Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the world’s most common gastrointestinal disorders, and Canada’s rates are some of the highest. It’s difficult to diagnose, impossible to cure, and can be tough to talk about—but not for today’s guest.

Kate Scarlata, RD, (pictured above) is an expert in IBS and the low FODMAP diet. Here, she joins Leslie Beck, Medcan’s Clinical Director of Food and Nutrition, to give you a comprehensive guide to the many facets of IBS, and how to get the best results using the low FODMAP diet.

A recent report showed that Canada’s national life expectancy dropped for the third year in a row. —now sitting at an average of 81.3 years. Why are experts calling this decline a historical change? And how can you make tweaks in your routine to help you increase your lifespan and your healthspan?

Here, Dr. Peter Nord is joined by Dr. Doug Manuel, MD, (pictured above) director of the Big Life Lab at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute and expert in preventive medicine.

The team at Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences Research Program is making impressive progress with the help of their lab-grown organoids.

Here, Dr. Peter Nord explores how these advances could change the way we treat Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, and how your lifestyle choices might affect whether or not you actually develop a cognitive disease. He’s joined by renowned neurologist Dr. Sandra Black, (pictured above) who leads the Dr. Sandra Black Centre For Brain Resilience and Recovery, and Director of Sunnybrook’s Biological Sciences Platform. Dr. JoAnne McLaurin.

Rucking, or wearing a weighted “rucksack” while walking or jogging, started as a training technique to prepare soldiers to carry their gear long distances. Lately, civilians are praising its health benefits too—the hashtag #rucking currently has 23 million views on TikTok. Here, get the rundown on rucking and whether it’s right for you, with Move Host Dr. Andrew Miners and BackFitPro CSO Dr. Stuart McGill, the world’s leading back pain expert (pictured above).

Whether you’re an introvert, an extrovert, or somewhere in between—there is robust research showing that your health is directly related to your relationships with the people around you. Learn how your peers can shape who you are, why it’s tougher than ever to connect, and how you can prioritize your social life to help increase health and lifespan. Join Mind Station Team Lead Jennifer Baldachin as she chats with Genwell Project CEO Pete Bombaci, social epidemiologist Dr. Kiffer Card, and The Peer Effect authors Syed Ali and Margaret Chin.

As 2023 comes to a close, Eat Move Think is rounding up the health and wellness trends and updates that left lasting impressions on such Medcan experts as Shaun Francis, Dr. Peter Nord, Leslie Beck and Dr. Andrew Miners. How did their own personal wellness evolve? What innovations will they be watching next year? And what are the biggest takeaways that you can carry forward to optimize your own health in 2024?

Rates of colon cancer in Canada aren’t standard across the board. They’re dropping in populations over 50 years old, and rising in younger demographics. Dr. Jeff Axler, Medcan’s director of gastroenterology and endoscopy, has scoped over 40,000 colons throughout his career. Here, he chats with CMO Dr. Peter Nord about why Medcan’s colon cancer screening guidelines stand out from other recommendations in Canada, how you can learn about your unique risk, and why the preparation for your colonoscopy isn’t nearly as bad as you thought.

It’s an exciting time for the fields of nutrition and neurology. This year, two large studies determined that taking a daily multivitamin could improve memory and cognition in older adults. So can supplements actually improve your brain health? How else can food choices affect cognitive function? Here, our Eat host, Leslie Beck, RD, is joined by Toronto Memory Program medical director Dr. Sharon Cohen (pictured above) to provide a comprehensive guide to multivitamins and cognition.

Whether you’re working on a deadline or enjoying time with friends, city noise is jarring to the ears and even worse for concentration. A growing body of scientific evidence also suggests that high noise levels can be harmful to your health, increasing risk of hypertension, stroke and heart attacks. Here, environmental studies researcher Dr. Tor Oiamo (pictured above) joins Medcan CEO Shaun Francis to explore the connection between noise and health.

Sleeping well is crucial for wellness. But for those of us who work at demanding jobs, it can be all too easy to sacrifice sleep. In fact, thanks also to streaming services and social media, society is as sleep deprived as we’ve ever been. So in this episode, Medcan chief medical officer Dr. Peter Nord talks with sleep deprivation expert Dr. Ann E. Rogers (pictured above) of Georgia’s Emory University. The two discuss the reasons we’re not getting the slumber we need—and share tips and tricks to maintain performance even during those periods where you’re not getting enough shut-eye.

