Health Discovered

Latest Episodes:

ADHD in Women and Girls: Why It’s Often Overlooked Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

For years, conversations about ADHD have largely focused on children, often centered on the image of a child who can’t sit still or is disrupting the classroom. But ADHD can look very different in girls and women – and those differences can make it easier to overlook or diagnose later in life. We spoke with Monica Johnson, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Kind Mind Psychology, about why ADHD may be missed in girls and women, including disparities in diagnosis among Black girls and women. She explained how symptoms can shift across the lifespan, the hidden cost of masking, and how an accurate evaluation can help connect people with the right support.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Monica Johnson, PsyD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Making the Most of Your Doctor Visit: Be Heard, Decide Together, Know What’s Next Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

Many people have left a medical appointment with more questions than answers. A rushed visit, a provider focused on a computer screen, or confusing medical information can make it harder to feel heard and confident in your care. We spoke with Neil J. Farber, MD, author of Treating a Broken System: A Physician’s Cure for the Healthcare Crisis, about creating stronger partnerships between patients and healthcare providers. He shares how better communication, thoughtful questions, and open conversations about options can help people feel more informed and empowered in their care. He also shares practical ways to prepare for appointments to make sure your priorities are part of the conversation. You deserve to be heard, understand your options, and have a voice in decisions about your health.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Neil J. Farber, MD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Screen Time and Kids: Setting Healthy Digital Boundaries Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

Setting limits around screen time can feel complicated and overwhelming for parents. How do you move beyond simple rules and consider how different kinds of digital media may affect a child’s attention, sleep, creativity, learning, mood, and relationships? We sat down with Jane Tavyev Asher, MD, director of the Division of Child Neurology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, to discuss why endless feeds can be so hard to stop, how to set boundaries without making screens feel like a forbidden reward, and why it’s never too late to reset your family’s habits. Families can shift their digital habits. Start with one intentional change – and replace screen time with a shared activity.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Jane Tavyev Asher, MD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neurodivergence, Social Media, and Self-Diagnosis: What to Know Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

“Neurodivergent” describes someone whose brain processes, learns, or behaves differently from what society considers typical. Common forms of neurodivergence include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia. We spoke with Megan Anna Neff, PsyD, clinical psychologist and host of the Divergent Conversations podcast, about how neurodivergent people may process information, experience the world, communicate, and navigate everyday environments differently. We also explored why social media can be a meaningful starting point for people who have felt overlooked or misunderstood – and why it should be a doorway to learning, not the final word on diagnosis.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Megan Anna Neff, PsyD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis: Understanding Treatment and Managing Symptoms Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

Previously on Health Discovered, we learned how indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM), a condition caused by an abnormal buildup of mast cells throughout the body, is diagnosed. Now, we’re looking at how ISM is treated and how symptoms can be managed. We speak with Tracy I. George, MD, a hematopathologist, and Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, an allergist and immunologist, about what ISM treatments do, how to know if they’re working, what’s at risk when ISM goes unmonitored, and which symptoms should never be ignored. We also discuss the care team involved in treating ISM. Plus, ISM patient and Mast Cast Pod co-host Rachael Rose shares her experience managing symptoms and finding the right care team.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Matt Stillo
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Tracy I George, MD; Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD; Rachael Rose

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Health Wearables: What Your Data Can – and Can’t – Tell You Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

Health wearables can provide valuable insights into sleep, heart rate, steps, and blood oxygen levels – but how many of us bring that data to our healthcare appointments? What can these numbers tell us about our baseline and important changes in our health? We spoke with Calum MacRae, MD, PhD, a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham, about how to use wearable data to better understand your body, identify patterns, and potentially spot changes before a health crisis. We discussed why wearables are more than vanity metrics or tools for tracking activity, and how they can help us pay attention to the factors influencing our health. But context matters: Wearables are a tool, not a replacement for medical care or treatment.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Calum MacRae, MD, PhD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Job Loss, Mental Health, and Finding Your Way Forward Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Whether you’ve been fired abruptly, terminated after a performance improvement plan, or affected by a mass layoff, losing your job can feel like the floor just dropped beneath your feet. One moment, you’re working with colleagues and basing life decisions on a regular paycheck and health insurance. The next, your income, self-worth, community, routine, and imagined future can feel drastically changed. You’re left asking: Who am I without this title, this income, this future – and what’s next? We spoke with Monica Johnson, PsyD, licensed clinical psychologist and founder of Kind Mind Psychology, about caring for your mental health after job loss, why you don’t need to rush into your next role, how to make space for difficult emotions, and practical steps to regain a sense of control and direction.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Monica Johnson, PsyD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Digital Burnout: How to Reset an Overstimulated Brain Aug 27, 2026

Show notes

Constantly being “on” doesn’t just drain our energy – it can rewire our brains, blur the lines between what’s urgent and what’s not, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, we explore why our brains and bodies need regular digital detoxes. We sit down with Romila “Romie” Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM, a board-certified physician and author of The Busy Brain Cure, to discuss how modern digital life fuels burnout, why it’s a culture problem – not a willpower problem – and how small, structured resets can help calm an overstimulated brain. Dr. Mushtaq also shares her 3-30-3 method for taking brief, regular breaks from devices to reconnect with people, movement, nature, and meaningful routines.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Romila Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Understanding the Mind-Body Connection in Chronic Pain Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

Tens of millions of Americans live with chronic pain, often after years of tests, treatments, and specialist visits without finding relief. Chronic pain can also be misunderstood, whether it takes the form of migraines, IBS, fatigue, or other symptoms, and can significantly affect quality of life and emotional health. We spoke with Howard Schubiner, MD, author of Unlearn Your Pain: The Science of Recovering from Chronic Pain, Fatigue, Anxiety, and Depression, about “neuroplastic” pain, how to distinguish structural injury from brain-driven symptoms, practical steps to take alongside pain treatment, and his five-step approach to unlearning pain. We also emphasized how trauma, stress, life pressures, and experiences of medical dismissal can shape and amplify chronic pain. For those suffering from chronic pain, having their experience validated and understood – not minimized – can be an important part of healing.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Howard Schubiner, MD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How to Talk to Children About School Safety Incidents Aug 13, 2026

Show notes

For many parents, dropping their child off at school comes with the expectation that they will be safe. Yet for children across the United States, safety concerns – from lockdown drills to real threats – have become an increasingly common part of childhood. How do we talk to our children about these experiences, and how can parents cope in ways that support their children? We spoke with Adjoa Smalls-Mantey, MD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, about school safety concerns, how they can affect children’s mental and emotional health, and how parents can help. We also discuss warning signs, opportunities for intervention, opening communication, and grounding techniques for moments of crisis.

Credits

Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Adjoa Smalls-Mantey, MD

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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