Dialed In Health

Melissa Goodwin
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Weekly

Dialed In Health connects you with real providers answering the questions you're actually searching for: hormones, peptides, longevity, weight loss, end-of-life care, and more. Every episode is structured around high-search questions so when you're on Google, YouTube, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude, you find real expertise from practicing professionals. Hosted by Melissa Goodwin. With 20+ years in health and wellness innovation, Melissa has brought over 36 products to market for major U.S. health systems and emerging healthcare startups. She's watched regular, frustrated people take their health into their own hands - sometimes brilliantly, sometimes dangerously. This show exists to close that gap. Providers: apply to be a guest at https://www.vitalitygrowthlabs.com/the-dialed-in-health-podcast. Topic requests: melissa@vitalitygrowthlabs.com. Powered by Vitality Growth Labs.

  1. 1d ago

    The Most Common Pelvic Floor Fix Is Making It Worse

    A tight pelvic floor is not a weak one. If yours is already tight, a hundred more Kegels can make your symptoms worse. Ember Smith, PT, DPT of Well Balanced Physical Therapy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota was a gymnast who leaked through high school and never told anyone. She now treats the problem she had. Host Melissa Goodwin asks what the pelvic floor is, whether Kegels work, how to tell tight from weak, what diastasis recti really means, and whether a weighted vest builds bone. No referral needed in South Dakota. Direct access. In this episode What the pelvic floor is, and why the hips, core and abdominals share its wall Why some women doing Kegels push down and out, the exact opposite of the movement Why a tight muscle is not a strong one, and why more contractions make it worse That her own trimester handout from a large health system told her to do Kegels What EMG studies show: squats and glute bridges can recruit the pelvic floor harder than a Kegel The two and a half finger rule for diastasis recti, and the depth nobody measures Why the old advice to avoid crunches after pregnancy was backwards Pressure management, and the pop can model of your core Whether a weighted vest builds bone density Why common is not the same as normal, and why it is never too late Chapters 0:00 Kegels are not the answer 0:55 Welcome to Dialed In Health 1:32 Why she went into pelvic health 2:27 Her two pelvic health certifications 3:14 Why she evaluates women standing up 3:51 Leaking as a high school gymnast 5:22 What is the pelvic floor? 6:33 The townhouse: why it is never just the pelvic floor 7:56 Who walks through her door 8:55 Hormones or pelvic floor? How to tell 9:28 The Kegel chairs and machines 10:09 What a Kegel is, and who it was named after 10:50 Doing it backwards: pushing down and out 11:30 A tight pelvic floor needs lengthening, not squeezing 11:51 The trimester handout that is still wrong 12:13 No symptoms? Then you do not need Kegels 13:05 Stay active, and find the right stimulus 13:59 What women are most embarrassed to say out loud 14:27 What changes at each stage of life 15:27 Liner to pads to UTIs to falls: how it compounds 16:25 Diastasis recti, explained properly 17:41 The two and a half finger rule 18:17 The depth measurement nobody talks about 18:54 How diastasis connects to the pelvic floor 19:59 Crunches narrow the gap. The old advice was backwards 20:49 Pressure management 21:10 The pop can model of your core 22:01 What men run into 22:45 Weight gain, beer belly, and diastasis 23:19 GLP-1 weight loss and the gap underneath 24:47 Why she rarely starts with a Kegel 25:05 What EMG studies actually show 26:22 The weighted vest craze 26:50 Weighted vests do not build bone. Impact and lifting do 27:49 Zone two, walking, and running 28:47 Strength or cardio, if you had to pick one 30:07 Sweating is not the measure of a workout 31:08 What to do in your 20s and 30s 31:44 The worst advice on social media 32:28 No referral needed in South Dakota 32:46 What an evaluation looks like 33:42 The longevity clinic 34:31 The billboard answer 35:30 Where to find Well Balanced About the guest Ember Smith, PT, DPT, Well Balanced Physical Therapy, 7000 S Lyncrest Place, Floor 1, Sioux Falls, SD 57108. Call or text 605-610-8220. wellbalancedphysicaltherapy.com Listen and watch Watch on YouTube. Full transcript and chapters at dialedin.health. Find a vetted provider at the directory. Follow Follow Dialed In Health so you do not miss an episode, and please rate and review. It is the single biggest thing that helps another woman find this one. Educational and informational only. Not medical advice and not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed provider.

