Ditch The Labcoat

Reclaim Your Balance: The Neuroscience of Aging Well with Dan Metcalfe

Welcome back to Ditch the Labcoat for our 100th episode. Today we tackle a challenge that touches millions yet remains widely misunderstood: falls and balance loss in aging adults.Host Dr. Mark Bonta sits down with Dan Metcalfe, Founder and CEO of Born SuperHuman and Total Balance Company, to challenge the dangerous assumption that falling is just "part of getting older." They reveal how falls are actually the number one cause of death in older adults, not because bodies weaken, but because the brain-to-body connection deteriorates when we stop challenging our neurological systems. Dan shares groundbreaking insights from training over 70,000 people, explaining why traditional strength training misses the mark and how proper balance work can add eight years of quality life.Drawing from his own journey from paralysis after a stage accident to competing in Ironman races following partial brain death, Dan explains the neuroscience behind balance, fear, and movement. He breaks down how the cerebellum, the pyramis, and neuroplasticity work together, why "muscle memory" is actually neuron memory, and how mental rehearsal can be as powerful as physical practice. Most importantly, he offers practical, accessible strategies anyone can use to prevent falls and reclaim independence.Dr. Metcalfe shares transformative stories, from Bob Eubanks going from wheelchair-bound to running at 79, to his own mother returning to line dancing after a stroke. They explore why static balance tests fail us, how fear creates the very falls we're trying to avoid, and why playing like a kid again might be the most powerful longevity tool we're ignoring.If you've ever worried about losing your independence, watched a loved one shuffle in fear, or wondered whether aging really means slowing down, you won't want to miss this evidence-based, hope-filled conversation.Dan Metcalfe's Links : http://totalbalancecompany.com/ & https://bornsuperhuman.com/Episode Takeaways1. Falls Are Preventable, Not Inevitable – Falls are the number one cause of death in older adults, but they're caused by lost brain-body connection, not aging itself.2. Balance Is Brain-Led, Not Body-Built – Traditional strength training misses the point. Balance comes from neurological pathways, not muscle strength.3. Muscle Memory Doesn't Exist – What we call muscle memory is actually neuron memory. The brain fires signals to muscles through repetitive neural pathways.4. Fear Creates the Falls We're Trying to Avoid – The pyramis in the cerebellum holds movement fear memories, causing the cautious shuffle that increases fall risk.5. Static Balance Tests Are Misleading – Standing on one leg without moving only uses three brain regions. Real balance requires dynamic movement engaging 18+ brain areas.6. Better Balance Adds Eight Years of Quality Life – French study of 1,300 women proved those in the top 30% for balance lived eight years longer with better function.7. Play Like a Kid to Age Well – Swinging, hopping, side-stepping, and playful movement maintain the neurological connections built in childhood.8. We're Born to Heal at Any Age – From Olympic athletes to centenarians, the brain's ability to rewire through neuroplasticity never stops if we challenge it.Episode Timestamps02:03 – Falls: The Silent Epidemic in Aging04:02 – Balance Isn't About Age, It's About Brain Connection06:41 – From Paralysis to Performance: Dan's Story11:39 – The Muscle Memory Myth: It's All Neurons16:40 – The Pyramis and Fear: How Your Brain Stops You26:06 – Visualization and Mental Rehearsal Power33:52 – Prevention Over Treatment: Move Like a Kid Again50:54 – Born to Heal: Unlocking Your Superhuman PotentialDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Neuroplastic Recovery: Up Close and Personal with Nora Rodden

