The Checkup with Doctor Mike

David Rush is an electrical engineer from MIT, but that's not what he's known for. Instead of his impressive scientific achievements, David is in pursuit of becoming the Guinness World Record holder for... holding the most Guinness World Records. He's pushed his body to extreme lengths in his journey to now hold over 160 world records with more coming all the time. I invited him on the show to share his story and detail exactly how he's managed to stay healthy despite the constant physical toll record-breaking has on his body.

• Follow Guinness World Record holder and world-class juggler  @RecordBreakerRush  here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@RecordBreakerRush TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@recordbreakerrush Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/recordbreakerrush/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/davidwrush?lang=en

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

Bea Amma went to a med spa a few years ago to receive a Vitamin B12 injection, and it nearly took her life. Since that fateful day, Bea has been battling a debilitating case of mycobacterium which has been eating her skin. It's forced Bea out of jobs and caused her to build up millions of dollars of medical debt. Today Bea is here to tell her story, but not just to garner sympathy, rather Bea is an advocate for systemic change, saying we must hold the currently unregulated med spa industry accountable for their spread of misinformation and dangerous, unproven health treatments that can ruin the lives of people they claim to treat.

Follow Bea:

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCf6G6HMFtsms0cmTsQg6KSw
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beatriz.amma/?hl=en
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beatriz.amma

00:00 Intro
01:25 How Vitamin B12 Shots Ruined Her Life
09:50 Brazilian Butt Lift
12:35 The Injection Responsible
18:07 The Hospital
29:35 Replacing Her Doctor
35:57 Posting On TikTok
40:30 Mycobacterium / Antibiotics
45:07 How Is This Legal? / The Cost
57:40 IV Drips / Recurring Infections
1:01:45 Her Scars / Dating
1:06:00 Faith / Happiness
1:14:52 Talking About It With Me
1:22:45 Botched and Treatments
1:25:00 Bad Advice She's Received
1:35:00 What Advice Would You Give Yourself?
1:40:43 My Opinion
1:44:42 Call To Action

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

Supervisory Special Agent Brenda Born leads the FBI's operation behind battling Online Blackmail, otherwise known as "Sextortion". This is a horrible practice with predators on the internet will target children, pretend they are friendly, convince them to share explicit images, and then hold those images ransom in exchange for money. This not only results is significant financial loss for children and families, but can destroy the mental health of a child or even lead to death. The FBI contacted me about doing a piece on Online Blackmail, and I agreed it was a very serious problem affecting young people that we need to discuss openly and often.

Information on Online Blackmail:https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion

Here is a link to where people can submit tips or information to the FBI:https://tips.fbi.gov/home

00:00 Intro 01:28 What Is Online Blackmail? 07:50 Thoughts For Parents 10:56 Online Gaming 11:45 How Predators Use Social Media 13:50 The Internet Is Like Driving 14:39 Who Are These Predators? 16:20 What Patterns Are There? 22:50 How To Fix Things 26:16 Worst Case She's Seen 36:55 Life In The FBI

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

Layne Norton is scientist, author, and record-setting weight lifter specializing in nutrition. One of my favorite things about Layne is his commitment to debunking misinformation, whether it come from snake oil salesman... or me, which is actually the basis of our relationship. Layne called me out for some comments I had made in the past, and despite our initial adversity, I assured him we had more in common than he realized. So, I invited Layne onto the show to dive deep into the ozempification of weight loss, snake oil salesman, and the problem with modern day health podcasts.

