Canadian Health, Travel Insurance

Antibiotic Resistance in Canadians

Chances are that at some point in your life, you've taken antibiotics to fight a serious infection. Traditionally antibiotics have been very effective in combating illnesses such as pneumonia, meningitis, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. However, misuse and/or overuse can lead to strains of these diseases becoming resistant, and therefore very hard to treat.

There is global concern now as there is an increased finding in antibiotic resistant forms of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that up until now were easily treated. This could potentially lead to outbreaks of diseases that have been assumed eradicated, i.e. tuberculosis. As well, these outbreaks will be more difficult to treat, as they will not positively respond to the standard treatment protocols.

A major cause of this resistance can be traced to misuse of antibiotics; as well ...

Canada to Ban Bisphenol A

Canada is the first country in the world to declare a chemical used in the manufacturing of hard plastic items as toxic, and is taking steps towards banning its use. Officials for the Canadian health ministry, as well as the Canadian environmental ministry announced the news last week, and said that it is very likely that the use of BPA in the manufacturing of baby bottles will be in effect within the next year. After being declared toxic, a 60 day commentary period comes into place where it seems highly unlikely that the toxic status will be overturned. After this 60 day period, if no new evidence is brought forward that clearly shows the chemical is safe, the chemical can be eligible to be banned within a year.

Health Canada's screening assessment of bisphenol A focused primarily on the impact of the chemical on newborns as well as infants up to the age of 18 months. ...

The Dangers of Mixing Herbal Supplements with Prescription Medication

There is a common assumption that over-the-counter drugs and vitamins are safe because they do not require a prescription. Very few people read the labels and instructions about the safe use of these products, as well as investigating whether or not they negatively interact with other products and/or prescription medications. Many people also do not think it is important to tell their physician about any herbal supplements they are taking because they mistakenly think that herbal supplements are safe; however, these, mixed with other medications, can prove to be very dangerous.

Using herbs for their medicinal properties has been practiced for centuries. The problem is that people assume that because it is a natural remedy, it is 100% safe. While these supplements can definitely be helpful for some health issues, they must be taken ...

Preventing Snowboarding Accidents

Winter sports such as snowboarding or skiing are a great way to stay active during the colder months. It's important though, to make sure you are properly equipped in order to prevent serious injuries. While the number of snowboarding injuries does not surpass injuries incurred while skiing, they do tend to be more severe. The number of snowboarding injuries in Canada has risen drastically in the past ten years, with 88% of injuries being sustained by those between the ages of 10-19, with 80% of those being male. Half of those injuries were fractures, with over 40% being to the arms. While traumatic brain injuries, as well as spinal cord injuries are rare, they are on the rise, probably from the rising rend of acrobatic and high-speed moves.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that in 1997 over 84,000 skiing injuries and over 37,000 snowboarding ...

Skin Cancer Prevention

Many Canadians are escaping the cold winter months by traveling to countries that have a warmer climate. It's important when enjoying your time in the sunshine to make sure you are not exposing your skin to potentially harmful UV rays, which can increase your risk of skin cancer. As children and infants are especially at risk due to having sensitive skin, precautions need to be taken.

Skin cancer is the one form of cancer that can be prevented. There are 3 types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and malignant carcinoma. The first two are the most prevalent forms of skin cancer found in Canadians. They tend to develop later in life on areas of the skin that have been repeatedly exposed to the sun such as the face, neck, and/or hands. They are rarely fatal as it is uncommon for this form of cancer to spread to other areas of the body. Minor surgery ...

Living With Chronic Pain

Every year, millions of Canadians suffer from chronic pain. More than half of these Canadians do not receive adequate treatment to alleviate this devastating pain. A recent study actually showed that in one large Canadian medical centre the majority of patients who were in moderate to severe pain were not even asked by medical staff if they were in pain. Statistics Canada has recently released a study which showed that over 25% of Canadian seniors who live at home, and nearly 40% who reside in a institution are living with chronic pain, severe enough that it interferes with daily life.

While pain is a natural part of everyone's life, chronic pain has distinct characteristics. There are 2 basic types of pain, acute and chronic, which are very different from each other.

Acute Pain: Results usually from disease, inflammation or injury ...

Seniors And Rising Prescription Costs

All Canadian seniors 65 and older are 'supposedly' covered by a provincial drug plan. However, new research shows that out of pocket costs paid by seniors for their prescriptions greatly varies between the provinces. Canadians in 2007 spent $26.9 billion dollars on prescription medication; out of that amount over $4 billion was directly out of pocket. This discrepancy in coverage means that some Canadian seniors are not able to afford much needed prescription medications.

Take, for example, a 65 year old woman on a government pension who suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and needs 4 prescription medications in order to control her condition. If this woman lives in Ontario her out of pocket expense is eight dollars; if she lives in Manitoba she will have to pay five hundred and three dollars. A 73 year old man who needs five different medications ...

Canadian Weedless Wednesday

Last week was National Non-Smoking Week across Canada, with the focal point being Weedless Wednesday. Started in 1977, National Non-Smoking Week is one of the longest running Canadian public health education efforts. It's goals are to educate Canadians about the dangers of smoking, to prevent people from starting to smoke, and to help smokers quit. Coincidentally, this national event took place on the heels of Wolfville Nova Scotia's ban on smoking in vehicles in which children under 16 are present. Presently Nova Scotia, British Columbia and the Yukon have had bills or motions introduced to make this ban province-wide.

Most Canadians are unaware of just what makes smoking so lethal. Not only is the smoker as well as non-smokers who breathe in second-hand smoke exposed to nicotine, but many other toxins are in cigarettes. All of these toxins are harmful to anyone who ...

Trans Fats: What Exactly Are They?

The banning of trans fats has been big in the news for the past year. Schools and restaurants are no longer serving foods that contain trans fats. They have been linked to heart disease and other serious health risks. But what exactly are trans fats and how do they differ from the essential fats that we need in our diet?

Fat is an important factor in a healthy diet. Fat provides essential fatty acids and calories, and helps the body absorb Vitamins A, D and E.  Fats and oils are mostly made up of a combination of the four main types of fatty acids. However, most combinations usually have a higher proportion of one particular type of fatty acid. The four main types of fatty acids are:

Polyunsaturated fatty acids: found in many common vegetable oils such as soybean, corn and sunflower, as well as fatty fish such as salmon, ...

Trans Fats To Be Removed From Ontario Schools

The provincial government is introducing legislation to ban all foods that contain trans fat from all Ontario schools. This includes all primary and secondary school cafeterias as well as vending machines on school property. This legislation will hopefully have a positive effect on the health status of Ontario students.

Currently, the sale of chocolate, soda, and potato chips have been banned from elementary schools across the province. The Ontario Liberal Party wants this ban to be law and extended to high schools as well. Schools will still be able to have special days such as "pizza day", but the daily menu will be free of trans fats. Other provinces are introducing similar legislation. Canadians currently consume up to 10 grams of fat per day, one of the highest rates in the world.

Childhood obesity rates have tripled in the past 25 years ...