New Year a good time to make health resolutions

'Tis the season for resolutions. And many of us are already busy pledging that come Jan. 1 we will do more of some things, less of others or stop doing still other things altogether.

But what if experts made your health-related resolutions for you? What changes might they try to persuade you to make in your life?

We asked a number of doctors, health organizations and public health experts whose expertise we draw on from time to time to name the one health-related resolution they wish people would make for 2013.

There is some predictable common ground, as well as some surprising suggestions.

Get some exercise

It doesn't have to be a lot — just some, and on a regular basis. With an increasing number of studies suggesting that prolonged sitting is unhealthy and that even short bursts of exercise are beneficial, it's no wonder this was the most suggested resolution to come forward from our experts.

Dr. Mike Evans, a family physician and health information advocate at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, puts it this way:

"There are 24 hours in a day, and you might spend most of it caring for family, sitting at work, couch surfing, obviously sleeping and eating," Evans said.

"The evidence shows that the best thing you can do for your health is being active for half an hour each day and that, if you can do it, you can realize great health benefits."

The Canadian Cancer Society, diabetes expert Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, Dr. Perry Kendall, who is B.C.'s chief medical officer of health, and a number of others are telling people to make a point of getting regular but moderate exercise.

"It doesn't have to be extreme," said Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious diseases expert at Toronto's University Health Network, who suggests starting slow and gradually building up your endurance.

"A lot of people go crazy in the New Year and ultimately fail because they start too fast and try to do too much."

Choose better foods

Several of our experts suggested variations on this theme. The Heart and Stroke Foundation would like people to resolve to eat five to 10 portions of vegetables and fruit a day for a heart-healthy 2013.

Dr. Tiffany Chow, a senior clinician-scientist at Baycrest Health Sciences' Ross Memory Clinic in Toronto, suggests people organize their meals so that produce is the main attraction and meat is more of a side dish.

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an Ottawa-based weight loss expert, would like to see people cook more meals from fresh ingredients and eat them, as a family, around a table.

"The corollary to that resolution would be markedly reducing purchased, convenient and heavily processed meals," Freedhoff said.

'If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy'—Dr. Norm Campbell, University of Calgary

And the University of Calgary's Dr. Norm Campbell, who specializes in the treatment of high blood pressure, wishes Canadians would push the federal government to put consumers' interests over those of the food industry.

Campbell says good food policy could prevent a substantial portion of chronic disease in Canada.

"But our politicians introduce solutions that maintain the status quo and then blame us for making poor dietary choices," he said.

"If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy."

Make the tough decisions

Perhaps the recent Supreme Court of Canada hearing on the Hassan Rasouli case, which centres on end-of-life decisions, put some of our experts in a pensive mood. But several suggested Canadians should give serious thought to the degree of medical intervention they want when their time comes.

"Without being too macabre, I think too many folks do not address how they wish to exit this world and leave it to others to try and figure it out," said University of Alberta cardiologist Dr. Paul Armstrong.

Do you want doctors to try everything possible to keep you alive under any circumstances? Or would you prefer health workers not use heroic measures, if you are near the end?

Armstrong suggests people should make these decisions and communicate their wishes verbally and in writing to their loved ones.

Dr. Ross Upshur, an ethicist and primary-care physician, agrees.

If you haven't designated a surrogate decision maker — someone who has the legal right to make choices about your care if you cannot — or haven't given someone power of attorney, set those things up, Upshur suggests, adding that you need to talk through your choices with the people you ask to fill those roles.

"We are all mortal and technology is increasingly powerful. We leave the discussions too late and then the situation is usually too fraught with exigency and emotion," said Upshur, who practises at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, which is the hospital caring for Rasouli.

Dr. Rob Fowler, who is Rasouli's physician, is even more to the point: "While eating turkey on the holidays, 'Talk turkey' with your family about your wishes for end-of-life care."

Learn to manage stress levels

"Decrease stress by not overcommitting yourself, and finding the right balance between work and leisure," said Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine, head of the endocrinology and diabetes unit at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver.

Chow offers similar advice. The Baycrest doctor cheated a little and offered two resolutions under the umbrella of taking care of your brain health and lowering your risk of developing dementia.

People should recognize sooner when their stress level is unsustainable, Chow said, and ask earlier "Do I really need to do this (or) take responsibility for this by myself?"

"The answer is usually No!"

