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?

Our host, Shaun Francis, recently spent time in Helena, Montana on an expedition with other business leaders and Veterans. Shaun is the founder of True Patriot Love, one of Canada’s largest charities that supports Canadian military members and their families and the organization behind the trip. Here, he joins fellow expeditioners: True Patriot CEO Nick Booth, True Patriot Love co-founder and former leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, Erin O’Toole, and Veteran Ryan Hawkyard.

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.

Something about exercising in nature just makes you feel good. And in fact, a new study suggests that working out in fresh air provides a special boost to your cognitive abilities – one that you won’t get if you exercise indoors. So how does exercising outside really affect your body? Here, Medcan CEO Shaun Francis sits down with the study’s lead authors, Dr. Olav Krigolson and Katherine Boere (pictured above) of the University of Victoria, to understand what’s up.

Medcan is expanding. We’re opening a summer pop-up in the Muskoka region’s village of Port Carling, a new location in Collingwood is coming soon and the Oakville location has been around for 18 months. The design in each of these spaces feels less medical and more high-end hotel. Medcan CEO Shaun Francis interviews Oakville general manager Eric Giberson and HOK senior principal Laura Jones (pictured above) to learn about how listeners can learn from Medcan’s interior design choices to create wellness-promoting spaces of their own.

When you experience stress, your body releases a hormone called cortisol. So what exactly does the “stress hormone” do? Why is there an instinct to freeze in stressful situations, and what lifestyle changes could improve our ability to handle stress? Here, Medcan CEO Shaun Francis talks to the director of the UHN Krembil Research Institute, Dr. Jaideep Bains, (pictured above) an expert on stress, about how exactly stress affects our wellness—and why it’s so important to have healthy coping mechanisms when dealing with difficult situations. He also shares what he does to get through stressful times.

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.

Mary Deacon has been pioneering efforts to improve Canada’s mental health for 25 years. She and Medcan CEO Shaun Francis ways to improve access and reduce stigma. It’s a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Ah, the last week of the year. It might be a time of reflection as you reminisce, or maybe you’re already planning your 2023! Most of us make New Year’s resolutions with true intentions of sticking with them. So what’s the secret to making long-lasting, permanent, healthy change? As you finalize your goals and hopes for next year, join Shaun Francis as he chats with weight management expert Dr. David Macklin about creating practical goals that are sure to last.

Eat Move Think host Shaun Francis is the founder of True Patriot Love, one of Canada’s largest charities supporting serving military members, Veterans and their families. So the week of Remembrance Day, we join Shaun and True Patriot Love CEO Nick Booth as they explore the inspiring stories of three Canadian soldiers who overcame wellness challenges and transformed their lives.

As temperatures fall, darkness and cold can make wellness behaviours more difficult. We might skip workouts to avoid going out in the cold, in favour of cozying up to a good book or movie. More time indoors and less sunlight can contribute to mental health issues. And some of us find it more difficult to maintain a healthy diet. So how can we stay healthy and happy through the colder months? Host Shaun Francis (pictured above) leads a tip-filled discussion with Medcan experts Dr. Peter Nord, Dr. Andrew Miners and Joanna Stochla, RD.