Change - St. Joseph`s Health Care London

Transcription

VIGOUR
ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH CARE LONDON – CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY
FALL 2015
Making
a
Change
83
tips that prove change
is easier than you think
PLUS Actress and activist
Ellen Page on the power
of a healthy diet
PARKWOOD INSTITUTE
INSPIRES LEE
THIBEAULT
TO DREAM BIG
TLC for adults
with special
needs
LAWSON RESEARCH:
DOES HOCKEY
HOLD A KEY TO
MEN’S HEALTH?
Tribute Dinner: Comedian Howie Mandel to share his story of mental illness. Details inside.
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“Through the support of
care teams at Parkwood
Institute and new
technologies like the
Lokomat, I have hope.
’Im inspired
to walk
because I believe it
is possible.”
Paralyzed from the waist
down, Lee is inspired by his
therapists and technologies
like the Lokomat – a robotic
machine to regain lower body
strength – with the ultimate
goal of teaching the brain and
nervous system to re-learn
how to walk.
Give today.
Inspire tomorrow.
e inspired to
B
take the next step
Because we all need st. Joseph’s
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Lee Thibeault
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st. joseph’s notebook
Allaying Fears
Remarkable Attributes
St. Joseph’s staff and doctors earn a distinguished award
It’s one of St. Joseph’s
Health Care London’s most
meaningful traditions—
the presentation of the
Sisters of St. Joseph Awards for
Excellence. The awards honour staff,
physicians and volunteers who share
the remarkable attributes of the Sisters
of St. Joseph—excellence, positive attitude, reliability, honesty, efficiency,
creativity, respect, caring, compassion,
empathy and appreciation for the work
of others. The 2015 recipients are, pictured from left:
• Tichelle Schram, therapeutic recreation specialist, Veterans Care Program,
Parkwood Institute
• Carol Schnarr, registered nurse and
unit lead, Forensic Psychiatry Program,
Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental
Health Care
• April Zehr, therapeutic recreation specialist, Acquired Brain Injury
Rehabilitation Program, Parkwood
Institute
• Cindy Pandke, e-learning
instructional designer, Organizational
Development and Learning Services
• Team of Dr. Siobhan Telfer,
Dr. Marie Dion and Dr. Golnaz
Naderkhami, Urology Centre,
St. Joseph’s Hospital
Don’t Miss BRA Day
Is breast reconstruction postmastectomy the right choice for you?
On Oct. 21 all are invited to BRA (Breast
Reconstruction Awareness) Day at
St. Joseph’s Hospital in London. Come
learn about your options directly from
plastic surgeons, hear from women who
have undergone the surgery, view real
results first-hand in the women’s only
“show and tell lounge,” and discover
the “Circle of Sharing” support group.
(Read about the Circle of Sharing on
page 7). Pre-registration is required.
Visit sjhc.london.on.ca/breastcare/
bra-day-2015-registration for more
information and to register.
Since it’s usually the unknown that
causes the most anxiety, St. Joseph’s
Parkwood Institute is helping patients
and families adjust to being in hospital even before they arrive. Videos are
now available for those being admitted
to the complex care, rehabilitation and
veterans care inpatient programs at
Parkwood Institute’s Main Building. For
outpatients, a video with suggestions
about how to prepare for an outpatient
visit is also available. To view the videos
visit sjhc.london.on.ca/your-visit/
parkwood-institute/videos.
Final Issue
of Vim & Vigour
Since 2005, St. Joseph’s has shared
its news and stories through Vim &
Vigour with more than 55,000 people
each issue. This will be our last issue.
We hope you have enjoyed the publication and have learned about our changing roles and the many ways our staff,
physicians, researchers, volunteers and
students contribute to health care in
London and far beyond. Through costeffective opportunities in electronic
communication, St. Joseph’s will continue to engage you in our work. We
thank you for joining us through the
pages of Vim & Vigour. Be sure to stay
up to date on happenings across the
organization by visiting our websites:
sjhc.london.on.ca, sjhcfoundation.
org and lawsonresearch.com. Join us,
too, on Facebook at facebook.com/
stjosephslondon and facebook.com/
SJHCFoundation. n
FALL 2015
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Connecting with Our Community
the Next Chapter
The year 2015 marks a new era for St. Joseph’s
Earlier this spring, we re-opened the
historic chapel at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
At any hour of the day or night, patients,
families and staff sit quietly in this
tranquil place during times of peaceful solitude or
moments of crisis. We were blessed to have strong
donor support to assist in the refurbishment of
this beloved space to mark its 100th anniversary.
In the coming weeks, we will also celebrate our
new Zone A building with an open house. This addiDr. Gillian Kernaghan, left,
tion, open since December, brings a long-awaited end
and Michelle Campbell
to years of construction and hospital renewal for
St. Joseph’s. It features an accessible, barrier-free entrance, our Prescription Shop
and other services, and is a gateway to some of the most innovative ambulatory services in Ontario. The journey to complete our hospital transformation has been a
long one, but it has led to a bold new future for our organization.
As mentioned in our spring issue, both St. Joseph’s Health Care London and
St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation created new strategic plans that focus on
earning the complete confidence of our community. The hospital’s plan is centred on our patients, our people, and clinical, education and research excellence.
We invite you to read the specifics of the plan and the tracking of its progress at
sjhc.london.on.ca. The foundation’s plan is engineered to meet the future needs
of patient care, teaching and research at St. Joseph’s.
As we leave construction behind and move firmly into our new future, we are
developing new ways of engaging with our community. As a result, this will be our
final issue of Vim & Vigour. For the last decade, this publication has been the primary
vehicle for communicating the changes occurring across our organization, and the
many ways St. Joseph’s contributes to health and healing. The time has come for us
to consider other opportunities, including greater use of digital media to communicate in a timelier, cost-effective and engaging way.
As we embark on the next chapter of St. Joseph’s, we invite you along. We look
forward to sharing with you and hearing from you as we fulfill our mission, with
respect, excellence and compassion.
vim &
vigour
ST. JOSEPH’S
HEALTH CARE FOUNDATION
2015–2016 Board of Directors
Ian Dantzer, Chair
Dr. Gillian Kernaghan
Sally Aarssen
Paul Kiteley
Michelle Campbell, President
Peter Mastorakos
Lesley Cornelius
Joanne McNamara
Michael Dale
Theresa Mikula
Dr. Tim Doherty
Tania Testa
Dianne Evans
Keith Trussler
Mark Farrow
Brian Waltham
Stacey Graham
Paul Way
ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH CARE LONDON
2015–2016 Board of Directors
Phil Griffin, Chair
Brenda Lewis
Jonathan Batch
Peter Mastorakos
Brad Beattie
Margaret McLaughlin
John Callaghan
Rev. Terrence McNamara
Darcy Harris
Karen Perkin
Dr. Sarah Jarmain
Patricia Pocock
Margaret Kellow
Dr. Adam Rahman
Dr. Gillian Kernaghan, President
Howard Rundle
Paul Kiteley
Bruce Smith
Maria Knowles
Dr. Michael Strong
Ron LeClair
Bill Wilkinson
Contributing Writers
Amanda Jackman, Laura Janecka, Anne Kay, Matthew Overall,
Dahlia Reich
Editors in Chief
Kathy Burrill and Michelle Campbell
Editor
Dahlia Reich
Production
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sjhcfoundation.org
If you prefer not to receive Vim & VigourTM from St. Joseph’s
Health Care Foundation, please call 519 646-6085.
Dr. Gillian Kernaghan
President and CEO
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
Michelle Campbell
President and CEO
St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation
Vim & Vigour™, Fall 2015, Volume 31, Number 3, is p
ublished
quarterly by McMurry/TMG, LLC, 1-888-626-8779. Vim & Vigour™
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Contents
FALL 2015
THE BIG
STORY
You can’t beat the
benefits of beets.
With the help
of St. Joseph’s
Parkwood
Institute, Lee
Thibeault is
determined
to walk again.
PAGE 46
IN EVERY ISSUE
PAGE 50
FEATURES
4
6
7
10
A Lasting Legacy
Bust a Move for Breast
Health™ London goes
out on a high note.
Special Needs TLC
St. Joseph’s Parkwood
Institute fills a longstanding gap in care.
A Special Bond
Support for breast
reconstruction after
mastectomy.
Role
Model
Ellen
Page’s nutritious
diet.
14
Making a Change
Adopting healthier
habits is easier than
you might think.
22
28
Heartbreak
High How do
habits affect
heart health?
54
A Letter from
Your Colon
Why get a
colorectal cancer screening?
Hear it from the colon itself.
55
49
52
53
hockey.
Fit Fans
Boosting men’s
health through
New Life
One patient’s
story of recovering from mental illness.
Protecting
Kids’ Vision
St. Joseph’s Ivey
Eye Institute’s vision screening program for toddlers.
Giving Patients
a Voice
Assistive devices
are helping people with
disabilities communicate.
Howie’s World
At St. Joseph’s
Tribute Dinner,
Howie Mandel opens up
about his struggles with
mental illness.
1 St. Joseph’s Notebook
2 Connecting with
Our Community
8 Faces of St. Joseph’s
32 The Quick List
33 This Just In
38 The Truth About Skin
40 How To: Prep for
Pregnancy
42 Quiz: Freak Out or
Chill Out?
44 At a Glance: Risky Business
46 In the Market: Beets
48 Health by the Numbers:
Seasonal Suffering
Do cookies
have more
calories than
wine?
PAGE 34
16
Food Makeover
A healthier diet comes
from mindful choices,
not sacrifice.
Correction: Poison ivy and poison oak are similar but different plants. The
“Freak Out or Chill Out?” article in the Summer 2015 issue misstated that
they were the same.
COVER PHOTO BY GETTY/CBS PHOTO ARCHIVE
FALL 2015
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A Legacy
THAT LIVES
Beyond the Fitness Floor
London’s final Bust a Move event went out on a
high note, having reached its fundraising goal
BY LAURA JANECKA, PHOTOS BY SUE BRADNAM
T
hree years of memorable
moments, heart-pounding
exercise, life-changing
fundraising and the
dedication of all those
involved culminated
in the third and fi nal Bust a Move for
Breast Health™ London in March. The
event went out on a high note, allowing St. Joseph’s Health Care London
to invest in breast care innovation and
discovery that would otherwise not
be possible.
The 2015 Bust a Move event, presented by Shoppers Drug Mart, raised a
remarkable $476,421 towards the Breast
Care Clinical Research and Tumour
Biobank in the Lawson Health Research
Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital.
4
The results from the 2015 event,
combined with results from previous years, meant this epic fundraiser
reached its target of raising more
than $2.6 million for breast care at
St. Joseph’s. Unveiling of the fi nal
tally was greeted with cheers from the
hundreds of people who spent the day
moving and grooving to fun fitness
sessions designed by Movati Athletic.
Participants were also treated to
prizes and surprises, including a special video message from the 2014 Bust
a Move fitness expert Tommy Europe,
congratulating participants on meeting their 2015 fundraising goals that
secured their spot on the fitness floor.
There was also the much-anticipated
Bust a Move car raffle draw for a luxury
vehicle valued at $40,000, generously
sponsored by Finch Auto Group.
At the closing ceremonies, Michelle
Campbell, president and CEO of
St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation,
recalled the foundation’s lofty dream
in 2013 of bringing together hundreds
of people, on one day, to exercise for
six hours in support of men and women
receiving breast care at St. Joseph’s.
“Bust a Move sounded like a wild idea
at the time. But today, Bust a Movers
have created a legacy that extends far
beyond the fitness floor,” says Campbell.
“Together, participants, volunteers,
donors, sponsors and supporters have
made a lasting difference to the thousands of men and women who come to
St. Joseph’s for breast care.” ■
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MEMORABLE
BUST A MOVE
MOMENTS FOR
2015
4
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Colourful balloons fell on Bust a Movers
at the end of the day’s fitness sessions.
Michelle Campbell (far right) takes a
moment to celebrate the grand total of the
day—$476,421—and the combined total from
the past three years, more than $2.6 million.
2
Shoppers “Jugs” Mart—the team of Bust
a Move presenting sponsor Shoppers
Drug Mart—was the event’s largest team
with 51 participants.
5
3
6
The top fundraising team, “Finchtastics” from Finch Auto Group, raised
more than $120,000 for Bust a Move.
The team poses with a luxury vehicle
generously donated by the company to Bust
a Move for a raffle.
4
The “Boo Bees,” made up of staff
from St. Joseph’s Breast Care Program,
joined Movati Athletic on stage during one
of the six fitness sessions Movati designed
for the event.
5
Jeff Kelly from Virgin Radio, emcee
during the afternoon ceremonies, takes
a “selfie” with more than 200 participants
who took part in Bust a Move’s six hours of
fun-filled fitness sessions.
7
8
6
The Marketing Department’s
“Happy Hooters” team takes a break
to re-energize with healthy sandwiches
courtesy of Subway Canada, lunch sponsor
of the event.
7
St. Joseph’s staff member Andrea
Wilkinson, a “50 Shades of Pink”
teammate, enjoys a Starbucks break.
8
The event ran smoothly thanks to more
than 100 volunteers who helped with all
the details, such as the Booster Juice break
that kept participants refreshed.
9
10
9
Thanks to Straight Street’s coordination
of the lights, videos and music, Bust
a Movers were kept entertained with
Movati’s version of KISS at the London
Convention Centre.
10
Bust a Move volunteer and breast
cancer survivor Joanne Barker,
centre, swaps stories with members of the
“Ilder Ta Ta Tons”—winners of the Best
Dressed Team award—who were busting
a move for people in their lives who have
also been affected by breast cancer.
FALL 2015
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Powerful TLC
St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute brings an important focus
to adults with special needs By Anne Kay
Dr. Caitlin Cassidy, a
specialist in physical
medicine and
rehabilitation, works
with Chris Madden,
21, a patient of the
new Transitional and
Lifelong Care Program
at St. Joseph’s
Parkwood Institute.
