Everyone’s health journey is different. Some are at the beginning stages, while others have been on their health journey for many months, years, or decades. Regardless of where you are on your journey, one thing remains constant across all individuals – dedication. Every day you have to make the conscious choice to put in the effort. Health doesn’t happen by accident. It is an intentional pursuit that requires dedication to the vision you have created for yourself and your life.

What are essential oils, and how do they impact health? Essential oils are concentrated natural extracts derived from plants, and they have been used since the beginning of human history for different purposes. Tune in to learn how essential oils can be used to positively impact your health – including calming your nervous system and optimizing your sleep.

In this episode, we share some of the audio from a past workshop called “Sleep from A to Zzzzzz”. Dr. Andrea covers how sleep affects the brain + body and the three sleep systems that work to impact your sleep quality. To get the most up-to-date information on the free virtual workshops we'll be hosting in 2021, join our email list by visiting www.brainshape.ca/email.

Exercise has a powerful impact on the health of your brain. While aerobic and resistance training are important for brain health, there is a third category that is less talked about, but extremely valuable. Neuro-motor activity is movement that incorporates both cognitive and physical stimulation. Tune in to learn what neuro-motor activities are and how to incorporate them into your everyday life. We'll also be covering the brain boosting health benefits of exercise in general.

In this episode, we are sharing the audio from a Gracefully Greying interview where Dr. Andrea Wilkinson shares her story, the evolution of the BrainShape.ca platform, and the four key pillars of brain health. Gracefully Greying is a comprehensive resource hub for a variety of issues relevant to individuals as they age. Topics covered on the Gracefully Greying platform include legal, medical, social, economic, psychological and lifestyle.

Caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia has many challenges, but there are also some surprising joys. Managing your perspective and maintaining a positive mindset can have a tremendous impact on your experience as a caregiver. If you are presently caregiving for a loved one with Alzheimer’s disease (or another type of dementia), tune in to gain some important insights, tools, and perspective shifts that you can use to help navigate the journey.

To celebrate our 100th episode, I am going to be sharing some of my favourite moments from the last year. I hope that you enjoy this year in review episode. If you hear a clip from an old episode that piques your interest, I hope you decide to go back into our show archives and listen to the full episode.

Changing your perspective & moving through pain + discomfort is not easy. For many people, their pain is buried so deep in their subconscious that they don't even realize it's there. But, they witness their pain showing up whenever they get triggered or feel overwhelmed. As humans, we have become accustomed to numbing out unpleasant feelings; but, beauty + peace can bloom on the other side of pain. When we have the courage to face the darkness buried deep inside, we can find new meaning in our lives.

Sexuality is a core feature of the human experience. It should be celebrated as a positive part of life and treated with respect and care across the entire lifespan. Our guest, Dr. Melanie Davis, is on a mission to transform people’s lives through sexuality education. She helps people feel more confident and empowered in their right to sexual pleasure and sexual expression.

In this episode, we share some of the audio from a past workshop called “Eat your Way to Wellness”. We cover the vital role your gut health plays in your overall well-being and how to eat for optimal health (brain + body). To learn more about our free monthly workshops on various topics related to brain health, join our email list by visiting www.brainshape.ca/email.

In this episode, we share some of the audio from a past workshop called “Create a Restful Mind + Restored Body.” We cover how stress affects the brain + body and strategies you can use to help change your relationship with stress. To learn more about our free monthly workshops on various topics related to brain health, join our email list by visiting www.brainshape.ca/email.

The year 2020 has been challenging for too many reasons to count. As humans, we have had to adjust to a different type of reality. In addition to forcing us into new ways of living, working, and connecting with our family + friends, 2020 has also created a lot of fear and anxiety in many of us. Fear is the appraisal of danger and anxiety is the unpleasant feeling or state that is evoked when fear is stimulated. Tune in to learn more about fear and effective management strategies.

For the most part, you breathe without conscious awareness. But, when you bring conscious awareness to your breath, you can open new avenues of communication with yourself. Intentional breathing is the foundation of growth, connection, healing + transformation. Your breath has the power to give you access to a deeper part of your existence. Breathwork is a practice of using the breath to create the space to ‘feel’, to respond instead of react, to notice instead of numb, and connect instead of distract.

Mindfulness + meditation are about creating tranquillity + calm within yourself, so you can fully show up for yourself, the people around you, and your life. Mindfulness + meditation refines your ability to stay focused in the present moment. We spend a lot of mental energy thinking about the past or worrying about the future. We have a difficult time being grounded in the here + now. Mindfulness + meditation give you access to yourself - right now, and your ability to be present offers numerous gifts.

This is the conclusion of our two-part series on gut health. We’ll be talking about how sleep affects the health of your gut, various gastrointestinal illnesses, and you’ll be also be introduced to the True Wellness Approach to health. In this two-part series, we talk about how the health of your gut affects your overall well-being, the role your microbiome and circadian rhythm play in keeping your gut healthy, and you'll also learn about the True Wellness Approach to health. Tune in for Part 2!

This is part 1 of a two-part series on gut health. You’ll learn why gut health is so important and gain an understanding of the critical role a diverse microbiome plays in your overall health. In this two-part series, we’ll be talking about how the health of your gut affects your overall well-being, the role your microbiome and circadian rhythm play in keeping your gut healthy, and you’ll also learn about the True Wellness Approach to health. Tune in for Part 1!

The Brain Vitality Blueprint (BvB) is Dr. Andrea Wilkinson’s 90-day signature methodology that teaches you how to craft your lifestyle + mindset so that you can show up in the second phase of your life with physical energy + mental vibrancy. In this episode, a past BvB client joins us to share her experiences working with Dr. Andrea 1-on-1 inside the Brain Vitality Blueprint (BvB), the struggles she faced before enrolling in the program, and her biggest takeaways. If you’re curious about the BvB, and are wondering if this program is for you, then be sure to tune in to this episode to get all of the details!

Whether you’re taking care of your own health or helping a family member or loved one with theirs, there are many tools that are available to help support your healthcare journey. Lumino Health is a healthcare platform that connects people with experts, resources, and virtual offerings that suit their needs and can help optimize well-being. Tune in to learn more!

There are great variations in life expectancy between different parts of the world; but, the global average of human life expectancy is higher today than it was in any country in 1950. What "aging well" means is different today than it has been at any other point in human history. As a society, we’re moving away from conceptualizing aging from a perspective of decline, and when discussing "life span", the focus is no longer fixated on adding years to life but instead adding life to our years.

The importance of gut health to your overall health and well-being cannot be overstated. There is a literal connection between your gut and brain via the vagus nerve. Your vagus nerve is like a highway between your central nervous system (including your brain) and your organs (such as your heart, lungs, spleen, liver, intestines, etc.). Your mood and well-being are directly impacted by the microbiome in your gut. What is happening in your gut influences the gut itself, as well as the entire body + brain.