348: Vaccine Truth Or Myth? Pediatrician Explains What Parents Need To Know | Dr. Joel “Gator” Warsh

Be Well by Kelly Leveque

Kelly Leveque

Education, Nutrition, Alternative Health, Self-improvement, Health & Fitness

4.8 • 1.4K Ratings

🗓️ 20 August 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Joel Warsh, better known as Dr. Gator, a Los Angeles based board-certified pediatrician who blends integrative medicine with traditional care. Joel just released his new book Between a Shot and a Hard Place: Tackling Difficult Vaccine Questions with Balance, Data, and Clarity, and we cover the nuanced conversations so many parents are having today about vaccines, informed consent, and empowered decision making.

We talk about how to separate data from fear, why trust between patients and doctors has eroded, and how parents can feel more confident when navigating medical decisions for their children. Joel shares his perspective on integrative pediatrics, holistic prevention, and how to reduce biases when it comes to health care choices.

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Topics Discussed:

→ How can parents make informed vaccine decisions?

→ What is integrative pediatrics and why does it matter?

→ Are vaccines tested with proper placebos?

→ How can families reduce risks and support detox after vaccines?

→ What should parents look for in a pediatrician?

Transcript

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0:00.0	The biggest concern with this liability shield is there's not a good push or there's
0:04.8	no reason for these companies make their products better.
0:07.6	And I think that to me is by far the biggest concern because if you can't sue them,
0:12.2	then why would they try to make their products safer or better?
0:15.6	They don't have any good reason to do that, really.
0:19.9	You're listening to Be Well by Kelly Leveck.
0:25.2	Joel Warsh, aka Dr. Joel Gator, of the popular parenting Instagram account,
0:30.0	is a board certified pediatrician in Los Angeles, California,
0:32.9	who specializes in parenting, wellness, and integrative medicine.
0:37.1	He is the author of multiple books,
0:39.2	including his latest, Between a Shot and a Hard Place, tackling difficult vaccine questions with
0:45.3	balance, data, and clarity. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, and completed a master's degree in
0:50.9	epidemiology before earning his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical
0:54.5	College. He completed his pediatric medicine training at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles and then
0:59.8	worked in private practice in Beverly Hills before founding his current practice integrative pediatrics.
1:05.9	Dr. Gator has published research and peer-reviewed journals on topics including childhood injuries,
1:11.4	obesity, and physical activity. He has been featured in numerous documentaries, films,
1:16.2	summits, podcasts, and articles. And it's a pleasure to welcome Dr. Joel Gator back to the show.
1:22.1	Dr. Joel, you're back. Your second appearance on the Be Well by Kelly podcast, and that's because
1:26.3	you have your new book between a shot and a hard place, tackling difficult vaccine questions with balanced data and clarity.
1:34.0	Even just saying that, I'm like, we're going to get censored. But you have been asking and answering
1:40.0	hard questions in this book. And what I loved about it was it was the history of these vaccines.
	...

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