Medcan trainers and doctors say that the single biggest change you can do for your wellness is to go from doing nothing, to doing something. Walking is one of the best ways to get that routine going. Here, Move host Dr. Andrew Miners chats with Dr. Nelson Ferreira. They break down the physical and mental benefits of walking, and share some inspiring fitness stories from walking podcaster Dave Paul, (pictured above) and Medcan client Raysa Hidalgo.

In this episode of Eat Move Think, we explore the world of women's nutrition. Guided by Medcan’s director of clinical innovation, Allison Hazell, our Eat expert, Leslie Beck, RD, and registered dietitian Joanna Stochla (pictured above) clear up the biggest misconceptions around nutrition for women, and provide a suggestion for what you should be incorporating into your diet, right away.

This week, Medcan senior medical advisor, and bestselling author of The New Woman’s Guide to Healthy Aging, Dr. Vivien Brown, (pictured above) provides an overview on all things preventive health, touching on everything from telomeres to stress, and the importance of self-education to promote brain health. If you’re a woman, it’s an inspiring—and empowering—way to focus on your own wellness.

Canada’s new alcohol guidelines tell us there is no safe amount when it comes to drinking alcohol. To learn about the implications for us all, Medcan’s chief medical officer Dr. Peter Nord (pictured above) walks us through interviews with guideline coauthors Dr. Tim Naimi, physician and director of Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, and Dr. Jürgen Rehm, epidemiologist at CAMH and professor at the University of Toronto. We also check in with guideline critic Dr. Dan Malleck, historian and health sciences professor at Brock University.

Everyone from Peter Attia to the Global Cycling Network is talking about zone-based fitness training. It’s gaining popularity as a way to optimize your workouts and train like an endurance athlete, all while making sure you don’t work too hard. What is Zone 2 training, and how can you do it effectively— no matter your fitness level? Dr. Stephen Seiler is a professor at Norway’s University of Agder, and for decades he’s been researching the concept of the “polarized training” that separates training styles by lactate range and heart rate. Here, he explores the benefits of slowing down with Medcan CEO Shaun Francis.

February is Heart Health month, so what better time to bring attention to how you can keep your heart healthy and strong? Heart disease is the second leading cause of death in Canada, and is the first leading cause of premature death in women. Here, Medcan director of cardiology, Dr. Beth Abramson, (pictured above) joins Dr. Peter Nord to break down everything you need to know about heart disease, and the main risk factors that cause it.

Fitness activity explodes in January as New Year’s resolutions motivate people to join gyms and begin physical activity regimens. So why do those numbers drop after March, and what can you do to ensure you stick with it? Here, fitness managers Anna Topali (pictured above) and Tyler Kerr lead a group of experienced personal trainers in a discussion about how to set yourself up for ongoing success when starting out.

Conventional wisdom (and plenty of research) says engaging in aerobic activity like running, swimming, or cycling can lengthen your life. Now, a new study suggests that adding strength-training exercises to your aerobic fitness routine will provide an added boost when it comes to living longer. Join Dr. Andrew Miner as he chats with the study’s lead researcher, Dr. Jess Gorzelitz, (pictured above) an associate professor at the University of Iowa with expertise in kinesiology and epidemiology. Learn how older people can start strength training, why lifting weights provides longevity benefits—and why strength training is most beneficial for women.

“I’m going to NAD for the rest of my life and I’m never gonna age,” Hailey Bieber tells her friend Kendall Jenner in the latest season of The Kardashians. New anti-aging technologies like NAD+ IV therapy and plasmapheresis are making waves in pop culture—but do they work? What does the latest research say? Medcan chief medical officer Dr. Peter Nord checks in with Dr. Eric Verdin (pictured above) of California’s Buck Institute for Research on Aging to separate the science from the snake oil—and to share tips on how we can all take steps to help us live longer, and healthier lives.

The debate has been going on for years: while some swear by the benefits of a stretching routine, others will say there is little to no point. What does the research say, and how much of a difference could a stretching routine make on our range of motion and physical health as we age? Can you use stretching to help heal an injury, or prevent future injuries? What sort of stretches should you be doing on a daily basis, if any? Here, Medcan’s Dr. Andrew Miners talks to physiotherapist and chiropractor Dr. Greg Lehman, (pictured above) a global expert on movement and flexibility. Learn what’s happening in your body when you stretch, how to know which stretches are right for you, and how to use stretching to improve your flexibility over time.