Blooming Wellness

Blooming Wellness Follow for quirky, quick public health trivia videos that will make you go HUH?! I'm Dr. EeKs. Nerds & Nerd Nots welcome! 🤓😎

Work in Public Health; Write at BloomingWellness.com & Host the Causes or Cures Podcast.

04/10/2026

Can diet really lower colorectal cancer risk?

My latest podcast guest researched it.

04/09/2026

Most of us don’t think twice about what happens to our skin when it touches water. Maybe a little wrinkling after a long bath. Nothing dramatic.

But for one man in his 20s, water triggered something very different...

Read more in comments.

04/09/2026

What?!

A guest I spoke with shared that he has seen angels since childhood and still consults with them today.

Before dismissing that—Belief in angels is not fringe.

A national survey from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 69 percent of U.S. adults say they believe in angels.

So while experiences like this may sound unusual to some, the underlying belief itself is far more common than many people assume.

I’ve been exploring the intersection of spirituality and health on the podcast. Granted, this leads to some very interesting conversations, but I enjoy it.

Spiritual belief is not the same as misinformation. It operates differently. It is tied to identity, meaning, coping, and purpose. It can influence how people understand illness, how they make decisions, and how they move through the world.

Ignoring or belittling it won't make it go away.

There's even a push in Public Health to focus on spirituality as a social determinant of health.

People are, and always have been, trying to understand something outside the rules of the material world.

And whether we talk about it or not, that influences health more than we think.

04/08/2026

Do you bring your phone into the bathroom with you?

A cross-sectional study with 125 participants undergoing screening colonoscopies showed about 66% did.

They also spend more time on the toilet—and had a 46% higher risk of hemorrhoids.

Straining was NOT a significant factor.

It was the time spent on the throne itself.

(Link to my blog with the full breakdown in comments)

“Stay back, Squeaks! I got this.”
04/08/2026

“Stay back, Squeaks! I got this.”

“Do you let your dog on the couch?” Yes, yes I do. And sometimes he lets me. 🤷‍♀️💕🫣
04/07/2026

“Do you let your dog on the couch?”

Yes, yes I do.
And sometimes he lets me. 🤷‍♀️💕🫣

04/06/2026

Are you a night owl 🦉 or an early bird 🐦?

Does your bedtime change or stay consistent?

A large study showed that going to bed late, even if that is your natural inclination, is linked to worse mental health outcomes.

The lead researcher Dr. Jamie Zeitzer explained the theories why on my Causes or Cures Podcast. (full episode link in comments).

He and his team recommend going to bed before 1AM (regardless of your preference), for healthy aging.

04/06/2026

Does va**ng cause cancer?

A large recent review published in Carcinogenesis (March'2026) looking at nicotine-based e-cigarettes found growing evidence that va**ng may be linked to cancer.

Not from one type of study, but across many:
*biomarkers showing DNA damage, oxidative stress, and inflammation
*lab studies identifying carcinogenic chemicals in aerosols
*and animal studies showing tumor development

Over time, the scientific tone is shifting from “we need more data” to “there is reason for concern.”

Their basic takeaway: nicotine-based e-cigarettes are considered likely to be carcinogenic, though the full risk is still being understood.

*Note: They say "linked." They do not say "causes".

04/04/2026

I remember this one time when I was a kid…

I was at my friend’s house in the country, and we were playing hide and go seek inside on Easter Eve.

Everyone still believed in the Easter Bunny.

I went into her parents’ room and saw this big pile of clothes and thought, perfect. No one is going to think I’m brave or stupid enough to hide in here.

So I start burrowing into the pile…really committing to the spot…

and then I hit something.

Not clothes.

Easter baskets.

Just a whole stash of Easter baskets.

And in that moment, I realized two things:

One, I had found an elite hiding spot.

And two…

I had just ruined Easter for everyone.

04/03/2026

Today in public health is weird…

Once upon a time, some people thought that the combo of Pop Rocks and Soda would make kids explode.

The rumor spread so fast that the candy company got flooded with calls from worried parents & had to launch a large PR campaign & speak to schools to reassure people. (The “hotline” part is how the story often gets remembered.)

There were no cases. No explosions.
Just a very effective myth.
And this was before social media!

And for some reason, I have this feeling that one of yas is gonna try this at home.
There’s always one! 😉💥👍

04/02/2026

The ways people used to prove you were dead are wild!
Can you imagine?

This is a clip from my conversation with Dr. Roger Byard, a repeat guest on Causes or Cures who I love talking to.

A total fun one…link to full episode in comments.

04/02/2026

Thinking back to when my Nana was babysitting me, it was late at night, and someone knocked on the door. Then knocked again.

"Nobody's home!" she anxiously shouted.

There were no more knocks...

Still one of my favorite memories.

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Renovo, PA

Website

https://causesorcures.buzzsprout.com/

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