Doctor Vs Comedian

For the next few weeks, the guys will be re-airing some of their favourite episodes from our archives.

Today, Asif and Ali discuss ultraprocessed foods (no medical topic today). To start off, Asif quizzes Ali about his favorite snack foods (1:29). Then Ali gives Asif a quiz on ultraprocessed foods from the New York Times. They then discuss the obesity epidemic and the the theory that ultraprocessed foods may have contributed to this (25;17). They then go over the NOVA food classification system and give examples of ultraprocessed foods. Asif discusses how often people consume ultraprocessed foods and the scientific evidence that these might be detrimental to health. Finally, Asif and Ali discuss recommendations for trying to decrease your intake of ultraprocessed foods. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian/

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• Are the Foods in Your Cart Ultraprocessed? https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/01/05/well/eat/ultraprocessed-foods-challenge-quiz.html
• Why Is the American Diet So Deadly? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/01/13/why-is-the-american-diet-so-deadly
• Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105044/
• Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes: umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses: https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077310
• What doctors wish patients knew about ultraprocessed foods: https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/what-doctors-wish-patients-knew-about-ultraprocessed-foods#

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For the next few weeks, the guys will be re-airing some of their favourite episodes from our archives.

Today, Ali and Asif interview misinformation expert Timothy Caulfield about his new book, ‘The Certainty Illusion: What You Don’t Know and Why It Matters ’. They start off by discussing Tim’s background and how he became involved in the battle against misinformation and how he deals with internet trolls. Ali then asks Tim about certain topics he addresses in his new book including gluten, fresh vs frozen sushi and organic foods. Asif then asks Tim about some topics from his book regarding the Covid-19 pandemic including “white hat bias” and MD hucksters and the raw milk movement. They then touch on the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) movement and the implications of the appointment of RFK Jr in the Trump administration in the US. Finally they discuss pop culture and the misinformation campaigns against Blake Lively and Amber Heard. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian/

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• The Certainty Illusion: What You Don't Know and Why It Matters: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/713451/the-certainty-illusion-by-timothy-caulfield/9780735245884
• Who Trolled Amber? https://www.tortoisemedia.com/listen/who-trolled-amber
• What to know about the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama: Legal complaint, PR accusations and more: https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/pop-culture-news/blake-lively-justin-baldoni-it-ends-us-lawsuit-what-know-rcna185274

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For the next few weeks, the guys will be re-airing some of their favourite episodes from our archives.

Today, on a special episode, Asif and Ali interview addiction expert Dr. Jason Giles. For over two decades, Dr. Giles has helped more than 10,000 patients overcome substance use disorders. Dr. Giles combines clinical expertise with personal experience, having navigated his own journey to recovery 25 years ago. Dr. Giles is the founder and Medical Director of Addiction Doctors, a leading telemedicine practice specializing in comprehensive addiction care.

Dr. Giles discusses his personal story with addiction and how this led him from anesthesiology to addiction medicine. Asif and Ali then ask Dr. Giles about whether certain jobs or personality types are predisposed to addiction, and then ask about some “hot button issues” including forced addiction treatment,decriminalization of illegal drugs, and if you should pay people to stay sober. They also discuss whether people need to “want” to stop using. They then ask Dr. Giles about inpatient versus outpatient treatment and the role of telemedicine and Ali asks about the role of organizations such as AA and NA. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram:  doctorvcomedian

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NB: We will be off on Dec 26 and Jan 2 and will return with new episodes on Jan 9, 2026. 

As a special bonus for our loyal listeners, Ali and Asif present a special episode discussing their favourite Christmas/Holiday movies. Listen to hear what they think about ‘Elf’, ‘Scrooged’, ‘Home Alone’, ‘Christmas Vacation’ and other holiday classics. Also find out if they think ‘Die Hard’ is a actually a Christmas movie and why one of them hates ‘Love Actually’ with a passion. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• “Love, Actually”: The worst Christmas movie ever: https://www.salon.com/2012/12/19/love_actually_the_worst_christmas_movie_ever/
• "Now I Have a Machine Gun. Ho Ho Ho.": https://www.slate.com/articles/arts/dvdextras/2007/12/now_i_havea_machine_gun_ho_ho_ho.html

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NB: We will be off on Dec 26 and Jan 2 and will return with new episodes on Jan 9, 2026. 

Today, Ali and Asif review their favourite entertainment from 2025. They discuss the best movies, TV shows, movies and books from the year (2:32). Listen to hear what they thought about ‘Fantastic 4: First Steps’, ‘Happy Gilmore 2’, ‘Sinners’, ‘Weapons’, ‘One Battle After Another’, ‘A Nice Indian Boy’, ‘Once Upon a Time Gaza’, ‘Adolescence’, ‘Mo’, ‘The Pitt’, ‘The Chair Company’, ‘The Studio’, ‘North of North, ‘The Beast in Me’, etc. They also discuss some comedy specials including specials by Mike Birbiglia, Bill Burr, Steph Tolev and Roy Wood Jr. 