Drink less, and other suggestions

Resolve to drink less alcohol, suggests Dr. Joel Ray of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

"Give the money to someone else to buy food."

Ensure your vaccinations, and those of your family, are up to date, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, medical director for communicable disease prevention and control services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Give your kids a healthy start, said Dr. David McKeown, medical officer of health for Toronto.

"Feed breakfast to your kids, walk your kids to school, teach them to wash their hands properly, teach them to swim, talk and read to them, hug them. Small lessons learned early last a lifetime and makes a healthy community."

Resist the urge to seek or take medicine, advises Dr. David Juurlink, head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital. He said people are too quick to take prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, suggesting they should be used sparingly and only when the likelihood of benefit is real.

Learn to engage in informed decision making with your physician, said Dr. Gordon Guyatt, a professor of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton.

And finally, from Canada's chief medical officer of health comes some poignant advice.

Dr. David Butler-Jones is working his way back from a stroke he had earlier in the year.

"Do not let anyone else limit your expectations of how much you can recover or become as you are more likely to get what you expect," he suggests.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Music therapy offers hope for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Music might help people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, a study suggests.

Frank Russo, a cognitive scientist doing research at Ryerson University in Toronto, is using new technology to probe the link between sound and the parts of the brain that control movement.

Music therapy can help Parkinson's patients walk and people with Alzheimer's remember, with song lyrics surfacing in the brain even among people who have lost the ability to recognize their own relatives.

Russo is hoping to develop a clearer picture of how music can rehabilitate damaged circuitry and hopes to apply that research to conditions ranging from autism to stroke.

CBC's Kim Brunhuber reports on how music therapy might grow as the population ages.

22.45 | 1 komentar | Read More

Source of legionnaires' outbreak in Calgary still unknown

While two people remain in a Calgary hospital after contracting legionnaires' disease, officials are still trying to find out what caused a local outbreak of the bacterial infection.

A total of eight people have been diagnosed as being exposed to the legionella pneumophila bacteria over the past month, and were hospitalized after experiencing serious respiratory illnesses.

"At this point in time ... we've gone through and looked at any of the potential sources that the cases have identified where they may be exposed and the testing for those possible sources has been negative so we're not identifying a risk to the public at the present time," said Dr. Brent Friesen, the area's medical officer of health.

Authorities say the disease is not spread person to person but is connected with water sources like cooling towers or air-conditioning units.

Friesen says given that legionella is normally associated with summer weather and high humidities, it's unusual for an outbreak, such as this one, to occur at this time of year.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Hunger-striking chief calls for action amidst health concerns

On First Nations Chief Theresa Spence's 20th day of her politically motivated hunger strike, Canadians and politicians answered her plea for solidarity for her cause to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and the Governor General.

The Attawapiskat chief sent Friday a public plea to make Sunday a day of solidarity, asking Canadians to stage protests across the country and petitioning politicians to meet with her in Ottawa.

A number of politicians started making their way to Victoria Island, Ottawa, where the chief is residing in a teepee, including a 15-member NDP delegation, spokeswoman Valérie Dufour told CBC News on Sunday.

Originally, 17 NDP MPs were expected, Cheryl Maloney, who self-identified as a Spence supporter and is the president of the Nova Scotia Native Women's Association, told CBC News. However, two expected MPs experienced weather-related delays.

NDP sends MPs to meet with chief

The group, which was scheduled to meet with Spence at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, was to be led by deputy leader Megan Leslie and Timmins-James Bay MP Charlie Angus.

The NDP has been following Spence's hunger strike very closely, Dufour said. Since the chief started her hunger strike on Dec. 11, she has subsisted on fish broth and tea. Her condition has been worsening, according to a statement released Friday.

"Her condition continues to weaken every hour," read the statement.

On Dec. 18, party leader Thomas Mulcair wrote a letter to Harper asking him to meet with Spence."Please act swiftly to avoid a personal tragedy for Chief Spence," he wrote.

Now, 20 days into Spence's hunger strike, the NDP is "beginning to be very worried," said Dufour. "It's dangerous for her…We're all a bit afraid because she said she's even willing to die for it."

Dufour said Harper should meet with First Nations leaders as soon as possible because it is the only way to settle the matter, adding that Spence isn't asking for much by requesting a meeting with the prime minister.

"Now it's time for Stephen Harper to show some leadership and to extend a hand and to meet with the leader," she said.

