Healthy Canadians

Having accurate and up-to-date health data is essential for Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to make decisions that keep people in Canada healthy. We use health data to promote healthy living, prevent and manage chronic and infectious diseases, respond to health emergencies, prepare for future public health threats, and assess and improve how our health systems are worki...

Toys are a part of everyday life for a lot of people in Canada, and it’s important to make smart and safe choices when choosing the right toy for the kids in your life.  Host Megan Beahan is joined by Ashley Artelle, Compliance and Enforcement Advisor with Health Canada’s Healthy Environments and Consumer Safety Branch. They chat about what to watch for with the toys our kids play with, share impo...

We love our pets. They are part of the family. But they can sometimes spread bacteria that could cause illnesses. This week on the podcast, we learn about enteric illness and how our pets can spread them. Host Megan Beahen welcomes Anne-Marie Lowe, Manager of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Outbreak Assessment and Detection Team. Their conversation aims to raise awareness about how bacteria c...

Many people may not realize they have syphilis. Symptoms can be so mild that they go unnoticed, so regular testing is important if you are sexually active. Rates of syphilis and congenital syphilis are on the rise in Canada. Host Megan Beahen sits down with Dr. Jared Bullard, Director General of Medical and Scientific Affairs at the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory...

Cosmetics are a part of just about everyone's daily life. From the soap and shampoo in your shower, to putting on deodorant, skin cream and make up products –these are all cosmetics.  Host Megan Beahen is joined by Nibal Saikali, Senior Regulatory Policy and Risk Management Advisor with Health Canada, to talk about cosmetic safety. They chat about what to check for on product labels, share handy s...

Concussions can happen when you take a hit to your head, neck, face or even your body. They cause changes in the way you think and feel. One of the tricky things about concussions is that they can’t be seen and diagnosed on routine image scans. The good news is there have been big advances in our understanding of concussions and advice for those who have one.  Host Megan Beahen welcomes neuroscien...

Advance care planning is something you can do while you are healthy and continue to do after a diagnosis of a serious illness. In part two of our two-part series on serious illness and palliative care, we focus on the importance of planning ahead and navigating the sometimes difficult conversations that come with it. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman welcome back Dr. Samantha Winemaker, Palliativ...

Every day, we are exposed to chemicals and pollutants - in our air, food and water. There are chemical substances in the products we use at work, at home and at play. While chemicals play an essential role in our daily lives, some chemical substances can negatively affect our health and the environment if poorly managed. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Tyler Pollock, PhD, Scientis...

The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline provides moments of connection that create hope, support recovery and save lives. Their vision is a Canada where suicide is prevented because everyone can access help when they need it the most. In Part Two of our two-part series on the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, we explore the service, walk you through what happens when you call or text and talk about the i...

Most of us have eaten something that just didn’t sit right. This is why food safety is so important – and we all have a role to play. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Dr. Sandeep Tamber, Research Scientist, with Health Canada’s Food and Nutrition Directorate, to talk about food safety and foodborne illnesses in Canada. Join us to learn more about food safety best practices and prac...

Most people in Canada are exposed to air pollution every day while inside and outside their homes. Air pollution comes from a variety of sources, and even at low levels, has an impact on human health. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman sit down with Angelos Anastasopolos, PhD, Scientist with the Water and Air Quality Bureau at Health Canada. They explore how air quality can affect our health and w...

The 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline is a safe space to talk, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. If you are thinking about suicide, or you’re worried about someone else, you can call or text 9-8-8 toll free. In Part One of our two-part series on the 9-8-8: Suicide Crisis Helpline, we talk about what it is, how it works and who it’s there to help. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman speak with Dr....

Infectious diseases, pathogens (living things that cause disease) and vectors (living things that spread disease) are sensitive to changes in the environment and climate. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman chat with Dr. Nick Ogden, Director of the Public Health Risk Sciences Division with the Public Health Agency of Canada’s National Microbiology Laboratory. Using ticks and Lyme disease as a case...

Palliative care is a holistic approach that treats a person with serious illness of any age, and in any setting. In Part One of our two-part series on serious illness and palliative care we address some misconceptions around palliative care and shed light on what a palliative approach to care looks like in practice. Hosts Megan Beahen and Alex Newman chat with Dr. Samantha Winemaker, Palliative Ca...

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Mark Morrissey, a behavioural scientist with the Public Health Agency of Canada. Mark and Megan discuss how we can effectively talk about potentially sensitive health topics using a behavioural science approach. Learn more: https://impact.canada.ca/en/behavioural-science

Host, Madeline Poplett, speaks with Lisette Dufour, Senior Oral Health Advisor with Health Canada and dental hygienist, about the surprising links between oral health and our overall health. Learn more: Canada Dental Care Plan: Do you qualify: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan/qualify.html Dental and oral health: https://canada.ca/en/services/health/healthy-living/...

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Lisette Dufour, Senior Oral Health Advisor and a dental hygienist with more that 40 years of experience. Lisette and Megan talk about the importance of a healthy mouth throughout our lifetime. Learn more about: Canadian Dental Care Plan: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/dental/dental-care-plan.html Oral health: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/top...

Host, Madeline Poplett, and Adrian Betts, Executive Director of the AIDS Committee of Durham Region, talk about HIV self test kits and the importance of knowing your status. Learn more: HIV Self-testing: https://www.catie.ca/hiv-self-testing-0 Where to? Connecting with people with HIV, Hepatitis C, sexual health and harm reduction service: https://whereto.catie.ca/ HIV Testing: Everything you need...

Thanks to the advances in HIV science over the last decades, people living with HIV who are on medication and maintain an undetectable amount of virus in their blood can lead a long, healthy life without the fear of passing HIV to their sexual partner. This is the powerful message behind “Undetectable = Untransmittable (U=U)”. In this episode of the Healthy Canadians podcast, host Megan Beahen spe...

Host, Madeline Poplett, speaks with Anna-Louise Crago, Senior Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada, about the link between sexually transmitted and blood borne infections and antimicrobial resistance. Learn more: STBBI prevention guide: Treatment and follow-up: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/infectious-diseases/sexual-health-sexually-transmitted-infections/canadi...

Host, Megan Beahen, speaks with Anna-Louise Crago, Senior Epidemiologist with the Public Health Agency of Canada, about antimicrobial resistance, how it affects all of us, and what we can do to reduce its impacts. Learn more about: Antibiotic resistance: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/antibiotic-antimicrobial-resistance/about-antibiotic-resistance.html Antibiotic resistance resear...

Host, Madeline Poplett, sits down with Kelley Bush, Manager of Radon Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement with Health Canada, to talk about radon and its relationship with climate change. More info: Radon gas survey in homes built after 2000: Halifax region https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/publications/health-risks-safety/radon-gas-survey-homes-built-after-2000-halifax-region.html

Host, Megan Beahen, sits down with Kelley Bush, Manager of Radon Outreach and Stakeholder Engagement with Health Canada, to talk about radon in our homes, the risks and the solutions. Learn more about: Radon: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon.html Testing your home for radon: www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/health-risks-safety/radiation/radon/testi...

Here's what's to come for Season 1.