Constantly being “on” doesn’t just drain our energy – it can rewire our brains, blur the lines between what’s urgent and what’s not, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, we explore why our brains and bodies need regular digital detoxes. We sit down with Romila “Romie” Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM, a board-certified physician and author of The Busy Brain Cure, to discuss how modern digital life fuels burnout, why it’s a culture problem – not a willpower problem – and how small, structured resets can help calm an overstimulated brain. Dr. Mushtaq also shares her 3-30-3 method for taking brief, regular breaks from devices to reconnect with people, movement, nature, and meaningful routines.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Romila Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM

Constantly being &ldquo;on&rdquo; doesn&rsquo;t just drain our energy &ndash; it can rewire our brains, blur the lines between what&rsquo;s urgent and what&rsquo;s not, and leave us feeling overwhelmed and disconnected. In this episode, we explore why our brains and bodies need regular <a href="https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-digital-detoxhttps://www.webmd.com/balance/what-is-digital-detox">digital detoxes</a>. We sit down with <a href="https://drromie.com/about-dr-romie/">Romila &ldquo;Romie&rdquo; Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM</a>, a board-certified physician and author of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Busy-Brain-Cure-Eight-Week-Anxiety/dp/1335007113">The Busy Brain Cure</a>, to discuss how modern digital life fuels burnout, why it&rsquo;s a culture problem &ndash; not a willpower problem &ndash; and how small, structured resets can help calm an overstimulated brain. Dr. Mushtaq also shares her 3-30-3 method for taking brief, regular breaks from devices to reconnect with people, movement, nature, and meaningful routines.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Romila Mushtaq, MD, ABIHM</li>
</ul>

WebMD Chief Physician Editor Neha Pathak, MD, and Chief Medical Officer, John Whyte, MD, MPH, explore fascinating stories to find the unexpected things that help us understand our health.

Health Discovered

Digital Burnout: How to Reset an Overstimulated Brain

“Neurodivergent” describes someone whose brain processes, learns, or behaves differently from what society considers typical. Common forms of neurodivergence include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia. We spoke with Megan Anna Neff, PsyD, clinical psychologist and host of the Divergent Conversations podcast, about how neurodivergent people may process information, experience the world, communicate, and navigate everyday environments differently. We also explored why social media can be a meaningful starting point for people who have felt overlooked or misunderstood – and why it should be a doorway to learning, not the final word on diagnosis.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Megan Anna Neff, PsyD

<a href="https://www.webmd.com/add-adhd/features/what-is-neurodiversity">&ldquo;Neurodivergent&rdquo;</a> describes someone whose brain processes, learns, or behaves differently from what society considers typical. Common forms of neurodivergence include ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, and dyslexia. We spoke with <a href="https://neurodivergentinsights.com/about/?srsltid=AfmBOor-zPjh_Pd9ZV6Bo8fi0n0OIYmeG1so-909Ou_VX-w8PYq_Cy66">Megan Anna Neff, PsyD</a>, clinical psychologist and host of the <a href="https://www.divergentpod.com/">Divergent Conversations</a> podcast, about how neurodivergent people may process information, experience the world, communicate, and navigate everyday environments differently. We also explored why social media can be a meaningful starting point for people who have felt overlooked or misunderstood &ndash; and why it should be a doorway to learning, not the final word on diagnosis.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Megan Anna Neff, PsyD</li>
</ul>

Neurodivergence, Social Media, and Self-Diagnosis: What to Know

Previously on Health Discovered, we learned how indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM), a condition caused by an abnormal buildup of mast cells throughout the body, is diagnosed. Now, we’re looking at how ISM is treated and how symptoms can be managed. We speak with Tracy I. George, MD, a hematopathologist, and Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD, an allergist and immunologist, about what ISM treatments do, how to know if they’re working, what’s at risk when ISM goes unmonitored, and which symptoms should never be ignored. We also discuss the care team involved in treating ISM. Plus, ISM patient and Mast Cast Pod co-host Rachael Rose shares her experience managing symptoms and finding the right care team.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Matt Stillo
Show Notes: Lauren Summers
Guest: Tracy I George, MD; Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD; Rachael Rose

