Reading Time: 2 minutes Statistically, seasonal allergies (technically known as allergic rhinitis) affect about one in four Canadians, although many more individuals may be affected; they just don’t seek treatment. Also known as hay fever, seasonal allergies occur when plant pollen is breathed in and the body’s immune system is activated to fend off the foreign particles or allergens. […] Read more
Guide Health: Nasal sprays and allergies — just a squirt!
Nasal sprays are good options as they deliver medication directly to nasal tissues
Guide Health: The importance of triglycerides
Cardiovascular disease is associated with high triglyceride levels
Reading Time: 3 minutes Everyone knows about cholesterol. A lot of us also know about high density lipoproteins (or HDL) and low density lipoproteins (or LDL), but a third type of cholesterol is often overlooked; the triglycerides. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that accumulates in blood vessels. There, it can cause the narrowing and blockages that increase the risk […] Read more
Guide Health: Health literacy about more than just literacy
Good health literacy is linked to better health
Reading Time: 3 minutes Literacy is the ability to read and write, as well as to understand what is written. In general, 99 per cent of adult Canadians are considered to be literate, but on closer examination we can see there are different levels of literacy. About a quarter of Canadians have difficulty dealing with printed material; they are […] Read more
Guide Health: Proton pump inhibitors. Too much of a good thing?
Proton pump inhibitors do stop heartburn, but there can be problems
Reading Time: 2 minutes If you have ever experienced heartburn or indigestion and have taken a proton pump inhibitor drug, you know they work great. Sites in your gastro-intestinal tract known as proton pumps, “pump out” stomach acid in order to digest food. But if they overproduce acid and it is refluxed upward, they contribute to your stomach complaints. […] Read more
Guide Health: Coming clean on impetigo
Usually a minor problem, impetigo can spread
Reading Time: 2 minutes Impetigo is a common bacterial skin infection that is estimated to affect 11 to 15 per cent of Canadians at any one time. Most often it is a childhood infection, especially among children younger than age six, but adults can also be infected The infection does not mean that the infected person is from a […] Read more
Guide Health: Naloxone — be prepared!
It makes more sense to be ready for an opioid overdose
Reading Time: 2 minutes Naloxone is the antidote for opioid overdoses and it works really well, proving successful in 75 to 100 per cent of cases. At one time it was scheduled by Health Canada, so that it could only be sold by prescription, but today a prescription is not needed. Anyone can purchase naloxone from their pharmacy, and […] Read more
Guide Health: Sleep apnea isn’t just about snoring
At first, sleep apnea and snoring may just be bothersome
Reading Time: 3 minutes Apnea is Greek in origin and means “not breathing.” Thus sleep apnea occurs during sleep. It is a breathing disorder that occurs as the result of the partial or complete blockage of the upper airway by soft tissue and muscle. This results in a lack of oxygen, which in turn causes the brain to arouse […] Read more
Guide Health: Monitoring your blood glucose
Blood glucose monitoring is important in the effective management of both type 1 and 2 diabetes
Reading Time: 3 minutes One in three Canadians has diabetes. Many don’t even know it. Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by suboptimal insulin secretion and/or diminished insulin activity. Insulin is the hormone in the body that is responsible for the metabolism of carbohydrates such as glucose, so with diabetes, glucose levels are elevated. This then puts individuals at […] Read more
Guide Health: Why so many drugs after a heart attack?
Most people take five or six medications after a heart attack
Reading Time: 2 minutes According to Health Canada, heart attacks or myocardial infarcts occur in about 2.3 people per 1,000 Canadians, and many more may have other heart or cardiovascular conditions. “Myo-” means muscle and “cardial” refers to the heart, while “infarct” refers to a lack of oxygen that results in the death of tissue. Thus a myocardial infarct […] Read more
Guide Health: How much calcium is right for you?
Young people need to focus on dietary calcium
Reading Time: 2 minutes Depending on age category, Health Canada says that somewhere between 27 and 80 per cent of adult men and 48 and 87 per cent of adult women do not have adequate calcium in their diet. Calcium is essential for healthy bones, and healthy bones mean a reduced risk of bone fracture. The recommended daily intake […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