Follow Layne Norton of Biolayne here:

• Website: https://biolayne.com/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@biolayne1
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/biolayne/?hl=en
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/BioLayne?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@biolayne

00:00 Intro 00:50 Weight Loss Medications 21:00 Why Misinformation Sells 31:00 Where Are The Experts? 39:00 The Problem With Podcasts 43:40 Health “Fads” 51:00 Mass Media Hypocrisy 58:28 French Fries / Reading Studies 01:12:35 Gameifying Healthcare 01:20:50 Distrust In Science 01:26:00 Nobel Prize Syndrome 01:30:50 Number Needed To Treat 01:37:00 Researchers vs. Clinicians 01:54:00 Dana Whte / Gary Brecka / Recommendations

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

Ginny Kaltenbach is not just any nurse, but my nurse, having working alongside me for the last 10 years in New Jersey. Ginny and I are great friends and coworkers, but we developed a new type of relationship this last year where Ginny actually became one of my patients. You see, Ginny was suffering from debilitating pain in her back, and after hearing her side of the story, I realized I wasn't happy with her treatment plan. So, I made Ginny book an appointment with me so we could get to the bottom of her pain. This turned out to be an excellent decision for many reasons detailed in this episode. We don't just talk about Ginny's health though, but also do a deep dive into our relationship and Ginny's opinions on the healthcare system as a nurse who has seen it all, and then some, in over 40 years on the front lines.

00:00 Intro
01:10 Our First Meeting / Fight
04:50 How Ginny Started
14:05 What Makes Doctors Special
19:31 What Nurses Actually Do
24:36 Memories Of Me
31:30 Flirting With Doctors
33:25 Ginny Going Viral
35:18 Ginny’s Injury
52:10 Ginny’s Retirement / My Boxing
54:48 Advice For Nurses

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Artwork by Caroline Weigum

Professor George Bonanno is a world-renowned expert on Trauma and has spent decades teaching at Columbia University in NYC. His opinions on the subject have gotten him in some hot water online too, as he believes our cultural understanding of trauma is incomplete and often incorrect.

Buy Professor George Bonanno's book "The End Of Trauma" here: https://www.amazon.com/End-Trauma-Science-Resilience-Changing/dp/1541674367

Follow Professor Bonanno here: Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/giorgiobee Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/giorgiobee/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-bonanno-610a0a22a/ 00:00 Intro 1:20 Are You Really Traumatized? 16:37 What’s Wrong WIth Psychology Today? 20:44 How To Overcome Trauma 26:00 Repressing Memories 29:05 Emotional Trauma Causing Physical Symptoms / Psychosomatic Stress 47:52 Getting Over Breakups / Coping Mechanisms 54:23 Addressing His Controversy 57:55 Resiliency 1:05:20 Post-Traumatic Growth 1:11:30 Addressing His Controversy Pt. 2 1:15:27 PTSD 1:20:15 Fixing Modern Psychology 1:25:03 My Trauma 1:28:25 Social Media

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/c2m9

Cristo Fernandez was a start soccer player in Mexico, well on his way to playing for the national team, when a horrific knee injury sidelined him for the rest of his life... or so he thought. The life-altering injury sent Cristo down a new path, eventually taking him the the UK where he studied acting, and eventually landed himself the role of Danny Rojas on the hit Apple+ series, Ted Lasso. Now Cristo is starring in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, and shows no signs of slowing down, knee injury and all.

Follow Cristo here: https://www.instagram.com/cristofernandez.mx/

00:00 Intro 00:55 Acting vs. Futbol 03:22 Knee Injury 07:31 Life Outside Futbol 10:50 Hardest Acting/Futbol Exercises 15:17 Life Advice 16:39 Transformers 18:26 Relationship with Health 19:36 Mexican Food

Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski

Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers

Art by Caroline Weigum

CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/GundryVOD Dr. Steven Gundry began his career as a highly-successful cardiologist and heart surgeon. In more recent years, he has pivoted away from surgery and more into preventive medicine at his clinic in souther California. Dr. Gundry is a highly vocal advocate for a wide variety of highly controversial health claims, often centered on the gut microbiome and "lectins", which are found inside foods like tomatoes and bell peppers that he claims have disastrous effects on your health. Over the years, I've had issues with many of the things Dr. Gundry has said, so when his team reached out about having him come on the show to promote his new book "Gut Check", I was eager at the oppurtunity. That being said, I was quickly to communicate to Dr. Gundry's team that not only would this be a contentious discussion, but that I would also bring in my friend Dr. Danielle Belardo, a heart and diet expert in her own right, to join the discussion and get down to the truth about a number of Dr. Gundry's most extreme claims. To his credit, Dr. Gundry accept, and this conversation is what followed. Follow  Dr. Gundry here: Website and pre-orders for Gut Check: https://drgundry.com/ YouTube Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@DrGundry YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GundryMDYT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GundryMD/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gundrymd Follow Dr. Danielle Belardo here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/daniellebelardomd/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielle-belardo-366369241/ Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/DBelardoMD

