Is there any safe amount of alcohol during pregnancy?

In this episode of Unknown Variables, I sit down with Dr. Alexandra Perez, PsyD, a licensed clinical psychologist and Assistant Professor at Emory University, to unpack one of the most misunderstood—and rarely discussed—topics in public health: prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE).

Despite what many people hear from friends, social media, or even doctors, the science tells a more complicated story. Dr. Perez explains why no amount of alcohol has been proven safe during pregnancy, how prenatal alcohol exposure affects brain development, and why many children and adults are impacted without obvious physical signs.

We explore:

1. Why doctors sometimes say “one glass is fine” — and what the evidence actually shows
2. What Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) really are (and why most cases go undiagnosed)
3. How prenatal exposure can increase risk for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges later in life
4. The role of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and environment — not just biology
5. Why many kids are misdiagnosed when underlying neurodevelopmental differences go untested
6. How Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) helps repair parent–child relationships and reduce disruptive behavior
7. The unique barriers faced by Spanish-speaking and Latine families in healthcare and research
8. Why simply “translating materials into Spanish” is not enough
9. How to talk about alcohol and pregnancy without shame or stigma

This conversation is not about blame — it’s about education, prevention, compassion, and better systems of care.

If you’re pregnant, trying to conceive, a parent, clinician, educator, or simply someone who wants to better understand how early life experiences shape mental health, this episode is for you.

What if the real goal of money isn’t wealth—but time?

In this episode of Unknown Variables, I sit down with Andy Hill, creator of Marriage Kids and Money and author of Own Your Time, to talk about financial independence, Coast FIRE, and why so many people feel stuck even when they’re “doing everything right.”

Andy shares how he and his wife went from a negative $50,000 net worth to nearly $2 million, paid off their home in under five years, and ultimately designed a life around time freedom—not just money. We talk honestly about motivation, marriage, stress, side hustles, gambling culture, index fund investing, and what it really takes to build financial independence with a family.

This conversation isn’t about get-rich-quick schemes, crypto hype, or gambling apps—it’s about building margin, reclaiming your time, and designing a life you don’t want to escape from.

1. Why most people don’t have a money problem—they have a time problem
2. How motivation (not discipline) drives long-term financial change
3. Paying off a mortgage early vs. investing: what Andy would do differently
4. What Coast FIRE is and why it works for parents
5. How to build financial independence starting from debt
6. Why gambling and “quick money” are destroying wealth for young people
7. How couples can get on the same page about money
8. The role of side hustles, income growth, and index fund investing
9. Why time—not net worth—is the ultimate measure of wealth

Andy also shares the personal moments behind the numbers: marriage counseling, burnout, quitting a stable corporate job, and the realization that there are only 168 hours in a week—and how you use them matters.

📘 Andy Hill’s book, Own Your Time, is available now

Learn more at 👉 https://marriagekidsandmoney.com

🎧 Listen to Andy’s podcast & YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/@MarriageKidsandMoney

Most people assume the answer is simple: greed. But the real story is far more complicated — and far more surprising.

In this episode, I sit down with Sam Kazer, PhD, a scientist who has worked across academia, global health, and the pharmaceutical industry, to break down what it actually takes to turn an idea into a real medicine. We talk about why drug development takes 10+ years, why clinical trials are so expensive, and why most drug ideas fail long before they ever reach patients.

We also explore:

1. Why “Big Pharma” isn’t a single villain
2. How academic research and industry depend on each other
3. Why biologic drugs cost more than small-molecule drugs
4. How public funding quietly enables many of the medicines we rely on
5. What people misunderstand most about drug pricing and regulation

This isn’t a defense of the pharmaceutical industry — it’s an explanation of the system we all rely on, and why simple answers don’t capture the full picture.