Your Checkup: Patient Education Health Podcast

Ed Delesky, MD and Nicole Aruffo, RN
  • 4.8 (18)
  • MEDICINE
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Ever leave the doctor’s office more confused than when you walked in? Your Checkup: Health Conversations for Motivated Patients is your health ally in a world full of fast appointments and even faster Google searches. Each week, a board certified family medicine physician and a pediatric nurse sit down to answer the questions your doctor didn’t have time to. From understanding diabetes and depression to navigating obesity, high blood pressure, and everyday wellness—we make complex health topics simple, human, and actually useful. Whether you’re managing a condition, supporting a loved one, or just curious about your body, this podcast helps you get smart about your health without needing a medical degree. Because better understanding leads to better care—and you deserve both.

  1. 4D AGO

    111: What To Expect When You Begin a GLP-1

    GLP-1 medications can feel like a Rorschach test online: one person calls Ozempic or Wegovy a miracle, another calls it miserable, and almost nobody explains what the “normal middle” looks like. We wanted to fix that with a practical walkthrough of what tends to happen after you start a GLP-1 receptor agonist, especially in those first weeks when you’re on a low dose and you’re wondering if anything is happening at all.  We talk through the early ramp-up, realistic weight loss expectations, and the biggest lived experience change we hear from patients: food noise getting quieter. We break down the difference between normal hunger cues and constant appetite chatter, why cravings often drop, and how that creates a real window of opportunity to build routines that used to be hard. We also get honest about common side effects like nausea, constipation, and feeling overly full, plus simple strategies that can make them more manageable and safer.  Then we zoom out to the long game: what it means to treat obesity as a chronic condition, why plateaus don’t automatically mean the medication “stopped working,” and how to define success beyond a single scale number using cardiometabolic health wins. After the clinical talk, we lighten things up with some banter about Ollie’s pet store obsession and the strange things strangers say on a walk.  If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a loved one, and leave a review so more people can find practical, judgment-free education on GLP-1s and healthy weight loss. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    32 min

  2. APR 27

    110: When To Consider Starting a GLP-1 (Wegovy, Zepbound): Honest Guide for Patients

    A medication that can support weight loss, lower diabetes risk, and protect your heart sounds almost too good to be true. So we get practical about the real decision: not “Do I want a GLP-1?” but “What problem am I trying to solve?” If the goal is better metabolic health, less sleep apnea burden, improved blood pressure, or a long-term plan for obesity as a chronic disease, the conversation changes fast. We break down who should seriously consider GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, and Mounjaro, including the common BMI thresholds and the “BMI plus comorbidity” situations. We also talk about the people who have truly done the nutrition and exercise work, lost weight, and watched their body push back with hunger and regain. That’s where appetite dysregulation and biology matter, and where GLP-1s can become a powerful tool instead of a moral debate. We also cover who should pause before starting: anyone chasing a quick fix, anyone who hasn’t built foundational habits, or anyone who isn’t ready for the trade-offs like nausea, fatigue, or constipation. We dig into safety and long-term expectations, why stopping often brings symptoms back, and why easy access through med spas and low-oversight online clinics can be risky, especially with disordered eating history. If you want a calmer, more responsible way to decide, we’ll help you map the choice to your story. Subscribe for more practical health conversations, share this with a friend who’s on the fence, and leave a review if it helped. What’s the biggest question you still have about starting a GLP-1? Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    33 min

  3. APR 20

    109: Why Your Weight Is Creeping Up (And What To Do About It)

    Ten extra calories a day. That’s it. That’s the kind of razor-thin margin that can quietly add a pound a year and it’s why so many people swear they “didn’t change anything” while the scale slowly drifted upward. We unpack the simple math behind the one pound rule, what the research shows across decades, and why the real story is rarely one dramatic habit. It’s a stack of tiny shifts: a little less walking, a little more convenience food, a little less sleep, a few more liquid calories.  From there, we get practical. We talk through an easy “build your plate” framework that makes balanced eating feel doable in real life, not like a list of rules. We also dig into movement in a more honest way: exercise is incredible for your heart, brain, and mood, but it really shines for weight maintenance and preventing weight regain. We cover strength training to protect lean muscle and basal metabolic rate, plus NEAT, the everyday movement that adds up when the daily margin is so small.  We also hit the sneaky stuff that sabotages progress: silent calories from sweet drinks, alcohol, oils, and butter, and the way processed foods can make it harder to notice fullness. Then we tie it together with two under-rated drivers of weight management: sleep and environment. Willpower comes and goes, but your environment is what you live in, so we share simple setups that make the healthier choice easier and help you avoid the all-or-nothing trap.  If you take one thing from this conversation, let it be this: you don’t need a perfect plan, you need one sustainable change you can repeat. Subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review, then tell us what small tweak you’re starting with this week. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    46 min