A
new program at St. Joseph’s
Parkwood Institute is filling
a gap in rehabilitative care
for adults with disorders of
childhood onset such as cerebral palsy,
spina bifida and developmental delay.
“It is wonderful that the life expectancy of those living with complex
needs, physical disabilities and other
conditions continues to increase,” says
Michael Barrett, CEO, South West Local
Health Integration Network (LHIN).
“We now need to ensure the health care
system is changing to meet the needs
of these children as they move into the
adult-centred health care system. The
South West LHIN is pleased to provide
$374,727 in base funding for the creation of the Transitional and Lifelong
Care (TLC) Program.”
6
Leveraging Skills
At the TLC Program, Dr. Caitlin Cassidy,
a specialist in physical medicine and
rehabilitation, will work with nursing and
other allied health care professionals to
provide comprehensive, family-centred,
rehabilitative care to those with significant health care needs, explains Dr. Tim
Doherty, chair/chief, Physical Medicine
and Rehabilitation, at Parkwood Institute.
“By locating the program at Parkwood
Institute we will be leveraging our
therapists’ expert rehabilitative skills to
enhance the health and quality of life
for these patients,” adds Julie Gilvesy,
rehabilitation director.
Growing up with a brother with cerebral palsy sparked Dr. Cassidy’s interest
in disorders of childhood onset. “I witnessed first-hand the medical successes
the pediatric system can achieve
for children with cerebral palsy,
spina bifida and other conditions, but I also saw the dropoff of services once these kids
reached adulthood. I’m proud to be part
of a new, interdisciplinary program that
will provide rehabilitative care so these
patients can maximize their potential
throughout their adult years.”
Linking Patients and
Families to Services
Among the patients of the new clinic
will be 21-year-old Chris Madden, who
has spina bifida.
“We are grateful and relieved our son
will be receiving the rehabilitative care
he needs through the TLC program,”
says Madden’s mom, Jacqueline.
The TLC team also links patients and
their families to care services in the
community and serves as a resource to
these community services so they can
best meet patients’ needs. n
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A BAND OF
WOMEN
WITH A
SPECIAL
BOND
At St. Joseph’s, women who have undergone or are
considering breast reconstruction post-mastectomy find
support at the Circle of Sharing BY DAHLIA REICH
When Lorraine Harvey made
the decision to undergo breast
reconstruction two years after
a double mastectomy, there was no one
to ask what it would be like, how she
would look, how she would feel.
Janice DeGroot, Sue LeMoine and
Sophia Collin had the same questions
and few answers. All had undergone
mastectomies and then reconstruction.
While a deeply personal journey for
each, all yearned for the same thing—
someone to share it with, someone
who knew.
“I had my doctor but it’s not the
same as seeing and hearing from someone who has lived it, who could tell us
we could make it, that we would be all
right,” says DeGroot.
‘A Group Like No Other’
The four women are founding members of the Circle of Sharing, a unique
support program for women who
have undergone breast reconstruction post-mastectomy or are considering reconstruction. Created in 2009 by
clinical nurse specialist Margo Bettger
Hahn and social worker Colleen EckertDenver of the Breast Care Program
at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London,
the group helps breast cancer survivors and others adjust to a changed
body image, redefine normality, draw
strength from others, and celebrate
reclaimed wholeness.
Today, about 140 women are part
of the Circle of Sharing. “It’s a group
like no other,” explains Eckert-Denver.
“The generosity of the women, their
wisdom, openness and candor are
unbelievable. They are so willing to be
there for others.”
For Collin, the Circle of Sharing is
the “good that came out of a bad situation.” For her, breast reconstruction
didn’t go smoothly and resulted in
13 surgeries. “The whole process was
lonely and frightening. If I had had support like the Circle of Sharing at the
beginning of my journey, it would have
made a tremendous difference. The
group is there for whatever your story is.
I would have known that, no matter how
bad it gets, you can get through it.”
Personal Decision
Women share anything and everything
at the Circle of Sharing, including showing the results of their surgery if asked,
The Circle of Sharing at St. Joseph’s
Hospital in London is a support group
for women by women who have
had or who are considering breast
reconstruction post-mastectomy. Four
patients were founding members and
instrumental in planning the group,
which was created in 2009. They are:
front row, Lorraine Harvey, left, and
Janice DeGroot; back row, Sue LeMoine,
left, and Sophia Collin.
says LeMoine, who had a double mastectomy in 2004.
The purpose of the group is to help
women make a decision about reconstruction that’s right for them and
provide support for those who choose
the option.
“It’s so individual, so personal,”
DeGroot says of the breast reconstruction decision. “For me, I knew if I got
up in the morning and I saw me, it
would help me heal.”
Now many years into their journey,
all four women find something else in
the Circle of Sharing—the satisfaction
of helping others and a friendship only
the circle can understand.
“There’s a connection and a bond,”
says DeGroot. “A very special bond.” ■
FALL 2015
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FACES OF ST. JOSEPH’S
Renowned St. Joseph’s
urologist Dr. John Denstedt,
citywide chair/chief of
surgery in London, plays
a leading role in medical
education that is reaching
around the world.
used by tens of thousands of surgeons
worldwide. We also lead in minimally
invasive surgeries using robotic technology like the da Vinci Surgical System,
and lithotripsy, a non-invasive way to
break up kidney stones.
INSPIRED TO LEAD
St. Joseph’s surgical pioneer Dr. John Denstedt is aiming
high and inspiring others to follow
He may not be a rock star,
but Dr. John Denstedt is
inspiring audiences around
the world, from Brazil to
China, who tune in to live broadcasts to
watch the skillful surgeon demonstrate
the most advanced urological procedures using robotic technology.
Teaching the next wave of surgeons
is one of the many perks of his job,
but what motivates Dr. Denstedt each
day is contributing to the health and
well-being of the patients he serves.
The urologist has had an impressive career spanning more than
25 years. Now in his role as citywide chair/chief of surgery for
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
and London Health Sciences Centre,
Dr. Denstedt is inspired to lead—
putting London, Ontario, on the
map as a leader in urological care,
teaching and research.
Here, Dr. Denstedt shares his
global goals.
8
Vim & Vigour: What inspires
your work?
Dr. John Denstedt: I have a great
job, which feels more rewarding than it
does like work. Staff at St. Joseph’s are
friendly, collegial and collaborative. We
all have a common goal to provide the
most innovative, compassionate care
possible—and I think that’s because St.
Joseph’s encourages that environment.
I also get a lot of satisfaction training
the next generation. We have medical
fellows here from around the world continuing their medical training. They will
go back to their countries and serve as
physician leaders.
Vim & Vigour: What innovations are
making an impact in London and
around the world?
Dr. Denstedt: St. Joseph’s has a proud
legacy of surgical firsts, including the
use of the holmium laser in the 1990s to
treat kidney stones. We were the first to
pioneer techniques that are now being
Vim & Vigour: What’s next for
surgical care?
Dr. Denstedt: As we evolve with our
health care practices using state-of-theart technology, we are looking toward
a future of minimally invasive surgeries in urology, hand and upper limb,
ophthalmology, head and neck, and
general surgery.
The patient population has changed.
People want to have less invasive surgery with a quicker recovery time and
less time in hospital. St. Joseph’s is well
positioned to respond to new innovations that provide speedier and more
efficient care.
Vim & Vigour: What role does
philanthropy play in advancing
care, teaching and research?
Dr. Denstedt: All of the changes in modern surgery are fueled by creativity, and,
to support that, technology. Philanthropy
has been critical to this advancement.
For example, the first holmium laser was
purchased through donor support, as
was the da Vinci robot and the lithotriptor. Quite simply, donations have made
innovative technologies possible.
Vim & Vigour: What would you
tell someone considering a gift to
St. Joseph’s?
Dr. Denstedt: Donors can be assured
their gifts will be deployed in a targeted,
thoughtful way to achieve better care
for patients by advancing innovation
and helping us educate and contribute
to new techniques that have an impact
here and around the world. ■
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“Caregivers at St. Joseph’s
have a common goal
to provide the most
innovative, compassionate
care possible.
’Im inspired
to lead
because I know I am
contributing to the health
and wellbeing of patients
here and around the world.”
Dr. John Denstedt is inspired to
put London, Ontario on the map
as a leader in urological care,
teaching and research. He is
fueling advances with creativity
and innovative technology,
made possible through
philanthropic support.
Give today.
Inspire tomorrow.
e inspired to
B
take the next step
BECAUSE WE ALL NEED ST. JOSEPH’S
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Dr. John Denstedt
Urologist and Chief of Surgery
St. Joseph's Health Care London
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ROLE
MODEL
is an accomplished actress and
a dedicated activist—who eats all her veggies
ELLEN PAGE
BY AIMEE WELCH
S
ince her acting debut in the TV movie
Pit Pony, Ellen Page has built an impressive
résumé that includes roles as Kitty Pryde
in the X-Men series and her 2007 breakout
role in Juno, for which she earned an Oscar nomination and industry-wide praise. The actress, who
earned a Gemini Award nomination at age 10 and
an Academy Award nomination at 20, has worked
with the likes of Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio
and Woody Allen.
Although she has walked her share of red carpets, the 28-year-old Halifax native focuses on
goals bigger than Hollywood. Page, a vegan, uses
her voice to spread awareness about issues close
to her heart, from environmentalism to the importance of good nutrition.
Of the many causes Page supports, wellness
is the common thread. Whether it’s wellness for
people or the planet, Page believes our actions
can make a difference, and she does her part
to contribute.
Looking to make healthier choices? Read on to
find out how Page leads by example.
A SUSTAINABLE Lifestyle
Page’s charitable works read like a list of United
Nations initiatives. She was involved in the humanrights group United States Campaign for Burma, did
voice-over work for the documentary Vanishing of
the Bees, supported a tougher Childhood Nutrition
Act and spoke out in the pro-sustainability environmental documentary 2012: Time for Change. “It’s
about how we can all join forces,” Page told Mother
Jones magazine in 2010, addressing a question about
her involvement in so many issues-based projects.
“Scientists and religious leaders, activists and first
nation leaders, CEOs of corporations and actors, all
of us need to come together right now, because the
planet is in a lot of pain.”
Page practices what she preaches. “I’ve become
really interested in permaculture, simplifying my
life and doing everything I can to develop more of
a sustainable lifestyle,” Page told The Observer, a
British newspaper.
That focused vision extends to her dinner plate.
As a vegan, Page, in her unassuming, matter-of-fact
style, encourages others to make healthier choices.
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Ellen Page
with Drew
Barrymore at
the Toronto
International
Film Festival.
“I really used to eat a lot of crap. And now,
I don’t, and I feel great and I absolutely
love healthy food,” Page said in a 2010
video for TakePart TV.
She’s also a person who makes priorities, not excuses. “I find a lot of people
say, ‘Oh, organic and local’s expensive and
I just don’t have time.’ And I’m like, well,
how much TV do you watch? Where are
your priorities right now? I always take the
time to eat well and eat locally because it’s
common sense. It just makes sense to my
brain, and why wouldn’t I do it?” Page told
Mother Jones.
The Power of
FRUITS AND VEGGIES
8 THINGS YOU
(PROBABLY) DON’T
KNOW ABOUT
ELLEN PAGE
1 At 10, she was nominated for a Gemini Award
for her first acting job in the made-for-television movie
Pit Pony.
2 She studied permaculture at an ecovillage in
Oregon in 2008. Permaculture is a sustainable form
of agriculture focused on working with nature, rather
than against it.
3 Drew Barrymore gave her the nickname
“Small Newman,” in recognition of her admiration
for both Page and Paul Newman.
4 She sometimes sleepwalks or hallucinates in
her sleep.
5 She publicly came out as gay in 2014 during a
speech at the THRIVE conference in Las Vegas.
6 She is known for renaming other people’s pets
on Twitter.
7 She and Jared Leto were named by PETA as the
sexiest vegetarians of 2014.
8 She is good at juggling.
12
Fruits and vegetables contain a powerful
combination of vitamins, minerals, fibre
and antioxidants that promote good health.
And eating them is much more important
than most people realize. Worldwide, 1.7
million deaths (2.9 per cent of all deaths)
can be attributed to inadequate vegetable
and fruit consumption. “Eating five or
more servings of vegetables and fruit a day
can reduce the risk of heart disease and
stroke by about 20 per cent,” says Christine
Le Grand, a spokeswoman for the Heart
and Stroke Foundation of Canada. “Eating
four or more servings of vegetables and
fruit daily can add more than two years
to your life.” Yet 60 per cent of Canadian
adults do not consume five or more servings each day.
In 2012, an article in the medical
journal Canadian Family Physician promoted the benefits of a plant-based diet,
citing research linking the classic North
American diet—high in refi ned sugar,
animal fat and animal protein—to a long
list of chronic conditions, including obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease,
high cholesterol, hypertension and some
cancers. The research showed an opposite association with vegetarian and vegan
diets, concluding, “Simply put, a whole
plant-based diet is healthier.”
Le Grand agrees. “Eating a healthy diet
is very important for disease prevention.
Vegetarian diets may lead to lower blood
pressure, improved cholesterol levels,
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healthier weight and less incidence of
type 2 diabetes, all of which can reduce
the risk of heart disease and stroke.
There is also evidence that individuals
who consume a vegetarian diet have a
lower risk of developing certain cancers,” she says.
Don’t panic, meat lovers. You don’t
have to be a vegetarian to reap the
rewards of eating fruits and vegetables. In fact, many experts believe
that omnivory is a critical part of our
evolutionary heritage and deserves
partial credit for our larger brains,
smaller guts, bipedalism and language.
