On Health with Houston Methodist
Episodes
Digestive Health: Food Has Evolved — Our Gut Hasn’t
21 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Modern food looks nothing like it did a generation ago, let alone thousands of years ago. What does this mean for your body? In this episode, we explo...
Workout Nutrition: What Works & What Doesn’t
14 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Should you eat before a workout? What about after? And do you really need electrolyte drinks, protein shakes or preworkout supplements to see results?...
Rec Leagues: The Case for Playing Sports as an Adult
07 Apr 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Recreational team sports aren’t just for kids. In fact, 50% of young adults say they either play in a rec sports league or are interested in joining...
Social Connection: How Your Social Life Benefits Your Health
31 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Monitoring our macros, steps or sleep (maybe with a wearable?) might come to mind if one wants to optimize their well-being. But there’s another fac...
Pelvic Floor: What “Strong” Really Means
24 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
You’ve likely heard of the pelvic floor, but what do you really know about it? For instance, are you aware that having a weak pelvic floor isn’t t...
Cancer Screening: Can One Blood Test Really Detect 50+ Cancers?
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cancer screenings are an important part of staying healthy. Still, they might feel inconvenient — and sometimes even uncomfortable. So what about te...
Cortisol: Is the ‘Stress Hormone’ Stressing You Out?
10 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Cortisol has made headlines in the past couple of years. If your feed has you questioning whether cortisol is behind everything from “moon face” t...
Wearables: What They Can & Can’t Do
02 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
It's estimated that almost half of Americans now use wearable technology to monitor their health. Whether using a smartwatch, ring or fitness tra...
Protein: It’s Everywhere — How Much Is Too Much?
24 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
With protein being added to everything from chips to water these days, you may be questioning whether you’re getting enough of it. In this episode, ...
Stress & Anxiety: How to Tell the Difference & Tips for Coping
02 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stress and anxiety are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same — and understanding the difference matters. While stress actually can ...
Staying Active: What Counts as Exercise & How Much Is Enough?
18 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Fiber: Should You Be ‘Fibermaxxing’?
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Move over, protein: Fiber is the newest macronutrient darling of the food world. Content creators promoting optimal digestion suggest we maximize fibe...
Gut Microbiome Tests: What They Do (& Don't) Tell You
04 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Burnout: How to Spot It & What to Do About It
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Burnout has become one of the hallmarks of modern life. Nearly half of workers worldwide report the feeling, a percentage that’s been rising steadil...
Seed Oils: The Current Bad Guy in the Food World?
21 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 condition...
Weight Loss Misconceptions: Factors Beyond Diet & Exercise
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
Headphones: How to Use Them & Protect Your Hearing
07 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Wireless headphones and earbuds have become a part of everyday life: commuting, gym workouts, video calls, even sleep aids. But while they’ve made l...
Eating Healthy: What Does 'Everything in Moderation' Mean?
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
“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 o...
Painkillers: Navigating Your Over-the-Counter Options
15 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Head throbbing? Back aching? Arthritis flaring up? People in such plights ― and countless others ― almost universally respond the same way: pop a ...
Exercise: How to (Re)Start the Habit
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever Googled "How to start working out" and quickly abandoned the page, this episode is for you. Starting — or restarting —...
Food Poisoning: How You Get It & How to Avoid It
01 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Blue Light: What Is It & Should You Use Blocking Glasses?
24 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 ...
Body Cleanse: Do Detox Diets Really Work?
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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, bu...
Ice vs. Heat Therapy: When to Use Which
10 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 stif...
Plant-Forward Eating: Why You Don’t Have to Break Up with Meat
03 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 vega...
Coffee: Is the World’s No. 2 Beverage Healthy?
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 oth...
Muscle Soreness: What Causes It & How to Recover Faster
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Artificial Sweeteners & Blood Sugar: Zero Calories, Zero Impact?
13 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Artificial sweeteners are everywhere these days — soft drinks, iced coffees, yogurt, energy drinks, pre-workout powders, protein bars and the list r...
Ultra-Processed Foods: Are You Eating More Than You Think?
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 food...
Weight Loss: What to Do When You Hit a Plateau
04 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Losing weight is hard work, and hitting a plateau can feel frustrating, gut-wrenching and demotivating. You’re doing everything right — eating wel...
