PREVENTION is an essential component to your health care.

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Men and  women between the ages of 50 to 74 should get screened for colorectal cancer  with a Fecal Immunochemical Test (FIT) every two years.  

Men and  women over 75 should continue to get regular check-ups and discuss with their  family doctor or nurse practitioner whether they should continue to be screened  for colorectal cancer.

If a first degree relative (parent, sibling or  child) had colorectal cancer you are at increased risk. Talk to your doctor  about getting screened for colorectal cancer when you are 10 years younger than your relative was at the disease onset.

All women who have ever had any sexual skin-to-skin  contact need to have regular Pap tests starting at age 21. This includes intercourse,  intimate touching or oral sexual contact with partners of either sex.

The current recommendation in Ontario is a Pap test  every three years unless you are following up an abnormal result or are immunocompromised.

Make the Pap test part of your regular health  checkup until you are 70 years old. Pap tests can stop at age 70 if you have had three or more normal tests in the past 10 years.

If you have had a hysterectomy, talk to your doctor  or nurse practitioner to see if you still need a Pap test.

 Women 50 –  74 years of age should get regular breast cancer screening with mammography  every two years.

Women 75  and over should continue to get regular checkups and discuss with their family  doctor or nurse practitioner whether they should continue to be screened for  breast cancer.

Women between the ages of 30 and 69 and  identified by a physician as high risk for breast cancer, should have yearly  screening using both a mammogram and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Immunization is widely recognized as one of the greatest public health achievements of the twentieth century. Vaccines save lives, prevent the spread of diseases and reduce health care costs. Immunization programs are an important foundation of Ontario’s health system. We provide expertise in immunization and vaccine-preventable disease control.  

See Ontario's publicly funded immunization schedule.

http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/immunization/docs/immunization_schedule.pdf

  The vaccine debate continues for some people, despite the overwhelming evidence that vaccines are safe and don't cause autism.   Refer to the literature below.

Your Child’s Best Shot: A parent’s guide to vaccination, 4th edition (2015) By Dr. Dorothy L. Moore Published by Canadian Pediatric Society.

https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/parent-guide-vaccination.html

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccinesafety/concerns/autism.html

For more information on vaccine safety:

https://www.askontariodoctors.ca/

WHAT YOU SHOULD EXPECT

Measurements such as blood pressure, weight, BMI, waist circumference.

Review of family history, personal history,  and current problems.

Assessment for screening such as pap smear, mammogram, stool testing, colonoscopy, etc.

An examination appropriate for your age, sex, and medical issues particular to you.

A discussion of your risk factors, such as smoking, alcohol intake, diet, exercise and immunization needs.

WHEN YOU SHOULD HAVE ONE

1. Children over 5 every 3-5 years
2. Healthy men in their 20s and 30s every 3-5 years
3. Healthy men in their 40s every 2-3 years
4. Women who require pap smears every 3 years (unless instructed otherwise due to increased risks)
5. Men and women over 50 every 1-2 years

 Living with type 2 Diabetes: What it is and how to get the help you need.

 https://www.diabetes.ca/about-diabetes/type-2 

Call to speak with live diabetes educators: 1-800 BANTING (226-8464)

 Healthy Living Resources: How to live well with diabetes, from eating and exercise to heart health and foot care. 

 https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/resources/tools---resources?Categories=&ResourceToolType=&SearchText=&Sort=alwaysontop&Page=1 

Exercise videos

https://diabetesstrong.com/category/excercise/workout-videos

 Recipes: Find healthy recipes by keyword, category or main ingredient 

 https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/nutrition---fitness/recipes?Categories=&MealType=&SearchText=&Sort=&Page=1 

 Taking Charge of Your Diabetes: New tools from Diabetes Canada to help you take charge of your health.

 https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/about-diabetes/medication-management 

 Complications: The risks of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and other problems resulting from poorly or untreated diabetes 

 https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/managing-my-diabetes/preventing-complications 

 Programs and Support Services: Locate support groups and other resources in your area. 

 https://www.diabetes.ca/en-CA/get-involved/local-programs---events?Region=&EventType=&SearchText=&Sort=&Page=1 

 Health benefits begin soon after you smoke your last cigarette:

 • Within 20 minutes, your blood pressure drops.

 • Within 8 hours, carbon monoxide levels in your blood drop to normal.

