What the Health is Happening?

Does the Winter Make You S.A.D.?

As the days grow shorter and sunlight becomes scarce, many people experience more than just the winter blues. In this episode, we explore Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)—a form of depression that follows a seasonal pattern and can significantly impact mood, energy levels, sleep, and overall well-being.
 
Join Dr. Valda Crowder aka Dr. V as she discuss:
What Seasonal Affective Disorder is and how it differs from typical seasonal mood changes
Common signs and symptoms to watch for
Why reduced sunlight affects mental health
Evidence-based strategies to manage SAD, including lifestyle changes, light therapy, and mindfulness
When to seek professional help
Whether you’re personally struggling with seasonal changes or caring for patients, loved ones, or colleagues who are, this episode offers practical insights, compassion, and hope.
 
✨ Tune in, take care of your mental health, and remember—you’re not alone, even in the darker seasons.

Explore Healthcare Careers

Explore the vast world of healthcare careers beyond being a doctor!
Dr. Valda Crowder (Dr. V) guides listeners through the diverse opportunities in healthcare—from medical billing and nursing to phlebotomy, mental health therapy, and pharmaceutical sales.
Discover training requirements, salary expectations, and career paths that offer meaningful work, job security, and the chance to make a real difference. Whether you're a student, career changer, or simply curious about healthcare professions, this episode reveals the dozens of roles that make modern healthcare possible. Plus, health news updates on the measles outbreak and COVID vaccine warnings.

Holiday Health Etiquette

In this episode, Dr. V tackles Holiday Health Etiquette, discussing how to keep seasonal gatherings safe while navigating respiratory illnesses like flu, COVID-19, RSV, and norovirus. She covers the latest health news, answers listener questions about managing sick guests, food safety at holiday potlucks, vaccination timing, and setting healthy boundaries during the festive season. The show provides practical advice for protecting vulnerable family members while maintaining the joy of holiday celebrations.

Heads Up: What You Need to Know About Brain Injuries

Dr. Valda Crowder (Dr. V) explores the serious issue of head trauma and traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in this essential episode. Learn about the causes of head injuries—from sports and falls to vehicle accidents—and understand the symptoms that range from mild concussions to severe, life-altering injuries. Dr. V answers listener questions about concussions in children, recovery signs to watch for in elderly patients, CTE in athletes, helmet safety, and long-term effects of childhood head injuries. Whether you're a parent, athlete, caregiver, or just want to be informed, this episode provides critical, life-saving information about protecting your brain health.

Neuropathy Gets on My Nerves

Join Dr. Valda Crowder (Dr. V) for an in-depth discussion on peripheral neuropathy—a condition affecting over 35 million American adults.
Learn about the causes, symptoms, and types of nerve damage that disrupt communication between your brain and body. Dr. V answers listener questions about pain management, lifestyle changes, diabetes connections, treatment options, and emerging therapies. Whether you're dealing with tingling, numbness, or burning sensations, this episode provides practical information to help you understand and manage neuropathy. Email with your questions at info@askdrv.us.
Brought to you by Channel of Health - informing, educating, and empowering communities about pressing health issues.

Medical Discrimination Part 2

Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 30 years of experience, as she tackles one of healthcare's most pervasive yet overlooked issues: medical discrimination.
In this episode of The Ask Dr. V Show, she interviews guests about their first-hand accounts of medical discrimination and how they advocated for themselves, literally saving their lives.
Dr. V explores the real-world impacts of medical discrimination—from undertreated pain in Black patients to dismissed symptoms in women, weight stigma, ageism, and barriers facing LGBTQ+ and non-English speaking patients. Learn about medical gaslighting, understand your rights as a patient, and hear what needs to change to ensure everyone receives respectful, evidence-based care. Plus, get updates on healthcare policy fights and measles outbreaks affecting students nationwide.

Medical Discrimination: Understanding Bias in Healthcare

Medical Discrimination: Understanding Bias in Healthcare
Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a board-certified emergency medicine physician with 30 years of experience, as she tackles one of healthcare's most pervasive yet overlooked issues: medical discrimination. In this episode of The Ask Dr. V Show, discover how patients face bias and unequal care based on race, gender, weight, age, disability, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. Through listener calls and questions, Dr. V explores the real-world impacts of medical discrimination—from undertreated pain in Black patients to dismissed symptoms in women, weight stigma, ageism, and barriers facing LGBTQ+ and non-English speaking patients. Learn about medical gaslighting, understand your rights as a patient, and hear what needs to change to ensure everyone receives respectful, evidence-based care. Plus, get updates on healthcare policy fights and measles outbreaks affecting students nationwide.

Is Your Health Insurance at Risk?

Right now, as we speak, millions of Americans are facing a healthcare crisis that could hit your family next. Open enrollment is happening this month, but with the government shutdown and the so-called 'Big Beautiful Bill' making its way through Congress, the rules are changing faster than most people can keep up.
If you have health insurance through Medicaid, Medicare, Medicare Advantage, or the ACA marketplace—your coverage could be at serious risk. Premiums are skyrocketing, subsidies are expiring, and for some, coverage could disappear entirely by January.
Here's what makes this especially urgent: this isn't about politics—this is about your ability to see your doctor, get your prescriptions, and protect your family. Whether you're 25 or 75, whether you make $30,000 or $300,000 a year, these changes will affect you.
Today, we're cutting through the confusion and the misinformation. We're going to break down exactly what's happening with Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare during this shutdown. We'll tell you who's most at risk, what your options are right now during open enrollment, and most importantly—what you can do to protect yourself and your loved ones.
Because when 10 million people could lose their healthcare coverage, we don't have time to wait. We need answers now, and that's exactly what we're here to give you.

The Truth About Autism

Join Dr. Valda Crowder, a 30-year board-certified emergency medicine physician, as she cuts through misinformation and delivers the facts about Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). In this essential episode, Dr. V explains what autism really is, how it's detected and diagnosed, and what evidence-based treatments and therapies actually work.
Dr. V tackles your most pressing questions: Does maternal age cause autism? Is acetaminophen during pregnancy safe? Can autism be hereditary? What's the truth about vaccines? Plus, she addresses important topics like racial and gender disparities in diagnosis, the autism spectrum from non-verbal to high-functioning individuals, and whether autism diagnoses are truly increasing or just better recognized.
This episode also covers critical breaking news about the potential government shutdown and its impact on healthcare access, Medicaid, community health centers, and more.
Whether you're a parent, caregiver, healthcare provider, or simply seeking accurate information, this episode empowers you with science-backed facts to make informed decisions about autism and healthcare.
Brought to you by Channel of Health – informing, educating, and empowering marginalized communities about pressing health and healthcare issues.

Urgent - Self-Care is Your Life Support

In a world where chronic stress has become the norm, Dr. Valda Crowder delivers a powerful wake-up call: self-care isn't selfish—it's strategic survival. Join board-certified emergency medicine physician Dr. V as she breaks down the science behind "headline stress disorder" and reveals how constant exposure to polarized news, global conflicts, and digital overwhelm is literally rewiring our brains for fear and reactivity.
In this essential episode, Dr. V explains how chronic stress shrinks your prefrontal cortex while enlarging your amygdala, suppressing your immune system, disrupting sleep, and making you less capable of engaging constructively with the issues you care about most. But there's hope: she shares evidence-based strategies for rewiring your brain for resilience through simple daily practices.
What You'll Learn:
The neuroscience behind chronic stress and its impact on decision-making
How "headline stress disorder" affects your physical and mental health
Practical, science-backed self-care strategies that actually work
Why self-care is an act of resistance in our current climate
Quick daily practices to activate your parasympathetic nervous system