The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast

By Dr. Greg WellsScience Medicine Health & Fitness Education Self-Improvement Life Sciences

The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast episodes

July 28, 2022 #169. Todd Henry on Accidental Creativity
Welcome back!
This week I had an amazing conversation with keynote speaker Todd Henry on Sharpen Your Edge Live.
Todd has helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world do the best work of their lives by helping them unleash their creativity, be more productive, and generate brilliant ideas.
In this episode, we dig into creative problem solving and strategies to increase productivity while decreasing overwhelm.
You can learn more about his work, including his books and podcast, at his website toddhenry.com.
Enjoy the conversation!
21 min
July 26, 2022 #21 - Dr. Greg Wells on The Power of Challenge
Most people go after big, meaningful goals (new business, race, book, major change) but then get stuck in a chronic stress/threat response that blocks learning, recovery, and performance. This episode shows how to pivot from threat → challenge using physiology so growth becomes possible again.
In today’s presentation clip Dr. Greg Wells explores how to use the science of stress and recovery to take on big, scary goals without burning out. He explains the difference between the sympathetic “gas pedal” and parasympathetic “brake,” and why high performers must be able to switch between them on demand. Greg tells the story of Felix Baumgartner’s panic attacks before the Red Bull Stratos jump to show how breathwork + self-talk + gradual exposure rewires the brain for challenge. Then he maps out a simple three-step sequence anyone can use to grow faster, think better, and perform at a world-class level.
You will learn how the body can’t tell the difference between a sabre-tooth tiger and an urgent email; how cortisol and chronic sympathetic activation literally stop new neural branches from forming (so stress blocks learning); how to flip perception from “this is a threat” to “this is a challenge”; how breath, language, and micro-exposure pull you back into parasympathetic recovery; and how elite sport has shifted from “crush them every day” to “train hard, recover harder” to create sustainable high performance.
You will discover that high performance isn’t about doing more—it’s about controlling state. When you can deliberately toggle between perform (sympathetic) and recover (parasympathetic), you can take on bigger challenges without paying a health tax.
Most ambitious people launch into a challenge and then get derailed by anxiety, poor sleep, brain fog, or overtraining. Greg’s protocol shows you how to stay in the growth trajectory—keep learning, keep adapting, keep creating—rather than sliding into the trauma trajectory.
14 min
July 19, 2022 #168. Herbert Lui on Creative Doing
Welcome back!
This week I had an amazing conversation with Herbert Lui on Sharpen Your Edge Live.
Herbert is a writer and an editorial director. His editorial studio, Wonder Shuttle, has worked with companies such as Shopify, Twilio, and Skillshare, and organizations like the City of Toronto.
He is the editor of The World According to Kanye, which was featured at Hypebeast, The FADER, and Complex. He also hosted Prologue, a video series where recording artists like Ty Dolla $ign, Post Malone, and A$AP Ferg talk about the early days of their creative journeys.
Herbert wanted to create his own platform where he could write online, so he started a blog. Outside of this blog, he has written for The Globe and Mail, Fast Company, TIME, The Huffington Post, Quartz, and several other outlets. Today, thousands of people subscribe to his work on email.
Enjoy this conversation all about the creativity process and the link between creativity and wellbeing.
If you want to learn more about Herbert and his book, you can go to his website at herbertlui.net.
Enjoy!
16 min
July 19, 2022 #20 - Attitude Wins: 11X Ironman Champion Lisa Bentley’s Playbook for Sustainable High Performance
Closing the gap between high ambition and sustainable, fulfilling performance. Lisa helps people replace self-doubt, data-obsession, and perfectionism with mindset skills, simple systems, and repeatable habits that make winning—in sport and life—actually last.
In today’s conversation Lisa Bentley explores how mindset, visualization, and “doing the best with your deck of cards” fueled her rise to 11 IRONMAN titles while living with cystic fibrosis. She breaks down race-week mental rehearsal (Plan A/B/C), chunking the course, and using mantras to keep going when your brain wants an exit. Lisa explains why attitude beats fact, how to trust the “workouts no one sees,” and how to manage tech so it doesn’t manage you. You’ll hear the story behind some of her hardest wins—and how she turned setbacks into a playbook for everyday resilience.