00:00 Intro 02:02 Smoking / Blue Zones 17:50 Dr. Gundry's Studies / The Data 37:07 Lyon Heart Study / Autoimmune Disease 45:40 Gut Microbiome 53:30 Are Fruits Unhealthy? 1:05:07 Specific Claims 1:27:27 My Problem With The System 1:31:43 "I Can Eliminate All Disease" Host and Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/RSWOzempic Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen is a double board-certified physician with broad experience across all facets of endocrinology, with a particular emphasis on obesity, diabetes and thyroid disorders. She has been an outspoken proponent of Ozempic injections to help patients navigate diet and weight. I've been a bit skeptical about the emergence of Ozempic, so I wanted to dive in with an expert who can really discuss the nuts and bolts of the science to get to the bottom of who exactly should be taking these medications and what impacts they can actually have. Follow Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen here: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsalaswhalen/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/newyorkendocrinology/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@newyorkendocrinology

00:00 Intro 01:00 Ozempic overview 03:44 BMI, Diabetes, Skinny Fat 06:44 Who Needs Ozempic? 09:13 Fat Bias 17:20 Every obese patient should be on Ozempic? 20:55 Big Food vs. Big Pharma 23:02 Celebrity Use 25:55 Side Effects 27:30 Professional Athletes 29:26 Quick Fix 32:28 Getting Off Ozempic 38:49 Ozempic Shortages 44:18 Snake Oil 47:17 Advice for patients Host and Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Rebooting psychotherapy: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26162113/ Mental health for all by involving all: https://youtu.be/yzm4gpAKrBk?si=cTioab_Bzcj9YzL7 81 words episode of This American Life: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/204/81-words BetterHelp: https://www.thecut.com/article/mental-health-therapy-apps.html Kaiser mental health strike: https://www.kqed.org/news/11929713/kaiser-mental-health-workers-appove-new-contract-ending-10-week-strike Myers Briggs: https://youtu.be/Q5pggDCnt5M?si=z0vxswUuD-Enc9ga Follow Dr. Ali Mattu, clinical psychologist from Columbia University and YouTuber, here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClIZqOLqUCro7bKztUjYCNA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alimattu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/AliMattu

00:00 Intro 01:09 Social Media Doctors 07:16 When To Start Talking About Therapy 11:30 Triggering Language 22:57 Medical Turf Wars 49:00 Thought's Don't Matter 56:19 Life Coaches / School Curriculums 1:14:24 Affirmations / Manifestations / Ice Baths 1:26:20 Punishment 1:38:00 BetterHelp 1:58:14 Hacks / Meyers-Briggs / Astrology 2:10:35 The Quesadilla Story 2:25:35 Doctors As President / Pokemon Go 2:33:44 Perks Of Being A Psychologist Host and Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

**This interview was recorded prior to the SAG-AFTRA strikes** Follow Zach here: https://www.instagram.com/korndiddy/?hl=en

Check out The Try Guys on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/tryguys

Zach Kornfeld is one of the founders of The Try Guys, internet royalty who try everything under the sun. Over the last few years, Zach has been on a personal journey where he has tried navigating the US healthcare industry... with mixed results. In invited Zach on The Checkup to go into detail about his experienced in healthcare, from living with Ankylosing spondylitis, to nearly dying after a treadmill accident weeks before his wedding earlier this year.

