The Armen Show

Category: Interviews

  • 293: Richard Coss | Behavioral Ecology, Predator Recognition, And Perceptual System Development

    Welcome to episode 293 of the show, with Professor Richard Coss of the University of California, Davis. From his educational transitions to life transitions, he has covered a variety of disciplines, and looks at key elements of animal behavior and predator activity.

    Of his biography, “Dr. Coss is an emeritus professor of psychology at the University of California, Davis, and a faculty member of UC Davis’ Graduate Group in Animal Behavior and Graduate Group in Ecology. Dr. Coss serves as a member of a number of professional organizations, including the Animal Behavior Society, the International Society for Ecological Psychology, and the International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology. Dr. Coss also served on the Editorial Advisory Board for Behavioral and Neural Biology.”

    From his description, “Dr. Coss has two primary research interests, both of which emphasize evolutionary constraints on perceptual and cognitive processes in humans and other species. The first research area examines issues in the behavioral ecology of small mammals. His research typically examines population differences, predator-prey relations, habitat perception, and social communication. Behavioral development in field and laboratory conditions is a consistent theme throughout his experimental studies; Pthis developmental theme is sometimes complemented with neuro-biological measures. The second program of study concentrates on the development of aesthetic preferences and how these preferences are constrained by human evolutionary history. Research on this topic emphasizes visual perception and creativity and often includes cross-cultural comparisons.”

    You can check out Professor Coss’ material on his faculty page.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 292: John Harte | Ecology, Climate Change, Biodiversity, And Complex Systems At The Harte Lab

    Hello to all of you, and welcome to episode 292 of the show, with Professor John Harte of The Harte Lab at UC Berkeley. Focusing on biodiversity, climate change, complex systems, ecology, and policy analysis, Professor Harte and his lab members tackle a range of issues.

    Professor Harte is an ecologist and Professor of the Graduate School in the Energy and Resources Group at the University of California at Berkeley. “Harte received his B.A. from Harvard University in 1961 and his Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Wisconsin in 1965. He was an Assistant Professor of Physics at Yale University from 1968-1973. During his time at Yale, he transitioned into the study of theoretical ecology, and joined the UC Berkeley faculty as an ecologist in the Energy and Resources Group in 1973.”

    “His work spans a range of scales, from plot to landscape to global, and utilizes field manipulation experiments, the study of patterns in nature, and mathematical modeling. Two specific goals are to understand the nature and causes of patterns in the distribution and abundance of species and to understand the extent to which ecosystem responses to climate change may result in feedbacks to climate that can either ameliorate or exacerbate global warming. An overarching goal of his research is to understand the interdependence of human well-being and the health of ecosystems.”

    You can check out Professor Harte’s faculty page, as well as The Harte Lab website.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 291: Brennan Spiegel | The Coming Age Of Virtual Therapeutics In “VRx”

    Where will virtual therapeutics take healthcare in upcoming years? Dr. Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, gastroenterologist at Cedars-Sinai, writes about this in his book VRx: How Virtual Therapeutics Will Revolutionize Medicine. Directing the Center for Outcomes Research and Education at Cedars, he guides investigation of the application of digital health technologies, which include wearable biosensors, smartphone applications, virtual reality and social media.

    Dr. Spiegel is editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Gastroenterology, the leading clinical gastroenterology journal in North America. He has also published “numerous best-selling medical textbooks, editorials and more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed journals. He is listed in the Onalytica ‘Top 100 Influencer’ lists for digital health (No. 13) and virtual reality (No. 14). His digital health research has been featured by major media outlets, including NBC News, PBS, Forbes, Bloomberg, NPR and Reuters.”

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 289: Daniel T. Blumstein | Examining Animal Behavior To Understand More About “The Nature Of Fear”

    Fear is a driving force for much of the population, and Dr. Daniel T. Blumstein speaks about fear in his book The Nature of Fear: Survival Lessons from the Wild, released by Harvard University Press. Looking at marmots, snakes, and a variety of animals, in regards to their fear responses and biochemical adjustments, allows us to understand and manage our own fears.

