Shining a positive light on Personal Support Workers

 As I sit here and write this, it’s Thanksgiving Weekend in Canada. I figured that it would be the perfect time for me to discuss one of the things that I’m very thankful for. This week, I’ll be talking about Personal Support Workers. The short form, and the term that

Say Goodbye to the Tissue Box Once and For All

 It’s that time of the year again, waking up all of a sudden in the middle of the night to blow your nose and speaking three octaves lower than your regular voice. It happens to the best of us and it seems there’s no avoiding it. It may be because

Symptoms offer clues in telling cold and flu apart

 We've all heard someone mention that they have a touch of the flu. But was it the flu, or was it a really bad cold? It can be difficult to tell them apart as symptoms can be very similar. While the common cold can make you feel really sick, the

Why it’s Never too Late for Low Income Canadians to File Their Taxes

 Those earning $40,000 a year or less may be eligible for a range of benefits. Most Canadians would like to see an end to poverty.  What if we told you that one organization, using the existing social benefits system, found a way to get $21 million into the pockets of

A Less-Than Silent Epidemic

 Photo by MCPL Robert Bottrill. Tinnitus is a word you may not know, but it describes something you’ve probably felt. It’s that ringing in your ears, the one that bubbles to the surface when you’re lying in your quiet room after a rock concert or a baseball game where the

Five Things We Know about Economic Inequality – and Why We Need to Act

 Certain segments of society encounter persistent disadvantages and lack of opportunity across the country.  This can affect everything from health outcomes of individuals and entire communities to social cohesion. It can also impact the economic growth of the country and the social mobility of Canadians. However, the extent of inequality

Mushrooms To Boost Your Immune System

 There's a new wave of options to help boost your immune system this season. While vitamin C, Echinacea and oregano oil have all had their claim to fame in enhancing your immune system, mushrooms are quickly gaining in popularity to positively impact the fight against viruses and bacteria, especially when

Why the Federal Government Needs to Keep its Promise to End Income-Splitting

 Children’s Health More About Good Social Policy than Medicine Alone. More of Canada’s children are living in poverty than ever before. A new report reveals that child poverty rates in Canada remain unconscionably high. Almost one-third of children in Toronto live in low-income households. Population measures of child health in Canada are also troubling,

Are we finally in a health election campaign?

 Why more affordable medications for Canadians should be an all-party priority in this federal election. It's become almost a matter of faith: health and health care are perennially among the top priorities for Canadians, but are nearly invisible in election platforms and debates. This observation has led health care providers, health care

What I Learned as a Medical Student Working with Low-Income Families in Toronto

 Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. As a medical student taking part in a Social Paediatrics course at The Hospital for Sick Children, I was recently immersed in the lives and healthcare needs of low-income families in Toronto. This experience reshaped the lens through which I now view healthcare and helped

Walk Towards a Cure

 When you were a kid who was your favourite super hero? Batman? Superman? Wonder Woman? No matter who it was, you always admired them for their determination and courage. These qualities are equally demonstrated by the estimated 75, 000 Canadians living with multiple sclerosis (MS), an unpredictable illness that affects

How Canada Fails People with Mental Illnesses

 Canada Needs Improved Access to Mental Healthcare Services In any developed country, politicians and clinicians are struggling to improve quality of care while reducing costs of healthcare systems. To remedy this, groups of doctors across North America--including here in Canada--have banded together to create lists of medical procedures or tests

Older adults living with mental illness need specialized housing

 New Calgary report warns more homeless seniors a real possibility By Pat Cashion and Lee Tunstall Older adults living with mental illness often face a double stigma in our society—both from aging and from mental illness. They are some of the most invisible and most vulnerable individuals in our communities,

Compulsory insurance does not create affordable access to prescription drugs

 By Steve Morgan New Brunswick has opportunity to reduce pharmaceutical drug prices dramatically with a single payer system. The Liberal government of New Brunswick appears to be stepping back from the brink of mandatory prescription drug insurance. And so they should. The Conservatives had pitched the drug plan as a

Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile: Elizabeth Manley

 In honour of the recent Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame 2014 Induction Celebrations presented by Canadian Tire on October 22, OLM will be featuring inductees—recent and historic—in a weekly Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame Profile piece. Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame aims to share the stories and achievements of Honoured

A New Paradigm for Cancer Prevention

 There have been several advances in the treatment of cancer over the last 20 years. We have new targeted oncology drugs with fewer side effects and improved technology allowing for more sensitive and earlier detection. Evolving research guides oncologists not only when to use chemotherapy, but more importantly, when not

Why You Can’t See a Psychiatrist

 And why adding more psychiatrists to the mental health system may not be the answer. We are talking openly about mental illnesses and addictions now more than ever--and that’s a good thing. Efforts to address the stigma associated with mental illnesses have made it easier for people who have been

The Digital Health Highway

 by Richard Alvarez Q How can I use digital tools to improve my health? A Managing a chronic disease requires a lot of monitoring, as Brian Campkin discovered following surgery to repair three arteries that were clogged at nearly 100 per cent. Brian’s heart disease was discovered following a heart

Healthwise: Battle cold and flu naturally this season

 Healthwise: Battle cold and flu naturally this season Jennifer Chauhan Ottawa is covered with snow, residents are busy preparing for the winter holidays and anticipating meals shared with friends and family. As wondrous as this season is, it is also prime time for colds and overtaxed immune systems. It seems