The Scope Radio

Fat tends to get a bad reputation, but not all fat is bad – brown fat is actually good for you. Not only does it help you stay thin, it also has amazing healing powers. Dr. Amit Patel discusses the difference between good and bad fat, why brown fat is considered good fat, and why it might be rare in adults. He also talks about potential ways to increase the amount of brown fat in the body.

It’s a bold statement to make, but non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) could be the next health epidemic in the United States. Dr. Robin Kim tells you what NAFLD is, who is at risk and why many patients may be unaware of it until it reaches its middle stages. He also talks about early detections and preventions of NAFLD.

January isn't even half over, yet 25 percent of resolutions have already been abandoned. In six months, more than 50 percent will be broken. Dr. Kirtly Jones asks women about their resolutions, talks about how they should and shouldn't think about them, and gives some tips and tricks to beat the odds and succeed this year.

Arthroscopic surgery for knee pain from meniscal tears accounts for 700,000 yearly surgeries at a cost of $4 billion dollars annually. However, a recent study suggests that surgery might not provide a better outcome than no surgery at all. Dr. Tom Miller asks assistant professor of orthopedic surgery Dr. Christopher Pelt about his take on the study and what a patient suffering from knee pain should learn from it.

A lot of parents worry about their child’s bowel movements – are they normal, are they not normal? Is stool too hard or too soft? How many days can a child go between bowel movements? Dr. Cindy Gellner tells you the difference between “normal” bowel movements and constipation in children, which is more common than you might think. She also talks about ways you can help your child avoid constipation.

Drs. Tom Miller and Robert Glasgow discuss the topic of surgeon and physician fatigue and the impact on patient care. Learn about the different factors that can impact a surgeon’s performance during surgery and discuses what it means to be an impaired physician.

What does it mean to have chronic pain? If your shoulders are constantly hurting, is that considered chronic pain? Anesthesiologist Dr. Jill Sindt talks about the different types of chronic pain, causes, treatments, and what can be done to prevent it. She also discusses why some people with the same injuries and rehabilitation treatments might experience different types of pain.

It’s your New Year’s resolution to be healthier in 2014, but have you ever paused to consider what that means – to be healthier? Dr. Tom Miller says it’s not that complicated. It’s just about doing, and avoiding, a few things. Take sixty seconds to find out, and you might actually keep your resolution this year – and feel better too.

The official beginning of the flu season is January 1, and this year the H1N1 virus is shaping up to be the dominant strain that’s going around. Is it a big deal? Dr. Tom Miller explains how swine flu behaves a little differently than other flu strains, what you can do to help prevent catching it and why you should contact your physician or go to urgent care immediately if have flu symptoms.

You have two kidneys and you might know where they’re located, but do you really know why they’re there and what they actually do? And the more important question, what happens when they fail to do their job? Dr. Jeffery Campsen gives you the 101 on kidneys: what is it, what can go wrong, and what you can do about it.

Radon is radioactivity that seeps up from the ground, stays in closed spaces, sits on your lungs’ surfaces and causes lung cancer; it’s a silent killer and most people are unaware of it. Yet, it’s estimated that radon is responsible for approximately 20,000 U.S. cancer deaths each year, or about 15 percent of the total. Dr. Wallace Akerley from Huntsman Cancer Institute talks about why Utah residents have a higher chance at getting lung cancer from radon and tells you about the only first step in knowing you might have high levels of radon. To get your radon testing kit, visit radon.utah.gov.

Coughing, wheezing, trouble breathing, congestion, and watery eyes – it must be inversion season. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen talks about inversion threats to your health, who’s at risk, and what you can do about it.

Get back into shape, eat healthier, be more happy, quit smoking – a few of the better-health resolutions for the new year. And while those are all good resolutions, emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen shares with you the New Years resolutions he thinks are important if you want to stay out of the ER this upcoming year.

Is it food poisoning? A stomach bug? The latest food contamination you heard about on the news? Or is it simply something you ate that doesn’t agree with you? When it comes to stomach issues, it can sometimes be hard to figure out how serious it is and what you should do about it. Emergency room physician Dr. Troy Madsen breaks down the signs and symptoms that will easily help you decide if your stomach pain is something to worry about or if it’ll pass.

Holly, poinsettias, and mistletoes are some of the more common plants around the holidays, but did you know which one is actually poisonous (it might not be the one you think.) Some of the things in your garage can also be deadly this time of the year. Marty Malheiro from the Utah Poison Control Center talks about some holiday festive, yet toxic objects you’ll want to be cautious of, especially if you have children and pets.