    Professor Blumstein runs the Blumstein lab at UCLA in the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology College. Project topics at the lab include evolution of social behavior and communication, antipredator vigilance, climate change and population biology, conservation behavior, biological impacts of tourism, and many more.

    From Wikipedia, Professor Blumstein is also “… a professor for the Institute of the Environment and Sustainability [at UCLA]. He has authored or co-authored over 300 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals. Furthermore, he authored the book The Failure of Environmental Education (and How We Can Fix It) with Charles Saylan, which was featured in the 2011 “Summer Reading: 7 Education Books to Take to the Beach” in Time Magazine. Because of his work in conservation and education, he was invited to join the panel at the first ever United States White House conference on environmental education.

    Blumstein earned a PhD in animal behavior in 1994 and a MS in animal behavior in 1990, both from the University of California, Davis. He earned a BA in environmental, population, and organismic biology as well as environmental conservation from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1986.”

    We spoke about marmot research, fear response, nonlinearities in sound, projects his lab is working on, sections from the book, how fear response is looked at, and more.

    Past guests mentioned in this episode, and the topic with which they were brought up:

    Professor Peter T. Coleman – Polarization

    Dr. Geoffrey West – Scaling Laws

    Dr. Azra Raza – Socialization During Dinner Gatherings

    You can check out The Nature of Fear on Amazon.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 286: Robert Bilott | The Environmental Attorney Battling Dupont In “Exposure” and “Dark Waters”

    We are joined on episode 286 of the show by guest Robert Bilott. He is an environmental attorney at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP. He is the author of Exposure: Poisoned Water, Corporate Greed, and One Lawyer’s Twenty-Year Battle against DuPont, which was then turned into the 2019 film Dark Waters.

    From his bio, Robert is “A seasoned and internationally-recognized litigator, advocate, and author, Rob represents a diverse range of clients on a wide variety of matters involving federal, state, and local environmental laws. For more than 29 years, he has handled environmental issues of regulatory compliance, permitting, and corporate/real estate transactions, as well as all aspects of litigation arising from such issues, from administrative hearings to multi-party, complex multi-district litigation, mass torts, and class actions.”

    Show notes:

    • Robert’s background becoming an environmental attorney and progressing in the field
    • Dark Waters and its representation of Robert’s extended battle with Dupont regarding PFOAs and related chemicals
    • the difference in impact of his book and the film
    • the details of the case against Dupont
    • some personality traits that match with being an environmental attorney
    • and much more

    You can check out Exposure on Amazon, or Dark Waters on IMDb.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 285: Robby Gordon | Post-Modern Artist Behind The Hollywood Gallery And Sculpture Garden

    Glad to have you all on here for episode 285 – this one is a treat because it includes visuals of the paintings, sculptures, clothing, and crystals created and procured by Dr. Robby Gordon, who has created the Hollywood Gallery and Sculpture Garden. These entities are packed with artistic works of his own, along with those of many others who he knows of.

    Dr. Robby Gordon studied art at the University of California Irvine, Irvine Valley College, and Golden West. He also studied at the University of Bologna and UCLA. He spent his first 21 years in Israel, subsequently moving to Europe, where he studied and became increasingly involved in the art world.

    The Hollywood Sculpture Garden as seen at night

    Show notes:

    • Robby’s background as an artist, and some of the various works he has created
    • how long it took him to set up his gallery in the form that it is, and how he has kept at it daily
    • some of the countries he has been to, and the culture and artistic sense acquired from those regions
    • the things he looked for in the residence he would later use to host the gallery, and how it is necessary to pin down what is important to you in life
    • keeping things varied in terms of types of artistic works made, and how Robby has created in so many styles, such that he takes on a category until he feels like it is on to the next one
    • the many crystals and rocks that he showcases in his facility
    • a video walk-through of his gallery, narrated by Robby and recorded by myself

    Having Robby on the show, and recording the episode in person, was a nice change of pace for the content. You can check out the Hollywood Gallery and Sculpture Garden website.