Spence supporter Maloney, who forwarded the chief's latest statement, said she was not authorized to speak about Spence's condition. She said it is getting harder for the chief to host visitors and conduct interviews. The chief rested in advance of Sunday's meeting, which was to include 15 NDP MPs, two Liberal MPs and three Liberal senators.

"[We] haven't heard anything from any Conservatives at all," she said.

Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan has offered several times to speak with Spence and form a working group, but she rejected his proposals because she believes he is not the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation basis.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, an Inuk who is one of two aboriginal MPs in the Conservative cabinet, urged Spence to stop fasting and accept a meeting with Duncan. "That's the best way to address her issues," Aglukkaq said.

Spence chose to continue her fast, hoping to secure a meeting with Harper and the Governor General instead.

Former PM visits Spence

On Saturday afternoon, former prime minister Joe Clark visited Spence, following her open invitation.

In a statement after his meeting, Clark said that "there is a general concern that First Nations–Canada relations are headed in a dangerous direction."

'First Nations - Canada relations are headed in a dangerous direction'—Joe Clark, former prime minister

People no longer active in political life may have to help support "the resumption of productive discussions," he said.

"Chief Spence expressed a humble and achievable vision — one which I believe all Canadians can embrace," he said, adding honest dialogue and mutual commitment can carry-out her vision.

Idle No More rallies staged across Canada

Meanwhile, Canadians held rallies on Sunday in a show of support for the chief.

An Idle No More protest at Toronto's Eaton Centre was organized in response to a call for action from hunger-striking First Nations Chief Theresa Spence. (John Bowman/CBC News)

At least half a dozen events were planned on Sunday across Canada, said CBC's Shannon Martin.

The Idle No More movement — which has hosted several demonstrations in past weeks and is loosely tied to Spence's protest — staged a rally in Toronto, Ont., in response to the chief's call for action. Participants gathered near the Eaton Centre for a "round dance flash mob," according to the Toronto chapter's Twitter account.

In Alberta, about 400 protesters gathered outside Harper's Calgary office, reported CBC's Devin Heroux. People performed a round dance, carried signs and played drums as part of an Idle No More flash mob.

Various rallies and demonstrations supporting Spence also took place yesterday in Oklahoma, Washington, Cincinnati, and Regina — where a four-day hunger strike is underway, said Martin.

With files from the Canadian Press

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New Year a good time to make health resolutions

'Tis the season for resolutions. And many of us are already busy pledging that come Jan. 1 we will do more of some things, less of others or stop doing still other things altogether.

But what if experts made your health-related resolutions for you? What changes might they try to persuade you to make in your life?

We asked a number of doctors, health organizations and public health experts whose expertise we draw on from time to time to name the one health-related resolution they wish people would make for 2013.

There is some predictable common ground, as well as some surprising suggestions.

Get some exercise

It doesn't have to be a lot — just some, and on a regular basis. With an increasing number of studies suggesting that prolonged sitting is unhealthy and that even short bursts of exercise are beneficial, it's no wonder this was the most suggested resolution to come forward from our experts.

Dr. Mike Evans, a family physician and health information advocate at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, puts it this way:

"There are 24 hours in a day, and you might spend most of it caring for family, sitting at work, couch surfing, obviously sleeping and eating," Evans said.

"The evidence shows that the best thing you can do for your health is being active for half an hour each day and that, if you can do it, you can realize great health benefits."

The Canadian Cancer Society, diabetes expert Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, Dr. Perry Kendall, who is B.C.'s chief medical officer of health, and a number of others are telling people to make a point of getting regular but moderate exercise.

"It doesn't have to be extreme," said Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious diseases expert at Toronto's University Health Network, who suggests starting slow and gradually building up your endurance.

"A lot of people go crazy in the New Year and ultimately fail because they start too fast and try to do too much."

Choose better foods

Several of our experts suggested variations on this theme. The Heart and Stroke Foundation would like people to resolve to eat five to 10 portions of vegetables and fruit a day for a heart-healthy 2013.

Dr. Tiffany Chow, a senior clinician-scientist at Baycrest Health Sciences' Ross Memory Clinic in Toronto, suggests people organize their meals so that produce is the main attraction and meat is more of a side dish.

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an Ottawa-based weight loss expert, would like to see people cook more meals from fresh ingredients and eat them, as a family, around a table.

"The corollary to that resolution would be markedly reducing purchased, convenient and heavily processed meals," Freedhoff said.

