Of all similar, wealthy nations of the world, Americans pay the most for health care (I call it “sick care”) and receive the least back for their investment. Get out your large, foam finger. We are No. 1 in health care! We're No 1. USA! USA! USA! Right? Wrong! Infant mortality (death) rate is often used as a proxy indicator of a nation’s health. Th…

We are born, live, get old, and then die. This is the natural cycle of life. One thing is certain, humans have a 100% mortality rate. Death is a rite of passage in which we all participate – as a family member, a health care provider, or as a patient. Healthcare providers often view death through a biomedical lens and define death as a physiologica…

We adults have created a plastic pollution disaster for those that will follow in our footsteps. However, you can be part of the solution starting today! Microplastics, 5 millimeters or less in size, come from a variety of larger plastics such as plastic bottles, car tires, plastic beads (including those in skin-care products), and synthetic fibers…

This past summer, I visited a Native American Museum in the Ozark Mountains. An Iroquois saying on a painting caught my attention: “We should consider the results of every decision on the next seven generations that follow us.” Smart people were the Iroquois! Unfortunately, we adults in modern times have not been smart. Plastic pollution will be th…

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers collectively represent the most common type of cancer and the second leading cause of death from cancer in the U.S. GI cancers account for just under 30% of all cancer deaths. This type of cancer can affect the esophagus, stomach, pancreas and biliary tract, small intestine, liver, colon, rectum, and anus. GI cancers s…

Many citizens of the U.S. think that they have the best health care system in the world. I have bad news for them: The U.S does not. It has one of the worst health care systems in the world. Of similar developed countries, the U.S. has the most expensive, broken, reactive, sick care system that yields some of the worst patient outcomes. Our sick ca…

People think like this: If it is not in my “backyard” and not affecting me and/or my family, I really do not pay much attention to it and really do not care. Well, this is an issue that impacts at least 12 million of you. That’s how many of you get your drinking water from the Lake Erie watershed. Do you care about your health? Do you care about th…

On October 7, 2024, Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip killed at least 1,139 Israelis and injured many more (Aljazeera News, 2024). Hamas also took more than 250 from Israel to the Gaza Strip, including older people, women, children, and men. According to the Washington Post (2024), 84 hostages are believed to be still alive and in captivity. Sin…

In the U.S., informal, family caregiving is on the rise. In 2015, there were 43.5 million, informal care givers. In 2023, there were more than 100 million adults who are informal care givers. The direct cost of caregiving is nearly $44 million dollars, given the loss of 650,000 jobs and approximately 800,000 individuals who report absenteeism from …

Every day in this country, hundreds of patients of all ages receive bad news from their health care providers. What is it like to be diagnosed with a life-threatening illness? What do you think about? What are your emotions? How does you cope with the associated losses such as a loss of energy, function, a job, or a career? How do others treat you?…

At the end of February 2024, I talked to people in Ohio’s snowbelt region, and they all said the same thing, “I think the snowplow guy maybe came twice.” Only twice! Wow! The snowplow guys probably liked the lack of snow! You see, in major parts of the U.S., winter never arrived. According to preliminary data from AccuWeather, this winter was the w…

Let me ask you a question. Are these things related? Historic redlining, racism, food scarcity, and obesity. Are people who live in previously redlined areas worse off, and do they have worse health outcomes than those who live elsewhere? In this February 2024 episode, host Tim Jordan explores these questions and more with Anthony Goodwin, the youn…

Were you aware that we are literally “swimming” in a sea of chemicals that may be killing us? These chemicals are everywhere and in everything including our air, food, water, medical devices, medical implants, non-stick pans, personal care products, stain-resistant carpet and furniture, cardboard packaging, building materials, and firefighting foam…

Most Americans do not like to think about or talk about death. Death is like the “elephant in the middle of the room.” Everyone sees the elephant and knows that it is there, but no one says a peep! We prefer to avoid the topic. We certainly do not want to jinx ourselves! Death is viewed negatively as loss. When someone close to us dies (be it a per…

In this November 2023 episode, host Tim Jordan explores this question with his guests: Why don’t more American adults do this? Do what? Advance Care Planning. Only about 1 in 3 American adults have done Advance Care Planning. Yet it is free! Why have so few done this? Special Guests, Debra Jackson, RN of VITAS Health Care and Kimberly Schmidt, RN o…

