A monthly podcast about women's health

Healthy Insights That Matter: Podcasts

Listen at your leisure to A Woman’s Journey – ‘Healthy Insights that Matter’. A podcast, moderated by Lillie Shockney, is posted the first Thursday of each month. These topics and a library of past podcasts can be found at hopkinsmedicine.org/awomansjourney or your preferred listening platform.

December - What is at the root of Addictive Behaviors?
January - Preventing Dementia
February - A Wake Up Call: The Impact of Sleep on Our Health

March - Colorectal Cancer
April - Dry Eyes
May - Preventing Stroke

The Highs and Lows of Managing Diabetes

Daisy Duan, M.D.

November 1, 2023
Daisy Duan, M.D.

The World Health Organization estimates that 537 million people globally are living with diabetes and by 2045, projections show this number rising to some 783 million diabetics globally. We frequently hear that obesity, a contributing factor to diabetes, has reach epidemic proportions in the U.S.

Today, moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by Johns Hopkins Medicine endocrinologist Dr. Daisy Duan to discuss the highs and lows of managing diabetes.


Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Breast Cancer

Hanh-Tam Tran, M.D.

October 1, 2023
Hanh-Tam Tran, M.D.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, podcast moderator Lillie Shockney is joined breast surgeon Dr. Hanh-Tam Tran, clinical associate at the Sullivan Breast Center at the Sibley Memorial Hospital, whose clinical research focuses on identifying patients who could avoid having axillary surgery to discuss ductal carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) breast cancer, which accounts for about 20% of breast cancers.


Let's Talk about Menopause

Shawn Kwatra, M.D.

September 1, 2023
Wen Shen, M.D., M.P.H.

In this podcast, moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by gynecologist Dr. Wen Shen, who is an associate professor of gynecology and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. She is also the clinical director of the Menopause Consultation service and Co-Director of the Women’s Wellness & Healthy Aging Program.


The Upside and Downside of Caffeine

Dustin C. Lee, Ph.D., M.S.

August 1, 2023
Dustin Lee, Ph.D., M.S.

We all drink caffeine is some form or another. When we think of caffeine, we automatically think of coffee. According to the National Coffee Association: post-Covid coffee consumption is up nearly 14% since January 2021 and 66% of Americans now drink coffee each day, more than any other beverage including tap water. In this podcast, moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by addiction researcher Dr. Dustin Lee to discuss the upside and downside of caffeine and some myths surrounding caffeine consumption.


The Troublesome Itch: The Importance of Acknowledging Chronic Itch

Kerry Stewart, Ed.D.

July 1, 2023
Shawn Kwatra, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by medical dermatologist and director of the Johns Hopkins Itch Center, Dr. Shawn Kwatra. They discuss the various causes of chronic itch and the implication of untreated chronic itch.


Benefits of High-Intensity Exercise on the Heart

Kerry Stewart, Ed.D.

June 1, 2023
Kerry Stewart, Ed.D.

Heart health is vital! Exercise can play an important role in the conditioning and even improving our hearts. Moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by Dr. Kerry Stewart, director of Clinical and Research Exercise Physiology at Johns Hopkins Bayview to discuss the many benefits of regular exercise.


Journey for Women of Color: Diabetes

Sudipa Sarkar, M.D.

May 23, 2023
Sudipa Sarkar, M.D.

In the final installment of the three part Journey for Women of Color podcast series, special guest moderator Ava-joye Burnett is joined by Johns Hopkins Medicine endocrinologist Dr. Sudipa Sarkar, who serves as the Director of the Inpatient Diabetes Management Service at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center.


Journey for Women of Color: Sickle Cell Anemia

Robert Brodsky, M.D.

May 16, 2023
Robert Brodsky, M.D.

In this second installment, special guest moderator Ava-joye Burnett sits down with hematologist Dr. Robert Brodsky who serves as professor of medicine and director of the Division of Hematology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His area of clinical expertise is classical hematology and haploidentical bone marrow transplant for sickle cell disease and aplastic anemia.


Journey for Women of Color: Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Olutayo Sogunro, D.O., M.S.

May 9, 2023
Olutayo Sogunro, D.O., M.S.

Did you know that although their overall rate of developing breast cancer is lower than white women, African American women tend to have worse breast cancer outcomes? Black women seem to be more likely to have what is called triple-negative breast cancer, which accounts for about 10% to 20% of all breast cancer cases. Special guest moderator and reporter Ava-joye Burnett is joined by breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Olutayo Sogunro, who serves as an assistant professor of surgery at The Center for Breast Health at Johns Hopkins Howard County General Hospital.


Your Eyes Can Be A Diagnostic Tool

Meghan Berkenstock, M.D.

May 1, 2023
Meghan Berkenstock, M.D.

Join moderator, Dr. Lillie Shockey as she sits down with ophthalmologist Dr. Meghan Berkenstock from the Johns Hopkins Wilmer Eye Institute to discuss how an eye examination can be used to diagnose other health conditions.


Want Probiotics? Try these...

Ashli L. Greenwald, M.S., R.D., L.N.

April 1, 2023
Ashli L. Greenwald, M.S., R.D., L.N.

Probiotics are live bacteria that research suggests may have many health benefits (John Hopkins Medicine, 2022) They can be found in yogurt and other fermented foods, dietary supplements, and beauty products (NIH, 2023).

Moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by Johns Hopkins clinical dietitian Ashli Greenwald to discuss probiotics.


Mitral Valve Disease

February 1, 2023
James Gammie, M.D.

