aging – Physical activity makes a difference
WORDS BY Marylene Vestergom Did you know, according to the 2019 participACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults, three of the biggest positive effects physical activity can have on Canadians’ lives as we enter our 60s, 70s and 80s: increased
Health Chai Lifetime Canada
WORDS BY Marylene Vestergom Where do families turn when faced with a child who is facing a life-threatening or chronic illness? It’s something you hope you will never have to encounter, but Chai Lifeline Canada has become a source of support
Get Active Winter Sports Prep
WORDS BY Marylene Vestergom • Skis waxed? Check. • Skates still fit; blades sharpened? Check. • Snowboard tuned? Check. Forgotten anything? Think you’re ready for the winter sports season? Think again. Although your sporting equipment is in prime condition for a day on the slopes, an
Healthcare – Inagene PGx Testing
We’ve all seen it—that intrusive nose swab used for a COVID-19 test. Now, instead imagine if you could simply swab the inside of your cheek to determine which medication would work best for you? “The exciting news is there is such
Pet Love: Separation Anxiety in Dogs
WORDS BY Marylene Vestergom Let’s face it—dogs have been living their best lives during the pandemic. They’ve gone on long walks, chased birds in the park, played with the kids in the backyard, cuddled and, quite frankly, been the centre of
5 Health Areas for All the Men in Your Life to Focus on
Did you know in a study performed by the Cleveland Clinic, more than 70% of men said they would rather do household chores than go to the doctor? As we watch the men in our lives grow from boyhood into
Unapologetic Truths – The Realities of Postpartum We Don’t Talk About
WORDS BY Yalda Kazemi Releasing her first book, Unapologetic Truths: The Realities of Postpartum We Don’t Talk About, author, mental health advocate, stylist and mom, Yalda Kazemi, courageously shares her story of battling and ultimately overcoming severe postpartum mental illness in
Walking through COVID-19
“The toe bone’s connected to the foot bone, the foot bone’s connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone.” Sound familiar? Well, considering each foot is made up of 26 bones, 33 joints, 107 ligaments,
Orthodontic braces have evolved
Smaller brackets, tooth-coloured options and even plastic aligners have largely replaced traditional metal braces. Braces have evolved considerably over the years. With new technologies available, plus an acknowledgment that braces are a necessity for people of various ages and not just
Who is Karli
By Sara Dimerman Sesame Street celebrated its 50th anniversary in November 2019. Funny how the long-loved characters Elmo, the Cookie Monster, Bert, Ernie and friends, never age. What has changed, however, is some of this well reputed show's content. Gone are the
Climate change’s connection to anxiety and depression
By Sandi Schwartz Hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires, droughts, rising sea levels. These are not topics for the faint of heart. But the reality today is that these types of natural disasters are on the rise due to climate change, and more people
How to safeguard children with special needs from bullying
By Malia Jacobson When young Cody joined the peer inclusion preschool at his neighborhood public school, he fit in from the start. His class was a mix of neurotypical “peer mentors” and children with disabilities, including students like Cody with apraxia
Bullying then and now
I was rarely bullied as a kid. It wasn’t because I was cool. Just the opposite. I was a huge geek, but I was also just plain huge. So I’m sure that other kids made fun of my behind my
Vaccinations
I generally keep away from politically touchy subjects in this column, not because I don’t have opinions on those subjects, but because I don’t think that public forums are a very effective place to raise difficult issues. People’s emotions usually
Passing the torch: Olympians’ stories aim to inspire kids
By Marylene Vestergom By sharing stories of Canadian athletes, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) hopes its new multimedia series “Pursue” provides inspiration and, most importantly, life lessons that kids Grade 2- 12 can connect with and apply in their own lives. Since
Childhood food allergies linked to skin
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says four out of every 100 children has a food allergy, and such numbers are on the rise. While the mechanisms by which a person develops an allergy to specific foods
Giving Them Something to Run With
I wrote a few weeks back about how kids will often surprise us with their initiative, dedication, and passion if we actually give them opportunities to take leadership and ownership of what they do. I’ve since had that conversation with
Healthy minds
I feel that one of my jobs as a parent is to expand my children’s cultural horizons beyond the commercialized pop culture bubble that mainstream media implies is the only culture worth knowing. They’re not always convinced that this is
The brain + body equation
By Christine Davis The benefits of exercise are many and new research from ParticipACTION now shows that students who exercise before a test show stronger brain function than those who don’t. “Evidence shows that kids who are active for 15-20 minutes