Diet alone, however, isn’t likely to
make or break your health. “It is difficult to say that one factor alone contributes solely to a large burden of disease,”
Le Grand says. “Heart disease and
stroke, like many other chronic diseases,
are multi-factorial conditions. Diet is
one factor that influences heart disease
and stroke—other factors include smoking, being physically inactive, being
overweight or obese, having high blood
pressure or diabetes.”
So, whether you eat meat or not, do
eat your veggies. Fruits and vegetables
can help you maintain a healthy weight,
look and feel better, and live a longer,
healthier life. They’re good for your
heart and gastrointestinal health and
help protect against cancer. Melons,
carrots, citrus fruit, spinach and kale
may slow eye diseases such as macular
degeneration and cataracts. If you need
more reasons, it’s not hard to find fruit
and vegetables.
Page told TakePart TV, “It’s just
something I make a priority in my
life. If I know I’m going to be spending a full day flying, I pack some vegetables and some fruit. It’s not like
it’s some long, arduous process,” she
said. “You can make quick, delicious,
healthy meals, and it’s something I’ve
just learned to really, really love.”
Love YOUR DIET
Ready to really, really love your fruits
and veggies? For adults, Canada’s Food
VARIETY IS
THE SPICE OF LIFE
Eat your fruits and vegetables! We’ve heard it a million times. But what if you only like
potatoes or bananas. Can you just stick to those to get your seven to 10 daily servings?
Not exactly. Health Canada recommends eating at least one dark green and one orange
vegetable a day. Each of these five colour groups is uniquely rich in nutrients.
• RED: Fruits and veggies like raspberries, tomatoes, cherries, strawberries and beets are
rich in antioxidants and can reduce the risk of prostate cancer.
• YELLOW/ORANGE: Cantaloupe, carrots, yellow peppers, sweet potatoes and squash
are great sources of beta carotene, known to improve vision and the health of your skin,
teeth and bones. They also contain folate, an antioxidant known to prevent neural tube
defects in unborn infants.
• GREEN: Vegetables like spinach, kale and broccoli are good for your eyes, bones
and teeth. They contain vitamin K to help your blood to clot, and vitamins C and E,
which have antioxidant properties that can lower your risk of chronic disease.
• BLUE: Blueberries are considered a “superfood” because of antioxidant properties known to reduce risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as cancer-fighting
flavonoids and acids that protect the lungs, stomach, breast, pancreas,
esophagus and colon.
• WHITE/TAN/BROWN: Apples, pears, bananas, cauliflower and other
light-coloured produce are high in dietary fibre, which keeps cholesterol in check, and have beneficial antioxidant properties.
Guide recommends seven to
10 servings a day depending on
age and gender. (A serving equals one
medium fruit or half a cup of fresh,
frozen or canned vegetables.)
Start with small steps, Le Grand recommends. “Individuals should not try
to make too much change all at once.
Instead, make changes slowly and gradually,” she says.
Creating a weekly menu that includes
fruits and veggies is a great place to
start. Plan meals, find recipes, then go
shopping. Block out 30 minutes of time
on Sunday nights to wash and prep
fruits and veggies so they’re ready for
the week. Fitting in your servings is
probably easier than you think. Eat a
big salad for lunch every day, add sliced
fruit to cereal or oatmeal, make fruit
smoothies for dessert and keep a stash
of bananas or dried fruit at your desk.
With just a little extra effort, you can
transform your health in big ways. ■
TOOL
A Meal Plan Just
for You
Ready to eat healthier but
don’t know where to start?
EatRight Ontario’s My Menu
Planner will customize a
menu plan specifically for
you, generate a shopping
list, provide recipes and
more! To get started, visit
bit.ly/MyMenuPlanner.
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THE BIG STORY
Making a
change
The key to good health is
simple: Eat well, exercise and
take care of yourself, and you’ll lower
your risk for practically every health
condition there is. Yet most of us
struggle to make the adjustments we
know we need. Read on to find out
how change is easier than you might
think. by Connie Midey
photo by superstock/Paul Bradbury/OJO Images
14
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photo by superstock/Paul Bradbury/OJO Images
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FOOD
MAKEOVER
In the grocery
store, focus on the
produce aisle, dairy
case and butcher’s
counter.
Pure and
Simple
We all know how we’re supposed to eat, but most
people, at least sometimes, struggle to follow
that advice.
16
A simple approach like eating
small, frequent meals and controlling
portion sizes can yield sustainable
results, but “simple” isn’t a synonym
for “effortless.” Even baby steps
require commitment.
But improving your diet doesn’t
require great sacrifice, just consistent
attention to the details. Consider the
following advice.
PHOTO BY SUPERSTOCK/Juice Images
It’s not about sacrifice and
suffering. A healthier diet
comes from small, mindful choices
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ALLOW FOR INDULGENCES.
Registered dietitian Elizabeth
Somer, the author of Eat Your Way to
Happiness, maintains that 75 per cent of
your diet should consist of “real foods”
served as nature intended them: unprocessed and low in bad fats, sugar and
sodium. That leaves room for foods you
crave. Depriving yourself of everything
you love sets you up for failure.
SHOP LIKE A EUROPEAN.
After a trip to Italy, Somer better
recognized the role larger supermarkets
play in undermining good intentions.
Italian grocery stores are tiny and
carry primarily fruits, vegetables,
pasta, cheese and meats. Canadians
can duplicate that experience here by
concentrating on the produce aisle,
dairy case and butcher’s counter—
steering clear of the central aisles with
snacks and processed foods.
DINE WITH COMPANIONS.
Meals with family and friends
make you eat more slowly and boost
your emotional health. If you’re dining
out with company, you won’t miss the
half of your entree that’s set aside for
leftovers before you take the first bite
from your plate.
CUT 100 CALORIES A DAY. A
year later, say goodbye to about
10 pounds.
PHOTO BY SUPERSTOCK/JUICE IMAGES
BUILD A 1-2-3 BREAKFAST.
People who eat breakfast have
lasting energy, and lose weight and
keep it off, Somer says. Include a
whole grain, protein and at least one
colourful fruit or vegetable—perhaps a
whole-grain waffle with peanut butter
and blueberries.
EAT LIKE OUR ANCESTORS.
“We evolved on diets where our
ancestors ate pounds of produce, and
now we balk at one serving,” Somer says.
IS YOUR KITCHEN
TEMPTING YOU?
If temptation has been winning the
battle against willpower, a change
of scenery might help you make
smarter food choices.
“Most people are unaware of the
nearly 200 decisions they make about
food every day,” says behavioural
scientist Brian Wansink, the author
of Slim by Design: Mindless Eating
Solutions for Everyday Life.
“There’s 25 to 30 before we even
finish breakfast—not just whether
we want Froot Loops or Rice Krispies,
but how much do we pour in the
bowl, how much milk do we use, do
we have seconds.”
Wansink believes that adapting
your environment to support your
health goals is more effective than
Fill half your plate with colourful fruits
and vegetables. Choose these for half of
all snacks, too.
AVOID THE ALLURE OF
SUGAR. “If I were going to pick
one thing that people need to watch,
it would be sugar,” says Dr. Christiane
Northrup, the author of Goddesses Never
Age: The Secret Prescription for Radiance,
Vitality and Wellbeing. That advice extends
beyond sugary desserts and sodas. The
body also converts simple carbohydrates
such as white bread into sugar. Better
choices include whole-wheat bread,
beans and vegetables—the “good” carbs
that are digested slowly, preventing
spikes in blood sugar.
relying on willpower. The natural
place to start is in your kitchen.
Set a bowl of fruit on the countertop. Keep unhealthy foods out of
sight at the back of the cupboard.
Use smaller plates and glasses, and
don’t set serving dishes of food on
the table.
Wansink’s research team learned
that people in a clutter-filled kitchen
eat about 44 per cent more snacks
than people in a clutter-free kitchen.
The same snacks were sitting out in
both situations.
“There’s something about a messy,
out-of-control environment that
primes us for messy, out-of-control
behaviour,” he says.
WEBSITE
Food Fact or
Fiction
What does “multi-grain”
really mean? Is glutenfree really healthier? Is
all sugar bad for me? To
separate food facts from
fiction, watch Dietitians of
Canada’s “Busting Myths”
video series. Visit tinyurl.
com/bustingmythsdc.
ENJOY THE EXPERIENCE OF
A MEAL. “When I make myself
something for lunch, I make it warm,”
Dr. Northrup says. “I add spices, listen
to music and enjoy my food, and I’m not
hungry afterward. When I just grab a
bar or something, I’m still hungry. I
haven’t fed myself.” ■
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Exercise
Makeover
Exercise is fun
if your dog
(or a friend)
tags along.
Plan of
Action
Tips for getting your
exercise routine moving
in the right direction
18
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
The benefits of exercise are too great, the consequences of inactivity too dire to do nothing. Yet only 15 per cent of Canadian adults
are meeting the country’s physical activity recommendations.
“Probably the worst (outcome of
inactivity) is obesity, which can lead
to other conditions like diabetes, heart
disease, muscle atrophy and joint disease,” says Dr. Peter MacDonald, second president-elect of the Canadian
Orthopaedic Association.
The benefits of physical activity are
equally clear as the consequences.
They include not just stronger muscles
and better balance and flexibility but
also improved mood, blood pressure
and cholesterol.
Dr. MacDonald understands that finding time and motivation to take care
of yourself is difficult. “In many places
in Canada it’s cold six months of the
year,” he acknowledges, but prioritizing
exercise and a healthy diet will be well
worth your effort.
You may find yourself in Dr.
MacDonald’s camp if you exercise
with this advice in mind.
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MAKE IT FUN. Turn on your
favourite music and dance. Play
tag with your kids or keep-away with
your dog in the park. “Peer pressure
works too,” Macdonald says. “If you’re
meeting six buddies at 6 a.m. and you
don’t show up … you’ll hear about it.”
KEEP MOVING AT THE OFFICE.
“Sitting for long periods is bad
for your posture, your cardiovascular
system and pure fitness level,” says
Dr. MacDonald. Short walk breaks
throughout the day, a lunchtime workout or even a stand-up desk can offset
the damage.
MIX IT UP. Dr. MacDonald recommends incorporating aerobic
activity, range-of-motion exercises
and strength training into your routine.
“Mixing things up is easier on your
body because you’re not overstressing
certain parts of your body.”
INVEST IN NEW SHOES.
Cushioned, stable shoes won’t
just make exercise easier. They’ll reinforce your commitment to your health,
Dr. MacDonald says, adding that modern workout clothes make it possible to
exercise even in extreme temperatures.
A WINNING FORMULA
FOR LOSING WEIGHT
Here’s a handy formula for losing weight: To lose one pound, cut
3,500 calories.
Play with the formula to find a
balance that suits your lifestyle.
For example, you can choose to
eliminate 500 calories from your
diet daily or burn an extra 500 calories through exercise.
“We need to change our diets—
get away from carbs and eat more
veggies—and increase our daily
activity. And we need to ingrain it
into our daily lives, and our kids’
lives, sooner rather than later,”
says Dr. Peter MacDonald, second
president-elect of the Canadian
Orthopaedic Association.
KEEP TRACK. Set a goal, then
note on a calendar or an electronic health tracker what you accomplish toward it. By six weeks, proof will
be visible: You’re well on your way to
creating a new habit, Dr. MacDonald
says, and you can use the peer pressure
motivation here too!
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
THINK LIKE A BOY SCOUT.
Keep a backup pair of athletic
shoes in your car or resistance bands
in your suitcase. You’ll be prepared
for a walk or workout wherever you
find yourself.
DON’T TAKE THE EASY
ROUTE. Skip the elevator and
take the stairs. Walk to a colleague’s
desk instead of emailing. Park farther away from the store entrance.
“Being sedentary has health risks,”
Dr. MacDonald says, and every step
you take helps.
SHAKE UP COUCH TIME. Stand
up and move around between
chapters of the book you’re reading or
during every TV commercial. Pace
the room or pedal on a stationary bike
while on the phone.
MAKE A DATE: Pick a time and
place to meet a friend for a walk
or bike ride. You won’t want to let each
other down. Volunteer to walk your
kids and the neighbour’s to school two
mornings a week. ■
To cut about 100 calories from
your diet:
3 Choose diet soda instead of the
sugary kind.
3 Skip cheese on your sandwich.
3 Toss salad with one tablespoon
of dressing instead of two.
3 Substitute a 6-inch (15-centimetre)
corn tortilla for a 10-inch
(25-centimetre) flour tortilla.
To burn about 100 calories
through exercise:
3 Walk twice around the block.
3 Wash your car.
3 Dance for about 20 minutes.
3 Shop at the mall for 30 minutes.
WEBSITE
Quick-Start
Your Routine
Need workout ideas?
The Canadian Society for
Exercise Physiology provides a booklet—“Canadian
Physical Activity Guidelines/
Canadian Sedentary
Behaviour Guidelines”—
full of ideas to keep you
and your family active
every day. Visit tinyurl.
com/guidelines4fitness.
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lifestyle
Makeover
The 3
S-Words
How to prevent stress,
smoking and sleep
deprivation from harming
your health
20
S
leep
Sleep poorly, and you know
your energy, mood and work
performance will suffer.
But lack of quality sleep also is
associated with health woes including
diabetes, high blood pressure, depression and cardiovascular disease, says
Dr. Nathaniel Watson, the author of
Clinician’s Guide to Sleep Disorders.
“We know that about one-third of
individuals sleep six hours or less on a
regular basis,” he says. “And we know
that’s not enough for most people to
maintain physiological homeostasis,” a reference to the body’s ability
to maintain equilibrium as external
factors fluctuate.
In a world dominated by crowded
schedules and electronic gadgets, it
takes effort to get the seven to nine
hours of sleep we need. Try these tips:
Ignore the clock. Worrying
about the time, how little you’ve
slept or how soon your alarm will ring
“is not conducive to sleep,” he says.
Enhance your sleep environment. “Sleep is something
that happens when (the body is) provided
the right circumstances,” Dr. Watson
says. Preserve your bedroom for sleep,
not for TV viewing or Internet browsing.