Better Sleep: Finding the Right Position for You
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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...
Cardiologists: What They Do & When to See One
18 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 (...
Back Pain: When to Rest & When to See a Doctor
11 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 l...
Immunity: Can You Boost It Naturally?
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
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 process...
Fitness: How Your Workouts Should Change as You Age
28 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Aging is something we all do if we’re lucky. As we add years in the rearview mirror, we can collect ailments over time, whether due to injuries or c...
Magnesium: Is Your Diet Providing Enough?
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
It’s the new star of the wellness show, a once humble mineral now touted as a natural antidote for insomnia, migraines, constipation, anxiety, heart...
Health Data: Numbers to Keep Your Eye On
14 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." Ever heard this old saying? It's true. But too often we take a reactive approach to ...
Mindful Drinking: Cutting Back with Mocktails & NA Drinks
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Americans are drinking far less alcohol than they have in the past, despite an uptick in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The shift in attitudes —...
Probiotics: What They Are & Who Needs Them
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no denying probiotics are big business — and it’s not just the dietary supplement industry, valued at $12 billion. Other sectors are get...
Prostate Cancer: Risk Factors, Symptoms, Screening — What Men Need to Know
17 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Prostate cancer has been referred to as both a silent killer and the silent man’s disease. Why? For one, many men don’t like talking or even think...
Home Remedies: Which Work, Which Don’t?
10 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all come across home remedies at some point in our lives. Whether it was our parents offering ginger ale for an upset stomach or a friend sugg...
Weightlifting: The Science-Backed Benefits of Getting Stronger
03 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Weightlifting has been around for ages, but it’s never been more popular than now, thanks in part to new research on its health benefits. The classi...
Sinus Infection vs. Allergies: How to Tell the Difference
27 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sinus problems are the bane of many people's existence, all that congestion and discharge, difficulty breathing, post-nasal drip, coughing, press...
Heart Disease: Can You Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke?
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A diagnosis of coronary artery disease, or CAD, should be taken seriously. But what does this mean exactly? CAD is the most common type of heart disea...
BMI: When It’s Helpful & When It’s Not
13 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Body mass index, or BMI, has long been used to gauge whether a person's weight falls in a healthy range, but people are rightly wondering whether...
Mammograms: What to Know Before Your First (or Twentieth!)
06 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Milestone birthdays come with new rights and responsibilities. At 18, we can vote; at 21, we can drink; and at 40, women can get their first mammogram...
Mediterranean Diet: It’s More Than a Diet, It’s a Lifestyle
30 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If you're over "diet" trends, we don't blame you. But the Mediterranean Diet isn't your usual diet. For starters, the U.S. Ne...
Neurologists: What They Do & When to See One
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Neurological disorders are the world’s leading cause of ill health and disability, but people are often slow to recognize the relevant symptoms. Mor...
Menopause: The Other Side of Puberty
30 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The Change." "Ovarian Retirement." "Private Summer." "Reverse Puberty." "Second Spring." There are ...
Skin-Care Trends: Age The Way You Want To
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no shortage of advice on the internet about how you should approach skin care. Whether it’s celebrity GRWM (Get Ready With Me) videos, inf...
Blood Sugar: What’s Normal, What’s High & How to Control It
09 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Think you don't need to worry about your blood sugar? It's time to reconsider. A shocking 1 in 3 adults over age 20 have prediabetes, an ear...
Heart Healthy Diet: How to Make It Taste Better
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
If the phrase "heart-healthy diet" makes you think of poached chicken and steamed vegetables without salt or seasoning, you're not alon...
Digestive Problems: What to Do If Your Gut Is Giving You Grief
26 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Apologies for the bathroom talk, but we need to discuss a growing (and concerning) digestive trend. A recent study reported that almost half of all Am...
Colorectal Cancer: Why Are People Under 45 Getting Diagnosed?
19 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
You may think of colorectal cancer as an older person’s disease, but over the last 30 years rates in people younger than age 50 have increased by 50...
Metabolism: Why It Goes Haywire, What’s in Your Control
12 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It’s been called the most common and serious condition you’ve never heard of. Metabolic syndrome, which afflicts an estimated 1 in 3 U.S. adults, ...
