Have you ever heard of the famous banana diet? Well believe me, it’s true! This diet was created in Japan by a Japanese inventor. Remember, if a diet works for you, then it’s simply because the rules had a positive effect on you of making you eat less food. Here are the simple rules you will have to follow in this diet:

(1) Eat a banana for breakfast:

• You can eat more than one, but don’t stuff yourself to the point of fullness or discomfort.
• Eat only raw, uncooked, unfrozen bananas.
• Other fruits may be substituted.
• If other fruits are substituted, some just have only one type of fruit per meal.
• If you are still hungry 15 or 30 minutes after your banana, you can eat other food such as oatmeal or a granola bar.

(2) Eat normally for lunch and dinner:

• Dinner must be eaten by 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. by the latest.
• There are no clear limits on the types of food you can eat for lunch and dinner, or the amount. Just try to cut the amount of rice you eat and find substitutions for fried foods. Like in many diets, the simple fact you have decided to go on a diet makes you more aware of what and how much you are eating and how healthy it is. The diet avoids strict food rules to prevent a sense of withdrawal.
• You should not eat a dessert with dinner or any of your meals. You will need to satisfy your sweet desire during a snack.
• At all meals you should eat only until you’re satisfied, not full or stuffed. The Japanese have a proverb, Hara hachibu ni isha irazu, “A stomach eight-tenths full needs no doctor.” American dietitians define this level of fullness as a 7 on a 1-to-10 “hunger scale,” and they teach their clients to recognize this feeling.

(3) Drink only water:

• The only beverage allowed at most meals is water, preferably mineral or filtered.
• The water must be at room temperature, not chilled or hot.
• The water should be drunk in small sips.
• There is no amount of water to drink, and you should not drink it in excess.
• Outside of meals, non-caloric beverages like tea, coffee, and diet soda are generally allowed and in general, water is encouraged as much as possible and frequent consumption of milk products is discouraged.

(4) Eat your food mindfully:

• Chew your banana and other food thoroughly and be mindful of its taste.

(5) You may eat an afternoon snack:

• A sweet snack of chocolate, cookies, or something similar is allowed at about 3 p.m.
• Ice cream, a donut, or potato chips are not recommended.
• Some substitute fresh fruit for their snack, but if you want sweets you should not deny yourself.
• A good alternative if a salty or more filling snack is needed is popcorn according to Morning Banana forum members, but watch out for excessive fat content.
• If you are hungry after dinner, you may have a second snack of fresh fruit, but this should not be a habit.

(6) Exercise only if you want to:

• Put no pressure on yourself to exercise.
• If you want to exercise, go ahead; the test is to do what puts the least stress on you.
• Try to get some walking in everyday if possible (but again, don’t force yourself it if stresses you out).

(7) Early to bed:

• Go to bed by midnight. If you can manage to go to bed earlier, all the better.
• Try to aim for a four-hour period between your last meal or snack and bedtime (which is why 8:00 p.m. is the latest you should eat dinner).

Try this diet out and see if it works for you because many people across the world have given positive reviews on this diet! If it works for them, it should definitely work for you!

Author:Noor Ahsan

Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic van was parked on the grounds of Mississauga Valley Community Centre on Saturday afternoon amid hot and humid weather.

Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic was there to promote dental health program of Peel region for kids between the ages of 0 – 18. The mobile unit was furnished with equipment to look after oral health of kids whose parents cannot afford to have dental insurance.

Bollywwod Boom - Pratecksha, Ria, Kopinanath, Priyanka, Heming, Barsha and Thomas from St. Francis Zavier high school performed at Health Fair

In addition to this, the unit also provides free of cost services to seniors. While the program for low income families is in the makings, Peel region has just expanded its services from ages 0 – 13 to ages 0 – 18 after receiving funding from Ontario Ministry of Health and Long term care.

Kerima Meraly, dental hygienist with Public Health, says to brush teeth twice a day and “floss, floss, floss and floss” is essential for healthy dentals. While Peel region has serviced large number of South Asians, the community members do not take dental hygiene quite seriously.

