Episode 117: Powering Your Complex Brain with Dr. Aleksandra Pikula

Episode 118: Sustainable Nutrition in a Changing World with Dr. Vasanti Malik

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Dr. Vasanti Malik to discuss sustainable, healthy diets and environmental impacts.  Dr. Vasanti Malik is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Toronto and holds a Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Nutrition and Chronic Disease Prevention. She also serves as an adjunct faculty member at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Malik earned her MSc in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Toronto and a dual doctorate in Nutrition and Epidemiology from Harvard, where she also completed postdoctoral training. Her research focuses on dietary and lifestyle determinants of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases across diverse populations and life stages, with additional expertise in environmental sustainability and food systems. Using epidemiological studies, clinical trials, and evidence synthesis, she has published more than 150 peer-reviewed papers that have informed dietary guidelines and health policy internationally. Dr. Malik has contributed to expert advisory initiatives with organizations including World Health Organization and American Heart Association, and collaborates on global nutrition and chronic disease prevention research in Canada, the United States, and internationally. Website Dr. Vasanti Malik: https://nutrisci.med.utoronto.ca/faculty/vasanti-malik Resources: TOsustain: https://utsc.utoronto.ca/foodandfarm/tosustain [https://utsc.utoronto.ca/foodandfarm/tosustain] TMU Urban Farm: https://www.torontomu.ca/sciencerendezvous/activity-booths/urbanfarm/ [https://www.torontomu.ca/sciencerendezvous/activity-booths/urbanfarm/] Lancet Planetary Health Abstract: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38632913/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38632913/]  Diabetes & Community Gardens: https://healthypopulationsnetwork.utoronto.ca/news/catalyst-grants-fund-projects-aimed-reducing-type-2-diabetes-risk-peel-region [https://healthypopulationsnetwork.utoronto.ca/news/catalyst-grants-fund-projects-aimed-reducing-type-2-diabetes-risk-peel-region]  Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/?hl=en]  (@plantbasedcanadaorg) Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/] (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/) Website [https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/]  (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/ [https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/]) X / Twitter @PBC_org Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  This episode was hosted by Stephanie Nishi RD, PhD. Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pbcpodcast]

Episode 117: Powering Your Complex Brain with Dr. Aleksandra Pikula

Dr. Aleksandra Pikula is quadruple board-certified in Medicine, Neurology, Vascular Neurology, and Lifestyle Medicine… with Neurology and Vascular Neurology Fellowship and postdoctoral training at Boston University, Harvard University, and the Framingham Heart Study. Dr. Pikula holds a status of an Associate Professor of Medicine, a Clinician-Investigator, and Co-Director of the Women’s Neurology Fellowship Program at the University of Toronto. Since 2023, she had been appointed as the Inaugural Jay & Sari Sonshine Chair in Stroke Prevention and Cerebrovascular Brain Health at the University of Toronto, University Health Network, and Krembil Brain Institute… and serves as the founding director of the Jay and Sari Sonshine Centre at UHN. Her clinical and research focus is on stroke prevention and outcomes in younger adults, particularly emphasizing women’s brain health during midlife. Dr. Pikula advocates for a holistic approach to brain care, targeting stroke and dementia prevention through evidence-based lifestyle medicine programs. Plant-Based Canada was also privileged to feature her as a speaker for our 2026 Conference, where she discussed plant-forward nutrition for the brain across the lifespan. That talk will be available to participants for three months. RESOURCES  Through HER Prism [https://herprism.co/?fbclid=IwY2xjawSRKxpleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFTaFJ0RFI0bjZSR1RaWVNDc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHoPnrF6melT_sEY7A6dkyL7useIBEYannNyYbhzqSuXbSIkEHDn4DJQ0YPMZ_aem_xc_-S3IALBfK06H-hQGR7g]  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/aleksandra.pikula/]  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/aleksandra_pikula_m.d/]  Linkedin [https://www.linkedin.com/in/aleksandra-pikula-md-dipabpn-dipablm-16aa2468?trk=article-ssr-frontend-newsletters&originalSubdomain=ca]  Framingham Heart Study  [https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/science/framingham-heart-study-fhs] Jay and Sari Sonshine Centre [https://www.uhn.ca/Krembil/JSS/Pages/Team.aspx]  Women’s Neurology Fellowship Program at the U of T [https://deptmedicine.utoronto.ca/event/neurology-grand-rounds-dr-aleksandra-pikula]  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pbcpodcast]