You will learn how to run Lisa’s visualization routine (scenario-planning, assets lists, and mantras), why attitude > fact when pressure spikes, how to use numbers without letting numbers use you, and how to shift from all-or-nothing to “start, notice, adjust.” You’ll also learn how to translate elite endurance lessons into busy, real-life routines—so progress happens even on imperfect days.
You will discover that extraordinary results come from ordinary behaviors—done consistently—guided by a trained mind that has rehearsed adversity in advance. That’s the engine behind Lisa’s wins and her coaching
When life gets noisy, high performers default to perfectionism, self-critique, and device-driven goals. Lisa replaces that loop with clarity, confidence, and controllables—so you can perform at a high level without burning out.
1 hr 1 min
July 12, 2022 #167. Dr. Melissa Piercell on Performance Nutrition
Welcome back!
This week I had an amazing conversation with Dr. Melissa Piercell.
Melissa graduated from The University of Windsor with an honours degree in Neuroscience. She developed her love for holistic wellness and decided to further her education by completing the four-year Naturopathic Doctor program at The Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine.
Melissa currently works in downtown Toronto with her private practice involving the health of professionals and athletes, she's the naturopathic doctor for the National Ballet of Canada, and she is part of our consulting team at Wells Performance.
Melissa has a special interest in motivating her patients to improve their lifestyle by making changes that are long-term and realistic.
Enjoy this conversation all about the latest in performance nutrition and specifically how to eat for brain health and peak performance.
If you have any follow up questions, you can contact Melissa directly at [email protected]. You can also find more information about her and her practice at newleafmed.ca.
14 min
July 12, 2022 #19 - From Broken to Back: Ultraman Champion Tara Norton’s Playbook for Healthy Performance
How to chase big endurance goals after major setbacks—without breaking your body or your life. Tara’s insights turn ambition into sustainable systems: smart load management, flexible mindset tools, and a supportive team culture.
In today’s conversation Tara Norton explores the real mechanics of a comeback—how awareness, flexibility, and small, repeatable habits rebuild world-class durability. She takes us inside Ultraman’s three-day gauntlet and the mindset that carried her through broken bones, fear, and self-doubt. Tara shares how a mental coach rewired her response to panic, why “just start” beats perfect plans, and how community and crew make the hardest races possible. We end with practical ways busy people can train hard and stay healthy.
You will learn how to separate real risk from recycled fear; a simple framework for adjusting plans when niggles appear (shorten, split, or swap); why missing the right workout protects race-day outcomes; how crew and accountability transform ultra goals; and how to carry a personal mantra into training and life.
You will discover that resilience is mostly logistics and honesty: start, notice, adjust, repeat—with a team that keeps you moving when your brain wants an exit.
Ambitious people over-index on willpower and under-index on awareness and recovery. Tara replaces “all-or-nothing” with flexible structure so you can build fitness, confidence, and longevity—at any age.
44 min
July 05, 2022 #166. Michael Landsberg on Sick Not Weak
This week I had an incredible conversation with Michael Landsberg about his Sick Not Weak initiative.
In 2009 Michael shared his then decade long battle with severe depression on Off the Record (the TV show he hosted on TSN). He was stunned to realize that by simply sharing his illness in a totally open way, and using the platforms he had available – that he could change people’s lives- perhaps even save them. With that knowledge, in 2016 he founded (with others of course) #SickNotWeak.
We had an amazing conversation all about shifting our perspective on mental illness.
If you want to learn more about him, you can go to his website at michaellandsberg.ca or sicknotweak.com.
Enjoy!
12 min
July 05, 2022 #18 - Unsinkable: Silken Laumann on Mindset, Mental Health, and the Power of Real Resilience
We normalize overwork and silence around mental health—until something breaks. Silken helps people and organizations replace stigma and “go-it-alone” toughness with honest stories, practical coping skills, and communities that make recovery and resilience possible.