  2. 2d ago

    MTHFR: Your Methylated B Vitamin Could Be Making You Worse

    MTHFR is not a disease. It is a gene variant that slows your methylation cycle, and 40 to 50 percent of people carry a copy of it. Kristine Cassar, owner of BeeWell Functional Wellness in The Woodlands, Texas, carries two copies. So does her daughter. Host Melissa Goodwin asks the questions people actually search: what MTHFR stands for, what the variant does to folate and B12, whether it explains anxiety and brain fog, whether you should get tested, and what to look for on a supplement label. Kristine also takes on the hardest question in her field head on, that the American College of Medical Genetics recommends against routine MTHFR testing, and says plainly where she thinks they are right and where she thinks conventional care does not test enough. In this episode What MTHFR stands for and what the enzyme does in your body Why 40 to 50 percent of people carry one copy and 10 to 12 percent carry two, per the 1000 Genomes Project data Kristine cites How much a variant slows methylation: roughly 30 percent with one copy, up to 70 percent with two The symptoms she sees most: brain fog, tiredness, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks, stress hormones that stay high Why she says MTHFR does not cause disease, and what she says it can do instead The two SNPs she looks at: C677T and A1298C Why grabbing a methylated B vitamin off the shelf can backfire, and what over-methylation feels like Folic acid vs folate vs methylfolate, and why she does not recommend folic acid The two things to look for on a label: L-5-MTHF and methylcobalamin, and why folate without B12 does not work What homocysteine is, what most labs call normal, and the number she wants to see What testing costs, and when her answer is to do nothing at all Chapters 0:00 The symptoms people never connect to MTHFR 1:07 Why this episode exists 2:32 What BeeWell Functional Wellness does 3:44 What MTHFR stands for and what the enzyme does 5:18 Is it a mutation? 40 to 50 percent carry one copy 6:14 One copy vs two copies: 30 percent vs 70 percent slower 6:51 Brain fog, irritability, anxiety, panic attacks 7:41 What methylation is and why you should care 9:13 You have the variant and you feel fine. Now what? 10:21 C677T, A1298C, and how common they really are 11:45 Does MTHFR cause disease? The honest answer 14:18 Her daughter, 1997, and the test that changed everything 16:09 The methylated B vitamin mistake and over-methylation 18:12 Why people actually walk into her practice 18:58 The genetics guideline says the evidence is not there 21:52 What MTHFR testing costs 23:02 Pregnancy, folic acid, and what she recommends instead 24:51 Folic acid vs folate vs methylfolate 25:29 What to look for on a supplement label 27:24 Homocysteine and the number she wants to see 28:40 Liposomal vs pill vs sublingual 30:01 The biggest mistake after a positive test 31:08 What the internet gets wrong about MTHFR 32:02 Is any of this pseudoscience? 32:58 What working with her actually looks like 36:43 Why this work matters to her 37:44 Her own daily routine 39:52 The billboard answer 40:54 Where to find BeeWell Functional Wellness About the guest Kristine Cassar is the owner and operator of BeeWell Functional Wellness in The Woodlands, Texas, with a brick and mortar clinic and a virtual practice. She came to this work in 1997 when her two year old daughter had health issues conventional care was not resolving. Testing showed her daughter was a homozygous carrier of the MTHFR variant. Kristine was later tested and found she carries two copies as well. Website: beewellwoodlands.com Facebook and Instagram: BeeWell Functional Wellness Kristine offers something useful to listeners: photograph the front and back of your supplement bottle, send it to her by direct message on Instagram or Facebook, and she will tell you whether that supplement is doing what you think it is doing. Resources mentioned American College of Medical Genetics practice guideline on MTHFR polymorphism testing 1000 Genomes Project carrier frequency data Standard lab testing through LabCorp or Quest, roughly 50 to 200 dollars Food sources of folate named on the show: dark leafy greens, asparagus, eggs, beef liver Watch and read Watch this episode on YouTube: @dialedinhealth Full transcript and episode page: dialedin.health Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory If this helped Follow Dialed In Health wherever you listen, and leave a rating and a review. Reviews are how the next person searching for a straight answer finds this show. Then do one more thing: send this episode to the person who came to mind while you were listening. Are you a health or wellness provider who wants to be on the show? The application link is on dialedin.health. This episode is educational and informational only. It is not medical advice and it is not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed provider. Talk to your own provider before starting, stopping, or changing any supplement, especially if you are pregnant or trying to conceive.