Episode 116: Weeding Through the Seed Oil Misinformation with Dr. Matthew Nagra

Dr. Matthew Nagra makes his fourth appearance on the podcast. And this time he’s laser-focused on the social media-driven controversy around seed oils.  Dr. Nagra and his team put in the hours and reviewed the science around seed oils, examining three main, viral claims we bust down in this episode, including:   1.     “Seed oils cause inflammation”,  2.     “The RCTs prove harm”,  3.     And “Heating or processing creates toxic compounds”.  Dr. Nagra is a Naturopathic Doctor devoted to bringing the most up-to-date, evidence-based nutrition information to his patients in his Vancouver-based practice, and to the public via social media, presentations, and scientific publications. He aims to correct mis- and disinformation in a way that is easily digestible, helping people make fully informed dietary choices.  He has also contributed to multiple nutrition textbooks, including Springer Nature's Handbook of Public Health Nutrition, and is a nutrition science advisor for the highly anticipated documentary, The Game Changers 2.  You can also catch him in Episode 84, where we look at evidence around swapping out animal and plant-based meat; Episode 47, focused on misinformation around the Food Compass System; and Episode 2, where we talk about nutrition myths and misinformation more broadly.   RESOURCES  Concerns about the health effects of industrially produced seed oils are without scientific foundation: a scoping narrative review of the clinical and observational evidence [https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/10408398.2026.2657527?needAccess=true]  Dr. Nagra’s Website [https://drmatthewnagra.com/]  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/dr.matthewnagra/]  Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/dr.matthewnagra/]  X [https://x.com/drmatthewnagra]  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pbcpodcast]

Episode 115: I’m Trying - with Raymond Cruzzola

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re joined by Raymond Cruzzola to discuss ‘I’m Trying’ a film that documents Regan Russell - an animal rights activist killed in 2020 during a peaceful protest outside a slaughterhouse - and the ongoing fight for justice that she inspired. Ray is a Toronto-based documentary filmmaker and video producer with over a decade of experience creating socially driven visual content. A graduate of Humber College’s Film and Television Production program, he has produced a range of short videos for nonprofit and grassroots campaigns focused on activism, justice, and environmental sustainability. Ray’s work is grounded in the belief that if we have the power to reduce suffering, we have a moral responsibility to act, even when it’s uncomfortable. His films reflect a deep commitment to both humans and animal rights as well as environmental justice. With a background in both digital strategy and grassroots storytelling, Ray brings a thoughtful, visually grounded approach to nonfiction filmmaking - one that centers the voices and movements most often overlooked, and that invites audiences to not just bear witness, but to respond. I’m Trying: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/imtryingfilm/ ], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/Imtryingfilm/ ] Raymond Cruzzola: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/raycruzzola/ ], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/ray.cruzzola/], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/raymond-cruzzola/ ] World Change Media: Website [https://www.worldchangemedia.com/ ], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/worldchangemedia/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/worldchangemedia/ ] Anita Krajnc: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/anita.krajnc/?hl=en], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/anita.krajnc.58], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anita-krajnc-105170116/ ] Plant Based Treaty: Website [https://plantbasedtreaty.org/ ], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedtreaty/ ], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/PlantBasedTreaty], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/plant-based-treaty/posts/?feedView=all ] Animal Save Movement: Website [https://thesavemovement.org/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/thesavemovement/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/animalsavemovement], LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/animal-save-movement/ ] Toronto Pig Save: Website [https://torontopigsave.org/ ], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/torontopigsave/ ], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/TorontoPigSave/ ] PBC Conference - Get Tickets Here [https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/7th-annual-canadian-plant-based-nutrition-and-health-conference--2026 ] Plant-Based Canada’s Socials: Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/?hl=en], Facebook [https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/], Website [https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/], X @PBC_org Bonus Promotion:  Explore the University of Guelph’s online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course covers key topics like health benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impact. It features expert-led, research-based learning and a supportive community. Use code PBC2026 to save 10% at uoguel.ph/pbn.  Thank you for tuning in! Make sure to subscribe to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast so you get notified when new episodes are published.  Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pbcpodcast]

Episode 114: Understanding the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans with Dr. Kevin Klatt

In the latest episode of the Plant-Based Podcast, we breakdown some of the confusion generated by the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans with Dr. Kevin Klatt. Dr. Klatt is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutritional Sciences in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He received his PhD in Molecular Nutrition from Cornell University and completed his clinical dietetic (RD) training at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. His research focuses on using both preclinical models as well as human intervention studies to better understand nutrient metabolism, signaling and requirements. In addition to research, Dr. Klatt is a current Associate Editor at the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition and a Section Editor of the graduate-level nutrition textbook, Biochemical Physiological and Molecular Aspects of Human Nutrition (fifth edition). Dr. Klatt dissects some of the big ticket changes to the DGAs, including the recommendation to increase protein and saturated fat intake, confusion around processed foods, and inconsistencies between the revamped pyramid model and the actual recommendations. Resources Kevin’s Substack on the DGAs: The Influencer's DGAs & The Rancher's Pyramid [https://kcklatt.substack.com/p/ambiguous-dgas-and-the-ranchers-pyramid]  Twitter [https://x.com/kcklatt]  BlueSky [https://bsky.app/profile/kcklatt.bsky.social]  Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/kcklatt]  Bonus Promotion Check out University of Guelph's online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate. Each 4-week course will guide you through essential plant-based topics including nutritional benefits, disease prevention, and environmental impacts. You can also customize your learning with unique courses such as Plant-Based Diets for Athletes and Implementing a Plant-Based Diet at Home. As the first university-level plant-based certificate in Canada, you’ll explore current research, learn from leading industry experts, and join a community of like-minded people. Use our exclusive discount code PBC2026 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn. Support the show [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pbcpodcast]