Healthful with Norah O'Donnell

Ten years ago, Norah was diagnosed with melanoma. It was a wakeup call that changed her relationship with the sun and made her want to shine a light on the importance of early skin cancer detection. On this week's episode of Healthful, Norah's dermatologist, Dr. Elizabeth Hale, discusses ways to prevent skin cancer, where melanoma commonly appears on women vs. men, and alarming trends around tanning. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Early detection of breast cancer leads to a 99% survival rate - and the U.S. has made incredible progress in bringing down breast cancer mortality since the 1990s because of early detection and screening guidelines. But can technology go further? Dr. Rachel Brem, director of George Washington University's Breast Imaging and Intervention Center, tells Norah 'yes.' On this week's episode of Healthful, the two discuss artificial intelligence as a way to determine breast cancer risk and the possibility of a breath test to detect breast cancer. Plus, Norah discusses her own mammogram. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Rates of breast cancer are rising in young women. Why? Dr. Eleonora Teplinsky joins Healthful to explain the possible lifestyle factors and environmental exposures. She discusses what we can do to lower our risks. Plus - there’s new research about why dense breasts may increase cancer risk. 50% of women have dense breasts, including Norah, and many have no idea. Dr. Teplinsky tells you what to ask for to find out if you’re a part of that population. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

The world of women’s health is underfunded, under-discussed, and under-researched. Less than 10% of the funding at the National Institutes of Health - primarily funded by taxpayer dollars - goes towards women’s health research. The Society for Women's Health Research is trying to change that with a first-of-its kind, 20-billion dollar, 10-year federal roadmap to improve the health of more than half of the population. On this week's Healthful, SWHR President and CEO Katie Schubert joins Norah to discuss how the country can close the health care gap. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

About half of women over the age of 50 experience bone density loss, but most don’t even know they have a problem. That’s why Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein calls it a “silent disease.” Dr. Wittstein has been at the forefront of understanding how joint pain and joint health evolves over a woman's lifetime. She tells Norah how you can reverse bone loss and what impact hormones have on bone density. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Olympic Gold Medalist Aly Raisman joins Norah for a vulnerable discussion about giving yourself grace and why she no longer feels guilty for resting her body when she needs to. Raisman has become an outspoken voice on mental health and the importance of advocating for yourself. The two discuss how so many women struggle to get the care they deserve and why it's important to talk about issues that are often considered taboo - from painful periods to IUDs.--We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Women may be disproportionately affected by blood shortages and are more likely than men to need a blood transfusion than men! That’s why we’re talking about this summer’s blood supply crisis on this week’s episode of Healthful. Dr. Courtney Lawrence from the Red Cross joins Norah to discuss why women are 10 times more likely to be iron-deficient and could donating blood give you helpful health information? Plus - Norah is a frequent blood donor and reveals how she rewards herself after donating. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

This week on Healthful, fertility is in focus. With one in six couples experiencing infertility, Dr. Temeka Zore joins Norah to discuss why it's important to reframe the struggles in getting pregnant as a medical disease. IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT. The two discuss the misconceptions of endometriosis, PMOS (formerly PCOS), and egg freezing. Then Dr. Zore shares her advice to women who are thinking about having children but aren’t ready. Plus why she believes your menstrual cycle should be viewed as another vital sign like blood pressure and heart rate.

Laurie Cox spends her day investigating the role of the gut microbiota in neurologic diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. This week, she joins Norah to discuss the role the gut microbiome plays in aging and disease, and why her work could lead to more personalized medicine as we learn more about the connection between the gut, hormones and women's health. Plus, Norah shares what she eats in the morning to jumpstart her gut!--We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

August is National Grief Awareness Month, and Kate Doerge wants to reimagine how we deal with grief. After the experience of losing her 16-year-old daughter, Kate decided it was time to reframe the feeling of sadness. We’ve all heard of the five stages of grief, but Kate suggests there are five actions to help you learn how to carry your grief. Plus, Norah talks about how she wants to be remembered, and Kate tells us how to show up for people who are grieving. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

This week on Healthful, urologist and sexual medicine specialist Dr. Rachel Rubin discusses how female bodies change during perimenopause and menopause - and explains why women may be suffering unnecessarily. Dr. Rubin and Norah discuss how vaginal hormones could save Medicare between $6 and $22 billion a year and even prevent urinary tract infections. Plus, Norah reveals her experience with menopause and hormone replacement therapy. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

The issue of postpartum psychosis has come to the forefront amid the murder trial of Lindsay Clancy, the 35-year-old mother accused of killing her three children. What are the signs of a mental break, and is the healthcare system failing mothers? In this special episode of Healthful, Norah speaks with Dr. Uruj Kamal Haider, a perinatal psychiatrist who has treated patients with the rare and severe mental health emergency. She also speaks with Kriti Lodha, a postpartum psychosis survivor who has made it her mission to help other mothers.

In this episode of Healthful, Norah O’Donnell is joined by her personal trainer and fitness expert, Kira Stokes. Since they started exercising together 12 years ago, Kira pushed Norah to lift heavier weights - something Norah initially resisted. Norah has since learned that you lose up to 8-percent of your muscle mass every decade after the age of 30. The two discuss the emotional connection between movement and mental health, how to get started exercising, and what about those weighted vests! Plus - Norah answers what her favorite and least favorite exercises are. -- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Numerous diseases may be traceable back to the gut—from depression and anxiety to Parkinson’s disease—and many doctors consider food as a form of medicine. Dr. Trisha Pasricha is a world-leading expert on the gut-brain connection. On this episode of Healthful, she and Norah discuss what role food can play in treating disease. They also cover why more women suffer from irritable bowel syndrome than men, the impact antibiotics have on your digestive system, and what to know about the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak.--We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Melinda French Gates is focusing her money and attention on improving women’s healthcare in America. In Healthful’s first episode, French Gates tells Norah O’Donnell why it took three doctors to catch her perimenopause and shares the three simple things that keep her healthier than ever. --- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Lung cancer has surpassed breast cancer as the leading cause of cancer deaths in American women—and a growing share of new cases are in women who have never touched a cigarette. Anne Wojcicki's sister, former YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, was one of them. In this episode of HEALTHFUL, Norah O'Donnell sits down with Anne, Dr. Kim Sandler, Director of the Vanderbilt Lung Screening Program, and Shira Kupperman Boehler—a lifelong nonsmoker and daily runner diagnosed with lung cancer at 44—to discuss why lung cancer is becoming one of the most urgent, and least understood, threats to women's health. --- We’d love to hear what topics you want to hear covered on Healthful. Text Norah at 202-217-1107.

Join us every Wednesday starting July 22nd, 2026.