Hosted and Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Watch the full video interview with Harry Jowsey here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/HarryJowseyVOD Follow Harry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harryjowsey/ Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Howie Mandel is one of the biggest media stars in America, especially impressive considering he's Canadian. Howie is known for being a judge of America's Got Talent, the host of Deal or No Deal, and played an ER physician on the 80's medical drama, St. Elsewhere, amongst over 20 Tonight Show appearances and countless other opportunities in film and tv. With all that being said, something else people know about Howie is that he struggles with OCD, anxiety, depression, and germaphobia, amongst many other things. Today we dove deep on the medical side of Howie Mandel, a conversation I'm grateful he was so open to having. Host and Executive Producer: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/CarliLloyf Carli Lloyd is one of, if not the greatest soccer player of all time. She's a 2 time Olympic gold medalist, 2 time FIFA World Cup Champion, and 2 time FIFA player of the year, amongst countless other accolades. Now in retirement from her professional soccer career, Carli is pivoting to new ventures in life, including her recent appearance and victory on Fox's "Special Forces: World's Toughest Test", where she outlasted other world-class athletes to complete US Special Forces military training. She came on my show to talk about her experience on Special Forces, the grueling injuries she sustained in her decades-long soccer career, and her strong opinions on the soccer world of today. Follow Carli IG: https://www.instagram.com/carlilloyd/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarliLloyd Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarliLloydOfficial/ Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/TonyHawk Follow Tony Hawk here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/tonyhawk/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/tonyhawk Follow Jason Ellis here: IG: https://www.instagram.com/wolfmate/?hl=en Listen To Hawk vs. Wolf here: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HawkvsWolf Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6ZcNADIeqlXXCCLm1MJny7?si=6894e70626634751 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hawk-vs-wolf/id1553164725 IG: https://www.instagram.com/hawkvswolf/?hl=en Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/DarylSabara Daryl Sabara is an actor you may remember as Agent Juni Cortez in the Spy Kids franchise. Of course, Daryl has accomplished a ton after that burst of fame as a child actor, including most recently becoming a father to 2 children with his wife, Meghan Trainor. I invited Daryl on the show to discuss the variety of wellness efforts Daryl has made in his personal life, from ice baths to waking up very early in the morning and so much more. Follow Daryl here: https://www.instagram.com/darylsabara/ Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Dr. Ryan Marino is an Emergency Rom Toxicologist. That gives him unique insight into one of America's most complicated topics: drug overdoses. I invited Dr. Marino on the Checkup to discuss America's drug "problem", specifically about where the problems actually lie or if there is a problem at all. We also touched on the viral instances of police officers falling victim to fentanyl "overdoses" and whether or not those cases are actually real. This was a juicy interview about a fascinating and complex subject matter, so I'd love to read your nuanced takes down in the comments! Follow Dr. Marino here: Twitter: https://twitter.com/RyanMarino Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drryanmarino/?hl=en Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch our full interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/RobertWaldingerVOD Dr. Robert Waldinger is the leader of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, which for the last year has been obsessed with one single question: What makes people happy? I sat down with Dr. Waldinger to talk about what we've learned from this study, what mistakes Harvard has made in implementing it, and learn if there are actual things real people can do to improve their happiness. Turns out... there is! Buy Dr. Waldinger's new book "The Good Life" here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Good-Life/Robert-Waldinger/9781982166694 Executive Producer and Host: Doctor Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Artwork by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/KlipC Kris Collins, otherwise known as KallMeKris, is a prolific creator who has quickly risen from being a hair stylist in Canada to one of the most followed comedians on social media. Her audience of nearly 50 million TikTok followers and 10 million YouTube subscribers has fallen in love with her characters and skits. While her content may be funny, she's had to battle some very serious issues throughout her life, ranging from eating disorders to depression. I was very grateful Kris took to the time to come on the show and discuss this at length. FOLLOW KRIS: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiciOsypkXcqSFqSPd-NRVA TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kallmekris?lang=en IG: https://www.instagram.com/kriscollins/?hl=en Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview with Dr. Ed Hope here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/EdHope Ed Hope is an emergency room physician in the UK and a popular YouTube creator who specializes in reaction videos to medical drama and medical memes. Funny enough... so do I. That was the source of some YouTube "beef" that emerged between us a few years ago. Ed made his way to NYC to come on The Checkup so we could hash things out between us and finally lay the issue to rest. We also debated the differences between the US and the UK healthcare system, and which specialty is better: EM or FM. Follow Ed Hope on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/@DrHopeSickNotes Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview with Sam and Colby here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/SamandColbyInterview Colby Brock is battling testicular cancer. As one-half of the prolific horror YouTube duo, Sam and Colby, he's no stranger to terrifying paranormal and terrifying supernatural phenomena. He was a stranger to the testicular cancer diagnosis he received just a few months ago. So today I wanted to sit down and dig deep into the history of Colby's case, look as his medical records, and help him make some very difficult devisions about his own health. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Buy Steve's new book here - The Cobbler: How I Disrupted an Industry, Fell from Grace, and Came Back Stronger Than Ever: https://www.amazon.com/Cobbler-Disrupted-Industry-Grace-Stronger/dp/B0BLC2BT86 Steve Madden is a world-renowned shoe designer, entrepreneur, and convicted felon. Quite the combination of accolades. Steve started his shoe empire hustling his designs in New York City until one day he came in contact with Jordan Belfort, The Wolf Of Wallstreet. Jordan helped Steve take his shoe company public, raise millions of dollars, but broke the law along the way, landing Steve in federal prison for 41 months. Today I talked to Steve about his time in prison, his philosophy in designing shoes, his addiction to nose spray, his struggles with sobriety, and the amazing work he's doing getting former inmates back on their feet when they finish their prison sentences. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview with Joey Sasso here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/JoeySassoVOD Joey Sasso was the winner of The Circle season 1 on Netflix and has gone on to appear in several other reality and dating shows on Netflix like The Perfect Match... but what kind of effect does that have on a person? Fame, money, and glory are all things Joey wanted, but it turns out they came at an unexpected cost. I was a huge fan of Joey's and after circling each other for years we finally pulled off an interview so I could get inside the head of this upstate New York kid from the inner city. We discussed his extreme battle with mental health and addiction, his bruised upbringing boxing in Syracuse, the incredible drive he had to be an actor in Hollywood, and how pivoting to a life in reality tv was one of the most unexpected and fascinating decisions he's ever made. Follow Joey Sasso: IG: https://www.instagram.com/joeysasso/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/joey_sasso TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joeysassoo?lang=en Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/ChrisOlsen Chris Olsen is a hilarious TikTok and digital creator who is the founder of the new coffee brand, Flight Fuel, which was directly inspired by his viral TikTok series where he delivered coffee to famous celebrities all around the globe. Today we talked about the origins of his coffee series, how he met and befriended Meghan Trainor, is colorful history with STI's like chlamydia, his recent dating woes, his diet and supplement routine, and so much more. This is probably the silliest episode of the show I've done to date and just hope next time Chris brings me a cup of coffee for myself! Buy Flight Fuel here: https://flightfuelcoffee.com/ Follow Chris Olsen: YouTube: @chrisolsen9689  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisolsen/?hl=en TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@chris?lang=en Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/HannahFryVOD Hannah Fry is a British Mathematician and the host of several science/education shows, including her newest project "The Future with Hannah Fry" available through Bloomberg. I invited her on the show to discuss biohacking and what the future of medicine holds for us, as well as Hannah's history of cancer, monogamy, dating apps, and how you can use math to find true love. The Future with Hannah Fry: https://www.bloomberg.com/originals/series/the-future-hannah-fry Follow Hannah here: YouTube: https://www.facebook.com/FryRSquared/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fryrsquared/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/FryRsquared Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/GrahamStep Graham Stephan is a real estate and finance guru who has built an audience of millions of people looking to improve their financial situation through smart investing and money management. A man like Graham who is so savvy with his money must also be savvy with his health, right? Well, not necessarily, as he and I uncovered some unhealthy behaviors that has followed him for years. Because of some heavy sun exposure, Graham has Atypical Mole Syndrome, a condition he initially believed to be skin cancer. He's also allowed his dedication to smart money management have a negative impact on many of his personal relationships, something that has impacted his mental health and caused him to reevaluate his life priorities. There's a ton of value in this conversation for people who are just starting their investing journey, or want to hear some of the road stories of someone who has explored a countless number of investment opportunities, with mixed results. Oh, we also talked about his Creator Clash boxing match with Michael Reeves ;) Follow Graham here: YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/grahamstephan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gpstephan/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GrahamStephan Listen to Graham's podcast "The Iced Coffee Hour" here: https://www.youtube.com/@TheIcedCoffeeHour Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full interview with Hannah Brown on YouTube here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/Hanah Hannah Brown is an anomaly. She began her life competing and often winning in beauty pageants across the southern United States. Then she was a contestant on the Bachelor. Then she was THE Bachelorette. Then she WON Dancing with the Stars. And just last week she WON Special Forces: World's Tough Test, on Fox, where she outlasted professional athletes like Dwight Howard in US Special Forces training. But like... how? I had to know how this beauty pageant queen has become unstoppable in the world of reality tv. What inside allows her to keep winning? How is it possible she can helicopter in to rigorous environments like a dancing contest or the military and defeat everyone in her path? What's especially impressive is that Hannah keeps winning these shows despite a countless number of health problems, from IBS to asthma, and yet she doesn't have a primary care physician to help mitigate these issues. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full interview with KSI on YouTube here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/KSIVodcast KSI is one of the most prolific creators the internet has ever seen. If boasting a YouTube channel with over 20 million subscribers wasn't enough, he's also a member of The Sidemen, a pioneer of the YouTube boxing phenomenon, a musician, a restauranteur, and the face of Prime, the most popular drink on Earth. JJ Olantunji, as he's known on his birth certificate, is involved in so many things it was really difficult to try and narrow the discussion. Fortunately, he wasn't shy and shared a lot of interesting things with me, such as the process of writing his new song "Voices" with Oliver Tree, the caliber of his Misfits Boxing events, and the 1 woman in his life he's managed to keep hidden from the world. I'm so grateful to JJ for taking the time to visit me in NYC on the heels of an exhausting promotional tour, and hopefully this is the first of many long chats with my new friend... and future boxing opponent?? Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full interview on YouTube here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/UnbiasedSciencePod