In this episode of Ditch the Labcoat, Dr. Mark Bonta does something different. For the first time on the podcast, he speaks with a former patient.Nora Rabah Rodden joins the show not as a clinician, but as someone who lived for years with debilitating symptoms that medicine couldn't explain or fix. Despite normal tests and repeated reassurance, her pain, GI symptoms, fatigue, and nervous system distress persisted. What she encountered instead was a gap in care. Not a lack of effort, but a lack of framework.Nora shares how learning about neuroplasticity and nervous system patterning finally gave her symptoms context. Not imagined. Not psychological. Learned, reinforced, and reversible. That experience became the foundation for why she later co-founded Nervana.Together, they explore why so many patients are dismissed once serious disease is ruled out, how threat signaling and conditioned responses can keep the body stuck in symptoms, and why telling patients “nothing is wrong” is often the most harmful message of all. The conversation breaks down the science of neuroplastic recovery in plain language, while staying honest about its limits and responsibilities.This episode is about what happens when medicine runs out of explanations, and what becomes possible when we stop treating unexplained symptoms as a dead end and start treating the nervous system as something that can learn, adapt, and heal.Nora's Link : https://www.trynervana.com/Episode Takeaways 1. Patient Experience Matters: Normal tests do not equal normal lives. Symptoms can persist even when disease is ruled out.2. Neuroplastic Symptoms Are Real: Learned nervous system patterns can drive pain, GI distress, fatigue, and insomnia without structural damage.3. “Nothing Is Wrong” Is Harmful: Reassurance without explanation often deepens fear, confusion, and isolation.4. Symptoms Can Be Learned and Unlearned: The brain adapts quickly, for better or worse, and those patterns are reversible.5. This Is Not Psychosomatic: Neuroplastic recovery is grounded in neuroscience, not imagination or positive thinking.6. Awareness Changes Identity: When patients stop identifying with symptoms, recovery often begins.7. Recovery Is Gradual, Not Dramatic: Progress usually looks subtle, steady, and cumulative rather than sudden.8. Lived Experience Can Build Better Care: Nora’s recovery is why Nervana exists, to close the gap medicine often leaves behind.Episode Timestamps04:18 – Why This Episode Is Different: The First Patient Voice08:36 – When Tests Are Normal but Symptoms Are Not13:09 – The Gap Between Disease and Dysfunction18:52 – Neuroplasticity Explained Without the Jargon24:35 – Why “Nothing Is Wrong” Can Be Harmful30:13 – How the Nervous System Learns Symptoms36:56 – What Recovery Actually Looks Like in Practice43:14 – Turning Lived Experience Into a Care FrameworkDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Chronic Disease: Real Talk with Dr. Ford Brewer

Dr. Ford Brewer’s story is not about hacks or shortcuts. It is about a physician who left the adrenaline of the emergency department to confront a quieter, more uncomfortable reality. Most of the heart attacks and strokes he saw should never have happened. At Hopkins, in public health, and later in his own practice, he realized how profoundly our future health is shaped by habits that feel small in the moment and by metabolic problems that remain invisible for decades.In this conversation, we unpack what “test, do not guess” really looks like in real life. We talk about the epidemic of undiagnosed prediabetes, why fasting glucose and A1C miss so much disease, and how an old school oral glucose tolerance test can reveal what is really happening under the surface. Dr. Brewer explains continuous glucose monitors, why leg muscle acts like an internal safety valve for high blood sugar, and how small “exercise snacks” can protect you more than heroic gym bursts. We dig into the GLP 1 craze, the politics of food guidelines, and the uncomfortable reality that some systems profit from people staying sick.So whether you are a clinician, a patient who has been told your labs are “fine,” or someone who simply wants to stay out of the cath lab in your 50s, this episode is a sharp reset. It will change how you think about carbs, muscle, and “normal aging,” and it will give you tangible ways to take back agency over your metabolism. Plug in and see what happens when prevention stops being boring advice and becomes a clear plan for protecting the decades ahead.Ford Brewer MD MPH's Links : YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmoEsq6a6ePXxgZeA4CVrUw  Website : https://drfordbrewermd.com/Episode Takeaways 1. Building Better Habits – Long term health depends far more on daily routines than on motivation or willpower. Action beats intention every time.2. Discomfort Drives Growth – Improvement requires stepping outside comfort zones. Sustainable prevention often starts with doing what you do not feel like doing.3. Prevention Is Undervalued – Preventive medicine is dismissed as boring, yet most chronic disease stems from issues that could have been avoided years earlier.4. Prediabetes Is Everywhere – With half the population showing signs of impaired glucose control, early metabolic testing should be a universal priority.5. A1C Is Not Enough – Standard labs miss a large percentage of metabolic disease. Old school glucose tolerance testing reveals problems long before symptoms appear.6. CGMs Change Behavior – Real time glucose feedback helps people finally understand how food and activity affect their bodies and motivates true habit change.7. Muscle Protects Metabolism – Strong, active leg muscles act as metabolic engines that help control glucose spikes and support long term vascular health.8. Food Systems Shape Disease – Big Food, outdated guidelines, and institutional incentives influence what people eat and directly contribute to chronic illness.Episode Timestamps 00:02:32 — Meet Dr. Kang Hsu, Chief Medical Officer of Canary Speech00:03:44 — How voice became medicine: the story behind Canary Speech00:04:29 — Why this conversation matters to clinicians and patients alike00:05:05 — Making science accessible: breaking down complex ideas00:06:59 — Behind the mic: how each episode comes together00:07:59 — Keeping it real: refining, revising, and staying authentic00:09:00 — Can your voice reveal your health? The rise of vocal biomarkers00:13:00 — From telehealth to wearables: real-world applications00:19:00 — The uphill climb: innovation vs. healthcare resistance00:25:00 — The road ahead: what the future of voice in medicine could look like00:31:00 — Closing thoughts and a glimpse into what’s nextDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