Kerima Meraly, dental hygienist with Peel region's dental care mobile unit

Peel Health’s Mobile Dental Clinic was there as part of the health fair organized by Citizens for the Advancement of Community Development (CACD) was founded in 2002. CACD focus is on “High Priority Neighbourhoods” and provide preventative, positive life strategies to dissuade youth from making negative choices that may lead to violence and contact with the criminal justice system. This is conveyed through various programs such as Life/social Skills workshops, leadership and empowerment seminars, mentoring, parenting workshops, youth justice workshops, health promotion, music dance and other as-necessary social services.

Kuldip Randhawa. volunteer coordinator at Punjabi Community Health Services with a volunteer

Among other organizations that were part of health fair were Punjabi Health Community Services (PHCS) and Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network.

Ryan Frempong, youth engagement worker, of Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network with volunteers

PCHS promotes health stream in regards to family enhancement, health promotion and community building. Kuldip Randhawa, volunteer coordinator, says PCHS also has programs for at risk youth between the ages of 13 – 18, women, men, family and seniors. Its men’s program provides three-hour class every day on alcoholic, gambling, substance abuse addiction. It also offers classes of parenting to bridge cultural and generational gap between parents and kids.

“We’ve program to prevent youth violence because of gangs, mental health, violent crimes, bullying,” says Ryan Frempong, youth engagement worker at Peel Youth Violence Prevention Network. The organization also provides voice to youth and focuses on middle school and high school students and colleges that have children in this age group.

By: Staff Reporter

Getting to the gym is a hard thing to do.  We are faced with a myriad of the other options that expend less energy, do not require us to get up, and do not require us to pay attention or think.  Such options include watching TV, going to your local McDonalds (driving there, of course), sleeping, or just sitting down and playing a video game.  If you’re a young individual, you have even less reason to head to the gym.  Being young automatically means you are healthy, right?

What’s more, once you do make a decision to go exercise, you’re faced with the added problem of deciding when you’ll go there again.  Being consistent with your workout routine is hard to start doing.

With these factors holding you back, you have to ask yourself, what reason do I have to go to the gym?  Getting healthier is one obvious reason.  But, is that a strong enough reason to keep us returning to the gym.  It could be.

But, what if we started to look at exercise as something that we not only do to just get healthy, but something we do to feel better.  A good work out can benefit you in many ways, other than just making you healthier.

For example, one thing exercise can also do for you is it helps to battle some of the stress that you feel.  Life is stressful, there is no doubt about that, and exercise can be a great way to combat its effects on you.

Glancing through my first year psychology book, I found a point that helps to express some of the benefits of exercise. Authors Doug McCann and Wayne Weiten comment, “Exercise can serve as a buffer that reduces the potentially damaging physical effects of stress.  This buffering effect may occur because people high in fitness show less physiological reactivity to stress than those who are less fit.”

Working out can be fun.  As we work out, it helps to combat some of the physical impact stress has on our body.  The more you work out, you may start feeling better.  In the long run, you can even start to feel more energetic, and may even have more energy to battle your daily stress.

Keeping this in mind, what can one do to ensure one is working out, and also having fun.  To begin with, exercise doesn’t necessarily entail that you head to your local gym, and pick up weights, or even run on the treadmill.  Exercise means doing something that you like.  You could just go for a walk, a run outdoors, biking or even dancing.

Whatever you choose, one has to realize that when you decide to exercise, do something that does not feel forced.  After all, how will you feel less stressed, when you are doing something that you do not want to do.  That would sound a lot like work, wouldn’t it?

Author:Meuren D. Martins

Over the last few months, on several occasion I have found myself thinking whether it would be good to have a communist government who would make stringent rules regarding health and fitness. For example, how about no one can be overweight or have unhealthy eating habit or stay unfit? Then  I realized McDonald’s and Burger King would be part of our history and ‘a thing from the past’. Almost every aspect of our thinking has a point of source and similarly, these strange thoughts about communist government while being in Canada has nothing to do with politics but a lot to do with weight.

According to the concept of ‘body mass index’, I would be considered overweight. I gained most of the weight during second and third year of university when my diet consisted of fast-food and coffee. The weight kept following me around and every morning I would go on a healthy diet and give it up in the evening after a long day of classes. Having Timmies on campus made it worse. The Iced Capp would just be calling out to me and I would think to myself, how can I possibility walk away? It indeed was an intense affair between Iced Capp and myself but affairs are bound to come to an end and for me, that was definitely a good news.