Embrace routine. Having a
rhythm to your life indicates to
your body when sleep is imminent.
PHOTO BY GETTY/TARA MOORE
Your family demands your attention. Work
worries keep you awake all night. So to deal
with the stress, you light up a cigarette.
The often-intertwined behaviours of stress,
tobacco use and poor sleep can rob you of quality of life, leave you vulnerable to illness, contribute to high blood pressure and more. But a
few changes can lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Your bed is for
sleeping, not for
watching TV and
checking email.
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S
moking
Sixteen per cent of adults
smoke regularly, down from
50 per cent in 1965, according
to Health Canada. That’s the good news.
And while the rate of new lung cancer
cases has begun to level out and even
decline over the past 10 years, cancer continues to be the leading cause
of death in Canada. More than 76,600
Canadians died of cancer in 2014, with
lung cancer making up the majority
of those cases. One out of every 12
Canadians will develop lung cancer
within their lifetime and, of those diagnosed, one out of 13 will die from the
disease, making it the most likely cause
of cancer death in Canada.
Worldwide, tobacco use is responsible for almost 25 per cent of cancer
deaths. It is the single most avoidable
risk factor for cancer. The facts speak
for themselves.
These tried-and-true tricks of successful quitters may help break your
tobacco habit:
DOCUMENT YOUR COMMITMENT. List reasons for wanting
to quit, and pick a quit date. Two weeks
in the future gives you time to prepare.
TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR
OR PHARMACIST. Tobacco
cessation products can help you reach
your goal.
ELIMINATE TEMPTATIONS.
Rid your house, car and workspace of tobacco products. Clean your
house and clothes to remove lingering
tobacco smells.
PHOTO BY GETTY/TARA MOORE
VISIT YOUR DENTIST. You
won’t want to stain those newly
cleaned teeth.
DON’T TOUGH IT OUT ALONE.
Tell family and friends about
your plan and invite them to smoke-free
nights out.
SURGERY AND SLEEP
For many, the underlying cause of
poor sleep is sleep apnea, but there’s
some good news on the sleep front.
Research now shows that surgery
is a solution, even a cure, for some
people with the condition.
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the most common
treatment for sleep apnea but, while
the method is effective, many individuals find CPAP machines so noisy
and uncomfortable they stop using
the device.
For some, however, throat surgery is a promising alternative,
says Dr. Brian Rotenberg, otolaryngologist – head & neck surgeon
and director of the Sleep Surgery
Program at St. Joseph’s Hospital in
S
tress
Stress isn’t always a villain.
It plays a critical role in keeping us alert and safe. Too
much, though, and our immune, digestive and reproductive systems suffer
the consequences.
“Every measure of health is affected
by stressful situations,” says licensed
psychotherapist Wendy Boorn, the
author of I Thought I’d Be Done by Now:
Hope and Help for Mothers of Adult
Children Searching for Peace.
Stress compromises sleep, contributes
to addictive behaviours like smoking
and detracts from physical and mental
well-being.
The body can absorb short periods of
stress, Boorn says. But chronic stress
requires coping strategies like these:
TAKE A MEDITATION BREAK.
Sit quietly for 10 minutes while
focusing on your breath. “It helps you
learn how to be self-contained, how to
create a sense of calmness within yourself, even when there’s a storm raging
around you,” Boorn says.
London. In particular, the surgery is
an effective option for patients with
enlarged tonsils, a low body mass
index and the right kind of anatomy
in their airway.
The surgery can, in some cases,
cure patients of sleep apnea as long as
they maintain a healthy body weight
afterwards, adds Dr. Rotenberg.
“What’s more, recovery time is short,
allowing people to move on with
their lives.”
TOOL
How Stress
Takes Its Toll
To see how stress affects
your brain, watch this
video from the Canadian
Association for Neuroscience. Visit can-acn.
org/videos and watch
“Max Cyander explains how
stress affects your brain.”
LET IT GO. Most circumstances
are not inherently stressful.
“People create their own stress by
how they react to situations,” Boorn
says. “Traffic is a great example. I say
(silently to the offending driver), ‘OK,
have the road.’”
SET LIMITS. You want to lose
weight, exercise more, be a better
person. But start with one small habit
and practice it daily. “People try to do
too much, too quickly and underestimate
how difficult it can be,” Boorn says.
“Then they’re stressed and disappointed
in themselves, and they give up.” ■
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ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDY WARD
22
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HEART
BREAK
HIGH
ILLUSTRATIONS BY ANDY WARD
You might recognize this
cast of characters from
your graduating class. But
do you see the habits that
affect heart health?
BY STEPHANIE R. CONNER
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CLASSMATE:
Y
our high school
class may have had
some characters,
but in a lot of ways,
it was probably like everyone
else’s. There were the jocks,
the cheerleaders, the partiers,
the scholars.
Back then, youth may have
protected us from some
unhealthy habits. But because
time is the great equalizer, every
class reunion may reveal that a
few more of your classmates have
a diagnosis of one of Canada’s
leading causes of death: heart
disease. More than 1.4 million
Canadians already have it, and
the risk increases with age.
About 90 per cent of
Canadians have at least one
risk factor for heart disease or
stroke, and some of the earliest habits we form contribute
to our risk.
If you think about your high
school class, you can identify
some of those bad habits. So
read on and, if you see yourself, take note of steps you can
take to graduate to a hearthealthier future.
24
THE COOL GUY
Heartbreaking habit: Smoking
This guy was too cool for
school, ditching class for a
smoke in the parking lot.
If your classmate is still
lighting up, he has a higher
risk of heart disease and cancer today—and his skin probably hasn’t aged well, either.
The chemicals in tobacco
smoke affect the functioning
of the heart and blood vessels. This damage drives up
the risk for atherosclerosis,
the process by which plaque
accumulates and hardens in
the arteries. Atherosclerosis
leads to narrowed arteries
and reduced blood flow.
Smoking affects other
risk factors, as well. For
example, it decreases exercise tolerance and increases
blood pressure.
“Quitting smoking is the
single best thing you can do”
for your heart, says Dr. James
Underberg, an editorial board
member for the Journal of
Clinical Lipidology. If you
have heart disease and you
smoke, quitting smoking cuts
your risk of heart attack and
stroke by 50 per cent. “It’s
the single most modifiable
risk factor with the biggest
bang for the buck,” he says.
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CLASSMATE:
THE OVERACHIEVER
Heartbreaking habit: Stress
You remember the straight-A
student who skipped hockey
games and dances to study.
She’s probably successful
today, but her heart might
need some TLC.
“When patients come into
my office, I say, ‘How are you
doing?’” Dr. Underberg says.
“The first sentence often has
‘stress’ in it.”
He continues, “The impact
on cardiovascular health is
not insignificant. Increased
stress is related to increased
risk of heart disease.”
Researchers are working to better understand
the link between heart disease and stress, but they
know that stress drives up
blood pressure. Other lifestyle
factors also come into play,
Dr. Underberg notes.
“What do people do when
they’re under stress? They
eat more. They smoke,” he
says. And these habits, as we
know, put additional strain
on the heart.
Talking to friends or seeking professional therapy works
for some. Others might make
changes in their lives, such as
cutting back on hours at work
or asking a spouse to pitch in
more at home.
Here’s some good news
for the multitaskers among
us: “One of the best ways
to reduce stress is to exercise,” Dr. Underberg says. So
whether you want to tone up
with yoga, go for a walk
or take some swings at
a punching bag, your
heart will thank you—
for many reasons.
STAYING
MOTIVATED,
STAYING
HEALTHY
With far-reaching progress in diagnosis
and treatment, more people than ever
before in Canada are surviving heart attacks.
Yet many Canadians are not making the
changes needed to stay healthy. According
to the latest report by the Heart and Stroke
Foundation, it’s now well understood which
behaviours increase risk, but gains have not
been made in helping people make the necessary lifestyle changes to reduce their risk.
At St. Joseph’s Cardiac Rehabilitation
and Secondary Prevention Program, regular exercise and eating well is a key focus
in helping patients recover from a heart
event. But the team recognizes that staying
motivated can be a challenge. The expert
team offers valuable tips to stay on track
during recovery and to reduce the risk of
suffering more heart trouble. There are
helpful suggestions for everyone—those
just starting out, those starting over, and
those who have been at it for months.
Visit sjhc.london.on.ca/our-stories/
staying-motivated-staying-healthy.
WEBSITE
Heart Help
The Cardiac Rehabilitation and
Secondary Prevention Program
at St. Joseph’s Hospital in London
helps those with known heart disease
improve their heart health, reduce
the risk of more heart problems
and return to normal daily activities.
Learn more at sjhc.london.on.ca/
cardiacrehabilitation.
FALL 2015
25
6/22/15 9:57 AM
CLASSMATE:
CLASSMATE:
THE PARTIER
Heartbreaking habit: Excessive drinking
might be because the people
in these studies who had a
glass of red wine a day were
also more physically active
and ate more vegetables
and fruits.
The moderation part is
also tricky—no more than
one drink per day for women
and no more than two per
day for men. A “drink” is
a 12-ounce (354 mL) beer,
5 ounces (147 mL) of wine
or a 1.5-ounce shot (44 mL)
of 80-proof distilled spirits
or liquor.
Excessive alcohol consumption can drive up blood
pressure, and binge drinking
can lead to heart problems,
stroke and other serious
health problems.
Heartbreaking habits: Skipping gym, overeating
Your friend who cut gym
class and dined at the vending machine was seriously
hurting his heart.
Those ingrained habits
can be hard to change, but
one of the best ways to help
the heart, Brissette says,
is to achieve and maintain
a healthy weight. “It is the
most important thing you
can do to take charge of your
health. Health benefits of
preventing being overweight
or obese include lower risk
of heart disease, type 2
diabetes and several types
of cancer.”
Where to start? Avoid sugary drinks and watch portion sizes, Brissette says.
Satisfy your thirst with
water to stay hydrated and
keep hunger at bay. Try
eating on smaller plates
to help keep portion sizes
small. She also recommends
eating every four hours to
keep your blood sugar stable
and help manage cravings.
Next, she says, fill your
plate half full with vegetables, one quarter with fibrerich whole grains such as
millet, barley, brown rice or
starches such as sweet potatoes, and the last quarter
with a lean protein source.
And don’t forget exercise.
The key isn’t necessarily
training for a marathon; it’s
moving throughout the day.
Just walking at a brisk pace
for 30 minutes (splitting it
up into three 10-minute sessions counts!) a day will do
wonders, along with little
things like taking
the stairs and
parking farther away. ■
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
To be clear, any alcohol
consumption before age
21 is considered excessive, but every high school
has its partiers. The question is how drinking affects
health long term.
First, the good news:
“Having a glass of red wine
a day may help to increase
HDL cholesterol, a healthy
type of cholesterol that is
linked to lower risk of heart
disease,” says registered
dietitian Christy Brissette, a
spokeswoman for Dietitians
of Canada. But don’t celebrate just yet. “This link
THE CHUBBY KID
26
FA L L 2015
6/22/15 9:57 AM
Heart Calculus
Does your heart health make the grade? Start with 100, adding or subtracting points as
you check each true statement, then total the numbers to see how your heart scores.
I have a family history of
heart disease. (-5)
You can’t change your parents, but if you
know you have an elevated risk for heart
disease, you can pay closer attention to
those things you can change.
I get my blood pressure
checked at least every two
years and my cholesterol tested at
least every four to six years. (+10)
Without these important tests, you won’t
know whether you have two risk factors
for heart disease: high blood pressure or
high cholesterol.
I smoke. (-20)
If you smoke, your heart disease risk is two to four times that of a
non-smoker.
I fill half my plate with fruits
and vegetables. (+10)
Following a nutritious diet will help you
manage your weight, cholesterol and
blood pressure.
I have high cholesterol. (-10)
With higher cholesterol numbers
comes higher heart disease risk. “Normal”
cholesterol levels vary greatly based on
age, gender, history and individual risk factors for heart disease. Your doctor can tell
you what’s normal for you.
I have high blood pressure.
(-15)
High blood pressure, which makes the
heart work harder, is a serious risk factor.
Blood pressure should be 120/80 mmHg
or lower.
I exercise for at least 150 minutes each week. (+10)
I’m overweight or obese.
(-10, overweight; -20, obese)
If you’re carrying excess weight, your
risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes increases. Losing just
10 per cent of your current weight can
make a difference.
I have diabetes. (-15 if wellcontrolled; -25 if not)
If you have diabetes, your risk for heart
disease or stroke is two to four times
higher than for adults who don’t have
diabetes. And the risks increase even
further when blood sugar levels are not
well controlled.
Regular exercise—even just walking—is
key to keeping the heart healthy. Exercise
is also a great tool for relieving stress and
lowering blood pressure.
I consume more than one
(for women) or two (for men)
alcoholic drinks per day. (-5)
Higher levels of alcohol consumption can
raise blood pressure, which affects heart
disease risk.
YOUR GRADE
90 or higher: A. You’re doing a good
job of keeping risk factors at bay and
managing your health. Keep it up!
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
80–89: B. You’re managing your risk factors, but there’s room for improvement.
70–79: C. You’re getting by, but you’re
letting a few things slip. It’s time to take
a closer look at your risk factors and
make some changes.
59 and below. You’re running a
high risk for heart disease. Talk
to your doctor today about your
heart-health concerns.
60–69: D. You’re in dangerous territory.
It’s time to rethink several of your lifestyle habits.
FALL 2015
27
6/22/15 9:58 AM
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
28
FA L L 2015
FdVVFA1586_28-31_Colon.indd 28
6/22/15 9:58 AM
A LE T T E R
FROM
YOUR
COLON
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
Why get a colorectal
cancer screening? Hear
it from the colon itself
BY ALLISON MANNING
FALL 2015
29
6/22/15 9:58 AM
30
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
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FA L L 2015
6/22/15 9:58 AM
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
Don’t wait for the screening until your
doctor brings me up. People of average risk between the ages of 50 and 74
should register in their provincial CRC
screening program to receive free homebased fecal tests, advises Dr. Stein. The
kit comes to your home, you provide a
sample and send it back in for testing.
