Research into therapies for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia is progressing, and one day soon, those who are diagnosed early enough may be able to delay onset of the disease for so long that they never experience symptoms. So what’s happening at the forefront of Alzheimer’s research? What are the latest therapies, and how are doctors getting better at diagnosing it? What can we all do to reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s? Medcan senior medical consultant Dr. Lorne Greenspan checks in with clinical director of genetics Jessica Gu and Dr. Sharon Cohen of the Toronto Memory Program, a global expert on the disease (pictured above).

What exactly is energy? Is it a chemical to be measured, a feeling or even just a “vibe”? We know when we have it, and know even more when we don’t. How can we get more of it? At Columbia’s Picard Lab in New York, scientists study mitochondrial biology to understand our energy levels, how they can be affected by our psychological state, and how we can get more energy to get more things done every day. Here, lab director and professor of behavioural medicine Dr. Martin Picard (pictured above) and Medcan CEO Shaun Francis explore the biology behind energy, and provide us with tips on how we can get more of it.

“Liquid biopsy” is a form of cancer screening that detects biomarkers in the blood with a simple draw. Research indicates that it could help to detect disease months or even years before other, more expensive and more invasive forms of screening, helping to save lives. So how exactly does it work? Is it better at detecting some cancers compared to others? And how can it help oncologists treat already diagnosed cases? Medcan’s director of clinical innovation, Allison Hazell, investigates with the help of Dr. Lewis Roberts (pictured above), director of the Mayo Clinic’s Hepatobiliary Cancer Lab.

Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in men aged 15 to 35. Experts recommend that men start to perform testicular self-exams in their teen years. Some middle aged men have never performed a self-exam in their life. To raise awareness during Men’s Health month, our Dr. Peter Nord checks in with Medcan’s director of urology and Michael Garron hospital chief of surgery Dr. Rajiv Singal (pictured above). He shares the latest in testicular and prostate cancer treatment and prevention, and discusses a new therapy for enlarged prostates that uses steam for a minimally invasive way to treat a common problem for aging men.

In our last episode, How To Practise Mindfulness, Medcan psychologists Dr. Amanda Beaman (pictured above) and Dr. Jack Muskat put mindfulness under the microscope and explored its many benefits.

Here, try it out yourself with a 10-minute guided mindfulness meditation with Dr. Amanda Beaman. Download this episode for easy listening while on a walk, your commute to work, or to otherwise incorporate into your self-care routine.

Many of us are spending more time on screens. The constant buzz and beeps of phone notifications, increasing work demands—does anyone else feel like the pace of contemporary living is harming attention spans and creating more of a need to engage in mindfulness and meditation practices? Here, Medcan clinical psychologists Dr. Jack Muskat and Dr. Amanda Beaman (pictured above) explore the practice of mindfulness. What is it? How does one do it? And can it help to relieve anxiety and increase our focus?

Summer is all about days in the park, meals in the backyard and weekends at the cottage. For more than 25 percent of Canadians, summer is also about red, itchy eyes and nasal congestion. Too often, seasonal allergies put dents in our summer plans—and over-the-counter medications don’t always help with symptoms. Dr. Anne Ellis (pictured above), professor of medicine and chair of the division of allergy and immunology at Queen’s University, is director of the Environmental Exposure Unit, an internationally recognized facility where she leads allergy research trials. Here, Dr. Ellis and Medcan CMO Dr. Peter Nord tell you everything you need to know about why you have allergies, why allergy season is getting worse and what you can do about it.

Scientific researchers believe that cardiorespiratory fitness, in the form of VO2max, should be a vital sign that doctors consider alongside heart rate and blood pressure—and Medcan has just taken steps to incorporate a test designed to provide clients with an estimate of their VO2max level. So what is VO2max—and why should you care? This episode provides the ultimate cardiorespiratory fitness explainer. Cohosted by Dr. Peter Nord and Dr. Andrew Miners, we provide background about the value and illustrate the effect it has on your longevity and quality of life.

The relationship between diet, exercise and weight loss is more complicated than you think. The work of evolutionary anthropologist and globally recognized metabolism expert Herman Pontzer of Duke University (pictured above) suggests that your body will figure out a way to offset burned calories after exercise, possibly by decreasing calorie-burning inflammation in the body. In this encore presentation of Pontzer’s conversation with Medcan’s director of weight management, Dr. David Macklin, the Duke associate professor discusses his most recent book, Burn, and the truth about metabolism and weight loss.

