In this episode, the hosts explore the universal challenge of sleep, examining its profound impact on physical health, mental clarity, and emotional resilience. We are joined by Dr. David Greenberg, a distinguished family physician and passionate advocate for public health education, with a special focus on sleep health.

Dr. Greenberg stresses that adults should wake up feeling refreshed, noting that while the general recommendation is 7 to 9 hours of sleep, individual needs vary. The core message? Sleep should be a priority, not just an afterthought when life isn’t busy.

Listeners will gain valuable insights, including:

• The benefits of short naps (20-30 minutes) for a quick refresh without disrupting nighttime sleep.
• Essential sleep hygiene practices, such as maintaining a consistent bedtime, allowing the brain to wind down before sleep, and optimizing the bedroom as a dedicated, electronics-free sleep space.
• Identifying and addressing medical conditions that can lead to sleep disturbances, including frequent urination, hot flashes, sleep apnea, and chronic pain.
• Modern, effective treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBTI) and new, non-addictive orexin inhibitor medications designed to help people stay asleep and wake up naturally.
• Practical advice on choosing the right mattress and pillows for comfort, with considerations for separate sleeping arrangements if it improves sleep quality.

The conversation also highlights the negative consequences of sleep deprivation, from its impact on physical health to mood and concentration. Dr. Greenberg encourages listeners to seek personalized guidance from their primary care provider and to explore effective solutions—including medication—when appropriate.

Tune in to learn how better sleep can lead to a healthier, more fulfilling life

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Tune in to Life Shouldn't Hurt for an extraordinary episode featuring Barrie Stafford, a true legend and unsung hero of the locker room. As the longtime equipment manager for the Edmonton Oilers, Barry witnessed the team's glory days and championship runs, spending 38 years with the organization, 28 of those behind the bench.

Hosts Grant Fedoruk and Anita Cassidy dive into captivating topics, including:

• Athlete Superstitions: From meticulous routines to quirky rituals, Barry reveals fascinating insights into player habits—how some, like Jason Smith, followed precise routines rather than strict superstitions, while others, including Wayne Gretzky, were surprisingly easygoing.
• The Evolution of Player Training & Equipment Management: Barrie reflects on how the game has transformed—from the days when players arrived at training camp out of shape and smoked between periods, to today's era of elite conditioning, specialized trainers, and vastly expanded support staff. He offers a unique glimpse into the demanding, behind-the-scenes world of an equipment manager.
• Profound Leadership Lessons: Legendary figures like Claire Drake fostered a culture of humility and teamwork, famously stating, "It's amazing how much can be accomplished when no one needs to take the credit." Barry also shares insights into Glenn Sather’s leadership style—demanding yet fair, built on mutual respect, and pushing even Hall of Famers to constantly improve.
• Barry’s Philosophy on Life & Gratitude: From cherishing family and friends to finding joy in everyday moments, Barry’s "20 miles, 20 smiles" motto encapsulates his approach to happiness.

This episode goes beyond hockey, offering behind-the-scenes stories, leadership wisdom, and a perspective on success, resilience, and well-being. Join us for this insightful conversation on Life Shouldn't Hurt!

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In this compelling episode, we dive into the world of extreme sports, action sports, and adventure sports, highlighting the incredible physical ability and mental fortitude required to push human boundaries. We discuss activities like base jumping, rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, surfing, skydiving, downhill mountain biking, hang gliding, paragliding, whitewater rafting, cave diving, and scuba diving. The conversation also explores how injuries and having children can shift one's perspective on risk-taking, often leading to a more conservative approach. For those engaged in these demanding activities, the importance of extensive cross-training—including flexibility, strength training, and cardiovascular endurance—is emphasized.

This episode features an inspiring conversation with Leanna Carriere, an extreme endurance athlete, and Dr. Timm Dobert, an ecologist and explorer, who are embarking on the groundbreaking Wings of Survival expedition.

