Risky Behavior

On the final episode of Risky Behavior Season 2, Sweta and Taylor speak to the “digital doctor” Dr. Sohaib Imtiaz. The trio discusses the nexus of health, behavior, and technology, the relationship between physical and mental health, and the many tech innovations in health that will overhaul our relationship to our bodies. They even get an answer to the perennial question: “Why do doctors smoke?!”

Lifestyle medicine is a holistic approach to mind and body health but is still a relatively new board certification in the field of medicine. Sweta and Taylor get deep insights from Sohaib into where the field is going and how “wearables” and the digitization of health more broadly are going to transform individual and public health. This is a podcast for anyone who cares about their health and the future of medicine.

Sweta and Taylor talk to Alessandra Sollberger, an impact investor, entrepreneur and general force of nature! She is the founder and CEO of Top Tier Impact, a global, private network of high impact and sustainability leaders and investors. Alessa describes how global impact and sustainability can grow faster and better, and recognizes the urgency for action while looking forward to ushering in a thriving future. She is a globally recognized generational voice leading at the nexus of impact and technology, and an advocate for an incentivized and accountable private sector on climate change.

Alessa explains how it is finally more profitable for the private sector to part of the solution than to be part of the problem, which is a recent change compared to the early 2000s when green funds first gained popularity. This current decade is a critical time, and individuals and the public sector must also recognize their roles in influencing and moving corporates. The trio discuss the future of the private sector in responding to and signaling societal advances from climate change, to better food choices, to racial injustice intolerance.

Listeners will learn how individual behaviors and demands can influence governance and ultimately overhaul seemingly slow to reform heavy industries like cement and steel.

Consumers can dictate what companies do, and we must. This is an episode filled with facts, hope and action!

Sweta and Taylor interview the Head of Anatomy at Kings College London and BrainFacts.org Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Richard Wingate. As a developmental neurobiologist, Richard’s research looks at locating and identifying neurons in the brain and their relationship to development and evolution. This sounds technical, and it is! but Richard is passionate about cross-collaborating with artists and those in media to make science more accessible, and visually appealing.

The trio gets into a range of topics ranging from how biological processes begin in the womb, their implications for how we develop and evolve (including how DNA can change and be passed on from mother to child), and ultimately how to communicate relevant, useful information to the public! We even explore the findings of Einstein's brain (spoiler alert: it's not so different from any of us regular folk).

Richard has served on Wellcome Trusts Awards panels and acted as the scientific advisor for the Wellcome Collection’s “Brains: Mind as Material” exhibition in London and Manchester, and co-authored the accompanying book. We get into all of this and more! We hope you feel like a bonafide neurobiologist by the end of this episode!

Sweta and Taylor interview Columbia University Neuroscientist Dr. Bianca Marlin Jones who breaks down the “love drug” oxytocin and its role in relationships, care, and behavior. Bianca explains the science behind how love transcends biological bonds, evident in the ease in which adoptive and foster parents love their non-biological children. Even dogs have developed evolutionary adaptive traits to make sure we continue to release oxytocin and feed and house them, and we are fine with it! The trio gets into trans-generational epigenetic inheritance of stress and trauma, and how experiences can be passed down to second and even third generations. Sperm and eggs REMEMBER, and Bianca’s cutting-edge research in this field will frankly blow your mind. Bianca calms Sweta down about potentially having children in the future. It turns out our brain’s “love drug” has played a consistent role in procreation and child-rearing since the dawn of our species, and the benefits do indeed outweigh the risks. Bianca's contributions in STEM are living black history and we're so excited to delve into the deets of her research. 

--- "Have ideas for the show? Want to give some feedback?" Shoot us a voice message at (202) 713-5182 and we’ll make sure to get our producer to listen to it - cause we don’t do voicemail. You can always feel free to tweet us @swetachak and @drtaylorwallace respectively or @riskybehaviordc . We love a good tweet. 

-- Special shoutout to Bianca for making this possible! To keep up with Dr. Marlin and her work, check out the relevant links below: 

TWITTER: @bjmarlin

INSTA: @biancajonesmarlin

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Credits: 

Executive Producers/Hosts: Sweta Chakraborty and Taylor Wallace 

Production/Editing: Brandon Jack Lee Music

Special thanks to Anchor.fm for smart sounds

In this episode, Sweta and Taylor talk to Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding (@DrEricDing), a Harvard trained epidemiologist and former candidate for Congress! Eric has been an advocate for evidence-based public health policies since the outbreak of COVID-19 and continues to emphasize the need to come together as a community to squash disease outbreaks. He’s been retweeted by AOC, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), and the President of Mexico (who translated his tweet into Spanish!), and many other notables for his relentless efforts to fight science disinformation and better inform the public.

