The start of a new year is a great time to seek out podcasts that will help inspire and motivate you in the months to come, no matter whether you’re focusing on one aspect of your health or just want fun and interesting content to keep you going on your next walk or road trip.

We’ve compiled a list of seven podcasts to add into your rotation, covering healthy living, meditation, brain and mental health, nutrition, fitness, and living with chronic illness.

Please note that a podcast does not substitute a conversation with your family doctor or other primary health-care provider. Always consult them first before making a big change or starting something new with your health. They know you best and can help steer you in the right direction.

Food, We Need to Talk
Are probiotics a waste of money? Can taking vitamins “fix” a diet empty of fruit and veggies? Why have women’s health concerns been ignored for so long? Food, We Need to Talk has the answers. Co-hosts Juna Gjata and Dr. Edward M. Phillips discuss the science behind nutrition, stress, exercise, sleep and more. Recent episodes cover the microbiome, the importance of fibre, using exercise to treat depression, as well as a special series on women’s health, covering topics such as menopause and periods.

Defy Dementia
Co-hosts Jay Ingram and Dr. Allison Sekuler share tips and advice on how to cut your risk of dementia and safeguard brain health as you age. Defy Dementia explores the role fitness, food and social connection play in keeping your brain healthy, with insights from people with lived experience, such as Ernestine Shepherd, AKA “Granny Six Pack,” an octogenarian in Baltimore who is the world’s oldest female competitive body builder.

Dear Therapists
Advice columnists and clinical therapists Guy Winch and Lori Gottlieb help regular people navigate tricky personal challenges, rocky family relationships and much more. Listeners become a fly-on-the-wall during these frank sessions. The co-hosts offer concrete advice and suggestions, with the participants reporting back to share how things went after the session ended.

The Mindful Minute
Ideal for people dipping their toes into meditation and mindfulness, The Mindful Minute is the brainchild of Meryl Arnett, a meditation teacher and trainer. She offers practical tips and guidance from her own practice to help make meditation accessible and enjoyable. Most episodes include a brief discussion followed by a guided, twenty-minute meditation. Recent sessions include a special four-part series on handling grief and anxiety.

Sickboy
Produced in Halifax since 2015, Sickboy is dedicated to breaking down the stigma of illness and disease. Hosts (and best friends) Jeremie Saunders, Brian Stever and Taylor MacGillivary tackle health taboos by chatting with people who have lived experiences. Recent episodes cover dating with a disability, dealing with intergenerational family trauma and living long-term with Stage IV breast cancer.

Nutrition Conversations
Created by the Canadian Nutrition Society, Nutrition Conversations explores the latest research on health and nutrition, and the role food plays in our lives. Guest experts from across the country discuss a range of topics, including dietary patterns, sports nutrition, food insecurity and food sustainability. In the latest episodes, learn about the link between nutrition and osteoporosis and the role fatty acids play in brain health.

Maintenance Phase
Maintenance Phase prides itself in “debunking the junk science beyond health fads, wellness scams and nonsensical nutrition advice.” The podcasts explore controversial and complex topics in a thoughtful and accessible way. In recent episodes, co-hosts Aubrey Gordon and Michael Hobbes unpack trends in diet culture, including using the drug Ozempic for weight loss, the myth of 10,000 steps and much more.

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