    • Award speech
    • At a function
    • Work being done
    • Walls being removed
    • The original hillside
    • Early work on the hill

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 284: Jeffrey Rediger | Spontaneous Healing Through Natural Well-Being In “Cured”

    Welcome to episode 284 of the show, with Dr. Jeffrey Rediger, MD, MDiv, faculty member at Harvard Medical School, Medical Director of McLean SE Adult Psychiatry Community Affairs at McLean Hospital, and Chief of Behavioral Medicine at Good Samaritan Medical Center.

    Dr. Rediger is author of Cured: The Life-Changing Science of Spontaneous Healing, and covers ways that people have been cured or healed without the need for regular types of treatment. Taking into account well-being and a person’s specific needs is something hospitals are doing more and more.

    Show notes:

    • what a medical director does at a hospital, and what Dr. Rediger has been part of for nearly two decades
    • some of the medical issues that his psychiatric hospital is skilled at dealing with
    • concepts in Cured, including how healing can take place outside of typical treatment
    • the way that well-being comes into play, and how placebos can showcase the ability of the body to heal itself
    • the importance of a diet that has specific elements kept out, which were not natural to humans for most of history
    • insights about mental health, and the effect of the term
    • a message to all who could use a guide for their mental well-being

    Glad to have Dr. Rediger on the show. You can check out his website and Cured on Amazon.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 280: Dan Cable | Unlocking Your Potential And Building Life Highlight Reels With “Exceptional”

    Welcome London Business School Professor Dan Cable to episode 280 of the show. He has come out with a new book titled Exceptional: Build Your Personal Highlight Reel and Unlock Your Potential. Building your highlights into a listing of strengths can give you motivation to use moving forward.

    He is Professor of Organizational Behavior and received his Masters and PhD in Labor and Industrial Relations at Cornell University. He gives us guidelines for how to envision our life, focus on what we bring to the table, and grow as a person. He has given a TEDx Talk on how to have a Best-Self Activation, and wrote a previous book in 2018 called Alive at Work.

    Show notes:

    • Professor Cable’s background, and how he got into the field he is currently in
    • focusing on what we do correctly or well in life
    • looking at what limits us, whether clearly or in a hidden form
    • what it means to create your personal highlight reel
    • imagining your own eulogy, and seeing what that says about your life
    • crafting a life that you want to live, instead of one that is offered to you without specificity to your taste
    • messages for life

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 279: Kat Fairaway | Actress And Producer Branching Out Through Depth And Collaboration

    Welcome actress and producer Kat Fairaway to episode 279 of the show. Depth is something that Kat represents, and depth is something that I find to be valuable. We can see moments as fleeting elements, or explore them further, such that time allows us to understand more.

    Kat is known for her work in productions such as Psycho Escort, Kidnapped by a Classmate and Letters from the Heart. Representing characters in filmography is the heart of Los Angeles, and Kat occupies this great county (as I do). We covered quite a bit about her background, thoughts, and had a bit of fun as well.

    Show notes:

    • Kat’s background, and representing parts of Europe
    • some of her work in movie/content roles she has been in, whether on Lifetime, Amazon, or elsewhere
    • being at peace through mindset or meditation
    • fun with accents, and some swell singing (I also rapped)
    • a Gary Vaynerchuk message about blocking out unsupportive voices
    • how one can choose their attitude in response to circumstances
    • how those who have suffered and not ran away are appealing
    • picking apart life through doubt, or a different way
    • and a message for all

    Social Links:

    IMDb | Instagram

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 278: Joseph Sarkissian | Biological Dentistry Through Holistic Care For Health And Aesthetics

    To look at something holistically is to look at it with a broad view, as compared with narrowing our perspective and leaving out the bigger picture when making decisions. Dr. Joseph Sarkissian handles the world of dentistry in such a way, treating patients with detail that takes their total health into account, and he joins on this episode of the show.