<a href="https://www.webmd.com/podcasts/20260709/indolent-systemic-mastocytosis-understanding-the-symptoms-and-diagnostic-journey" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/podcasts/20260709/indolent-systemic-mastocytosis-understanding-the-symptoms-and-diagnostic-journey&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787665890753000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1OFyDznc9It48Ai3R0WRnQ">Previously</a> on Health Discovered, we learned how <a href="https://www.webmd.com/allergies/systemic-mastocytosis" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.webmd.com/allergies/systemic-mastocytosis&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787665890753000&amp;usg=AOvVaw35xF5g05b7hRQIgMuC_HnR">indolent systemic mastocytosis (ISM)</a>, a condition caused by an abnormal buildup of mast cells throughout the body, is diagnosed. Now, we&rsquo;re looking at how ISM is treated and how symptoms can be managed. We speak with <a href="https://healthcare.utah.edu/find-a-doctor/tracy-i-george" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://healthcare.utah.edu/find-a-doctor/tracy-i-george&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787665890753000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3z1Hl-tvBgDr1Qi0eb7t5R">Tracy I. George, MD</a>, a hematopathologist, and <a href="https://advancedallergyservices.com/jonathan-a-bernstein/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://advancedallergyservices.com/jonathan-a-bernstein/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787665890753000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3NcVji4SZTXYTxJ22tM9EW">Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD</a>, an allergist and immunologist, about what ISM treatments do, how to know if they&rsquo;re working, what&rsquo;s at risk when ISM goes unmonitored, and which symptoms should never be ignored. We also discuss the care team involved in treating ISM. Plus, ISM patient and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mastcastpod" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/mastcastpod&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1787665890753000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2vY-Lwn9C2zrquF9pnYnLm">Mast Cast Pod</a> co-host Rachael Rose shares her experience managing symptoms and finding the right care team.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Matt Stillo</li>
<li aria-level="1">Show Notes: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Tracy I George, MD; Jonathan A. Bernstein, MD; Rachael Rose</li>
</ul>

Indolent Systemic Mastocytosis: Understanding Treatment and Managing Symptoms

Health wearables can provide valuable insights into sleep, heart rate, steps, and blood oxygen levels – but how many of us bring that data to our healthcare appointments? What can these numbers tell us about our baseline and important changes in our health? We spoke with Calum MacRae, MD, PhD, a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham, about how to use wearable data to better understand your body, identify patterns, and potentially spot changes before a health crisis. We discussed why wearables are more than vanity metrics or tools for tracking activity, and how they can help us pay attention to the factors influencing our health. But context matters: Wearables are a tool, not a replacement for medical care or treatment.

Credits 
Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM
Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers
Guest: Calum MacRae, MD, PhD

<a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.webmd.com/women/video/wearable-health-trackers___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplOWYxMTg0Yzk5MGQ3NGRkOWFmMWYzOTFmNDVkMjFhZDo3OjAxNWQ6YWUzOTk5N2JjMWJmMTYyZGM1NDU5NDA1NDhkMDc0ZGE3MzAzODdmNDU5OGYwZDZkMjEyMzZmNTIwNTc2MGNhZjpoOlQ6Rg" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.webmd.com/women/video/wearable-health-trackers___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplOWYxMTg0Yzk5MGQ3NGRkOWFmMWYzOTFmNDVkMjFhZDo3OjAxNWQ6YWUzOTk5N2JjMWJmMTYyZGM1NDU5NDA1NDhkMDc0ZGE3MzAzODdmNDU5OGYwZDZkMjEyMzZmNTIwNTc2MGNhZjpoOlQ6Rg&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789056086632000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3SPFeRHdOQh0fEoSjMutCS">Health wearables</a>&nbsp;can provide valuable insights into sleep, heart rate, steps, and blood oxygen levels &ndash; but how many of us bring that data to our healthcare appointments? What can these numbers tell us about our baseline and important changes in our health? We spoke with&nbsp;<a href="https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/doctors/m/calum-macrae-3004949?ref=physiciansdirectory___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplOWYxMTg0Yzk5MGQ3NGRkOWFmMWYzOTFmNDVkMjFhZDo3OjM5MTg6OTI5NDBhYjcwMWVjZjYzMjkxMjJhNTRjMTM1ZjU0MDM4MWJkYjYwNzRhMWNmZDY4OTMzZjJjOGZhOGNlNTAzNzpoOlQ6Rg" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect.checkpoint.com/v2/r01/___https://www.massgeneralbrigham.org/en/doctors/m/calum-macrae-3004949?ref%3Dphysiciansdirectory___.YzJ1OndlYm1kOmM6ZzplOWYxMTg0Yzk5MGQ3NGRkOWFmMWYzOTFmNDVkMjFhZDo3OjM5MTg6OTI5NDBhYjcwMWVjZjYzMjkxMjJhNTRjMTM1ZjU0MDM4MWJkYjYwNzRhMWNmZDY4OTMzZjJjOGZhOGNlNTAzNzpoOlQ6Rg&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1789056086632000&amp;usg=AOvVaw162o7q713LnOwmDQalBssU">Calum MacRae, MD, PhD,</a>&nbsp;a cardiologist at Mass General Brigham, about how to use wearable data to better understand your body, identify patterns, and potentially spot changes before a health crisis. We discussed why wearables are more than vanity metrics or tools for tracking activity, and how they can help us pay attention to the factors influencing our health. But context matters: Wearables are a tool, not a replacement for medical care or treatment.
Credits&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Host: Neha Pathak, MD, FACP, DipABLM</li>
<li aria-level="1">Producer/Editor: Lauren Summers</li>
<li aria-level="1">Guest: Calum MacRae, MD, PhD</li>
</ul>

Digital Burnout: How to Reset an Overstimulated Brain

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