Totum Wellness Podcast

Totum Life Science

Welcome to Totum: A Community That Moves You. We are thrilled to bring you expert advice and insights from the world of fitness and athletics. Our goal here is simple - to inspire and educate our listeners on how to lead a healthier and more active lifestyle. We firmly believe that each and every person has a unique path to wellness, and we are here to guide you on that journey. The content of this channel will empower you with helpful information, motivate you to take action, and ultimately help you improve your life. Let's unlock our full potential together!

  1. APR 17

    Foot Function & Injury Prevention With Dr. Keenan O'Young

    Dr. Keenan O'Young is a chiropractor at Totum who specializes in foot function and injury prevention. He breaks down why most people have weak, deconditioned feet, how poor foot function creates injuries up the kinetic chain, and the key exercises that build strength, mobility, and control in your feet.Keenan explains why the big toe is the most important joint in your foot, how to test if you can isolate your toes independently (most people can't), what the "short foot" exercise does for your arch, and why walking barefoot can be a training stimulus if you've been wearing padded shoes your whole life. He covers how bunions develop and how function can be restored through dedicated training, why flat feet alone aren't the problem (it's about strength and mobility), when to use orthotics vs. when to strengthen, and how limited ankle dorsiflexion causes plantar fasciitis and Achilles issues. This episode reveals the foot-ankle connection, why vacation injuries happen, and how to build the foundation that prevents knee pain, hip pain, and the shuffling gait that happens when foot strength disappears with age. 00:00 - Intro 01:52 - Why Foot Function Isn't Talked About Enough 03:28 - Foot as First Link in the Kinetic Chain 04:13 - Foot Strength & Speed in High-Performance Athletes 05:01 - The 4 Key Foot Function Tests 08:11 - Short Foot Exercise: Doming Your Arch 10:31 - Walking Barefoot as a Training Stimulus 13:04 - The Vibram Shoe Disaster (Don't Do This) 15:24 - Keenan's Bunion Story & Recovery Timeline 18:07 - Born to Run & What Feet Are Capable Of 20:30 - Big Toe Extension: Why It Matters & How to Train It 22:41 - The Ankle Break That Changed Tim's Foot Function 25:19 - Most Common Foot Issues: Plantar Fasciitis & Achilles 28:03 - Favorite Foot Exercises for Injury Prevention 32:36 - Orthotics, Inserts & Footwear: When to Use Them

    35 min

  2. APR 2

    Zack Kelly: Making Sense of HRV, Wearables & Performance Data

    Zack Kelly is a performance coach and psychophysiologist who specializes in helping clients interpret and apply performance data. His master's research focused on heart rate variability, and he works with athletes and everyday clients to optimize training using metrics like HRV, force plate testing, and VO2 max assessments. Zack discusses what heart rate variability actually measures and why wearable devices often misinterpret the data. He explains why high HRV isn't always a sign of good recovery, how blunted HRV responses can indicate underlying health issues, and why tracking trends over time matters more than daily scores. The conversation covers force plate testing for detecting asymmetries and injury risk, the psychological pitfalls of becoming too data-dependent, and how to build a healthy relationship with wearable technology. Zack shares practical strategies for using metrics effectively, including focusing on one variable at a time, looking at big-picture trends rather than daily fluctuations, and knowing when to trust your body over the numbers. 00:00 - Intro 01:37 - What Is HRV and Why Does It Matter? 03:33 - Why High HRV Isn't Always Good 05:34 - Blunted HRV Response in Clinical Populations 07:46 - Addressing Asymmetries With Force Plate Testing 12:55 - The Danger of Over-Interpreting Data 19:05 - When to Actually Pay Attention to Your Numbers 22:56 - Understanding Zone 2 Training 28:00 - How to Use Wearables Without Obsessing 35:24 - Preparing for VO2 Max Testing 40:06 - What Performance Coaches Actually Track