It’s pretty simple. “If the results are
negative, the person goes back into the
program and gets another fecal test in
two years. If it’s positive, a colonoscopy
is the next step,” he says.
For screenings, you have options:
• The fecal occult blood test (FOBT) is
the first step for most people. It’s used
to find blood in your stool that can’t be
seen with the naked eye. Every province is different, but each provides free
screening kits for people ages 50 to 74.
All you have to do is collect the stool
sample at home, then deliver or mail it
to a lab. Doctors recommend repeating this test every one to two years
(depending on your province) if you
have average risk, meaning no signs or
symptoms or personal or family risk
factors. If it comes back negative, there
is no need for any other kind of test. If
your FOBT comes back positive, your
doctor will recommend a colonoscopy.
• With a colonoscopy, the inside of the
rectum and the entire colon are examined using a long, lighted tube called a
colonoscope. If you go for the colonoscopy, you’ll probably only have to think
about me every 10 years after age 50.
Other screening tests may include the
flexible sigmoidoscopy, during which
your rectum and the lower part of me
are checked with a sigmoidoscope, a
lighted tube, or a virtual colonoscopy
in which X-rays and a computer are
used to take two- or three-dimensional
images of me and the rectum. Other
new blood and DNA-based tests are
also being developed, Dr. Stein says.
So, what is the best test? “It’s the one
you actually do!” he says.
Still, although 90 per cent of colorectal cancers are preventable if detected
early, nearly 50 per cent of people
diagnosed find out too late. “Don’t wait
for a symptom … that’s already too late,”
urges Dr. Stein. “The one reason why
people should get screened is that it
could save your life,” he adds.
Getting ready for a screening isn’t a
beach vacation. For colonoscopy prep,
solids need to be out of the stomach
and bowels in time for the procedure.
You’ll follow a clear liquid diet for at
least 24 hours before the exam.
Avoid drinks that use red or purple
dye. Instead, consume fat-free broth,
strained fruit juice, water, plain coffee
or tea, sports drinks and gelatin. The
day before the colonoscopy, you will
take a prescription laxative, usually a
liquid, that cleanses the bowels. This is
the most unpleasant part of the process,
some say. It’s important to follow our
doctor’s prep instructions to ensure that
the colonoscopy can be performed safely
and successfully. If I’m not clean, our
doctor might not be able to see polyps—
and that’s the whole point, remember?
You won’t remember much about the
colonoscopy. You’ll be lightly sedated
and maybe given pain medication to
help you fully relax—make sure you get
a ride home. A tube will then be inserted
inside the anus, through the rectum and
then through me, the colon. A camera
on the scope will provide a picture to
the doctor.
When the tube gets to the small intestine, the doctor will start to remove
the device and take a second look on
the way out. This whole process takes
15 minutes to an hour. Any polyps that
are found can be removed right then
and there, then sent to be biopsied for
cancer cells. Any weird-looking tissues
in me can be looked at, too.
You know, 90 per cent of colorectal
cancers are found in guys and gals over
50. Start getting me checked then. The
young’uns aren’t off the hook, though.
If there’s a history of colon or rectal cancer in their families, getting screened at
an earlier age isn’t a bad idea.
Get signed up for your colorectal
cancer screenings. Doctor’s orders! ■
PREVENTING
COLON CANCER
Advances in endoscopic procedures are
dramatically reducing the risk of colon
cancer, making it one of few cancers
that specialists are increasingly able to
prevent, says gastroenterologist Dr.
Nadeem Hussain, a leading expert at
St. Joseph’s Hospital in London.
With leading-edge minimally invasive
techniques, the ability for an endoscopist to see and then remove polyps has
significantly increased, which is reducing
the risk of colon cancer by 50 to 70 per
cent, says Dr. Hussain.
Among advances in colonoscopy
technology has been the shift from fibre
optic colonoscopes to video endoscopes
that are easier to manoeuver and can be
intricately navigated through the colon,
he explains. These have improved optic
imaging, allowing for high-definition
viewing inside the colon. “We are able to
find very early, subtle and small lesions
that were previously not detectable.
Once found, what used to require surgery to remove can now be done with
a colonscope as an outpatient.”
At St. Joseph’s Endoscopy Clinic,
the interdisciplinary team of experts is
excelling in the most advanced endoscopic procedures, says Dr. Hussain.
WEBSITE
Learn More
The Endoscopy Clinic
at St. Joseph’s Hospital
is the designated site in
London to provide highquality colonoscopies for
the ColonCancerCheck
screening program of Cancer
Care Ontario. For more information, visit sjhc.london.
on.ca/gastroenterology.
FALL 2015
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6/22/15 9:58 AM
THE QUICK LIST
10
1
2
SIMPLE CHANGES
THAT IMPROVE
YOUR HEALTH
8
If you can’t control what’s
stressing you out—like a
traffic jam—let it go. Your
health will be better for it.
To reduce your risk of
heart disease, watch
the alcohol. Limit
intake to no more than one
drink a day for women and no
more than two for men.
4
Identify a clear objective
for a health goal, like losing weight to fit into a new
dress. Once you form an emotional
connection, you’ll make decisions
with that goal in mind.
32
6
After your 50th
birthday, start
scheduling colorectal cancer screenings. Colon cancer
is the second leading cause of cancer death in men
and the third in women. It’s highly
curable if found early.
9
Add
some
action to
your couch time.
Move around
during TV commercials or
between chapters of a book.
10
Keep a pair of athletic shoes in your
car so that you can squeeze an
impromptu workout into your day.
PHOTOS BY THINKSTOCK
3
Hold the cheese
on your sandwich:
Cutting 100 calories daily for a year
results in a 4.5 kilogram weight loss.
5
Set a bowl of fruit on
your kitchen counter,
and stash unhealthy
snacks in the back of the cupboard. Out of sight, out of mind.
Preserve
your bedroom for
bedtime. You’ll
sleep better if
you save watching TV and surfing
the Internet for
other rooms.
7
If you can’t trust your
willpower, ask your
server to place half of
your meal in a takeout box—
before it reaches the table.
FA L L 2015
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THIS JUST IN
GOOD-FOR-YOU NEWS, CUES AND REVIEWS
EXERCISE
YOUR WAY TO
PHOTO BY GETTY/THE IMAGE BANK
STRONGER
BONES
More than half of all injuries among
Canadians over age 65 are caused by falls,
and 20 per cent of deaths related to injury
can be traced back to an earlier fall. Seniors
who are afraid of falling often reduce their
physical activity, which perpetuates the
problem. In 2014, Osteoporosis Canada
released “Too Fit to Fracture,” a report
outlining new exercise recommendations
for people with osteoporosis, or with a
high risk of developing it.
Physical therapists can use the guidelines to customize exercise programs that
help patients reduce their risk of falling—
and sustaining subsequent fractures—
through a combination of aerobic activity,
muscle strengthening and balance training exercises that help build muscle and
prevent bone loss.
FALL 2015
FdVVFA1586_33-37_ThisJustIn.indd 33
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THIS JUST IN
CONCUSSION
EDUCATION
AT YOUR
FINGERTIPS
Help is close at hand for those with persistent
symptoms from a concussion or mild traumatic
brain injury (mTBI). New webpages created by
the acquired brain injury team at St. Joseph’s
Parkwood Institute improve access to concussion/mTBI educational information for patients,
their families and clinicians.
“These webpages provide information patients
need to self-manage their symptoms,” says physiotherapist and project lead Laura Graham.
The Web content includes videos with topics
focusing on strategies for improving organization,
concentration/attention, vision and balance, as
well as relaxation techniques. You’ll also find helpful links to community resources and research.
WEBSITE
WINE
COOKIES
Which has more calories?
ANSWER: WINE. Wine lovers are giddy about research
extolling the heart-healthy
implications of imbibing. But
what about the toll that
wine takes on our waists?
Calorie-conscious consumers, take note: A
5-ounce glass (148 mL)
of merlot has 122 calories, compared with
78 calories in a chocolate
chip cookie from a popular, store-bought brand.
Alcohol’s empty calories
can cause you to pack on the
pounds. If you need to lose
weight, think before you drink.
34
Visit the new online resource for
individuals struggling with concussion or mild traumatic brain
injury. Created by the acquired
brain injury team at St. Joseph’s
Parkwood Institute, the webpages provide a variety of helpful
information. Visit sjhc.london.
on.ca/concussion-mtbi.
FA L L 2015
6/22/15 9:59 AM
Expert Resource
MAMMOGRAM
MOJO
35
%
GERM
ALERT
Hand dryers might not be a good way to avoid bathroom
germs, after all.
A study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection found
that air-blown hand dryers spread more germs than paper
towel dispensers. In fact, high-powered jet dryers created bacterial levels in the air that were 27 times higher than bacteria
levels around paper towel dispensers. Ew.
TRUE OR FALSE
E-cigarettes are a safe alternative to smoking.
FALSE. While researchers fast and furiously study the health
effects of “vaping,” red flags are emerging.
For example, there are no formal safety requirements
regarding product development, ingredient disclosure, information on nicotine levels and risk of use, and some testing has
found that e-cigarette products labelled “nicotine-free” often
contain nicotine, according to the Canadian Heart and Stroke
Foundation (CHSF). There is also a lack of research on the
long-term health impact of inhaling propylene glycol and other
ingredients found in e-cigarettes. Consumers have no way of
knowing which harmful chemicals—and at what doses—they
are inhaling.
Furthermore, the CHSF warns that e-cigarettes can increase
nicotine addiction among young people and encourage them
to try real cigarettes. A 2014 study by the Canadian Cancer
Society showed that 18 per cent of non-tobacco-smoking students had tried e-cigarettes and 31 per cent are interested in
trying them.
Mammography
has helped cut
breast cancer
deaths by
more than a
third since the
late 1980s.
42%
More women
are getting
mammograms
and fewer are
dying from breast
cancer. Breast
cancer deaths
have decreased
42 per cent
since the peak
in 1986 due to
earlier detection,
advances in
screening
techniques and
improved
treatments.
88%
IS THE
‘FRESHMAN 15’
REAL?
The widely held belief that university
and college students gain 15 pounds
(6.8 kilograms) in their first year is
an exaggeration, according to most
scientific studies. Among studies that
did find consistent weight gain among
students during this time period, the
average gain was closer to 4.4 pounds
(2 kg), which is not far off from
their non-university or non-college
bound counterparts.
One recent study, however,
expanded the parameters beyond
the first year. Researchers tracked
131 students in North America
through four years of post-secondary
education and found that, from
the first day of school to the last,
70 per cent of the students gained
weight—averaging somewhere
around 12 pounds (5.4 kg).
Regardless of the specific numbers,
just about every study does show
that university and college
seems to be a critical juncture for
weight management.
The five-year
survival rate
for people
diagnosed with
breast cancer is
88 per cent, and
that percentage
increases with
diagnosis in
earlier stages.
FALL 2015
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6/22/15 9:59 AM
THIS JUST IN
SMOKING
AND DRINKING:
Say namaste
for yoga, a
great workout
for body and
mind.
It’s often said that smoking
and drinking go hand in hand—
a problem for those seeking
treatment for alcoholism.
A recent study examined data
from more than 21,000 adults
who sought treatment for alcohol abuse. Smokers had less
success meeting alcohol-related
goals than their non-smoking
counterparts. This effect was
seen more sharply in women,
according to study
results published
in the journal
Substance Use
and Misuse.
TOOL
Any idea how much money
you spent on cigarettes
last year? Over the last
10 years? Visit tinyurl.com/
costcalculatorsmokes to
find out how the smokes
affect your budget. You
might exhale pretty sharply.
36
It’s time to stop calling yoga a fad. With its combination of physical
postures, breathing exercises and meditation, yoga has carved its way
into our mind-body consciousness. Yoga helps:
3THE BACK. Recent studies show that carefully adapted yoga
poses reduce pain and improve function for sufferers of chronic
low-back pain.
3THE HIPS. The “tree pose,” for example, targets hip abductors
and likely increases balance, according to a study of yoga in seniors.
3THE HEART. Research shows a link between yoga and reduced
blood pressure.
3THE HEAD. A small number of studies suggest that yoga can be
helpful in treating migraines.
CIGARETTE PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK; YOGA PHOTO BY GETTY/E+
The Cigs Costs
More Than Just
Your Health
WORKOUTS
THAT WORK:
YOGA
FA L L 2015
6/22/15 9:59 AM
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
DOUBLE
TROUBLE
What Are
the Odds
of getting the
flu this season?
If you’re the gambling
type, you won’t like
these odds. Seasonal flu
severity varies so greatly
from year to year that
your odds of getting the
flu range from
cigarette photo by thinkstock; yoga photo by getty/E+
photo by thinkstock
1 in 5
to 1 in 20.
Hedge your bet by scheduling
a flu shot now. Flu season
starts in the fall, peaking in
January or February.
Teenagers
think school
should start
later—and so
do researchers.
Tucking
Teenagers In
Just because your “baby” is
growing up, doesn’t mean he
doesn’t need a bedtime routine.
In fact, although they’d never
admit it, teenagers need more
sleep than adults because their
bodies and minds are still growing very quickly, according to the
Canadian Paediatric Society’s
(CPS) consumer website, cps.ca.
CPS says many teenagers
report being “always tired,”
which is likely due to the fact they
aren’t getting the recommended
nine to 10 hours of sleep each
night. Teenagers who don’t get
enough sleep on a regular basis
are more likely to feel depressed,
struggle in school, lack motivation
and concentration, have trouble
remembering things, and to be
involved in accidents. A late night
here and there won’t hurt but
Jargon
Watch
teenagers who regularly have
trouble waking up in the morning, fall asleep or tune out during
class, or are more moody than
usual may just need more sleep.