Eventually about a few weeks ago, I have been able to step out of my shoes and realize that most of my clothes are no longer a little fitting, they are simply very tight. The hunt for new clothes made me realize I have spent money to gain weight and now I’m spending more as a result of all the unhealthy food.  For me the motivation was to fit into old skirts and dresses. Three weeks ago I started running. Since then I have been giving the Iced Capp cold looks. As summer starts off, maybe you should run for fun, to keep fit or lose the few extra pounds.

Now, why running? Amongst all the possible options of diet pills, food from weight watchers or joining the gym, running is the least expensive way to shed off pounds. For some, that beef burger will add meat on the thigh and for some it will go right to your love handles.

Few tips that I have gathered from reliable sources:

Food: various magazines will write different sorts of things. I have no idea how one can possibly lose weight without some form of exercise.

ü      Cutting down on the number of times of eating out

ü      For special occasions such as birthday dinner, choose the healthy choice such as non-fried noodle soup or a chicken salad

ü      It’s best to have three full meals such as big portion breakfast, medium portioned lunch and a small dinner

ü      Avoid eating big meal after 8pm; for the brown readers, I know eating rice after 9pm is normal but that has to change if you want to look and feel better

ü      To make a meal plan, speak with a nutritionist to figure out what’s missing from current diet. For vegetarians, substitute chicken with soy bean, legumes, beans and quinoa

ü      Once the running or working out routine begins, its normal to feel more hungry and it’s crucial to continue with the same portion of food if you want to lose weight. Overeating is a no no and you have to be the boss of the food, not the other way around.

Water: one of the essential aspects of a healthy lifestyle is water and most people tend to underestimate the necessity of it. Water tends to ensure healthier skin, better digestive system and cleanses your body. But how much is enough?

This will depend on the minute of exercise, the level of alcoholic intake, or how long an individual is outdoors. More physical activity requires more water to keep the body fully hydrated.

ü      It’s recommended that on a typical day, it’s sufficient to drink 4-5(500ml) bottles.

Shoes: this is the biggest investment or expenditure that will come along if you decide take up running.

ü      It’s better to go to a specialized store such where they will be able to provide information about the types of feet people have and which shoe is best for an individual.

Clothes: Track pants and plain t-shirt lying around the house is fine, as long as you are comfortable in them. For ladies, it’s a good idea to buy a sports bra to have a better and less awkward run.

Time of running: Most people have a hectic schedule and if you are commited to running,  you need to find 3 days in a week where you have 30 minutes to yourself. Without commitment this isn’t going to go anywhere. For the early riser, have a light breakfast such as banana and toast and wait for 30 minutes before starting a run. If afternoons are better wait   1-2 hrs after eating lunch. If your stomach hurts during the run, it’s a sign the amount of food intake before running should be reduced. It’s best not to run past 9pm since its closer to bed time and it may negatively affect sleeping pattern.

Author:Saptarsi Saha

According to a Statistics Canada report, in 2005, the three leading causes of death in Canada were cancer, heart disease and stroke. These three causes of death were responsible for 58% of all deaths in Canada in 2005.

According to another report by Public Health Agency of Canada, certain populations, including Aboriginals and certain ethnic groups, such as South Asians, are at an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Heart disease, along with stroke, belongs to a category of illnesses called cardiovascular (CV) diseases. These chronic diseases claim more than 70,000 lives per year in Canada. In addition, an estimated 1.6 million Canadians are living with heart disease or the effects of a stroke.

Seeing such alarming reports all over the web and in newspapers, South Asian youth are beginning to notice a growing health concern developing among the adults of our community; it is a concern that may even become a serious issue in our later years.  The rate of heart disease experienced by South Asians is increasing.  According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, “1.3 million Canadians reported having heart disease diagnosed by a health professional.”  But for South Asians, heart disease is unique.

Baldev Mutta, Executive Director at the Punjabi Community Health Services, comments that South Asians have a greater chance than any other ethnicity in having heart disease.  What’s more, Mr. Mutta says that they are more deadly in South Asians than other communities.  There are many reasons that can be attributed to answer why South Asians have such problem, such as genetics, lifestyle, stress, the food we eat, etc.

Furthermore, factors that increase the risk of CV diseases include family history and age, being a smoker, lack of exercise, unhealthy eating, being overweight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and stress. According to recent research, nine in ten Canadians over the age of 20 have at least one risk factor, and four in ten have three or more risk factors.