    44 min

  3. MAR 20

    Dr. Amanda Marrone: Lifestyle Medicine, Preventive Testing & Personalized Health

    Dr. Amanda Marrone is a family medicine physician and lifestyle medicine practitioner at Optimal U in Toronto. She focuses on using behavioral interventions and lifestyle factors to prevent and treat chronic disease at its root cause. Dr. Marrone discusses why the conventional healthcare model works well for acute disease but struggles with chronic conditions, and how lifestyle medicine addresses the root causes of disease through six core pillars: nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management, avoidance of harmful substances, and social connection. She explains the importance of specific blood tests that many doctors don't routinely order, how personalized testing can detect metabolic dysfunction years before disease appears, and why lifestyle medicine works alongside conventional treatments rather than replacing them. The conversation covers her "one thing" approach to sustainable habit change, why feeling better is the most powerful motivator for lifestyle shifts, and how patients can take control of their health through individualized testing and evidence-based lifestyle interventions. 00:00 - Intro 00:43 - What Is Lifestyle Medicine? 03:34 - Why Time Matters in Healthcare 08:12 - Blood Work as a Window Into Metabolic Health 13:15 - The 4 Critical Tests Your Doctor Isn't Ordering 17:37 - Sleep Apnea: The Undiagnosed Epidemic 21:13 - Why Normal Blood Sugar Doesn't Mean You're Safe 24:12 - How Testing Drives Behavior Change 28:19 - Lifestyle Medicine + Conventional Medicine (Not Either/Or) 31:03 - The "One Thing" Approach to Habit Change 36:15 - Movement Snacks & Longevity 40:02 - Why Weight Loss Should Be a Side Effect, Not the Goal

    43 min

  4. MAR 6

    Kris Robertson: Building Winning Cultures Through Self-Awareness & Accountability

    Kris Robertson is the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Raptors 905 (NBA G-League) and Sport Scientist with the Toronto Argonauts (CFL). He previously served as Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning at Simon Fraser University and is a former professional athlete drafted by the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2013. Kris discusses what separates winning teams from talented teams that fall short, including the role of luck, continuity, and teamwork in championship success. He shares insights from the 2017 Grey Cup Champion Argonauts, where Coach Marc Trestman's philosophy of making everyone feel important created a winning culture. The conversation covers the specialist versus generalist problem that creates silos in organizations, why self-awareness is critical for leadership, how understanding your biases changes the way you communicate, and why over-communication prevents team breakdowns. Kris explains why winning can cover up broken systems until it's too late, how to get comfortable with discomfort, and why personal accountability is foundational to success in sports, business, and life. 00:00 - Intro 00:49 - Why Some Teams Win: Talent, System & Luck 04:14 - Making Everyone Feel Important 05:40 - The Silo Problem: Specialist vs. Generalist 10:58 - What Athletes Tell Strength Coaches (That Coaches Never Hear) 13:05 - Why Winning Covers Up Broken Systems 15:32 - Understanding Your Biases to Lead Effectively 19:21 - Applying Self-Awareness to Parenting & Personal Life 21:03 - Over-Communication: The Championship Difference 23:31 - Getting Comfortable Being Uncomfortable 26:57 - Accountability: Doing the Self-Work

    30 min

  5. FEB 20

    Kyle Buchanan: The 3 Nutritional Pillars for Gut Health

    Kyle Buchanan is a certified nutritional practitioner who breaks down why gut diversity determines everything from your energy levels to how badly hangovers hit you. He explains the 30-plant-foods-per-week benchmark that creates a healthier microbiome, why most people are digesting protein poorly, and how supporting digestion before meals changes absorption entirely.Kyle reveals why variety beats perfection, how targeted probiotics are advancing beyond generic supplements, and the truth about peptides like BPC-157 and GLP-1s (Ozempic). He discusses which peptides show real promise for tissue repair, which ones are unregulated Wild West territory, and why foundational habits still outperform quick fixes. FOLLOW TOTUM Website: totum.ca Listen on Apple: Totum Wellness Podcast Listen on Spotify: Totum Wellness Podcast Watch on YouTube: Totum Wellness Channel Instagram: @totumwellness FOLLOW KYLE: Website: kylebuchanan.ca Podcast (feelgoodery): Apple Podcasts | Spotify Instagram: @itskyleb 00:00 - Intro03:43 - The 3 Nutritional Must-Haves: Variety, Protein, Digestion15:08 - How to Support Digestion Before, During & After Meals21:22 - Stomach Acid Declines With Age23:12 - The Truth About Probiotics: Personalized vs. Generic28:32 - Prebiotics: The Missing Piece Everyone Ignores30:03 - Peptides Explained: BPC-157, GLP-1s & Growth Hormone34:28 - Ozempic for Weight Loss

