Lunch and Learn with Dr. Berry Dr. Berry: Physician, Health Educator, Blogger, Speaker, Best Selling Autho

So, let’s talk about taking care of our mental health as we observe the Mental Health Awareness Month…
The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and as Dr. Delphin-Rittmon of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says, it is a time to promote the importance of mental health and its impact on our well-being as humans.
A lot of times, we focus on ailments, like “I’m getting a lot of weight”, “my back hurts”, and “my blood pressure is too high”, and push aside our mental health, not knowing it’s highly correlated to every aspect of our life.
Data shows that nearly 1 in 4 adults reported mental illness, almost 20% of adolescents ages 12 to 17 had a major depressive episode, and one death by suicide happens every 11 minutes here in the United States.
This is an unparalleled mental health crisis we’re going through right now, yet here we are, still asking and not understanding why people commit suicide.
But we don’t want that to continue; we want to help keep your mental health in check and on the right track. Just like what the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) said, with the right care, anyone affected by or at risk for a mental health condition can thrive, achieve well-being, and lead meaningful lives.
Join me in this week’s episode as we take a pause and realign our mental health to the path it needs to be at.
Why you need to check this episode:
Recognize the importance of checking in on yourself, especially your mental health; Discover how your mental health correlates with other aspects of your life and your well-being as a whole; and Understand why there are people who choose mental clarity over things like promotion, job opportunities, etc. “Mental health is so key, because even if all of these other [health] – spiritual, financial, even the medical – even if all those things are aligned, if your mental health is not together, it will typically suffer and bring the others down with it.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
Notable Quotes:
“Regardless of what the resolution is, if mentally, we aren’t there to make sure that they succeed, it’s not going to succeed.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“Life is still happening around us. We just have to figure out ‘How can I position myself so that life doesn’t continue to beat me up from a mental standpoint, because if it continues to beat me up from a mental standpoint, everything else falls.’” – Dr. Berry Pierre
This episode is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA.
To learn how to get support for mental health conditions, visit www.findsupport.gov.
If you’re looking for treatment services in your community, visit www.findtreatment.gov.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 or chat www.988lifeline.org for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
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Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify

In today's Episode of Real Physician Reacts, we're tackling a hot topic (pun intended) today – the dangers of social media challenges gone wrong. Dr. Berry Pierre dives deep into the recent case of a teenager who tragically died after participating in the "one chip challenge."
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Key Discussion Points:
The Deadly Side of Social Media Challenges: We'll discuss the recent tragedy involving the "one chip challenge" and the hidden dangers of these online trends. Spice Without Sacrifice: Can you enjoy the health benefits of spicy foods without risking your health? Let's explore safe ways to incorporate spice into your diet. Beyond the Challenge Hype: Uncover the motivations behind participating in social media challenges and how to make informed decisions about online trends. Stay informed and avoid unnecessary risks. Tune in!

So, let's talk about viruses and learn about their good side with Dr. Richard White III…
After going through the doom and gloom that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon us, most of you guys probably don't see the good side of a virus.
I mean, that's understandable, given how millions of people have died worldwide and many have suffered from the fear of death. And unfortunately, it may not even end there, because there are a lot of different viral families out there that could cause the next pandemic.
This is why we mustn't sleep on these, but at the same time, educate ourselves about the different viruses' effects.
Because contrary to popular belief, there are actually a lot of positive attributes and applications that we can use viruses for.
We cannot deny that the “big C” has caused us severe suffering, fear, and pain, but in today's episode, we'll learn that NOT all viruses do harm and death. Some even do the work to protect us, our environment, and our planet!
So, sit back and relax as we blow your mind with amazing facts on viruses with Dr. Richard White III today.
Guest's bio:
Dr. Richard Allen White III is a computational molecular synthetic virologist whose interest, passion, and work revolve around understanding viruses. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, North Carolina, in the Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics.
Dr. White III is part of the CIPHER team, where he helps build infectious disease capabilities for both environmental and human health risks. Additionally, he has multiple projects in NASA, USCA, NIH, etc., and works at the North Carolina Research Campus, focusing on human nutrition and human health over the last four years.
Why you need to check this episode:
Discover the good side of viruses; Understand that not all viruses are bad and harmful (there are those which protect us); and Recognize the need for taking action, especially in preserving our ecosystems which at present are in a state of degradation “Nature has provided the blueprint on how we can deal with these problems; we just have to understand it. It’s not all doom and gloom; we can change very subtle things in the way we understand and nurture the microbiome in our own body and how we nurture and feed our environment…By understanding the microbes, we can nurture and feed them, and then we’ll have these lush, resurrected ecosystems that are [currently] in a state of degradation.” – Dr. Richard White III
Notable Quotes:
“My conversation today [does] not reflect the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. It is my take on the current matters of science based on literature and the best of my knowledge.” – Dr. Richard White III
“Not all viruses are bad. They do so much for our planet. Obviously, there are ones that cause diseases and pandemics…but there are so many that protect us. I mean, there are more viruses in your mouth right now than there are stars in the Milky Way galaxy that are protecting you from disease and infection.” – Dr. Richard White III
“We drink trillions of them a day, we breathe them in, there’s billions of them in the soil, [and] they’re on your skin. They’re everywhere and they protect you. They’re more ‘friend’ than ‘foe’.” – Dr. Richard White III
“Our NASA work suggests that viruses are amplifiers of life.” – Dr. Richard White III
“That’s the mass of them. That’s how small of a mass they are; yet, they provide life and nutrients to the whole ecosystem.” – Dr. Richard White III
“We should remind people that there are ecosystems that are dying and we need to preserve them.” – Dr. Richard White III
Connect with Dr. Richard White III:
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Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio

So, let's talk about this year's Autism in Black Conference with my favorite special guest, Maria Davis-Pierre…
In last week’s episode (I suggest that you watch it if you haven’t), I gave my recap of the fourth annual Autism in Black Conference. From being an organizer, a speaker, and a community member, we talked about my experience, especially highlighting the emotionally enriching panel for fathers that we had this year.
It was such an awe-inspiring place to be in, but of course, the recap wouldn’t be complete without hearing from the CEO and Founder of Autism in Black Inc. That’s why in this week’s podcast, I brought with me that very person, my favorite special guest, Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC.
Here, we’ll talk about the conference from her experience, highlighting how without your support, all this wouldn’t even be in existence.
So, join us and don’t miss this week’s episode as we all look back to what transpired during the fourth annual conference of the Autism in Black.
Why you need to check this episode:
Get to know the experience and thoughts of the Autism in Black Inc.’s Founder and President throughout the fourth run of the conference; Recognize the importance of providing support and focus to autistic adults; and Find out what’s in store for you on the fifth run of the Autism in Black Conference next year (2025) “We appreciate all of the Autism in Black community, because without your support, [and] without our speakers’ support, we wouldn’t be able to do it. So, thank you, all, truly.” – Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC
Notable Quotes:
“Once the actual conference started, it was just like community and home, so all of the nerves went away and it was just, again, beautiful to be with our community for the weekend.” – Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC
“I think there’s not a lot of focus on us as autistic adults. It’s something that people have been asking for [and] it’s something that I needed as an autistic adult – having that community. I think there is so much focus sometimes when organizations focus on the children and don’t realize we turn into autistic adults and there’s no support out there for us. So, it was very intentional this year to make sure that we really had a lot of content for autistic adults.” – Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC
“I tell everybody every year: just as you all are learning, I’m learning too.” – Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC
“Having a community of people who want to support you and support what you do because they think that it’s important as well and they get something out of it just as much as you do is just a beautiful sight to see. I think a lot of people are thinking ‘competition, competition, competition’, but what we really focus on is collaboration and being there, supporting one another. Having that community and knowing that we are doing that for one another is a wonderful aspect.” – Maria Davis-Pierre, LMHC
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In today's episode, we explore a profound and impactful story from the music world—the recent passing of hip-hop pioneer DJ Mister Cee. Known for his influential role in the industry, his death highlights a critical health issue that affects millions worldwide: diabetes. We'll delve into how diabetes contributed to his complications, focusing on its effects on the heart and kidneys, and discuss the signs and symptoms everyone should be aware of.
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Key Discussion Points:
The Passing of DJ Mister Cee: Reflecting on his legacy and the circumstances of his recent passing due to complications related to diabetes. Diabetes and Its Effects on the Body: Understanding how diabetes impacts vital organs, particularly the heart and kidneys, and what that means for overall health. Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Diabetes: A crucial discussion on how to identify diabetes early to manage and potentially mitigate its severe complications. This episode serves as a reminder of the importance of health awareness and regular check-ups, especially for conditions like diabetes that can quietly affect major organs and lead to serious health issues.
Links:
People Magazine: DJ Mister Cee’s Cause of Death Revealed WHO: Facts About Diabetes

So, let's talk about the experience of being at this year's Autism in Black Conference…
When I first told my wife that we should do a conference on autism in Black, looking back, the first response that I got was “Why would we do a conference? Who would come to that?”
Believe it or not, about four years ago, that’s what our thoughts were like that we even doubted if people would come.
Then, fast forward to four years later, and we just realized that starting the annual conference had been the best decision of our lives.
Not only have we created a safe space for Black people to learn and empower each other; for us and the members, the conference has also become a source of love, appreciation, and emotional recharge.
It was such an awe-inspiring, moving, and really just an emotionally enriching environment to be at that I can’t help but do this episode to share a quick recap.
So, sit back and relax as we talk about the experience – as an organizer, a speaker, and a community member all in one.
Why you need to check this episode:
Understand the importance of highlighting the fact that autism in Black really does happen; Get a quick recap of the events that transpired on this year’s Autism in Black Conference; and Learn about the experience from the organizers’, speakers’, and community members’ standpoint “We’re making sure that everyone is aware that autism in Black needs to be seen through a different lens, and we are the glasses that’s going to help you see it.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
Notable Quotes:
“The job that our speakers did this weekend, the love that they were able to pour out into the hearts of the community, whoo! If you’re an organization looking for phenomenal speakers, just check our speaker list from our agenda and start reaching out to them, because, I mean, beautiful.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“You guys may think I’m biased, and I understand that; I’ll take that on the chin, if you think I’m a little biased when I’m talking about the Autism in Black Conference. But if you’ll talk to the community members, they’ll tell you that it was the best conference they’ve ever been in in their life. So, not my words; [it’s] their words. I’m just regurgitating what the community members said.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“When we talk about Autism in Black, we are speaking from the Black perspective in autism journey. We want to make sure that does not get erased and we want to make sure that it’s highlighted that it is definitely different. Despite what they may say on the ads that I run, it’s definitely different to walk this journey as a Black family when you’re thinking about autism; regardless of the whole ‘there is no color in autism’, [because] that’s a lie.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
“I want to make sure that the fathers are continued to be represented in the light that they need to be represented in. I think and I know that it’s so important because the reception that I get every time fathers are highlighted, it just continues to amaze me and let’s me know that we got some work to do.” – Dr. Berry Pierre
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Remember to subscribe to the podcast and share the episode with a friend or family member.
Listen on Apple Podcast, Google Play, Stitcher, Soundcloud, iHeartRadio, and Spotify