Well Now is a podcast featuring conversations with doctors, wellness experts, and healers of all kinds, that help you find your way from basic health to empowered personal wellness. Fuelled by a desire to help us all achieve health and wellness, Well Now is never prescriptive and always empathetic. On each episode, we open a dialogue about what it means to be well, and how that meaning is different for each one of us. Health and wellness practitioners of all kinds weigh in with their thoughts on treatment solutions, and – more importantly – the root causes of disease. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

A revealing story about one woman’s lifetime of pain, and new advancements in the treatment options for chronic inflammation. A journalist and a stem cell researcher talk about the causes and outcomes of chronic inflammation. Listen to one woman’s story of child abuse and how it may have led to a lifetime of rheumatoid arthritis, which sheds light on the mind-body connection.   For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

We are overworked, overstimulated, overexerted, and yet still think we’re underperforming. We hear a woman’s life-long experience with anxiety, and from an Integrative MD and a Researcher on remedies, treatments and acceptance. The conversation explores ideas like the balance of 'lightness' and 'darkness' in our lives; the experiencing of becoming dependent on anti-anxiety medication; how the pathway to healing can be found by understanding our own view of the world around us.  For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

How psychological is chronic fatigue and why are women more likely to be diagnosed with it? An MD and a patient weigh in on what it feels like, and who is getting treatment for it. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

What has to come together to support true, lasting recovery from a cancer diagnosis? One woman shares what she has learned through conventional and alternative approaches. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

What's worse than UTIs? The negative side effects of antibiotics that aren't treating the root cause of the infection. Hear how one woman changed her approach to her health after learning about the role our hormones play, and the perspective of a sex health nurse. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

How Fiona, Saje Wellness Educator and Well Now Producer, chose to navigate her care options within a system that treats pregnancy, birth and parenthood as a medical concern first, and a life event second. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

For season two, we asked ourselves: how can we move beyond illness, and closer to wellness? To answer this, we went back to the basics of what ‘integrative health’ really means. In the next six episodes, we unpack the idea that your overall health has a lot to do with the health of certain key relationships in your life. For example, how well do you get along with your doctor? What’s your attitude towards the food you eat? How do you feel about the environment where you spend most of your time? And just as importantly, how would you rate your relationship with yourself? Our guests give us a glimpse into what life is like for them: from their struggles all the way through to the way they define wellness today. Their vulnerability and their willingness to share their story are really what define this podcast: we can all benefit when we share our journeys and connect with the healing power of storytelling.

Have you put your doctor on a pedestal? Why your health could depend on recognizing that doctors are people, too. We hear from a cancer doctor who learned the power of empathy after her own cancer diagnosis, a patient advocate, and a couple whose daughter’s near-fatal illness was “missed” by several experts. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

What has your food done for you lately? Why your relationship with food and your gut matters to your health in ways we’re just beginning to understand. Meet a life coach who reveals her ‘secret’ eating disorder, and author whose panic attacks helped him overcome obesity, a scientist who researches how rewiring your gut can change your brain, and a dietitian who’s on a mission to make healthy eating an integrated part of your life. For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

What are you here to do?  How finding out why you are here is the best gift you can give yourself -- and the world. Meet a psychologist whose journey through addiction led him to help others in need, a man who is healing his community through urban farming, and a woman who’s learned a few things about living with purpose from a beehive. Click here for show notes. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Are you holding on to past stress? How the effects of stress and trauma on the mind and body may be more than meets the eye. Meet an artist who broke her back and supported her healing with sound, a doctor who studies how stress affects the next generation, and an expert in forest bathing who describes the healing benefits of being surrounded by nature. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Nature: are you getting any? How the plant world can help heal those hard-to-reach, emotional places. Meet a US military veteran who healed his PTSD with nature therapy, an environmental expert on how being outside can have profound benefits on our health and wellness, and an author on rethinking our relationship with the wild. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Do you know who you are, or just who others think you are? How getting to know yourself better can make you more resilient to all of life’s challenges. Meet a Zen Buddhist scholar who turned to meditation when his sense of self was threatened by disease, a yogi whose practice has brought her deeper into a connection with herself, and a man with cystic fibrosis who says illness doesn’t need to define who you are. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness  

Lauren lost her left eye and hand in a tragic accident, but she didn’t lose herself. Hear her story of loss, recovery and realizing the true meaning of beauty. In this bonus episode with fashion blogger and bestselling author Lauren Scruggs Kennedy, we hear her journey from a promising career in New York’s fashion industry to recovering from a disfiguring accident and discovering more about herself in the process.

