Friends of Franz

Vision is often described as our most dominant sense, but how often do we actually think about how it works? The sense of sight is a complex collaboration between the eyes, optic nerves, and brain, translating light into perception, depth, color, and meaning. It allows us to view the world around us and form images of our deepest memories. But what does it really mean to “see well,” and how can we protect one of our most powerful connections to the world? What does 20/20 vision mean? Do blue light glasses work, or are they just a marketing ploy? And the age-old question: Do carrots actually improve our eyesight?
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Jennifer Chinn, OD, a board-certified optometrist and Glaucoma Certified Optometric Physician, and the second-generation and co-owner of Dr. Chinn's Vision Care in San Diego, California.
Dr. Chinn received her OD from the University of Missouri St. Louis College of Optometry. Currently, Dr. Chinn serves as a Professional Affairs Consultant at Johnson & Johnson Vision, serves on the Board of the San Diego County Optometric Society, and is the Leader of the San Diego Chapter of the Young Optometrists of America.
Dr. Chinn has been featured on New York Post, Well+Good, Women in Optometry Magazine, and Vision Monday Magazine.
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The endocrine system consists of eight major organs that produce and regulate hormones, the chemical messengers that keep the body in balance. Hormones quietly orchestrate everything from our energy and metabolism to mood, sleep, and resilience, acting as an internal communication network that responds to stress, environment, and lifestyle. From cold plunges and saunas to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, even small daily inputs are said to shift this delicate signaling. How does stress really affect our bodies? Does “adrenal fatigue” exist? Is it actually possible to “biohack” our hormones?
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Priya Jaisinghani, MD, ABIM, DABOM, a triple board-certified Endocrinology, Obesity Medicine, and Internal Medicine physician from New York City.
Dr. Jaisinghani received her MD from Rutgers/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where she also completed her Internal Medicine Residency, Endocrinology and Obesity Medicine Fellowships at Weill Cornell Medicine. Currently, Dr. Jaisinghani is a Diabetes, Metabolism, and Obesity Medicine attending physician at NYU Langone Health, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and a Medical Unit Contributor at ABC News.
Dr. Jaisinghani has been featured on CNN, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Men's Health, FOX 5 News, and Medscape,
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Food is such an integral part of not just culture, but of life in itself. It is the fuel that allows our hearts to beat, our lungs to breathe, and our cells to metabolize—powering every physiological process that sustains us. But with so much conversation surrounding food, from restrictive diet culture to viral wellness trends, nourishment can become clouded by confusion, fear, and misinformation. How many meals should we actually eat per day? What are seed oils, and should we really avoid them? Are artificial sweeteners truly a better choice than sugar? Do green juice cleanses actually work?
In this episode, we are joined by Stephanie Chen, MS, RDN, LDN, a Boston, MA-based registered dietitian and nutritionist trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Enhanced (CBT-E) and the Family-Based Treatment (FBT).
Stephanie earned her MS in Clinical Psychology (with research on novel body image) from Missouri State University and later earned a second MS in Nutrition Science from Boston University. Currently, Stephanie is a practicing dietitian and partner at Lori Lieberman and Associates, where she aligns with Intuitive Eating and Health at Every Size® and specializes in kidney and heart disease, diabetes, GI issues, weight management, and eating disorders. Stephanie is also the founder of Boston Asian Food Network, which highlights Boston's AAPI food community and is the home of Boston Asian Restaurant Week.
Outside of dietetics, Stephanie is a freelance editorial and runway fashion model, having been featured on WBZ News/CBS Boston, Harper's BAZAAR Vietnam, Tatler Philippines, and MEGA Magazine.
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The human heart is a tireless biomechanical marvel—an exquisitely engineered pump powered by both mechanical precision and an intrinsic electrical system, beating over 100,000 times a day to sustain life. But like any machine, despite having an electrical mind of its own, it is not infallible—when its rhythm drifts or its mechanics strain, the impact is felt far beyond the chest. From more complex cases like heart failure and detrimental arrhythmias to the more-known feared heart attack caused by high cholesterol, it leads to questions — What can we do to safeguard the health of our heart? What should one do when they experience chest pain? And how do we learn to listen to the heart’s warning signs before they become life-altering events?
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Diala Steitieh, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and assistant professor of clinical medicine, focusing on hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and sports cardiology, based in New York City.
Dr. Steitieh received her MD from Weill Cornell Medicine in Qatar and completed her Internal Medicine Residency and Cardiovascular Disease Fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical College. Currently, Dr. Steitieh serves as an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and Principal Investigator of clinical studies at Weill Cornell Medical College and the Director of the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Program in the Division of Cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.
Dr. Steitieh has been featured on Yahoo!, SELF Magazine, Qatar Tribune, MSN, TCTMD, and The Peninsula Qatar.
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From microplastics and “forever chemicals” in household items—from our kitchens to our bathrooms—to the charred bits of meat on a barbecue grill, to the smoke and fumes we inhale simply by walking through a city, and recently even kimchi (?!), concern about cancer risk seems to be everywhere. Like cancer metastasis itself, the conversation is rapidly spreading across social media and online forums. But how many of these so-called “carcinogens” are truly worth our time, apprehension, and caution?
In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Timothy Tiutan, MD (known online as Dr. Tim), a board-certified internal medicine physician, oncology/cancer hospitalist, author of 'The Mediterranean Diet,' and assistant medical professor based in New York City. With nearly two million followers on social media, Dr. Tiutan's unique "edutainment" style delivers pertinent general health and cancer-prevention education to his online audience.
Dr. Tiutan received his BA/BS in Spanish and Physiology and MD from the University of Arizona College of Medicine and completed his Internal Medicine residency at Weill Cornell Medical College. Currently, he is an oncology specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Medical Contributor at CBS News, the official media spokesperson of the American Cancer Society, and a member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Fides Network, a select group from around the world that combats misinformation in the media and supports health initiatives for communities globally.
Dr. Tiutan has been featured on the New York Post, HuffPost, Yahoo!, Daily Record, UNILAD, LADBible, The Independent, Times of India, CBS News, and Daily Mail.
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