    Dr. Sarkissian runs his dental practice in Glendale, California. He studied microbiology at the University of Alabama, and received his dental degree at the University of Goettingen in West Germany. His practice of dentistry was originally on the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, and he later relocated to Los Angeles, where his own practice is now located. He is of the Armenian people, similar to myself, and represents well for the nation and its continuity of tradition and exploration of its roots.

    Show notes:

    • a bit about Dr. Sarkissian’s national and educational background, linking to how he got where he currently is
    • holistic or biological dentistry, and the tenets that are followed under that description of practice
    • impacting the youth, in terms of health and their aesthetic smiles
    • how dentistry has changed or improved in the past decade
    • whether mouth breathing or nasal breathing can be noticed by a dentist, and the impacts each type can have
    • how much tooth health is connected with overall health
    • the building of one’s own practice, and what it takes to maintain that
    • the importance of early dental care and adjustment, in prevention of problems decades down the line
    • how much regular dental care impacts the need for dental work
    • complex procedures that are performed, and how skill is built up for those

    It was good to have Dr. Sarkissian on the show. You can check out his dental practice website, YouTube page, or Instagram @sarkissiandds.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 277: Ricardo Lopes | Social Commentary With Host Of “The Dissenter” Podcast

    Ricardo Lopes, The Dissenter

    When it comes to interviewers, few are as currently prolific as Ricardo Lopes, host of “The Dissenter”. He is known for his social commentary, provoking thought, having strong opinions, and still being open-minded to new concepts. He hails from Portugal, and has been doing interviews for a few years now.

    On his show, Ricardo has spoken with some of the same scientists and researchers I have spoken with, along with many others, including Steven Pinker, Robert Sapolsky, and Noam Chomsky. A big focus of his is social science, and he has spoken with people based on their insights and research, sometimes solely from their research papers.

    Show notes:

    • how Ricardo starting doing interviews, and where he comes from
    • what The Dissenter podcast is about, and how it is important to keep open-minded about new information coming in
    • why Ricardo prefers social science and related fields
    • and more

    I was glad to have Ricardo on the show. You can check out The Dissenter on YouTube.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 274: Geoffrey West | Organisms, Cities, And Pandemic Effects United By Scaling Laws And Perspective

    What is the damage we’re not attending to, with regards to the pandemic? How does biological and social contagion spread based on population and contact networks? How do scaling laws inform us about efficiency and person/city/network growth and change over time? Last month, researcher and professor Dr. Geoffrey West, author of Scale: The Universal Laws of Growth, Innovation, Sustainability, and the Pace of Life in Organisms, Cities, Economies, and Companies, co-wrote an article on the topic of scale in relation to the pandemic with fellow Santa Fe Institute President and researcher Dr. David Krakauer.

    Dr. West is a theoretical physicist, who is distinguished and former President of the Santa Fe Institute, a scientific think-tank in Santa Fe, New Mexico, which is able to combine multiple fields of research in ways that were not previously looked at. He is a leading researcher on a scientific model for cities, and is known for the metabolic theory of ecology. His B.A. in Physics is from Cambridge University, and his Ph.D. is from Stanford University.

    I originally came across Dr. West’s work through his book Scale, which I summarized chapters of in some of the earliest episodes of this show, specifically 2, 9, and 11. It was informative to me to get a sense of how a population or network develops from early large paths to the smaller nodes at the end, and where there is efficiency in growth that is connected to non-linear scaling ratios. We spoke about the book, as well as a variety of topics.