'If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy'—Dr. Norm Campbell, University of Calgary

And the University of Calgary's Dr. Norm Campbell, who specializes in the treatment of high blood pressure, wishes Canadians would push the federal government to put consumers' interests over those of the food industry.

Campbell says good food policy could prevent a substantial portion of chronic disease in Canada.

"But our politicians introduce solutions that maintain the status quo and then blame us for making poor dietary choices," he said.

"If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy."

Make the tough decisions

Perhaps the recent Supreme Court of Canada hearing on the Hassan Rasouli case, which centres on end-of-life decisions, put some of our experts in a pensive mood. But several suggested Canadians should give serious thought to the degree of medical intervention they want when their time comes.

"Without being too macabre, I think too many folks do not address how they wish to exit this world and leave it to others to try and figure it out," said University of Alberta cardiologist Dr. Paul Armstrong.

Do you want doctors to try everything possible to keep you alive under any circumstances? Or would you prefer health workers not use heroic measures, if you are near the end?

Armstrong suggests people should make these decisions and communicate their wishes verbally and in writing to their loved ones.

Dr. Ross Upshur, an ethicist and primary-care physician, agrees.

If you haven't designated a surrogate decision maker — someone who has the legal right to make choices about your care if you cannot — or haven't given someone power of attorney, set those things up, Upshur suggests, adding that you need to talk through your choices with the people you ask to fill those roles.

"We are all mortal and technology is increasingly powerful. We leave the discussions too late and then the situation is usually too fraught with exigency and emotion," said Upshur, who practises at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, which is the hospital caring for Rasouli.

Dr. Rob Fowler, who is Rasouli's physician, is even more to the point: "While eating turkey on the holidays, 'Talk turkey' with your family about your wishes for end-of-life care."

Learn to manage stress levels

"Decrease stress by not overcommitting yourself, and finding the right balance between work and leisure," said Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine, head of the endocrinology and diabetes unit at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver.

Chow offers similar advice. The Baycrest doctor cheated a little and offered two resolutions under the umbrella of taking care of your brain health and lowering your risk of developing dementia.

People should recognize sooner when their stress level is unsustainable, Chow said, and ask earlier "Do I really need to do this (or) take responsibility for this by myself?"

"The answer is usually No!"

Drink less, and other suggestions

Resolve to drink less alcohol, suggests Dr. Joel Ray of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

"Give the money to someone else to buy food."

Ensure your vaccinations, and those of your family, are up to date, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, medical director for communicable disease prevention and control services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Give your kids a healthy start, said Dr. David McKeown, medical officer of health for Toronto.

"Feed breakfast to your kids, walk your kids to school, teach them to wash their hands properly, teach them to swim, talk and read to them, hug them. Small lessons learned early last a lifetime and makes a healthy community."

Resist the urge to seek or take medicine, advises Dr. David Juurlink, head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital. He said people are too quick to take prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, suggesting they should be used sparingly and only when the likelihood of benefit is real.

Learn to engage in informed decision making with your physician, said Dr. Gordon Guyatt, a professor of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton.

And finally, from Canada's chief medical officer of health comes some poignant advice.

Dr. David Butler-Jones is working his way back from a stroke he had earlier in the year.

"Do not let anyone else limit your expectations of how much you can recover or become as you are more likely to get what you expect," he suggests.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Music therapy offers hope for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Music might help people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, a study suggests.

Frank Russo, a cognitive scientist doing research at Ryerson University in Toronto, is using new technology to probe the link between sound and the parts of the brain that control movement.

Music therapy can help Parkinson's patients walk and people with Alzheimer's remember, with song lyrics surfacing in the brain even among people who have lost the ability to recognize their own relatives.

Russo is hoping to develop a clearer picture of how music can rehabilitate damaged circuitry and hopes to apply that research to conditions ranging from autism to stroke.

CBC's Kim Brunhuber reports on how music therapy might grow as the population ages.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

First Nations chief rejects minister's call to end hunger strike

One of the two aboriginal MPs in the Conservative cabinet has called on Chief Theresa Spence to abandon her fast aimed at securing a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who is Inuk, joined other federal officials in asking Spence to accept a meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and end the campaign that has seen the chief go more than two weeks without solid food.

"I would encourage her to stop and meet with Minister Duncan and that's the best way to address her issues," Aglukkaq said Friday.