 • At 24 hours, your risk of a heart attack begins to fall.

 • At 2 weeks to 9 months, you can breathe easier as you can get more air into your lungs.

 • At 1 year, your risk of heart disease and stroke from smoking drops by 50%. 

• At 5 years, your risk of stroke is the same as a non-smoker.

 • At 10 years, your risk of dying from lung cancer reduces significantly.

 • At 15 years, your risk of heart disease equals that of a non-smoker. 

Visit the Canadian Cancer Society's Smokers Helpline

https://smokershelpline.ca/

Why Quitting Smoking is Hard

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/quit-smoking-medications/why-quitting-smoking-is-hard/index.html#not-having-nicotine-around

Step-by-Step Guide to Help you Quit

https://www.mountsinai.on.ca/care/fammed/patient-resources/respirology/quit-smoking.pdf

How Smoking Cessation Medications Work

https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/campaign/tips/quit-smoking/quit-smoking-medications/how-quit-smoking-medicines-work/index.html

Make an appointment to stop now.

 POSITIVE HEALTH BENEFITS OF EXERCISE

1. Improves sleep
2. Maintains healthy weight
3. Manages stress
4. Improves quality of life
5. Reduces chance of type II diabetes by 40%
6. Reduces chance of cardiovascular disease by 35%
7. Reduces chance of falls, depression and dementia by 30%
8. Reduces chance of joint and back pain by 25%
9. Reduces chance of cancers (colon/breast) by 20%

View the link below for information on what and how much exercise you should do 

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/831435/Withdrawn_Physical_Activity_Adults_Infographic.PDF

MOVE STRONG AT HOME Program

offered through the University of Waterloo for individuals over 60 yrs of age.

The study takes place over 12 weeks. You do not need to leave your house to participate in the study. You can choose to communicate with us via telephone, or online using your computer.

We will complete assessments of your health, physical activity, physical function and nutrition over the phone or computer at the beginning of the study, after the 8-week intervention, and one month later (12-weeks).

https://uwaterloo.ca/bone-health-exercise-science-lab/projects/movestrong-home

Canada's Food Guide is a good place start!

Resources available

•  Eating Habits
• Healthy Eating Recommendations
• Dietary Guidelines
• Recipes

https://food-guide.canada.ca/en/

Mediterranean Diet and Whole Food Plant Based Diets

 Reduce the risk of developing and improve the following conditions:

1. Diabetes 
2. High Blood Pressure
3.  Cardiovascular disease
4.  Obesity
5.  Many cancers (prostate, colon, breast, pancreatic, liver)

Other benefits:

 • Help achieve ideal body weight

• Treat constipation

 • Increase energy

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5aof7UI3yg

https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/aa98646

Recipes for Plant Based Nutrition:

https://gamechangersmovie.com/food/recipes/ 

 https://ohsheglows.com/ 

https://www.thefullhelping.com/recipes/ 

 https://www.veganricha.com/recipes/ 

Low FODMAP Diet for irritable bowel syndrome

https://stephanieclairmont.com/the-low-fodmap-diet/

Heart and Stroke Foundation

provides information  on

• Nutrition
• Exercise
• Medication
• Recipes

https://www.heartandstroke.ca/search-results-page?q=cholesterol

Treatments

Each of the following decreases your risk of heart disease and stroke by about 1/3 (30%)

1) Mediterranean diet https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/aa98646

2) Exercise (aim for 150 min/week of brisk walking or higher exertion)

3) Medication (ex. statins like Crestor)

https://kr.ihc.com/ext/Dcmnt?ncid=526044272&tfrm=default

Risk Calculator

Discuss with your family physician whether you require blood work to check your cholesterol so that you can calculate your cardiovascular risk today:

http://chd.bestsciencemedicine.com/calc2.html

Fatty Liver Disease

Causes and Treatments

https://www.liver.ca/patients-caregivers/liver-diseases/fatty-liver-disease/

Mindfulness means to live in the present rather than worrying about the past or anticipating the future. 

To be mindful is to realize thoughts and feelings in your body in an objective manner.  

We can use mindfulness as a tool to avoid self-criticism and judgment while identifying and managing difficult emotions.

Try these apps

Insight Timer

Calm App

Ten percent happier

Wysa

Headspace

For more information consult your family physician.

