Growing up WEIRD Podcast

Laundry, skin, and lungs

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how environmental exposures in early childhood affect adulthood health, and on the link between low socioeconomic status in childhood and worse physical health in adulthood. We talk about muscular strength and how it influences cognitive and psychological health. We then discuss last week’s article on laundry and health. Finally, we discuss the tradeoffs between washing harmful chemicals off the skin and damaging the skin barrier. For more information on how to do laundry in a way that reduces harms to health, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/weird-laundry-habits-can-increase [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/weird-laundry-habits-can-increase] For more information on how often to wash children, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/how-clean-should-children-be [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/how-clean-should-children-be] My veterinary degree taught me about mammalian body systems. My career in health research taught me about Western health and Western bodies. Spending 18 months living with my three children in remote African and South American communities taught me about human health and human bodies in other cultural environments. I share what I’ve learned about child physical health and development in weekly articles and podcast episodes. Everything is free, but if you find my work useful and would like to show your support, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. Topics covered * Why are environmental effects in early life so important to a child’s risk of future disease? * What mediates the link between low socioeconomic status in childhood and chronic disease in adulthood? * Why is muscular strength important for brain health in old age? * Why do we do laundry, what are the health effects, and how can we do it better? * How should we weigh up the risks of environmental toxins with the risks of washing clothes and skin? Recent episodes Notes Understanding environmental exposures in early life for lifelong health (Nature Comment paper): https://www.nature.com/articles/s44360-026-00130-0.epdf Breastfeeding may lessen socioeconomic disparities in child health through differences in the infant gut microbiome: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666379126001722 Kicking Back Cognitive Ageing: Leg Power Predicts Cognitive Ageing after Ten Years in Older Female Twins https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4789972/ The Association between Lower Extremity Muscular Strength and Cognitive Function in a National Sample of Older Adults https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6239135/ Investigating the mediating effect of myokines on exercise-induced cognitive changes in older adults: A living systematic review and meta-analysis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40998287/ Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Childhood exploration

If you like to listen - hit play. If you prefer to read, click the transcript button top right on the web version. In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how hanging and swinging from the arms affects the length and strength of our upper body muscles. We discuss how SSRI antidepressants alter gut function, and how new drug targets may better help new mothers. We then talk about the links between sugar and metabolic syndrome, and how the scientific understanding is evolving. We then discuss children’s independent mobility and exploration - what it is, why it’s important, and why it’s hard to provide in our culture. We then talk about how we navigate this, and how we reassure other adults in our community. Finally, we talk about what movements are important for setting up abdominal muscles that are the right length and strength. * For more information on childhood exploration and independent mobility, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/children-love-to-get-lost-what-happens [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/children-love-to-get-lost-what-happens] * For more information on how sucking in your belly affects your health, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/should-kids-suck-their-bellies-in [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/should-kids-suck-their-bellies-in] My veterinary degree taught me about mammalian body systems. My career in health research taught me about Western health and Western bodies. Spending 18 months living with my three children in remote African and South American communities taught me about human health and human bodies in other cultural environments. I share what I’ve learned about child physical health and development in weekly articles and podcast episodes. Everything is free, but if you find my work useful and would like to show your support, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. Topics covered * How does hanging and swinging from the arms (or ‘brachiating’) affects the length and strength of our upper body muscles? * How do SSRI antidepressants affect gut function in babies, and how can we reduce the risk of depression in mothers? * What do we know about sugar and metabolic syndrome? * Why do children need to explore, and why is this hard to enable in our culture? * How do we reassure other adults in our community? * What movements are important for setting up abdominal muscles that are the right length and strength? Recent episodes Notes “This theoretical paper proposes that brachiation-based movements—particularly unilateral hanging with oscillatory perturbation—may offer a biomechanically optimal approach for addressing Upper Crossed Syndrome and related postural dysfunctions by restoring muscle activation patterns consistent with our evolutionary heritage.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1360859226000148 “These findings provide fundamental insights into how the gastrointestinal tract modulates emotional behaviors, reveal a novel gut-targeted therapeutic approach for mood modulation, and suggest a new link in humans between in utero SSRI exposure and DGBI development.” https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(24)05751-2/fulltext Guardian article on Barnardo’s and baby boxes to reduce stress on families: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/apr/09/four-in-10-uk-parents-struggle-to-afford-newborn-babies-essentials-study-barnardos “Under modern conditions of overnutrition, chronic excess fructose drives features of metabolic syndrome. Emerging evidence further links fructose to cancer and dementia.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-026-01506-y Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Children's bellies