Duncan is the one responsible for the portfolio and that's why he's the right person to meet, Aglukkaq said

Spence rejected Aglukkaq's recommendation because she believes Duncan isn't the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation basis.

"When our ancestors made treaties with the British Crown to allow the Queen's subjects to live in our territories, it was for as long as the sun shines, the waters flow and the grass grows," Spence said in a statement.

"The Crown's only legal access to our lands is contingent upon the fulfilment of the promises made in the negotiations of treaty."

Spence, who is the chief of a remote reserve in Northern Ontario, stopped eating solid food on Dec. 11 in an effort to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, the prime minister and Governor General over the treaty relationship.

Government serious about improvements

Duncan has offered several times to speak with her and to form a working group, but the minister has been rebuffed at every turn.

The government points to a meeting it held last January with First Nations leaders as proof it is serious about improving the relationship and notes it has spent millions on aboriginal health, housing and education.

But aboriginal leaders say they are being left out of the discussion the Harper government is having about how best to develop Canada's lucrative natural resources.

A series of protests over the last two weeks under the banner of Idle No More were in part spurred by the recent budget bill which removed federal oversight over waterways without consulting aboriginal groups who depend on them for water and food.

'Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions'—Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence

Meanwhile, bands are concerned that a lack of training and education will see them shut out of resource development projects that could provide economic stimulus to many struggling communities.

In the statement released Friday, Spence said she remains hopeful that Harper or Gov. Gen. David Johnston will accept her request.

"Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions," she said.

"As nations, we held up our end of the treaty, yet Canada continues to only pay lip service to our relationship."

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Source of legionnaires' outbreak in Calgary still unknown

While two people remain in a Calgary hospital after contracting legionnaires' disease, officials are still trying to find out what caused a local outbreak of the bacterial infection.

A total of eight people have been diagnosed as being exposed to the legionella pneumophila bacteria over the past month, and were hospitalized after experiencing serious respiratory illnesses.

"At this point in time ... we've gone through and looked at any of the potential sources that the cases have identified where they may be exposed and the testing for those possible sources has been negative so we're not identifying a risk to the public at the present time," said Dr. Brent Friesen, the area's medical officer of health.

Authorities say the disease is not spread person to person but is connected with water sources like cooling towers or air-conditioning units.

Friesen says given that legionella is normally associated with summer weather and high humidities, it's unusual for an outbreak, such as this one, to occur at this time of year.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

New Year a good time to make health resolutions

'Tis the season for resolutions. And many of us are already busy pledging that come Jan. 1 we will do more of some things, less of others or stop doing still other things altogether.

But what if experts made your health-related resolutions for you? What changes might they try to persuade you to make in your life?

We asked a number of doctors, health organizations and public health experts whose expertise we draw on from time to time to name the one health-related resolution they wish people would make for 2013.

There is some predictable common ground, as well as some surprising suggestions.

Get some exercise

It doesn't have to be a lot — just some, and on a regular basis. With an increasing number of studies suggesting that prolonged sitting is unhealthy and that even short bursts of exercise are beneficial, it's no wonder this was the most suggested resolution to come forward from our experts.

Dr. Mike Evans, a family physician and health information advocate at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, puts it this way:

"There are 24 hours in a day, and you might spend most of it caring for family, sitting at work, couch surfing, obviously sleeping and eating," Evans said.

"The evidence shows that the best thing you can do for your health is being active for half an hour each day and that, if you can do it, you can realize great health benefits."

The Canadian Cancer Society, diabetes expert Dr. Hertzel Gerstein, Dr. Perry Kendall, who is B.C.'s chief medical officer of health, and a number of others are telling people to make a point of getting regular but moderate exercise.

"It doesn't have to be extreme," said Dr. Michael Gardam, an infectious diseases expert at Toronto's University Health Network, who suggests starting slow and gradually building up your endurance.

"A lot of people go crazy in the New Year and ultimately fail because they start too fast and try to do too much."

Choose better foods

Several of our experts suggested variations on this theme. The Heart and Stroke Foundation would like people to resolve to eat five to 10 portions of vegetables and fruit a day for a heart-healthy 2013.

Dr. Tiffany Chow, a senior clinician-scientist at Baycrest Health Sciences' Ross Memory Clinic in Toronto, suggests people organize their meals so that produce is the main attraction and meat is more of a side dish.

Dr. Yoni Freedhoff, an Ottawa-based weight loss expert, would like to see people cook more meals from fresh ingredients and eat them, as a family, around a table.