  3. Sep 1

    Ketamine Assisted Therapy, What a Session Actually Feels Like

    Ketamine is the only psychedelic available nationwide by prescription, and Jerry Cook explains exactly what a session feels like, start to finish. Jerry Cook is a trained psychedelic journey guide and integration consultant and the owner of Metanoia Journey Consulting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He is not a prescriber. Ketamine is prescribed and administered through licensed medical partners after a full medical screening. In this conversation with host Melissa Goodwin, Jerry walks through why ketamine is the psychedelic he works with, what actually happens in the room during a three hour session, why the integration afterward matters as much as the medicine, and the honest limits of what this work can do. In this episode Why ketamine and not psilocybin or MDMA, and where psychedelic access actually stands right now The three levels of ketamine use: low dose for symptom management, mid dose for psychedelic and psycholytic processing, and high dose as a surgical anesthetic used in operating rooms worldwide What a psychedelic dose is compared to a surgical dose, in Jerry's own numbers The default mode network, and why a thought loop laid down at five years old is so hard to talk your way out of The full screening path: a 15 to 30 minute intro call, an hour of medical work up for contraindications, then a prescription, then a 45 to 60 minute pre journey session Inside the three hour session: settling in, two to five minutes for the medicine to land, a 30 to 45 minute psychedelic window, then an hour and a half of psycholytic work Why the follow up happens inside 24 hours, while the brain is still in a neuroplastic state Whether you hallucinate, whether you remember it, and whether you can lose control What the room looks like: low light, an eye mask, a floor mat, and a guide sitting on the floor beside you Why detachment from the old pattern comes before attachment to the new one Straight answers on whether ketamine is addictive Why a hard journey is often the useful one Where microdosing, Spravato and ketamine tablets sit on the continuum, and who this work is not for Chapters 0:00 Most people picture the 1950s. This is not that. 1:27 What "metanoia" means, and how Jerry got here 3:43 What veterans were doing for PTSD and trauma 4:10 Why ketamine, and not psilocybin or MDMA 4:19 FDA approved, off label, born as a surgical anesthetic 5:16 A psychedelic dose versus a surgical dose 6:30 The default mode network, and why thought loops stick 7:50 Where psilocybin access actually stands 7:57 Dissociation, and the enhanced dream state 9:04 How this is different from recreational use 10:17 Set and setting, and why the 1960s went wrong 11:28 How do you know if you are stuck? 12:33 When talk therapy plateaus 14:00 The intro call, and who this is not for 14:30 Medical screening and contraindications 15:00 The prescription and the pre journey session 15:42 Inside the three hour session, minute by minute 16:18 The psycholytic state, where the real talking happens 16:48 The neuroplastic window and the 24 hour follow up 17:48 Ketamine is not a panacea 19:11 How many journeys, and how long results last 20:36 A client story: the five year old still running the show 26:20 Will I hallucinate? Blissful or hard? 28:06 Titrating the dose for people who are scared 30:10 The room: eye mask, floor mat, a guide on the floor 33:15 Do people forget what happened? 34:00 Myth busters: tripping, party drug, addictive, bad trips 36:51 "I went to hell in one of mine," and why that was good 38:02 Microdosing, Spravato, and the three dose levels 39:37 How to reach Jerry Cook at Metanoia About the guest Jerry Cook is the owner of Metanoia Journey Consulting in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, where he works as a psychedelic journey guide and integration consultant. He trained in ketamine assisted psychotherapy after his own search for something talk therapy could not reach, and he works alongside licensed medical partners who handle screening, prescribing and dosing. He serves clients in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. "Metanoia" is Greek for a fundamental change in thought and life direction, a nod to the years he spent in Greece as a boy. Web: metanoiajc.com Email: jcook@metanoiajc.com Phone: 605-376-4660 Resources Episode page and full transcript: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-34-ketamine-assisted-therapy Watch on YouTube: @dialedinhealth Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory Apply to be a guest: dialedinhealth.kit.com Metanoia Journey Consulting: metanoiajc.com Follow the show Follow Dialed In Health wherever you listen so new episodes land automatically. If this one was useful, leave a rating and a review. Reviews are a real ranking factor in Apple and Spotify, and they are how the next person searching for an honest answer finds this show. One thing to do next: if you have been curious about psychedelic assisted therapy but did not know where to start, book a 15 minute intro call with a guide and ask about their screening process. Jerry describes his in this episode, and it is the fastest way to tell a legitimate practice from a careless one. About Dialed In Health Health and wellness is confusing. There is a new trend every week, everyone has an opinion, and half the time you cannot tell what is legit and what is good marketing. Dialed In Health brings in the people who actually do this work: providers, practitioners and specialists who see clients every day. Host Melissa Goodwin asks the questions you would ask if you were sitting across from them, so you can find the right people and make better decisions. New episodes weekly. Full transcripts and provider details at dialedin.health/podcast. Transcript The full transcript for this episode is on the episode page: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-34-ketamine-assisted-therapy This episode is educational and informational only. It is not medical advice and it is not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis or treatment by a licensed provider. Ketamine is prescribed and administered only by licensed medical professionals after screening. If you are in crisis, contact a licensed provider or call or text 988 in the United States.

