Mammograms Are Not Foolproof
The issues surrounding the misdiagnosis of women who have dense breasts when they have mammograms are alarming. The false sense of security most women have is tragic and life threatening because they are not informed of the fact that they have dense breast tissue by various organisations that control mammograms. Women in B.C. have a right to know the implications and vagaries in the way our mammograms are read and interpreted, they are playing with our lives. Delayed diagnosis can kill. To bring this problem into to focus for Island women, the article below is written by an Island woman who...
Read MoreAging.
Aging is one of the most thought about topics in the world. Every nation has proud centurions, usually quite willing to give their own personal hints on how they managed to live so long. Whisky and cigars have even been credited on occasion. That they survived at all has got to be a fluke of nature, still we sometimes see them on TV, wrinkled-up, but still smoking. These are the exceptional. Most of us go into a slow decline, fighting all the way with exercise, meds. and diet, trying to last as long as possible, hoping desperately our brain cells will hold up. Asking a little...
Read MoreThe countdown to Christmas is here!
Some of us count down in days, others in weeks, and those with big shopping lists – in pay periods! One of the most fun ways to countdown to Christmas is with an advent calendar. I decided to add a new twist to an old tradition. In this article, I will show you how to make beautiful ‘advent’ boxes. These boxes also make perfect gift boxes for those ‘great things that come in small packages’ or, fill with chocolates for a wonderful hostess gift. In our home, we number these boxes and hang them on a garland, but feel free to hang them right in your tree or anywhere else that needs a...
Read MoreImportant Mortgage Changes.
Purchase or refinance now before rules change in January If you’re looking to buy and will have more than 20 percent down, or if you are considering refinancing, then you might want to do so before January 1, 2018. Why? On October 17, the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) released new guidelines for residential mortgage underwriting at all federally regulated financial institutions. Beginning January 1, 2018, a new ‘stress test’ will be applied to all new conventional mortgages – and not just those mortgages that require mortgage insurance...
Read MoreAn Emotional Video With a Twist
Roy went to a Seniors Health Show in Nanaimo last week and was very enthusiastic about a project he had come across there. It involved a chair that a man, Jon Pimlott, had designed to enable a lady with mobility issues to access the beach in Parksville. The next day Roy had created an article to be posted on Seniors 101’s “Island Voices” page. The article included photos and a video. When I watched the video I was reduced to tears. To watch the sheer joy experience by this lady as she felt the sand beneath her toes was so emotional but this paled for me when I realised that...
Read MorePreserving the Harvest
There’s a resurgence in preserving foods right now and there are many ways of doing this. It ranges from basic storage for winter squash and root crops such as onions and potatoes, to freezing, canning, dehydrating, pickling and fermenting. I often take an ingredient and put it by using several techniques; for example I dehydrate plums for compotes and snacking, and make plum jam, as well as freezing them for winter desserts. The freezer presents the least time consuming method of food preservation. Food rotation is important, because the maximum storage time for quality frozen fruit...
Read MoreWhat’s the Best Time to Eat?
Eating healthfully involves more than what you choose to eat. It also includes when you choose to eat. Because even if you choose the right things, eating them at the wrong time can set you up for cravings that will drive you to eat things you will be upset at yourself for eating. Determining when to eat doesn’t involve memorizing times on the clock that are universal rules for everyone. In other words, there is no “best time” to eat. Here’s how to create a plan to eat at the right times that’s unique to you. Eat Within 1 Hour Of Waking Up While I don’t agree that breakfast is...
Read MoreShe opened the lid, peered inside.
“Where did you find this, Lydia?” I asked. “It was in the garden. I was digging a hole for the new lilac bush, over by the kitchen fence, when I hit something hard with the shovel. I thought it was a rock and tried to pry it out but then when I cleared some more dirt off it, I saw it was a box.” “Well, it’s been there an awful long time then, because we’ve lived here for twelve years now.” Lydia cleaned the box some more and saw there was tiny padlock still in place. “I don’t want to damage anything, how can I get that...
