Posts Under Health Category
I had to share this video (warning: it might make you cry, it made me tear up more than once). I’m sure many have seen it by now, and it was shared to me by a number of people, including a close friend of mine who is now (thankfully) a survivor.
Knowing someone who had to go through something so terrible is really scary. What’s even scarier is the fact she’s my age.
I’m only 25.
I used to believe Cancer was an “old person” disease – the only experience I ever had with Cancer was with “older” people, including my grandfather (he passed away in his late 60s, when I was only 12). But Cancer can affect anyone, of any age – and with my generation’s bad habits, including using tanning beds and forgetting (or just plain not wearing) sunscreen – it’s a serious issue.
I’m not perfect. I’ve been to tanning beds before (in fact, I have 200-some-odd minutes from a package kicking around at Goodlife, though I haven’t been tanning in well over two years now) and I do sometimes forget to wear sunscreen. And yeah, I love lieing out in the sun and catching some rays in the summer as much as the next girl – but now I make sure my skin is well-protected when I do that. And about the same time I stopped tanning, I started using makeup and moisturizer with an SPF built in, so at least my face is protected at all times (yup, even in winter – where the sun can be just as damaging) and I make sure to wear (or obtain) sunscreen when I go places like Wonderland, the beach, an open dome Jay’s game, or really anywhere where I’ll be exposed for a long period of time.
I got a real eye opener while I was working in Timmins, and did a story on checking & protecting yourself from the sun. The Porcupine Health unit had this nifty software called April Age. You’d get your photo taken, see it aged to 72, and then see the effects of Tobacco and Sun damage on your skin.
I’m sure glad I’m not a smoker – and this really made me realize just how badly sun can damage your skin, even if you are lucky enough to avoid something as terrible as Melanoma.
Some scary facts about Melanoma, from the American Melanoma Foundation:
- Getting just one bad sunburn before the age of 18 doubles your chances of getting melanoma
- In 2009, 5,000 people were affected by Melanoma and 940 of them died.
- It’s the most common form of cancer from those 25-29, and an increasing number of young women are being affected in recent years.
- The number of cases is increasing much faster in females 15-19 than males.
- According to the WHO, more than 65,000 people die a year from sun exposure – usually linked to skin cancer.
But there is good news in all this – Melanoma in individuals 10-39 years is considered “highly curable”, especially when caught early.
That’s why it’s SO important to be aware of your body (and your skin!) and keep track of your moles/freckles/skin and any changes… and to check your skin frequently (I do!) It’s better to go to your doctor and end up be fine and a little embarrassed about overreacting than to be too shy/embarrassed to ask about a dark, discolored, or oddly shaped mole – it could end up being too late.
Look Ma, I'm in the Circus!
Fun fact about me: I’ve had a secret dream to run away and join the circus since I was little. Something about wearing bright colours while swinging around on a trapeze, sticking my head in a lion’s mouth, and riding around on an elephant just seems so cool.
And let me tell you, it’s a good thing I never found out the Toronto School of Circus Arts existed before the age of 8 or my childhood (and teen years!) might have been much different… or just would have involved copious amounts of whining at my parents to send me there, instead of the copious amounts of whining to send me to private school. (Yeah, I whined at them for YEARS to send me to the local girls-only private school: in my defense, I was like 8 and it’s in a castle, ok? ;)
Very recently, Jukari Fit to Fly launched at Kingwest Fitness in Toronto. It hit 12 cities world-wide in 2009, but it took a few years to come to Toronto (the first Canadian city to get the program was Montreal).
Jukari is a new workout regime developed by Cirque du Soleil and Reebok that promises a tough, intense – but still fun – hour long workout. You spin, jump, dance, run, stretch, and swing your way through the class using the FlySet; which is basically ropes that swivel a 360-degrees and are suspended from the ceiling, a 4.5 lb steel bar you can hook into said ropes, and foot straps that also can clip onto the ropes. It’s like a low level trapeze that gives you a cardio, flexibility, strength, and core workout.