  4. APR 13

    108: What Actually Happens During a Heart Attack

    Your heart doesn’t “randomly” decide to have a heart attack, and that one idea can change how you react to symptoms. We sit down and explain, in plain language, what’s happening inside the body when a coronary artery suddenly gets blocked and why the phrase time is muscle is not just a slogan, it’s the whole game. We start with the basics: the heart is a muscle that needs its own oxygen supply, delivered through the coronary arteries. Then we connect the dots on how atherosclerosis develops over years, driven by risks like high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, and cholesterol that’s especially atherogenic such as LDL, apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and lipoprotein(a). The real turning point is plaque rupture. When an inflamed plaque breaks open, the body treats it like an injury and forms a clot that can partially or completely block blood flow, setting off a myocardial infarction and, if not reversed, heart muscle death. Next we translate that physiology into the symptoms people actually feel: chest pressure or heaviness, shortness of breath, sweating, nausea, and the confusing pain that can show up in the left arm, jaw, neck, or shoulder because of shared nerve pathways. We also talk about the hard truth and the hopeful part: not everything that looks like a heart attack is one, but it takes testing to know, and acting quickly can save heart tissue and improve outcomes. If this helped you, share it with someone you care about, subscribe for more practical patient education, and leave a review so more people can find the show. And please leave us a voicemail so we can feature your question in a future mailbag episode. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    12 min

  5. APR 6

    107: A New GLP1 Weight Loss Pill? What You Need to Know About Orforglipron (Foundayo)

    A GLP-1 that comes as a simple daily pill and can be taken with or without food sounds like a small change, until you think about real life. We’re celebrating two years of Your Checkup and sharing what’s surprised us most, from listeners across the country and around the world to the messages that stick with us, like families changing habits after a heart attack or patients bringing notes back after our diabetes episodes. Then we get practical about a timely healthcare headline: orforglipron, the newly approved oral GLP-1 receptor agonist from the same broader medication family as Ozempic and Wegovy. We talk through how GLP-1 medications work on appetite and fullness, what the 72-week clinical trial data actually shows for weight loss, and why “10% of body weight” isn’t a cosmetic metric but a medically meaningful shift for cardiometabolic health. We also dig into type 2 diabetes results, including A1C drops and how many people reached key treatment goals, plus the side effects you should expect with dose starts and increases. Finally, we compare the pill’s outcomes with injectable options like Wegovy and Zepbound, and we name the real problem many patients face now: access. Cost, insurance coverage, and convenience often decide more than the science does. If you found this helpful, subscribe, share it with a loved one or neighbor, and leave a quick review so more patients can find clear, balanced health education. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    27 min

  6. MAR 30

    106: Why You’re Always Tired — The 3 Real Causes (And How to Fix Them)

    You wake up tired, push through the day tired, and somehow still feel tired after sleeping. That frustrating loop is one of the most common concerns we hear in primary care, and it usually has a pattern. We walk through a simple, clinician-style way to think about fatigue that doesn’t spiral into guesswork: sleep, nutrition, or an underlying medical issue. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re “just not sleeping enough” or if something deeper is going on, we help you separate sleepy from truly drained and figure out what to try first. We start with sleep quality, not just sleep time. We talk sleep efficiency, why spending too long in bed can make insomnia worse, and why a consistent wake-up time often matters more than an early bedtime. You’ll also hear practical sleep hygiene tips you can actually use, plus a surprisingly effective “do your words” cognitive shuffling technique for nights when your brain refuses to power down. Then we shift to energy from the inside out: steady meals, balanced macros, hydration, and a few lab-related topics that come up often in real life. We discuss B12, vitamin D, and the growing conversation around non-anemic iron deficiency, including ferritin and why “normal” reference ranges don’t always match how you feel. We also cover red flags for sleep apnea, how mood and stress can drain you, and when it’s time to get checked out. If the afternoon crash is your daily enemy, we leave you with a simple alternative to more caffeine. If this helps you, subscribe, share it with a tired friend, and leave a review so more people can find practical, patient-friendly medical guidance. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    33 min

