Category Archives: General Health

Eating your yogurt and getting some sun these days? It’s challenging in the winter’s cold and darker days, but worth the effort. In order to lower their risk of falls and fractures, elderly people should receive sufficient vitamin D from a variety of places, the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) now advises. Dietary ...click here to read more

Traditionally used in human and veterinary medicine, the drug, ketamine, now promises to be a fast, effective treatment of depression in patients unresponsive to other medications. New research conducted by Japan’s RIKENCenter for Life Science Technologies – and published in the journal Translational Psychiatry – reveals that ketamine works by boosting serotonin in the parts of the brain ...click here to read more

There’s no denying that weight loss products boom in the health supplement industry. The market is growing and shows no signs of stopping, with Americans spending an estimated $35 billion each year on weight loss products and programs. In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 35.7 percent of American adults as ...click here to read more

Let’s face it, body fat has a bad reputation – something we fret about constantly and try to burn away with regular exercise. Well, here’s something to consider as you try to keep your New Year’s resolution of losing weight: When it comes to age-related obesity, brown fat is simply failing us. New research, conducted by ...click here to read more

January and February tend to be the coldest months of the year in North America. So far this year, some states and several provinces in Canada have hit record-breaking cold temperatures. The deep-freeze often pushes people to extremes to find ways to keep warm. Health and government officials are warning the public that keeping warm ...click here to read more

That antibacterial hand soap you buy religiously for your bathroom, or pump from a public washroom dispenser, may not protect you from bacterial infection, after all. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposed a rule in December that will make it tougher for companies that manufacture antibacterial soaps and body washes used with water ...click here to read more

Today, there are more than 12,400 diseases, disorders and other ailments that can befall each and every one of us, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In fact, people unwittingly carry a number of infirmities – ranging in severity – for weeks, months and years on end. Should you be worried? Read on. Here are five ...click here to read more

Being part of a great team or excelling at a solo event can make for some of the best high school memories. Nothing beats the thrill of the winning goal in the last few minutes of play – and the after-game celebrations. Sports play an important role in the scholastic experience, helping with social and ...click here to read more

We see traces of pesticides in our everyday living environment. They’re in our soil. They’re in our water supply. Now, there is evidence that suggests that these toxic chemicals can be found on our healthy food, too. In the last two years, almost half of all fresh organic produce tested in Canada contained pesticide residue, ...click here to read more

I’ve been in the medical community for many years and have learned a thing or two about what it takes to maintain robust good health. But the good-for-you strategies of proper diet and exercise, good sleep and strong social ties can get buried by the trends, headlines and latest high-tech breakthroughs that catch the media’s ...click here to read more

Think back to how many times you have seen a doctor in the past year. How many scans, tests and antibiotics were you prescribed? Does the number seem overwhelming? That’s probably because it is. Although current medical systems are in place to create life longevity, adverse effects from over-prescriptions are now taking a toll on ...click here to read more

Don’t turn to extreme diets or Lap-Band surgery. Try holistic methods to help you shed those unwanted pounds, such as acupuncture. Acupuncture is a form of Chinese medicine that has been practiced for thousands of years.  Many people use acupuncture to treat various ailments including chronic pain, migraines and nausea caused by chemotherapy. A study published ...click here to read more

It’s said that a great book will always leave a significant impression, leave you thinking about the world differently – and even leave you feeling as though you lived a completely different life. Well, take note, bookworms: Your most cherished reads could help to redefine you in more ways than one. A recent study conducted by ...click here to read more

Hello 2014! It’s a new year and a lot of us are thinking about shedding those extra pounds and paying more attention to our diet and exercise routines. Is it just me, or are my pants fitting a little tight? As a doctor, you’d think I’d know better. And I do, but social gatherings have ...click here to read more