Healthy and Litty

Ever wondered how emergency departments prioritize patients or why wait times can be so long? ⏳

In this episode of Healthy & Litty, hosts Mila and Nandita sit down with Dr. Tajinder Kaura, an emergency physician and healthcare leader with over 12 years of experience, to explore the realities of Canada's emergency medicine system.

🩺 How triage works and why wait times vary

🏥 The systemic challenges behind emergency department overcrowding

🚑 Common health concerns bringing young adults to the ER

🛴 The rise in e-scooter-related injuries and how to prevent emergencies

🎙️ Tune in for expert insights on navigating emergency care and making informed health decisions!

In episode 36, Mila and Nandita discuss longevity medicine, preventive healthcare, wellness trends, biohacking culture, looksmaxxing, evidence-based aging practices, and how young adults can make informed wellness decisions with our special guest, Dr. Arshad Hack. 

Dr. Arshad Hack, is the Founder, CEO, and Lead Physician at LIIFEHACK Longevity. With over 15 years of experience as a family physician, Dr. Hack has dedicated his career to helping patients take a more proactive approach to preventing disease and optimizing quality of life. Through LIIFEHACK Longevity, he combines evidence-based medicine, advanced health assessments, and personalized care to help individuals better understand aging, wellness, and preventative health.

Why is your liver so resilient? How can you better take care of it?

Today's episode features Dr. Hemant Shah, a Gastroenterologist and Liver Specialist. In this episode he provides insights on:

- Functions of the liver

- Hepatitis and the stigma associated with it

- How alcohol impacts the liver

- Liver-friendly diets

- Misconceptions associated with liver health and liver diseases

- How we can protect our liver with small habits

Here are some additional resources provided by Dr. Shah to learn more about your liver.

• https://liver.ca/your-liver/
• https://www.catie.ca/
• https://liverfoundation.org/resource-center/blog/healthy-liver-tips/
  

What exactly does a Pedorthist do, and why does it matter more than you think?

Today’s episode features Brandon Nethercott, Registered Kinesiologist and Canadian Certified Pedorthist, as we break down the science of movement, foot health, and biomechanics. From gait analysis to custom orthotics and performance footwear, Brandon shares insights from over 20,000 gait assessments and counting.

If you’ve ever dealt with foot pain, injuries, or want to better understand how your body moves, this episode is for you.

🎧 Now live on Spotify.

Join Mila and Nandita in Episode 33 as they discuss the structure of the Canadian medical education system with Lindsey Zhang, a 4th year medical student at the University of Ottawa and incoming Obstetrics and Gynecology resident at the University of Toronto.

Join Nandita and Mila in Episode 32 as they discuss what palliative care is, the importance of quality of life and misconceptions associated with palliative care with our guest expert, Dr. Joyce Cheung. 

Dr Joyce Cheung is a Family Medicine and Palliative Care physician based in Toronto, Ontario. She is the current Chair of the Section of Palliative Medicine at the Ontario Medical Association, and an Assistant Clinical Professor at McMaster University and Toronto Metropolitan University School of Medicine. 

Main topics:

- What is Palliative Care?

- Common misconceptions

- Importance of Quality of Life

- Role of a caregiver

- Canadian Policies and Insurance

Resources: https://www.virtualhospice.ca/en_US/Main+Site+Navigation/Home.aspx

https://www.hpco.ca/https://www.advancecareplanning.ca

https://www.advancecareplanningontario.ca

New year, new goals… but why do so many resolutions fade by February? 🤔 In this episode of Healthy & Litty, Nandita and Mila break down the science behind habit formation and why motivation alone is not enough to create lasting change.

Using evidence-based research, we explore how habits form through neuroplasticity, how the brain responds differently to short-term rewards versus long-term goals, and why dopamine is more about anticipation than effort 🎯. We also debunk the “21-day habit” myth and explain what research actually shows about how long habits take to stick ⏳.

Finally, we discuss how stress, sleep, and emotional regulation impact self-control and decision-making, and what this means for building realistic, sustainable goals 🛌🧘‍♀️.

Whether you are a student, healthcare provider, or simply working toward healthier habits, this episode offers science-backed insights to help your goals last beyond January 💚🎙️

Resources & Research Referenced 📚🔍

Habit Formation & Motivation

• Ravel S, et al. (2018). Dopamine and motivation. Trends in Neurosciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2018.10.001

• Additional foundational work: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04905.x

Stress, Sleep & Emotional Regulation

• Arnsten AFT. (2009). Stress signalling pathways and the prefrontal cortex. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422.

• Shields GS, et al. (2017). Effects of acute stress on executive function. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 636–675.

• Ding X, et al. (2020). Sleep quality and self-control. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 607548.

• Palmer CA, Alfano CA. (2017). Sleep and emotion regulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 11(12).

• Gross JJ. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26.

• Pruessner JC, et al. (2022). Stress regulation and resilience. IJERPH, 19(13), 7621.

  
  

  Habit Formation & Motivation

  • Ravel S, et al. (2018). Dopamine and motivation. Trends in Neurosciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tins.2018.10.001

  • Additional foundational work: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-9568.2006.04905.x

  Stress, Sleep & Emotional Regulation

  • Arnsten AFT. (2009). Stress signalling pathways and the prefrontal cortex. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 10(6), 410–422.

  • Shields GS, et al. (2017). Effects of acute stress on executive function. Psychological Bulletin, 143(6), 636–675.

  • Ding X, et al. (2020). Sleep quality and self-control. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 607548.

  • Palmer CA, Alfano CA. (2017). Sleep and emotion regulation. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 11(12).

  • Gross JJ. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26.

  • Pruessner JC, et al. (2022). Stress regulation and resilience. IJERPH, 19(13), 7621.

Join Mila and Nandita in Episode 30 as they break down what a family doctor really does and why primary care matters. In this episode, they are joined by special guest Dr. Christopher Haddad, a PGY-1 Family Medicine Resident at Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), who is focused on the critical intersection of primary care, patient advocacy, and medical education.

With over seven years of clinical experience across community and academic settings, Dr. Haddad brings a strong foundation in patient-centred medicine, health-system quality improvement, and the application of evidence-based practice.

Together, they discuss the role of a family doctor, what appointments typically look like, and the behind-the-scenes realities of family medicine. The episode wraps up with an insight of what's covered at a visit to the family doctors under OHIP.

Please note that a video version of the episode will also be uploaded.

In this episode, we discuss healthy aging and how to care for older adults with Dr. Alessandra Palombo.

Main Topics:

- Dr. Palombo's journey in family medicine and senior care

- Barriers to accessing memory and aging services

- What healthy aging really means (mobility, cognition, independence, connection)

- Myths about aging and what's actually preventable

- Daily habits in your 20s-40s that protect long-term brain health

- How families can support seniors while preserving autonomy

- Community programs that help seniors age safely at home

- The role of technology in improving senior care and reducing isolation

In episode 28, we chat about social prescribing in the Canadian healthcare system with Dr. Nicole D'Souza, a health systems researcher.