    Show notes:

    • how Dr. West progressed from his background in the UK to where he is at the current moment
    • his experience as a researcher and past President at the Santa Fe Institute
    • progressive from theoretical physics and particles to looking at cities, companies, networks, and global sustainability
    • fostering collaborations between scientists of different fields, and non-linear thinking as connected with risk-taking
    • scaling rate as it relates with food requirement for different sizes of organisms
    • how all organisms are network systems that follow scaling laws
    • the way that one’s blood vessels share these laws with roads and freeways, trees and branches, and neuron paths in the brain
    • whether the scaling laws relate with determinism as related to biology, and how biology differs with physics in that regard
    • our similarities as viewed from a long-distance perspective
    • the way that one city is similar to other cities, at their respective stages of development, taking into account the specific environmental and cultural variables of the region
    • Dr. West’s relationship with Dr. Krakauer, and the article they co-wrote
    • looking at the pandemic as something to focus on, while not forgetting that it is one element of a bigger picture situation humanity is part of
    • how one item on the planet affects something else on the planet, especially in a heavily interconnected planet
    • exponential gains, and the lack of understanding that has been associated with the concept
    • counter-intuitive responses to problems, which require looking at problems with more depth than only repairing directly what is broken at first glance
    • the reception of science in the public domain, and how that is affecting responses to problems or new scenarios
    • how higher-level education has been very prolific in its ability to serve as a backbone for society to work from
    • the way that feel of age can alter based on our current moment
    • a message for people

    It was wonderful to have Dr. West on the show. You can check out Scale on Amazon, his recent co-written article, his Santa Fe Institute page, or his Wikipedia.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 273: Setting Time For Your Own Project, And Highly Valuing Your Self-Oriented Time

    Our time is our own to get things done, for our own form. On episode 273, it is about building your own thing, and not letting your important time slip, though the time not connected to your main projects is not as important.

    Show notes:

    • your self-oriented time
    • noting the value of moments versus the value of other moments
    • recognizing that there are some periods of time you can’t afford to let go to any type of waste
    • having, being, and doing
    • the concept of flow

    We continue on our way~.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 272: Journal Thoughts On Effort, Collaboration, Momentum, And Motivation

    Writing in a journal can be the way to some forms of understanding or expression. My recent writings in one contribute to the thoughts in this episode, which is #272 of the show.

    Show notes:

    • How to propel work forward
    • The way that collaboration can bring out elements that were dormant
    • Using the “why” behind what you do versus the “how” or “what”
    • Having a variety of mediums to post on
    • Moving things around and building kindling for your fire
    • Imagining how you want your story to go
    • Little things each day turning into a larger entity

    We keep it simple on this fast-paced episode, with insights coming forward in stream of consciousness form. Credit to Toby Emerson for the intro and outro music, and for supporting usage of his music from many years ago for such creative purposes.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 271: Cory J. Clark | Covering Free Will, Bias, And Punishment Through Moral And Political Psychology

    Welcome moral and political psychologist Dr. Cory J. Clark to episode 271 of the show~. She has done research in the categories of moral judgment, punishment, free will, political bias, and motivated cognition. Looking at how bias applies in daily discourse or decision-making helps to clear out poor decisions that would have to be corrected at some future instance.

    Dr. Clark got her Ph. D. from the University of California, Irvine, in Social and Personality Pyschology and Quantitative Methods, following a B.A. in psychology and philosophy. Some research papers she has contributed to include material on tribalism in different moments of societal condition, political differences in free will belief, and how bias pervades both sides of political landscapes.

    Show notes:

    • how Dr. Clark got into the category of social and personality psychology and quantitative methods at UCI
    • the way that serendipity and the flow of life can lead us to the next step
    • connection between punishment and belief of free will, and how that connection affects how people are viewed
    • how to study individuals seeking out information that supports their beliefs
    • the better-than-average effect of self-thought in the category of self-serving biases
    • people bringing out certain sides of personality on social networks, and the mob effect that can apply
    • the short-term internet response to long-term careers
    • free will as it applies to the fixed nature of a specific moment in time and the moment that follows it
    • humans evolving to a point of looking back upon their own thinking in hefty detail
    • punishment and the moral judgment associated with it as related to a recent death penalty action
    • the collective nature of people’s actions, as with the internet
    • a message about perspective to take into account when seeing two-sided issues, which are very common in public discourse

    I was glad to have Dr. Clark on the show. Feel free to check out her website, which has all her material well organized, including her research that is easily readable, and her content across other shows.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 270: Darya Pino Rose | Bringing Broader Perspective To Good Health Through Real Food And True Habits

    Welcome guest Dr. Darya Pino Rose to episode 270 of the show~. She has a neuroscience Ph. D. from UC San Francisco, wrote the book Foodist: Using Real Food and Real Science to Lose Weight Without Dieting, and has posted much content in relation to food and health on her website Summer Tomato.

