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Work-Related Lung Disorders
A Kelowna man, Kerry Laramee, recently spoke out about his terminal lung disease as a warning to other workers who may be exposed to certain toxic materials in the workplace – and he wants others to be aware and speak out about any potential health risks within their work environment, as well as take the necessary precautions to protect themselves. The most common work-related lung diseases include: • Asthma • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) • Interstitial or fibrotic lung diseases • Hypersensitivity pneumonitis • Bronchiolitis obliterans / airway destruction • Lung infections • Lung cancer Asthma Asthma is a chronic respiratory condition that affects thousands of Canadians, and billions…
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Wildfires, Air Quality, and Your Health
With several wildfires burning across various parts of the Province, including a bog fire burning in Richmond, individuals living in or near these areas may have respiratory-related problems. Coupled with warmer than normal temperatures for this time of year and a fire danger rating of moderate to high for all of British Columbia, that may lead to things such as breathing difficulty and other health concerns. As a reminder, Dr. Ali Ghahary is pointing out the dangers that these wildfires can pose to your health, and what you can do to keep yourself protected. When it comes to wildfires, the biggest concern for individuals, as mentioned, is air quality, and…
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Are Bathroom Beauty Products Harming Your Health?
If you’ve ever suffered from oily or dry and irritated skin, the problem may not actually be your skin itself and may instead be the work of regular (or new) use of certain soaps, body wash, or other bathroom beauty products. While many people have no problem using these items, those with sensitive skin or underlying skin conditions, like psoriasis and eczema, may actually find that the aforementioned products either contribute to their skin irritation or make the aforementioned conditions worse. The problem with this is that many types of soap, body wash, perfumes, etc. all contain a long list of different chemicals and ingredients that the skin simply can’t…
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Inflammation: What Is It and How to Fight It
Arthritis. Colitis. Pancreatitis. Tonsillitis. Sinusitis. All very different medical conditions with very different symptoms, but all having one thing in common: Inflammation. The ending of each of these conditions, -itis, is the medical term that is used to describe inflammation, which can be chronic or acute. So what is it, exactly? Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response and an attempt at beginning the healing process by removing harmful stimuli. Without an inflammatory response, the body would not be able to heal damage to tissue, heal wounds, or rid itself of infections. Symptoms of inflammation vary from person to person and are also dependent on whether or not the…
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Things You Should Throw Away to Better Your Health
You might not know it, but there are tons of everyday items we own that we shouldn’t necessarily be keeping around, as some of them can actually be harmful to our health. Below is just a small list of some of the common, everyday items that you should consider tossing. 1. Antibacterial Soap According to a 2014 report from the FDA, soaps labeled as “antibacterial” are no more effective at killing off harmful bacteria than regular soap. Antibacterial soaps may also be unsafe as many of them contain an active ingredient known as Triclosan, which has been linked to abnormalities in the endocrine system, such as thyroid problems, and weakened…
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The Environment and Your Health
Pollution is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to our environment. As humans, we’re actually responsible for most of the pollution that gets released into the environment. What we don’t realize, however, is that breathing in all that pollution can actually have a detrimental impact on our health. Air pollution can be classified into two types: Visible or invisible. Things like smoke, dust and haze are considered “visible” pollutants and can oftentimes be smelled, while other pollutants like carbon monoxide are considered “invisible” as they are without color and odour. Another common example of air pollution is the burning of fossil fuels. For example, oil, coal, as well…
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How a MedicAlert Bracelet Could Save Your Life
Telling friends and family about medical conditions can sometimes be difficult, especially if the diagnosis is something that is life-altering (for example, a terminal illness such as cancer), but making them aware can also be crucial in the event that an emergency occurs and you are unable to speak or make decisions for yourself. This is also known as an Advance Care Plan. If you suffer from conditions like asthma, severe allergies, or diabetes, you can also purchase a MedicAlert bracelet – a product that, for over 55 years, has been providing Canadians, their families, and emergency responders with lifesaving information. The idea of MedicAlert first came about in 1953…
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When Your Health Warrants a Trip to the ER
With so many different health conditions out there that often have symptoms that mimic each other, it’s tough to know when those symptoms can wait for a visit with your family physician or when you should take a trip to the emergency room. There are, however, warning signs that shouldn’t go ignored. Even if the symptoms turn out to be the result of something minor, it’s better to be safe than sorry, as going to the emergency room could be a life saver. Below are some of the red flags that Dr. Ali Ghahary says patients need to watch out for: 1. Chest Pain. When you develop chest pain, the…
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Chocolate Myths and Facts
Easter weekend is the bearer of all things sweet – especially chocolate and mini eggs. Still, Dr. Ali Ghahary, a family physician from Vancouver, says it’s important to be mindful when indulging in those sweet treats. First, it’s important to know that not all chocolate is the same. While milk chocolate tends to be the go-to chocolate of choice for many, it’s not as healthy compared to dark chocolate. Milk chocolate contains less cocoa and is also diluted with things like milk, cream and sugar. Dark chocolate, on the other hand, tends to have more cocoa present, therefore making it much healthier for you. This is because cocoa is a…
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What You Need to Know About Preservatives
When it comes to diet, many of the foods we consume contain preservatives; and sometimes those preservatives are consumed unknowingly as we don’t always tend to think twice about reading food labels to find out what, exactly, we’re putting into our bodies. If you do read food labels and can’t pronounce half of the list of ingredients, chances are it likely contains preservatives and isn’t something that you should be eating in the first place – snack foods such as cookies and crackers are a prime example. Preservatives are a type of additive used in certain foods to prolong their shelf-life and prevent them from going bad – i.e. going…