(w)healthy

He’s not your stereotypical heart patient, he’s an active, young, and healthy physiotherapist who eats well and is married to a dietician. Still, he experienced a major cardiac event after a mountain bike ride when he was just 40 years old.

In this episode of (w)healthy, we sit down with Dan Colbeck to hear what it felt like and the events that led up to the heart surgery at KGH that saved his life. We explore prevention, the importance of screening, cholesterol types, what makes a healthy community, and how genetic heart disease effects families. This insightful episode is key for anyone wanting to learn more about improving their heart health and overall wellbeing.   

Read more about Dan Colbeck’s story and SAVE BC at www.kghfoundation.com/matters-of-the-heart. 

Ageing is inevitable, but there are ways to combat cognitive decline at any age. In this episode of (w)healthy, we hear from Dr. Daryl Wile, Neurologist, and founder of the Humphreys Family Movement Disorder Clinic. From understanding the complexities of Parkinson’s disease to exploring the effects of brain fog, smartphone use, and the critical roles of sleep and stress, Dr. Wile provides valuable insights and tips to maintain cognitive vitality. Tune in for a deep dive into the science of neurodegenerative disorders and discover strategies to help your brain thrive. 

Dr. Wile is determined to create a system of care for those with Parkinson’s and movement disorders in the Interior of BC. His innovative work has helped establish Kelowna as a centre for excellence in brain health, and recently inspired a $1 million donation to Kelowna’s Movement Disorder Clinic. Hear from the Doctor working to grow neurology services in the BC Interior. 

Learn more about local exercise and activities, support groups, resources, and more at www.okmove.ca/resources.  

Learn more about Kelowna’s Humphreys Family Movement Disorder Clinic at www.okmove.ca.

Your mother’s menopause doesn't have to be your menopause. Women will spend decades in perimenopause and menopause, but the research and conversation surrounding these topics is minimal. Jenn Pike, a leading expert in holistic health and advocate for women’s wellness, is determined to change this. 

In this episode, Jenn Pike shares her knowledge as a Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, Certified Yoga & Pilates Instructor, Medical Exercise Specialist, and best-selling author. Learn simple science-based strategies to help women optimize their health so they can navigate this window of time with grace and optimal health. We dive into the importance of holistic health, weight loss myths, and the importance of listening to your body. 

Visit Jenn Pike’s website focused on women’s health and hormones at www.jennpike.com.  

You can also listen to her podcast ‘The Simplicity Sessions’ to learn more about how women can optimize their health, hormones and more. 

‘It’s not the mountain we conquer, it’s ourselves.’ In this episode of (w)healthy, Emergency Room Physician Dr. Neil Long shares his inspiring take on failure and tackling wicked problems in health care. We explore the importance of innovation and partnerships, his ideas for managing the burnout crisis, and how he fell into becoming a doctor. From conquering Everest, to planting the seeds to bring the second cadaver lab in Canada here to Kelowna, we sit down with the doctor who’s challenging the status quo.

Learn more about Kelowna’s Body Donor Lab at www.kghfoundation.com/health-systems-innovation/

Curious what really happens during a ketamine therapy session? In this eye-opening episode of (w)healthy, Dr. Anita Sanan explains the safety measures, fears, and overwhelming evidence surrounding ketamine therapy. As the Medical Director at the pioneering EntheoMed Ketamine Therapy & Wellness Clinic, and an experienced Anesthesiologist at KGH, Dr. Sanan sheds light on this emerging area of treatment. She explains the differences between recreational and therapeutic use, k holes, the 70% success rate in those with depression, and how exactly her sessions work. Join us as we dissect the controversy sparked by recent events and delve into the profound, positive impacts of psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Learn more about Kelowna’s Ketamine clinic at https://entheomed.ca.

In this episode of (w)healthy, we explore radiology, gratitude, work-family balance, and how Endovascular Thrombectomy (EVT) is changing the game in health care. Dr. Nevin De Korompay is an Interventional Radiologist who supported the Foundations fundraising efforts to bring EVT therapy to KGH and is now the Head of Radiology. He talks about the satisfaction of successfully pulling a deadly clot out of a patient's brain, and how rewarding it is when you run into them living their lives to the fullest afterwards.

Learn more about EVT at Kelowna General Hospital at www.kghfoundation.com/stroke-campaign-close/

Hear how one woman is turning the tide on youth homelessness. Our youth are facing a multitude of challenges, but Sarah Mackinnon is on a mission to flip the script! Tune in to (w)healthy to hear from the Vice President of Youth and Family at BGC Okanagan, who brought a community program tackling youth homelessness from Australia to Kelowna. Upstream is a groundbreaking and award-winning program that supports local youth facing multiple barriers to resiliency. We dive into the main areas of risk, the incredible power of partnerships, the emotional toll of caring so deeply, and why supporting our youth’s support systems is so vital.  

Learn more about how Upstream contributing to a healthier next generation at www.bgco.ca/upstream 

When it comes to acute care, your health outcome is important. But increasingly, health care leaders like Dr. Devin Harris are advocating for more when it comes to measuring the success of our health care system. Dr. Harris is the Executive Medical Director of Quality, Engagement and Research for Interior Health. He explains why your experience in hospital matters more than ever. From hospital ‘secret’ shoppers, to workplace wellness initiatives for health care staff, and the role that we all should have in informing the care we receive, it’s a fascinating episode that helps pull back the curtain on what’s being done to change how we support patients in our community.

Learn more about Dr. Harris’s background and role at https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2019HLTH0133-001873.

Before we learn why 80% of strokes are preventable, we explore topics such as the escalation of misinformation, knowledge keepers, and community representation.  

In this episode of (w)healthy, Dr. Aleks Tkach shares how to prevent and notice strokes, and how every moment matters. He also discusses the power of listening to community, innovations in stroke care, and the simplicity of healthy lifestyle changes. Learn about brain health from the Neurologist cowboy who’s working to radically advance stroke care in the interior of BC and beyond.  

See how endovascular therapy is helping stroke patients at KGH by watching Michelle Linekin’s story on Global News at https://globalnews.ca/news/9898572/okanagan-stroke-patients-endovascular-therapy/. 

We all know sleep is important - but in this episode of (w)healthy, sleep expert Dr. Ron Cridland sheds light on just how vital good sleep is for conditions above and beyond insomnia or sleep apnea. With more than half of the population suffering from sleep disorders, many of us don’t even realize we are sleeping poorly. Dr. Cridland, who was awarded the first publicly funded, private sleep lab in western Canada, takes a deep dive into why so many people are struggling with sleep, what impacts sleep, and how you can take control and sleep well. 

Learn more about sleep health and sleep disorders at www.goodsleephealth.ca  

View Dr. Ron Cridland’s sleep clinics at www.thesleepclinics.ca