Thursday/Jeudi June/Juin 18, 2026
🏥 Medicine Thursday 🏥
Health, science, mental wellness & the lived experience — curated by Zaki Qayoumi aka "Zack"
Military Bases Hit by Flu Outbreaks — A Preventable Tragedy
I've heard that several military bases have been hit by flu outbreaks because personnel followed bad advice and skipped their flu shots. This is deeply unfortunate and entirely preventable. Please listen to your family physician — not politicians, not talk-show hosts. Get your flu shot. Get your latest COVID-19 vaccine booster. Dr. Phil is not your doctor. Pete Hegseth is not your doctor. Your actual doctor is your doctor. Science is not political. Your health is not a talking point. 🙏
Listening Labs: The Lived Experience of EDS & HSD
For many people living with Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD), diagnosis is only the beginning. The next challenge — often the harder one — is navigating care, being truly heard, finding community support, and accessing joined-up services that actually communicate with each other.
The Ehlers-Danlos Society is launching a series of Listening Labs as part of developing a new Model of Care for EDS and HSD. These structured virtual sessions give the community a real platform to share their experiences of seeking care — especially in primary care, where most journeys begin. What isn't working? What needs to change? What would better care actually look like in practice? Your voice matters here.
Learn More & Participate →Study Illuminates the Genetic Architecture of Bipolar Disorder
A major new study from NIH researchers has shed significant new light on the genetic underpinnings of bipolar disorder — one of the most complex and misunderstood mental health conditions. Understanding the genetic architecture of bipolar disorder is a critical step toward better diagnostics, more targeted treatments, and ultimately reducing the stigma that still surrounds this condition. This is science doing what science does best: illuminating what we cannot yet fully see.
Read the Science Update at NIH.gov →Large Study Finds Certain Music Therapy Interventions May Be More Beneficial for Pain
A large-scale clinical study from University Hospitals Connor Whole Health has found that specific music therapy interventions can be meaningfully more effective for pain management than others — a major step forward in understanding how to deploy music therapeutically. This isn't just background music. This is structured, intentional use of sound as medicine.
As someone who has been DJing and curating music for years — building radio channels precisely because I believe in the healing power of sound — this research resonates deeply. Music therapy is real. It works. The science is catching up to what many of us have felt intuitively for decades.
Read the Full Study Release →How Open-World Racing Games Support Mental Wellness
In a clinical sense, videogame therapy uses gaming to address trauma, stress, and communication skills. For self-directed mental wellness, The Crew Motorfest is frequently highlighted in gaming communities for its open-world exploration and stress-relief qualities. Cruising expansive, beautifully rendered maps while listening to music creates a calming, low-friction environment — ideal for unwinding after a hard day.
Explore The Crew Motorfest →Source framing via Gemini AI. The Crew Motorfest by Ubisoft.
We Talk About This Here. Always.
Every Thursday, we talk about Medicine — and that includes mental health. Whether it's the science of bipolar genetics, the therapeutic power of music, the stress-relief of open-world gaming, or simply acknowledging that life is hard sometimes — this is a space where that conversation is always welcome.
If you're struggling, please reach out to a professional. Talk to someone you trust. And know that you are not alone. 🙏
You can also reach out to me: superfrenchbigz@gmail.com →🎁 The Goodies
Support, shop, and connect with Zack Technology LLC
Help Zack Get His First New Car After 25 Years
25 years of work. 8 of those years building Zack Technology LLC without a traditional salary — producing daily bilingual content, 4,600+ radio episodes, and this blog entirely independently. I am working toward my very first new car ever. My dream is an Audi S8, but I am open to any gently used vehicle from 2020 or newer. Every donation is meaningful and deeply appreciated. If you'd like to sponsor me, I would be honored to recognize you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 🙏
💙 Donate via Venmo @iamzakiI am officially a #RazerCreator — part of Razer Gaming's affiliate program. If you're shopping for gaming gear, peripherals, or creator tech, please use my Amazon affiliate store. It supports the show and costs you nothing extra. Thank you!
🟢 Shop via My Razer Creator StoreFeedback, sponsorship inquiries, partnership ideas, or just want to say hello? I read every message personally. Reach me at superfrenchbigz@gmail.com — I would love to hear from you.
✉️ Email Zack Directly