The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge - Wednesday Endbits Special

Episode Date: December 3, 2025

The best of the leftovers we call the Endbits Specials and they've become very popular. Today, another session on how to relieve stress; where not to travel to; can air travel re-live its golden days; five foods you shouldn't eat; and is it time to make Richard Nixon great again? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

And hello there, Peter Mansbridge here. You're just moments away from the latest episode of The Bridge. Today, it's another N-bit special. And we've got some good ones for you here today. That's coming right up. And hello there. Welcome to Wednesday. And as you know, Wednesdays are supposed to be Encore editions.

That's what my new contract said. I'm an old guy. I need that day off in the middle of the week. But this year, this season anyway, we've been throwing in a few N-Bit specials. Remember what N-Bits are? They're interesting little bits of news, what kind of news you can use stuff, that are there to fill gaps in programs.

Well, lately, we haven't needed any. So we've got this big build-up of N-Bits. My friend, Mark Bulgutch, co-author, we've got a new book coming out next year. Can't tell you anything about it yet, secret. But you'll enjoy it, just like you've enjoyed the others we've written together. But we'll tell you about that in the new year. But Mark sends me over end bits. Every week, he sends a bunch.

So I've been saving them up, and today we're going to do an N-Bid special. Only, you know, four, five, six, maybe half a dozen of the most. But they're good. They're good news you can use stuff. Before I get to the first one, a reminder, tomorrow's question of the week is, basically comes down to which fighter jet do you like the best? The F-35, the one that it looked like was a slam dunk.

We are getting some of them. But should we get all of them? American fighter jets or should we maybe have a look more seriously at the Swedish Gripen fighter jet have it as well it's a good question

and you know the different arguments and if you're not aware of them we went in after them again yesterday on yesterday's program with Raj and Russo Nevertheless, you've only got until 6 p.m. Eastern Time this afternoon to get your answers in. They've got to be under 75 words. You send it to the Mansbridge Podcast at gmail.com.

Include your name and the location you're writing from. And I look forward to seeing what you have to say. All right. So let's get into our end bits. The first one is basically, some ideas on stress relief. Now, I think about a month or two months ago, we did something similar, and you enjoyed that. We all face different kinds of stress at different times.

And how do we deal with that? Well, these are some really, these are some fun ideas on how to deal with stress. So I'm going to go through some of them. You know, as I said, you know, most people contend with stress. This is a peace in the guardian. You know, most people contend with stress in some element of their lives. The question is, what can you do when you feel overwhelmed? So I'm going to read some of this stuff out to you.

First of all, you've got to recognize the signs. When we're stressed, our body undergoes psychological change. as part of our fight or flight. We get increased heart rates, and then the stress hormones, cortisol, and adrenaline, get released. They flood our bodies. This causes physical symptoms, such as headaches, or issues with the digestive system.

And there's the emotional aspect. I might notice that you're feeling irritable, anxious. You've got a low mood, lack of motivation. There are key signs that you're under a lot of stress. This can mean people withdraw and avoid socializing, or you might be a bit more snappy with your friends, partner, children, colleagues. As I said, we all suffer degrees of that at different times. So here are some nice ideas about how I deal with it.

I like this one. We're going to test this one right here on the program. focus on your breath, okay, that you're breathing. It's not your breath and whether it smells or not. It's on your breathing, okay? When you're in a moment of intense stress, breathwork is really important, says one of the experts. So here's the solution, this expert says. It's called the 478 breathing technique.

it's a quick way of activating your parasympathetic nervous system, which is our soothed system. So what is the 4-7-8 breathing technique? This is it. You take a deep breath for four seconds, hold your breath for seven seconds, then breathe out as if you're blowing out candles for eight. okay we're going to try we're going to try and do this here and see how it works okay and i'll uh what will i do here i will bang that little noise on each second to mark it because i can't do this and talk at the same time all right so here we go four seven and eight you take a deep breath for four hold that breath for seven

then breathe out for eight ready everybody ready here we go oh no i did that i did that wrong oh no i did that wrong I can't believe I did it wrong. Let's start it again. I took the deep breath for four, and then I let it out right away. I was supposed to hold it for seven. So let's try that again. Starting with taking a deep breath for four.

