Vitamin D’s pivotal role in regulating calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism has long been recognized, and mounting evidence suggests that vitamin D may also influence cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders, and mortality. Vitamin D deficiency is an important health concern for Canadian mothers and their infants and appropriate supplementation is necessary. Vitamin D Further information regarding vitamin D supplementation can be found at the Health Canada and US National Institute of Health websites: here and here.
The World Health Organization listed 14 solutions it said could save tens of millions of people. The list included measures that targeted whole populations, such as providing generic drugs for people with Type 2 diabetes and those at risk of heart attacks and strokes, and convincing food manufacturers and consumers to cut back on salt, sugar and trans fats. UN & Chronic disease
New statistics show that Canadians are living longer lives.
People born between 2006 and 2008 will have a life expectancy of 80.9 years. It’s a significant gain from the national average of 78.4 years in 1995. Canadians living in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec are living longer lives compared to the national average with B.C. residents hitting the highest life expectancy at 81.4 years. Life expectancy
Chocolate Laughter!
Eat dark chocolate, watch funny movies, avoid stressful jobs, and biking are all ingredients in the recipe for a healthy heart, according to experts meeting in Paris this week. Whether one is afflicted by a heart attack, high blood pressure or constricted arteries depends in large measure on a host of lifestyle choices. Researchers found that the highest level of chocolate intake was associated with a 37 per cent reduction in cardiovascular disease, and a 20 per cent drop in strokes, when compared with the chocolate-averse cohort. So enjoy your chocolate and THIS ARTICLE published in the Vancouver Sun.
Aging population is not responsible for health care cost increase
Finally, a voice of reason speaks out against the rhetoric about the impact of an aging population on the health care system! A new UBC study says aging contributed less than one per cent a year to total growth of expenditures in British Columbia from 1996 to 2006. It expects this will remain the case for the foreseeable future. Another UBC study says the use of expensive diagnostic and specialty medical services has more to do with expenditure growth in the province. Read "Acute-care driving health costs — not aging population".
Scientists have developed a mathematical model of how tumours evolve.
They claim it should help identify which blood vessels to remove to limit its growth, according to an article in New Scientist magazine. "In the future, treatments will no longer have to be based on population averages. People will get individual treatment based on the predictions of our model," says co-author Neil Johnson, a physicist at the University of Miami in Florida. Tumour growth prediction
Just Wash Your Hands!
Evidence shows alcohol-based hand sanitizers are no substitute for old-fashioned hand-washing, says a new article on the website of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The article references a study by the American College of Preventive Medicine. It showed long-term care facilities were more likely to see outbreaks of the norovirus - a severe gastrointestinal sickness - if staff more often used hand sanitizers for routine hand-cleaning instead of soap and water. Read Hand sanitizer
Hospital bed tie-ups drive long waits
CBC News
About one in six hospital beds are being occupied by patients who should be receiving care elsewhere. Tuesday's sixth annual report card from the Wait Time Alliance highlights how stays lengthen wait times to the detriment of patients in both emergency and elective or scheduled care. Read full article here
“Crisis Behind Closed Doors” by Rob Wipond
Focus Magazine reveals nearly half of all seniors in long-term care in BC are being given antipsychotics as a chemical restraint because staffing and insight is inadequate.
Health Canada warns these drugs cause a doubling of death rates in the elderly! Seniors Victoria is VERY concerned about these facts which Rob needed to use the Freedom of Information act to dig up.
Read full article from Focus Magazine
Soaring Health Care Costs Due to Technology, Not Aging!
Grim predictions that our rapidly aging society will act like a ‘grey tsunami’ to overwhelm and bankrupt our health care system aren’t accurate, according to the University of Victoria’s Canada Research Chair in Social Gerontology Neena Chappell and Marcus Hollander, president of Hollander Analytical Services. Read full report from UVic.
Healthy Islanders
Islanders generally take better care of themselves than those in other areas, with higher rates of physical activity and healthy eating — but that does not necessarily mean we will live longer. Dr. Richard Stanwick, Vancouver Island Health Authority's chief medical officer said Tuesday that despite our healthy habits, our premature mortality rates are higher than the provincial average. Many of the causes of early death "are associated with alcohol abuse and smoking, which are entirely preventable," Stanwick said. To read the full report, please visit VIHA
Do you have nutrition or food related concerns?
Now you can email HealthLink BC's Dietitian Services with your questions! It's part of the Province's commitment to make the healthy option the easy option. Dietitians at HealthLink BC provide nutritional information for everyone. This includes advice to help prevent or manage chronic disease. Email a dietitian at HealthLink BC with this website.
Mini Mobile Hospital
A high-tech Mobile Medical Unit that acts as a mini-hospital and will be used across the province to provide medical services for B.C. families was unveiled on Thursday by Minister of Health Michael de Jong, in partnership with the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).
The Ministry of Health purchased the unit from VANOC after the Games for $5 million in order to improve emergency service delivery across the province. Check out Mobile medicine.
