April 11 2026-The Challenges Facing Caregivers Today & Exploring the "Fat Thermostat" Phenomenon

This episode of Zoomer Week in Review, hosted by Jeremy Logan, explores two critical themes: the growing challenges faced by caregivers across Canada and the biological underpinnings of weight gain through the lens of Dr. Jason Fung's new book, The Hunger Code. The first half focuses on National Caregiver Day, highlighting the emotional, financial, and physical toll on the nearly 8 million caregivers in Canada, with insights from Amy Kupal, CEO of the Ontario Caregiver Organization. She emphasizes the urgent need for early intervention, systemic recognition of caregivers as essential partners in healthcare, and expanded access to free support services like peer counseling and multilingual helplines. The second half dives into the science of hunger, introducing Dr. Fung’s concept of the 'fat thermostat'—a biological system regulating body fat that becomes dysregulated by hormones like insulin and cortisol, especially due to ultra-processed foods. Fung argues that weight management isn't about willpower but about resetting hormonal balance through diet and lifestyle, offering hope for reversing obesity trends through better understanding of hedonic, conditioned, and homeostatic hunger. The episode closes with a call to recognize caregiving as a societal responsibility and to rethink obesity through a biological, not moral, framework.