Then Asif asks Ali about the top medical news stories of the year (53:00). They discuss the good (the Nobel prize in medicine, CRISPR use in genetic disorders), the bad measles outbreaks) and the ugly (RFK Jr and MAHA). 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• Inside RFK Jr.’s first nine months leading HHS: https://www.statnews.com/2025/11/20/rfk-jr-hhs-track-record-examined-status-report/
• Tracking RFK Jr.’s promises to remake health in America: https://www.statnews.com/2025/09/10/rfk-jr-maha-promise-tracker-fact-check/
• Canada no longer measles-free as outbreaks spread: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/nov/11/canada-loses-measles-free-elimination-status
• A huge outbreak has made Ontario the measles centre of the western hemisphere: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/06/measles-outbreak-ontario-canada
• FIFA’s Gianni Infantino faces ethics complaint over Trump peace prize: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/12/10/fifas-gianni-infantino-faces-ethics-complaint-over-trump-peace-prize
• Immune system breakthrough wins Nobel medicine prize for US, Japan scientists: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/brunkow-ramsdell-sakaguchi-win-2025-nobel-medicine-prize-2025-10-06/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Infant with rare, incurable disease is first to successfully receive personalized gene therapy treatment: https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/infant-rare-incurable-disease-first-successfully-receive-personalized-gene-therapy-treatment

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Today, Asif and Ali discuss their favorite movies from 1995 (2:07) and then they debate the best albums from that same year (23:33) (no medical topic today).  Listen to hear what made their list, what didn’t and what overlap, if they had. PLUS, they do a mini-medical topic, speaking about the stroke that musician Matthew Sweet had last year. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions.

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Follow us on Social media:

Twitter: @doctorvcomedian

Instagram: doctorvcomedian

Show Notes:

• Ali’s 1995 Playlist: https://youtu.be/0wBDDAZkNtk?si=f6svpVWmV4KEJh_u
• Asif’s 1995 Playlist: https://youtu.be/8-r-V0uK4u0?si=z9Yv5xUzULH6pzLD
• ‘I Had the Stroke, and It Was All Over’: Matthew Sweet’s Road to Recovery: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/matthew-sweet-interview-since-stroke-health-update-1235354779/

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Recently, actor Donald Glover announced that he had a stroke, so today Ali and Asif start off by discussing Glover’s career (1:16). They start off by discussing his early background and getting his break writing for ‘30 Rock’. They then talk about his breakthrough role on ‘Community’ and other acting roles such as Lando Carlissian in ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’. Ali then speaks about Donald Glover’s alternate career as rapper “Childish Gambino. Finally they discuss Glover’s critically acclaimed show ‘Atlanta’. 

Then Ali asks Asif about ischemic strokes (30:09) (and how they are different from brain bleeds). Asif talks about what strokes are as well as how common they are. He talks about the risk factors, causes as well what people need to be looking for regarding symptoms (using the acronym B.E.F.A.S.T.). Asif then goes over how strokes are diagnosed and treated. Finally Ali asks Asif about Glover stating he had a “hole in his heart” and how that might be related to his stroke. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Show Notes:

• Childish Gambino Freestyles Over the 5 Fingers of Death on #SwayInTheMorning | Sway's Universe: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw2kaBQMoco
• Every Episode of ‘Atlanta,’ Ranked: https://www.theringer.com/2022/11/11/tv/atlanta-fx-episodes-ranked-best-worst-season
• Donald Glover Reveals Stroke And “Hole In My Heart” Forced Him To Cancel 2024 Tour: https://deadline.com/2025/11/donald-glover-stroke-hole-heart-forced-cancel-tour-1236626789/
• Ischemic Stroke: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499997/
• B.E. F.A.S.T. to Spot a Stroke: https://www.universityhealth.com/blog/be-f-a-s-t-to-spot-a-stroke
• Patent Foramen Ovale Management for Secondary Stroke Prevention: State-of-the-Art Appraisal of Current Evidence: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.040546

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Apple TV released a docuseries about filmmaker Martin Scorsese entitled “Mr Scorsese" so today Asif and Ali this series and their top 5 favourite Scorsese films. They start off by discussing the superb docuseries by Rebecca Miller (2:40), and the interesting facts they learned from it, including his childhood and early movies. The guys then each list their top 5 Scorsese movies. 