The CPS offers these tips to
help get your teen tucked in, and
keep him rested:
Keep electronics out of the
3
bedroom
Follow a relaxing bedtime rou3
tine at the same time each night
Exercise every day (early in the
3
day whenever possible)
Avoid caffeine after
3
mid-afternoon
On weekends, wake up within
3
two to four hours of the weekday routine
Clear your head before bed—
3
make a list for the next day, but
put worries away before hitting
the pillow
When a blood clot blocks blood flow to the
heart, doctors call this myocardial
infarction. Translation, please? The
everyday term is heart attack.
FALL 2015
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6/22/15 9:59 AM
The Truth By Shelley Flannery
There’s more to
preventing acne
than washing
your face.
The Truth
About
Skin
What’s the difference
between UVA and UVB rays?
How much SPF is needed?
Learn fact from fiction to care
for your body’s largest organ
Skin is the ultimate organ,
not only because of its
size. It’s one of the most
adaptive, vital organs we have, and
most of us take it for granted. Show
your skin some love by learning the
truth about how to best care for it.
True or false:
Dirt causes acne and
blackheads.
False. Blackheads may look like
tiny buckets of dirt, but cleansing isn’t
the problem.
“Blackheads are actually clogged
pores,” says Dr. Shannon Humphrey, a
dermatologist on the board of directors of the Canadian Dermatology
Association. “Dirt absolutely does not
cause blackheads. It’s a combination
of natural oils and dead skin.”
photo by getty/Stone
38
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Therefore, rubbing and scrubbing with
soap won’t help. Instead, you need to
use a product that will clear the pores
of dead skin cells and oil—try products with benzoyl peroxide or salicylic
acid. If you have dry skin, choose a
cream or lotion. Oily skin? Look for a gel
or solution.
If you don’t find a fix with an over-thecounter product, talk to a dermatologist.
Almost all cases of acne are treatable.
True or false:
The majority of damage to the
skin is done in childhood.
False. It sounds rational. After all,
kids are more likely than adults to be out
playing in the sun. But this one is a myth.
“Damage is cumulative over the lifetime,” Dr. Humphrey says, adding that
it’s never too late to make a difference.
“We know that when you start protecting your skin from the sun there is
immediately a repair mechanism and
we see a reduction in the development
of wrinkles, pigmentation and skin cancer.” In short, there’s still time to save
your skin, Dr. Humphrey says. “Even
if you’re an adult and you’ve had lots
of sun exposure, the science supports
practicing sun avoidance and protection regardless of your age.”
True or false:
Self-tanners are safe.
photo by getty/Stone
True. Self-tanners don’t have the
same effect on your skin as the sun or
a tanning bed.
“It’s simply an oxidation reaction of
a fruit-derived substance that causes
browning only on the dead skin layer,
and they have been shown to be safe,”
says Dr. Humphrey. Keep in mind that
they don’t provide protection from the
sun, she notes, but they are a great
alternative to sun tanning.
True or false:
The higher the SPF, the better.
True, to a point. The sun protection factor, or SPF, of a sunscreen
correlates to the amount of protection it
offers. A sunscreen with SPF 2 blocks
about 50 per cent of the sun’s UVB rays.
SPF 15 blocks 93 per cent, while SPF 30
blocks nearly 97 per cent.
But SPF isn’t the only part of a sunscreen label you should pay attention to.
“The sunscreen aisle can be overwhelming. You want to look for an SPF
of 30 or higher,” says Dr. Humphrey.
“You want to look for the terminology
‘broad spectrum,’ and you want to see
that there is both UVA and UVB coverage.” To keep things simple, she adds,
look for the Canadian Dermatology
Association (CDA) logo. “Evidence for
these [brands] have been reviewed by
the CDA and then endorsed so the public knows which ones are effective and
safe to use.” n
DOWNLOAD
Monthly Skin
Checks Save
Lives
Checking your skin at least
monthly can make the difference between life and death.
The Canadian Skin Cancer
Foundation website illustrates
how to check yourself, what
to look for, and an opt-in
for a monthly reminder.
Visit canadianskincancer
foundation.com/earlydetection.html today.
Wound Care
At St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute, the chronic wound and skin health team
serves inpatients and outpatients with chronic or complex wounds. Led by
Dr. David Keast, the team includes experts from nursing, nutrition, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy as well as the amputee, spinal cord and
seating programs.
Taking a holistic approach to preventing and managing wounds, the team uses
evidence-based literature to translate research into practice. It also conducts
wound care research in conjunction with the Aging, Rehabilitation and Geriatric
Care Research Centre.
For outpatients, the team works with home care, consultants and community
physicians to provide ongoing management of complex wounds. Developing
educational initiatives, addressing challenging cases and working in partnership
with the regional wound care program are also part of the expert team’s role.
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how to By Ellen Ranta Olson
Having a baby
should involve more
than nine months
of preparation.
HOW TO
Prep for
Pregnancy
5 steps to help you get ready, mentally
and physically, to have a baby
40
PHOTO BY GETTY/ The Image Bank
You say you want to have a baby? A crying,
pooping, life-disrupting baby?
If you’re still with us, then congratulations!
While you may never be 100 per cent ready for the challenges that a baby brings, you can make sure your body
and your relationship are healthy, strong and ready
for pregnancy.
Sharon Dore, RN, PhD, a spokeswoman for the Society
of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, offers
these pre-pregnancy tips to give you a healthy start
to parenthood.
1 Talk about it.
“When you are considering having a baby,
you need to think about the impact
for you and your partner on your lifestyle, finances, career, living space and
long-term planning,” Dore says. “It is
important to have an open discussion
with each other—how do each of you
feel and what steps might you need to
take before actually becoming pregnant.” Dore says it’s also important to
talk to your physician about topics such
as heavy physical activity and exercise,
smoking, recreational drug use and
other health-related issues.
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4 Hit the
vitamin store.
2 Check the
family tree.
Do you have underlying medical conditions like diabetes,
seizures or thyroid disease? Are
there genetic conditions like
Huntington’s disease or hemophilia in the family history? “If
you have a family illness that
might be inherited through
chromosomes, you can speak
to a genetic counsellor to
determine your degree of risk,”
Dore advises. “It is also helpful
to ask if your sister or mother
experienced any difficulties in
their pregnancies—sometimes
family history of such things
as twins, repeated pregnancy
losses or high blood pressure
in pregnancy can be important
for your health care provider
to know.”
3 Get off
the pill.
PHOTO BY GETTY/ The Image Bank
If you’ve been
on birth control, it
can take a few months for your
body to reset for pregnancy.
Dore adds that you should also
speak with your doctor about
discontinuing other methods
of birth control, and review
every medication and
vitamin that you’re
taking to determine whether
it might affect
your pregnancy.
Although most nutrients come
from the foods you eat, experts
recommend taking a prenatal
vitamin before you attempt to
get pregnant. “Not only does
this [taking prenatal vitamins]
make you generally healthy,
but the folic acid helps
prevent some neural
tube defects in the
baby,” Dore says.
Because the first
eight weeks of
pregnancy are critical for the baby’s
development, it’s
important to start taking these before conception to ensure your system is
well stocked.
5 Make over
your meals—
and maybe other habits,
too. If you drink alcohol or
smoke, now’s the time to stop.
Evaluate your caffeine intake
and increase fruits, veggies,
fibre and water in your diet.
Talk to your doctor about the
best way to reach a weight
that’s healthy for you and the
baby. Excess weight during
pregnancy is associated with
complications including high
blood pressure, preeclampsia,
preterm birth and gestational diabetes, while
being underweight
increases the risk
of having a lowbirth-weight baby.
Evaluate
Your
Environment
Pregnancy means you’ll need to tune
your antenna to potential hazards.
While toxins aren’t necessarily lurking in most homes and
offices, extra caution during
pregnancy may be worthwhile.
Avoid solvents, such as oven
cleaners and paint thinners
(who wants to clean their
oven or paint when pregnant,
anyway?). And be mindful when
dining at a seafood restaurant:
Swordfish, shark and king mackerel
are off-limits because of their high
mercury levels.
The silver lining? You get a free
pass from cleaning the cat’s litter box
for nine months, thanks to a parasite
called toxoplasmosis that can be spread
through the feces of cats. While it’s not
typically harmful to adults and kids, the
parasite can cause birth defects. So feel
free to add litter box duty to someone
else’s to-do list.
TOOL
Track Your Cycle
Up your chances of getting
pregnant by using an ovulation
calendar. Visit babycenter.ca/
ovulation-calculator.
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QUIZ by Meredith Heagney
What’s bother
ing you in the
bathroom? The
answer can
be tricky.
Put your stomach smarts to the test
with these digestive dilemmas
42
We love to talk about eating. Just consider the
popularity of cooking shows, diet blogs and
Instagram shots of food. But we rarely discuss
what happens after we swallow. Because that’s when it
gets gross, right?
But digestion is a critical part of your health—and a confusing one, too. Dr. Roshini Rajapaksa, a gastroenterologist
and the author of What the Yuck?! The Freaky and Fabulous
Truth About Your Body, encourages patients to get over
their shyness when discussing digestive symptoms.
To get started, she’ll help us decode stomach problems
with similar symptoms.
photo by superstock/George Peters/Exactostock-1598
Freak Out or
Chill Out?
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Q
Q
You had to rush out of your presentation to book it to the washroom. You’ve had a lot of these
bouts of diarrhea lately, but sometimes when you feel the urge to go,
nothing happens.
IS IT: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?
IBD. Inflammatory bowel disease, which
includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative
colitis, shares some symptoms with irritable bowel syndrome, including diarrhea and stomach cramping. Unlike IBS,
however, IBD can lead to more serious complications and even cancer. A
good distinguishing symptom between
the two, Dr. Rajapaksa says, is feeling a
strong urge to go but only passing gas
or a small stool. “That’s actually a sign
there’s inflammation in the colon,” she
says. “It’s that swelling that makes you
feel like something needs to come out.”
Q
photo by superstock/George Peters/Exactostock-1598
Lately, your meals never seem to
agree with you. After you eat, you
often feel a burning pain in your
chest and throat.
IS IT: Gastroesophageal reflux disease
(GERD) or an ulcer?
GERD. People often confuse GERD and
ulcer symptoms, but there are key differences. Ulcer pain tends to be gnawing and doesn’t travel toward the throat
the way the effects of GERD do. GERD
can also leave you with a sour taste in
your mouth and a sore throat, thanks
to acid. “Generally speaking, ulcers you
feel more when you’re hungry, acid
reflux you feel more after you’ve eaten,”
Dr. Rajapaksa explains.
You can’t go No. 2. At all. It’s
been four days, and you’re quite
uncomfortable. You can pass gas,
but that’s about it.
IS IT: Constipation or an intestinal
obstruction?
Constipation. The ability to pass
gas indicates constipation, which can
be relieved with fibre, stool softeners
and exercise. An intestinal obstruction
prevents even gas from getting through,
and nausea, vomiting and a distended
abdomen usually accompany the condition. An obstruction is very serious
because of the risk of the bowel bursting, potentially causing a life-threatening
infection, Dr. Rajapaksa says.
Q
Your daughter is freaked out by
her latest washroom visit, when
she noticed bright red blood
on the toilet paper. She’s frequently
constipated, and now she’s worried
her “insides” are bleeding.
IS IT: An anal fissure or intestinal
bleeding?
Anal fissure. Your daughter can
calm down. Bright red blood on the
toilet paper, rather than dark or tarry
blood mixed in with stool, usually has
a benign cause. Anal fissures are tiny
tears in or around the anus, typically
the result of straining to go. “Look at
the bowel habits of your child and start
with simple measures like more fibre
and prune juice, things that will help
them go more smoothly,” Dr. Rajapaksa
says. “Certainly, if it persists, it’s a reason to go to the pediatrician.”
Q
It’s your anniversary, and you celebrate with a delicious—and fatty—
steak at your favourite restaurant.
By bedtime, you’re battling diarrhea
that’s oily and foul-smelling. Lately,
you’ve felt sick after meals.
IS IT: Celiac disease or a pancreas
problem?
A pancreas problem. Exocrine
pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) is less
known than celiac disease, but both
cause digestive distress and nutritional
deficiencies. With EPI, your pancreas
does not produce the enzymes you
need to digest food properly. The symptoms are especially bad after consuming fatty foods, whereas celiac disease
sufferers feel the worst after eating
gluten, Dr. Rajapaksa says. Whatever
your symptoms, be patient and cooperate with your doctor’s orders while you
both determine what’s wrong, she says.
“When it comes to the GI tract, it’s not
often clear from day one.” n
QUIZ
Gut Talk
Want to get a general rating of your digestive health status? Visit
cdhf.ca/en/tummy/id/54 and take this quiz from the Canadian
Digestive Health Foundation.
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At a Glance By Laurie Davies
Risky
Business
A head-to-toe look at how sitting at
your desk can harm your health
44
minimized
gluteus: Sitting all day
illustration by thinkstock
When it comes to dangerous jobs,
loggers, fishermen and pilots top
the list. But your desk job could be
harming your health, too.
Canadian adults spend 69 per cent of their
waking hours in sedentary pursuits, typically
their jobs. And Canadians now work an average
of 36.6 hours a week. For most of us, that means
sitting, sitting and more sitting.
Confront the constraints of your cubicle by
standing when talking on the phone, scheduling
“walking meetings” and setting an alarm every
hour to remind you to stretch.
In the meantime, keep in mind these dangers
of desk jobs.
weakens your body’s butt
muscles, the glutes. This
means the biggest muscle
group in your body is no
longer as good at doing
what it does best—burning fat. And that means,
well, a bigger butt.
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eyesore: Fifty to 90 per cent of
computer users complain about eye
problems. To avoid eyestrain, use
proper lighting (avoiding excessively
bright or overhead fluorescent
lights), minimize glare and use an
LCD monitor.
pain in the neck:
Slumping forward
toward a computer monitor or cradling a
phone can lead to sore muscles, pinched
nerves and stress on your neck. A study
among sedentary workers showed that a
sit-stand workstation reduced upper back
and neck pain by 54 per cent.
hardened heart: Sitting at work all
day—not to mention during your commute,
dinner and favourite TV shows—increases
just about every major risk for heart attack,
including obesity, diabetes, high blood
pressure and high cholesterol.
illustration by thinkstock
aching back: Office employees are
more likely to have chronic back pain
than those with physically demanding
jobs. Make sure your chair reinforces the
natural curve of your spine with lumbar
support. And try sitting on a stability
ball. Even 30 minutes on the ball daily
can help strengthen your core.
Lethargic legs: Sitting for
long stretches slows blood circulation, which can lead to swollen ankles,
varicose veins and a serious condition
called deep vein thrombosis. n
TOOL
Get a Move On
“Sneak It In Week” is an
annual effort from Canada’s
ParticipACTION to get workers up and moving during the
workday. For tools, resources
and motivation to help you
form some healthier habits
between 9 and 5, visit tinyurl.
com/sneakitinweek2016.
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In the Market By Lexi Dwyer
Three Ways to
PREPARE BEETS
For a sweet vegetable that contains antioxidants,
potassium and many other nutrients, just beet it
46
1
ROAST THEM
This is the best way to coax out beets’ inherent sweetness. Slice off the green tops, leaving
about a 2½-centimetre stem. Wrap each beet in
foil and bake at 400 F (204 C) for about 50 minutes (until they can be easily pierced with a fork).
Allow beets to cool, then remove skins with paper
towels. Slice, then toss with balsamic vinaigrette
and toasted walnuts.
2
ADD THEM TO SALAD
Follow the directions for roasting, through the
step in which skins are removed. Slice beets thinly
and toss them with arugula (or another green),
mandarin oranges, goat cheese and a homemade
vinaigrette (try sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, olive
oil and honey). The key to a successful beet salad
is the balance of sweet, sharp and sour flavours.
3
MAKE BEET CHIPS
Do your kids wrinkle their noses at beets? Try
transforming beets into something fun and familiar.
Thinly slice them to slightly more than 1½ millimetres thick using a mandoline and toss with olive oil.
Cook them at 350 F (177 C) for about 30 minutes
on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. After
20 minutes, watch carefully—chips are done when
edges start to dry and curl and the colour lightens. n
photo by superstock/Andrea Gomez/Exactostock-1598
This vegetable is a stunning specimen. But an
array of nutrients and
satisfying sweetness are the real
reasons you shouldn’t skip a beet.
“Beets are nutrition superstars,”
says registered dietitian Christy
Brissette, a spokeswoman for
Dietitians of Canada. “They contain
unique plant nutrients called betalains that are powerful antioxidants,
reduce overall inflammation, and
may reduce heart disease risk.”
If you’re training for a 5K, consider this: A study at St. Louis
University showed that after eating
baked beets, runners increased their
speed by 3 per cent. Beets’ benefits
can also vary by colour, Brissette
explains. “Yellow or golden beets are
higher in lutein, a phytochemical that
helps protect eyes from cataracts
and macular degeneration, and beet
greens are an excellent source of
vitamin K, which plays an important
role in blood clotting.”
Though they tend to peak in spring
and fall, these hearty veggies grow
year-round in mild climates. Try
these three ways to prepare them:
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Beet
Basics
Q
I ate a huge helping of beets and now my
urine is red. Yikes! Why does this happen?
This temporary condition, called beeturia, is caused
by unmetabolized pigments found in beets that
can turn both urine and stool red or pink. Its occurrence depends on factors such as the type of beet
consumed and what else you’ve eaten, which will
affect your stomach’s acidity level.
Q
How should I choose beets?
Look for vegetables that are firm (not soft)
and free of dents and bruises. If the greens
are attached, they should be crisp, sturdy and
brightly coloured.
Q
Are frozen beets as healthy as fresh ones?
Most frozen vegetables are preserved at the
peak of ripeness, so they have almost the same
nutritional profile as their fresh counterparts.
Packaged beets can be especially helpful if you’re
making something in a large quantity, like borscht
(beet soup).
Q
photo by superstock/Andrea Gomez/Exactostock-1598
I’ve heard beets have a lot of sugar. Does
that mean I shouldn’t eat them?
Although beets score 64 of 100 on the glycemic
index (a measure of how fast a food causes blood
sugar to rise), you’d have to eat four cups (600 g)
of them on an empty stomach to see a significant
spike. Mixing them with protein- and fibre-rich
foods, such as salmon and broccoli, will help lower
the glycemic effect.
RECIPE
Nothing Beets a Good Salad
For a nutrient-packed and delicious side dish (with only
68 calories per serving!), try out the Beet, Orange and
Jicama Salad recipe from Dietitians of Canada. Visit
dietitians.ca and search “beet salad.”
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HEALTH BY THE NUMBERS BY LAURIE DAVIES
SEASONAL
SUFFERING
33
%
Colds and flu
make an impact
year-round. In any
given month, more
than one-third of
Canadians report
having a sore
throat, the flu or
a cold.
Up to one in five
schoolchildren may
carry the streptococcus bacteria (the
cause of strep throat)
without showing
symptoms. Regardless,
they can still spread
the infection.
38,227
5 to 7
DAYS
Beware of the
co-worker who
was out with a
“24-hour bug.”
Adults are contagious up to
five to seven
days after coming down with
the flu.
200+
More than 200
different viruses cause
colds. Rhinovirus is
the most common,
accounting for up to
50 per cent of colds.
160
KPH
Cover that
sneeze: Travelling
at 160 kph,
a sneeze can
reach others 1.5
metres away.
Between Aug. 24, 2014, and June 6, 2015, there were 38,227
confirmed cases of influenza in Canada.
Sources: American Heart Association, Heart Foundation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Heart Federation, American College of Cardiology
COMMITMENT AND CARING
48
and May 26, 2015. Of those cases, 160
individuals were hospitalized, and 14 died.
Influenza can be especially dangerous for young children and older adults.
Vaccination combined with proper
infection control practices, such as
good hand hygiene and the masking of
non-immunized staff and visitors, has
helped make a difference at St. Joseph’s
in caring for more susceptible patients
and residents.
Visitors are reminded to clean their
hands frequently when at St. Joseph’s, not
visit if they feel unwell, and wear a mask if
not vaccinated and visiting between Dec. 1
and March 31, which is the flu season.
WEBSITE
Prevention
Information
For more on how
St. Joseph’s Health Care
London works to prevent
the spread of influenza,
visit sjhc.london.on.ca/
influenza.
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
Across St. Joseph’s Health Care London,
the safety and protection of patients and
residents are a priority.
Staff and physician vaccination, in
conjunction with proper hand hygiene,
is a vital part of the overall strategy to
decrease the incidence of influenza
from entering St. Joseph’s facilities and
spreading influenza to the vulnerable individuals receiving care. Being immunized
also protects staff and their families.
This past influenza season was significant with the Middlesex-London Health
Unit reporting 40 influenza outbreaks,
329 confirmed influenza A cases and 51
influenza B cases between Sept. 1, 2014,
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BECOMING
A FIT FAN
A Lawson Health Research Institute scientist is leading a
unique program to boost men’s health by appealing to
their love of hockey BY JULIA CAPALDI
I
t may sound surprising, but
sports fans, especially men, are
more likely to be overweight than
their non-team cheering male
counterparts. So in an effort to boost
men’s health, an innovative new program called Hockey Fans In Training
(HockeyFIT) is targeting enthusiasts
of Canada’s favourite winter sport. Not
those who play but rather those who sit
on the couch and watch.
“Fans tend to be less healthy. They
tend to lose their connection to being
active,” says Dr. Rob Petrella, a scientist
at Lawson Health Research Institute
and lead researcher on the HockeyFIT
program. Since it’s also difficult to get
men to participate in health studies, Dr.
Petrella and his colleagues looked for a
unique avenue to get men more involved
in their health.
PHOTO BY THINKSTOCK
PARTNERING with Teams
Studies have shown that in many
Canadian centres, the local rink is the
community hub. “We know that men
already spend a lot of time at places like
Budweiser Gardens. This is where they
feel comfortable and where they tend to
congregate,” says Dr. Petrella. “We also
know that men feel better about working out with other men to get healthy.”
The solution? Piggyback on the popularity of local sports clubs to get men
out and involved in an exercise program.
“We know that hockey is the bread
and butter of the male psyche in
Canada, so we are looking forward to
partnering with Ontario Hockey League
(OHL) teams to bring this program to
Southwestern Ontario,” says Dr. Petrella.
“Participants will have the opportunity
to be trained by qualified coaches and
go behind the scenes at their team’s
home rink. Maybe even bump into their
favourite player!”
HockeyFIT attracted the interest of
the London Knights and Sarnia Sting.
Both OHL clubs launched HockeyFIT
programs in the spring. Participants
hang out in the team’s dressing room
and train using its facilities. Coaches
create personalized health and nutrition
plans and lead them through sportsbased training exercises.
SUCCESS with
Soccer Fans
Part of Dr. Petrella’s inspiration
came from a Scottish program called
Football Fans in Training, which has
had great success using local soccer
teams to help boost men’s participation
in healthy activities.
Dr. Rob Petrella,
a scientist at
Lawson Health
Research
Institute, is the
lead researcher
on the HockeyFIT
program, an
innovative
approach to get
men exercising.
HockeyFIT is funded through a
Men’s Health & Wellbeing Challenge
Grant from the Movember Foundation.
The Movember Challenge called upon
Canadians to submit their creative and
innovative ideas to get men more interested and active in their health. ■
EMAIL
Join In
Men 35–65 years old who need
to lose weight are eligible to
participate in Hockey Fans In
Training (HockeyFIT). For more
information, visit hockeyfans
intraining.org/ or email info@
hockeyfansintraining.org.
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Hope is Here
At Parkwood Institute,
the Locomotor Training
program has Lee
Thibeault back on his
feet. The program
includes a robotic system
that automatically moves
his legs while he’s on
the treadmill, which is
training his body to do
the work on its own.
Lee Thibeault’s
imagination is
unbounded even
by the wheelchair
he sits in—because
he believes he will
walk again
L
ee Thibeault is inspired when
asked for his favourite quote.
Delighted to share what a neuroscientist has said, he states:
“We’re only as big as our imagination.”
Motivational words for this young
man. Just 18 months earlier, the fit boxer
and outgoing 26-year-old aircraft structural engineer had a fateful encounter
that would almost end his life. Today, his
imagination is unbounded even by the
wheelchair he sits in. He is inspired by
the belief that he will walk again.
Thibeault’s imagination springs from
the knowledge that advances in medical
science, in which he’s an active participant at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute,
can dramatically change his future.
His story begins in the summer of
2013, when he awoke in a hospital room
filled with family from across the country. The previous evening, less than
50 metres from home while returning from a leisurely motorcycle ride,
Thibeault was thrown from his bike
trying to avoid a driver going the wrong
way on a one-way street. His last memory was lying on the ground looking at
his fingers and feeling no pain.
50
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For the first 72 hours he was paralyzed from the neck down. He had suffered a high-level neck break. His jaw,
ribs, hand and six vertebrae were fractured. He also had a serious foot wound
that became infected and resulted in a
below-knee amputation. When feeling
began to return, Thibeault was hopeful.
Then the sensations stopped. He would
remain paralyzed from the chest down.
cord or acquired brain injury regain
lower body strength and, in some cases,
even walk again. It uses a body weight
support treadmill that has a harness
to hold the patient upright. Parkwood
Kindred Spirits
For the vibrant and gregarious young
man who was known to his friends as a
health-conscious athlete, life suddenly
appeared terrifying and hopeless.
After several weeks of intensive
care, Thibeault was sent to Parkwood
Institute for further recovery and the
rehabilitation that would prepare him
for life as a paraplegic. It was there his
innate passion for life was reignited.
Thibeault found kindred spirits in the
nurses, doctors and therapists.
“My mom says that Parkwood only
hires angels,” says Thibeault. “The
nurses were incredible. They provided
amazing care and always kept my spirits
up. They made wonderful comments
about my future. The hospital is supposed to be the toughest part, but it was
more like home at Parkwood.”
Knowing It’s Possible
Despite not being able to control his
core muscles that help him stay upright,
Thibeault has discovered para-athletic
events and now competes in shot put
and discus throwing. He also joined the
London Blizzards sledge hockey team
and hopes to get his glider-pilot license.
Chatting animatedly about his passions,
Thibeault says he’s inspired to walk again
because he knows it’s possible.
“It is possible,” asserts physiotherapist Janelle Wittig. She started working
with Thibeault in September 2014 in the
groundbreaking Locomotor Training
(LT) program at Parkwood Institute.
The program helps people with a spinal
movement, decreasing the amount of
the work the robot does.
“Studies have proven there is an
automatic circuitry that is built into us
for walking and that is independent of
the brain,” explains Wittig. “Evidence
proves that the important elements
required to awaken these circuits are
speed, normal gait pattern and loading
of the limbs—sensory input.”
Intensity is the fourth element.
The program includes 90-minute sessions four times a week for a total of
44 sessions.
‘The Future Is Here’
After a devastating injury, Lee Thibeault
is inspired to walk again thanks to
the care and support he receives at
St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute.
Institute is the first hospital in Canada
to have purchased the equipment,
which now includes the Lokomat—a
robotic system that automatically moves
the patient’s legs while he or she is on
the treadmill.
Initiating Movement
Before the Lokomat, it was difficult
for therapists and clinicians to manually work with people like Thibeault
on the treadmill because of the person’s size and lack of sensory control.