  7. MAR 23

    105: New Cholesterol Guidelines 2026: What Your Numbers Mean & What to Do

    Cholesterol advice has been stuck in “it depends” for years, and we wanted something more concrete you can actually use. So we dig into the 2026 American Heart Association cholesterol guidelines and translate them into plain language: the new LDL cholesterol thresholds, what counts as borderline or high, and why having clear targets can make shared decision-making with your doctor, nurse, or PA a lot less vague. We also explain why non-HDL cholesterol can be a helpful “total bad cholesterol” goal, plus the HDL and triglyceride ranges that still shape overall cardiovascular risk.  One update we’re especially excited about is the class one recommendation to check lipoprotein(a) at least once in adulthood. Lp(a) is largely genetic, doesn’t reliably drop with diet, exercise, or standard statins, and can raise heart attack and stroke risk even when the rest of your lipid panel looks normal. We walk through what the numbers mean, how common elevation is, and how this single test can change the intensity of prevention for you and prompt testing for family members.  We also cover the new Prevent equation for 10-year risk, including how it accounts for factors like diabetes and kidney function, and why the risk category cutoffs have shifted. From there, we lay out the foundation of dyslipidemia treatment: heart-healthy eating, consistent physical activity, weight goals, smoking cessation, and limiting alcohol. And when lifestyle isn’t enough, we get practical about medications, including statins, ezetimibe, PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran, and bempedoic acid, along with straight talk about safety and the harm of online statin myths.  If you care about prevention, family history, or simply want a clearer plan for your next lab review, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who’s confused by cholesterol results, and leave a review with the one question you want your clinician to answer about your heart disease risk. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    49 min

  8. MAR 16

    104: How Smartphones Affect Mental Health: Anxiety, Depression, and Screen Time Explained

    Your phone might be doing more than stealing time. It may be quietly taxing your mood, your attention, and the basic habits that keep you well. We found a fascinating research study that tested a simple but radical idea: block mobile internet access on a smartphone for two weeks while still letting people call and text, and then measure what changes in mental health, well-being, and focus.  We walk through how the researchers designed the experiment with 467 adults, why this kind of randomized setup helps answer the causation question, and what they actually measured: depression, anxiety, social anxiety, life satisfaction, positive and negative mood, plus a real sustained attention task instead of just “I feel more focused.” Then we get into the headline-worthy outcomes, including the stat that about 91% of participants improved in at least one area and the surprising attention boost researchers estimated as roughly equivalent to reversing about ten years of age-related decline.  We also dig into the “why” behind the results, because the point isn’t to demonize smartphones. When the constant portal to social media, news, email and scrolling disappears, many people naturally spend more time sleeping, moving their bodies, getting outside and seeing other humans in real life. We talk about who may benefit most, what the limitations are, and practical ways to test the idea without going extreme: deleting the stickiest apps, setting phone-free zones, and experimenting with computer-only access. If you want a simple starting point, we leave you with one challenge you can try this week. Subscribe, share this with a friend who feels phone-tired, and leave a review with what boundary you’re trying first. Send us a (voice ) message with this link, we would love to hear from you. Standard message rates may apply. Support the show Production and Content: Edward Delesky, MD, DABOM & Nicole Aruffo, RN Artwork Rebrand and Avatars: Vantage Design Works (Vanessa Jones)  Website: https://www.vantagedesignworks.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vantagedesignworks?igsh=aHRuOW93dmxuOG9m&utm_source=qr Original Artwork Concept: Olivia Pawlowski

    32 min
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4.8
out of 5
18 Ratings

About

Ever leave the doctor’s office more confused than when you walked in? Your Checkup: Health Conversations for Motivated Patients is your health ally in a world full of fast appointments and even faster Google searches. Each week, a board certified family medicine physician and a pediatric nurse sit down to answer the questions your doctor didn’t have time to. From understanding diabetes and depression to navigating obesity, high blood pressure, and everyday wellness—we make complex health topics simple, human, and actually useful. Whether you’re managing a condition, supporting a loved one, or just curious about your body, this podcast helps you get smart about your health without needing a medical degree. Because better understanding leads to better care—and you deserve both.

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