17 Sept 2026
Longevity Revolution and Metabolic Health
Longevity Revolution and Metabolic Health, Smart Watches, Forever Chemicals, and the Trauma We Never Name.
We talk a lot about longevity, but what's actually driving it on a cellular level? On this episode of Everything Lifestyle, family physician Dr. Tasha Bienert (https://harrisonhealthcare.ca/team/dr-tasha-bienert/) breaks down metabolic syndrome, why it's often silent, and how GLP-1 medications and lifestyle changes are reshaping the conversation.
Then, Linda and Kat put wearable health tech to the test. Can your smartwatch really check your blood sugar? Should you trust the calorie count? And what can it actually tell you about your heart? We also dig into PFAS, the "forever chemicals" turning up in nearly everyone's bloodstream, and one simple, research-backed lever you can pull to lower your levels. Finally, two stories about grief: Trish Petersen shares how a cancer diagnosis left a trauma response in her body that took over a decade to surface, and clinical counsellor Claire Maisonneuve explains why the loss of a loved one is the trauma most of us never name.
This is wellness without the noise, just what the research says, with a bit of real mixed in, and what it means for how you actually live.
In this episode: Metabolic syndrome is often symptom-free, but the five markers that flag it are easy to check. GLP-1 medications are doing more than driving weight loss, they're changing cellular function itself. Smartwatches can't check your blood sugar, and they're often wrong about your calories, but they're surprisingly good at catching AFib. PFAS "forever chemicals" turned up in 98.8% of people tested. Here's the one dietary change with early evidence behind it. Being Real is Trish's story. A cancer diagnosis in 2012 left a trauma response that didn't surface until 12 years later. Grief is the trauma we rarely name, clinical counsellor Claire Maisonneuve (https://anxietyandstressrelief.com/claire-maisonneuve/) on why the loss of a loved one gets locked away instead of processed.
About the Host Linda Freeman is a media professional who has been immersed in lifestyle programming for several decades. She has interviewed thousands of health and wellness professionals over the years gathering insight and perspective on how to live better. Life experiences have shown her to appreciate the world around her. As a certified yoga instructor, she loves to help others find stronger mental and physical well-being.
About Guests
Dr. Tasha Bienert (https://harrisonhealthcare.ca/team/dr-tasha-bienert/) is a dedicated family physician who believes preventive healthcare is the cornerstone of excellent primary care. She completed her Medical Degree and graduated as elected Chief Resident in Family Medicine at the University of Calgary, following a Bachelor of Science in Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology, a Bachelor of Education, and a Master of Arts focused on computerization in education, and earned a Diploma of Dermatology from the University of Cardiff in 2018.
Trish Petersen was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer) in 2012 at age 47. She shares her experience of physical and emotional recovery from cancer treatment, and the delayed trauma response that surfaced more than a decade later.
Claire Maisonneuve (https://anxietyandstressrelief.com/claire-maisonneuve/) is a clinical counsellor and, for more than 30 years, has explored, experimented with, and integrated a wide range of therapeutic, spiritual, and experiential practices in her search to overcome anxiety and cultivate inner peace. She has helped thousands of individuals and couples, developed a long‑running 8‑week Anxiety & Stress Relief Program, and draws on advanced Cognitive Behaviour TherapyCredits Hosted, Produced and Written by Linda Freeman Showrunner and Writer: Kat Cullen Sound Engineer/Producer: John Masecar Executive Producer: Jennifer Smith Production Support: Eric Chapman Video Producer: Jordan Wong
References
What is Metabolic Health (https://www.youtube.com/shorts/atxs96cMZs4)
Detection of Atrial Fibrillation (https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacadv.2025.102133)
Smartwatch Accuracy (https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/05/fitness-trackers-accurately-measure-heart-rate-but-not-calories-burned.html)
Do Smartwatches Add More Stress? (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8xdgwrrd0vo)
Smartwatches Can Improve Health? (https://www.uhhospitals.org/blog/articles/2022/09/smart-watches-hold-promise-to-detect-disease-and-improve-health)
FDA Warns About Smartwatches (https://apnews.com/article/smartwatch-ring-diabetes-blood-sugar-glucose-fda-d96ca0372cd9f55c39aa9dee6fea687e)
CBC News, The National Story (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAQBdCxP03U)
Forever Chemicals Detected In Blood (https://www.ndtv.com/science/forever-chemicals-detected-in-98-8-of-human-blood-what-it-means-for-you-11493861)
Canada PFAS List (https://cassels.com/insights/canadas-mandatory-pfas-reporting-what-you-need-to-know-as-the-reporting-deadline-approaches/)
Mandatory PFAS Reporting Canada (https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/evaluating-existing-substances/pfas-s71-guidance-manual.html)
Can Fibre Supplements Help PFAS (https://www.uml.edu/news/stories/2025/pfas-detox.aspx)
Environmental Working Group (https://www.ewg.org/)
P (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.604573/full)rolonged Grief Disorder (https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.604573/full)
Grief Disorder (https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/prolonged-grief-disorder)
#MetabolicHealth #Longevity #GLP1 #SmartWatches #WearableTech #PFAS #ForeverChemicals #Grief #Trauma #MentalHealth #Wellness