The time we spend exercising can also be taken into account. Research conducted by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) reveals that of the participants in their study, “63-75 per cent … did not participate in at least 15 minutes of daily physical activity, and the problem was worst among South Asian men (70 per cent) and women (75 per cent), Chinese men (71 per cent) and women (75 per cent) and Black women (71 per cent).”

For the South Asian youth, this has to be something that is on their mind, but I’m also sure that no one younger than 25 is even close to be concerned about how heart disease will affect their lives.  It is, of course, a disease that mostly strikes people of an older age.  I am not about to say that youth should start worrying about getting heart disease, but I will say that we should at least create a healthy lifestyle.  It is always easier to start a good health habit early, and continue it into our later years, than start a new way of living later on.

With this in mind, what can be done to help curtail some of the issues related to heart disease? Mr. Mutta, a man with tremendous experience in helping people in the South Asian community, has a few pieces of advice that can help South Asians of any age.  It includes increasing levels of exercise, eating earlier (around 6pm), watching out for fatty foods (ex. Samosa, Pakora, etc.), and watching your portion size.  Advice, such as this, can go a long way into helping the longevity of youth and adults in our community.

The advice given here is not supposed to represent the entirety of information that one can use to help develop one’s lifestyle.  For more information, please visit the heart and stroke foundation website to further aid one’s lifestyle change.

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/c.ikIQLcMWJtE/b.3479045/k.6516/South_Asian_Resources.htm

Author:Meuren Martins

A conversation with cancer

(NC)—Ask cancer survivors what they would say to cancer if it was a person, and it’s likely they’ll have no shortage of words – and many will raise their fists, ready to fight.  Although those who have been touched by cancer have their own way of coping with the news and the treatment, most of them have similar, very pointed words to share with cancer itself.

” ‘Go away.  Never come back.  You’ve taken something from me and I hate you,’ are just a few things I would say to cancer if it was a person,” says Michael Hale, a germ cell cancer survivor from the Ottawa area who has been cancer-free since 1999.  “More than anything I would scream ‘I’ll outlast you in any fight!’”

Although Hale says cancer would be a truly despicable person, he says that when he was forced to confront the disease head-on it gave him the opportunity to see the world from another perspective.  Through this lens, Hale saw how caring, loving and devoted his family, friends, doctors and even strangers – who were battling the same disease – were.  It was these people’s support that helped him win his fight against cancer.

“If cancer was a person, it would be the worst kind of bully because it gives you an overwhelming sense of loneliness and fear,” adds Hale.   “Participating in Relay For Life helped give me the strength I needed to confront the bully that had invaded my life.  At the Relay I was surrounded by all kinds of people who were laughing, cheering and who genuinely cared.  It was like walking into a big, protective hug.”

Relay For Life is a 12-hour, overnight relay where participants, survivors and volunteers rally together to celebrate the lives of those who are battling cancer, remember loved ones lost to cancer and fight back against the disease.

•           Since 1999, Relay For Life has raised more than $107 million in Ontario for the fight against cancer.

•           This year, an estimated 80,000 people in more than 200 events across Ontario will register as Relay For Life fighters.

•           The money raised by Relay For Life helps fight cancer by preventing it from happening in the first place; outsmarting it through research; and empowering, informing, supporting and improving the quality of life for Canadians living with cancer.

More information can be found at www.relayforlife.ca.

www.newscanada.com

Pick a fight with cancer

(NC)—From parenting teens to negotiating office politics, it is widely known that you should choose your fights carefully.  But there is one fight every Canadian should pick – the fight against cancer.

“Right now, we’re calling on all Ontarians to get out their fighting spirit and become a Relay For Life fighter in their communities,” says Sandra Harris, director of Relay For Life, for the Canadian Cancer Society in Ontario.  “By giving 12 hours to the fight against cancer, as part of the biggest cancer event in the country, participants can add years to the lives of others.”

Relay For Life is a unique and unforgettable way to pick a fight with cancer.  During the annual 12-hour, overnight event, fighters – participants, survivors and volunteers – rally together to celebrate the lives of those who are battling cancer, remember loved ones lost to cancer, and fight back against the disease.   They take turns walking, running or strolling around a track and with each step, they fight back against cancer.  This year, an estimated 80,000 people in more than 200 events across Ontario will register as Relay For Life fighters.