New Years Eve Special with Dr. Mark Bonta

In this special New Year’s Eve solo episode, Dr. Mark Bonta steps away from the guest format to reflect on a landmark year for Ditch the Labcoat and to share where the show is headed next.After surpassing 50 episodes and approaching episode 100, Dr. Bonta looks back on how the podcast evolved in 2025. What started as a more traditional interview-style medical show has grown into deeper, more philosophical conversations about performance, longevity, mental health, neuroplastic symptoms, and the human side of healthcare.Using a surprising year-end analytics insight from his recording platform, he explores why the word “athlete” became one of the most frequently used terms on the show, and what that reveals about how healthcare, high performance, parenting, and recovery intersect. He also shares a candid and self-aware resolution for 2026, including how small environmental changes can shape better habits both personally and professionally.Looking ahead, Dr. Bonta outlines meaningful shifts for the podcast in 2026. Expect fewer episodes, greater depth, clearer thematic focus, and more intentional preparation to better honor guests and their work. He also highlights future areas of exploration, including neuroplastic and invisible illnesses, long COVID, chronic fatigue, high-performance mindsets, and the role of technology and AI in improving care.The episode closes with a deeply personal reflection on caregiving. A simple moment at home caring for his daughter leads to a broader meditation on touch, nursing, administrative burden, burnout, and why “caring” remains the most essential and fragile element of modern healthcare.This episode is both a thank-you to listeners and a statement of purpose for the year ahead.Mark Bonta's Links : https://ditchthelabcoat.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-bonta-/ Episode Takeaway 1. Healthcare as Performance: Why the Athlete Mindset Keeps Appearing — Recovery, sleep, nutrition, and training principles apply far beyond elite sports.2. Filler Words Reveal Thinking: What “So” Says About Deep Conversation — Pauses often signal reflection, curiosity, and cognitive processing, not incompetence.3. Behavior Change Starts at Home: Environment Shapes Outcomes — The easiest habits are the ones your surroundings make unavoidable.4. Longevity Is Not Biohacking: It’s Consistency Over Intensity — Sustainable routines outperform extreme interventions every time.5. Quality Over Quantity: Fewer Episodes, Deeper Impact — Better preparation and focus create more meaningful learning for listeners.6. Invisible Illnesses Are Real: When Scans Don’t Explain Suffering — Neuroplastic symptoms demand credibility, nuance, and evidence-based care.7. Administrative Burden Erodes Care: Documentation Steals Time From Healing — Systems often pull clinicians away from the bedside.8. Burnout’s Red Flag: When Caring Disappears — Loss of empathy is a warning sign that support and reflection are urgently needed.Episode Timestamps05:08 – Why “Athlete” Became One of the Most Used Words on the Show07:27 – The Most Commonly Used Word on Ditch the Labcoat (And Why It Matters)09:44 – Setting Yourself Up for Success: Habits, Environment, and Behavior Change11:39 – Longevity Lessons from Athletes and Everyday Life14:02 – Quality Over Quantity: How the Podcast Evolves in 202617:25 – Neuroplastic and Invisible Illnesses: What Medicine Still Misses19:25 – Caregiving, Touch, and the Administrative Burden of Modern Medicine24:15 – Burnout, Red Flags, and the Importance of Never Stopping CaringDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University. 

