Reading Time: 3 minutes Migraines affect eight per cent of Canadians, but that estimate may be low because people don’t necessarily report them. They may just wait out the headache or they may self-treat with a non-prescription pain reliever, believing that nothing can really be done for their migraine. Headache itself is a common complaint, and sometimes it is a […] Read more
Guide Health: When do you know it’s a migraine headache?
Understanding the difference is the first step in approaching the problem with proper treatment
Guide Health: Causes of gout, and what you can do to avoid it
Guide Health: The condition is not limited to the rich and famous
Reading Time: 3 minutes You probably think you need to be royalty like King Henry VIII of England to have gout. Not so! About two per cent of Canadians have gout, and even that number may be under-reported because gout is often mistaken for other types of joint pain, leading many people to just treat it themselves with a pain […] Read more
Guide Health: Warts – more than skin deep
Applying tree sap under a full moon may not work, but what about duct tape?
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you’ve ever had a wart, you will know that they are embarrassing and inconvenient, but not usually harmful. All warts are caused by viruses, specifically the human papillomaviruses. There are many different strains, and because these viruses are easily transmitted from person to person, childhood warts are a common result from contact when children […] Read more
Guide Health: A short history of blood thinners
Reading Time: 3 minutes If you or anyone you know takes warfarin, you may feel that you are being treated like a rat, but not so! Warfarin reduces blood clotting and it also prevents thromboembolism or blood clots. As well, it reduces the risk for conditions such as strokes caused by atrial fibrillation. It does the same, but is […] Read more
Guide Health: Digestion 101
Reading Time: 3 minutes Digestion occurs automatically, so you probably don’t even think about it unless you are bothered by a complaint like indigestion. Coping with digestive complaints, however, is a multimillion-dollar business, and the products available are numerous. Your digestive tract begins at your mouth and ends at the other end with your rectum. It is responsible for […] Read more
Guide Health: Maintain your mineral levels
Healthy eating can keep mineral levels good. A poor diet, though, means trouble may be brewing
Reading Time: 2 minutes Everyone thinks of rocks and stones when minerals are mentioned, but you have minerals in your body too, and they are essential to your health. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body with the majority of it being in your bones, but there are numerous other minerals which are essential to overall good […] Read more
Guide Health: Memory and drugs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Everyone is concerned about memory loss in old age, but before you resign yourself to dementia, check your medications. Some drugs may actually cause adverse effects that can be mistaken for memory loss. For instance, benzodiazepines used to treat stress, anxiety, and sleep problems may remain in the body causing daytime drowsiness and confusion, which […] Read more
Guide Health: Breathing easier with asthma
Guide Health
Reading Time: 3 minutes More than three million Canadians have asthma, and the number seems to be increasing. This increase may come from improved diagnosis, or perhaps people are more likely to seek help for their breathing symptoms these days. An increase in our exposure to allergens or airborne particles may also be to blame, however, triggering more asthma […] Read more
Guide Health: Restless leg syndrome – more common than you think
Reading Time: 2 minutes Restless leg syndrome is just what it says it is. It is a feeling that your legs are restless, or that you want to move, accompanied by sensations such as creeping, burning, aching or itching. Often you notice restless leg syndrome when you are still, for example in bed, and you will find that movement […] Read more
OxyContin in the news
Reading Time: 2 minutes Recently, you have probably heard about OxyContin, and you may be wondering what the issue is. To understand the matter better, let’s start by thinking a bit about the opioid class of drugs. The first historical mention of opioids is in Greek writing dating back to the third century BC, although the pain-relieving and psychological […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
