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Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) Triggers
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease – also known as GERD (or sometimes referred to as “acid reflux”) – is a common condition that is caused when stomach acid backflows into the tube found between the mouth and stomach (known as the esophagus.) To date, an estimated 5 million Canadians suffer from this chronic disease. While Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease itself isn’t considered to be life-threatening, it can become problematic and result in complications if it is left untreated – including damage to the tissue that lines the esophagus, causing inflammation and pain. In some cases, this damage can be permanent and may also contribute to esophageal cancer – although this is rare. The…
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COVID-19 Q&A: Part 12
“What are the most common symptoms of COVID-19?” Symptoms of COVID-19 can be similar to that of a common cold or flu, such as fever, chills, cough, body aches, loss of smell or taste, headache, fatigue, weakness, and gastrointestinal symptoms (such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting.) If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, it’s recommended you get tested for the virus. (You can find a local testing centre by clicking here.) In severe cases it is also possible to develop shortness of breath or have trouble breathing. If this happens to you, you should seek immediate medical attention by calling 911. “How contagious is COVID-19?” COVID-19 is a…
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Respiratory Related Illnesses
COVID-19 is a serious, and deadly, respiratory illness that the world has been grappling with for the past year. In addition to this virus, there are other certain respiratory related illnesses that are common in the winter months, such as colds and flus, along with other chronic respiratory diseases affecting a large number of Canadians – including things like asthma, COPD (also known as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), chronic bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, and more. Asthma Currently, an estimated 3 million Canadians are living with asthma. Asthma is a condition that causes the airways to swell and become narrow, making it difficult to breathe – along with other symptoms such as…
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The Dangers of Smoking
Smoking is one of the most common (as well as one of the deadliest) habits in the world. On a global scale, over 1 billion people (equivalent to 20% of the world’s population) are cigarette smokers. Of those 1 billion individuals, an estimated 4.6 million are Canadian. Smoking is often a hard habit to break as tobacco is highly addictive. This is because when you smoke tobacco, nicotine enters the body quickly and releases chemicals that go to the heart and brain which can have an imitating effect on one’s mood that are similar in nature to other types of drugs (such as amphetamines) and can speed up your reaction…
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Flu Vaccine Q&A
This year has seen high demand for the flu vaccine across Canada and other parts of the world. Below are some of the most common questions and answers related to influenza and the vaccine, including who should get it, how it protects you, and some potential side effects that one might experience as a result. “Who’s most at risk of developing the flu?” The flu can affect anyone, although those who are at the highest risk of developing influenza (and potential complications) include individuals who are immunocompromised, young children, and seniors. Those who are younger (children) or older (seniors) tend to have weaker immune systems. As we grow from children…
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COVID-19 Q&A: Part 10
“What’s causing the spike in British Columbia’s daily COVID-19 numbers and who is being most affected?” As we have seen previously, cases of COVID-19 tend to spike as a result of large gatherings (i.e. parties, wedding receptions, dinners, etc.) – particularly those that are held in private residences, which then results in a tailspin where other individuals become infected. There currently seems to be an increase in positive cases in those who are between the ages of 20-29 and 30-39, however, all age groups are still being impacted by this virus, while 64 is the median age of those being hospitalized as a result of COVID-19. 1 in 10 of…
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Corticosteroids
If your physician has prescribed you a corticosteroid, then he or she has strongly weighed the benefits vs the potential risks that can occur as a result of taking them – which we’ll delve into a bit deeper later on in this article. As for what corticosteroids are, they’re a class of medications that mimic the hormones in your body and are designed to reduce inflammation in the body and are commonly prescribed to treat a variety of conditions – including but not limited to allergies, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ulcerative colitis, and Chron’s disease; and can be taken orally, nasally, topically, or via injection. Among the most commonly prescribed…
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COVID-19: What We Know Now
At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, very little was known about the virus. What was known, however, was that it was a form of coronavirus (the same virus that causes the common cold, for example), which is a respiratory pathogen – and that it was much more serious and also had the potential to be fatal. As it began to rapidly spread on a global scale, countries had to make quick decisions on how they were going to address it head on and what their response would be, with some even having to implement strict lockdown measures in areas where infection rates were at their highest. Things that were…
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How Wildfire Smoke Can Harm Your Health
2020 has already been an incredibly difficult year for the world thanks to COVIF-19; and while the virus is still having a major impact on many lives as well as our economy, not to mention being ever-changing and oftentimes unpredictable, we also still, unfortunately, have other things to worry about – yes, even during a pandemic – such as the current wildfire situation that is happening across much of the West Coast – particularly in California, Oregon, and Washington, and the effects of those fires are being felt right here in British Columbia, with smoky conditions being seen across much of the Province. At one point this past weekend we…
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Health Benefits of Cinnamon
Found from the branches of trees from the cinnamomum family, cinnamon is most commonly used in many different recipes and baked goods (of both the sweet and savoury kind), and is also found almost universally in coffee shops all over the world; used as an ingredient in chai lattes or as a topping for other beverages – but what you might not know about this popular aromatic spice, however, is that it is also packed with a wide range of health benefits, including having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. Digestive Issues If you suffer from different digestive issues including GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Fisease – also commonly known as acid reflux),…