Spike Lee has been quoted as saying “Thank God For Asthma” regarding how this disease made Scorsese stay indoors and watch  movies, so in the second half of the podcast, Ali asks Asif about this disease (35:10). Asif talks about what asthma is, how common it is and what causes/triggers it. Asif then talks about the symptoms, the different types as well as the treatment. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Show Notes:

• Mr Scorsese review – five hours isn’t nearly long enough to do justice to history’s greatest film-maker: https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/oct/17/mr-scorsese-review-martin-netflix
• 14 Memorable Quotes From ‘Mr. Scorsese’: https://thereveal.film/14-memorable-quotes-from-mr-scorsese/
• Asthma: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430901/
• Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America: https://aafa.org/asthma/asthma-symptoms/
• Asthma Canada: https://asthma.ca/

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Marc Maron’s podcast WTF recently ended its run, so today Asif and Ali discuss Maron and his influence on comedy and podcasting (6:18) (after a brief digression on a fundraiser Ali recently went to). They begin by discussing Maron’s early life and career. They discuss him getting involved in radio and all the acting roles he has done in the past 20 years. They then discuss Maron’s recent stand up special “Panicked”. Finally they discuss WTF, the importance of the show for comedy and podcasting in general and the most memorable episodes. 

In Marc Maron’s recent special he discusses SSRI’s (for his cats!)‚ so in the second half, they discuss these drugs (31:31). Asif talks about selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, how they work and what they are used for. He then goes over the common types of SSRI’s as well as their potential side effects. Asif then discusses how sometimes people can have a difficult time coming off SSRI’s. Finally Ali asks Asif about other things that can be used for depression such as natural products and exercise. 

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Show Notes:

Marc Maron’s Rawest Interview Yet. The Truth About Grief, Anger, and Connection: https://www.menshealth.com/entertainment/a65608892/marc-maron-wtf-podcast-legacy-interview/

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554406/

Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/health/antidepressants-withdrawal-prozac-cymbalta.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fhealth&action=click&contentCollection=health®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=6&pgtype=sectionfront

Adjunctive Nutraceuticals for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27113121/

Exercise as medicine for depressive symptoms? A systematic review and meta-analysis with meta-regressio: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/57/16/1049?trk=article-ssr-frontend-pulse_x-social-details_comments-action_comment-text

Effect of exercise for depression: systematic review and network meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials: https://www.bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-075847.abstract

Great Depresh’ Comedian Gary Gulman Has 5 Tips to Get Through Isolation: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/big-depresh-comedian-gary-gulman-coping-isolation-1285949/

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Recently, Zohran Mamdani won a historic victory in New York City’s mayoral election. However he also had a rap career in the not too distant past. So today, Ali and Asif review 5 of Mamdani’s songs, done under the pseudonyms Young Cardamom and Mr. Cardamom (5:21). They discuss and grade the following songs: Wabula Naawe, PSV,  Kanda (Chap Chap), #1 Spice and Nani. 

Then since Mamdani’s mother (acclaimed film director Mira Nair) is a big proponent of yoga, in the second half Ali asks Asif about medical uses of yoga (24:10). They start off (after a brief digression on cultural appropriation) by talking about the different types of yoga examined in medical studies (Hatha, Iyengar, and Viniyoga). He then discusses their use in back pain, mental health, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, and hypertension.

The opinions expressed are those of the hosts, and do not reflect those of any other organizations. This podcast and website represents the opinions of the hosts. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for entertainment and informational purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. 

Music courtesy of Wataboi and 8er41 from Pixabay

Contact us at [email protected]

Show Notes:

• How 'Queen of Katwe’s Song “#1 Spice” Came to Be: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/queen-of-katwe-young-cardamom-hab-1-spice?fbclid=IwY2xjawN9q_JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFFY1djTkdRMEp6VnN3RVZQc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHjI-M6frTU08Og6f_IbTa8WKRe1tLETWYkYoLnNSHGyyWuAVFD61J4yFy9K2_aem_d7pdILBunWYUB_sJ-E7TUQ
• Young Cardamom & Mr. Cardamom Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5upeWPTzFgc&list=PLh7rgup-OZBcT25Vokzjq-10LlI1D6282
• U of O students' decision to cancel yoga class sparks Internet backlash: https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/u-of-o-students-decision-to-cancel-yoga-class-sparks-internet-backlash
• Evidence Map of Yoga for Depression, Anxiety, and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26181774/
• Yoga for symptom management in oncology: A review of the evidence base and future directions for research:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30933317/
• Yoga in autoimmune disorders: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40631512/

Ali’s Montreal restaurant recs: 

• Danny Smiles - Le Violon
• Massimo Piedemonte - Cabaret L’enfer
• Antonin Mousseau-Rivard - Le Mousso
• Jean-Sébastien Giguère - Restaurant h3, La Cabane du Coureur, Le Coureur des Bois
• Janice Tiefenbach - Gia, Elena 
• Ryan Gray - Nora Grey
• Emma Cardarelli - Nora Gray, Elena, and Gia 
• Renée Deschenes-O’Hagan & Elias Louie Deligianis - Bistro La Franquette
• Stephanie Labelle - Owner Pastry Chef, at Pâtisserie Rhubarbe

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