This is Well Now, a podcast about integrative health and what it means to be well, powered by Saje Natural Wellness. We're in the midst of creating some new episodes, with another full lineup of inspiring guests sharing their expertise and their personal wellness journeys.  Between now and then, and when we’re not in studio, we’ll be reading some books and listening to some other podcasts. Here’s what we’ve got on our list:  On Being is a podcast with Krista Tippett that never fails to give me something new to think about. If you haven’t been diving deep into the archives of this amazing podcast, now might be exactly the right time to do just that. The team describes their work as “animating questions at the center of human life: What does it mean to be human, and how do we want to live? Big questions, for sure, and all worth exploring. Womed is a brand-new health podcast, created by two nurses, both named Danielle with a passion for self-care, mental health, emerging healthcare trends, and basically anything to do with how to stay well. Their show delivers some serious information, but not at the expense of humour.  The Overstory, by Richard Powers is mostly about trees, but is also about the smallness of our own human lives, and challenges our idea of time. It’s written in a style that is meant to emulate the growth rings of a tree, with concentric stories that loop back on each other.  For a more practical but no less inspiring read, check out the new book by wellness expert Tori Holmes called Beauty Water. Tori shares a story about her epic adventure across the Atlantic, and the price she paid with her own health after she reached the other shore --  all within a book filled with what she calls ‘elixirs’. And hint: you may be hearing more from her on an upcoming episode of Well Now. To receive the latest episodes as soon as they are available, make sure you're subscribed to Well Now in your favourite podcast app.

Plant medicine has been around for millennia, but most of us don’t know what’s growing in our own backyard. Hear from renowned herbalist, Rosemary Gladstar on how we can all start using plants as medicine, and psychology professor, Dr. Kenneth Craig on the psychology of pain in the body. Both share their expertise and their passion for learning how to take care of ourselves and others. Explored in this episode Medicinal plants that can support more sleep and less pain The history of herbalism, from a valued family tradition to modern healing method How plant medicine can support our bodies through pain and recovery The special and ancient relationship between humans and plants Exploring the difference between pain tolerance and pain threshold How we as human beings communicate our pain, even without words Why children are more likely to cry if someone is watching For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Crossing an ocean is life-changing and full of painful experiences, but what you find on the other shore might be even more challenging to overcome. Hear from wellness entrepreneur, Tori Holmes about her journey across the ocean and through her pain, and from Dr. Josh Axe on how we can use our diet to address pain in the body. Explored in this episode: What it takes to be the youngest female to row across the Atlantic ocean Navigating through different healing modalities with a breast cancer diagnosis The different types of pain we can experience: physical, mental and spiritual Exploring how inflammation happens in the body How anti-Inflammatory foods can support with pain management and healing   For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Pain in our gut isn’t something we like to talk about, but ignoring what our body is telling us won’t make the pain go away. Hear from Saje's own Chief of Brand and Innovation, Kiara LeBlanc about her journey with ulcerative colitis, and from functional medicine expert, Dr. Ashley Riskin.  Explored in this episode:  What ulcerative colitis feels like The definition of functional medicine How a functional medicine approach differs from an allopathic (Western) medicine approach The importance of the gut microbiome, and how much more there is to learn about it How important acceptance can be to our recovery and our wellness For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

How do Olympic athletes continue competing, even after injuries that would keep most of us on the couch? And how can they truly heal their bodies? The answer may be the opposite of what you think. Hear from former Olympic Snowboarder and Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor about what she's learned about how to deal with pain in the body, as well as Dr. Kenneth Craig, a celebrated pain researcher on pain threshold, pain tolerance, and how athletes are able to push through pain to get to the podium.  Explored in this episode:  One woman’s journey from Olympic snowboarding to Traditional Chinese Medicine School The connection between mind and body, and how that relates to experiences of pain What it takes to “push” through pain to reach the podium The difference between physical and mental pain  How acupuncture works to support the body’s healing The Chinese medicine approach to applying cold and heat to injury For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness  

Sleep can be hard to come by, especially during life transitions. Whether you’re a rock star or a college freshman, changing your perspective can help you get the rest you need. Hear from a celebrated punk rocker, Bif Naked, and her thoughts on getting sleep both on tour and after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, and college wellness expert, Kris Mereigh on how a lack of sleep can impact your success on many levels.  Explored in this episode Prioritizing rest during life transitions, including after a breast cancer diagnosis Recovering from breast cancer treatment Understanding the key to personal acceptance The power of customizing our wellness rituals to serve our schedules The effects of sleep deprivation on young people in college settings How the pressures of a new environment and a loss of community can impact our sleep The concept of wholeness as a more accessible way to define wellness for everyone For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Advice to new parents: “Sleep now because you’ll never sleep again”. But does that need to be true? Hear from three mothers on their experience helping little ones—and themselves—sleep. Hear from a new mother on how the first year of parenthood has affected her sleep, a woman who navigated many life pressures during the early years of raising her children (including launching her sleepwear brand, Lunya), and a psychologist whose passion for helping people sleep started during her own parenthood journey.  Explored in this episode Exploring the avenues of Gentle Sleep Training for our children How sleep deprivation impacts a new parent Strategies for developing healthy sleep habits For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness

Sometimes your own thought patterns can keep you from moving forward with intention. When that happens, getting outside and putting one foot in front of the other might help you move forward. Hear Well Now host, Meghann as she goes on a walk with Daniel Maté to help move beyond some limiting thoughts. Explored in this episode Moving through the state of feeling “stuck” The benefits of nature on our physical and emotional well-being Growing into a healthy mindfulness mindset The power of the words you choose to describe yourself and your state of mind For show notes, click here. Powered by Saje Natural Wellness