  4. Aug 24

    $80 a Month, Unlimited Visits: Direct Primary Care Explained

    Direct primary care costs $80 a month for adults and $60 for children at Prairie Roots Health in Sioux Falls, and it buys unlimited visits, one-hour appointments, and your provider's cell number. Sam Niewenhuis is a family nurse practitioner and founder of Prairie Roots Health, a direct primary care clinic in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Host Melissa Goodwin asks him what people type into Google before they switch: what direct primary care is, what the membership actually covers, whether you still need health insurance, what happens when you need imaging or a specialist, what a full lab panel costs, and whether an HSA can pay the fee. Sam caps his panel at 200 to 400 members. Conventional primary care runs 3,000 to 6,000. That ratio explains almost everything else in this conversation. In this episode What direct primary care is, described by a practicing family NP: "an innovative alternative to insurance driven healthcare" What $80 a month covers for adults, $60 for children, and why he calls it unlimited Why he gives members his cell number, and how rarely it actually rings A full hour with a new member instead of fifteen minutes with a nurse first Why he still tells people to carry a catastrophic plan, a high deductible plan with an HSA, or a health share A comprehensive lab panel at wholesale for roughly $100 to $150 Who bills your insurance when you need an X-ray, imaging, or a specialist Direct primary care versus concierge medicine, cleanly separated Why family practice providers refer out biopsies and workups they are trained to do The Weston A. Price Foundation, fermented foods, fiber, and freshly milled grain A myth round: HSAs, wealth, medical records, alternative medicine, and whether DPC is a fad Who direct primary care is honestly not a good fit for Chapters 0:00 Health advice is confusing, and that is the show 0:41 Medicine used to come to your door 1:31 What is direct primary care? 2:04 What $80 a month buys, and $60 for kids 2:10 Why members get his cell number 4:32 A full hour, not fifteen minutes 5:41 Getting seen the same day you call 6:34 A flat fee and no surprise bills 7:35 Do you still need health insurance? 8:14 Why paying cash changes who shows up 9:24 Labs for $100 to $150, not insurance pricing 10:06 Who actually joins a DPC clinic 11:27 Primary care is underused, and dermatology waits 13:06 Imaging and specialists: who bills your insurance 13:49 Why he left the conventional system 16:50 House calls, still a real thing 17:17 The cholesterol phone call that sends people looking 18:36 The Weston A. Price Foundation and food as medicine 19:37 Freshly milled flour, and why store flour is empty 20:48 Why so many young people have gut problems 23:44 Myth: DPC is concierge medicine, renamed 24:19 200 to 400 members versus 3,000 to 6,000 24:50 Myth: you cannot use an HSA for direct primary care 25:12 Myths: only for wealthy people, and losing your records 26:07 Myth: direct primary care is a fad 26:28 Who should be calling him tomorrow 27:05 Chronic illness and functional medicine 27:42 Who direct primary care is not for 29:00 The free meet and greet, and how to find him About the guest Sam Niewenhuis, Family Nurse Practitioner, is the founder of Prairie Roots Health, a direct primary care clinic at 5010 S Broadband Ln, Suite 110, Sioux Falls, SD 57106. Phone (605) 307-5737. He practices full scope family medicine from newborns through adults over 75, offers house calls in the Sioux Falls area, and is finishing his certification with the Institute for Functional Medicine. He is part of the Weston A. Price Foundation. prairierootshealth.com/direct-primary-care Resources mentioned Weston A. Price Foundation Institute for Functional Medicine Samaritan Ministries (named as an example of a health share) IRS Notice 2026-05, the HSA and direct primary care rule effective for months beginning after December 31, 2025 About Dialed In Health There is a new health trend every week and half the time you cannot tell what is legitimate and what is good marketing. Dialed In Health brings in the people who do the work and asks what you would ask if you were sitting across from them. Hosted by Melissa Goodwin. Weekly, across Sioux Falls, the Twin Cities, and Omaha. Keep going Watch this episode on YouTube: [YOUTUBE URL] Full transcript, chapters, and FAQ: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-33-direct-primary-care Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory Every episode: dialedin.health/podcast If this was useful: follow Dialed In Health wherever you listen, and leave a rating and a review. It genuinely moves the show in front of people looking for these answers. Are you a health or wellness provider who wants to be on the show? Apply at dialedinhealth.kit.com. Disclaimer: This episode is educational and informational only. It is not medical advice and not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed provider. Nothing here is tax advice. Talk with your own clinician and your own tax professional. Read the full transcript