Their Mission:

• The Expedition: Leanna and Dr. Timm are undertaking a self-powered 30,000 km journey along the spine of the Americas.
• The Route: They will travel from the remote high Arctic of Alaska, through the Yukon and British Columbia, down the U.S. coastline—including Los Angeles and San Francisco—into Mexico, through Central America, across the Darien Gap (which they will paddle due to danger), and then through Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, and Bolivia, concluding in Puerto Williams, Patagonia. This immense journey follows the westernmost migratory bird flyway.
• The Purpose: Their mission is multifaceted—raising awareness about the biodiversity crisis, advancing environmental science, and mobilizing action for nature conservation. They aim to blend human adventure, citizen science, and athletic performance to highlight the wonder of bird migration and the critical relationship between migratory birds and ecosystem health.
• The Pace: The expedition is planned for nine months, aiming to "reconnect with the birds" by meeting the same flock in Patagonia that they started with in Alaska.
• Preparation & Training: While cycling (even 12-hour days during their Canada warm-up) is considered the "easy fun part," extensive planning, mapping, fundraising, community engagement, and documentary production are crucial. Their physical preparation focuses on strength and durability, with intensive gym sessions and cardiovascular cross-training (swimming, biking, running) to prevent injuries from repetitive motion.
• The Support Team: Backed by a large team—including Moving Artistry Productions (Edmonton) and renowned producers from England (known for Netflix documentaries like Planet Earth and works with David Attenborough). They also collaborate with exploration societies, academia (University of Alberta, University of British Columbia), and government bodies like Environment and Climate Change Canada.
• Their "Warm-up" Journey: As preparation, Leanna and Timm cycled across Canada in 30 days, covering 150 km per day, highlighting 30 protected and key biodiversity areas. This aligns with the United Nations' "30 by 30" global biodiversity target, aiming to protect 30% of land and water by 2030.
• The Documentary: A planned documentary will parallel the journeys of human athletes and migratory birds, using human storytelling to deepen our understanding and appreciation of the natural world.
• Bird Migration Insights: Dr. Timm shares fascinating details, such as birds adapting physiologically for migration (shrinking digestive systems, expanding respiratory systems). Some species fly 20,000 km across the Pacific without stopping. The expedition will involve tagging birds with GPS devices to track their movements.
• Challenges & Risk

Brain Fog & Memory Struggles: Why Cognitive Rehabilitation Could Be the Answer

Are you dealing with memory lapses, trouble focusing, or that frustrating feeling of brain fog? If you've ever walked into a room only to forget why or struggled to recall conversations with loved ones, you're not alone. These cognitive challenges can affect anyone—whether from aging, injury, illness, or even post-pregnancy hormonal changes.

But the good news? Cognitive rehabilitation offers powerful tools to strengthen brain function and improve everyday mental clarity.

Understanding Cognitive Rehabilitation

Expert Lisa Huskins, an occupational therapist from Leading Edge Physiotherapy, explains that cognitive rehab helps individuals overcome processing issues, memory difficulties, and focus-related struggles caused by:
✅ Traumatic brain injuries
✅ Concussions (often linked to sports injuries or accidents)
✅ Strokes and post-stroke cognitive impairments
✅ Chemotherapy-related brain fog (often called "chemo brain")
✅ Post-menopausal cognitive changes
✅ Viral infections impacting brain function

What Cognitive Rehab Actually Does

Unlike traditional treatments that focus on structural brain damage, cognitive rehab works on brain processing—the "software" rather than the "hardware."

Through targeted exercises and structured programs, cognitive rehab helps individuals:
🔹 Improve memory recall
🔹 Boost attention span
🔹 Speed up processing time
🔹 Strengthen problem-solving skills

And thanks to brain plasticity—your brain’s ability to rebuild and create new pathways—progress is possible at any age.

Why Movement Matters

One major takeaway from the episode? Physical activity is essential for brain health. Aerobic exercise increases oxygen flow to the brain, releases chemicals that aid learning and recovery, and significantly helps with emotional well-being, reducing symptoms of:
✔ Anxiety
✔ Depression
✔ Irritability

Whether it’s a daily walk or structured rehab exercises, movement plays a key role in cognitive recovery.

Practical Strategies for Improving Brain Function

Lisa shares simple yet effective ways to support cognitive health, including:
🧠 Pacing yourself – Avoid mental exhaustion by building breaks into your day.
🧩 Brain training exercises – Puzzles can help, but structured rehab programs are often more effective.
📱 Reducing distractions – Creating a focused environment helps improve concentration.
💡 Seeking professional help – Memory issues and cognitive concerns shouldn't be dismissed—there are solutions.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Pay Attention to Cognitive Health

Cognitive struggles, whether linked to aging, injury, or health conditions, often go underdiagnosed or ignored—but they shouldn’t. If you’re noticing changes in your memory or focus, it’s worth exploring how cognitive rehab can make a difference.

