Rethinking Healthcare, Planetary Health and Systems Change through an Indigenous Lens with Dr. Nicole Redvers

In this thought-provoking episode of The HQ, we continue our exploration into the interconnectedness of healthcare and planetary health. Building on previous discussions about climate change, environmental sustainability, and the broader social impact of our consumptive healthcare practices, we now take a deeper dive into alternative approaches that challenge the prevailing systems.

Our guest, Dr. Nicole Redvers, brings a unique perspective to the conversation. As a member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation in Canada’s Northwest Territories, Dr. Redvers has dedicated her career to working with Indigenous patients, scholars, and communities worldwide. She is an Associate Professor, Western Research Chair, and Director of Indigenous Planetary Health at the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry at Western University and serves as the Vice President Research at the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada (AFMC). Dr. Redvers has been a leading advocate for incorporating Indigenous perspectives into human and planetary health research, and she authored The Science of the Sacred: Bridging Global Indigenous Medicine Systems and Modern Scientific Principles.

In this conversation, we examine the core values and beliefs that have shaped our current systems and explore the lessons we can learn from Indigenous knowledge and health models. Dr. Redvers offers profound insights into how shifting our mindset and embracing alternative, holistic approaches could create more meaningful and sustainable change in healthcare and beyond.

Tune in to discover how Indigenous perspectives can inform and reshape our approach to healthcare and planetary health, offering pathways to a more integrated and sustainable system.

 

Key Discussions:

• Dr. Redvers’ Journey: Dr. Redvers shares her story and path into advocating for planet-centric healthcare and education, highlighting the experiences that shaped her dedication to this work.
• Connecting Healthcare and Planetary Health: We discuss the foundational concept of planetary health and how our understanding of health must encompass the well-being of our planet.
• Prioritizing the Right Issues: Dr. Redvers addresses whether our current focus on reducing emissions and pollution in healthcare is enough or if we should shift the conversation to more fundamental concerns.
• Unspoken Burden of Healthcare: Why has the environmental impact of healthcare been a neglected topic, and what’s driving the growing awareness today?
• Learning from Indigenous Models: We explore the potential of Indigenous health models and traditional medicine systems to transform Western healthcare, understanding the interplay between these approaches.
• Eco-Anxiety and Action: Addressing eco-anxiety, Dr. Redvers shares strategies for turning fear into actionable solutions, drawing from her experiences and the impacts of environmental disasters on her community.
• Systemic Competition and Change: A critical examination of the tensions between different systems, how they operate in isolation or in connection, and what it takes to enact systemic change without exacerbating flaws or disruptions.
• Healing the System: Can we use a flawed system to repair itself, or must we look for alternatives? Dr. Redvers provides her perspective on navigating this complex challenge.

 

About Our Guest:  

Dr. Nicole Redvers, ND, MPH, DPhilc, is a member of the Deninu K’ue First Nation (Northwest Territories, Canada) and has worked with Indigenous patients, scholars, and communities around the globe her entire career. She is an Associate Professor, Western Research Chair, and Director of Indigenous Planetary Health at the Schulich School of Medicine &