Here we go. Okay. I think I got that right that time. Hey, I feel stress-free. 4-7-8. Remember that one? Okay, let's try another one. Make a list.

Often when people are stressed, they're trying to remember everything that they have to do, and this waste a lot of neuro energy. When we prioritize what we see on a list, it feels a little less overwhelming than if we're trying to remember those things. And then we cross them off. We get a hit of dopamine, which affects our motivation and productivity. Okay. Listen to music.

Music evokes emotion and can calm and all. alter mood by soothing our nervous system. I think we all know that, right? Just relax, listen to music. Here's one. Splash your face or have a cold shower. Cold water can be helpful if you're feeling panicky to shock the body into a different state. It activates the parasympathetic nerve system. So after the initial shock, your body naturally shifts into a calming mode, which slows down the heart rate and helps you to feel more grounded. Second, it breaks the stress cycle. Cold exposure gives the brain a strong sensory signal that can interrupt spiraling thoughts, worry, and overwhelm. There's a number of different ways

to do this. You know, as it said, you can splash your face, you can take a cold shower. You can even go to the fridge, the freezer, get a couple of ice cubes and hold them in your hand. Okay? Just hold them in your hand. And access is cold water therapy. Think about your gut. What kind of diet can help to reduce stress? Cut down on processed foods and sugar.

We're going to talk more about five foods you want to ignore. not just about stress, but about basic health in just a moment. Prioritize sleep hygiene. Still saying you've got to get seven to nine hours sleep at night. Oh, God, I wish I could get seven to nine hours sleep at night. I can't. I'm lucky if I get six. I like this one.

Move or shake your body. I teach all my clients to actually meet the, survival energy where it's at and give themselves the right good shake, just like a dog shaking off. This is one of the experts talking. It helps to release some of that pent-up stress. So the next time you feel stressful, do the dog thing. You know, just shake. Shake your body. Shake it. I'm shaking my body now. Okay. Getting ready for a new dog. We're getting a new dog this week. It's been almost two years since we had to put our last dog down.

Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever. Bella. God, we loved that dog. So it was hard, very hard, and we decided we're never going to have another dog now. Now we're going to have another dog. Not a toller. Toler's too big for those of us who travel back and forth across the Atlantic and want to take the dog with us. So we're going to try something smaller.

Border Terrier. We'll see. I'll let you know how it goes. It arrives this week. Here's an easy one on stress really. Consider your phone use. You know, we all got to do that. I know I definitely got to you do that.

Stop reading the phone. Spend time with people who make you laugh. We all have friends who make us laugh. Some of them don't even realize they make us laugh. But they make us laugh. Feels good. It's another one here. Let me see.

There's another one. There's a whole bunch of this heart. As I said, it's in the Guardian. And the headline in this Guardian is, hold an ice cube and shake like a dog. Therapists on 16 simple, surprising ways to beat stress. Well, I didn't go through all 16, but I did give you a sense of some of them.

And I guess my favorites, I like that 478 breathing exercise. If I can get it right. That's a good one. I like the ice cube, and I like the shake like a dog. I'll definitely try that. Okay, moving on with NBit number two. And this comes, this is a food-related idea,

and it comes from eating well.com. And the headline is five foods you should eat less of after 50, according to dietitians. So obviously, this impacts me, and I know it impacts, you know, more than a few of you. So let's, you know, the first thing they have is a picture of a bowl full of potato chips. I love potato chips. But something tells me with that picture, they're going to tell me, don't eat potato chips. Turning 50 is a great time to start making healthier food choices to support aging. Though no food is completely off limits, keep fried, sugary, salty, and refined foods as occasional treats.

Eating more fiber, lean proteins, healthy fats, and colorful produce can support healthy aging. So let's break that down. Remember, this is five foods that after 50s shouldn't eat or eat a lot less of. Number one, deep fried foods, of course, you know, because we like them, right? Though it's less obvious than graying hair, aging has a meaningful impact on your heart. It's common for risk factors like high blood pressure or gradual weight gain to creep up in your 50s, which can raise your risk of heart disease. To help keep your heart in tip-top shape,

dietitians recommend cutting back on deep-fried foods, which tend to be high in calories, unhealthy fats, and inflammation-promoting compounds. Making a habit of deep-fried foods raises cholesterol, inflammation, and the risk of heart disease. The more fried foods we eat, the greater the risk for stroke and heart failure. Deep-fried foods don't need to disappear entirely,

but it's wise to treat them as an occasional indulgence. Your heart will appreciate the extra care. Yeah, I love fried foods. You know, fish and chips? Man, love fish and chips. I love pretty much anything with gyps, French fries. Sugar sweetened beverages. Okay.