Dr. Andrea Love and Dr. Jessica Steier are two of the smartest people in medical media. Together they host The Unbiased Science Podcast where they attack the trending medical controversies relying exclusively on the data. This allows them to remove emotion from their discussions and allow research and math to lead them to conclusions that are often messy but reliable. They've done deep dives on intermittent fasting, infant feeding, COVID vaccines... you name it. I invited them on the show to discuss some issues that have been on my mind lately, especially surrounding the way medical experts have been communicating with each other on social media. We talked about that toxicity as well as shaming people for how they've responded to the pandemic, treating inflammation with cold plunges, and whether or not doctors are actually scientists. If you like nuanced discussion about health and medicine, you’re in the right place. Follow The Unbiased Science podcast here: Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unbiased-science/id1531526782 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7JMSODgbC5auqScduzYVZn YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@unbiasedscipod IG: https://www.instagram.com/unbiasedscipod Twitter: https://twitter.com/unbiasedscipod Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Steven He is a comedian, actor, and media pioneer who you may have seen online in the last year as the "emotional damage" guy. This line from one of Steven's videos hit a meteoric viral rise in the summer of 2022, but unlike many viral stars who are a flash in the pan, Steven was ready. His years of hustling as a working actor and content creator allowed him to run with his success and build a rapidly growing audience of people who enjoy his "Off Brand" TikToks or YouTube shorts about his most popular character known only as "Asian Dad". Steven has big plans for the future with the impending release of his original series "Ginormo" and a seemingly never-ending waterfall of fresh content across social media. We talked about his health, specifically the recent surgery he had on a cyst above his eye he believes was caused by stress. We also shared stories of our immigration backgrounds. Steven was born in China, raised in Ireland, and then went to college in the UK and studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse in NYC, so we actually have a lot on common. I'm so grateful we got to spend a full day together and hope you enjoy our conversation! Follow Steven: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@StevenHe IG: https://www.instagram.com/thestevenhe/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@steven_he?lang=en 00:00 Intro 00:51 Worst Auditions 08:32 Starting Social Media 16:38 Emotional Damage 19:26 Mental and Physical Health 26:36 Eyebrow Surgery 44:00 Reading Negative Comments 59:20 Chinese Pressure 1:05:35 Why He Left China 1:13:20 Coping Mechanisms 1:22:53 Failure Management 1:31:30 Lightning Round 1:37:08 Q/A Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes is a stand up comedian you know from Mad TV and her early YouTube virality for her impression of a day at the nail salon. I was exited to sit down with her an discuss her health, her comedic style, and her relationship with doctors, which turns out to be pretty complicated. Like many out there, Anjelah has not had the best success when visiting traditional doctors to treat her ailments, and as such she has grown a little wary of their advice. I recognize there are plenty of doctors out there who don't put their relationship with a patient first, so I wanted to work with Anjelah on battling some of this doctor stigma and see if we could get her to come around on some traditional medicine. I was so happy with this discussion and think Anjelah is a total rock star! Let me know down below if you'd had issues with traditional doctors in the past and if you have any questions I can answer to clear things up for you. Follow Anjelah: IG: https://www.instagram.com/anjelahjohnson/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/anjelahjohnson Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch me and Brandon react to the worst NFL injuries of all time here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/BrandonMarshallInjuries

