Nearly half of American adults have high blood pressure—many without even realizing it. So what do those two numbers really mean for your health? And is your high blood pressure preventable, treatable... or even reversible?

On this episode of Health Matters, we're talking with Dr. Gary Schwartz about hypertension, how to get your numbers within range, and whether you should be measuring your blood pressure at home.

For more information on blood pressure device validation and accuracy, check out validatebp.org.

Your colon is more than a pit stop for waste — it houses a lush, thriving ecosystem of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. These organisms affect everything from your digestion to your immune system — and maybe even your mental health. So how can we harness the power of the gut microbiome? And when it comes to “gut-healthy” diets and products, who should you believe?

On this episode of Health Matters, we talk with Dr. Sahil Khanna about the care and keeping of your gut microbiome — and the exciting potential of microbiota-based therapies.

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Nearly everyone experiences a headache at some point in life, but not all headaches are created equal. They can have different causes, pain levels and effects on your daily functioning.

In this episode of Health Matters, we’re talking with neurologist Dr. Amaal Starling. She takes us on a tour of the world of headaches — from nursing a garden-variety tension headache to being plagued by migraines.

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Do you have feedback, questions or topic suggestions? Email us at mcppodcasts@mayo.edu.

Ovarian cancer may not be the most common or talked-about cancer, but like any major disease, it can turn your life upside down. While the risk of developing ovarian cancer is comparatively lower, it’s harder to detect — there’s no reliable way to screen for it, and early symptoms can be vague. Still, some dedicate their careers to advancing its treatment.

On this episode of Health Matters, we talk with one such person: Dr. Marion Curtis, whose groundbreaking research is changing the landscape of ovarian cancer treatment.

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We're back for a second installment of the Vaccines episode, digging further into vaccines and dispelling misinformation about them.

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Gregory Poland returns to explain why women have better immune responses to viral vaccines than men, how "natural infection" is NOT safer than vaccines, and what the future of vaccines looks like.

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No one likes being poked with a needle, but it’s way better than getting seriously sick. It can be hard to stay up to date with all your vaccinations, though: There’s a new COVID vaccine every year, the new RSV vaccine in 2023, and... when was the last time you got a tetanus booster?

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Gregory Poland explains how vaccines are made, what a world without them would look like, and how getting a vaccine is safer than driving a car.

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More people are living with HIV than ever before. And no, it's not because transmission rates have spiked. It's because people who are HIV positive are living longer, healthier lives—a radical change from decades past.

On this episode of Health Matters, we're celebrating how far we've come with Dr. Maryam Mahmood, and learning more about HIV looks like today.

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Roughly 20 million Americans already have some form of a thyroid issue. And it's estimated that over half of them... are completely unaware of it.

On this episode of Health Matters, Dr. Mabel Ryder breaks down the thyroid's important role in the body and how it affects all organs — and what happens when it's not functioning optimally.

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