💬 Have you ever experienced brain fog or memory struggles? Share your thoughts in the comments!

📢 Like this show? Don’t forget to share it with someone who might benefit from learning about cognitive rehabilitation.

Tune in to the latest episode of Life Shouldn't Hurt with Grant Fedoruk for an essential conversation that every parent, athlete, and coach needs to hear.

This week, Grant sits down with Leigh Wolitzki and her son, Kaden, to discuss a journey no family ever expects—one shaped by multiple concussions and the tough decisions that followed.

Kaden was a dedicated hockey player who thrived on the physicality of the game. But at just 9 years old, he suffered his first concussion, leaving his mom, Leigh, in shock as she watched her "little guy" struggle with symptoms like difficulty counting backward, sensitivity to light and sound, nausea, fatigue, and emotional outbursts.

Unfortunately, Kaden’s story didn’t end there. Over the years, he sustained a total of six concussions, including two in the same year at age 17. Whether it was hitting the ice, colliding with a player’s shoulder, or even a wakeboarding accident, the effects added up.

Grant emphasizes the seriousness of concussions—a traumatic brain injury caused when the brain strikes the skull. He also highlights the dangers of second impact syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition if a player returns too soon.

After his most severe concussion, which left him with retrograde amnesia and required two and a half months of rehab, Kaden made the courageous decision to step away from hockey. He recognized that his brain health was more important than the game, prioritizing his future over short-term play.

Kaden and Leigh share crucial advice:

• Take recovery seriously—slow down and allow time to heal.
• Prioritize brain health—it's more valuable than any game.
• Parents, get informed—have honest conversations with your kids about reporting symptoms.

As Grant reminds us, brain health lasts forever, and concussions can have lasting effects.

Don't miss this powerful episode as Kaden and Leigh open up about unseen injuries, tough choices, and the importance of protecting your future.

Listen to Life Shouldn't Hurt with Grant Fedoruk—available now!

In this episode, hosts Grant Fedoruk and Anita Cassidy, along with their guests, delve into Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)—a condition that affects blood circulation and the autonomic nervous system.

What is POTS?

POTS is a blood circulation disorder and a form of dysautonomia, meaning it affects the autonomic nervous system—responsible for automatic bodily functions like heart rate and blood pressure. A key characteristic of POTS is a significant increase in heart rate upon standing, defined as:

• Adults: An increase of at least 30 beats per minute within the first 10 minutes of standing.
• Adolescents: An increase of at least 40 beats per minute in the same timeframe.

Imagine your heart rate spiking just from getting up! Charles, a guest on the show living with POTS, shares that his resting heart rate of ~70 bpm can jump to 170 or even 180 bpm when he stands up.

POTS is more common than many people realize—affecting an estimated 1 to 3 million Americans. It can also emerge as a lingering effect of COVID-19 (long COVID). In fact, Charles’ journey with POTS began after contracting COVID-19, with symptoms appearing even after testing negative.

Living with POTS: Symptoms & Misconceptions

POTS can cause debilitating symptoms, including:

✔ Constant fatigue every day
✔ Lightheadedness & dizziness, sometimes leading to fainting
✔ Brain fog
✔ Exercise intolerance
✔ Chest pains & palpitations
✔ Difficulty breathing, especially after exertion
✔ Sleep disturbances
✔ Digestive issues, including nausea and diarrhea
✔ Trouble maintaining weight (Charles must eat 7,000–8,000 calories a day)

Simple activities like standing up, climbing stairs, or being in warm environments can trigger rapid heart rate increases. Charles shared that just 2–3 minutes outside in 35–36°C heat can send his heart rate over 200 bpm.

A significant challenge is the misconception that POTS is just anxiety or a mental disorder. Many doctors initially thought Charles was struggling with anxiety. However, POTS is a medical condition affecting the autonomic nervous system. While it’s not caused by anxiety, the constant physical symptoms can lead to mental health struggles, including fear, frustration, and depression—especially when symptoms are dismissed or misunderstood.