    In 2019, Dr. Rose gave a TEDx Talk in Salem, Oregon about the concept of becoming healthy without focusing on the dieting aspect. Changing the focus of how you respond to something is a more nuanced detail than the steps along the way, and I would always agree to look more at the root of an item than the after-effects. Dr. Rose has seen the issue with the mindset involved with short-term dieting, and the focus on countering the negative, versus reaching towards the great benefits of local produce of greens and vibrant colors. We spoke about this topic, habits, aging, broad perspective, her children, and more.

    Show notes:

    • bringing a logical viewpoint to any decision-making in life, whether for health maintenance or weight loss
    • how the content we put out there can be messages to our past self
    • some of the simpler things people can do in relation to eating food and keeping health in good order
    • the way that food can taste delicious and still work in your favor
    • the farm-to-table movement that had picked up in the Bay Area, and exposition to a different way of taking food in
    • how habits are very different based on whether they are internally or externally motivated
    • the connection between habits, willpower, and motivation
    • how what is presented to us early on in life has such a large impact, and is internalized until we later look back at the time with questioning
    • anti-aging research on par with Dr. David Sinclair’s work
    • varying one’s focus, from macronutrients to micronutrients, and thinking bigger picture instead of seeking out one specific nutrient
    • looking at the origination of your foods, such that they are not heavily adulterated or removed of nutrient density
    • Darya’s two toddlers (cute~), the early times, and how personality and traits develop or show themselves early on
    • some thoughts on potential future content, and a message for all people about finding and going towards your own values

    It was great to have Dr. Rose on the show. She and her husband Kevin Rose are raising their two young children in Oregon. You can check out her website Summer Tomato, pick up her book Foodist on Amazon, or watch her TEDx Talk on becoming healthy without dieting. Long live intellectual discussion~.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 269: Geoffrey Cain | How Samsung Progressed Versus Apple In “Samsung Rising”

    When you think of a corporation, you think of its products and services, but in the case of Samsung, its history is connected to families, dynasties, and its tie to the economic prosperity of South Korea. In Samsung Rising: The Inside Story of the South Korean Giant That Set Out to Beat Apple and Conquer Tech, author Geoffrey Cain discusses the people involved and the path taken by the large entity known as Samsung.

    Geoffrey Cain serves as a skilled foreign correspondent, author, commentator, anthropologist and scholar of East and Central Asia. He was a former correspondent at The Economist, and is a regular commentator in The Wall Street Journal, Time, and The New Republic, and a frequent guest on CNN, MSNBC, BBC and Bloomberg. He is a term member of the Council on Foreign Relations.

    Show notes:

    • how Samsung is connected to the country of South Korea in more ways than being a corporation
    • the interest behind writing this book and getting into the company structure
    • what it was like interviewing a variety of people inside the company
    • some ways that Samsung had to compete with Apple, and continues to do so, while also cooperating in some capacity
    • the way that Samsung is different from a large company in the US
    • some of the features or releases that impacted the growth of Samsung
    • and more

    You can check out Geoffrey on his website, Twitter, or see Samsung Rising on Amazon.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 268: Maryam Baqir | Treating Covid-19 Patients At The Epicenter Of The Pandemic In New York

    There are a select few individuals who have gone through such a recent moment of intensity and pressure as Dr. Maryam Baqir, M.B.B.S., of Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. As Covid-19 cases quickly ramped up in the epicenter of the virus, doctors like her began to respond to an onslaught of cases that turned hospitals into treatment zones far more packed and adaptive than would be the case in calmer times.