If you like to listen - hit play. If you prefer to read, click the ‘transcript’ button top right. In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on risk factors for food allergies in babies and children and on the cost of raising children in the US. We then talk about bellies - what they are, how they shape our health, and why we need to avoid sucking them in. Finally, we talk about sunscreen - does sunscreen increase the risk of cancer more than sunlight does? And what other risks might we want to consider? * For more information on setting children up for better belly health, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/should-kids-suck-their-bellies-in [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/should-kids-suck-their-bellies-in] * For more information on setting children’s guts up for better long-term health, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/gut-feelings [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/gut-feelings] * Interested in why children need enough sunlight? https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/throwing-shade [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/throwing-shade] My veterinary degree taught me about mammalian body systems. My career in health research taught me about Western health and Western bodies. Spending 18 months living with my three children in remote African and South American communities taught me about human health and human bodies in other cultural environments. I share what I’ve learned about child physical health and development in weekly articles and podcast episodes. Everything is free, but if you find my work useful and would like to show your support, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. Topics covered * What factors in a child’s early life increase their risk of food allergy? * How much does it cost to raise a child in the US, and at what point do parents spend that money? * What are bellies and why should we care about their size? * How can we set children up for better relationships with their bellies? * Does sunscreen increase the risk of skin cancer more than sunlight does? Recent episodes Notes “In this meta-analysis, the most credible risk factors associated with development of childhood food allergy are a combination of major and minor risk factors, including early allergic conditions (atopic march/diathesis), delayed allergen introduction, genetics, antibiotic exposure, demographic factors, and birth-related variables.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41661638/ “Average per-child investments from birth to age 18 total $502,152 (2024 USD), with overall disparities by household income and race/ethnicity of 6% to 15%. Early childhood shows the largest gaps—often over 50%—driven mainly by housing and child care.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-026-70316-3 Possible Explanations for Rising Melanoma Rates Despite Increased Sunscreen Use over the Past Several Decades: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/24/5868 Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Microbes and monsters

In this microbiome-heavy episode, recorded on the bike, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how fathers shape children’s long-term health, on how early-life stress affects the development of the gut-brain axis, and on how fecal microbiome transplants affect Autism Spectrum Disorders in children. We then talk about microbes - why they are important, why children need to look after them, and why they are like Santa Claus. Finally, we talk about how we understand repetitive behaviours in animals and children. For more information on how to help children care for their microbiomes, see this article: For more information on setting children’s guts up for better long-term health, see this article: https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/gut-feelings [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/p/gut-feelings] Topics covered * How young men’s experiences shape their own and their partners’ health behaviours during pregnancy and beyond * How early-life stress affects IBD, GERD, and other disorders of the gut-brain axis * How fecal microbiome transplants affect symptoms of Autism Spectrum Disorder * Why microbiomes are important * How to help children care for their microbiomes * How we understand repetitive disorders in children and animals Recent episodes Some of my subscribers have been urging me for a while to turn on the paid option to increase my Substack visibility. I’ve quietly turned on the paid option for this newsletter. Everything stays free, but you’d like to support my work, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. Notes “Across biological and behavioural research, young men's early life course experiences have been shown to shape their own and their partner's preconception physical, emotional, and behavioural health.” https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00148-0/abstract “In humans, significant associations between maternal mental health problems and pediatric disorders of gut-brain interaction (DGBI) were observed in both cohorts, mirroring preclinical findings.” https://www.gastrojournal.org/article/S0016-5085(26)00205-2/abstract “This novel hydrogen nanobubble water–based FMT method was safe and effective, reducing both core and peripheral symptoms of ASD and suggesting broad benefits via the gut microbiota–brain axis.” https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/pediatrics/articles/10.3389/fped.2026.1767346/full “While most often described in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID), stereotypies can also present without developmental delay and persist into adulthood.” https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5370241/ Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Mattresses

In this episode, Greg Dickens and I discuss recent news on how melatonin supplements affect children’s sleep and development, and why putting all drugs in gummies is a bad idea. We talk about early childhood caries, why it’s linked to prolonged breastfeeding, and why this may have a more negative effect in today’s society. We then talk mattresses - what they are, why they are used, and why we might want to consider other alternatives. Finally, we talk about co-sleeping bed attachments - what they aim to do, and why they may influence child and mother sleep in different ways to closer co-sleeping practices.. For more information on how mattresses affect child health, see this article: Topics covered * How do melatonin supplements affect a child’s development? * Why does breastfeeding older children at night increase their risk of dental disease? * What’s the deal with mattresses and health? * Do co-sleepers give the same sleep-synchronising benefits of co-sleeping? You may be interested in these other episodes: Some of my subscribers have been urging me for a while to turn on the paid option to increase my Substack visibility. I’ve quietly turned on the paid option for this newsletter. Everything stays free, but if you find these episodes useful, you can now upgrade – completely optional, always appreciated. Notes “Exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months is associated with reduced ECC risk, while prolonged and nocturnal feeding after eruption of primary teeth elevates risk.” https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/13/1/102 “Our data suggest that the consumption of an HFCS-sweetened beverage increased breast milk fructose concentrations, which remained elevated up to five hours post-consumption.” https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/10/6/669 https://www.colorado.edu/today/2023/11/13/melatonin-use-soars-among-children-unknown-risks “Due to a number of concerns regarding inappropriate use, lack of efficacy and safety data across pediatric populations and variability in actual content, melatonin should be used with caution in children and only under medical supervision.” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12519-025-00896-5 “These findings suggest a global rise in prescriptions without efficacy data on use in children with typical development, underscoring the need to identify strategies to prevent and reduce melatonin use in young children, as well as to improve adherence by pediatricians to evidence-based practice standards.” https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2843284 Get full access to Growing up WEIRD at guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe [https://guenbradbury.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]