A Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax is not the Answer

 There has been increasing interest in the use of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax to curb the burden of obesity in Canada – call it a ‘pop tax’ if you like. A recent Senate report on obesity in Canada recommends assessing the possibility of a sugar-sweetened beverage tax and points to

Are We Medicalizing Healthy People?

 Why the over-treatment of risk factors for heart attacks and strokes may do more harm than good Modern medical practice is engaged in a battle, not for hearts and minds, but for the conversion of perfectly healthy people into patients, labelled “at high risk” of various diseases in the name

Five things every Canadian should know about obesity

 By Carolyn Shimmin There has been a dramatic increase in the number of Canadians living with obesity over the past few decades and it is often cited as a risk factor for other chronic health conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and some forms of cancer. This means

It’s Time to Include Dental Health in the Healthcare System

 Canada’s most vulnerable populations have the highest rates of dental pain, decay, disease and the worst access to care. There are many reasons why some Canadians choose not to go to the dentist, but a new report released recently from the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences (CAHS) found that cost

Just How Many Servings of Fruits and Vegetables Should We Eat a Day?

 Digesting the evidence Many organizations cook up recommendations for the number of fruit and vegetable servings you should eat every day.  Well known examples include Canada’s Food Guide which says you need roughly seven to 10 servings, the American Heart Association which recommends eight to 10 and the Harvard School of

Naturopathic Medicine 101: Care and Cost

 Health care: nothing fires up Canadians more than this topic. A recent Abacus Data poll found that it continues to top the list of priorities for Canadians and the cost of providing care continues to be a major concern for those who govern it, especially as Boomers age and make