    Dr. Baqir specializes in Internal Medicine, and received her medical/surgical degrees from Aga Khan University in Pakistan. She grew up in Karachi, though she was born in Tehran, Iran (similar to myself). We met in Manhattan, along with her companion Shan of episode 258. Our discussion in this episode involved much about her recent experience, life messages we both understand and take note of, and a deeper view of what an active response to life challenges looks like. Much was shared and expressed.

    Show notes:

    • how she got into this career path, and what it means to her at this time
    • what it is like to live in the area of Brooklyn, and how Dr. Baqir got there
    • the difference in culture between Pakistan and the US
    • what the response to coronavirus entailed on its initial run-through
    • how the hospital had to adjust in order to be able to treat all the new patients of one specific condition
    • processing what occurred, and what the main issues were in relation to the virus, as far as equipment/resources
    • the feel of the patients, and what it is/was like for them getting treatment from individuals behind masks and shields
    • empathy shared with patients and their families in a time of anguish
    • seeing trucks show up because of the out-flux of those who passed away
    • healthcare workers deciding whether or not to self-quarantine at their home
    • some of the impacts of in-hospital aerosolization of the virus
    • fighting for patients for an extensive period of time, and decisions a doctor has to make along the way
    • how procedure priorities were changed at the hospital, and how doctors were switched from their specialty to tackling the current epidemic
    • the influx of volunteers from around the country to Dr. Baqir’s hospital, among others, in order to meet the response requirements
    • connection/unity between healthcare workers on a shared mission
    • resilience and strength shown in various stories of the moment
    • how some of the responses to the pandemic were come up with on the spot, or served as an impromptu training
    • some of the improvements that have been arrived at through these few months of trials and understanding in relation to the virus
    • comparing symptoms of individuals in similar proximity, and noting differences
    • use or non-use of shame as a response to public hygiene/safety habits, such as the use of a mask
    • some of the growth felt by Dr. Baqir during these months
    • the value of human compassion, and the difference that makes in care
    • a range of emotions that you feel during an intense experience, and not holding back on showing/expressing them
    • the concept of not living while being alive, and accepting mortality
    • preparing for end-of-life care before it gets to an emergency situation
    • the passing of Maimonides Medical Center Chief of Medicine Dr. Stephan Kamholz due to Covid-19, and his career and impact
    • a closing message for all people

    It was wonderful to have Dr. Baqir on the show. We were able to cover her experience and related life messages in a free-flowing and spontaneous discussion full of detail. You can follow her on Twitter at @MaryamBaqir.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 267: James Nestor | The Art Of Breathing Your Way To Better Health In “Breath”

    We breathe our way through the day, with 25000 breaths taking place each time. How you breathe, and the ripple effects of that habit, effects much of your waking day. Author and journalist James Nestor takes us through this information in his book Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art.

    James has written for many publications, including Scientific American, the San Francisco Chronicle, The New York Times, The Atlantic, and many more. His previous book was titled Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us About Ourselves.

    Show notes:

    • some of the differences between mouth-breathing and nasal-breathing
    • how the way you breathe can impact your health and well-being
    • changes in physiology that can result from each type of breathing
    • the history of breathing from long ago
    • and more

    It was good to have James on the show. You can check out Breath on Amazon.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS

  • 266: Brian Dy | Vlogging Your Way And Finding Your Voice

    Physical therapist and content creator Brian Dy joins us again on episode 266 of the show. He previously took part on episode 223, and returns now with a collection of content on his YouTube channel.

    Being a content creator involves a lot of editing, researching, and more.

    Show notes:

    • finding your voice, and what that means
    • why collaboration with others is a good idea
    • thoughts on Brian and his content production plans

    Glad to have Brian on the show.

    Podcast: Play in new window | Download

    Subscribe: RSS