Guest: Tara Schmidt, RDN, LD

Episode 1:  Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: How to Avoid Gaining Weight During the Holidays

December 3, 2024

It’s not uncommon to gain a pound or two each year as we get older. For many, most of our annual weight gain occurs during the holidays.  It’s a time of celebration and is filled with parties and events, often with high calorie foods and drinks. Holidays can also be stressful, and many find some relief of stress by eating. Weight gain during the holidays occurs so easily and quickly, yet losing this weight can be quite challenging and can take months. In fact, some studies have shown that weight put on during the holidays never comes off. How do we deal with the abundance of food we’re exposed to over the holidays? How should we approach holiday parties? How can we avoid contributing to the problem when we bring food to holiday events? With the holidays approaching, today’s podcast is directed at our own personal health in our “Holiday Stress and Wellness Series” as we discuss “How to Avoid Gaining Weight During the Holidays.” My guest for this podcast is registered dietician and nutritionist Tara Schmidt, RDN, LD, from the Mayo Clinic.

Guest: Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P.

Episode 2:  Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: Seasonal Depression

December 5, 2024

It’s relatively common for individuals to feel somewhat sad or have the “winter blues” when the days get shorter and then feel better when we get our daylight back in the spring. However, for some, mood changes can be more serious, and they may be experiencing seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression characterized by recurrent mood changes related to a change in the season. It’s estimated that up to 10 million Americans are affected by this disorder. What’s the natural history of seasonal affective disorder? Is it the same as depression which tends to occur around the holidays? Is seasonal affective disorder related to the time of year or the amount of sunlight and does it ever occur during the summer months? I’ll be asking these questions and more of my guest as we discuss “Seasonal Depression” as part of our “Holiday Stress and Wellness” podcast series. My guest for today’s podcast is psychologist Craig N. Sawchuk, Ph.D., L.P., from the Mayo Clinic.

Guests:

Bruce Sutor, M.D.

Megan R. Leloux, Pharm.D., R.Ph., BCPP

Episode 3: Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: Pharmacologic Management of Depression

December 10, 2024

Depression is very common both in the U.S. and worldwide. It’s estimated that major depression affects over 8% of American adults, representing over 20 million individuals. Fortunately, we now have a variety of pharmacologic options for the management of depression and they’re much safer than what we had available in the past. However, we now have so many choices, how do we know which medication is best for our patient? What’s the difference between an SSRI and an SNRI? Is there an anti-depressant that’s also effective in treating anxiety? Are some medications better for our elderly patients? I’ll be asking these questions and more to my guests, psychiatrist Bruce Sutor, M.D., and pharmacist Megan R. Leloux, Pharm.D., R.Ph., BCPP, from the Mayo Clinic as we discuss “Pharmacologic Management of Depression” as part of our “Holiday Stress and Wellness” podcast series.

Guest: Amanda R. Bonikowske, Ph.D.

Episode 4: Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: Exercise and the Holidays

December 12, 2024

There are many benefits of exercise, from improving our mental health to reducing the risk of chronic disease. It can improve our sleep, increase our energy and can help establish relationships with others. It’s an activity that almost anyone can do, and it doesn’t have to cost a thing, other than an individual’s time. The holiday season will soon be upon us as well as its associated stress and in many cases, weight gain. Can exercise help with some of these problems associated with the holidays? How much exercise is optimal? What kind of exercise should we recommend for those who are unable to participate in vigorous exercise? Does it matter if we do one type of exercise or is a variety of exercise better? These are questions I’ll be asking my guest, Amanda Bonikowske, Ph.D., an exercise physiologist from the Department of Cardiovascular Diseases at the Mayo Clinic as we discuss “Exercise and the Holidays”.

Guest: Mark A. Frye, M.D.

Episode 5:  Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: Holiday Stress and Mental Health

December 17, 2024

For many, the holidays are a time for happiness and connecting with family and friends. It’s often a time of celebration. But for some, it can be a time of increased stress, anxiety and sadness. In some cases, our good health habits such as eating healthy, regular exercise and getting adequate sleep are replaced by overeating, consuming excess alcohol and taking on too many responsibilities. A recent study by the American Psychological Society found that 89% of those surveyed felt stressed during the holiday season. What are the most common reasons for this stress? Can we avoid it? If not, what are the best ways to manage it? I’ll be discussing these topics with my guest, Mark Frye, M.D., a psychiatrist from the Mayo Clinic. The topic for this podcast is “Holiday Stress and Mental Health”.

Guest: Terry D. Schneekloth, M.D.

Episode 6:  Holiday Stress and Wellness Edition: Alcohol Use and the Holidays

December 19, 2024

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, there’s a significant increase in alcohol consumption during holidays. Christmas and New Years are times of celebration and alcohol use is often part of that celebration. Binge drinking is common, and this can result in impaired judgment, motor vehicle accidents, and risky behaviors. Who’s at greatest risk for alcohol-related behaviors? How can we as health care clinicians detect those at risk for a problem with alcohol during the holidays and what advice can we give our patients recovering from an alcohol addiction to get through the holidays and maintain their sobriety? The topic for this podcast is “Alcohol Use and the Holidays” and these are some of the questions I’ll be asking my guest, Terry Schneekloth, M.D., from the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology at the Mayo Clinic.