  5. Aug 12

    Why You Can't Sleep and How to Fix It on Any Shift

    Why can't you sleep? Dr. Jerome Puryear, MD, an obesity medicine physician who diagnosed his own sleep apnea, explains what is actually going wrong at night and how to fix it no matter what shift you work. Dr. Jerome Puryear, MD, Dipl. ABOM, is an obesity medicine physician and interventional radiologist who spent years surviving night call before a doctor told him he was overweight and pre-diabetic. A sleep physician made the diagnosis he had missed in himself: obstructive sleep apnea. He went on to add board certification in health and wellness coaching, found the Puryear Wellness Institute, and write Sleep Deprivation: A Doctor's Guide to Why You Can't Sleep and How to Get Better Sleep. On this episode of Dialed In Health, host Melissa Goodwin asks him the questions you would ask if you were sitting across from him. In this episode When a sleep problem is worth seeing someone about: three or four bad nights a week, for two or three weeks straight. Seven to nine hours is the recommendation, but duration is only half of it. Waking up exhausted after nine hours means quality is the problem. What a microsleep is, and the 18 wheeler crash he watched happen three miles from a rest area. The most dangerous window to be on the road when you are short on sleep. Insomnia versus sleep apnea, in language you can actually use at an appointment. Why alcohol before bed shortens the time it takes to fall asleep and then fragments the whole night. The caffeine sources nobody counts, including decaf. What sleep trackers can and cannot tell you, and the one metric he trusts more. Straight answers on melatonin, prescription sleep medication, CBD, and THC. How shift workers build an intentional sleep plan instead of accepting bad sleep as part of the job. How sleep loss drives hunger through ghrelin and leptin, and how that connects to weight. The idea of drifting, and the question he asks people who keep putting their health last. Questions answered in this episode How many hours of sleep do I actually need? Seven to nine for the average adult, though it varies with age and illness. If you sleep nine and still wake up exhausted, the problem is quality, not hours. What is the difference between insomnia and sleep apnea? Sleep apnea is airway collapse. Breathing stops, oxygen to the brain drops, and snoring with gasping is the warning sign. Insomnia is not being able to fall asleep or stay asleep. When should I see a doctor about my sleep? When bad nights happen three or four times a week for two or three weeks straight. Bring a sleep diary. If you get brushed off and you think it is serious, ask for a specialist. Does alcohol before bed help you sleep? No. It sedates you so onset improves, then fragments the rest of the night so the deep restorative sleep never arrives. How do you sleep well if you work night shift? Bright light while you need to be awake, blackout when you sleep, noise and doorbells handled, and meals on a schedule instead of eating through the night to stay awake. Do CBD or THC actually help you sleep? THC can sedate you but does not produce restorative sleep. CBD gummies carry a specific risk: the effect arrives late, so people keep taking more and the dose lands far past what they intended. Chapters 0:00 Sleep is the one thing most of us are getting wrong 1:14 The doctor who lived it: radiology, night call, and burnout 2:33 How he was diagnosed with sleep apnea 5:01 How do you know if your sleep is actually a problem? 6:00 The 18 wheeler story: watching a driver fall asleep 7:09 What is a microsleep, and why is it so dangerous? 9:34 Why sleep is the foundation: memory, heart, and immunity 11:23 The most dangerous hours to be on the road 12:21 How many hours of sleep do you actually need? 13:28 What a real sleep plan looks like 15:09 Caffeine, hidden sources, late workouts, and alcohol 17:53 Are sleep trackers and wearables worth it? 20:44 How a physician finally got in touch with his own health 25:41 The everyday habits sabotaging your sleep 28:02 Why screen light in bed suppresses melatonin 29:34 Insomnia vs sleep apnea: what is the difference? 31:28 Sleep, hunger hormones, and weight 32:41 Why he wrote the book 36:48 Shift work sleep disorder: the chapter nobody else wrote 38:38 Sleep hygiene, and the idea of drifting 41:03 Melatonin, prescription sleep meds, CBD, and THC 46:30 Myth: you can catch up on sleep over the weekend 47:03 Myth: some people only need five hours 49:31 Myth: snoring is harmless 49:44 Myth: bad sleep is just part of night shift 51:45 How long should a nap actually be? 53:14 Where to get the book and find Dr. Puryear About the guest Dr. Jerome Puryear, MD, Dipl. ABOM is an obesity medicine physician and interventional radiologist, a board certified health and wellness coach, and the founder of the Puryear Wellness Institute. His book, Sleep Deprivation: A Doctor's Guide to Why You Can't Sleep and How to Get Better Sleep, is available on Amazon August 31 and on pre-order now. Website and book: drjeromepuryear.com Resources mentioned Sleep Deprivation: A Doctor's Guide to Why You Can't Sleep and How to Get Better Sleep, by Dr. Jerome Puryear, MD Puryear Wellness Institute Ramelteon, a prescription melatonin receptor agonist Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia Third party supplement verification If you need support 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988 SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 Drowsy driving is dangerous. If you are fighting to stay awake at the wheel, pull over. About Dialed In Health Health and wellness is confusing. There is a new trend every week, everyone has an opinion, and half the time you cannot tell what is legitimate and what is good marketing. Dialed In Health brings in the people who actually do this work, providers, practitioners, and experts who see clients every day, and asks the questions you would ask if you were sitting across from them. Hosted by Melissa Goodwin. Follow the show If this episode helped, follow Dialed In Health wherever you listen, and please rate and review. Reviews are how other tired people find this show. Watch on YouTube: @dialedinhealth Full transcript and every chapter: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-33-why-cant-i-sleep Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory Apply to be a guest: dialedinhealth.kit.com Transcript Full transcript on the episode page: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-33-why-cant-i-sleep This episode is educational and informational only. It is not medical advice and it is not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed provider. Talk to your own clinician before changing anything about your health, your medication, or your sleep.

