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: The importance of triglycerides
Cardiovascular disease is associated with high triglyceride levels
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: 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: Are you carrying too many pounds?
Even losing five pounds will make you healthier
Reading Time: 2 minutes Obesity is getting more and more common. Today, about 26 per cent of Canadians are considered obese and 36 per cent overweight. And not only are more of us tipping the scales, but the number of extra pounds we’re carrying is growing too. And there’s an extra worry as well. Children seem to be part […] Read more
Guide Health: Antipsychotic drugs and dementia
Drugs may ease the anxiety and aggression, but they introduce other risks
Reading Time: 2 minutes Dementia is a progressive irreversible decline in both cognitive and functional abilities. About seven per cent of Canadians have a diagnosis. Unfortunately, there is no cure. It is thought that tangles of proteins known as tau particles and plaques of misshaped amyloid beta proteins impair the brain’s ability to function. Nerve messages are not able […] Read more
Guide Health: A non-prescription drug – Good for the bowel?
A change to non-prescription status can make it easier for people to self-treat minor ailments
Reading Time: 3 minutes Prescription drugs sometimes change their status so you no longer need a prescription to purchase them. Instead you can buy them over the counter for self treatment. Drug companies apply to Health Canada for this type of change in scheduling. To get it, they must show that their drug product is safe to use according […] Read more
Guide Health: All inhalers are not equal
Inhalers are great tools for delivering your medication just where it’s needed, but they must be used correctly, which too few people do
Reading Time: 2 minutes It makes sense that inhalers are used to control the symptoms of asthma, bronchitis and emphysema because inhalers deliver their medication right into the lungs where the breathing problems occur. Inhaled medication has long been used to alleviate various lung conditions, but the first actual inhaler was introduced in 1982. It was the familiar blue […] Read more
Guide Health: Diabetes drugs aren’t just for diabetes any more
This new class of diabetes drugs called SGLT-2 inhibitors may boost your heart health as well
Reading Time: 2 minutes One of the newer classes of diabetes drugs seem to be advertised for not just diabetes, but cardiovascular health as well, and indeed research has shown this to be valid. The class is the SGLT-2 inhibitors, that is Sodium GLucose coTransporter-2 inhibitors. They act by inhibiting this transport protein in order to prevent glucose re-absorption […] Read more
Guide Health: A little dab will do you
A little can go a long way when it comes to topical medications
Reading Time: 3 minutes The saying “a little dab will do you” really is true when it comes to applying creams and ointments to your skin. These creams are termed topical agents because they are applied directly to your skin where they act. At any one time, it is estimated that 75 per cent of Canadians are using a […] Read more
Guide Health: Coping with dry skin
Good skin care habits and a moisturizer will help, but keep these tips in mind
Reading Time: 3 minutes Dry skin, or xeroderma as it is medically known, is estimated to affect 70 per cent of Canadians in the winter months. Probably, the real number is even higher, especially when winters are as cold and dry as this winter has been in so much of Canada. Xeroderma is rough scaly skin that is flaky […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
