Have you seen the headlines? “Health Officials Predict Severe Flu Season” “Ontario prepares for ‘very difficult’ flu season, health minister says” As we head into fall, once again, healthcare professionals are preparing for the upcoming flu season. Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) have been busy identifying/predicting the flu strains that will be responsible...Read More

Some common misbeliefs regarding head lice are: head lice can spread disease head lice can jump or fly head lice prefer people with unclean hair or who live in an unclean environment head lice can live on dogs and cats you can’t prevent head lice using lice shampoos Head lice are small (size of a sesame...Read More

The liver is a vital organ for medications. There are two main ways the liver is involved: breaking down (metabolizing) certain medications being injured (or adverse effect) from medications Many oral medications are absorbed from your stomach into your bloodstream. The medicine then travels to your liver through the portal vein. Phase 1: In the...Read More

Did you know? In Canada, mental illness or an addiction problem will affect 1 in 5 people in any given year. The impact of mental illness in Ontario is 1.5 times higher than all cancers put together. (The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)). Mental illness can develop for several reasons, including: genetic environmental...Read More

Going away to university/college for the first time can be like skydiving for the first time – both exhilarating and frightening. It is a huge life change: you may be moving out on your own, becoming more independent, all while starting the journey of post-secondary education. This life event can cause anxiety. Anxiety is a...Read More

It’s been hot outside. Keeping cool is a priority especially if you take medications that can increase your risk of hyperthermia and heat stroke. Infants and the elderly tend to be more at risk, but so are people with chronic heart disease, dementia or mental health conditions. Medications can affect how your body respond’s to...Read More

NSAID use in the Elderly NSAID stands for nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which is a group of medications to treat pain and inflammation. You can probably recognize quite a few NSAIDs that are available over-the-counter. Examples include: Advil, Motrin (Ibuprofen) Aleve (Naproxen) Voltaren Emulgel (Diclofenac) – Note: this a topical product NSAIDs can be very effective...Read More

Seasonal Allergies Pollen, grass clippings and rampant weeds can be frustrating for people with seasonal allergies. Sneezing, runny or stuffy noses and itchy, watering eyes are some of the nuisance symptoms people experience during the spring and summer. Some strategies to limit allergy symptoms include staying indoors (especially when the pollen counts are high), using...Read More

The complexity of care with keeping our loved ones at home has created an incredible responsibility for families. This type of care, in the past, was performed by regulated healthcare professionals usually through hospital care. But, as the length of hospital stays decrease, the care is transferred to the home environment. Assigned home care services...Read More

You may have heard or used the term “sugar diabetes” in the past. This term is sometimes misinterpreted to mean that eating too much sugar gives you diabetes. This is not the case, unless eating too much sugar causes you to gain weight. Being overweight is a known risk factor for developing Type 2 Diabetes....Read More