Read MoreAbortion pill not covered
Women are choosing unnecessary surgical abortions because the province doesn’t cover the abortion pill, the executive director of the Vancouver Island Women’s Clinic says. Dawn Fowler said the $350 price tag on Mifepristone, also known as the abortion pill, means some women who want to terminate unwanted pregnancies at the clinic opt for surgery because it’s covered by the province. “Women who want to terminate a pregnancy are being forced to put price in as a factor,” Fowler said. Canada approved Mifepristone, which has been available in other countries for 25 years, in 2015. It...
Read MoreWe have a new puppy!!!
Meet Shay. Dr. Louise Janes D.V.M. & Dr. Jeff Grognet D.V.M. Mid-Isle Veterinary Hospital 5-161 Fern Road West Qualicum Beach, BC Tel (250) 752-896 Mid-Isle Veterinary...
Read MoreA B.C. case study
Mi–Jung Lee is an investigative journalist and has worked for CTV News in Vancouver for 18 years. She anchors CTV News at Noon and at Five. Mi-Jung graciously spoke with us about her cancer diagnosis, what she learned about breast density and her efforts to raise awareness. When did you start having mammograms? In British Columbia, it used to be recommended that women start getting mammograms at age 40. They have since changed that to every 2 years starting at age 50, but I started at 40 and got mammograms regularly. I was conscientious about that. Please tell us about your diagnosis....
Read MoreShaman, Witch, Pagan
The wind in the trees, the waves running across the surface f the water, the gentle sigh of the earth as she settles into herself each day – all of life is energy and in constant movement. When we live on the land, with the land, we learn the rhythms of the earth. When we learn the rhythms of the earth, we learn our own rhythms; we learn to flow with all the energies around us. It can be challenging to listen and feel the rhythm of the earth and your own rhythms though the din of traffic and the solid concrete beneath your feet. The cry of the eagle, the song of the frog or the chatter of...
Read MoreThe Person Inside the Mess.
It was excruciating to watch the TV Reality Show, “Hoarding”, as the so-called ‘experts’ aggressively tossed out years of memories, while a shattered person watched by the sidelines, heart-broken. Fortunately, modern medicine is providing more humane treatments for hoarding. Most professionals agree that living in a mini garbage dump is a symptom of a much greater problem and the focus should be the person who is suffering under all that trash. The resounding message from a community forum on hoarding was that a gentle, compassionate approach is the sure-fire way to effectively deal...
Read MoreShould I Take a Multivitamin?
One of the most common questions that I’m asked as a registered dietitian is “should I take a multivitamin?” Here’s what I think about multivitamins for women. First I need to tell you that when it comes to nutrition, one size doesn’t fit all. We each have different nutrition needs – based on our sex, age, physical activity, health concerns, etc. And, our eating habits vary widely. That’s why when I work with clients, the first thing I do is a nutrition assessment of you. It’s from the results of my nutrition assessment that I create your individual action plan. So, without...
Read MoreB.C. Seniors Advocate survey
B.C. Seniors Advocate Isobel Mackenzie released provincial results of her office’s survey of publicly subsidized residential care homes today. This is the most extensive survey of residents’ quality of life ever conducted in Canada. “For the first time in this province, we have heard the collective voices of some of our most frail and vulnerable seniors across all of our care homes,” said Mackenzie. “What they are telling us is that while some are satisfied in some areas, overall, we need to be doing better, and in some cases, much better in ensuring the needs of residents are...
Read MoreParadise Found
House for sale on Gabriola is only part of the picture. Honestly, I’m still surprised with comments like, “I never knew”; “Wow, what a place and you have it all here on your island, Gabriola”; “We sailed by, but hadn’t stopped in until today. Looking to rest our sea-legs, and find a home on Gabriola”. Just a few exclamations of what I hear every day. And so, I think it’s about time I entice you my island paradise. About now you would have recognized that I am a full-time resident on Gabriola, love it here! I’m also a REALTOR® full-time. A perfect...
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