Finding Help & Management Strategies

This episode features:
📌 Charles Sparks – Sharing his personal journey of living with POTS.
📌 Christy Peterson – A physiotherapist from Leading Edge Physiotherapy, specializing in POTS, long COVID, and other conditions.

They discuss management strategies, including:

🩺 Medical Interventions

Medications such as beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are commonly prescribed to lower heart rate. However, they don’t work for everyone. Charles, for example, found medication ineffective due to interactions with his Type 2 diabetes.

🍽️ Lifestyle Adjustments

• Increasing salt intake significantly (Charles consumes ~10x the normal amount)
• Drinking electrolyte-rich fluids (like Liquid IVs)
• Avoiding warm environments to prevent heart rate spikes

🏃‍♂️ Physical Therapy (Physio)

Christy emphasizes physiotherapy as a key intervention, especially when medication isn’t effective. This includes:
✔ Pacing strategies to prevent overexertion
✔ Monitored light exercise (often performed while sitting)
✔ Compression garment

This episode of Life Shouldn't Hurt begins with a lively discussion about local restaurants and the sense of connection and balance found in shared meals. The conversation then shifts to brain health, exploring how early intervention for hearing loss could play a role in preventing Alzheimer's. Grant Fedoruk and Anita Cassidy also examine the essential role of touch and serve-and-return interactions in early childhood brain development.

The focal point of the episode is a compelling conversation on work-life balance with guest Jeff Tetz, a business consultant from Results Canada. Jeff redefines the concept as work-life integration, emphasizing that passion for work naturally intertwines with life. He challenges the rigid idea of a strict 50/50 balance, suggesting that the definition is deeply personal and varies by profession.

Key insights from the discussion:

• A fulfilling life involves nurturing all aspects of being: professional, family, personal, physical, intellectual, emotional, and spiritual.
• Bringing the "scales" of work and life closer together allows for more overlap and less drastic tipping in either direction.
• The idea that work-life balance is a myth, encouraging a more holistic perspective on life rather than a constant balancing act.

Burnout, often intensified by chronic stress, is another important topic covered. Jeff emphasizes the need to listen to oneself, set clear goals, and learn to say no to avoid overwhelm.

A powerful theme throughout the episode is the importance of asking for help. Grant shares his own experience of readily seeking assistance, while Jeff points out that people tend to underestimate others' willingness to help.

The discussion also explores the relationship between identity and work, advocating for grounding identity in values and purpose rather than professional success. Jeff highlights fairness and equity in business, stressing that flexibility for owners should, when possible, extend to employees. He also underscores the value of leaders willing to perform any necessary task.

For deeper insights, listeners are encouraged to explore the seven-slice approach to life for a broader perspective on well-being. They can also check out Jeff Tetz's podcast, Unleashed, and his company, Results Canada.

This episode offers practical advice and meaningful perspectives for anyone looking to navigate life’s demands in a more balanced, fulfilling way

Join Grant Fedoruk and Anita Cassidy on an inspiring podcast episode that explores life's unexpected twists and the transformative power of dreams.

The episode opens with Grant recounting a near-miss skateboarding accident, emphasizing the importance of wearing protective gear. This humorous anecdote transitions into a conversation about the surprising dangers of everyday activities, like walking dogs or navigating stairs, offering both laughter and moments of reflection.

At the heart of the episode, Grant and Anita welcome Alicia Vleeming from Alberta Dreams, a wish-granting organization for children in Alberta facing severe chronic or life-threatening illnesses. Alicia shares touching stories of dreams fulfilled, from magical Disney trips to unique requests like a custom suit of armor. She delves into the challenges and behind-the-scenes efforts required to make these dreams a reality, highlighting the importance of community support and the generosity of Albertans. The episode also sheds light on how these experiences bring lasting joy and strength to the children and their families. Listeners are encouraged to get involved by visiting Alberta Dreams' website: albertadreams.ca.

The podcast wraps up with a heartwarming tale of Wayne Gretzky's unexpected act of kindness for a young fan, showcasing how individuals, including celebrities, can profoundly impact others. Grant and Anita reflect on the power of community involvement and the ways everyone can brighten someone's day.

This episode is a blend of relatable mishaps, uplifting inspiration, and a heartfelt call to support Alberta Dreams in their mission to bring hope and happiness to children in need.