Health

The challenge of talking about caregiving at work

Talking about caregiving at work can be difficult and stressful. And that’s important because 35% of all employed Canadians have caring responsibilities at home. Dr. Zachary White is an expert in the barriers that natural caregivers face in explaining their ...

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What you must know before cataract surgery

Do you remember this Holiday Inn ad? “There Are No Surprises at the Holiday Inn.” But, unlike Holiday Inns, there’s no such thing as surprise-free or risk-free surgery. To get an update about cataract surgery I interviewed Dr. Raymond Stein, ...

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The financial burden of cancer

There is a significant financial burden to having cancer. Many Canadians incorrectly assume their cancer care costs are covered by provincial healthcare plans, and therefore, are unprepared for the struggle. Some dip into their savings, others turn to family, many ...

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Swimming in 20 gallons of pee!

Have you ever wondered what you’re swimming in when someone invites you to a pool party? I’ve always found it hard to turn down these weekend soirees. The weather is usually good, you enjoy cocktails talking to friends, and then ...

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Dammit! I was born too soon

Is it an impossible dream to find Ponce de Leon’s Fountain of Youth—longevity? No! I’ve just attended my 67th reunion at The Harvard Medical School (HMS) and, while interviewing Dr. George Church, I discovered it is no longer science fiction. ...

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Hepatitis exposure warning for Church St. patrons

Toronto Public Health is advising anyone who consumed food or beverages at O’Grady’s on Church restaurant located at 518 Church St. between June 7 and June 23 that they may have been exposed to hepatitis A. An employee of the ...

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What are you doing to grandma?

Is Grandma’s doctor slowly harming her by over medication? I’m being facetious here, as no doctor wants to injure patients. But remember, today is not the horse-and-buggy era of medical practice. Today, rushed doctor visits and potent drugs can be ...

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Counting calories: Bad science, doesn’t work

After Ontario mandated calorie counting on restaurant menus, Freshii Inc., the Toronto-based salads-soups-and-wraps healthy-eating chain, balked. The chain’s motto is “count nutrients, not calories.” But the calorie police moved in and forced the company to post the calorie counts on ...

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Married by a judge, should’ve asked for a jury

Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, remarked, “There are no boy philosophers.” Fortunately, most of us do get wiser as we age. However, it’s never been a top priority of mine to rush into old age so I could be a wise, ...

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Private clinic patients pay thousands in extra user charges

Surveys of hundreds of private health clinics and patients across Canada reveal that extra user fees amounting to hundreds or thousands of dollars are threatening access to health care and hurting patients. A new cross-Canada study includes survey results of ...

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