“I have so many favourite moments from the 10 years I’ve participated in Relay For Life,” says Michael Hale, a germ cell cancer survivor from the Ottawa area.  “From my first Relay when my friends surrounded the track and cheered me on, to years later walking the Survivor’s Victory Lap with my little girl after I had feared for years I’d never get the chance to have children.  Most of all, I love smiling at the faces in the survivor’s tent every year and sharing an unspoken ‘we did it.’”

Each community’s Relay For Life features three popular elements designed to give hope and inspiration to everyone fighting cancer.  The events begin with the inaugural Survivors’ Victory Lap, where a large group of cancer survivors leads the way around the track as a celebration of courage and strength.  At twilight, candles bearing the names of cancer survivors – along with those who have lost the battle against the disease – are lit as part of the moving Luminary Ceremony.  At dawn, there is a Fight Back Ceremony where participants commit to celebrating, remembering and fighting back 365 days a year.

Since 1999, Relay For Life has raised more than $107 million in Ontario to fight cancer by preventing it from happening in the first place; outsmarting it through research; and empowering, informing, supporting and improving the quality of life for Canadians living with cancer.

•           Overall, the number of new cases of cancer and deaths continues to increase as our population grows and ages.

•           On average 3,300 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer every week.

•           Approximately two in five Canadians will develop cancer in their lifetimes and approximately one out of every four Canadians will die from the disease.

•           The breast cancer death rate has declined by more than 30 per cent since 1986.

•           The prostate cancer death rate has declined significantly since 1995.

•           Since 1985 childhood cancer death rates have declined by about 50 per cent.

More information and tools to register for the event can be found at www.relayforlife.ca.

www.newscanada.com

Compiled by: Christine Koserski, Public Affairs, Canadian Cancer Society

My name is Gail Moore, and I have four wonderful children – Christopher now 23, Sarah-Lana 21, Zachary and Jeremy 17.  Yes, I am a mother of twins – dizygotic twins – extremely dissimilar in looks and in personality!

From the minute they were born in 1993, I knew this experience of mothering two at once was going to be unique from my first two experiences, which is a story all in itself, but what I did not know was one day I would be leading an annual event called National Multiple Births Awareness Day.

It began innocently, in 2004, when I joined the Board of Multiple Births Canada (MBC) as Director of Communications.  My first assignment was to lead the awareness project, which started with picking a date.  The date we chose was May 28^th – the day the Dionne Quintuplets were born.  These monozygotic girls were removed from their family and became world-famous public exhibits living in a government run facility in the 1930’s.  In later years, when they began to speak out about the loss of their childhood and the effect it had on their lives, as parents of multiples we understood the loss and mourned with them.  It was this kind of impact we wanted from National Multiple Births Awareness Day, and when we explained this to the surviving sisters, they agreed to share their birthday with us and support the initiative.

Our first event was held in 2005 at the Dionne Quints Museum in North Bay, Ontario.  About fifty parents of multiples and some of our children attended the historic event to support the theme:  A Call to Dialogue regarding current provisions for maternity, parental and compassionate care leave under the federal Employment Insurance Program.

This year, we will celebrate our sixth annual National Multiple Births Awareness Day.  Over the years, we have focused on a variety of themes including – creating awareness of the risks involved with multiple pregnancies; encouraging fertility specialists to fully disclose these risks with their patients before they become pregnant; encouraging the involvement of parents in annual class placement decisions affecting their multiples; and recognizing the uniqueness of the multiple-birth relationship while encouraging the individuality of each person.  This year, our theme is: “Canada’s EI Parental Leave must reflect the needs of multiple-birth infants.”

Multiple Births Canada is the only national organization supporting the needs of Canada’s multiple-birth community.  For 32 years, MBC has been producing educational resources to guide parents and professionals in their journeys as providers for our multiple-birth children.  Our members have access to Fact Sheets on a wide range of topics including – Breastfeeding Multiples, Co-bedding and Multiples, Parental Relationships After Multiple Births, and many more.  Our resources are listed online at www.multiplebirthscanada.org.  Many of our members belong to local groups which are affiliated with the national organization.  This allows them to network with each other and benefit from sharing experiences and best practices.