The trio discusses everything from our current Biden-Harris era of science communication and policy to COVID-19 myths to the mask wars, as well as the reluctance to get vaccinated and the role scientists need to play in better science communication. Spoiler alert: we def need to improve our emotional EQ and stop fighting with one another in public!

This is a serious topic, but there is always humor to be found, and this episode is full of both facts and fun! Sit back with a (yes…still) socially distanced drink. We’re getting there folks!

---- NOTE: This episode was recorded in Winter 2020. COVID-19 related news changes at a rapid pace, so please be sure to keep up to date with your trusted local, state, and national news sources.

---- Please note that due to quarantine, we're still recording remotely. You may hear some unexpected background noises. We hope that won't discourage you from getting into these really important issues.

--- "Have ideas for the show? Want to give some feedback?" Shoot us a voice message at (202) 713-5182 and we’ll make sure to get our producer to listen to it - cause we don’t do voicemail. 

You can always feel free to tweet us @swetachak and @drtaylorwallace respectively or @riskybehaviordc. We love a good tweet.

-- Special shoutout to Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding for taking time out for our show! You can keep up with Eric on Twitter @DrEricDing

--- Credits: Executive Producers/Hosts: Sweta Chakraborty and Taylor Wallace Production/Editing: Brandon Jack Lee

Special thanks to Anchor.fm for smart sounds

In the premiere episode of Season 2, Sweta and Taylor wine down with legendary musician, DJ, and author: Moby! Surprisingly, this episode doesn't focus on music, or even philosophy (listen in to hear how Moby almost became a philosophy prof!), but rather the trio dive into Moby's true calling as an animal rights activist. We explore what Moby has learned in terms of leveraging his platform and status as a celebrity, to draw attention to the plight of animals.

Moby is a unique voice in Hollywood as he urges his fellow celebrities to utilize their platforms to raise awareness of the many interconnected human/animal/environmental risks we face. This episode explores the relationship between animals and humans as it relates to a warming planet and our hosts explore everything from Hollywood to policymaking. We also explore where activism can fall short, making a case for animal welfare through economic benefit and misconceptions that Moby refers to as "magical thinking".

If you think this is a dope kick-off to the season, then just wait 'til you see who we have in store next. Stay tuned!

Please note that due to quarantine, we're still recording remotely. You may hear some unexpected background noises. We hope that won't discourage you from getting into these really important issues.

---

"Have ideas for the show? Want to give some feedback?"

Shoot us a voice message at (202) 713-5182 and we’ll make sure to get our producer to listen to it - cause we don’t do voicemail.

You can always feel free to tweet us @swetachak and @drtaylorwallace respectively or @riskybehaviordc . We love a good tweet.

--

Credits:

Special shoutout to Moby and Dave Tomberlin for making this possible.

Executive Producers/Hosts: Sweta Chakraborty and Taylor Wallace

Production/Editing: Brandon Jack Lee

Music featured by Cat O'Brien

Special thanks to Anchor.fm for smart sounds

Dear Listeners,

We were really excited to launch Season 2 of Risky Behavior today, Jan. 7th. But yesterday, following Georgia flipping the US Senate to Democrat, protests in Washington DC turned violent—resulting in an armed insurrection of the Capitol building, a woman shot and killed, and the Mayor of Washington imposing a 6 PM curfew to prevent further escalations. Because of this, we’ve decided to postpone our first episode’s release to next week, Jan 14th. Thank you for your patience.

An additional note from me.

There will always be dissenters to democracy, but yesterday was an example of domestic TERRORISM. Those who participated in and supported yesterday’s insurrection must be held accountable. These people are not representative of the majority of Americans who uphold democracy, and democracy will prevail.

I look forward to the Biden Administration restoring national trust in our governance as well as the international community’s faith in America.

As a behavioral scientist who has researched the integral role of trust in institutions and behavior, I know what it takes to restore trust once it has been destroyed.

America is WORTH the work.

Let’s get started.

Thank you from Risky Behavior DC

Sweta and Taylor invite fitness extraordinaire and founder of all things wellness “MiFitSpot,” Michaela Brown, to talk about keeping mentally and physically fit during COVID-19. Michaela drops a bombshell: she hates working out! What hope is there for the rest of us if a woman who can regularly hold herself up horizontally on a pole dislikes breaking a sweat?! Sweta and Taylor get to the bottom how to get motivated to get active (especially during a lockdown), the science behind how to establish and maintain good habits, and how physical, nutritional and mental health are inextricably linked. If quarantine is bringing you down, crank up this episode up!

You might be listening to this on the coach, but ultimately this episode is meant to lift your spirits and your bum out of a seating position! You’ll feel much better about raising a glass with us during our next happy hour once you do!

