Shows / Straight Talk on Health
Straight Talk on Health
How do you live your healthiest life when health information seems to change every day? Each week on Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet Zelasko examines the health headlines, digs into the latest research studies, explores the claims of miracle nutrients and diets, and gives you his insight about what’s real and what’s not so you can make informed decisions about your health. Straight Talk on Health airs Monday afternoons during WGVU’s Midday West Michigan.The health information Dr. Chet talks…
Episodes
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 118 – The Stall
What does barbecuing beef brisket have to do with weight loss and fitness plateaus? More than you realize. Dr. Chet explains on this edition of Straight Talk…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 117 –About Seed Oils
Influencers and purported health experts just can’t seem to let go of their obsession with seed oils. On this episode of Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 116 – Update on Exercise Physiology
Today, Dr. Chet Zelasko examines a recent study on creatine. Does it really help you add more muscle? Then he looks at the fitness of a 92-year-old. It’s all…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 115 – Medications Don’t Cure Disease
Dr. Chet recently read a post on social media that said pharmaceutical companies are not interested in curing disease. While not a fan of the industry, Chet…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 114 – Arsenic: What is it good for? Absolutely nothing. But is it dangerous to eat brown rice?
A recent study examined the potential for arsenic poisoning if you eat brown rice. Dr. Chet looks at the study and tells us whether the results are meaningful…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 113 –Stopped in your tracks
Dr. Chet recently listened to a report on a study on the topic of pulmonary effusion that stopped him in his tracks. Pulmonary effusion is the topic of today’s…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 112 – Have you ever said to yourself ‘just not now?’
Dr. Chet Zelasko considers himself an expert procrastinator. Just not about exercise. If you’ve ever said “I know what to do, I just can’t seem to do it” -…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 111 – The Mirror
Does red yeast rice work to lower cholesterol? Dr.Chet clears up that question and more questions about health, nutrition, and exercise on this edition of…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 110 – Stem Cell Primer
Dr. Chet was recently asked about a stem cell procedure to treat lower back pain, a question that has eluded his attention for some time now. Today he gives a…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 109 – Different approaches for getting healthy
As we proceed into the spring, the changes we wanted to make may not be progressing as well as we would like. Maybe another approach is desirable. Dr. Chet…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 108 – How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
Sleep is so beneficial for rest and to restore our bodies. But some people just don’t know how much sleep they need. Dr. Chet gives you the rundown on what…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 107 – Scienceploitation
You may have never heard of it, but it has probably impacted the products you hear about from gurus and influencers who promote them. Dr. Chet Zelasko takes a…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 106 - Microbiome and Mild Cognitive Impairment
Brushing your teeth, flossing, and getting regular dental check-ups. Do you forget to do those things? Maybe if you did them, you wouldn’t forget them. Find…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 105 – Carbonated Water and Weight Loss
It’s a new season of the Straight Talk on Health podcast. This season Dr. Chet will focus on topics like the best diet to help protect your brain, he’ll…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 104 – Serum Vitamin B12 Levels
Questions about Vitamin B12 are usually about methylcobalomin versus cyanocobalamin. But Dr. Chet Zelasko recently got some questions about having elevated…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 103 – Fasting and Chemotherapy
Fasting has drawn a lot of attention lately with one intermittent fasting routine after another being pitched. But fasting as a tool for improving how…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 102 – Vitamin D in the Winter
Can you make enough Vitamin D in the Winter months? Is where you live stacking the deck against you? Dr. Chet Zelasko looks into it and offers some solutions…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 101 – Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth
Dr. Chet has gotten several questions on SIBO lately. What is it? What causes it? Is there anything we can do to resolve it? Dr. Chet Zelasko takes a close…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 100 – Beef Tallow
“Everything old is new again.” Chet Zelasko looks into beef tallow for cooking and skin care on this week’s episode of Straight Talk on Health
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 99 – Science Should Never Stop
The state of health research may be at risk as politics enters the scientific arena. On this episode of Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet Zelasko covers two…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 98 – Is detoxing a real thing?
It seems like everyone is pitching a different way to detox your body. Many methods give legitimated detoxification a bad name. You wouldn’t be alive if there…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 97 – Body Roundness Index (BRI)
Have you ever looked up your BMI and were not happy with the number? A mathematician has developed another way of looking at body composition. Dr. Chet looks…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 96 – Holiday Eating Strategies
The holiday season is here and we all have to deal with the mass consumption of just about every type of treat you can think of. Can you prevent the inevitable…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 95 – Food Flexibility
With the holidays coming, this might be the right time to add flexibility to your food choices, preparation, and spice choices. Wouldn’t you like to use some…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 94 – Is being a weekend warrior healthy?
Can you get any benefits in a couple days a week? A recent study asked that very question so let’s check it out on this edition of Straight Talk on Health
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 93 –Protein Shakes and Smoothies
Dr. Chet Zelasko has gotten a few questions about what people can put in their smoothies and protein shakes. Dr. Chet gives us the scoop on this edition of…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 92 –The Maltodextrin Story
There is a lot of clammer on the web about the evils of maltodextrin. Dr. Chet Zelasko is not sure everything is being portrayed properly. Dr. Chet looks at…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 91 –What’s Your Motivation? What’s Your Choice?
