All tagged Quantified Self

Life-Sparring Podcast - Round 15: Henrik Widegren (MD) - Never Google Your Symptoms

I always get real experts in their respective feels to join me in the virtual Life-Sparring ring. However, this time, I hit one out of the ballpark and convinced an actual rockstar of medicine to spar with me. Henrik Widegren (MD) is based in Lund, Sweden, where he works in the university clinic as Otolaryngologist or Ear, Nose & Throat doctor.

When Henrik is not seeing patients or is participating in clinical research, he is composing, writing, and performing songs about healthcare and medicine. He published several albums in Swedish and English, and in 2019, Henrik landed a viral hit with his song “Never Google Your Symptoms,” attracting more than 4.3 million views on YouTube.

My conversation with Henrik covers a lot of ground, Henrik’s musical career from playing the recorder to becoming a recording artist; why he chose Otolaryngology over heart surgery, how it feels to become a viral sensation, and being the most prominent singing medical professional since Dr. Alban (It’s my Life – you remember?).

Last but not least, we talk about the state of the medical profession and what we believe could improve the communication between doctors and patients. We also discuss critical medical topics such as the Man Cold, snoring, excessive earwax, and losing your voice to a spicy Malaysian dish.

I had an absolute blast talking to Henrik, and I am sure you will also enjoy this one.

Life-Sparring Podcast - Round 12: Fabian - Shadowboxing June/July 2021 - Quantified Starch

Shadowboxing rounds are solo episodes, where I, Life-Sparring host Fabian Gruber share “What’s On and Poppin” in my life, what current books provide “Food for Thought,” and what else is going on. No interviews, just a bit of solo rambling and occasionally some awful singing.

The summer heat in Hong Kong made for a slow summer. What’s On and Poppin’ is all about carbohydrate supplement UCAN SuperStarch, which I have tried for the first time. I also recap a German podcast that I just did, talking about one of my favorite topics, the quantified self.

In Food For Thought, I talk about John Irving’s The Water-Method Man and The Alchemist, by Paulo Coelho. For good measure, I also throw an article in the mix on the economics of Dollar Stores in the US.

Life-Sparring Podcast - Round 6: Re(n)al Talk with Dr. Chun Ki Chan

Does your bladder really burst if you hold your pee for too long? Will you get kidney stones if you do not drink two liters of water a day? These are just two of many questions that Urologist Dr. Chun Ko Chan (Kiki) answers in our “Re(n)al Talk” Round of the Life-Sparring Podcast.

The urinary system is likely the organ we know the least and have the worst misconceptions about. Reason enough to dedicate an episode to the topic and talk to a re(n)al expert.

Will Dr. Kiki Chan be able to address Fabian’s Childhood trauma of kidney stones and bursting bladders? Listen in to Round 6 of Life-Sparring.

Life-Sparring Podcast - Round 4: Dena Goldberg aka Dena DNA - Deconstructed Me II

After listening to her carrying a few Clubhouse panels on genetics, I somehow tricked the fabulous Dena Goldberg, aka Dena DNA, to jump into the Life-Sparring ring with me to discuss genetic testing for health.

Dena holds a master’s degree in genetic counseling from the University of California, Irvine, and is one of 5,000 board accredited Genetic Counselors. She also made it her mission to increase the public awareness of genetic testing for health and created her personal brand Dena DNA around it.

My discussion with Dena covers many aspects of genetic testing: We talk about the role of a genetic counselor, the fundamental difference between DTC genotyping and targeted sequencing panels, potential pitfalls in interpreting genotyping data, nutrigenomics, critical genetic defects to look for, the future of gene therapy and even CRISPR gene editing.

Dena is exceptionally knowledgeable and has the talent to break complicated scientific topics down so that even people without much background knowledge can easily digest them.

If you are interested in understanding your genetic makeup, I am sure you will find this Life-Sparring Round with Dena DNA as insightful as I do.