Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode we are joined by Dana Gudelis to chat about her cancer experience, and how it led to a transformative career change.

Dana Gudelis is the founder of GÜDEhealth, a wellness platform focused on lifestyle medicine to help individuals achieve optimal health. Her passion for community wellness began in the 1970s at the University of British Columbia, where she studied Recreation. After a career in marketing, Dana's life took a transformative turn in the 1990s when she was diagnosed with a rare cancer, sparking her interest in food as medicine and healthier living.

A five-time cancer survivor, Dana has battled leiomyosarcoma and undergone treatments including a clinical trial for hepatitis C. Her personal health journey, coupled with a family history of cancer, solidified her belief in lifestyle medicine. She has also supported loved ones through serious health challenges, including her granddaughter’s recovery from adrenal cortisol carcinoma.

Dedicated to lifelong learning, Dana holds certifications in Nutritional Planning from Harvard, Whole Food Plant-Based Nutrition from Cornell, Life Coaching from the Adler Institute, and is a Positive Intelligence® Certified Coach. Through GÜDEhealth, she empowers individuals to adopt habits that support both physical and mental well-being, focusing on the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and mental fitness. Dana’s mission is to guide others towards vibrant, fulfilling lives.

Resources

Saboteur Assessment

Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine: Cancer

Dana Gudelis’ Socials
Website

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials

Instagram

Facebook

Website

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Content from University of Guelph

Do you want to take your plant-based knowledge to the next level? Stay tuned for a special promo code!

The online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through Open Learning and Educational Support at the University of Guelph has everything you need to know about implementing a sustainable plant-based diet.

Each course is just four weeks long and will guide you through essential 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 PBC2025 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses! www.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.

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Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Nitu Bajekal, MD, to discuss women’s health—a health topic with insights that everyone can benefit from, regardless of gender.

Dr. Bajekal is a Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in London with nearly 40 years of experience in women’s health. Specializing in Lifestyle Medicine, Menopause, PCOS, Endometriosis, and complex gynaecological issues, she is also a skilled laparoscopic and robotic surgeon. A Fellow of the Royal College and recipient of the Indian President’s Gold Medal, Dr. Bajekal is one of the UK’s first board-certified Lifestyle Medicine Physicians.

She has contributed to the UK’s first plant-based nutrition course at Winchester University and co-authored the chapter on women’s health for Plant Based Nutrition in Clinical Practice (2022). Dr. Bajekal has lectured globally and spoken at events such as Holistic Holiday at Sea. Passionate about educating women, she runs a voluntary service to promote healthier lifestyle choices among schoolgirls and women.

Dr. Bajekal is the co-author of Living PCOS Free (2022) and Finding Me in Menopause (2024), offering practical, lifestyle-based approaches to managing PCOS and menopause. For more information, visit www.nitubajekal.com and follow her on Instagram and TikTok (@drnitubajekal).

Resources
Book: Living PCOS Free
Book: Finding Me in Menopause
Factsheets
Plant-Based Health Professionals UK PCOS factsheet
Rotterdam PCOS guidelines
PEN PCOS resource

Dr. Nitu Bajekal’s Socials
Website
Instagram
Tik Tok

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials
Instagram
Facebook
Website
X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Content from University of Guelph

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 PBC2024 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

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode we are joined by Jacquie Moore, the visionary behind Café Alexandra in Aurora and Happy Body Meals.

Jacquie Moore was the visionary behind Café Alexandra in Aurora, providing a dining experience centered on quick, healthy meals. Currently, she is expanding her culinary journey with Happy Body Meals, a specialized meal prep service dedicated to plant-based cuisine. Her lifelong passion for health and fitness is deeply intertwined with her heritage, coming from a family of farmers Jacquie shared that this cultivated in her a profound love for pure, field-to-table plant-based foods.

Jacquie Moore’s Socials:
Instagram: @happybodymealpreps

Email: happybodymealpreps@gmail.com

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:

Instagram (@plantbasedcanadaorg)

Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)

Website (https://www.plantbasedcanada.org/)

X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Content from University of Guelph

Do you want to take your plant-based knowledge to the next level? Stay tuned for a special promo code!

The online Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate through Open Learning and Educational Support at the University of Guelph has everything you need to know about implementing a sustainable plant-based diet.

Each course is just four weeks long and will guide you through essential 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 PBC2024 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses! www.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

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode we are joined by Brigitte Gemme to chat about her initiative Vegan Family Kitchen as well as plant-based practices and dementia.

Brigitte is passionate about helping more people eat plants, empowering others to take charge of their health and live in alignment with their values. On her website VeganFamilyKitchen.com, she offers a meal planning service and teaches regular workshops about all aspects of healthy vegan cooking and nutrition. Brigitte previously worked in research management in the fields of education, sociology, and clean energy. She completed a Ph.D. in Educational Studies at the University of British Columbia and certificates in Plant-Based Nutrition from the universities of Winchester and Guelph. She lives in Vancouver (Canada) with her husband and two children.