The robotic system solves this problem
by doing the initial work. The harness
holds the person up while the robotic
legs initiate the movement needed
on the treadmill. The hope is that
the individual will initiate his own
Thibeault was all smiles the first time he
used the Lokomat, recalls Wittig. “You
can imagine how it must feel so good to
be on your feet. As tall as everyone else.
Eye-to-eye with people, and that feeling of loading the legs. Because he can
feel, he has a sense of the deep pressure.
And his trunk has to work pretty hard to
keep himself upright in that machine.”
It also bolsters the imagination.
“Look, I have a robot walking me on a
treadmill, I have travelled to Switzerland
six times and I also had the chance to
meet an astronaut,” says Thibeault,
referring to Chris Hadfield’s recent visit
to Parkwood Institute. “The future is
here. The question is: What are we going
to do about it? Are we going to grab hold
of it and be optimistic and be proactive?
I want people to be just as happy as I am.
I want people to have hope.” n`
GIVE
How to Help
You can contribute to new‑
frontiers in rehabilitation
at St. Joseph’s Parkwood
Institute. Learn more by visit‑
ing sjhcfoundation.org.
FALL 2015
FdVVFA1586_50-51_Thibeault_2.indd 51
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6/22/15 10:00 AM
For Tiena Fraser,
rehabilitation for
mental illness has
been an almost
lifelong journey.
Here, she enjoys
a quiet moment
with a member
of her care team,
Dr. Robbie Campbell,
a psychiatrist at
St. Joseph’s Health
Care London.
NEAR DEATH
TO NEW LIFE
Faith, friends and her St. Joseph’s care team
keep Tiena Fraser focused on recovery from
mental illness BY AMANDA JACKMAN
C
limbing back from the
brink has not been an
easy task for Tiena
Fraser. After a traumatic
childhood of sexual,
emotional and physical abuse, a diagnosis of bipolar disorder, and a struggle
with an eating disorder, she has finally
found happiness.
At age 16, Fraser suffered a nervous
breakdown and was admitted to hospital. There, she was diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a
result of her abusive childhood. From
the ages of 16 to 30 she would self-harm
and attempt suicide.
“I must have tried to commit suicide
a hundred times,” she states. “I almost
died twice. I was in a coma for days. I
just wanted someone to pay attention
and tell me they cared.”
FRIENDS and Community
Fraser’s rehabilitation from the depths
of PTSD, bipolar disorder and bulimia
has been an almost lifelong journey,
52
yet, despite the dark and difficult times,
she can wholeheartedly say, “Right now
is the happiest I have ever been.”
Research has shown that healthy
community interaction and support
through friends and family can aid
people in their rehabilitation as they live
with mental illness. Fraser understands
that importance first-hand. She now
lives in a townhouse with roommates
who share her interests and belief system. They like the same television programs and attend Bible study classes
together, says Fraser. After more than
two decades being cared for by mental
health care practitioners, she has discovered the value of friends and the
sense of community.
Throughout her numerous stays
in hospital Fraser found the connection forged with her care providers at
St. Joseph’s Health Care London to be
invaluable. “Being able to sit and talk
to someone helped me so much, and it
still helps me today.”
“I have seen her at her worst and
at her best,” says Heather Cohen, a
social worker at St. Joseph’s. “She has
definitely come a long way. She has
moved from much longer stays in hospital to short-term tune-ups to living in the community with outpatient
appointments. She is doing very well.
She knows who to call and what to do
if she feels a relapse.”
HELPING Others
Fraser credits her faith, friends and care
teams for her success. She should also
credit her tenacity. Enjoying her newfound life, she proudly confides that she
is experiencing her longest stay outside
of hospital. “I am proactive with my
medication and I keep busy with volunteer opportunities.”
Fraser hopes to help others on a
mental health journey by telling her
story. “I’ve been through so much,
some really terrible and trying times.
If I can help anyone reach out and
find help by telling my story I would
be achieving a life-goal.” ■
FA L L 2 0 1 5
FdVVFA1586_52_Tiena.indd 52
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Preventing
Kids’
Vision Loss
Dr. Inas Makar, left, iSee program director, and Afua
Oteng-Amoako, program coordinator, are leading the
new screening program for toddlers in London that uses
a special camera that can quickly detect vision problems.
I
t’s an eye-opening fact: As many
as 10 per cent of preschoolers
don’t see clearly. A scary statistic
considering vision plays a critical
role in how a child learns.
But a new London-wide screening program of St. Joseph’s Ivey Eye
Institute aims to spot problems early.
Amblyopia, known generally as
“lazy eye,” is the leading cause of
decreased vision among children.
Resulting from abnormal visual development in infancy and early childhood, it’s fairly easy to treat early
in life but becomes difficult to treat
after the age of six—vision may
never recover to its full potential.
“Early detection is key with amblyopia,” says Dr. Inas Makar, a pediatric
ophthalmologist at Ivey Eye Institute.
“The decrease in vision results when
one or both eyes send a blurry image
to the brain. The brain then learns
to only see blurry with that eye, even
when glasses are used later in life.
Without early detection and treatment,
amblyopia may result in permanent
vision impairment.”
The main risk factors for amblyopia
include long or short sightedness, astigmatism, eye turns and drooping eyelids.
St. Joseph’s Ivey Eye Institute
has launched an innovative vision
by
Amanda Jackman
screening
program for toddlers
By Amanda Jackman
Knowing the importance of early
treatment, clinicians at Ivey Eye identified the need to screen children
between the ages of two and 3½ and
developed an innovative program
called Ivey Special Eye Exam (iSee)
Vision Screening.
“Those preschool years are imperative,” says program coordinator Afua
Oteng-Amoako. “According to research,
80 per cent of what a child learns in the
first 12 years is through what they see.
So if we can catch them before they
go to school, children will have fewer
learning difficulties.”
The screening process takes only a
few seconds and is as easy as taking a
picture. Using special automated digital cameras, children have a “photo”
taken. The camera makes sounds to get
the child’s attention. No eye drops or
puffs of air are necessary. The camera
automatically detects issues or concerns requiring further testing by an
eye care professional.
“iSee will provide an immediate referral report if a risk factor for
amblyopia is detected,” says Dr. Makar.
“Parents and guardians receive the
report and instructions to guide them
on next steps.” n
iSee is a clinical and research-based
program of St. Joseph’s Ivey Eye
Institute made possible by donations to St. Joseph’s Health Care
Foundation. London Central Lions
Club provides philanthropic and
volunteer support for this important
community program.
CALL
Does Your Toddler
See Clearly?
In London, free vision screening
is available for children between
the ages two and 3½. Contact the
iSee program at 519 646-6000,
ext. 65101 or email iseevision@
sjhc.london.on.ca. For more
information, including screening locations and times, visit
iseevision.ca.
FALL 2015
FdVVFA1586_53_iSee.indd 53
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6/22/15 10:00 AM
Giving
Patients
a Voice
At St. Joseph’s Parkwood
Institute, assistive devices are
a key to successful therapy
for people with disabilities
By Anne Kay
A
fter a brainstem stroke struck
David Crew in his 50s, life
came to a halt. He couldn’t
walk, talk, swallow or care for
himself. But with just slight movement
in two fingers, Crew would eventually
tap into a whole new world.
In Canada, more than 440,000
Canadians are living with communication
disabilities affecting their speech, hearing, and/or ability to understand what is
said to them. At St. Joseph’s Parkwood
Institute, patients with these challenges
are recovering from stroke and brain
injuries or have degenerative diseases,
such as dementia and Parkinson’s.
For example, while about 10 per cent
of Canadians have a hearing impairment, the prevalence of hearing loss in
patients at Parkwood Institute could be
more than 80 per cent, explains audiologist Pattie Hinton. “It is important
care providers know hearing loss and
dementia can have similar signs and
symptoms—it is difficult to remember
accurately if you don’t hear clearly.”
Life-Changing Discovery
To help people with communication disabilities, speech language pathologists
54
and audiologists often use assistive
devices ranging from simple pen and
paper to advanced voice output devices.
For Crew, life turned around when a
Parkwood Institute occupational therapist discovered that Crew could move his
thumb and index finger, allowing him to
operate a switch control for a high-tech
assistive communication device.
Using this device Crew is now very
social and active and an outspoken selfadvocate. He communicates his care
needs, makes personal decisions, tells
jokes, participates in recreational activities, and helps with presentations to
medical students.
An assistive device helped
David Crew open his world to
others. He is shown here with
speech language pathologists
Julie Hughes and Penny
Welch-West.
and capability would surely have
been masked.”
Through his device Crew controls
his TV, DVD player and power wheelchair, sends email and surfs the Web.
The difference it made in his life is
“night and day,” he says. “Thank you
for giving me a voice so I can touch
others’ lives.” n
Strengths Unmasked
Other assistive devices include FM
systems that work like a radio station
with voice transmitters and receivers; voice and telephone amplifiers;
communication boards and books;
and electronic tablets with applications for speaking, reading, writing
and listening.
“The assistive device gave David a
voice,” says speech language pathologist Penny Welch-West. “Without it his
strengths in communication, memory
website
Talk It Up
To see how David Crew
communicates using his
device, visit sjhc.london.
on.ca/our-stories/
hear-me.
FA L L 2 0 1 5
FdVVFA1586_54_PatientsVoice.indd 54
6/22/15 10:00 AM
Howie’s
World
Canadian comedian, actor
and author Howie Mandel
balances a successful career
with—at times—crippling
mental illness. He will share
his story at St. Joseph’s
Tribute Dinner By Laura Janecka
A
t the best of times, Howie
Mandel has a crowd in
stitches with never-ending
laughter. But at the worst
of times, he has spent anxiety-ridden
hours in never-ending repetition to
ensure his front door is locked.
The 59-year-old Toronto native has
lived more than 30 years in the limelight and almost twice that long struggling with a range of mental illnesses,
including obsessive compulsive disorder
(OCD), attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and depression. Thanks
to his quick wit and celebrity, Mandel
has been able to make light of a dark situation and inspire thousands of others.
Nervous Energy
Starting out as a “manic young comic”
on the Canadian comedy scene, Mandel
was known for his zany shows. His first
headlining act featured his name and
tagline “Borderline Psychotic”—a reference, he says, to his hyperkinetic nervous energy on stage. Though he used
his quirky behaviour to draw laughs
from the crowd, Mandel wasn’t ready
or willing to open up about his personal
struggles with mental illness.
Canadian comedian, actor and author Howie
Mandel is the featured guest at St. Joseph’s
Mandel’s career
Tribute Dinner on Oct. 7.
got a kick-start
when a producer
saw him at the leghis anxiety grew he exclaimed that he
endary Comedy Store in Los Angeles
was in therapy for his OCD. He was let
and gave him a role on the game-show
out but would discover that he was still
Make Me Laugh. His appearance led to
live on-air. Mandel was embarrassed,
other talk shows, a reoccurring role as
but the public’s reaction was positive.
a doctor in the award-winning series
Realizing that people could relate,
St. Elsewhere, and his own creation,
Mandel was inspired to write his 2009
Bobby’s World, an animated children’s
memoir Here’s the Deal: Don’t Touch Me.
show inspired by his own childhood
Since then, he’s joined other
experiences. He also hosted the popuCanadian icons as a spokesperson for
lar game shows Deal or No Deal and
Bell Let’s Talk Day, unabashedly sharDeal with It.
ing his experiences with the hope
Positive Reaction
of promoting mental health care and
As his star rose, behind the scenes
reducing stigma. n
Mandel continued to be plagued by
doorknobs he couldn’t open, hotel
EVENT
rooms that required a path of clean towels to walk on and hands he couldn’t
shake for fear of germs. It wasn’t until
he appeared on the famed Howard Stern
On Oct. 7, St. Joseph’s Tribute
Show on radio that his personal strugDinner will feature Howie Mandel,
gles became public. After the show had
who will share his story of mental
wrapped, Mandel couldn’t bring himself
illness. To find out more about this
to touch the doorknob to let himself out
event, visit sjhcfoundation.org.
of the studio. Despite requesting assistance, nobody would open the door. As
Hear Howie
FALL 2015
FdVVFA1586_55_Howie.indd 55
55
6/22/15 10:00 AM
Winspe’reired
to give
“Giving feels good.
because we know we
are improving the lives
of people touched by
St. Joseph’s care,
teaching and research.”
Kathy and Frank Longo are inspired
to be part of a healthy community.
They support medical breakthroughs
that make a difference to the health
and wellbeing of people in our
community, region and beyond.
Give today.
Inspire tomorrow.
e inspired to
B
take the next step
BECAUSE WE ALL NEED ST. JOSEPH’S
FdVVFA1586_56_Longos_Inspired_Ad.indd 1
Kathy and Frank Longo
7/1/15 2:36 PM
FdVVFA1586_C3_Bust-A-Move.indd 3
6/22/15 10:00 AM
St. Joseph’s Health Care Foundation
268 Grosvenor Street
London, ON
N6A 4V2
Please return Canadian Addresses to above address
2 0 1 5 S T. J O S E P H ’ S T R I B U T E D I N N E R
A CONVERSATION WITH
HOWIE
MANDEL
2015
M
ODER
HEATH ATED BY
ER HISC
OX
H
OST
NEWS N | CBC
ETWOR
OCT
7
K
LONDON
CONVENTION
CENTRE
$
RESERVE YOUR
TICKETS NOW
195
PER
PERSON
sjhcfoundation.org
519 646-6085
JOIN US for a special evening with tv
host/comedian HOWIE MANDEL
who will share his story of mental illness.
ING
HONOUR UNITY
M
THE COM TIONS OF
U
IB
R
T
N
CO
ND
MARJIE A UN
O
JEFF MAC
THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!
FdVVFA1586_C4_Tribute.indd 4
6/22/15 10:00 AM

Change - St. Joseph`s Health Care London

Transcription

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