Our website is internationally recognized for its content and its universal outreach including our Support Networks.  These groups provide multiple-birth families networking opportunities with other multiple-birth families in the same or similar situation through a listing service that allows them to share concerns and areas of expertise with one another.  Our busiest networks are in the following categories:  Breastfeeding, Higher Order Multiples, Lone Parents, Loss of Multiples, and Special Needs.

Another huge annual event is our National Conference.  This year, it is being held in Edmonton, Alberta, September 23-26.  It features presentations by experts in the multiple-birth field including a keynote speaker, Dr. Karyn Gordon – a parent/youth coach, motivational speaker, therapist on The Mom Show (on Slice Network), author, as well as a mother of twins. Details are online at www.multiplebirthscanada.org.

Being involved with MBC and leading the National Multiple Births Awareness Day event allows me to enlighten others on the unique needs of multiple-birth children and their families, to mentor families as they go through the various stages of the multiple-birth journey, and to make a difference – not just in my home community, but across Canada.  For many, MBC is a supportive hand and caring ear when they need it most!

Author: Gail Moore – mbcchair@multiplebirthscanada.org,MBC Chair and Director of Communications

Canada Celebrates Nurses May 10th to 16th. The theme of this year’s National Nursing Week – Nursing: You Can’t Live Without It! – reflects the value of the profession to the health system and celebrates the largest group of health-care providers in Canada who, each day, make important personal and professional contributions to the health and lives of Canadians.

National Nursing Week is not just an opportunity to recognize the outstanding patient-centred care that Canadian nurses provide. It is also a chance to call attention to the role of the profession in optimizing our health system.

“People from all walks of life are amazed at the myriad contributions that nurses make to their well-being, from guiding people through the complexities of the health system, to shaping policy that promotes health and protects populations from disease, to advocating for patient safety and quality of care, to driving important innovations in research,” said Kaaren Neufeld, president of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA). “You can depend on nurses to be there with you during ordinary and extraordinary times. And you can bet your life on that.”

The celebrations honouring Canada’s more than 250,000 registered nurses begin on May 10 with a series of activities across the country.  Nursing week had its beginnings in 1971, when the International Council of Nurses designated May 12 – Florence Nightingale’s birthday – as International Nurses Day. Nurses around the world continue to celebrate the life of the ‘lady with the lamp’ to this day. 2010 is a milestone year for nurses across the globe as it marks the 100th anniversary of her death.

In 1985, in recognition of the dedication and achievements of the nursing profession, the Canadian health minister proclaimed the second week of May as National Nursing Week in Canada.

Author:Paul Watson

The Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research and service.

Since 1951, the first week in May has been designated Mental Health Week in Canada.  Initial public education activities included visits by the public to the mental hospitals in “Come and See Tours.” Schools organized poster and essay contests and background articles were prepared for local media.  In those early days, churches were invited to conduct special services and sermons on mental health.   And during the course of the next 59 years, Canadians were to see a dramatic increase in mental health awareness as a result of CMHA’s extensive branch activities across the country.

Today, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) creates an annual Mental Health Week theme and produces materials that are made available “at no cost” to their branches and at minimal cost to the public.  This year’s 59^th annual Mental Health Week 2010 promotes the theme “Building Your Mental Health One Support at a Time.” Television and radio PSA’s have been produced and aired in every major city across Canada during Mental Health Week.   Go to www.cmha.ca to view this year’s video PSA which is also available for viewing on YouTube.

Five cities across Canada (Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver) will be handing out stress cards to the public on one lunch hour of Mental Health Week to raise awareness about mental health and the week itself.  CMHA branches across the country also hold various events during the first week in May, including: breakfasts, luncheons, speaking events, runs, art shows, etc.   For the past five years, Mental Health Week has been sponsored by Desjardins Financial Services (DFS).   Corporate sponsorship remains an important variable as donors provide the funds for the creation of educational material and resources.

This year’s Mental Health Week 2010 will witness the launch of the first-ever mental health Facebook page.  Canadians can measure their own stress levels by taking the “Mood Detector” test at www.mooddetector.ca or on the National Mental Health Week Facebook page “Canadian Mental Health/Sante mentale des Canadiens.”   Canadians can also receive tips on how to enhance their own mental health by subscribing to the National Mental Health Week’s Twitter (CANMentalHealth.)

This year’s Mental Health Week 2010 theme “Building Your Mental Health: One Support at a Time” reflects CMHA’s ongoing message to the public to:

1. Cultivate supportive relationships to face tough times with resilience
2. Identify your best method of controlling stress: exercise, meditation, friends, doing things you enjoy doing
3. Learning to prioritize the things in your life and saying “No” when you need to
4. Communicating your needs to your manager or supervisor to ensure you have the supportive workplace you require to work efficiently and productively
5. Ask friends, family and work colleagues for help when you need it
6. Get to know your neighbours and community so you can be of help to someone else who may need support and friendship
7. Slow down, take one day at a time and enjoy the moment

Have a great Mental Health Week!!!!

Author: Lorne Zon, CEO, CMHA, Ontario.The Canadian Mental Health Association promotes the mental health of all and supports the resilience and recovery of people experiencing mental illness. The CMHA accomplishes this mission through advocacy, education, research and service.

Keeping your mouth healthy involves more than brushing and flossing your teeth.

Although these are vital for your oral health, a balanced diet low in sugar and acid, healthy snacking, regular professional dental hygiene cleanings and treatments, and daily home care play an important part in preventing tooth decay and gum disease.

Poor oral health can seriously affect a person’s overall health. Most people don’t connect their mouths to the rest of their bodies.

Gum or periodontal disease is one of the most common diseases in humans.  The bacteria from oral infections — triggered by simply brushing the teeth or chewing — can enter the blood stream or airways and travel to other parts of the body.  These bacteria have the potential to worsen or increase the risk for other types of health problems such as heart disease, stroke and respiratory disorders.  Gum infections can also make it difficult to control diabetes.

Over time, a buildup of plaque bacteria collects at the gum line, eventually hardening on the teeth into calcium deposits called calculus or tartar.  Brushing and flossing cannot remove hardened plaque.  If the tartar isn’t removed with professional scaling by a dental hygienist, the bacteria can cause inflammation of the gums, resulting in abscesses or the complete destruction of the tooth’s supporting tissues and, ultimately, tooth loss.

Dental hygienists help control the bacteria that cause gum disease and tooth decay.

They have a distinctive clinical and educational role to play in preventing oral infections. Dental hygienists not only scale (clean) your teeth, they provide oral cancer screenings, plan and implement treatments, evaluate individual oral care needs as well as offer education and advice to help you keep your mouth and smile healthy for a lifetime.

Access to dental hygiene services

Dental hygienists work in a variety of public and private health-care settings. Independent dental hygiene clinics and mobile practices improve public access to affordable, preventive oral care services. They are also employed in public health, education, research, hospitals and industry as well as in traditional dental offices. Dental hygiene is a regulated health-care profession, one of the largest in Ontario.

Some tips for a healthy mouth

• Remove plaque and food debris by brushing twice a day with a soft toothbrush for two minutes using fluoridated toothpaste.

• Floss or clean between your teeth and scrape or brush your tongue once a day.

• Replace your toothbrush every couple of months, when bristles no longer stand straight or after you’ve had a cold or flu.

• Avoid acidic beverages, such as pop, energy and sports drinks.  Over time acids can weaken tooth enamel, causing sensitivity, unsightly appearance and possibly tooth loss. Rinse with water or chew sugarless gum after eating to help stimulate saliva and reduce acids that cause enamel erosion and tooth decay.

• Choose raw fruit and vegetables or hard cheese for between-meal snacks.  Chewing increases saliva flow, which has a natural cleansing action to help protect the teeth from decay.

• Don’t smoke or use other tobacco products.

• Check your gums and mouth regularly.  Report any changes or signs of gum disease to a dental hygienist.

• Always wear a mouthguard when engaging in rugged sports.  To care for it, rinse well after each use, air dry and keep it in a storage case at a moderate temperature.

• Visit a dental hygienist for regular professional cleanings, oral assessment, customized home care and dietary counselling.

For more information on these and other oral health matters, talk to your dental hygienist, or visit www.odha.on.ca.

Author: Kim Ivan, RDH Author is a registered dental hygienist for 24 years; lectures and contributes articles on oral health issues; president elect, Ontario Dental Hygienists’ Association and recipient of the Distinguished Service Award and Community Service Award.