WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

More than one million Americans are diagnosed with <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/gallstones" target= "_blank" rel="noopener">gallstones</a> every year, and women of all ages are more likely to develop them. How are gallstones formed? What do they mean for our health? While <a class= "react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slideshow-gallbladder-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gallbladder</a> problems can be uncomfortable and potentially risky, understanding the treatment options available is the first step toward relief. We spoke to <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.docschmidt.org/about.html" target="_blank" rel= "noopener">Benjamin Schmidt, MD</a>, board-certified gastroenterologist and creator of the healthcare platform <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.docschmidt.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Doc Schmidt</a>, about the function the gallbladder serves, signs and symptoms of gallstones, <a class= "react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/understanding-gallstones-treatment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">treatments available once diagnosed</a>, and what care looks like <a class= "react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/what-to-know-diet-after-gallbladder-surgery" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post-gallbladder removal</a>.

Health Discovered

Gallstones and Gallbladder Health: What to Know and Life After Removal

Health equity is when everyone has a fair opportunity to achieve their highest level of health. But in the United States, that’s not always the case. Today, Black Americans are more likely to die at early ages for most health issues, and young Black Americans are living with diseases that are typically more common in other races during older age. How do barriers in healthcare contribute to the current <a href= "https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/cm/race-inequality-adpkd" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/cm/race-inequality-adpkd&source=gmail&ust=1710337991988000&usg=AOvVaw0MCKOhA_XLN4wwpAF7CmG1">health disparities</a> in the Black community? And how do these challenges spill over into worse health outcomes? We spoke to <a href= "https://apha.org/about-apha/executive-board-and-staff/apha-staff/georges-c-benjamin-md" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://apha.org/about-apha/executive-board-and-staff/apha-staff/georges-c-benjamin-md&source=gmail&ust=1710337991988000&usg=AOvVaw3bUky6MTjjKiCRAPrcnou4">Georges Benjamin, MD</a>, executive director of the <a href= "https://apha.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://apha.org/&source=gmail&ust=1710337991988000&usg=AOvVaw2_uIxSbT4On28bn2b28I9G">American Public Health Association</a> and one of the nation’s most influential physician leaders, about the <a href= "https://www.webmd.com/story/disparities-in-the-health-care-system" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/story/disparities-in-the-health-care-system&source=gmail&ust=1710337991988000&usg=AOvVaw0Z_JamTzeCjQwdfB492S4d">pressing health disparities</a> affecting the Black community today, including access to care and quality of care, the social determinants that affect health, and some of the major policy interventions that need to take place in order to achieve more equitable health outcomes.

Health Disparities, Equity, and Empowerment: Transforming Black Health Outcomes

March is <a class="react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/colorectal-polyps-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">colorectal cancer</a> awareness month. According to the American Cancer Society, nearly double the number of young adults under 55 are being diagnosed with colorectal cancer. And while it’s a highly treatable cancer, many people will not have symptoms in the early stages of colorectal cancer. So, when should regular <a class= "react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/colon-cancer-screening-guidelines" target="_blank" rel="noopener">screening </a>begin? And what measures can we take to lower our <a class= "react-spectrum-RichTextEditor-link" href= "https://www.webmd.com/colorectal-cancer/risk-factors-colorectal-cancer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">risk for colon cancer</a>? What do we need to know about the latest research on a blood test for colon cacner screening? We spoke to Jaydeep Bhat, MD, MPH, gastroenterologist, and physician lead for resource stewardship at The Southeast Permanente Medical Group, Kaiser Permanente Georgia, about what puts someone at a higher risk for colorectal cancer, the various screening tests available, questions we should ask our primary care doctors, and small and actionable lifestyle changes we can make to reduce our risk.

A Guide to Colorectal Cancer: Screening, Prevention, and Early Detection

Many people desire happiness, but is there <a href= "https://www.webmd.com/balance/video/arthur-brooks" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/balance/video/arthur-brooks&source=gmail&ust=1709402290639000&usg=AOvVaw2D2eokpl0sRvtKD3_HuIsH">a science to being happy</a>? Can we learn to be happy regardless of external challenges? Are there evidence-based tools and practices for managing emotions and enhancing our lives? We spoke with <a href="https://arthurbrooks.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://arthurbrooks.com/&source=gmail&ust=1709402290639000&usg=AOvVaw396yeJRFflFZvYx29eOWxu">Arthur C. Brooks</a>, who co-authored the book <a href= "https://arthurbrooks.com/build-the-life-you-want" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://arthurbrooks.com/build-the-life-you-want&source=gmail&ust=1709402290639000&usg=AOvVaw0BmO1JYdHAExSU8mkQyHHw">Build the Life You Want: The Art and Science of Getting Happier</a> with Oprah Winfrey, about using science to understand happiness from a psychological and biological perspective, the intersection of happiness with our environment, the impact of social media, the benefits of <a href= "https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/psychological-benefits-of-friendship" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl= "https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/psychological-benefits-of-friendship&source=gmail&ust=1709402290639000&usg=AOvVaw3LYRlOsneybsRKTmG7cE-L">healthy relationships</a>, and how we can actively teach ourselves to live happier lives.

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