Listen, we know this, and yet we still drink them. Sugar-sweetened beverages are the leading source of added sugar in the American diet, with nearly two-thirds of adults sipping at least one per day. While an occasional soda won't derail your health goals, drinking them regularly can raise your risk of heart disease, diabetes, and other chronic conditions as you age. Emerging research also links access sugar intake to a higher risk of dementia later in life, sugar shows up in plenty of foods but cutting back on sugary drinks is one of the easiest

most effective ways to meaningfully reduce your added sugar intake you know I can remember being at the doctor once and we were talking about this issue of sugar and he said what do you drink in the morning I said oh I drink a glass of a glass of good healthy freshly squeezed orange juice he says No, no, no, you can't do that. I said, what are you talking about? This is more sugar in a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice because that's probably two, three, four oranges to make that glass.

If it really is freshly squeezed. And there's lots of sugar in oranges. Well, okay, but I love orange juice. Number three, salty foods. Another thing I love. Salt is another nutrient that can take a tool on your heart, especially when consumed in excess for years or even decades. Contrary to popular belief,

ditching the salt shaker isn't the most effective way to cut back. The biggest sources of salt in the diet actually come from ultra-processed foods like canned soups, processed meats, salty snacks, sauces and condiments. Got to cut back. Refined breads. Whether it's peanut butter and jelly or turkey and cheese sandwiches, make for a quick easy meal,

but the type of bread you choose can play a meaningful role in healthy aging. Most packaged bread is high in refined carbs and low in fiber, which can spike your blood sugar. those big swings in blood sugar over time can increase the risk of insulin resistance which is linked with poorer brain health and cognitive impairment when you buy bread look for whole grain varieties

with at least four grams of fiber per slice okay there's your hint on bread So I'm in trouble on the first four Because the first four I got to work at dealing with those I have been But I've still got to do more work The last one I don't have a problem with

Number five is alcohol Now when I was younger You know in my teens and 20s I've never liked beer particularly but I did have you know a good amount of wine and some hard alcohol

but not not for the last 10 12 years I usually only have a like one or at the most two glasses of wine a week I hardly ever take

Hard liquor. I should, you know, occasionally on a weekend afternoon, I'll have a gin and tonic. But that's about it. You know, sure, I'm in Scotland and there's lots of great scotch. I'll occasionally have a glass of scotch, not often. A dram. But for those of you who are on alcohol, more than that, while you're absolutely entitled to a celebratory drink on your 50th birthday,

you might notice it hits harder than it used to. Your body becomes less efficient at metabolizing alcohol as you age, so alcohols of facts can be more severe and longer lasting. Regular consumption tends to do more harm than good at any age. Excessive alcohol can also interfere with your bone's ability to absorb the calcium, they need to stay strong. That's especially concerning in your 50s. Hmm.

Okay. They have the last little section in this, this article. And it's called what to focus on instead. Eat the rainbow. Inflammation plays a role in many chronic diseases from heart disease to dementia. One of the most effective ways to combat it is by including plenty of antioxidant-rich foods in your diet. A good rule of thumb is to eat a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables,

as each color provides different inflammation-fighting phytochemicals. Try incorporating a few of these antioxidant-rich dinners into your weekly meal plan. and then they give you some examples, which you can probably figure out. Prioritize lean protein. Lean meats and plant-based proteins help to preserve lean muscle mass and support bone health. Two important aspects of aging. Stock up on beans.

Growing evidence suggests that the gut microbiome plays a key role in healthy aging, and beans are the perfect food to support it. Keep your pantry stocked with a variety of canned beans to boost the fiber in your meals. Of course, there may be salt in those canned beans. This bean recipe roundup, and they've given you a few here if you want to find it at eating well.com, offers creative ways to use beans from breakfast to dinner. Okay.

beans beans it is we used to have fun with beans when we were kids because my mom would always give us beans baked beans brown baked beans at lunch on Mondays remember back in the 50s well not all of you remember back in the 50s but those of you do will remember there used to be certain days of the week you had certain foods you know like fish on Friday and roast beef on Sunday or pot roast on Sunday or we had beans for lunch on Mondays so I was always really popular in the classroom on Monday afternoon you'll never guess why on that happy note we're going to take a break and we'll take our break come back we've got more It's places you shouldn't travel to.

And we'll explain why. But as I said, time to take a quick break. I'll be back right after this. And welcome back, Peter Mansbridge here with your Wednesday N-Bit special. You're listening on SiriusXM, Channel 167, Canada Talks, are on your favorite podcast platform. Glad to have you with us. So this is better than an encore, right?

Although some of our encores are great. We'll be having some of the best of the fall season during the holiday break. coming up in a couple of weeks time. But today, it's an N-Bid special. News you can use, hopefully. Now, this article is from the travel experts, Fodor. O-F-O-D-R, and it's Fodores.com. And this article, this article,

article that they've written is entitled Eight Destinations to Reconsider in 2026. We're not going to go through them all because some of them I've never even heard of. But the rest, the ones I will mention are obviously ones we've heard of. Now, I found it interesting that the very first place they located is the only continent

in the world that I haven't been to. And I've, you know, at 77, I'm determined somehow to make it there getting harder and harder to imagine it but nevertheless with hopes I will and that is of course Antarctica okay but Fodors is saying no no no no maybe not so let me read a couple of paragraphs from it Antarctica doesn't need marketing campaigns to lure visitors or tourism dollars to fuel a non-existent economy. It doesn't need tourists at all. Yet the most recent data showed the continent received 120,000 visitors from 2023 to 2024.

That's projected to double by 2033, making the call for restraint crucial. Okay, so why restraint? to a place where nobody lives. Mike Guntner, professor of political science and chair at Rollins College in Florida, who studies ecoterrorism and environmental policy, has traveled to Antarctica and believes there is some value in visiting, provided that traveler uses their experience to substantially impact large issues of sustainability. However, the way many tourists travel there,

and the reasons for doing so are often problematic. Unfortunately, in the last quarter century, Antarctica has been moving more towards mass tourism instead of the traditional ecotourism world. Large ships can't land in Antarctica, but small expedition-style ships can, giving visitors a chance to set foot on the driest land on the planet and witness calving glaciers.

It's an extraordinary experience, And Elizabeth Lean, a professor of Antarctic Studies at the University of Tasmania, acknowledges Antarctica still has that mystique of being the last place, the last wilderness, and that's a big attraction. Leanne has noticed people go to celebrate an or honor an important life event. It's a watershed moment, experienced in the last true wilderness. But Jessica O'Reilly, Associate Professor of Anthropology at Indiana University, an advisor to the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings says the environment is fragile and it's a rare environment.

That's why people want to go there, but it's also why it can't really sustain high numbers of tourism. Final point on this. At this moment, there are no caps on visitation in Antarctica. Many cruise lines are members of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators. the voluntary industry body founded in 1991. It promotes safe and environmentally responsible travel to Antarctica and has put forth a list of rules and regulations that its members must adhere to.

But as of 2025, despite representing more than 100 member companies, that voluntarily follow the regulations, it has no authority to cap visitor numbers. Okay. Where's the next place? The Canary Islands. All right. Spain.

It's part of Spain, but it's kind of out there in the Atlantic. Behind the postcard perfect scenes in the Canary Islands, pressure is mounting. In the first half of the... of 2025 alone, the archipelago welcomed 7.8 million visitors and processed more than 27 million airport passengers, a 5% increase over the previous year. It's a record that has locals questioning how much more their islands can take. Thousands march through the streets

of Tenerife in Grand Canaris and Lanzarote in May under the banner, the Canaries have a limit. Their message was clear, booming tourism, soaring housing costs, and mounting environmental strain are threatening the foundations of island life. So it's entirely possible you're going to get a strange look if you go to holiday in the Canary Islands. One of the pictures they show in this piece is a sign that's up in one of the tourist spots says tourists go home

that's not good Glacier National Park in Montana it opened in 1910 it ignited a scramble of last chance tourism the U.S. government had decimated and to displace the Blackfeet tribe and there was a general expectation

that they were nearing extinction more than a hundred years later it's not the Blackfeet, the resilient indigenous biardians of Montana's northern Rockies who have vanished, it's the glaciers themselves and once again the park is a destination to which visitors are urgently swarming. Glacier National Park is warming

nearly twice as fast as the global average. Of the estimated 150 glaciers ringing its peaks in the early 20th century, only 27 remain. Those two are expected to disappear by 2030. Climate change. Climate change. I know some of you out there don't believe it because you're right.

Tell me you don't believe it. Look at those stats. You don't think the climate's changing? It sure is in Glacier National Park. They have to rename it. There are not going to be any glaciers left. We could get a couple more. Mexico City.

I've been to Mexico City a few times, always on work. I've never gone there on the whole days, but I've always found it a challenge to enjoy. I know other people feel very differently, but it's never been high on my list. Anyway, they've got it on Photores, has it on their list. And this is what they say. When Kill a Gringo becomes a spray-painted rallying cry,

its clear dissent runs deep. On July 4th, large protests erupted in Mexico City against gentrification, short-term rentals and rising rents, with some demonstrations turning violent. Foreign tourists were harassed by the mast and unmasked. Windows were smashed and stock was looted from tourists-facing businesses. Signs abounded, reading Mexico, Mexico for Mexicans and Gringoes Out.

Being held on U.S. Independence Day the date of the protest itself was indicative of where the lion's share of anger was directed, anger which Mexico's President Claudia Shinebaum decried as xenophobic. Many points of the proliferation of Airbnb and other short-term listings is contributing to housing displacement and rental inflation. Simply put, Airbnb should be banned from Mexico cities as Natalia de la Rosa, the Mexican city-born and bred operations leader of Club Tango Ombre, which has been taking curious travelers on food tour since 2012.

It's a platform that incentivizes evictions and tears the social fabric of communities and neighborhoods. She's talking about Airbnb. So you get the feeling here, this is, it's kind of like what we're seeing in the Canary Islands, right? People are saying, hey, you know, you're destroying our thing. So that's something to think about when you're planning your holidays. Here's the last one that I'm going to review for those of you who are planning a trip to Kenya. Kenya's tourism industry has been booming since COVID, hitting a record 2.4 million international arrivals last year,

a 14.6% surge versus 2023. Travel is the third largest industry in the country for amassing foreign currency, and Kenya is rapidly positioning itself as Africa's premier tourism hub. Cruise travel is one of the sector's new tourism products, bringing a 164% rise in port traffic and coastal cities, Mombasa and Lamu in 2024. This year, Kenya has hoped to push inbound arrivals to 3 million with no plans to slow down.

But here comes the butt. But amid the country's vigorous campaign to attract more travelers, Kenya lacks data on its tourist carrying capacity, meaning officials do not have a clear understanding of how many tourists it can accommodate without harming ecological health. The Canary in Kenya's coal mine is Mombasa, the country's oldest coastal city, renowned as the white and blue city,

the historical destination now hosts 70% of tourists visiting the coast. Mombasa is admired for its pristine tropical beaches with white sand and coconut palms and is home to protected natural reserves with unique wildlife species, popular sites with cultural richness, the UNESCO heritage site of Fort Jesus. Mombasa,

built by the Portuguese and Mombasa Old Town, renowned for its antique shops specializing in traditional Swahili, Indian, and Arabian crafts, are now overrun with tourists. So you see a pattern here? The pattern is too much tourism. So, you know, things to keep in mind. You know what else we've got to keep in mind?

There's so much to see here. You know, I know we've just gone through a year where it's been, we've looked inward because there are difficulties with our, you know, our southern neighbor. And for so many Canadians going to the state, has been like a thing, snowbirds the whole bit. But when you look around the world, and I know I'm one to talk because I spend time going, you know,

across the pond, I mean, I was born across the pond. I'm devoted to Canada, and I've been to every corner of Canada. But in my sunset years, when I'm just looking for myself, Well, we're relaxed. I go to the old country. Not for the whole year, not even for half the year, but for a good chunk of the year. For the rest of the time, I'm traveling here. This year, as you know, if you listen to this program,

I've been back and forth across the country more than a few times. It is spectacular. And I always point as my best example to my good friend, Mark Boguch, who, he and his wife, Rhonda, you know, made a point when their kids were small to travel to every part of the country as part of their summer holidays, usually driving. And they did. And it gave their kids this whole appreciation of the country that you can't learn from a textbook in school, but you can't learn from actually being there. So, let's keep that in mind.

One more story on InBits this week. Sorry, I was reading slow, or I was breathing slow. 4, 7, 8. Let's not forget that one. That's the best one. We're all going to do that, right? The next time we feel stressed. Deep breath.

Hold it in. and release 478 Here's the last story It comes from ABC News Sorry NBC News The headline is the campaign to make Richard Nixon great again

Really? I mean the Watergate scandal That's long being viewed as a defining moment in presidential corruption and accountability, prompting a series of government transparency reforms and influencing generations of journalists, it became a shorthand comparison for political scandal and lent the omnipresent gait suffix to many that followed.

But those lessons are now being flipped by some of the most influential right-wing figures, including people known to have President Donald Trump's ear who insists that Watergate was actually an underhanded scheme by the deep state and the press to take down a popular president talking about people like Tucker Carlson and Michael Knowles and Steve Bannon who are pushing the revisionist Watergate narrative and some people are worried about it that it's really taking hold.

In some ways the reframing of Watergate seems like an attempt to try and rehabilitate the current president's image said Brendan Gillis, director. of teaching and learning initiatives at the American Historical Association, a non-profit professional organization. In lots of ways, it's about what's happened the last few years.

Michael Konsevich, a historian who has been sounding the alarm on Watergate revisionism and who formerly worked at the Nixon Presidential Library, said the scandal has always been remembered as one in which the system worked. But if these pundits can make Americans

believe that that story is bull, you know what, he said, then they can ensure that another watergate will never happen again. So the stakes are high, right? Richard Nixon's always been a conflicted character in American consciousness. His congressional career defined him as a strident and anti-communist. But as president, he opened diplomacy with China. Liberals have praised him for signing Title IX and the Environmental Protection Agency into law, but criticized his administration for launching a war on drugs.

After Watergate, Nixon resigned, two years later in August of 74, once it became clear he'd lost the support of many Republicans in Congress and would likely face impeachment. and if Donald Trump and his advisors and his supporters in the media and within his administration can alter the history of Watergate then they can pretty much change anything and that's why the history of Watergate matters so much that's another one of the historians who's been looking at this angle

Anyways, I said that's a piece on NBC News And you can find that if that interests you I always think of Watergate because It was shortly after I entered journalism I'd been in Churchill for three years Starting up a little newscasts And I moved down to Winnipeg And I worked the overnight shift

The graveyard shift from midnight to eight Writing stories for the morning newscast and in 1972 when the Watergate breaking happened and in the months that followed I was on that overnight desk and we used to wait and see

the first edition of the Washington Post had come out when Woodward and Bernstein were dropping stories almost every day we'd wait to see what they'd written about and then we rewrite it with the credit obviously to the Washington Post just like we credit NBC News for this last story on Nixon

and the way we went that's what I remember about Watergate and I can remember, you know, I've talked to both Woodward and Bernstein in the years since and I can remember sitting with Bernstein a couple of years ago talking about the impact. He is a young

reporter and he was a young reporter at the Washington Post at the time had on me as a young journalist. Now we all dreamed about doing something like that someday. And, you know, I've interviewed Bob Woodward, I guess, I don't know, half a dozen times. And he's always fascinating to talk to, but his various books.

Anyway, that's where we are. And that's where we are for this day. I hope you've enjoyed this little episode of InBits. Being a treat bringing it to you. And thanks to Mark for finding the stories. tomorrow it's your turn your answers to the big question on fighter jets plus the random ranter

he'll be by Friday of course is good talk with Chantelle Berra and Bruce Anderson thanks for listening on this day I'm Peter Mansbridge we'll talk to you again in less than 24 hours

Thank you.