What if the loudest voices shaping your child’s mind aren’t in your home, but inside their phone?

As a physician, a dad, and a creator, I walk through the paradox of using social media for good while watching the same systems chip away at kids’ mental health, attention, and empathy. We pull back the curtain on how algorithms exploit developing brains, turning streaks and notifications into compulsive loops that feel like connection but often deliver anxiety and shame.

I share real clinic moments, panic attacks sparked by a broken Snap streak, friendships derailed by a two-letter “OK”, and pair them with evidence from systematic reviews and meta-analyses linking problematic use to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and stress.

We also dig into early childhood research showing that heavy screen exposure correlates with weaker language and executive function, and we explore how digital communication strips away tone and context, making misunderstandings more likely.

But it’s not all doom. Phones can be powerful tools for curiosity, science learning, cooking, making, and building. The key is purpose: skills over validation, creation over comparison.

You’ll hear the rules that work in our home and with families I advise: delay the smartphone where possible, skip high-risk apps for middle schoolers, set clear time limits with opt-in extensions, and use positive reinforcement rather than threats. We cover coping skills for boredom, rejection, and frustration, plus simple scripts for talking about cyberbullying, predators, and media literacy. Finally, we zoom out to schools and policy, calling for digital hygiene norms, algorithm transparency, and age protections that put child well-being first.

If you’re looking to replace panic with a plan, this conversation offers practical, science-backed steps to raise resilient, emotionally grounded kids in a hyper-connected world. Listen, share with another parent or educator, and leave a review with the one boundary that has made the biggest difference in your home.

Your idea might help another family tonight.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

Have you ever considered that your weight loss approach might be fundamentally flawed?

After a powerful conversation with a patient who experienced a breakthrough in her health journey, I felt compelled to share this insight during my lunch break, sometimes the most profound wisdom comes from the simplest shift in perspective.

Rather than obsessing over losing weight, this patient focused on gaining health. This subtle but revolutionary mindset shift transforms the entire approach to wellness. While many reduce weight management to "eat less, move more," the reality is infinitely more complex. Our modern environment constantly bombards us with processed food options and triggers that create a biological mismatch, making sustainable weight management increasingly challenging.

What many don't realize is how deeply interconnected our lifestyle factors truly are.

Sleep deprivation alone can add 300 excess calories to your daily intake by disrupting hunger hormones and insulin sensitivity. Stress management directly impacts cortisol levels, which affect everything from sleep quality to food cravings. Exercise benefits extend far beyond calorie burning, enhancing mental clarity, building psychological resilience, and often leading to naturally better food choices.

The path forward isn't about restrictive diets or temporary fixes. It's about consistently prioritizing whole foods, quality sleep, stress management, physical activity, and meaningful connections.

By focusing on gaining health through these interconnected lifestyle pillars, weight management becomes a natural byproduct rather than an elusive goal.

What health-promoting habits have made the biggest difference in your life?

Share your experiences and join our community as we work together toward sustainable wellness approaches that actually work.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

Start here if you’re craving clarity, not noise.

We open season three by tracing a winding path from a backyard ninja gym and World Ninja Championship qualifiers to a clinic led by six board-certified lifestyle medicine physicians, and a mission to make prevention the norm, not the exception.

The story moves from hospital lows with cholinergic angioedema to steady recovery through plant-forward eating, movement, sleep, and stress skills, showing exactly how small, consistent choices compound into real change.

We dig into what the science actually says about nutrition without fueling the diet wars. Mediterranean, DASH, MIND, and Portfolio share the same backbone: whole plant foods, fiber-rich meals, complex carbs, and a focus on unsaturated fats while cutting added sugars, excess sodium, refined grains, and ultra-processed foods.

Some patterns include small amounts of animal products, others none, but the throughline is undeniable, plants lead to better outcomes. We also talk about Blue Zones, modern dietary guidelines, and why “dose dependent” is the most important phrase in your health playbook.

Beyond nutrition, we map out the six pillars of lifestyle medicine and how to make them stick in real life.

Choose one behavior, start small, create quick wins, and design your environment so the healthy choice is the easy choice. Expect friction, treat setbacks as data, and let your values drive the plan. You’ll hear how our team built momentum, earning board certifications, mentoring colleagues, and shaping a residency curriculum, to scale prevention across our province.

The goal is simple: less extremism, more evidence, and changes you can live with for decades.

If you’re ready for practical steps, updated research, and a conversation that respects nuance, you’re in the right place. Hit follow, share this episode with someone starting a health reset, and leave a review telling us the one tiny habit you’ll build this week.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules