Eating your way to better mental health: eat what ever makes you happy, along with a colorful variety of fruit & veggies.  It is well known that eating lots of fruit and vegetables is good for your physical health, but the latest research suggests that it might be good for your mental health too. A study from Australia found improvements in psychological well-being after some adjust their diets, consuming more fruits and vegetables.

Depression - Addiction - homelessness - Heartbreak. A Paramedic that feels it is an honour to serve the citizens who are struggling on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Even though he battles depression himself, he loves what he does and feels like he is contributing to society by helping others. Canada is supposed to be a civilized country and an extremely wealthy country. But there are thousands of stories from people who have lost their way and have ended up homeless in Vancouver. 85 percent of people on the street have mental health issues, and drugs and alcohol complicate the situation. Research shows that you need to start with a roof over your head and have support before you can even begin to address the other issues. Dedicated first responders and support workers are the foot soldiers, savings dozens of lives each and every day on the eastside of Vancouver, and they never stop, working 24/7.

A 24-year-old school teacher speaks about the experiences of his generation. From the understated effects of flipping through emotions on social media and the pressures involved in secondary and post-secondary education, to the importance of travel and athletics in mainting mental wellness and stability.

Funny man Jason Patton, takes a very unique approach to bringing awareness to mental health - he uses comedy. In this episode, Jason talks about the best way to treat firefighters when they are exposed to trauma and the thought process around getting help. He also talks about his personal views on what needs to change and what is already being done. Mental health providers face an uphill battle when treating firefighters. One of the biggest challenges within the fire service when seeking help is the stigma. Firefighters do not trust that mental health providers are able to understand their problems and therefore resist going into treatment. Firefighters like Jason Patton can speak the language and help get other firefighters into treatment by explaining the process and reducing the anxiety around the unknown. Having someone who has been there, telling you what to expect, is very powerful and extremely helpful for that person to take the first step. www.banyantreatmentcenter.com

Many people wrongly assume that Post Traumatic Stress is inevitable for anyone exposed to trauma, this guest states that for him personally, it is clearly not the case. He speaks openly about how he has endured trauma both at home and on the front lines as a Firefighter but has never suffered from PTSI.  In fact he believes that the majority of firefighters are not affected by trauma and live mentally healthy lives. Working in one of the busiest fire departments will definitely affect you and perhaps your family, but this 31-year veteran believes that he has retired from his career completely unaffected. Steve and this guest have worked together for over 30 years, they have a very special relationship, only one struggled and the other did not.  Listen to them talk about their different perspectives on mental health in fire service.

Breathing is one the most effective tools for Special Forces and Emergency Response Teams and now departments are realizing every first responder must understand how to control their breathing to be able to manage their fight-or-flight response. This training is being delivered across North America to reduce Post Traumatic Stress Injuries. Mindfulness is an effective and empowering solution for helping First Responders perform at their peak and more importantly recover after being exposed to trauma. Mindfulness is a tool used to enhance alertness, effectiveness and compassion and it has been used for thousands of years to relive stress and anxiety.

Meet Steve, the idea behind muscularmentalhealth.com and host of the podcasts. Dedicated to uncovering the challenges of coming forward with mental health concerns, and unscripted ways to break through the stigmas, fears and challenges.

Police Officers are in the business of serving the public, but they are also often responsible for taking care of their own. A twenty year Police Officer speaks candidly about going to work everyday and managing stress; while helping his fellow officers do the same.

One man who is not afraid to speak about his past and tell his story to anyone who will listen. A dark and ugly, yet inspiring journey that takes this man around the globe, helping High School students make better decisions and first responders understand Post Traumatic Stress. This is his mission and this is his story. Listener discretion is advised- graphic content

Sara Wegwitz is a Registered Nurse with a specialization in Mental Fitness, Resiliency Training, and Performance Coaching. She specializes in helping individuals and groups build confidence and transform the way that they think through “bite-sized” training experiences. Sara brings over 20 years of experience and education in the fields of critical care, health sciences, program development, facilitation, leadership, and coaching. Since September 2011 her company Tailor Making Health has been offering reputable programs that are tailored to meet the specific needs of organizations and groups. These dynamic programs consistently deliver results. Some of these results include a 40% reduction in sick and overtime costs; a consistent 3:1 ROI on health and wellness programming; gold medals at athletic World Championships; building more resilient and resourceful people; and enhancing workplace cultures. She has a demonstrated and proven track record working with first responders (police and fire), branches of the federal and provincial government, athletes and athletic teams, corporations and non-profit organization To contact Sara - email her at [email protected]