic. Wegovy. Mounjaro. Zepbound. You’ve probably heard the name of one of these drugs in the past few years—maybe you’ve even thought about taking them. Every day, more Americans are taking these drugs known as GLP-1s, either for chronic conditions like diabetes or, increasingly, for weight loss. So do these drugs deliver on the promise of easy weight loss? And are they right for everyone? This episode, we talk with Mayo Clinic...

Life after a breast cancer diagnosis is rarely the same as it was before. Breast cancer changes your relationship with your body. It changes your relationship with the people around you. It changes life’s daily rhythms. But that doesn’t mean life can’t be richer, more meaningful and perhaps even healthier. Living with breast cancer is about more than just surviving. It’s about thriving and continuing to find purpose and joy.

On this...

Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than a fourth of pregnancy-related deaths in the U.S. The good news is that doctors believe the vast majority of those are entirely avoidable.

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Niti Aggarwal shares how heart issues during pregnancy aren't just a temporary condition for nine months -- instead, they're actually a predictor of heart health for the rest of your life.

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If you're struggling with infertility, what are your options for available treatment? 

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Zaraq Khan returns to share the details on IUI, IVF, ICSI, third party reproduction, and more. He'll also break down the myth of cyropreservation, and explain newer experimental technologies -- from ovary and uterine transplants to the use of mouse models for harvesting and developing ovarian tissue. 

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One out of eight couples in the United States experience difficulty getting pregnant. A large and often unspoken contributor to that statistic? Male factor infertility.

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Zaraq Khan breaks down all the necessary components to create a pregnancy, and shares his thoughts on how infertility -- generally a couple's issue -- has become a woman's social burden to carry.

Sleep: it's complicated. Our sleep quality is at the root of countless health issues. So, how do we change our habits?

On this episode of Health Matters, we're speaking with Dr. Timothy Morgenthaler, a sleep medicine specialist and the director of Mayo Clinic’s Center for Sleep Medicine, about how to sleep better. Dr. Morgenthaler shares tips about maintaining a consistent sleep schedule and optimizing th...

Heartburn, acid reflux, GERD—what’s the real difference? In this episode of Health Matters, gastroenterologist Dr. Dawn Francis breaks it down, explaining why an estimated 1 in 5 Americans experience frequent reflux symptoms. We dive into how diet factors into your gastro health, the mechanics of the digestive system, and the lifestyle changes you can make to get alleviate your reflux symptoms.

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1 in 5 people use herbs and other dietary supplements to improve their health and well being. But with all the conflicting information out there, it can be hard to tell: Are supplements good for you, or not?

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Brent Bauer talks about the possible benefits and pitfalls of taking supplements, and how to go about choosing the best products for you.

Buy Dr. Bauer's new book, Mayo Clinic Guide to H...

Constantly tuning into the news can feel stressful, and sometimes... inescapable. Even when you turn off your TV, you'll still find out what's going on - online, through friends, or through social media. So how can we find ways to be calm when it feels like we're constantly being bombarded?

On this episode of Health Matters, clinical psychologist Adam S. Anderson talks about how our bodies are wired to seek information,...

Awkward. Taboo. The stuff of juvenile comedy. That's how many people would describe hemorrhoids, if they even talk about them at all. And if the emotional discomfort isn't enough, they're also pretty physically uncomfortable.

But for something we don't talk about, a LOT of us experience them. One in two people will experience a hemorrhoid by the time they reach 50.

On this episode of Health Matters, gastroenterologist...

Pets are close to our hearts — and they’re good for our hearts. Having a pet is linked to a whole host of cardiovascular benefits, from reduced blood pressure to increased physical activity. So snuggle up with your pup, and let’s learn how caring for our animals helps us care for ourselves, too.

On this episode of Health Matters, cardiologist Dr. Francisco Lopez-Jimenez talks with us about the connection between cardiovascular heal...

Space: the final medical frontier. This is the interview with Dr. Jan Stepanek. His continuing mission: to explore strange new medicine; to seek out new treatment and new conditions; to boldly treat where no doctor has treated before.

Or in other words, on this episode of Health Matters, we talk with aerospace medicine specialist Dr. Jan Stepanek about what medicine looks like in outer space. Buckle up, strap yourself in, and let...

Nothing says summer like fun in the sun. But that can also give us cancer! In fact, skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the U.S. — one in every five Americans will develop it. So how do we enjoy the sun, soak up its benefits, and stay safe?

On this episode of Health Matters, we talk with dermatologist Dr. Naiara Sbroggio Barbosa about Vitamin D, choosing the right sunscreen, and how and when to soak up those summer ray...

Sweating. Freezing. Sweating. Freezing. That's the “nordic cycle,” or alternating between a sauna and cold water. More spas are offering both hot and cold therapies as part of their services, and at-home sauna tents and ice baths are becoming more and more popular. But how beneficial are these methods of extreme temperature exposure for your health? And are they always safe?

On this episode of Health Matters, we talk with sports...

In 2023, both a toddler in Arkansas and a swimmer in Texas died from the infection of a brain-eating amoeba, Naegleria fowleri, likely contracted from local water sources. ""Brain-eating amoebas"" is a scary headline that sounds like something out of the Twilight Zone, but just how worried should we be? And how serious are the ramifications of infection? (Spoiler: They're pretty darn serious.) 

On this episode of...