Scott Lear, PhD
@drscottlear.bsky.social
150 followers 66 following 280 posts
Professor at Simon Fraser University in the use of healthy behaviours to prevent and treat disease. Lived experience with depression and heart disease. Active in #scicomm through my blog (www.drscottlear.com) and podcast How to Health.
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drscottlear.bsky.social
I wish! I'm working to one right now, but I'm thinking it's making my health worse 🙃
drscottlear.bsky.social
Getting in your exercise doesn't have to be going to the gym, running, swimming, etc. It can be anything that gets your heart and breathing rate up

In this blog I discuss how much exercise is recommended, the value of different activities and what counts as exercise.
drscottlear.com/2025/10/01/w...
What counts as exercise? - Become your healthiest you
We all know exercise is good for us, but not all of us want to sweat it out in a gym. Thankfully, there's a whole bunch of activities that count as exercise.
drscottlear.com
drscottlear.bsky.social
Exercise snacks are a great way to get in your daily activity.

Just 2-3 minutes of moderate-vigorous activity such as climbing stairs, squats, jumping jacks, etc. a 5-10 times per day, and you'll get in your daily activity.
#MondayMotivation
drscottlear.bsky.social
No matter how good someone is at something now, they started from a point of not being good at the beginning.
drscottlear.bsky.social
Two truths and a lie Tuesday.

Spot the lie:
1. The average person only gets half the recommended amount of dietary potassium.
2. Exercise provides no benefit to your mood.
3. Social jetlag is when you change your sleep patterns on the weekend.
drscottlear.bsky.social
If weight loss was easy, there wouldn't be:
⭐️ Weight loss drugs
⭐️ A disease called obesity
⭐️ Half the population overweight
⭐️ Influencers peddling shady programs
⭐️ Magazines with the latest celebrity fad
⭐️ A >$200 billion weight loss industry
drscottlear.bsky.social
Motivation can get you started, but motivation can ebb and flow. It's discipline and consistency keep you going when motivation isn't there.
#MondayMotivation
drscottlear.bsky.social
It's International Sudoku Day!

Puzzles and games are associated with preventing cognitive decline and being less likely to get dementia.
drscottlear.bsky.social
Yeah, they were (he's now 19 and at Western- time flies!) but they found ways around it (not sure how).
drscottlear.bsky.social
I've stopped watching @NHL as all it is, is one big casino advertisement with a bit of hockey thrown in.

This is a serious issue, as many of my son's friends in high school use online sports betting. Let's ban sports betting advertisements. #publichealth
www.theglobeandmail.com/life/article...
Doctors call for restrictions on sports betting ads, say they set youth up for problem gambling
Canadian Medical Association Journal editorial says the legalization of online gambling has made every smartphone a potential betting platform
www.theglobeandmail.com
drscottlear.bsky.social
Five immediate benefits of #exercise (science-backed):
⭐️make you happy
⭐️give you a burst of energy
⭐️improve creativity
⭐️increase productivity
⭐️help your metabolism
#MondayMotivation
drscottlear.bsky.social
It's kind of a contradiction to say not to trust the experts when the dictionary defines an expert as a person who has a comprehensive and authoritative knowledge of or skill in a particular area.

So then who should we trust? The people with no knowledge??🥴
drscottlear.bsky.social
To start off our 4th season of our How to Health podcast, we're doing something different.

In this episode we're talking about how our very own Scott Lear about his activity, nutrition & sleep routines and how important socializing is to mental health. #publichealth
open.spotify.com/episode/7EjC...
How Scott Stays Healthy
open.spotify.com
drscottlear.bsky.social
Old Wives' Tales have been with us for centuries and may be the first type of misinformation. But is there a kernel of truth in some of them?

In this blog, I fact-check four common Wives' Tales as they relate to health.

What are some Wives' Tales you grew up with?
drscottlear.com/2025/08/22/o...
Old Wives' Tales: Fact or Fiction - Become your healthiest you
Old Wives’ Tales have been around for centuries. These are claims or sayings are meant to promote a specific behaviour, such as eating carrots to improve eyesight. And they often have a long history o...
drscottlear.com
Reposted by Scott Lear, PhD
visionzerovancouver.ca
It was awesome collaborating with @tomflood.bsky.social on this project. So cool to see this up!
Billboard reads: Smoking tables next to non-smoking tables used to be normal too. Join us in fighting for safe streets. The vision Zero logo and Rovelo Creative are listed below. On the right, a photo of a young child riding a bike on the shoulder of a road next to a very large truck.
drscottlear.bsky.social
1/2 Daily physical activity can (instantly!) improve the way you think.

Small study found that activity was associated with improved cognitive ability equivalent to reversing 4 years of aging:
academic.oup.com/abm/article-...
#exercise #health #fitness
drscottlear.bsky.social
Muscle and strength facts:
⭐️peak muscle mass occurs around 30 years
⭐️with age the body is less efficient at absorbing protein
⭐️age-related decline in muscle mostly due to insufficient protein intake & reduced activity
⭐️strength training at any age is beneficial
drscottlear.com/2021/10/27/w...
Why Strength Training is a Must as We Get Older - Become your healthiest you
While strength training may seem like an exercise for the young, it is essential to maintain strength as one ages to prevent disease and continue independent living.
drscottlear.com
drscottlear.bsky.social
Spot the lie!

Here are two truths and a lie about exercise:
1. you need >20 minutes of exercise to be worth it
2. you can start strength training at any age
3. regular exercise can improve your memory
#health
drscottlear.bsky.social
Yes, you can (and should), sleep on that problem.

Sleep resets your brain and improves memory, creativity and decision-making, giving you more clarity for solving problems.
time.com/7308247/slee...
Does sleeping on a problem really work?
Your brain does more than dream at night. It also analyzes, organizes, and solves problems.
time.com
drscottlear.bsky.social
That's interesting. Will that work for people who don't have hair? I don't mind curls.