Earlier Bedtimes Linked to Weight Loss in Prediabetes

Could an earlier bedtime support weight management? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow examines an eight-week study of 196 adults with prediabetes, where each hour earlier asleep was associated with about 1.3 pounds of weight loss, without proving causation. Also covered: Quebec’s targeted flu vaccine policy, the health value of outdoor activity, and Nova Scotia’s new Health Atlas.

How Light Therapy May Ease Seasonal Affective Disorder

We examine why shorter winter days can trigger seasonal affective disorder, how reduced sensitivity to blue light may play a role, and why 10,000 lux of morning light is often recommended. Dr. Chi-Ming Chow also covers cocaine becoming the leading substance linked to drug deaths in England and Wales, CVS Health’s planned split, and the promise and challenges of individualized mRNA vaccines for melanoma.

Apple Plans AI Health App with Personalized Insights

Apple’s redesigned Health app aims to use Apple Intelligence for personalized guidance on sleep, fitness, heart health and longevity, including a Health Age metric and at-home movement assessments. Dr. Chow also covers the death of marathon runner Rachel Apa after rhabdomyolysis and concerns about trial data for low-dose atropine eye drops in children with myopia.

Outdoor Activities Create Space for Men’s Mental Health

Can time in nature help men talk more openly about mental health? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow examines Connect Outdoors’ “green and blue health” initiative on the Isle of Man. Also covered: Dr. Vonda Wright’s habits for aging in place, support and training gaps for 63 million family caregivers, and an 88-radiologist shortage affecting cancer care in Wales.

Wildfire Smoke Deaths Surge in Canada

A Lancet report estimates about 4,000 annual deaths associated with wildfire smoke in Canada from 2021 to 2025, up roughly 275 percent from the early 2000s. Dr. Chi-Ming Chow explains the health risks of PM 2.5 and calls for stronger climate adaptation. Also covered: a study linking proximity to industrial water pollution with higher P.S.P. risk, and a Calgary-developed wound gel delivered by drone in Ukraine.

Processed Foods: What Belongs in a Healthy Diet

Are all processed foods unhealthy? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow distinguishes minimally processed options from ultra-processed foods and explains how labels can guide healthier choices. He also examines health concerns around clock changes, a 100-person wall squat study reporting lower blood pressure, and the shortage of Nabilone affecting patients such as Jill Kenning.

Young Adult Obesity and Early-Onset Cancer Risk

An observational study links obesity in young adulthood with increased risk across multiple early-onset cancers, with abdominal fat adding risk. Dr. Chi-Ming Chow also examines Ontario’s effort to connect residents with family physicians, mixed results for AI medical scribes, and subtle signs that mental health may be slipping.

When GLP-1s Fall Short: A Minimally Invasive Option

What options remain when weight-loss medications stop working? Dr. Chow examines how Dana Bichler lost more than 80 pounds after endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, including the difficult recovery and lifestyle adjustment. Also covered: declining alcohol use among Catholics and Emily Dawson’s journey from brain tumor surgery to healthcare leadership.

I thought I was dying but it was health anxiety - here's how to recognise the signs

When does concern about your health become an “obsessional worry”? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow examines Hollie Sharman’s severe health anxiety, which led to hospital visits four to five times a week despite normal tests. Learn the warning signs, including body checking and repeated symptom searches, plus strategies for challenging worst-case thinking, limiting reassurance-seeking and using grounding techniques.

Can a Face Photo Predict Cancer Outcomes?

Could a facial photograph help predict biological age and cancer survival? Dr. Chow examines a Lancet study that trained a model using 40 million photos, along with questions about privacy and clinical readiness. Also covered: recovery after surgery for localized lung adenocarcinoma, and Ontario’s deployment of 28 burn-care professionals after the deadly fire at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.

Common disorder linked to 70% higher death rate, but medication may offer protection

Why is ADHD associated with a 71% higher overall risk of early death? Dr. He also considers an association between prescribed ADHD medication and a 25% lower risk of death. The findings do not establish cause-and effect, and the medication evidence came from only three studies.

