Health and Wellness Blog

Would you like BPA with that...? hidden chemicals in canned food

Do you recall the public outcry when we first learned that baby bottles and water bottles contained high levels of Bisphenol A? Also referred to as BPA, this chemical may be harmful to the male reproductive system and may also be implicated in stimulating breast cancer. Thanks to public pressure and media attention manufacturers largely eliminated the offending chemical from certain products. 

But BPA is still present in the lining of most canned food we eat. Yes, whenever you open your favourite can of soup or prepare your tuna sandwich you are unwittingly consuming synthetic estrogens hidden in the lining of cans.

                    

 The National Workgroup for Safe Markets in their investigative study No Silver Lining found that 

• 92% of the 50 cans tested had detectable levels of BPA. 
• One can of green beans had 1,140 parts per billion of BPA—the highest amount of any 
published study.  
• A daily diet that included canned foods tested for this report could cause a pregnant 
20-something woman to ingest levels of BPA shown to cause harm to fetal development 
in animal studies.
• Alternative materials are available, with more under development.  

Their recommendations include: "The solution must be sustainable, non-toxic packaging. We recommend 

companies continue to identify and implement safer materials use, and that government bodies require this

action to ensure the public’s health is protected."

In the mean time what can you do to lessen the risk?  Use glass, stainless steel or porcelain containers whenever possible and let manufacturers and goverments know that it's unacceptable to have BPA in the packaging of food.

For more information read the above study in greater detail or check out one of TPL's books on environmental health issues. 

 

                   

 

 

"If you go out in the woods today...

...you're sure of a big surprise." Unfortunately it's not the Teddy Bear's picnic you are likely to encounter. It's legions of tiny ticks clinging to blades of grass or bushes waiting to ambush an unsuspecting host. Yes, that host could be you or your family pet. 

Ticks attach themselves to your skin and feed on your blood for days. Besides the irritation of the bite they may transmit tick-borne diseases - the most prevalent being Lyme disease. 

Lyme disease in Canada is a relatively new phenomenon. Experts believe that warmer temperatures are the likely reason the tick population is moving North and with it the threat of Lyme disease. According to the Center of Disease Control, Lyme disease is the fastest growing infectious disease in North America. Lyme disease is a reportable disease in Canada. Doctors are now required to report all cases to the Public Health Agency of Canada.

Lyme disease is often misdiagnosed partly because it's relatively new in Canada and partly because its symptoms are fairly generic mimicking other disorders...chills, low grade fever, headache, muscle and joint pains and skin rash. If Lyme disease is not treated with antibiotics soon after infection, patients may develop more serious arthritic and neurological problems.

Does that mean that you should not go outdoors anymore? Not at all...just make yourself a less enticing meal for a tick. Health Canada offers several tips, including:

• wear long-sleeved shirts with closed cuffs and tuck your pants into your socks or boots
• wear light -coloured clothing so it's easier to spot tick hitchhikers
• instead of sandals wear closed shoes
• use insect repellents containing DEET in tick endemic areas

What to do if you are the unlucky host of a tick? With tweezers carefully remove the tick but make sure not to detach the mouth part . If you can't remove it, see your family physician. 

For more precise information read the following documents: Lyme Disease and Lyme Disease Fact Sheet or check out one TPL's  books on tick-borne diseases.

                                     

 

Doing good can heal you?!

More and more people are conscious about their physical health than ever before.

We are serious about what we eat. Just take a look at the flourishing health food stores in our neighbourhoods, organic food sections in grocery stores, the vegetarian options on restaurant menus. If these don't impress you enough, how about this - Canada's Food Guide is the most requested Canadian government publication (only second to the income tax forms).

We are careful about our exercise routine as well. You can see people jogging/ biking, walking dogs, working-out in gyms, or carrying yoga mats down the street all the time... 

How about our mental/spiritual health? Are we mindful of what we think and how we feel? Do we cherish it the same way as we do our physical health?

Consider this old wisdom from the Bible - A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Apparently the mind/body connection is nothing new. Remember our heavy-hearted moments when we went through enormous stress (lay-off, divorce, loss of a love one, loss of investment etc.), we had sudden onset back pain, chest pain, high blood pressure, trouble sleeping ... or sometimes just out of emptiness/loneliness, we got depression. 

Sure that we can go to our doctors for help, and chances are we get some prescribed drugs. But not many of us want to take medication that easily... so what other options do we have?

Research done by Allan Luks shows that doing good has the power to heal. The finding in his book The Healing Power of Doing Good confirms that when we care for other people we care for ourselves: 95% of the volunteers reported that personal helping on a regular basis gives them an immediate physical feel-good sensation, including warmth, increased energy, and a sense of euphoria, called 'helper's high.'  And it is the process of helping others that is the healing factor, regardless of the kind of help offered or its outcome.

If you are interested to read his book, follow the link underneath to place a hold. And check out more books from the Toronto Public Library on this topic available for you at your fingertips:

    

Wonder where to find a volunteer job? Here is a few websites might interest you:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters.ca: Become a Mentor
• Charity Village: Find Jobs
• City of Toronto: One on One Mentoring Program
• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre: Volunteers
• The Salvation Army: Volunteering with the Salvation Army
• Toronto Public Library: Volunteering 
• University Health Network: Volunteering at Princess Margaret Hospital
• Volunteer Toronto: Find a Volunteer Position

Wanna live to 100 and beyond?

You are in good company.  According to the 2011 census centenarians are one of the fastest growing demographic groups in Canada. To be precise, there were 5,825 Canadians aged 100 or older last year. As life expectancy is expected to increase, there could be close to 80,000 Canadians over the age of 100 in 2061. Is this an anomaly? Not at all, the world's population of centenarians is projected to reach nearly 6 million by midcentury.

So what does it take to join this exclusive club? While genetics certainly play a role in how long you live, don't use genetics as an excuse... the ultimate determining factor for longevity is a healthy lifestyle! Besides, what good does it do to live to 100 if the quality of your life isn't worth living?

For ideas on how to add quality to quantity, check out some of our books on this subject: