This episode is hosted by Dr. Anna Gunz, with guest Dr. Melissa Lem

Climate change is not a distant forecast, it’s already shaping symptoms, stress, and risk in the people we care for. In this episode, Dr. Anna Gunz talks with family physician and researcher Dr. Melissa Lem about what it means to practice medicine where planetary health is part of primary care and why prevention has to include the environment patients live in.

Dr. Lem shares her journey from a love of the outdoors to rural medicine and how a “nature deficit” in urban practice pushed her to dig into the research on green space and health. We explore the development of the nature prescription program (PaRx) and how this can improve stress, mood, and overall well-being.

If you’ve been looking for a hopeful, actionable take on climate change and health, this conversation delivers. Subscribe, share this with a colleague, and check out the PaRx program at the link below.

https://www.parkprescriptions.ca/

Recording Date: 2023-07-31

Episode Production & Management Team:
Jakob Wilk, Emma Cornell, Abby Walker, Olivia D'Andrea Brooks, Emily Douglas, Danielle Pineda, Amaan Thawer, and Mariah Peters

Show Artwork: Laney Beaulieu

This episode is hosted by Dr. Anna Gunz, with guest Dr. Ingrid Waldron (Part 3)

Dr. Waldron emphasizes education to dismantle systemic racism, noting how Western-centric systems - like Canadian healthcare - marginalize communities. While privileged groups may struggle to grasp these lived experiences, she believes empathy and tolerance are crucial bridges to driving progress.

Dr. Waldron shares her belief that people with privilege may struggle to fully comprehend the challenges faced by marginalized communities. However, empathy and tolerance are crucial in helping these individuals understand issues such as racism or disability.

Recording Date: 2024-11-22

Episode Production & Management Team:

Jakob Wilk, Emma Cornell, Abby Walker, Olivia D'Andrea Brooks, Emily Douglas, Danielle Pineda, Mariah Peters, and Amaan Thawer

Show Artwork:

Laney Beaulieu

This episode is hosted by Dr. Anna Gunz, with guest Dr. Ingrid Waldron (Part 2)

This episode covers Bill C-226, Canada’s first environmental justice law, which Dr. Waldron co-developed to create structural solutions to environmental racism. We break down how environmental racism drives poor health outcomes, looking at how factors like toxic air quality and climate change disproportionately harm marginalized communities.

Dr. Waldron gives us a preview of her upcoming book, which explores the heavy intersection of race, mental health, and colonial history. She tackles head-on the systemic misdiagnosis of Black individuals in psychiatric settings, as well as the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health in Black communities.

Recording Date: 2024-11-22

Episode Production & Management Team:

Jakob Wilk, Emma Cornell, Abby Walker, Olivia D'Andrea Brooks, Emily Douglas, Danielle Pineda, Amaan Thawer, and Mariah Peters

Show Artwork:

Laney Beaulieu