Resources:

Book: Flow in the Kitchen: Practices for Healthy Stress-Free Vegan Cooking (link to Amazon.ca but can be ordered from any bookstore)
Dementia Canada: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/dementia.html

Brigitte Gemme’s Socials:
Website including a 1-week dinner plan that uses my batch cooking approach: https://veganfamilykitchen.com/
Instagram: https://instagram.com/vegan.family.kitchen
Facebook: https://facebook.com/veganfamilykitchen

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:
Instagram (@plantbasedcanadaorg)
Facebook (Plant-Based Canada, https://m.facebook.com/plantbasedcanadaorg/)
Website (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 PBC2024 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

In this episode of the Plant-Based Canada, we have a wide-ranging conversation with Doctor Matthew C. Halteman. Dr. Halteman is a professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in the UK. He is the author of 'Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation', and co-editor of 'Philosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments about the Ethics of Eating'. His latest book, 'Hungry Beautiful Animals: the Joyful Case for Going Vegan', is a heartfelt, humane, and humorous exploration of how going vegan can bring abundance into our lives.

Resources

Dr. Halteman's website
Dr. Halteman's new book: 'Hungry Beautiful Animals'

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 PBC2024 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show

In this episode of the Plant-Based Canada Podcast, we talk to Dr. Robert Jackson -- one of the world’s leading climate scientists. Dr. Jackson is Douglas Provostial Professor, Chair of the Earth System Science Department, and Senior Fellow in the Woods Institute for the Environment and Precourt Institute for Energy at Stanford. He and his lab study how people affect the Earth, and look for ways to reduce our environmental footprint and improve health and well-being. Dr. Jackson is a Fellow in the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Geophysical Union, and the Ecological Society of America. He currently chairs the Global Carbon Project, an international group of hundreds of scientists who track greenhouse gas emissions and communicate science to the public and policymakers.

Recently, the Global Carbon Project released a study that found methane concentrations in Earth’s atmosphere increased at record speed over the past five years. At least two-thirds of annual methane emissions now come from human activities, including fossil fuel use, agriculture, and landfills and other waste. Atmospheric concentrations of methane are now more than 2.6 times higher than in pre-industrial times – the highest they’ve been in at least 800-thousand years.

Dr. Jackson’s new book on climate solutions, Into the Clear Blue Sky: The Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere examines ways in which we can redefine our climate goals. He argues that instead of fixating on maintaining the Earth’s temperature at an arbitrary value, we should be working to restore the atmosphere itself. That means reducing the amount of greenhouse gases in the air to pre-industrial levels — starting with super-potent methane.

Resources

Dr. Robert Jackson’s profile
Study: “Human activities now fuel two-thirds of global methane emissions”
Dr. Jackson’s book: Into the Clear Blue Sky: the Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere
Study: “Climate policies that achieved major emission reductions: Global evidence from two decades

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 PBC2024 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Support the show

In this episode of the PBC Podcast, we talk with Mike Parsram. He’s a Toronto-based vegan, straight-edge vocalist who performs in several hardcore and metalcore bands. He has a bachelor of science in animal biology from York University. When he’s not on stage performing with Street Justice, Rust, Laying Still, Heartless, or Wish You Death, he’s in the gym powerlifting.

Hardcore punk and punk subcultures have a rich history of supporting animal rights, animal liberation, and veganism. The connection can been traced back to the 1980s and the punk movement’s collective consciousness around issues of discrimination and racism, capitalism and economic disparity, and the commodification of animals as food.

Mike talks about his love for music, the intersectionality between veganism in hardcore and other socials issues, and how he uses his platform as a frontman to give a voice to the voiceless.

Resources

Street Justice
Laying Still
Rust
Heartless
Wish You Death
Cold Shoulder

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 PBC2024 to save 10% on all Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate courses. uoguel.ph/pbn.

Music courtesy of Bensounds.com and Street Justice/Mike Parsram.

Support the show

Welcome to the Plant-Based Canada Podcast. In this episode we are joined by Prof. Andrew Knight to talk about the science behind plant-based diets for our animal companions.

Andrew Knight is a veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare affiliated with the Murdoch University School of Veterinary Medicine and Griffith University, both in Australia, and with the University of Winchester in the UK. An experienced small animal veterinarian, he’s also a UK, European, American and New Zealand Veterinary Specialist in animal welfare. In 2024 he received a PhD focused on vegan food for animal companions (including investigation on aspects health, behavioural and environmental implications). He has around 150 academic and 80 popular publications, and an extensive series of social media videos and several websites on vegan companion animal diets, climate change and the livestock sector, invasive animal research, educational animal use, humane clinical and surgical skills training, and other animal welfare issues. His studies on vegan food for out animal companions are regularly reported in news outlets globally. He often works with animal advocacy charities and is frequently interviewed by the media. To add to this, he has received over 20 awards and research grants for this work.

Resources:
Prof. Knight’s recent publication
Vegan vs Meat-Based veterinary nutrition
Should dogs and cats be fed vegan diets?
More of Prof. Knight’s Articles
Infographic on environmentally sustainable diets for animal companions
Sustainable foods for animal companions

Prof. Andrew Knights’ Socials:
YouTube
Facebook
Website

Plant-Based Canada’s Socials:
Instagram
Facebook
Website
X / Twitter @PBC_org

Bonus Content
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 PBC2024 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