In today’s conversation Silken Laumann explores how mindset, community, and compassionate honesty turn impossible moments into turning points. She revisits her 1992 comeback in Barcelona and the mental health journey that followed, including anxiety, depression, and the decision to ask for help. Silken shares daily practices—breathwork, meditation, and Morning Pages—that stabilize a “big life” of family, speaking, writing, and service. We also dive into Unsinkable, her storytelling platform that helps people move from struggle to hope.
You will learn how a clear purpose and fierce focus can override doubt in acute crises; why mental health exists on a spectrum (not a label) and how to recognize situational vs. chronic patterns; the nuts and bolts of Silken’s morning routine (20 minutes of breath-focused meditation and journaling); and how sharing your story—within a trusted community—can reduce shame and accelerate healing.
You will discover that the same focus that wins medals can also hide pain—and that sustainable strength starts when you tell the truth, ask for help, and practice small daily resets (breathe, notice, write).
When life gets loud—careers, caregiving, travel, expectations—it’s easy to white-knuckle through exhaustion and call it resilience. Silken’s approach replaces stoicism with skills and support so you can keep your edge without losing your health or relationships.
42 min
June 28, 2022 #165. Hamza Khan on Beating Burnout and Building Resilience
This week I had an amazing conversation with leadership and productivity expert Hamza Khan on Sharpen Your Edge Live.
Hamza’s clients have included some of the world’s most dynamic companies and organizations, including Microsoft, PepsiCo, LinkedIn, Deloitte, Salesforce, TikTok, and over 100 colleges & universities, His insights have been featured by notable media outlets such as VICE, Business Insider, and The Globe and Mail. He is also the author of Amazon bestseller “The Burnout Gamble: Achieve More by Beating Burnout and Building Resilience.”
As an educator, he is currently a top-ranked instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University, teaching courses on marketing & communication. As the Co-Founder of SkillsCamp, a leading soft skills training company, Hamza is on a mission to empower organizations to thrive in the future of work. From Fortune 500 boardrooms to international conferences, Hamza regularly shares actionable insights on the topics of leadership, resilience, and productivity.
In this conversation we talk about burnout, reimagining the future of work and the importance of recharging without feeling guilty.
If you want to learn more about him, you can go to his website at hamzakhan.ca.
Enjoy!
18 min
June 28, 2022 #17 - Food First: Leslie Beck on Evidence-Based Healthy Eating
Cutting through nutrition confusion to deliver evidence-based, sustainable eating plans that improve gut, brain, and cardiometabolic health. As a clinician and columnist, she translates fast-moving science (IBS/FODMAP, anti-inflammatory diets, chrono-nutrition) into practical plans people can stick with.
In today’s conversation Leslie Beck explores how to build a realistic, sustainable way of eating—one that supports mental health, sleep, and digestion. We unpack the research linking dietary patterns to depression (including the SMILES trial), clarify what low-FODMAP really means for IBS, and separate “food first” from when supplements make sense. Leslie explains why Mediterranean and plant-forward diets remain gold-standard patterns and how planning, batch-cooking, and accountability make change stick. We also touch coconut oil myths, probiotics, microbiome testing, and the surprising nutrition–sleep connection.
You will learn how a clinician structures individualized plans at Medcan and why simple organization beats complicated rules; what “low-FODMAP” is (and isn’t) for IBS; how anti-inflammatory, Mediterranean, and plant-forward diets support brain and body; when “food first” is enough and when to consider vitamin D, B12, omega-3s; and how caffeine timing, heavy evening meals, and reflux can erode sleep quality.
You will discover that most people don’t need a perfect diet—they need a doable one: plant-forward, minimally processed, planned ahead, and repeated consistently. Small, sustainable behaviors compound into major health gains.
Endless nutrition headlines create paralysis and short-term hacks. Leslie replaces noise with evidence-based patterns (Mediterranean, plant-forward), clear IBS protocols (low-FODMAP), and practical systems (planning, accountability) so healthy eating finally sticks.
40 min