For the Love of Health

ChristianaCare
  • 4.3 (14)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Biweekly

Health care is about more than broken bones and blood pressure readings. Join For the Love of Health hosts Megan McGuriman and Jason Tokarski every other Thursday for engaging conversations about fascinating treatments, innovative programs, groundbreaking research and cutting-edge technology. Learn how medical experts are creating health today and delivering the care of tomorrow. 

  1. 2d ago

    Keeping Student Athletes in the Game with Dr. Charlene Jones

    What does it take for student athletes to stay healthy, compete at their best, and bounce back from injuries when they happen? A new sports season brings fun and excitement, but it can also mean added pressure and a lot of miles on growing bodies. Whether your child is gearing up for that new season or coming back after recovering from an injury, understanding sports medicine can make a big difference. Pediatric sports medicine physician Dr. Charlene Jones joins us to get clear on what actually keeps student athletes healthy when practice volume spikes and the calendar gets packed with games, lifts, and schoolwork. Dr. Jones explains why conditioning, sleep, and nutrition are the preseason foundation for performance and injury prevention and shares the warning signs that a teen is ramping up too fast. We also dig into the practical question every family asks: what's the difference between normal soreness and pain that needs a medical visit? Dr. Jones gives simple, real world markers, plus guidance on when athletic trainers, physical therapy, and a broader support system should step in. Finally, we look at return to play after injury, including objective PT benchmarks and the mental side of coming back with confidence after a long rehab. Whether you're a highly competitive pros-bound athlete or a weekend warrior looking for a rec league to enjoy, school sports are the gateway to a lifetime of health and activity. Get the most out what you love by listening now and making a plan to keep your body in tip-top shape. Charlene Jones, M.D., M.P.H., brings nearly ten years of clinical experience to her dedicated and enthusiastic practice as a board-certified sports medicine physician and pediatrician. In her current role as a primary care sports medicine attending physician, she makes sure that her pediatric and adult patients can stay as active as they desire while treating any injuries that may arise. Links: ChristianaCare Sports & Lifestyle MedicineChristianaCare Sports Injury TherapyChristianaCare News: Keeping Student Athletes HealthyThanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Keeping Student Athletes in the Game with Dr. Charlene Jones

  2. Aug 6

    You're Not Washing Your Hands Correctly with Dr. Pam Bailey and Sara Townsend

    According to the CDC estimated global rates of handwashing after using the toilet are only 19%. Once you hear that statistic, every shared surface feels different. On this episode, we sit down with Dr. Pam Bailey, Associate Infection Prevention Officer at ChristianaCare, and Sarah Townsend, ChristianaCare's Director of Infection Prevention, to talk about the most underrated health skill: hand hygiene that actually works. They walk us through the technique most of us skip, especially thumbs and fingertips, and explain why the problem is usually not the product but the rushed “slap and dash.” We also dig into when visible dirt means you need the sink for real mechanical removal. Then we pressure-test the advice with everyday scenarios: grocery carts, raw chicken while cooking, gym machines, concerts and even the dog-walk reality of poop bags, leashes, and stroller handles. We wrap with cold and flu season prevention, including smarter awareness, better handwashing habits, and the extra layers that help when everyone is back indoors. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with someone who “already knows how to wash their hands,” and leave a review so more people can find the show. What hand hygiene habit are you changing first? Links: CDC Handwashing Facts ChristianaCare News: The Soapy Truth About Handwashing Thanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    You're Not Washing Your Hands Correctly with Dr. Pam Bailey and Sara Townsend

  3. Jul 23

    Smart Starts for a Safe School Year with Dr. Bridget Peters and Dr. Theresa Metanchuk

    July might feel way too early to talk back-to-school, but the calendar does not care and neither do the forms sitting in your inbox. In this LIVE podcast to kick off Season 4, we turn school prep into a pop quiz that gets you ahead of the stress instead of buried by it.  Dr. Teresa Matanchuk and Dr. Bridget Peters start with the routine that quietly controls everything else: sleep. Kids and teens can’t snap from summer hours to school mornings overnight. Then we hit the practical checklist that families always scramble to finish, including when to book a school or sports physical, why backpack fit matters for posture, and the simplest ways to cut down on germs at school.  Nutrition gets a report card too. We grade common choices like energy drinks for breakfast, packed lunches that actually work, smarter after-school snacks, and why water should be the default even for most young athletes. Audience questions take us into dorm living and college health, food safety basics, and how to spot when a kid is overscheduled or truly needs a mental health day.  Subscribe for more practical, doctor-backed parenting health guidance, share this with a friend who is already dreading August, and leave a review so more families can find the show. LINKS ChristianaCare Wellness - It's All About BackpacksChristianaCare Wellness - Nurturing Your Childs Social Health in the Digital Era  ChristianaCare Wellness - Keep Student Athletes Healthy ChristianaCare Wellness - Your School Lunch Problems Solved Thanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Smart Starts for a Safe School Year with Dr. Bridget Peters and Dr. Theresa Metanchuk