References

MiFitSpot

http://www.mifitspot.com/?fbclid=IwAR332Nfl0IkFBb1klwUHWDDZ9sS4Ngrz1CKh8CNqhNEL3HcwYGnS06bzy7k

The coronavirus is stretching into April and it’s easy to overlook special dates like Passover, Easter, or 4.20! The annual National Cannabis Policy Summit will not be taking place this spring in DC, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t highlight the significance of 4.20 and how far we have come in the cultivation, legalization and potentially full decriminalization of cannabis products. In this episode, Sweta and Taylor talk to Oregon cannabis farmer, Andrew Black, following a C-SPAN panel featuring Sweta and Andrew on how to produce cannabis products sustainably on a warming planet. Sweta, Andrew, and Taylor cover everything from hemp agriculture to why small farmers AND Big Pharma oppose legalizing cannabis. It’s a complicated landscape, but one worth understanding! Sweta and Taylor kick off this episode by trying one of Andrew’s CBD products. Andrew promised there would be no psychoactive effects, and while that held true for both hosts, CBD is NOT regulated. Any therapeutic benefits or promised effects are determined by the manufacturer, and it’s important for potential consumers to conduct due diligence. We also do not recommend mixing alcohol with cannabis products, and please consult credible expert guidance before enhancing this happy hour with us with anything beyond alcohol! References National Cannabis Policy Summit https://www.c-span.org/video/?459939-3/national-cannabis-policy-summit-part-2&event=459939&playEvent&show=0 CDC Cannabis guidelines https://www.cdc.gov/marijuana/index.htm

In this episode, Taylor and Sweta chat with Bill Klanke, CEO and publisher of Space Intel Report, the leading online space media company for the commercial space industry. Bill takes a “space level view” and explains the extent to which business and industry have overhauled the space landscape initially dominated by NASA, but now perhaps more synonymous with SpaceX! The trio discusses fake moons, US Space Force, the inherent risks associated with commercial practices lowering costs to give consumers access to space and so much more!

Tune in to find out if Taylor’s future husband would have the option of taking him to space! Spoiler alert: it could be as early as the end of this year! Taylor better move from swiping to dating if he’s going to be one of the first tourist couples to check out space!

References

Space Intel Report: https://www.spaceintelreport.com/

Check out this bonus “hot topic” episode on coronavirus! Sweta and Taylor break down this virus only how they can, in relation to the big global picture. E.g., how are global trends like overpopulation, urbanization, increased transport, and human interconnectedness, and finally climate change resulting in the emergence and persistence of infectious diseases like coronavirus? While coronavirus is unlikely to hit the status of a pandemic (a disease spanning countries and generations like HIV or Spanish Influenza), NOW is the time to think about the prevention of the next big infectious disease. We need to talk about uncomfortable truths, human behaviors, and how proactive risk management is necessary to stop these diseases from ever emerging. Currently, an estimated 1.67 million potential unknown diseases are out there (EcoHealth Alliance, see reference) and if/when they make the jump to humans, quite frankly, no amount of quarantines or evacuations can contain them. 

EcoHealth Alliance: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.ecohealthalliance.org/2020/01/what-do-you-need-to-know-about-wuhan-coronavirus&source=gmail&ust=1581049269365000&usg=AFQjCNHzuURmhjbxj3RokgNM9-WFHLyO_Q

In the inaugural episode of “Risky Behavior,” Sweta and Taylor chat to David Livingston, the Deputy Director of Climate and Advanced Energy at The Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, on all thing climate and energy! Topics discussed range from how to make the global energy system more sustainable, why nuclear and other energy sources are perceived riskier than they actually are, and where we are in harnessing energy from volcanoes…wait are we? David’s expertise isn’t simply limited to predictions on the future of energy, but he also excels at accurately dropping in fancy vocabulary words like “panoply” and “largesse” into casual conversation. Grab and drink and listen to this compelling episode on renewable energy, the positions of the Democratic presidential hopefuls, and how to use “bevy” correctly in a sentence that will surely make you popular at your next cocktail party! References: Atlantic Council: Global Energy Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/programs/global-energy-center/ Join Sweta and Taylor as they explore controversial issues and address your health and wellness concerns. 

Listen to new podcast episodes every bi-weekly Thursday and watch live on Fridays on Eaton Radio. In conjunction with Eaton Radio, a community-based radio station with a DIY spirit.  Produced by Brandon Jack Lee. 

Join Dr. Sweta Chakraborty and Dr. Taylor Wallace for happy hour as they explore controversial issues and address your health and wellness concerns, ranging from nutrition and climate change, to sex and prescription drugs. Together this dynamic duo will loosen lips and spill tea from the heart of Washington, D.C., with special expert guests you won't want to miss!

In conjunction with Eaton Radio, a Washington, D.C. community-based radio station with a DIY spirit.