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. Gastrointestinal […] Read more
Guide Health: Proton pump inhibitors. Too much of a good thing?
Proton pump inhibitors excel at stopping heartburn, but there can be problems
C’mon, get happy!
‘Plastician’ Jen Moss tells us why happiness is the right goal if you really want to drive the profitability of your business
Reading Time: 5 minutes Making more money this year would make me very happy. But what if just being happier is what it takes to make our farm more profitable? Clearly, this sounds too good to be true, so I went to Jennifer Moss, the author of Unlocking Happiness at Work. She’s also the co-founder of “Plasticity Labs,” a […] Read more
Farmers, take care of yourself
The truth is that farming is hard on your mental health. So take this advice, and protect yourself
Reading Time: 6 minutes When Stewart Skinner returned to the family farm near Listowel, Ont., after university, he was eager to put what he had learned into practice. Despite careful planning, however, adding a second sow herd in a rented barn did not go well. As hog prices fell and corn prices soared, the operation was losing money, and […] Read more
Guide Health: The new opioid therapy
In some cases, opioid treatment provides little benefit while risking dependency and overdose
Reading Time: 2 minutes In May 2017, the Canadian Medical Association Journal published new opioid therapy recommendations for chronic non-cancer pain. (The recommendations do not apply to acute pain, such as a broken bone or after surgery, and they do not apply to pain associated with cancer.) It is estimated that 15 to 19 per cent of Canadians live […] Read more
Get more from conferences
Here’s how to profit more from the time and money you invest in your own training
Reading Time: 5 minutes Long after you have returned from a conference, have you ever stumbled upon your notes, only to realize you never did anything with what you learned? Worse, have you even had to admit that now, because so many months have slipped by and you’ve forgotten so much, you can’t remember why it was that you […] Read more
Guide Health: Restless leg syndrome
Why is this condition under-recognized?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Restless leg syndrome is just what its name suggests, an uncontrollable urge to move your legs, especially at night or late in the day. Restless leg syndrome can also create unpleasant sensations in the legs, sometimes even deep within the legs. These symptoms are most noticeable at rest, such as when you are in bed, […] Read more
Guide Health: Blood clotting — new alternatives to warfarin
Advances in anticoagulants offer people more treatment options
Reading Time: 3 minutes You probably take your blood’s ability to clot for granted. You cut your finger, and somehow the bleeding stops on its own! However, if you have a disease or condition for which you need to prevent clotting, you may take an oral or injectable anticoagulant. Atrial fibrillation is a type of irregular heart beat that […] Read more
Study abroad
More young people, including young farmers, are heading overseas to expand the skills they’ll bring back home
Reading Time: 5 minutes Of all the ways a person can prepare for a career, spending time far from the classroom and away from familiar surroundings may actually have the most impact. Lisa Blenkinsop, manager of the Studies Abroad program at the University of Guelph, hears this feedback over and over again from students who have spent time studying […] Read more
Get your nature fix
And make sure the rest of the family does too. Just 15 minutes in nature can cut stress levels
Reading Time: 4 minutes Being surrounded by wide open spaces and nature is undoubtedly one of the benefits of a farming lifestyle. Unfortunately, as farms get bigger, busier and more high-tech, farmers may find they are spending less time enjoying nature. Even worse, as our children spend more time indoors or on screens, they are losing out on the […] Read more
Guide HR: Sibling rivalry
… and how to prevent it destroying your family business!
Reading Time: 4 minutes A family business can have many positive advantages, including strong cohesion among members and a shared commitment to success. However, family businesses can also sometimes be highly conflictual and chaotic. It seems your strength can become your weakness. Managing a business with family members creates several issues that can have a huge impact on the […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
