We all experience stress in our lives. As we deal with these stressors, it is important for us to learn how to respond to them mindfully & appropriately. In this episode, we’ll be talking about how to incorporate mindfulness into your everyday life. We are joined by Dr. Fiocco who will talk about Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR): what it is, how it impacts the brain, & how to incorporate it into daily life. This episode is a great introduction to mindfulness & even includes a live demonstration.

We all know the importance of eating healthy and nutritious foods to fuel our bodies and our brains; but, having the plans in place to ensure we get all of the vitamins, good fats and proteins that we need can be a challenge. In this episode, we’ll be talking about how to build healthy eating habits with our guest, Brittany Raftis - a Registered Dietitian. Brittany will share some healthy cooking tips, bust myths about healthy eating, and talk about Canada’s new food guide. You don’t want to miss it!

Your diet plays a crucial role in helping you maintain your brain health. The human brain - like every tissue in your body - is reliant on healthy nutrition throughout its life span. Focus on developing a healthy global diet, instead of too narrowly focusing on individual foods or spices. The social context in which you eat your food is also a core feature of driving your brain health. So, do not underestimate the brain stimulating contributions around the healthy activities that go along with eating well.

This week Dr. Andrea Wilkinson talks with Laurie Brager - a Personal Trainer for women over the age of 50. In this episode, we discuss all of the benefits of physical fitness that are particularly important for older adults, including increasing muscle and bone strength, enhanced balance and flexibility, improvements in sleep and mental benefits. Laurie also provides some tangible tips to help you create a healthy, fit and active lifestyle.

This week Dr. Andrea Wilkinson talks with Rachel Bar about the power of dance and how it impacts our minds, bodies, and souls. Rachel is currently a PhD student studying dance in older adults, and also works at Canada's National Ballet School. Join us as Rachel takes us through her research journey – investigating how dance affects individuals with Parkinson’s disease, dementia, and other older adult populations. Get your dancing shoes on for this brain workout!

Welcome to the BrainShape Podcast!

Join host Dr. Andrea Wilkinson as she walks you through her vision for the BrainShape Podcast and shares her motivation to inspire healthy aging and brain fitness through social engagement, physical activity and mental challenges.