Check out Brandon's new fitness app, House Of Athlete+: https://houseofathlete.com/hoa-plus Listen to Brandon's podcast "I Am Athlete": https://iamathletetv.com/

Brandon Marshall is a record-holding wide receiver who played 13 seasons in the NFL. Now retired, he's building a sports media and fitness empire with his brand's "I Am Athlete" and "House of Athlete" which seeks to provide the elite sports, fitness, and recovery resources professional athletes have to the average person. Brandon is known for being outspoken and honest, so I was eager to get the inside scoop on how injuries are treated in the NFL, how wide-spread painkillers are before games, and whether or not Terrell Owens should be playing football at 49 years old. I had so much fun with Brandon and really appreciate his insight into the most popular sport in America!

Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch me and Tony play a devious round of Medical Confessions here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/TonyHaleMedicalConfessions

Tony Hale is a 2-time Emmy winner and brilliant comedic actor known for his work on Arrested Development, VEEP, and countless other shows and movies. In this episode we dove into separating his acting persona from his family persona, his lifelong battle with asthma, and the difficult lives of healthcare workers.

Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch me and Barbara guess the cost of GOOP healthcare items here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/BarbaraCorcoranMain

Barbara Corcoran is a world-class investor, real estate agent, and original Shark on the hit TV show "Shark Tank". She sat down with me today to discuss her surprise cancer diagnosis, her daughter's scare at the ER, her son's potential genital surgery, and why I should take over for Dr. Oz? It's a fun one to say the least, and I couldn't be more thrilled with how fun Barbara is on mic and in real life!

Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Sebastian Maniscalco's new standup special "Is It Me" is streaming on Netflix now! Watch me and Sebastian play Medical Heads Up here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/SebastianManiscalcoHeadsUp

Sebastian Maniscalco is a world-class stand up comedian who has sold out some of the biggest and most historic venues in the world. He just released a new special on Netflix called "Is It Me?" which nearly knocked me on the floor I thought it was so funny. I invited Sebastian onto the pod to discuss his sciatic pain shooting down his leg. He's been on the road for 19 months and the pain is apparently getting bad, so we dove in deep to discuss it's cause and potential treatments. We also discussed fatherhood, how he felt being on Comedians In Cars Getting Coffee with Jerry Seinfeld, the rise of illness in our kids' schools, and toxic masculinity.

Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full video interview here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/DaneCookVOD Dane Cook's new stand up comedy special, "Above It All", is available now at: http://www.danecook.com Dane Cook is one of the most prolific stand up comedians of all time. At one point in 2005 he performed a tour in 80 arenas for audiences of over 20,000 every single night. He's a household name in the world of comedy, and despite some dramatic turns in his life, he hasn't slowed down. He's so committed to his craft of stand up comedy that he just shot his most recently special from the front yard of his house in the Hollywood Hills. Today we talk about his health, how he's never touched an alcoholic beverage in his life yet attended many AA meetings, his exercise routine, and the countless ways in which he's overcome adversity to continue speaking his truth. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Professor Matthew Walker is a Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, USA. He is also the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science. If you've got sleep questions, he's your guy. We talked about chronotypes, or the category of sleeper you may fall into. It turns out, whether you're an early riser or a night owl might not actually be your "fault", and in fact it may have been something you were born with. Don't forget to leave a 5 star review with a medical question in the body of it and I'll try to answer it in a future episode! Buy Professor Walker's book, "Why We Sleep" here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Why-We-Sleep/Matthew-Walker/9781501144325 Follow Professor Walker here: Podcast: https://themattwalkerpodcast.buzzsprout.com/ Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/sleepdiplomat Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmattwalker/ Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sleepdiplomat/ Why We Sleep: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1501144316 Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch the full-length video version here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/MarquesFullV2 Subscribe to Marques here: https://www.youtube.com/c/mkbhd Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, is one of the most prolific YouTubers on the platform. Boasting over 16 million subscribers, Marques prides himself on having the most cutting edge and high-quality tech videos on the internet. How does Marques make his iPhone reviews stand out from the competition? Try by investing in a $250,000 robotic camera to give his videos a look nobody can match, for starters. When Marques isn't producing tech content out of his studio in New Jersey, he actually plays professional frisbee. I not only asked him about his thoughts on all things tech (wearables, crypto, his own line of products, etc.) but his personal life as well. I wanted to "unbox" Marques myself to see what makes him tick. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Buy Steve-O's book here: https://www.hachettebooks.com/titles/stephen-steve-o-glover/a-hard-kick-in-the-nuts/9780306826771/ Steve-O is an icon. Everyone knows him as one of the faces of Jackass, but what most people don't know is that Steve-O is more than just a stunt man known for falling down stairs in a bellhop cart or lighting himself on fire. In this two-hour interview, I feel like I really spoke to the actual human being, Stephen Glover, and not the extreme stunt-man from MTV. We dove into the obvious stuff I know you want to hear, such as old Jackass stories, his most painful injuries, and how his body is holding up. Beyond that though, we dove into some really deep subjects, such as his struggles with growing up as a "rich kid", Buddhism, and the profound lessons he's learned through a multi-decade life of getting paid to injure yourself. Steve-O is addicted to attention, and I was glad to give him some! Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Buy Kal's book here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/You-Cant-Be-Serious/Kal-Penn/9781982171391 Kal Penn has one of the strangest resumes in Hollywood. You most likely remember Kal as half of the stoner comedy duo “Harold and Kumar”, or if you’ve watched a lot of medical dramas like I have you may have enjoyed his 2 season arc on House MD where he lit a patient on fire instead of doing chest compressions. But if your name is “Barack Obama” (hey Prez, check your DMs, come on the show?) you may instead remember Kal as a full time staff member at the White House. Huh? President Obama hired the White Castle guy, after he was already famous? That’s right. Your tax dollars paid his salary for years as a full time staff member of the White House Office of Public Engagement. Turns out the roller coaster ride of Kal’s life didn’t end with him sitting at the movie premiere for Van Wilder, next to his strict Indian immigrant parents, watching his oiled body slide off a naked woman while playing a character literally named “Taj Mahal” (yikes). In Kal’s new book, You Can’t Be Serious, he not only details some of the stunning racism he’s faced throughout his 20+ years in Hollywood, but also stories of those late nights in Washington DC working alongside President Obama navigating some of America’s most highly controversial political issues, such as the hurdles they had to clear to remove the army’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which barred openly queer people from serving in the armed forces. I asked Kal about all of these big picture stories, as well as some smaller ones, like how it’s possible he walks around every day with a tattoo on his left arm that has a typo. Executive Producer and Host: Dr. Mike Varshavski Produced by Dan Owens and Sam Bowers Art by Caroline Weigum CONTACT: [email protected]

Watch full video versions of the podcast on our official YouTube channel here: https://go.doctormikemedia.com/youtube/channel/TheCheckUp