Real Talk with Pediatrician and Media Personality Dr. Alok Patel

In this episode, Dr. Mark Bonta sits down with pediatrician and medical journalist Dr. Alok Patel to unpack what it really means to keep kids healthy in a chaotic healthcare system and a distracted digital world. Starting with a story about Mark’s nine year old getting injured at hockey, they dive into how parents can respond to injuries and illness without panicking, how to check your own emotions first, and when a situation truly belongs in the emergency department versus urgent care or a clinic visit.Drawing on his frontline pediatric experience, Dr. Patel breaks down practical red flags for parents to watch for, like increased work of breathing or changes in mental status, and explains why ER waits feel so brutal yet often reflect deeper system issues like staffing and bed shortages. He shares behind the scenes stories from “The Pitt” and his work on the official HBO companion podcast, highlighting how accurately the show captures social determinants of health and the emotional reality of modern emergency care.From there, the conversation moves into vaccines, flu season, and the very human fact that even doctors sometimes struggle to follow all their own advice. Mark and Alok talk candidly about phones, social media, Roblox, and why today’s kids are essentially part of a live experiment in screen exposure. They close with a focus on what actually protects kids long term: safe, nonjudgmental adults, honest conversations about mental health, limits around screens, and a home environment that values connection over perfection.Dr. Alok Patel's https://www.alokpatelmd.com/Episode Takeaways1. Parent First, Patient Second: Kids borrow their reaction from you, so the first step in any injury or illness is to calm your own emotions before you decide what to do.2. ER vs Clinic: Not every vomit, bump, or fever is life threatening, and learning when to use urgent care or outpatient clinics can spare families long, stressful ER waits.3. Triage Reality Check: Emergency departments prioritize the sickest patients first, which means long waits for minor issues are frustrating but often a sign the system is doing its job.4. Medicine Behind the Camera: The Pit shows how accurate medical details can sit in the background while stories focus on the real emotional chaos of patients, families, and staff.5. Social Determinants in Real Time: Two kids with the same diagnosis can have completely different outcomes depending on housing, income, family support, and access to care.6. Doctors Are Human Too: Even physicians miss flu shots, struggle with habits, or feel guilty, which can actually make their public health messages more relatable, not less credible.7. Screens and Social Media: The real risk is not one device but a constant digital environment that shapes brain development, sleep, self esteem, and social skills in ways we are only starting to understand.8. Safe Adults Save Lives: The most powerful protection for teens is a nonjudgmental adult who listens, normalizes hard conversations, and gives kids a place to bring their worst thoughts without fear.Episode Timestamps02:06 – Hockey Rink Medicine: How Doctors Triage Their Own Kids04:07 – Parents First: Calming Yourself Before You React to Injury06:50 – ER, Urgent Care, or Clinic: How to Decide Where Your Child Belongs09:37 – Waiting Room Reality: Triage, Delays, and Why Sickest Kids Go First12:34 – Inside “The Pit”: TV Emergency Medicine, Accuracy, and Chaos24:50 – Flu Shots, Doctor Guilt, and Why Practice Often Lags Advice31:06 – Kids, Phones, and Social Media: The Live Experiment on Their Brains37:08 – Teen Mental Health Red Flags: Subtle Signs and Safe Adult SpacesDISCLAMER >>>>>>    The Ditch Lab Coat podcast serves solely for general informational purposes and does not serve as a substitute for professional medical services such as medicine or nursing. It does not establish a doctor/patient relationship, and the use of information from the podcast or linked materials is at the user's own risk. The content does not aim to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and users should promptly seek guidance from healthcare professionals for any medical conditions.   >>>>>> The expressed opinions belong solely to the hosts and guests, and they do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of the Hospitals, Clinics, Universities, or any other organization associated with the host or guests.    Disclosures: Ditch The Lab Coat podcast is produced by (soundsdebatable.com) and is independent of Dr. Bonta's teaching and research roles at McMaster University, Temerty Faculty of Medicine and Queens University.