According to Health Canada, Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of infectious diarrhea in Canadian hospitals and long-term health facilities. And 1 in 10 patients who contract the infection will die from it. In January of this year, a landmark study from the New England Journal of Medicine showed that
According to psychologist Dr. Cliff Arnill, the most depressing day of the year is the third Monday of January. This year “Blue Monday” was January 21st. Although the date seems rather arbitrary, it is no secret that many people’s moods tend to be lower at this time of year. So
In Aamjiwnaang First Nation, near Sarnia, Ontario, there aren’t enough boys to have a hockey team. And although there are three girls’ baseball teams, there is only one boys’ baseball team. This isn’t for lack of interest in sports, but because the community has seen a drastic decline in the
For those watching their waistline, the holiday season can be a minefield of temptations. More treats at work, and more parties with family, friends and food – all this takes stronger willpower than usual to make healthy food choices. Fortunately, there are strategies we can employ to maximize willpower which
All too often, older adults in our community suffer from loneliness. This not only affects their quality of life, but can increase risk factors for health problems and mortality rates. And new research out of Carnegie Mellon University offers the first evidence that meditation may reduce loneliness, thereby improving the
It was September 23, 2006, and I couldn’t sleep. The next day was the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront half-marathon. I had been training for weeks but because I had been experiencing some undiagnosed right hip pain for a week or two, I was unsure if I should participate in the next
As a naturopathic doctor, I work with many athletes. I look at optimizing their nutrition and bringing the body back into balance to enhance their athletic performance. Dietary changes can help with energy, digestion and inflammation; acupuncture can improve healing time for injuries. For many athletes, it’s hard to resist
KW resident George Harvey was diagnosed with dangerously high blood pressure when he was only 19 years old. This surprised George, as he was not overweight and assumed he was healthy. He was immediately put on betablockers and monitored closely. Eventually George was switched to diuretics, but was resigned to
I grew up on a farm. We had a big vegetable garden and we spent the summer tending it, harvesting, preserving, and canning. We traded pork for milk, eggs, and beef from the neighbours. We got fresh raspberries and strawberries from our grandparents’ farm and froze those for the winter
“Hidden Dangers of Detox Diets” was the title of a mass email message I recently received. Intrigued, I opened it up and it led to an article that discouraged anyone from attempting such a “dangerous” activity. “There is no scientifically proven reason to put yourself on a detox diet,” says