Breastfeeding Buddies  new website is up and ready to support families in reaching their breastfeeding goals. Our goal is to provide peer focused, accessible, and evidence-based breastfeeding support during these challenging times. Please visit the website and share it with families you work with. All registration for our NEW virtual programs can also be found on the website. 

 The interactive workshop runs every Wednesday afternoon from 2-4 via ZOOM meetings. Registration is required.

www.breastfeedingbuddies.ca

New Virtual Breastfeeding Support - LATCH AND LEARN  - Tuesday and Thursday 10-11am

https://www.breastfeedingbuddies.com/neve-home/about-services/baby-me-drop-in/

Waterloo Region Public Health Breastfeeding Support

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/breastfeeding.aspx

For information on circumcision look under the handout tab.

Resource for Contraception Options

https://www.sexandu.ca/

20 DIFFERENT BIRTH CONTROL OPTIONS

https://birthcontrol.com/options/

Waterloo Region Public Health's sexual health clinic

https://www.regionofwaterloo.ca/en/health-and-wellness/sexual-health-services.aspx 

Sexual Health Options, Resources and Education Center

https://www.shorecentre.ca/

Book an appointment with your family physician to discuss the best option for you.

Concussion Guides for Athletes

https://parachute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Concussion-Guide-for-Athletes.pdf

Concussion Guide for Parents and Caregivers

https://parachute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Concussion-Guide-for-Parents-and-Caregivers.pdf

Return to Sport Strategy

https://parachute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Return-to-Sport-Strategy.pdf

Return to School Strategy

https://parachute.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Return-to-School-Strategy.pdf

 Ontario Brain Injury Association (OBIA)

An excellent resource for services and support- free of charge. 

IMPORTANT RESOURCES

(1) Headache Diary - for severity use colours or 1 = Green, 2 = Yellow, 3 = Red; record duration 

(2) Headache Management Pamphlet -  www.neuroloaycentretoronto.com  (under Patient Resources - Headache & Migraine) 

(3) Headache Severity Scale (GREEN, YELLOW, RED)  www.neurologycentretoronto.com  (under Patient Resources - Headache & Migraine)» 

(4) Improve Sleep & How to Take Melatonin www.neurologycentretoronto.com  (under Patient Resources - Sleep - Sleep Hygiene 101) 

(5) Active Rehabilitation Educational Video www.neurologycentretoronto.com  (under Patient Resources - Concussion - "Active Rehabilitation - Why it Works") (6) Keep Your Head Up is an emerging local non-profit organization that supports individuals impacted by traumatic brain injury, including concussion. The organization was founded in 2020 by two young women from Waterloo Region who sustained sports-related concussions while in high school.   Keep Your Head Up offers free virtual programs to provide individuals with TBI with hands-on opportunities to learn about and practice mental wellness strategies that can support their well-being during their recovery process. Activities include gentle yoga, meditation, breathing, mindful movement, therapeutic art and more.  To register: www.keepyourheadup.ca/register

Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bone loss, this can lead to a fracture.

The disease has already progressed by the time a fracture occurs.  

Prevention is your best defense against this disease.

Osteoporosis Canada has more information on:

• Diet
• Exercise
• Calcium and Vitamin D
• Calcium calculator
• Life after a fracture

https://osteoporosis.ca/

Talk to your physician about your need for a bone  mineral density test.

Please see the following websites for information on Chronic Kidney Disease, including causes and management of your condition.

https://kidneyfailurerisk.com/

https://kidneyfailurerisk.com/CKD_handbook__Jan_31st_2019.pdf

For a great resource on high and low potassium foods, see:

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/assets/info/nutrition/in-nfs-potassium-foods-pictorial.pdf

 Smartphone apps can be used to monitor your health and help you stay on track with your health goals. 

Smart ways to Use Your Smartphone 

https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/healthy-tips/how-smartphones-support-health

Apps To Keep You on Track

https://www.docwirenews.com/blog/best-apps-to-keep-you-healthy-in-2020/

How Your iWatch can Make You Healthier

https://www.cnet.com/health/all-of-the-ways-the-apple-watch-can-make-you-healthier/

 Arthritis is the swelling and tenderness of joints and ligaments. Currently, 1 in 5 Canadians are affected by this chronic disease. The most common types of arthritis are rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.

Pain Management

https://arthritis.ca/treatment/pain-management

Symptom Calculator

https://arthritis.ca/about-arthritis/signs-of-arthritis/symptom-checker/