  4. Jun 25

    Rethinking Weight Loss in the Age of GLP-1s with Dr. Caitlin Halbert and Dr. Lisa Breslow

    GLP-1 weight loss drugs are suddenly everywhere, but the loudest voices online rarely explain what these medications actually are, who they are for, and what happens after the first wave of weight loss. We sit down with Dr. Caitlin Halbert, Medical Director of ChristianaCare’s Bariatric Surgery Program, and Dr. Lisa Breslow, Medical Director of the Obesity Medicine Program, to bring the conversation back to science, safety, and long-term health. We also get practical about decision-making. ChristianaCare's Center for Weight Management brings obesity medicine, bariatric surgery, nutrition counseling, behavioral health support, and movement together to tailor a plan to the person, and adjust over time. We address the risks of ordering GLP-1s online without medical supervision, including unregulated products, dehydration, kidney injury, and preventable muscle loss from overly rapid weight reduction. If you’re considering semaglutide-style medications, weighing bariatric surgery, or trying to figure out a safe and sustainable weight management plan, this conversation will help you ask better questions and avoid common internet myths.  Links ChristianaCare Center for Weight ManagementBariatric Patient Resources Bariatric Surgery Seminar Thanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Rethinking Weight Loss in the Age of GLP-1s with Dr. Caitlin Halbert and Dr. Lisa Breslow

  5. Jun 11

    Nourishing Health Through the Delaware Food Farmacy with Eric Plautz and Alyssa Benjamin

    Food advice is everywhere, but when you’re staring down a new diabetes diagnosis or trying to protect a healthy pregnancy, you need better advice than "just eat better". Nutrition is a major part of a healthy lifestyle, and ChristianaCare is continuing to enhance nutrition-focused coaching through the Food is Medicine Program. Community health workers Eric Plautz and Alyssa Benjamin join us to unpack how the Food is Medicine approach becomes real support: medically tailored groceries, weekly nutrition coaching, and hands-on skills that fit into busy lives. The discussion begins with the evolution of the Delaware Food Farmacy Program and why the team rebuilt it around a consistent, scientifically backed curriculum. You'll hear how the program centers around a five-phase path that starts with food fundamentals like storage, prep, and knife skills, then moves into chronic disease management, shopping and meal planning that respects culture and identity, behavior change strategies for triggers and real-world settings, and finally sustainability after the program ends. We also share a simple tool you can use right away: the four-step healthy meal formula to build balanced meals. First launched in 2022, the Delaware Food Farmacy has connected ChristianaCare patients with medically tailored groceries and support for managing chronic disease. The redesigned Food Is Medicine model keeps food access at the center while placing greater emphasis on nutrition coaching outside the clinical setting, culinary medicine, chronic disease self-management and long-term behavior change. If you want realistic nutrition coaching ideas, meal planning structure, and a clearer way to think about healthy eating for diabetes, heart health, or pregnancy, you'll get plenty to take home. Listen now, and start planning that first meal you'd like to make healthier this week. Links: ChristianaCare Food is MedicineChristianaCare News: Arlene Daniels Was Ready for Change. Food Farmacy Helped Her BeginChristianaCare Wellness Recipe: Turkey Taco Zucchini BoatsFor the Love of Health: Food is Medicine with Michelle Axe and Rob GurneeThanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Nourishing Health Through the Delaware Food Farmacy with Eric Plautz and Alyssa Benjamin

  6. May 28

    ChristianaCare’s Community Effort to Reduce Cancer Deaths with Dr. Thomas Schwaab and Bill Osborne

    Cancer touches nearly every family in Delaware. But based on new data released by the Delaware Division of Public Health, there's reason for hope. Between 2008 and 2022, cancer mortality rates decreased by an average of 1.5% per year in both Delaware and the United States. The most important reasons are surprisingly practical: better cancer screening, better follow-up, and better support for patients once the process starts. To better explain the progress that's been made and where more work needs to be done, we're joined by Dr. Thomas Schwaab, the Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of ChristianaCare's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute, and cancer survivor and patient advocate Bill Osborne. We get specific about how modern screening works in real life, including details on low-dose CT scans for lung cancer, mammography for breast cancer, PSA tests for prostate cancer, and more. We look at barriers to screening and treatment, and how medical professionals are working to minimize those issues. And we explore the important work of clinical trials as a means to advance treatment options and "pay forward" better care. The work is far from over, but the ChristianaCare cancer community is ready to help. If you want clear next steps and a hopeful, grounded look at prevention, listen now, and find out how your own cancer journey may ease the stress for future patients. Thomas Schwaab, M.D., Ph.D. is the Bank of America Endowed Medical Director of ChristianaCare's Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute and leader of the Cancer Service Line, as well as an innovative and energetic board-certified urological surgeon. Dr. Schwaab provides overall direction and leadership for the Graham Cancer Center and cancer care activities. He directs community outreach and research and works to reduce the incidence, prevalence and mortality of cancer in the state of Delaware and the region. Links: ChristianaCare Helen F. Graham Cancer Center & Research InstituteChristianaCare Oncology Patient Advocates for Clinical Trials (OPACT)ChristianaCare Cancer Clinical TrialsChristianaCare News: Graham Cancer Center's Commitment to Clinical Trials Opens Doors for PatientsDelaware Division of Public Health Releases Latest Cancer Incidence and Mortality Trends in DelawareThanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    ChristianaCare’s Community Effort to Reduce Cancer Deaths with Dr. Thomas Schwaab and Bill Osborne