    39 min

  6. FEB 6

    Mike Kessel: The CEO’s Blueprint for Personalized Longevity

    Mike Kessel, the CEO of Cleveland Clinic Canada, reveals that we aren't just passengers in our own health journey since 90% of our health after age 60 is determined by lifestyle, not DNA. He advocates for a "50/50" ownership model where individuals use handheld diagnostic technology to monitor their own heart, lungs, and throat to bypass the E.R. and stay ahead of a field where medical knowledge doubles every 73 days. Because chronic stress can subtract 42 years from your life, Mike focuses on closing the 10-year "quality gap" by choosing "fun" over boring routines—a philosophy that took him from a childhood table tennis champion and founder of the Cardiac Smash tournament to a qualifier for the 2026 US Open Pickleball championships. 00:00 - Intro 08:45 - The 90% Rule: Lifestyle vs. Genetics after 60 11:30 - The 10-Year Gap: Healthspan vs. Lifespan 15:40 - Medical Knowledge is Doubling Every 73 Days 18:20 - Fixing High Cholesterol: Data-Driven Life Changes 21:15 - Distributed Healthcare: Moving Beyond Bricks & Mortar 26:00 - Why the Canadian Healthcare System is Aging 31:30 - Public vs. Private: Accessing Cardiology & Sports Med via OHIP 35:00 - Live Demo: The $400 Handheld Diagnostic Device 45:00 - Fun as a Health Metric: Finding Your "Strain"

    47 min

  7. JAN 9

    DNS: The Pro Athlete’s Secret to Core Stability & Power With Scott Fournier

    Lower back pain often stems from a simple mechanical failure: your pelvis and rib cage are out of alignment. While most people focus on "six-pack" abs, true core stability comes from the deepest layers of your anatomy—the transverse abdominis (TVA), the diaphragm, and the pelvic floor.In this session, Scott (a DNS specialist) breaks down why the way you breathe is the foundation of how you move. Whether you are a desk worker struggling with "extension" posture or an elite athlete like Roger Federer looking for a competitive edge, understanding the "Piston Effect" is the key to moving without pain. 00:00 - Intro02:40 - The Core "Lid": Why the Diaphragm and Pelvic Floor matter04:00 - What is the TVA (Transverse Abdominis)?05:22 - The "Extension Compression" trap for athletes and office workers07:50 - Tutorial: How to find your TVA on the floor10:20 - The "Tactile Cue" to engage your deep core13:50 - Motor Learning: Why frequency beats intensity16:25 - Moving like Roger Federer: Efficiency vs. Capacity21:10 - Visualizing the "Piston Effect" for breathing24:50 - How "short" tissues cause back spasms during rotation31:50 - The danger of "iPad Posture" in young athletes35:10 - Scott’s Journey: From chronic pain to movement expert

    42 min

  8. 2025-12-19

    Youth Sports Development & Preventing Burnout with Kris Robertson

    Is your child on the right path to elite athleticism, or are they on the road to burnout? In this episode, we sit down with Kris Robertson, Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Raptors 905 and former CFL All-Canadian. We break down the shocking statistic that 70% of youth athletes drop out by age 13 and reveal the science-backed "roadmap" to keeping them in the game.Kris shares his "Rules of Engagement" for sports parents, why early specialization is often a mistake, and how to spot a toxic coaching environment before it damages your child's mental health.

    36 min
See All (46)

4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Welcome to Totum: A Community That Moves You. We are thrilled to bring you expert advice and insights from the world of fitness and athletics. Our goal here is simple - to inspire and educate our listeners on how to lead a healthier and more active lifestyle. We firmly believe that each and every person has a unique path to wellness, and we are here to guide you on that journey. The content of this channel will empower you with helpful information, motivate you to take action, and ultimately help you improve your life. Let's unlock our full potential together!

Information

  • Creator
    Totum Life Science
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    46
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Totum Life Science
  • Show Website
    Totum Wellness Podcast

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