Milk: Which Kind Is the Best Fit for You?
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The phrase “Got milk?” has taken on new meaning in recent years. Cow’s milk hasn’t gone anywhere of course, but the options have expanded to a...
Welcome to On Health with Houston Methodist
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are supplements helpful, harmful or just a waste of money? Is avocado toast the healthiest choice at brunch? Can you lower your blood pressure without...
Weight Loss Medications: Do They Work? Are They Safe? Who Are They For?
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s no secret that America is facing an obesity crisis. But is there hope on the horizon? The new wave of weight-loss medications — Wegovy and Ze...
Cholesterol: It’s Not About the Amount in Your Food
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Statistics show nearly 2 in 5 U.S. adults have high cholesterol, the excess of fat in the blood that can raise the risk of heart disease. For decades,...
Walking: Steps, Speed, Mileage — What Matters Most?
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Running may get all the hype, but walking is Americans’ favorite form of exercise, according to numerous surveys. It’s low-impact, free and easy t...
Food Labels: What They Tell Us
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There’s a lot to consider when deciding what’s for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Food choices often come down to personal and cultural tastes, our ...
Joint Pain: What to Do When Things Are Starting to Hurt
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Achy knees that creep up on you with age. Lower back pain from overdoing it in the gym. Joint pain doesn’t just disrupt your day to day, it can be t...
Fear: The Science of Why We Love (and Hate) Horror
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s Halloween, which caps a month of people watching their favorite scary movies, braving haunted houses and generally celebrating all things spook...
Mom Brain: Yes, It’s Real — Here Are Tips for Improving It
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
An estimated 80% of moms experience “mom brain,” the forgetfulness and concentration difficulties that come with pregnancy and motherhood. Ask a m...
Migraine vs. Headache: Why the Difference Matters
17 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's a reason headache is considered slang for "nuisance" or "annoyance." Simply put, they can wreak havoc on your day —...
Blood Pressure: How to Lower It Naturally
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Almost half of adults have high blood pressure — the “silent killer” — so you’re not alone if you’re concerned yours isn’t in a healthy ...
Inflammation: The Hidden Culprit Behind Chronic Disease?
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most everyone knows acute inflammation, that short-lived redness and swelling that characterizes the healing process in response to injury or infectio...
Season 4 Preview
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Zach Moore, Katie McCallum, Todd Ackerman and Kim Rivera Huston-Weber kick off the new season of On Health with Houston Methodist. Each week, we...
ACL Tears: As the Women’s World Cup Begins, What’s With All the Injuries?
18 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Christen Press, Catarina Macario, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Janine Beckie — some of the biggest names in soccer will be missing ...
Sweat: What Is It Good For?
11 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Heat, exercise, anxiety. There are a few things that make people sweat — more than we likely want, given how uncomfortable and embarrassing sweat ca...
Processed Meat: Should You Put That Hot Dog Down?
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hot dogs are a classic summer cuisine. In fact, Americans will eat 150 million of them on the Fourth of July alone. But hot dogs, as well as other typ...
Exercise: Can Music Improve Your Performance?
27 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all have go-to workout songs — ones you can always count on to help you get the darn thing done, no matter how unmotivated you are to exercise or...
Dementia: Can It Be Prevented?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dementia is older Americans' most feared diagnosis, according to surveys. This is understandable given that, by 2050, such diseases are projected...
Ice Cream: Are the “Healthier” Options Really Healthy?
13 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ice cream is one of America's favorite desserts, but all those calories and sugars and fats have lots of people considering alternatives — keto...
Weather: Can It Affect Your Mood?
06 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rainy day doldrums, sunny dispositions, winter blues — plenty of phrases suggest a link between weather and a person's mood. But how real is th...
Intermittent Fasting: The Benefits Beyond Weight Loss
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Few diets have generated as much buzz as intermittent fasting, a way of eating that involves abstaining from food consumption on a regular schedule. T...
Sleep Apnea: Snoring Isn’t the Only Symptom
23 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do you know if you have sleep apnea? It’s common, with estimates suggesting that more than 20% of adults suffer from this sleep-related breathin...
