Gretchen Peterson

Light in Darkness

Uncategorized

šŸŒ Across various cultures, light-filled festivals during the colder months are a shared experience rooted in astronomical, psychological, and cultural factors. These celebrations provide warmth, hope, and community bonding during the darkest times of the year. šŸŒ„ **Sun’s Trajectory & Seasonal Changes:** Winter brings shorter days and longer nights (from December through March in the Read more…

Meet Those Nerdy Girls! Sarah Whitley Coles, MD

Women in STEM

Meet Those Nerdy Girls! Sarah Whitley Coles, MD – Founding Member Dr. Sarah Coles is an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix in the Department of Family, Community, and Preventive Medicine. She received her undergraduate degrees in molecular and cellular biology and saxophone performance from the University of Arizona. Read more…

What can I do to stop my eyes from feeling like sandpaper or watering like crazy, especially in the winter?

Aging General Health

An eye care routine can improve symptoms of dry, itchy, or watery eyes. Routine eye care includes keeping your fingers out of your eyes, gentle cleansing, using sun protection, and seeking care with a health professional when symptoms do not improve. Blepharitis or eyelid inflammation is a common condition affecting all ages, though the prevalence Read more…

Video – Can the new diabetes and weight loss drugs affect reproductive health?

Reproductive Health

A: Potentially, yes! Semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound) may reduce birth control effectiveness and may increase risk of birth defects if taken during pregnancy. The new GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs have been a breakthrough in treating obesity and Type 2 diabetes. They significantly improve blood glucose levels and lower body weight. Read more…

Will ketamine help my mental health?

Mental Health

It can be helpful for some people with treatment resistant depression or major depressive disorder. Ketamine is a medication commonly used during surgery and was first developed to be an anesthesia medication with fewer side effects. It is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist and has been studied for nearly 20 years in mental health because Read more…

Is ‘Immunity Debt’ Behind China’s Rising Childhood Pneumonia Cases?

Data and Metrics Infectious Diseases

TL;DR: There is no ā€œimmunity debtā€ for individuals. But *populations* can experience a ā€œcatch-upā€ period after a period of low virus transmission, which is what seems to be happening in China right now. Recent reports of a high number of cases of childhood pneumonia in China definitely made epidemiologists a tad nervous. But so far, Read more…

Q: Why can’t I get antibiotics for a cough?

Infectious Diseases

A: Taking an antibiotic when it’s not needed contributes to antimicrobial resistance and can put you and others at risk of more severe infections. TLDR: Antimicrobial resistance occurs when bacteria, fungi, parasites or viruses mutate in ways that make common treatments ineffective. More and more antibiotics are losing their effectiveness due to antimicrobial resistance, so Read more…

What is Transgender Awareness Week?

Reproductive Health

Transgender Awareness Week is a time to protect, advocate for, celebrate, uplift, understand, and honor our trans community. Why is this important? There are many reasons to celebrate and cultivate awareness of issues around the transgender experience. Let’s start with a crucial goal of public health efforts: investigating and addressing health *hazards* and root causes. Read more…

Nerdy Girls Live 11/17/23

Vaccines Videos

Those Nerdy Girls answer your questions about fall vaccines for COVID-19, flu, and RSV. Hosted by: – Ashley Ritter, APRN, PhD: TNG Founding Member & Contributing Writer – Chana Davis, PhD: TNG Contributing Writer & Founder of Fueled by Science āž”ļø Welcome and Intros (0:00-0:59) āž”ļø Who needs an RSV vaccine and why? What is Read more…