Gambling is no longer limited to Vegas casinos—today, it is as easy as a few taps on a mobile device. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Rachel Volberg, PhD, discuss the rise in problem gambling and why it is a public health issue.

In the Q&A, Bristow has an update on the number of measles cases in the U.S., if there is a link between brain damage and COVID-19, and whether or not a tech millionaire’s quest to live forever is realistic.

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Symbolically and scientifically, snakes have long played a significant role in medicine. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Steve Mackessy, PhD, dig into the history of snakes in health care and recent breakthroughs in venom research.

And, Bristow addresses listener questions covering fire extinguisher disposal, meningitis risk in youths, and thimerosal in the Q&A.

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ALA is back once again! The Health Wanted team takes a dive into the listener mailbag for a Special Summer Edition of Ask Laurel Anything. Included are questions on summer faves, Sew Sew, and - of course - the lightning round.

We'll be back next week to break down more science, in the pursuit of better health.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630.

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted. To support Health Wanted and other public media programing, visit wabe.org/give

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s time for summer fun! But before you head to your Fourth of July barbecue, make sure you know how to keep yourself safe and healthy. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest George McKeehan go over helpful safety tips for Fourth of July activities like swimming, spending time outside, and enjoying firework displays.

And in the Q&A Bristow tackles listener questions about PFAS in dental floss, the dangers of alcohol, and if the full moon encourages parasitic activity. Plus, in the Sick of the Week, a new study from UGA finds that shrimp are spreading resistance to a last-line antibiotic.

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The U.S. has the highest population of incarcerated people in the world, but quality health care is severely limited in correctional facilities. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guests Mark Spencer, MD, and Wanda Bertram discuss the current state of health services for incarcerated people in the U.S., the decline in care due to cost-cutting measures, and how improving these services could benefit public health.

Bristow then covers an array of topics in the Q&A, including ketamine, the impacts of creatine on Alzheimer's, bagged salad and food recalls, the HPV vaccine, and a reported presence of pesticides in tampons sets up "Sick of the Week."

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow celebrates her birthday by sharing her origin story, from a wide eyed youth to a voice of public health. Learn about Laurel‘s background and the moments that led to her interest, and then commitment, to research and science. Special guest Pamela, Laurel‘s mother, talks about early signs that her daughter would go on to become the science communicator she is today.

The Q&A kicks off with "What The Health?!" to look at the Secretary of the HHS's recent decision to fire the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), recommendations on making the country healthy, the HHS cancellation of a contract with Moderna, a link between Covid and cancer, methylene blue, cures for cancers, the danger of working in a hair salon, and cholesterol management shows up for "Sick of the Week."

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Homelessness has been rising in the U.S., and when people end up on the street, their health is at risk. This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Kelly Doran, MD, MHS, talk about housing as health care and the policies that can help lift people out of poverty.

In the Q&A, Bristow addresses timely questions on prescription drug costs, Covid vaccine availability, and Hydroxyapatite before a look at the drop in overdose-related deaths for the Sick of the Week.

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Summer glides in, the temptation to grab and enjoy a refreshing beverage is ever-present. But what's the science behind the claimed "benefits" of energy drinks and other wellness elixirs? This week on Health Wanted, host Laurel Bristow and guest Dr. Amelia Lake discuss the research around the beverages designed to make us think they'll make us feel better.

In the Q&A, Bristow covers topics including the safety of swimming in Rock Creek, animal testing requirements, and FDA regulations for salmonella in chicken. The link between Parkinson's disease and golf courses comes in for the Sick of the Week.

For a full rundown on all the information shared in today's episode, take a look at the Show Notes.

Have a question for Laurel? Send it to healthwanted@wabe.org or leave a voicemail at 404-888-3630!

For more, visit wabe.org/healthwanted

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.