  7. May 14

    Rising Temperatures, Rising Health Risks with Deanna Benner and Dr. Himabindu Lanka

    Every summer, emergency departments across Delaware see patients who didn't realize how dangerous the heat had become until it was too late. Yet heat-related illness is largely preventable.  Extreme heat is the leading cause of weather-related death in the United States, and the problem is getting worse: heat-related deaths among adults over 65 have increased 85% since the 1990s, with projections showing they could rise by 370% by mid-century. Delaware, one of the fastest-warming states in the country, is on the front lines. The challenge in preventing heat-related illness is recognizing the risk before it becomes an emergency. In this episode, recorded ahead of Delaware's first official Heat Awareness Week (May 18–22, 2026), we're joined by ChristianaCare environmental health and sustainability manager Deanna Benner and ChristianaCare hospitalist and board-certified geriatrician Dr. Himabindu Lanka to talk about what extreme heat actually does to the body, who's most vulnerable and what clinicians, caregivers and community members can do to stay ahead of it. Dr. Lanka walks through how to evaluate at-risk patients using a structured clinical framework, from medication reviews to subtle signs of dehydration that often get missed. Deanna shares practical guidance from her work as a women's health nurse practitioner and connects heat awareness to ChristianaCare's broader commitment to upstream, community-centered health. Whether you're a clinician, a caregiver or someone looking out for a loved one this summer, this conversation is for you. Deanna Benner, MSN, APRN, is ChristianaCare's environmental health and sustainability manager and president of the Mid-Atlantic Alliance for Climate and Health. A women's health nurse practitioner, she works to connect environmental health to clinical care and community well-being. Himabindu Lanka, MD, FACP, FHM, is a hospitalist physician at ChristianaCare with board certification in internal medicine and geriatrics. Her clinical focus is on the intersection of aging, chronic disease and environmental health threats. Links: ChristianaCare News: Don’t Go Out Without Your Water BottleDelaware Heat Awareness WeekLancet Countdown on Health and Climate ChangeHeat Waves and Annual Death Rates in Older Adults — Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthDelaware 211Delaware Aging and Disability Resource CenterThanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Rising Temperatures, Rising Health Risks with Deanna Benner and Dr. Himabindu Lanka

  8. Apr 30

    Why Priming Your Core Matters for Every Body with Brian Catania and Travis Ross

    How's your posture? Can you turn at your hips without feeling any pain? Can you suck in your navel? Two years ago we were joined by ChristianaCare physical therapists Travis Ross and Brian Catania to discuss their nationally recognized Sling Activation Sequence for athletes. Since then, Travis and Brian have been refining their work to show how core strengthening is for everyone, from pro athletes to 77 year old grandmothers who just enjoy staying active. We discuss how pain leads in inhibition, why sitting and device posture and quietly shut down proper activities, and how the core can be reactivated with the right techniques. But this isn't just a theoretical discussion in broad generalities - we also offer specific ways to test your own core at home, as well as safe guidance on how to get your core back in shape. And in a separate video, we travel to Brian and Travis's practice in Newark to attempt some of the exercises ourselves, with tips on what to look for and how to take build on what's taught. Don't let bad posture control your life - sit up, tune in, and learn what you can do to get your core back on track. Brian Catania, MPT, SCS, ATC, is a physical therapist and site manager of ChristianaCare Rehabilitation Services at Glasgow who has attracted national attention for trailblazing new types of therapy. Travis Ross, PT, DPT, is an outpatient orthopedic and sports Physical Therapist at ChristianaCare in Newark, Delaware since 2006. He co-created the Sling Activation Sequence, which has been used to prevent and reduce injuries by athletes across the country. Links: Bonus Content: FTLOH Hosts Try SAS Core ExercisesChristianaCare's For the Love of Health: Strengthening the Core with Brian Catania and Travis RossChristianaCare Physical TherapyVIDEOS: ChristianaCare Sling Activation SequenceVIDEOS: ChristianaCare Standing Sling Activation Sequence Thanks for listening and subscribing! Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn.

    Why Priming Your Core Matters for Every Body with Brian Catania and Travis Ross
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4.3
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About

Health care is about more than broken bones and blood pressure readings. Join For the Love of Health hosts Megan McGuriman and Jason Tokarski every other Thursday for engaging conversations about fascinating treatments, innovative programs, groundbreaking research and cutting-edge technology. Learn how medical experts are creating health today and delivering the care of tomorrow. 

Information

  • Creator
    ChristianaCare
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    66
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 ChristianaCare
  • Show Website
    For the Love of Health

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