We think of varicose veins as something that happens mostly to older people. It turns out the slow-moving condition usually begins at a much younger age. Dr. Varun Kapila is a vascular surgeon and president of the Canadian Society for Vascular Surgery. He says there are a few lifestyle factors that can reduce the chances of getting varicose veins — or at least slow their progression.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.

Seasonal allergy sufferers who've noticed their symptoms getting worse aren't imagining things. Thanks mostly to the effects of climate change, but also urban planning, seasonal allergies are more severe (?). Dr. Anne Ellis, chair of the division of allergy and immunology at Queen's University, explains why you're suffering more, and allergy treatments offering new hope.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.

A new miracle cure-all has been making the rounds on social media, promising that people who take methylene blue can improve their mood and cognition. Some TikTok videos even suggest the synthetic dye could be used to treat cancer. Joe Schwarcz, director of McGill's Office for Science and Society, explains there’s little evidence to suggest methylene blue is useful outside of very specific circumstances.

For transcripts of The Dose, please visit: lnk.to/dose-transcripts. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. For more episodes of this podcast, click this link.