  6. Aug 5

    Can AirPods Work as Hearing Aids? An Audiologist Explains

    Can AirPods work as hearing aids? Only barely. They top out around 25 decibels, which fits a mild loss and nothing past it. Audiologist Dr. Mandy Rounseville-Norgaard, owner of Sioux Falls Audiology Associates in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, joins host Melissa Goodwin to answer the question people are actually searching: can you turn AirPods into hearing aids, and should you? She wears hearing aids herself, and she doesn't sell the hype in either direction. Then the conversation turns to what AI is actually doing inside modern hearing aids, which is not what most people picture when they hear "AI." In this episode AirPods put out about 25 decibels at most. Dr. Mandy describes that as roughly the difference between her normal voice and raising it a little. The feature fits someone with about a 30 to 35 decibel loss, and probably no more than that. A hearing test is the only way to know where you sit. You need AirPods Pro 2 or 3rd generation, iOS 18, an iPhone, and a hearing test uploaded into an app. Dr. Mandy calls the current setup "more of a hack" and says they are not FDA cleared as a hearing aid. The real gap: a prescriptive hearing aid targets your specific frequencies. AirPods apply a general boost, so they amplify what you don't need along with what you do, which makes noisy rooms harder. Cost is why people reach for AirPods first. Stigma is second. Dr. Mandy's counter: if you are getting a hearing test anyway to set them up, you may as well look at your real options. The three earliest signs of hearing loss: the TV volume creeping up, struggling in restaurants and background noise, and ringing or tinnitus at night. Family usually notices before you do. AI in hearing aids means DNN, or Deep Neural Network. The chip mimics how the brain receives and interprets sound, processing the speech and noise signals a trillion times per second. It is in top of the line hearing aids now, not coming later. The app side: fall detection that alerts your family (no pendant needed, as long as the hearing aids are in), respiratory rate on one manufacturer, step tracking, and custom programs. Dr. Mandy predicts blood sugar sensing is coming, because the ear is a sensitive spot. Listening effort is the symptom nobody names. Dr. Mandy wears hearing aids herself and says the newer processing means her brain works noticeably less hard. A top of the line hearing aid still fails without a provider doing speech mapping and real ear measurement to verify the fitting against prescriptive targets. The two her clinic sees the most satisfaction from right now: the Oticon Zeal (for people who don't want something over the ear) and the Starkey Omega. Her caveat: no single manufacturer fits everyone, so find a provider who will let you try another brand. To anyone saying "I'll just use my AirPods first": it may work for a while, and you'll get the wow effect for a while. She estimates about a year before you need the real test. Chapters 00:00 Can AirPods actually be used as hearing aids? 01:39 The 25 decibel ceiling, and what it really sounds like 02:07 What you need first: AirPods Pro 2 or 3, iOS 18, a hearing test 03:16 Who the AirPods hearing feature actually helps 03:56 Can wearing AirPods all day hurt your hearing? 04:29 Are AirPods FDA cleared as hearing aids? 04:50 General boost vs prescriptive fitting: the real difference 06:34 How you turn the feature on, and why it takes patience 07:20 Why people pick AirPods first: cost, then stigma 08:46 The three earliest signs of hearing loss 09:25 Hearing loss vs being ready for hearing aids 10:40 What AI is actually doing in hearing aids: DNN explained 12:40 Fall detection, respiratory rate, and what's coming next 14:00 Custom programs and personalizing your own hearing 14:55 Listening effort: the symptom nobody names 15:40 Why a great hearing aid fails without speech mapping 16:44 What surprised an audiologist about the new AI chips 17:50 Is the high end model worth the money? 19:10 "I'll just use my AirPods": what she says to that 20:15 Not ready yet? Do this one thing instead 21:40 The two hearing aids her clinic sees the most satisfaction from 22:46 Where to find Dr. Mandy and her team About the guest Dr. Mandy Rounseville-Norgaard is an audiologist and the owner of Sioux Falls Audiology Associates. She wears hearing aids herself, which is why her answers land differently than a spec sheet. Her practice verifies fittings with speech mapping and real ear measurement, and works across major manufacturers rather than pushing one brand. Sioux Falls Audiology Associates 4948 E. 57th St, Sioux Falls, SD 57108 605-306-3050 siouxfallsaudiologyassociates.com Resources mentioned DNN (Deep Neural Network) hearing aid processing Speech mapping and real ear measurement verification The Oticon Zeal and the Starkey Omega The iOS 18 hearing aid feature for AirPods Pro Also on Dialed In Health Menopause, Hearing Loss, and the Dementia Link No One Tells Women with Dr. Mandy I Can Hear, but I Can't Understand: Hearing in Pregnancy, Tinnitus, and the Brain Side of Audiology Watch, read, and find a provider Watch on YouTube: @dialedinhealth Episode page with the full transcript and FAQs: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-31-airpods-hearing-aids Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory Apply to be a guest: dialedinhealth.kit.com If this helped, please follow the show and leave a rating and review. Reviews are a real ranking factor in the podcast directories, and they are how the next person searching "can AirPods work as hearing aids" finds a straight answer. One thing to do today: if the TV keeps creeping up, or restaurants have gotten hard, book a baseline hearing test. Dr. Mandy's point is that you don't have to decide anything at that appointment. You just get the information. Educational and informational only. This episode is not medical advice and is not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed provider. If you're concerned about your hearing, get a hearing test from a licensed audiologist or hearing care professional. Transcript Full transcript: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-31-airpods-hearing-aids

