Canadian health officials are urging parents to not give over-the-counter cold medications to children under the age of 6. This warning comes from concerns over misuse and unintentional overdoses of the products. Earlier this year Health Canada recommended that these medications not be given to any children 2 years of age or less and said that there is limited evidence that these medications have any effectiveness in young children.
Health
Read the rest of this entry »
Health Canada has found that three quarters of soft plastic children's toys contain chemicals that have been linked to reproductive harm in children. These toxic chemical additives have been voluntarily banned in the European Union; the United States is joining this ban in February of 2009. Toys containing phthalates are still on sale in Canada legally so no enforcement of the voluntary ban can be taken.
Phthalates are used to soften the
Read the rest of this entry »
With the lessening of daylight hours, many Canadians are prone to experiencing the 'winter blues'. For many people the lack of sunlight causes only slight depression, but for others it can be cause of clinical depression. In very rare cases Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can also occur in summer months as well. Canadians who are affected by SAD can be much debilitated throughout the winter months, unable to function at their normal level of productivity.
Read the rest of this entry »
Diverticulitis is a condition that affects many Canadians as they get older. It generally occurs in people over 40 and becomes more common as they age. Diverticulitis is the condition of having one or more diverticula (sacs that form by a fold in the lining of the intestinal wall). These sacs can trap feces that move through the intestine. It is quite common for Canadians to already have diverticula and be unaware of the condition as there are
Read the rest of this entry »
A fast food restaurant has been linked to over one hundred suspected and confirmed cases of E. coli in North Bay, Ontario. Health officials have reported that the outbreak appears to have originated from a Harvey's restaurant. The particular restaurant in question was ordered to close after initial laboratory tests traced the strain of E. coli 0157:H7 to the specific location.
There are currently 158 cases of suspected E. coli; so far 35
Read the rest of this entry »
Ontario public health officials are trying to contact 27 people who have been exposed to tuberculosis from a passenger on a bus traveling from Toronto to Windsor this past August. The passengers are being publicly urged to contact their local health units in order to be tested for TB as a safeguard. As the TB bacteria cannot be detected for at least 3 weeks following exposure, people may not be aware that they could potentially become ill. The
Read the rest of this entry »
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has long been the leading cause of severe vision loss in Canadians. As age is one of the predominant risk factors for developing this condition, all Canadians over 50 years of age are strongly encouraged to learn more about the warning signs, as well as having an understanding of what this condition entails.
AMD gradually takes away central vision by the slow degeneration of the macula (a small area
Read the rest of this entry »
So far, 15 Canadian deaths have been linked to the listeria outbreak that has now spread throughout most of Canada. Nine deaths in Ontario, one in Alberta and one in British Columbia have been attributed to listeria, either as a contributing factor or the direct cause. 4 deaths in Ontario as well as one death in Quebec and another in Saskatchewan are currently being investigated to determine whether listeria was a contributing factor. As well,
Read the rest of this entry »
Five Canadian deaths have been linked to an outbreak of listeriosis that is suspected to have originated in tainted meat. So far one man from British Columbia and 4 Ontario residents are dead; all 5 have been confirmed as being infected with the same outbreak strain. As a result of this outbreak a nationwide recall is in progress for tainted luncheon meat that was sold to hospitals and care homes across Canada.
It is suspected that more
Read the rest of this entry »
The Health Minister of Canada has announced that Canada will be increasing protection for Canadians who suffer from food allergies. This will be done through new labeling requirements for food allergens, gluten sources and added sulphites contained in prepackaged foods. Health Canada has also announced that they will also launch several studies related to allergies, including a large national study of food allergy prevalence. They will also conduct
Read the rest of this entry »
