Welcome to this episode of The Tonic, terrestrially broadcast on March 29 and 30, 2025 on AM740 and FM 96.7 in Toronto. Topics covered on the show track the lifestyle articles and themes published in The Tonic Newsletter and on the Tonic Website. We’ll discuss biomarkers and your health with Nurse Practitioner Tanya ter Keurs, chef approved kitchen gadgets with tastemaker Brigitte Foisy, current research into food as medicine with wellness researcher Dr. Charles Platkin PhD, and managing political stress with author Dr. Greg Hammer MD.

We specifically discuss:

Biomarkers and Your Health

  • The importance of preventative health
  • What is a biomarker?
  • Predisposition to bone density issues
  • Access to primary care
  • Why do we have poor health?
  • How do we improve quality of life?
  • Healthspan vs. lifespan
  • Common biomarker testing surprises
  • The health impacts of alcohol
  • Getting biomarker testing

 

Chef Approved Kitchen Gadgets

  • Jamie’s top gadgets: tongs, microplane, mandoline, meat thermometer, cooking shears
  • Brigitte’s essentials: high quality knives, pots and pans
  • Avoid carbon steel knives
  • You only need 3 knives: chef, boning or pairing and serrated
  • Meat thermometer

 

Research into Food as Medicine

  • Severe cuts to biomedical research
  • Consequences of research cuts
  • Paternal diet
  • Melatonin, Sleep and DNA repair

 

Managing Political Stress

  • What happens when political norms are upended?
  • What chronic stress does to us
  • GAIN – 4 pillars of resilience and happiness
  • The negativity bias
  • Letting go of judgments
  • Why are people acting the way they do?
  • Implementing GAIN
  • How can we be more resilient?

 

TO SIGN UP FOR THE TONIC NEWSLETTER GO HERE

 

To learn more about Tanya ter Keurs NP go here

To learn more about Brigitte Foisy go here

To learn more about Dr. Charles Platkin PhD go here

To learn more about Dr. Greg Hammer MD go here