  7. Jul 30

    THC Drinks Explained: What's In Your Can and How to Drink Less

    What is actually in your THC or functional drink? Hightail founder Anna Baskin decodes THC, CBD, CBG, adaptogens, and how to drink less without giving up the ritual. Host Melissa Goodwin sits down with Anna Baskin, founder of Hightail (siphightail.com), a Chicago based line of low dose functional and hemp THC beverages, for a plain English label reader's guide to a category that got confusing on purpose. Anna explains what THC, CBD, and CBG really do in a drink, why nanoemulsification finally made them taste good, how a THC drink is different from an edible, what "clean" should mean on a label, and how to choose a drink by mood instead of by ingredients you cannot pronounce. In this episode What is actually in a THC or functional drink, and how to read the label THC vs CBD vs CBG, and why CBG lifts while CBD tends to sedate Why a THC drink hits in about 8 to 15 minutes and fades in about an hour, unlike an edible What adaptogens and nootropics actually are, and whether the word on the can means anything What "clean" energy should mean, and the L-theanine and B12 story Why more milligrams does not mean a better product, and Delta 8 vs Delta 9 How to drink less without giving up the ritual Chapters 0:00 What's really inside a functional drink 1:49 From corporate strategy to founding Hightail 3:54 Turning 40 and the urge to drink less 6:32 Why a low dose THC drink made for women 8:38 What is driving the non alcoholic boom 10:07 The Farm Bill loophole and nanoemulsification 11:57 Zebra striping: most THC drinkers still drink alcohol 15:19 Hightail Halo vs Infused 16:17 Does "functional" or "adaptogen" mean healthy? 18:48 L-theanine, B12, and what adaptogens do 20:35 What "clean" should mean on a label 23:30 Why 100mg THC drinks are a problem: start low and slow 31:17 Delta 8 vs Delta 9: what to avoid 33:16 CBD vs CBG: why one sedates and one lifts 36:43 CBN and THCV: the newer cannabinoids 39:20 How to choose a drink in the aisle 41:08 Myth busters: THC vs CBD, dosing, and value 43:29 THC drink vs edible: onset and control 46:22 For the curious first timer: where to start 47:34 Where to find Hightail About the guest. Anna Baskin is the founder of Hightail, a line of low dose functional and hemp THC beverages based in Chicago. Learn more at siphightail.com. Resources. Hightail: siphightail.com. Full episode page and transcript: dialedin.health/podcast/episode-30-hightail. Find a vetted provider: dialedin.health/the-directory. Follow and rate. If this was useful, follow Dialed In Health and leave a rating and review, it genuinely helps other people find the show. Watch on YouTube at @dialedinhealth and read the full transcript at dialedin.health. Dialed In Health is for educational and informational purposes only. Nothing here is medical advice or a substitute for care from a licensed provider. THC and CBD are regulated and vary by state. This episode is brought to you by Vitality Growth Labs.

