The House of Pod

Before Europe built its universities, before the Renaissance "rediscovered" science, and before the West even had the vocabulary to describe diseases, there was a young man from the Persian heartlands who was diagnosing rulers, running clinical trials, and building a system of knowledge that would dominate European medical schools for over 600 years. His name was Ibn Sina — you might know him as Avicenna. This week on Persian of Interest, Kaveh takes Shauhin on a wild ride through the life of a 10th-century Persian polymath who was too smart for his own good: a child genius who became a physician at 17, a vizier he never wanted to be, a fugitive who wrote his masterpiece by candlelight on the run, and a man whose ideas about medicine, philosophy, and the universe were centuries ahead of anyone else on Earth. Also: how much of his work was lost to book burnings, why he's the only non-Greek in The School of Athens, and whether Doogie Howser was secretly Persian.It's part history lesson, part cultural reclamation, and part excuse for two middle-aged friends to hang out. They welcome corrections and look forward to hearing from you!Have a figure you'd like them to cover? Email shauhin@youlouder.org.

Part 2 of the Raw Milk Saga: The Reckoning. Dr. Kaveh Hoda and Dr. Rakesh Jatwani take on raw milk's health claims one by one — lactose intolerance, nutrition, gut health, and asthma — and the evidence doesn't hold up. Then: the legal loophole that lets producers sell raw milk as "pet food," why aged cheese isn't as safe as you'd think, RFK Jr.'s role in gutting enforcement, and a recent outbreak across nine states. Plus a devastating story of a toddler poisoned by raw goat milk bought through a chiropractor's Facebook group — and how public health officials can find common ground with the MAHA movement without sacrificing kids' safety.

Is raw milk the health miracle its advocates claim, or a dangerous gamble with children's lives? In this two-part deep dive, Dr. Kaveh Hoda sits down with Dr. Rakesh Jatwani (Dr. Rak) — double board-certified physician in Internal and Lifestyle Medicine, and the host of The Health Feast podcast — to unpack the raw milk debate from every angle.Part 1 tells the story of Mary McGonigle-Martin, a Southern California mother who gave her seven-year-old son raw milk from Organic Pastures dairy, only to watch him land in a medically induced coma with kidney failure from E. coli O157:H7. We trace the suprising actions of dairy owner and the real clinical consequences: hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), long-term kidney damage, and the pathogens lurking in unpasteurized milk.

What did The Matrix actually say — and what did men hear? Dr. Kaveh Hoda is joined by writer/podcaster Margaret Killjoy and psychiatrist Dr. Tyler Black to dissect the 1999 classic and its most co-opted symbol: the red pill. They explore how the Wachowskis' trans allegory was hijacked by the manosphere, the "chosen one" fantasy and its pull toward conspiracy culture; and why Cypher is the real incel of the movie. Make sure to also listen to Margaret's history podcast Cool People Who Did Cool Stuff and Tyler's podcast Suicidology Data and Evidence. Also, check out Kaveh's new podcast Persian of Interest, exploring stories of Persian history. Send topic ideas and movie suggestions for this series at hopquestions@gmail.com.

This week on The House of Pod, Dr. Kaveh Hoda is joined by Quinn, Chris, and Christian from the Failure to Launch podcast to explore what space travel actually does to the human body — and spoiler alert, it's not great. From G-forces that can make you black out to microgravity that gives you "puffy face chicken leg syndrome," we break down why the human body was simply never designed to leave Earth.Enjoyed the episode? Please take 30 seconds to it makes a huge difference in helping new listeners find the show https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-house-of-pod/id1225096382rab House of Pod merch! Pick up a shirt: Search "House of Pod" at bonfire.com or go to https://www.bonfire.com/hopmerchFind me Kaveh on Instagram or TikTok @thehouseofpod or email at hopquestions@gmail.com

On the House of Pod, we usually talk health and science — but sometimes a movie says more about our mental health than any study. In the first installment of "Movies That Broke Men's Brains," Dr. Kaveh Hoda explores films that shaped (or misshaped) the male psyche. Today's subject: Obsession, the 2025 indie horror sensation that some call a takedown of incel logic and male entitlement — and others call deeply relatable. Where's the line between depicting toxic masculinity and endorsing it? And what happens when a movie's critique gets swallowed by the very culture it was critiquing? Featuring the inimitable Rax King and frequent HOP contributor, Dr. Jason Rosenbaum.Rate and Review on iTunes!

Dr. Kaveh Hoda is joined by facial plastic surgeon Dr. Umang Mehta and physical therapist David Bailey to explore how sitting, screen use, long commutes, and demanding work affect the body. They share practical tips for improving posture, building strength, taking effective movement breaks, and preventing chronic pain before it becomes an injury.

Colon cancer is rising in younger adults, and most people still have no idea what the real warning signs look like. Dr. Kaveh Hoda breaks down what’s actually happening, what may be driving it, and the poop symptoms you should never ignore.This solo episode explains why early-onset colorectal cancer is rising, what the strongest risk factors are, and how to tell normal gut weirdness from real red flags. Kaveh also covers the role of diet, obesity, the gut microbiome, and the latest research on why younger patients may be different.He also answers rapid-fire colon questions: coffee and bathroom urgency, floating stool, mucus, poop frequency, stool shape, and bleeding or color changes you should never ignore. If you want a practical, science-backed guide to colon health, this episode is for you.