Bread Aisle: What Grains Can You Trust?
16 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Is it just us or has the bread aisle gotten complicated? Really complicated? White bread, multigrain, honey wheat, whole wheat — to name only a few....
Night Owl vs. Early Bird: Is One Better Than the Other?
09 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that the first crack of dawn is the prime time for some folks, an ungodly hour for others. But what do we really know about early birds an...
Season 3 Preview
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Zach Moore, Katie McCallum and Todd Ackerman kick off the third season of On Health with Houston Methodist, sharing what listeners can expect ea...
Seasonal Allergies: Why Do We Get Them? Can We Prevent Them?
07 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you're among the estimated 25 million Americans suffering from seasonal allergies, spring may not be your favorite time of year. It marks the ...
Diet Soda: Can You Really Indulge Guilt-Free?
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most people switch to diet soda as a way to appease their sweet tooth without losing control of their waistline. But some pretty serious accusations h...
Footwear: How to Avoid Common Shoe Mistakes
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You probably don't think about your health when you buy shoes, but they support one of the body's most complex structures — your feet, the...
Heartbreak: Can You Die of a Broken Heart?
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Few of us are strangers to having our hearts broken. Whether the cause is a breakup, crushed dream or death of a loved one, a broken heart inflicts a ...
Pets: The Surprising Ways They Benefit Our Health
07 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We let them into our hearts, our homes, even our bedrooms. Yes, we adore our pets, a love affair that goes back tens of thousands of years, even if it...
Smartphones: Should You Be Worried About Your Screen Time?
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The average smartphone user unlocks their phone about 150 times a day. Staying in touch, taking photos, getting directions, watching videos, reading t...
Heartburn: Inevitable or Preventable?
24 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Heartburn is one of the most common digestive disorders in the world. But is that post-eating burning sensation in the middle of your chest just an an...
Fitness Trackers: Which Metrics Matter Most?
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fitness trackers collect an impressive amount of data these days. But with endless metrics to sift through, it’s not always clear whether you’re m...
Air Fryers: A Healthier Way to Cook?
10 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re on the fence about getting an air fryer or have one but aren’t quite sure how best to use it, you might have some questions about t...
Habits: Why Are New Year’s Resolutions So Hard to Keep?
03 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Forming good habits is tough. Breaking bad ones can be even harder. But why? There’s perhaps no better time to explore this question than at the sta...
Season 2 Preview
27 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hosts Zach Moore, Katie McCallum and Todd Ackerman kick off the second season of On Health with Houston Methodist, sharing what listeners can expect e...
Healthy Aging: Are There Secrets to It?
22 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We're all aging, so it's never too soon to think about how to enter your golden years as healthy as possible. In today's episode, self-...
Blood Pressure: What’s Normal? What’s High? Can You Lower It?
15 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure, or hypertension. What's more, only about 1 in 4 of those have the condition under control. W...
Vitamin D Deficiency: A Silent Epidemic?
08 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may assume you’re getting enough vitamin D, but some 42% of American adults are deficient in the nutrient, according to the National Institutes ...
Germs: Are Germaphobes Right to Be So Worried?
01 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Germs are everywhere. Not all are bad, of course, but you may be wondering what it takes to protect yourself from the ones that can make you sick. Sho...
Hydration: Do You Need More Than Just Water?
25 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Hydration powders and products are flooding the wellness space these days — promising to maximize water uptake and prevent dehydration. The concept ...
Supplements: Helpful? Harmful? A Waste of Money?
18 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Most American adults take some sort of nutritional supplements, according to recent surveys, often without looping in their doctor. But since the FDA ...
Flu Season: Will It Be Bad?
11 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After two fairly quiet flu seasons (an unexpected blip of good news amid the COVID-19 pandemic), you may have been lulled into complacency about the i...
Ear Health: Should Cotton Swabs Go in Your Ears?
04 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us have a habit of sticking cotton swabs into our ears each day. We do it under the guise of personal hygiene, but do our ears even need to be...
Brunch: Is Avocado Toast Really a Healthy Choice?
27 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, healthy eating and brunch may not seem like they go together. But how about if you order avocado toast? It seems like a healthy choice, especial...