But simply describing it doesn’t really do it justice. So, check out this promotional video for the program to see what a Jukari workout looks like, while I try not to move in fear of making my abs hurt more than they already do:
It looks fun, right?
And easy!
Yeah, my instructor made it look easy too.
Most of the class went a little something like this:
The best part was when we put on the foot straps midway through, because we got to lie down for about 30 seconds while listening to the next move… which was a nice, easy plank.
Well, “easy” (I use that word loosely!) if it was a normal plank.
You see, in a Jukari plank your arms are fully extended; and your legs are stuck through a bungee loop attached to the ropes hanging from the ceiling.
Dear lord, my arms.
I have to admit though, despite how incredibly impossible some of the moves seemed, and how tired I was just 25 minutes in – it was an AMAZING workout, and so much fun! I got a really intense workout in just an hour, and the time flew by because of the great music, high energy instructor, and good company (I took the class with two of my girl friends). It’s no secret I loathe going to the gym, and easily get bored on the elliptical, weight machines, and bikes.
Today, my body feels like I did my normal 1.5-2 hour workout at the gym (actually, probably worse than that!) but it only felt like I was at Kingwest for a little bit of time.
I have 4 more classes left (I bought a 5 class trial pass through Teambuy last month), and even after that’s done I can see myself going back for drop in Jukari sessions from time to time.
If it’s in your area, give it a go! You won’t be disappointed… just sore.
I think, in some way or another, everyone has had their life touched by cancer – whether it’s a parent, grandparent, friend, or friend of a friend… we all know someone. My grandfather passed away from cancer when I was in grade 7 – a long time ago now (over 10 years), but I still remember everything that happened during those last few months.
I just saw (for the millionth time, but I never get sick of it) the commercial for the Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation’s Conquer Cancer Campaign, and I can’t get over how powerful it is.
It features real patients, doctors, nurses, and people who have been affected by cancer in some way… and tells the story of how the hospital is trying to conquer cancer in our lifetime.
I hope it can happen.
Vitamin D is nicknamed “The Sunshine Vitamin” since exposure to the sun can help boost your levels.
But are we getting enough?
According to the Vitamin D Society, 97% of adults will experience a vitamin D deficiency at some point during the year.
And now, a new study conducted by The Hospital for Sick Children has found that a surprising one-third of Canadian toddlers also suffer from a deficiency.
Vitamin D is nicknamed "The Sunshine Vitamin" for good reason.
Doctor Jonathon Maguire is the lead author of the study, and he said a lack of vitamin D in children can heighten the risk for serious medical problems, including rickets, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and even certain types of cancer.
According to The Canadian Medical Association, children should be receiving 400 IU’s of Vitamin D per day to remain healthy, but it seems many of our children are not getting that amount.
“It’s concerning that these urban Canadian children may be at risk of vitamin D levels below the recommended amount,” said Maguire.
The study also found that kids who are more likely to have low vitamin D levels are also likely to drink less milk, have a high Body Mass Index (BMI), or watch TV while snacking. And parents, if you slather your children in sunscreen before they go outside (as most parents do!) then your kids could also be at risk for a deficiency.
The Canadian Pediatric Society strongly advises that breastfed infants receive vitamin D supplements to ensure they’re receiving the correct amount. It’s especially important to monitor vitamin D intake during the winter months, as we see less sunshine between October and April.
According to Maguire, there are no specific recommendations for supplementation in children older than a year – although there are recommendations for adults.
Canadian adults should be receiving 1,000 IU’s of vitamin D a day according to the Canadian Cancer Society. In the spring and summer months, spending 10-15 minutes in the sunlight should be enough, but a supplementation may be needed in the fall and winter. Individuals with dark skin or who don’t get outside often might want to consider year-round supplementation.
It’s a well-known fact that vitamin D has an important biological function – it helps our bodies absorb calcium, which keeps bones strong. But it also has other benefits, such as providing protection from cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, auto immune diseases, and high blood pressure.
Vitamin D can be found in fish, eggs, and milk – and of course, absorbed from the sunlight. But if your child is a picky eater, or you suspect they are not getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D you may want to consult your pediatrician. and consider the use of vitamin D supplements.
