On Health

Feeling the first tickle of a sore throat? Or maybe you’re dealing with a full-blown cold or flu? In this episode, I’m sharing my top natural remedies to help you get through cold and flu season. From immune-boosting herbs to soothing teas, these are the must-haves I trust to keep my family healthy.

I’ll walk you through how to use each one, with practical tips on safety, including what’s safe for kids, pregnancy, and breastfeeding....

Many of us are aware of the ethical minefield of fast fashion—from the labor issues to the environmental damage. But did you know that the clothes in your closet could be making you sick? In this episode, I’m joined by award-winning investigative journalist Alden Wicker, author of To Die For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick and How We Can Fight Back. Alden’s deep dive into the world of fashion goes beyond the well-known stories...

I remember when I first started practicing as a midwife—way back in the '80s—there was barely a whisper about how nutrition could impact pregnancy. I taught my first prenatal nutrition class in 1990, and the hunger for information was almost palpable. It’s amazing to me that, fast forward to today, we’re still facing a gap in understanding just how much food and lifestyle choices affect both mom and baby. But here’s the thing—there...

Of all the stages in life, most women tell me they’d least want to revisit—it's puberty. If you're reading this, you survived it too. And while you likely have some fond memories, you also remember the awkward body changes, the anxiety of getting your mom to buy pads or tampons to avoid the dreaded checkout counter, the stress around your emerging—or non-emerging—breasts, acne, and the confusing wave of new feelings that came with ...

Despite advancements in medical technology and a growing awareness of maternal health, the emotional and psychological experiences of birthing mothers in the US often go unnoticed. In this eye-opening episode, Aviva Romm, an experienced midwife and MD, delves into a topic that is often overlooked and misunderstood—birth trauma. Aviva shares her personal birth story, other birth stories, and draws from decades of experience to explo...

If you find yourself feeling chronically overwhelmed, with a to-do list you can’t ever get to the bottom of, and a nagging feeling that you’re never quite doing enough, this episode is for you. Joining me is Jenny Odell, the acclaimed author of zthe books How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy and Saving Time: Discovering a Life Beyond Productivity Culture. An artist and educator based in Oakland, California, Jenny’s wo...

Welcome to the second half of our alcohol miniseries!

In part one, I focused on how alcohol metabolizes differently in women than men and how this increases women's alcohol-related health risks. I also talked about how alcohol can effect puberty, our hormones, and menstrual cycles.

If you haven’t already listened, it's a perfect prequel to today's episode, where I talk about how alcohol may impact fertility, PCOS, endometriosis, me...

Alcohol. It's the kind of frenemy that many women have a love-hate relationship with. It may make us feel good in the moment—relaxed, more social, less anxious—but many women find that after a drink or several, they’re moody, irritable, don’t sleep as well, and feel overall kind of not-so-great. Are there reasons for this that are unique to women? And can alcohol have hidden effects on our estrogen? Progesterone? Menstrual cycles? ...

I’m so excited to share an encore interview with the brilliant, hilarious, and incredibly insightful Emily Nagoski, author of Come As You Are, Come Together, and Burnout (co-written with her sister). Emily is a renowned sex educator who brings a blend of scientific rigor and relatable storytelling to the conversation about women's sexual health and pleasure. Get ready for a foxy (you’ll have to listen to he...

In this fresh and delightful episode I sit down with Olivia Amitrano,  herbalist, host of the popular What’s the Juice podcast and founder of Organic Olivia, a successful botanical medicines company. Olivia opens up about her transformative journey through herbalism, personal growth, and the essential practice of honest self-reflection on the relationships in our lives and our relationship to ourselves. 

We dive deep into ...

Trigger Warning: This episode contains sensitive topics related to pregnancy loss and fertility challenges. Listener discretion is advised.

In this deeply personal and powerful episode of "On Health," I sit down with Chelsea Leyland, a globetrotting DJ, mother, epilepsy and endometriosis activist, documentary filmmaker, and menstrual health entrepreneur. Chelsea shares her journey through endometriosis, pregnancy loss, and becoming ...

"I think one of the most important things about fistula is that it is completely preventable and treatable. So this is a solvable problem. We used to have this problem here in the US and now we don't." – Bonnie Ruder

Obstetric fistula affects around 2 million women globally, with 50,000 to 100,000 new cases each year. This devastating, yet entirely preventable condition profoundly impacts women's lives, causing chronic infections, i...

In recognition of Maternal Mental Health Month I am re-sharing this 2023 conversation with the founders of The Motherhood Center in NYC. With Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS) being the #1 complication associated with birth in the US and the #2 cause of maternal mortality, this remains a critical conversation.

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It’s not just you. You're not crazy. You're not a bad mom. You're not alone. These are words and ...

I've been wanting to share this episode with you for awhile, so I finally dusted off the archives and here it is. The sound quality is not as sharp as our more recent episodes - our production values have definitely improved - but I'm certain you'll find it timely and useful.

Despite increased attention on the dangers of burnout, recent surveys report that a majority of the population across many countries report feeling burned out...

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT): Should you use it for your perimenopause or menopause symptoms? Does it prevent dementia? Heart disease? Is it safe? Who should and who shou;dn’t take it? Join me for this powerful conversation with Dr. Sharon Malone, an OB-GYN with 30 years of clinical experience - and an advocate for menopause awareness, and I explore these questions. 

In this episode we unpack: 

• Rethinking aging and...

In this must-listen episode I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Lisa Mosconi, a leading neuroscientist and author of The Menopause Brain,  and my friend, back to On Health to demystify the profound impact of menopause on the female brain. Dr. Mosconi offers invaluable insights into how menopause is more than a hormonal shift - it's a significant neuroendocrine change, and a potentially very important and powerful time in our live...

The teen years are a trope and a meme in our culture. We’re inevitably warned the minute we have a baby and admire her cute little face at a family gathering, in a restaurant, waiting in the checkout at the grocery: Just wait until she’s - or he’s -  a teen. And it’s no wonder - the teen years - which we all remember too - are fraught with big changes: big hormonal shifts, changes in our neurobiology, changes in how we see our...

Welcome to On Health where today I talk about understanding stress during pregnancy, bust myths, and share real tips to take care of yourself before and when the stress hits the fan.

In this episode I explore: 

• The impact of how we talk about stress in pregnancy and its effects on moms-to-be on
• Why it's important to understand stress during pregnancy
• The pressure to always feel happy when you're pregnant and the guilt unrealis...

Jillian Turecki, my guest for this On Health episode, is a beacon of light and a font of love and wisdom. A certified relationship coach, teacher, and writer with over 20 years of experience, she's fueled by an insatiable curiosity about what makes a relationship thrive, and she's helped thousands through her teaching and writing revolutionize their relationship with themselves so they can transform their relationships with others.

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