In this October 2023 episode, host Tim Jordan interviews the nieces of Nancy Cruzan: Angela Broaddus and Miranda Lewis. Who was Nancy Cruzan? She was at the center of the first “right to die with dignity” case ever heard by the United States Supreme Court. Together, Tim and his guests explore this topic: Who was Nancy Cruzan? Resources for this pod…

In this September 2023 episode, host Tim Jordan and his guest, Patrick Johnston, Vice President of Community Investments at the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, explore this topic: “Common Mistakes People Make When Writing Grant Applications.” Do you want to become the best grant writer that you can be? Are you interested in obtaining more gran…

In this August 2023 episode, host Tim Jordan explores the topic, “Is the mental health of shooters to blame for mass shootings? His guest for this thought-provoking interview is Dr. Lisa Pescara Kovach. Fact: This year (2023), is on pace to become the deadliest year for mass shootings in recent history. A mass shooting is defined as 4 or more peopl…

In this Independence Day 2023 special episode, Tim Jordan, host, explores the topic, “When Gun Violence Becomes Personal.” In the early morning hours of Friday May 18, 2018, gun violence became personal for Rhonda Hart. She did not ask for it; did not deserve it; and certainly did not want it! In a first period art class at Santa Fe High School (Te…

Did you notice more mis/disinformation since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on social media? Have you noticed how mis/disinformation (and conspiracy theories) are used by certain groups to motivate acts of hate and violence toward our government, towards Black and Brown people, Jews, and other racial and ethnic minorities? In this e…

In episode # 9, Tim Jordan (host), interviews Dr. Jeffrey Layne Blevins, Professor, Department of Journalism and School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio. Have you ever wondered by scamming seems to be on the increase? Or why anti-Semitism is now higher than it ever has been at any time since the Anti-Defamat…

In episode # 8, host Tim Jordan interviews Dr. Amy Thompson, Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs at Wright State in Ohio. Together they explore some of the unprecedented challenges facing colleges and universities (and their customers). Be sure to listen to this thought-provoking conversation! Resources for this podcast: Wright S…

In episode # 7, host Tim Jordan interviews Hospice Nurse Penny Hawkins-Smith about her perspective on death and dying. During this fascinating interview, they discuss many topics including the recommended educational and training path to become a hospice nurse; the challenges involved for families in letting their dying loved one decide how much th…

In this episode, host Tim Jordan interviews three hall-of-famers from the field of health education about their past, their mentors, the present, and the future. The discussion is wide ranging and covers the definition of health, how health education developed as a profession, and the development of credentialing, certification, and the National Co…

In this episode of Grass Roots Health, host Tim Jordan interviews Jeff and Deb Banks about the tragic, sudden, and unexpected death of their son, Jason in 2002. Their son had just graduated from high school and was on a spring break type trip to Myrtle Beach, SC along with 35 of his high school classmates. Then disaster struck and the lives of Jeff…

Is there racism in the U.S. health care system? Are there enough faculty members of color in U.S. medical schools? What about medical school admissions? Do they reflect the proportion of black and brown young adults in the U.S. population? Listen to Dr. Haley Thompson and host, Tim Jordan, describe some of the upstream reasons why we have a racism …

In this episode, Tim Jordan (host) interviews Kari the Mortician (aka Kari Northey) about her thoughts and impressions about Americans and death. A fascinating interview for sure! Listen in on a topic that many Americans think is taboo. For more information: Kari The Mortician's YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/@KaritheMortician Website: www.ka…

During this episode, host Tim Jordan interviews Jonathan Ross, MD, internist, about the weaknesses of the U.S. healthcare (sick care) system. For more information please visit: Physicians for a National Health Program. https://pnhp.org/ Improving Health Status. https://1795group.com/resource/improving-health-status-its-all-about-the-ecosystem/ Is O…

In this inaugural episode, Vickie Dugat interviews Dr. Tim Jordan, the founder and director of the 1795 Group. Get to know Dr. Jordan, listen to how things have changed over the past 20 years or so, and listen to how the 1795 Group plans to address some of the problems with the health of Americans. For more information and numerous helpful resource…