  8. Jul 28

    The Areola Tattoo Insurance Has to Cover, With Nurse Krissy Dykhouse

    A 3D nipple and areola tattoo is the final step of breast reconstruction, and under a 1998 federal law your insurance often has to cover it. Almost no one tells women it exists. Host Melissa Goodwin sits down with Krissy Dykhouse, a Registered Nurse and Certified Paramedical and Cosmetic Tattoo Artist and the owner of Rise Skin Studio in Brandon, South Dakota. After 15 years in hospital nursing, Krissy trained in paramedical tattooing and now specializes in 3D areola restoration for breast cancer survivors. In this episode What a 3D areola tattoo is and why it is the grand finale of reconstruction Why it is a medical necessity, not cosmetic How the Women's Health and Cancer Rights Act of 1998 can require your insurance to pay Whether it hurts, and how numbing works The full process, wait times, cost, and how long it lasts Your options if you go flat How to find a qualified specialist Chapters 0:00 One in Eight Women and the Final Step of Reconstruction 1:33 From Registered Nurse to Paramedical Tattoo Artist 4:06 Is a Nipple Tattoo Cosmetic or a Medical Necessity? 4:36 The Personal Story Behind Rise Skin Studio 5:37 What Survivors Fear Before Their First Appointment 7:09 The Process Start to Finish 9:42 How a 3D Areola Tattoo Is Designed to Look Real 13:17 Does an Areola Tattoo Hurt After a Mastectomy? 14:48 Why a Paramedical Specialist Beats a Regular Tattoo Shop 16:52 Does Insurance Have to Cover a Nipple Tattoo? The 1998 Law 20:26 Going Flat: Floral and Artistic Tattoos After Mastectomy 23:32 Can You Tattoo Over a C Section or Tummy Tuck Scar? 24:33 What Krissy Wants Every Woman Facing Surgery to Know 26:06 The Transformation: Seeing Yourself Whole Again 28:07 Myth Busters 33:44 How to Find Krissy Dykhouse at Rise Skin Studio About the guest. Krissy Dykhouse, RN and Certified Paramedical and Cosmetic Tattoo Artist, owner of Rise Skin Studio, 310 S. Splitrock Blvd, Brandon, SD. Phone or text 605 530 0057. Website riseskinstudio.com. Resources. Find a vetted provider in the Dialed In Health Directory. Watch on dialedin.health. Follow and support the show. If this brought someone to mind, share it. Please follow Dialed In Health and leave a rating and review; it genuinely helps more women find this. Providers who want to be on the show can apply at dialedin.health. Disclaimer: This episode is educational and informational only. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for evaluation, diagnosis, or treatment by a licensed provider. Transcript available on the episode page at dialedin.health.

See All (36)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Dialed In Health connects you with real providers answering the questions you're actually searching for: hormones, peptides, longevity, weight loss, end-of-life care, and more. Every episode is structured around high-search questions so when you're on Google, YouTube, ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Claude, you find real expertise from practicing professionals. Hosted by Melissa Goodwin. With 20+ years in health and wellness innovation, Melissa has brought over 36 products to market for major U.S. health systems and emerging healthcare startups. She's watched regular, frustrated people take their health into their own hands - sometimes brilliantly, sometimes dangerously. This show exists to close that gap. Providers: apply to be a guest at https://www.vitalitygrowthlabs.com/the-dialed-in-health-podcast. Topic requests: melissa@vitalitygrowthlabs.com. Powered by Vitality Growth Labs.

Information

  • Creator
    Melissa Goodwin
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026
  • Show Website
    Dialed In Health