Dr. Chet Zelasko ends every show the same way: “Health is a choice. Choose wisely today and every day.” When you hear something so often, it may not resonate…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 90 – Answers to listener health questions
Can you have a normal BMI and yet still be obese? Do you have to keep track of the food you eat if you’re trying to change your diet? Today on Straight Talk on…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 89 – Research Update
Eating red meat appears to increase the risk of developing Type-2 Diabetes. Dr. Chet Zelasko take a look at the evidence on this edition of Straight Talk on…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 88 – Reaction Time
The warnings from the state and every healthcare professional is clear: Don’t text and drive. Maybe science will help us to see why we shouldn’t. Dr. Chet…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 87 – Seed Oils
Seed oils have been a big topic of study and conversation lately. Today Dr. Chet Zelasko checks out what the issue is and lets you know what it’s all about on…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 86 – Advanced Directives
What are Advanced Directives and why do you need them? On today’s episode of Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet Zelasko talks about making your medical care…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 85 – Research Update on Fish Oil and Atrial Fibrillation
Another study has cast doubt on whether fish oil is healthy for us. Could it contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation? Dr. Chet Zelasko looks at…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 84 – Research Update on Multivitamins
What do you get if you have super computers, several hundred-thousand potential subjects, food frequency questionnaire data, and the ability to chunk data…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 83 – Iron Absorption
Iron Absorption is one of the topics Dr. Chet Zelasko is asked about the most. On this episode of the Straight Talk on Health podcast, Dr. Chet looks into the…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 82 –Exercise relative to your current physical condition
Exercise is relative. Today Dr. Chet explains what that means and offers an alternative to all the high intensity exercise he’s recently talked about on the…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 81 – Losing belly fat with exercise
Would you like to lose some body fat as you exercise? Specifically bell fat? And what about getting more fit in less time? Dr. Chet Zelasko talks about HIIT…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 80 – What’s wrong with carbohydrates?
If you listen to the experts and gurus, carbs are bad. Dr. Chet Zelasko doesn’t see it this way. Dr. Chet is going to talk about some of the myths about…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 79 – Ultra-processed Food
Ultra-processed food (UPF) always seems to be in the news. Based on a recent study, UPF may increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and lead to an…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 78 – A personal superstition
In this season three finale of Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet Zelasko shares with us a superstition he has. He also gives some insight into why he does what…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 77 – Food Product Labels
What’s on a food product label? Could they be deceptive? Do the labels need some kind of interpretation? Dr. Chet Zelasko helps to separate fact from fiction…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 76 – Recent weight loss ads and commentaries
There are some strange goings on in the weight loss arena, even stranger than before. Dr. Chet Zelasko gives an update and the lowdown on the latest in weight…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 75 – On the Possibility of Zombies
Can zombies be real? Common sense says no way, but people still believe they can exist. Dr. Chet takes a look at fact and fiction about the possibility of…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 74 – Food Waste
After watching a cooking show, Dr. Chet decided to look into out food waste in the U.S. This show featured chefs using more of the meat, produce, and leftover…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 73 – Artificial Sweeteners
The trend today is away from artificial sweeteners. Manufacturers are still trying to remove the bitter aftertaste of stevia by processing the bitterness out…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 72 - Potential benefits of vegetarian diets
Have you considered a vegetarian diet? If so, which one? One that allows animal products or complete vegan? More importantly; why? We’ll review the potential…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 71 - Prenatal omega-3 fatty acids supplementation
Omega-3 fatty acids have long been recommended as a supplement for prenatal care. But a recent study has concluded that omega-3 supplementation might…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 70 – Research on flavonols
Do you ever start your day with a cup of black tea? How about closing the day with a beer? You just might be surprised at the flavonols they contain. On this…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 69 – Nutrients and supplements when there’s no research for an ailment
What do you do when there is no research on what ails you? Dr. Chet Zelasko gets asked about supplementation for every condition you can imagine. How does he…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 68 – Reducing risk of dying of cardiovascular disease
How would you like an easy way to reduce your risk of dying of cardiovascular disease? Two new studies show that stretching decreases the risk. Dr. Chet…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 67 – Vitamin D over-supplementation
Is a cautionary tale about vitamin D more hype than anything else? Maybe. Before you attribute a death to supplementation, it’s good to have all the facts. In…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 66 – Gut health
Today Dr. Chet Zelasko talks guts. Not courage - but your digestive system. Is it operating as it should? What role might coffee play? That and more on gut…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 65 – Dietary supplement misinformation
Dietary supplements always seem to be under attack. On this episode of Straight Talk on Health, Dr. Chet will give a couple of examples, including one where…
- Straight Talk on Health
Ep. 64 – Body Mass Index
BMI, or Body Mass Index - Is it a good way to set a weight loss goal? Some people don’t think so. On this episode of the Straight Talk on Health podcast, Dr…