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Causes or CuresAuthor: Dr. Eeks
"For the Nerds and the Nerd Nots"Causes or Cures is a health podcast hosted by Dr. Eeksan independent, grassroots show driven by curiosity and a passion for breaking down complex health topics into bite-sized, easy-to-understand insights. Dr. Eeks works as a senior public health consultant in the realm of public health, epidemiology, and health communication. She's all about making science relatable and often uses a blue-collar sense of humor to drive the message home.On this podcast, Dr. Eeks talks with experts from around the world (doctors, researchers, public health pros, and more) to dive into the latest hot topics in health and research, all in a down-to-earth kind of way. She also includes people with compelling stories of healing and "characters" because life is too boring and short to leave out characters. ;)DISCLAIMER: Some topics are more controversial than others, so keep in mind that this is information only and not health advice. Dr. Eeks doesn't endorse any of her guests' views, and despite a strict health routine, nor does she endorse any products, supplements, oils, magic socks or potions. If an episode is sponsored by a company she likes, she will say so in the show notes! Causes or Cures is not a "news site." It's about having conversations, and Dr. Eeks is confident that she can have a respectful conversation with anyone, even people who think far differently than she does. (At least that's been her experience at hole-in-the-walls & on the NYC sidewalks.) The point is to not take anything here as Gospel. Sometimes Dr. Eeks' dog Barnaby makes his opinion known, but the good news is that he's a smart dog. Most importantly, she hopes this podcast encourages folks to stay curious, empathic, hopeful, compassionate, honest, open-minded, and engaged. Freedom of discussion is a beautiful thing, delightfully messy, and one that many take for granted.*The views on this podcast do not reflect the views of anyone she contracts with or consults for.& Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Life Sciences, Medicine, Science Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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How Animals Self-Medicate and Heal Themselves — with Dr. Jaap de Roode
Episode 250
Tuesday, 25 November, 2025
Send us a textIn this episode of Causes or Cures, Dr. Eeks talks with Dr. Jaap de Roode, an evolutionary biologist and author of Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves, about one of the most fascinating corners of biology: the ways animals use plants, minerals, insects, and even toxins as medicine.They talk about:What sparked his interest in animals treating their own illnesses Why medicine isn’t only a human invention How scientists tell the difference between random behavior and true self-medication His favorite examples of animal doctors in the wild Whether animals know they’re taking medicine or if it’s instinct or trial-and-error The weirdest substances animals use to heal themselves What traditional healers who observed animals for years and years could teach us ,and what we ourselves could learn from observing this type of animal behavior. Whether animal self-medication could lead to new drugs or therapies The risks of over-romanticizing “nature knows best” The scientific challenges in proving an animal is self-medicating How seeing animals as medicine-users might change how we respect their lives and value their habitats And the big question: Who is the best doctor in the animal kingdom?If you love animals, nature, weird science, evolutionary biology, or the idea that your pet might actually be a doctor or furry-little pharmacist, you’ll love this episode.Dr. Jaap de Roode runs a research lab at Emory University focused on how hosts and parasites co-evolve, from monarch butterflies to honey bees. He also leads science outreach, directs the Infectious Diseases Across Scales training program, and hosts the Virulent Vortex podcast. You can learn more about him and his research here. You can contact Dr. Eeks at bloomingwellness.com.Follow Eeks on Instagram here.Or Facebook here.Or X.On Youtube.Or TikTok.SUBSCRIBE to her WEEKLY newsletter here! (Now featuring interviews with top experts on health you care about!)Support the show