Teen Diet, Mental Health, and ADHD Mortality Risk

Could fruit and sugary drinks be linked to teen mental health? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow reviews a three-year study of 6,537 Australian adolescents, plus an analysis that found a 71% higher all-cause mortality risk with ADHD. Also covered are the health and economic effects of paternal leave and concerns over nurse practitioner redeployments in Northern New Brunswick.

Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to Signs of Vascular Brain Injury

Could ultra-processed foods affect brain health? Dr. Chow examines a study of adults that found higher intake was associated with more body fat and greater odds of vascular brain injury, while noting it cannot establish causation. Also covered: the decline in hosting at home, weighted vest benefits and risks, and diversifying nursing training in Halifax.

Bemotrizinol, the First New Sunscreen Option in over 25 Years

We examine bemotrizinol, the first new sunscreen option in over 25 years, including its broad-spectrum protection, minimal skin absorption and unanswered environmental questions. Dr. Chow also covers recovery from lung cancer surgery, a study linking high ultra-processed food intake with brain changes in Canadian adults, and research on GLP-1 drugs beyond weight-loss.

Ontario Tightens Safer Supply with Supervised Dosing Requirements

Ontario is tightening safer supply prescribing: patients must take medications under professional supervision and receive opioid agonist therapy, raising concerns about access and the 12 percent who do not respond to that treatment. Dr. Chi-Ming Chow also examines a seven-day mouse-cell study of tadalafil and muscle repair, warnings about AI’s effects on healthcare workers, and Quebec’s early flu season, where free vaccines are limited to specific groups.

Helicopter Brain, Younger Heart Failure, Colonoscopy Follow-Through

Could information overload be keeping your nervous system on constant alert? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow examines helicopter brain, its physical symptoms, and ways to interrupt patterns of stress and anxiety. Also covered: rising heart failure among adults under 65, with an estimated 56 million people affected worldwide in 2023, planned surgery for an early-stage lung nodule, climate liability, and colonoscopy follow-up.

Smartphone Downgrades, Food Prices, AI Breast Cancer Prediction

Could trading your smartphone for a flip phone improve your time, focus and relationships? Dr. Chi-Ming Chow considers August Lamm’s experience and concerns about teens spending more than eight hours a day on screens. Plus, rising ground beef, chicken and produce prices, warnings about unapproved herpes treatments, gaps in vaping screening, patient safety, emerging therapies and advances in AI breast cancer screening.

Pneumonic Plague in Russia, Flu and COVID Vaccines, ADHD Overdiagnosis, and Grief Support

In this episode, Dr. Chi-Ming Chow discusses concern about pneumonic plague in Russia and the need for international monitoring, then reviews the basics of plague, its symptoms, and response strategies. He also covers Nova Scotia’s opening of influenza and COVID-19 vaccine bookings, an England review raising concerns about over-diagnosis of ADHD and autism, and a Northern Ireland initiative encouraging conversations about grief and mental health. The episode closes with a discussion of women reclaiming anger, workplace stigma, and healthy coping.

Plague Case in Russia, Fall Flu and COVID Vaccines, COVID Protein Research, and Safer Supply Rules

In this episode, Dr. Chi-Ming Chow discusses a reported plague case in Russia and the public health response, then covers Saskatchewan’s opening of fall flu and COVID-19 vaccination bookings. He also reviews Canadian Light Source research on a COVID-19 protein that may help guide antiviral development, Ontario’s proposed tighter rules for safer supply prescribing, and the Alberta Medical Association’s ratification of a three-year pay agreement.

Voice Disorders and Dementia Risk, Kids’ Screen Time, BPC-157, and Fall Vaccines

In this episode, Dr. Chi-Ming Chow discusses voice disorders as a possible early sign of dementia risk, then examines screen time addiction and its effects on children’s mental health and development, including links with depression and obesity. He also looks at the hype around BPC-157 peptides and the safety and regulatory concerns surrounding them. The episode closes with a practical look at a ten-minute exercise habit to help preserve muscle after 40, along with fall vaccine guidance for flu, COVID-19, and RSV.