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, which balances out to one person dying every 34 seconds in the United States. One cause of heart disease is valvular heart disease. Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by cardiac surgeon, Dr. James Gammie, who serves as surgical lead and co-director for the Johns Hopkins Heart and Vascular Institute and cardiac surgeon-in-chief for the Johns Hopkins Health System.


Plant-Based Diets

Jaclyn Rose, R.D.N., L.D.N.

January 1, 2022
Jaclyn Rose, R.D.N., L.D.N.

Medicine is concerned with advancing effective methods to treat existing disease but also the proactive prevention of disease. New evidence is emerging about the value of a plant-based diet in preventing disease and enhancing wellbeing. In this podcast, moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by clinical dietitian Jaclyn Rose to discuss plant-based diets.


Relieving Back Pain

Lee Hunter Riley III, M.D.

December 1, 2022
Lee Hunter Riley III, M.D.

According to several sources: 80% of the US population will experience lower back pain in their lifetime. Women aged between 45 and 65 years old are most likely to suffer from back pain. Learn more with orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Lee Riley, III, professor of orthopaedic surgery at Johns Hopkins.


An Introduction to Transgender Health

Helene Hedia and Paula Neira

November 1, 2022
Paula Neira, M.S.N. and Helene Hedian, M.D.

November 13-19 is Transgender Awareness Month followed by November 20, which is serves as a Day of Remembrance. To mark these dates, we bring you an introductory discussion on transgender health with three Johns Hopkins Medicine experts. In this podcast, moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by Paula Neira, the Program Director of LGBTQ+ Equity and Education at Johns Hopkins Medicine, Office of Diversity, Inclusion and Health Equity. Next, is internist Dr. Helene Hedian, who serves as director of Clinical Education at the Center for Transgender Health. Our final Johns Hopkins Medicine expert is clinical assistant professor in plastic surgery, Dr. Fan Liang, who serves as the Medical Director for the Center for Transgender Health.


When Alcohol Becomes the Problem

Dr. Denis Antoine

October 1, 2022
Denis Antoine, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by psychiatrist, Dr. Denis Antoine, who serves as the Director of the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy (CAP) and Director of the Addiction Treatment Services (ATS) at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center to have a frank discussion about when drinking alcohol becomes a problem.


Music as Medicine

Alexander Pantelyat, M.D.

September 1, 2022
Alexander Pantelyat, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by neurologist Dr. Alexander Pantelyat, who also serves as the director of the Atypical Parkinsonism Center at Johns Hopkins and is the co-founder and director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine to discuss the potential role music can play within medicine to help heal and prevent some neurodegenerative diseases.


Lessons Learned From COVID and Future Implications

Stuart Campbell Ray, M.D.

August 1, 2022
Stuart Campbell Ray, M.D.

It has been a hard two years for everyone! The COVID pandemic has been life altering and has changed how they interact in the world.

In this podcast, moderator Dr. Lillie Shockney is joined by Dr. Stuart Ray, a professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases within the Department of Medicine to talk about present and future issues in the case of pandemics.


IBD

Aline Charabaty Pishvaian, M.D.

July 5, 2022
Aline Charabaty Pishvaian, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by gastroenterologist Dr. Aline Charabaty, who is the clinical director of the Gastroenterology Division and director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center at Johns Hopkins Sibley Memorial Hospital for a conversation on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


Combating the U.S. Blood Shortage

Steven Frank, M.D.

June 1, 2022
Steven Frank, M.D.

This month, moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by Dr. Steven Frank, professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Frank serves as medical director for the Bloodless Medicine and Surgery Program. He is also director of the Interdisciplinary Blood Management Program and of Perioperative Blood Management Services at Johns Hopkins for a discussion on the U.S. Blood Shortage and the role of Bloodless Medicine in combating this shortage.


The Aging Eye

Sharon Solomon, M.D.

May 2, 2022
Sharon Solomon, M.D.

In this episode, moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by ophthalmologist Sharon Solomon, M.D., the Katharine M. Graham Professor of Ophthalmology to discuss common issues from dry eye to macular degeneration, which can develop in the eye as we age.


Autoimmune Disorders in Women

Julie Paik, M.D., M.H.S.

April 1, 2022
Julie Paik, M.D., M.H.S.

With over 100 autoimmune disease affecting 23.5 million Americans and nearly 80% of those being women, moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by Dr. Julie Paik, assistant professor of medicine and the director of Clinical Trials at the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center to discuss autoimmune diseases in women.


Natural Light and Skin Aging

Anna Chien, M.D.

March 1, 2022
Daisy Duan, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by dermatologist Anna Chien, M.D., an associate professor of dermatology and the medical director of Johns Hopkins Dermatology at Howard County to talk about the different types of light we come in contact with on a daily basis, skin aging and photoprotection.


Stress Cardiomyopathy: Stress Affecting the Heart

Ilan Shor Wittstein, M.D.

February 1, 2022
Ilan Shor Wittstein, M.D.

Moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by cardiologist Dr. Ilan Wittstein, the foremost expert in “broken heart syndrome,” also known as stress cardiomyopathy or takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Dr. Wittstein and Professor Shockney talk about exactly what stress cardiomyopathy or broken heart syndrome is, its symptoms and how it differs from other heart issues.

Hernias: Types and Treatments

Gina Adrales, M.D., M.P.H.

January 3, 2022
Gina Adrales, M.D., M.P.H.

In this episode, moderator Lillie Shockney is joined by Dr. Gina Adrales, an associate professor of surgery and the director of the division of minimally invasive surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Dr. Adrales and Professor Shockney talk about various types of hernias and minimally invasive surgical options available to treat the hernias.