Cannabis has been legal in Canada for almost four years now. Eat Move Think’s very first episode explored cannabis and wellness and featured Dr. Mark Ware, the chief medical officer of Canopy Growth. Here, we get an update from Dr. Ware. Can cannabis change how we treat anxiety or chronic pains? Who is using it more, and what are they using it for? Dr. Mark Ware sits down with Medcan MD Dr. Lorne Greenspan to chat about new developments, and explore the ways cannabis and wellness intersect.

Which supplements actually help your muscles grow? Is all protein built the same? Do you need to drink Gatorade while exercising? Is chocolate milk the perfect post-workout drink?

Medcan’s director of food and nutrition and Chair of Dieticians of Canada Board of Directors Leslie Beck joins Canada Research Chair and McMaster University kinesiology professor Dr. Stuart Phillips (pictured above)—two of the most prominent names in Canadian nutrition— separate the most popular misconceptions from the proven methods to help you be better at building muscle and staying fit.

Dog ownership skyrocketed during the pandemic. Lots of pet owners claim that owning a dog can boost your mental health. But which breeds are best? Dan McCann, of the legendary McCann Dog Training family, joins Medcan mental health clinical lead Samantha Charan to explore the health benefits that can come with owning a dog. They’ll help you figure out if dog ownership is right for you, and unpack the reasons why these furry friends can keep us happier and healthier.

More people than ever before are exercising to stay fit and active well into their senior years. The field of sports rehabilitation and therapy is flourishing as a result, with lots of therapies generating buzz. But which ones work for aging athletes, and which ones are a waste of money? Medcan Chief Medical Officer Dr. Peter Nord and Director of Orthopaedic Surgery Dr. Sebastian Rodriguez-Elizalde explore platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections and more.

It’s spring, and if you have a garden that means it’s time for yardwork—raking out dead leaves, planting annuals, fertilizing the lawn. Here, Medcan’s Dr. Lorne Greenspan teams up with the legendary gardening expert Mark Cullen to make the argument that gardening is one of the single best things you can do for your overall wellness, with compelling benefits from an eat, move and think perspective—regardless of your age.

Intermittent fasting is an increasingly popular diet method intended to trigger weight loss. It’s also said to provide other health benefits. But does it actually work? Dr. Krista Varady is the University of Illinois, Chicago professor of nutrition and an expert in intermittent fasting. Here she discusses her recommendations with Leslie Beck.

The ultimate way to achieve a personalized wellness prescription is to base it on one’s unique genetic code—to have every one of your DNA base pairs mapped, in a process known as whole genome sequencing, and then using that information to create precisely the right strategy for you. With its Genomic Health Assessment powered by whole genome sequencing, Medcan is pioneering the most precise form of precision medicine available. Here, Director of Clinical Innovation Allison Hazell (pictured above) explores the implications with host Shaun Francis.

As you get older, your chances of getting sick and developing diseases get higher. But what if aging itself is the condition we should be treating? Dr. Nir Barzilai is the founding director of the Institute for Aging Research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the world’s leading expert on metformin. Here, he joins host Shaun Francis to discuss the potential of metformin to fight aging, and his new trial that could change the way we view and treat old age.

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices are being tested by elite athletes to determine whether better management of carbs and blood sugar can boost athletic performance. Dr. Michael Riddell (pictured above) is a professor at York University. As an athlete who lives with Type 1 Diabetes, Dr. Riddell has studied glucose for years and is on the scientific advisory board for Supersapiens, a glucose-tracking app. Here, Dr. Riddell explores the future of glucose monitoring and athletics with Medcan Fitness Manager Anna Topali.

Our relationship with food has changed since social distancing began. We’re eating in more. We're worrying whether food will be available. And we’re indulging more. Here are Medcan’s two in-house food experts: Leslie Beck, nutrition columnist for The Globe and Mail, and Jason Smidt, the executive chef of Nourish by Medcan, our food delivery service.

Epidemiologists are researchers who study disease outbreaks—how they happen and how long they’ll last. One of the world’s foremost, Dr. David Fisman, explains how long we’ll have to live with social distancing, when life will return to normal—and what happens next.