My New Years Resolution – Sleep!

 With the dawn of a new year, most of us have thoughts of making positive changes in our lives. But few think of getting more sleep. Sleep is one of the four pillars of optimal health, and more and more research is highlighting its importance as part of a healthy

Why Your Kid Shouldn’t Be Guzzling ‘Energy’ Drinks

 Anxiety, hypertension, elevated heart rates, interrupted sleep patterns and headaches are just some of the side effects commonly associated with energy drinks, and those problems are more pronounced in children, according to a recent University of Miami study. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. These drinks have also

Why the Mental Health of Girls Needs National Attention

 Canadian girls internalize emotional stress and report high rates of depression, psychological distress, anxiety disorders and eating disorders. The recent Maclean’s cover story, entitled Revenge of the Teenage Girl, was too tempting not to read. No doubt they were publishing this in honour of the third International Day of the

How Communities can Work Together to Prevent Suicide

 The death of comedian Robin Williams last month sparked a worldwide discussion about suicide, its underlying causes and how it might be prevented. With World Suicide Prevention Day taking place September 10, the subject is certain to generate more debate as people seek to understand this important health issue. Having

Wanderlust: The Benefits of Yoga

 Photo courtesy of Jake Laub The upcoming Wanderlust Festival at Mont-Tremblant is the perfect destination for all the yogis out there. Photo courtesy of Ali Kaukas Whether you are working on perfecting that headstand or looking to dip your toes into something challenging and new, what could go better with

Fake It Til You Make It: Perfecting Life’s Performances

 Self-help books are sold on the promise that they can fill the gaps between who we are and who we want to be. Who are we really, though, but actors?  If “all the world is a stage,” as Shakespeare famously wrote, then stage fright can be a real problem. This

Postpartum Depression is a Family Affair

 It can affect dads and other children too At long last, people are talking about postpartum depression. Dismissed for years as no more than a touch of the baby blues or else unheard of entirely, postpartum depression – or PPD, as it is often known – has become an open

Healthwise: Living with anxiety and depression

 I am honoured to be welcomed as the new Accredited Health Blogger for Ottawa Life Magazine. For my first post as such, I have decided to explore an illness that affects a significant number of adults: anxiety and depression. Because of this particular time of year, and given the recent