"The corollary to that resolution would be markedly reducing purchased, convenient and heavily processed meals," Freedhoff said.

'If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy'—Dr. Norm Campbell, University of Calgary

And the University of Calgary's Dr. Norm Campbell, who specializes in the treatment of high blood pressure, wishes Canadians would push the federal government to put consumers' interests over those of the food industry.

Campbell says good food policy could prevent a substantial portion of chronic disease in Canada.

"But our politicians introduce solutions that maintain the status quo and then blame us for making poor dietary choices," he said.

"If we want to stay healthy, it is likely our most critical health choice is in voting and advocating to politicians to introduce effective health policy."

Make the tough decisions

Perhaps the recent Supreme Court of Canada hearing on the Hassan Rasouli case, which centres on end-of-life decisions, put some of our experts in a pensive mood. But several suggested Canadians should give serious thought to the degree of medical intervention they want when their time comes.

"Without being too macabre, I think too many folks do not address how they wish to exit this world and leave it to others to try and figure it out," said University of Alberta cardiologist Dr. Paul Armstrong.

Do you want doctors to try everything possible to keep you alive under any circumstances? Or would you prefer health workers not use heroic measures, if you are near the end?

Armstrong suggests people should make these decisions and communicate their wishes verbally and in writing to their loved ones.

Dr. Ross Upshur, an ethicist and primary-care physician, agrees.

If you haven't designated a surrogate decision maker — someone who has the legal right to make choices about your care if you cannot — or haven't given someone power of attorney, set those things up, Upshur suggests, adding that you need to talk through your choices with the people you ask to fill those roles.

"We are all mortal and technology is increasingly powerful. We leave the discussions too late and then the situation is usually too fraught with exigency and emotion," said Upshur, who practises at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, which is the hospital caring for Rasouli.

Dr. Rob Fowler, who is Rasouli's physician, is even more to the point: "While eating turkey on the holidays, 'Talk turkey' with your family about your wishes for end-of-life care."

Learn to manage stress levels

"Decrease stress by not overcommitting yourself, and finding the right balance between work and leisure," said Dr. Jean-Pierre Chanoine, head of the endocrinology and diabetes unit at B.C. Children's Hospital in Vancouver.

Chow offers similar advice. The Baycrest doctor cheated a little and offered two resolutions under the umbrella of taking care of your brain health and lowering your risk of developing dementia.

People should recognize sooner when their stress level is unsustainable, Chow said, and ask earlier "Do I really need to do this (or) take responsibility for this by myself?"

"The answer is usually No!"

Drink less, and other suggestions

Resolve to drink less alcohol, suggests Dr. Joel Ray of St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.

"Give the money to someone else to buy food."

Ensure your vaccinations, and those of your family, are up to date, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, medical director for communicable disease prevention and control services at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control.

Give your kids a healthy start, said Dr. David McKeown, medical officer of health for Toronto.

"Feed breakfast to your kids, walk your kids to school, teach them to wash their hands properly, teach them to swim, talk and read to them, hug them. Small lessons learned early last a lifetime and makes a healthy community."

Resist the urge to seek or take medicine, advises Dr. David Juurlink, head of clinical pharmacology and toxicology at Toronto's Sunnybrook Hospital. He said people are too quick to take prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, suggesting they should be used sparingly and only when the likelihood of benefit is real.

Learn to engage in informed decision making with your physician, said Dr. Gordon Guyatt, a professor of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics at McMaster University in Hamilton.

And finally, from Canada's chief medical officer of health comes some poignant advice.

Dr. David Butler-Jones is working his way back from a stroke he had earlier in the year.

"Do not let anyone else limit your expectations of how much you can recover or become as you are more likely to get what you expect," he suggests.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

Music therapy offers hope for Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s

Music might help people with cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, a study suggests.

Frank Russo, a cognitive scientist doing research at Ryerson University in Toronto, is using new technology to probe the link between sound and the parts of the brain that control movement.

Music therapy can help Parkinson's patients walk and people with Alzheimer's remember, with song lyrics surfacing in the brain even among people who have lost the ability to recognize their own relatives.

Russo is hoping to develop a clearer picture of how music can rehabilitate damaged circuitry and hopes to apply that research to conditions ranging from autism to stroke.

CBC's Kim Brunhuber reports on how music therapy might grow as the population ages.

22.45 | 0 komentar | Read More

First Nations chief rejects minister's call to end hunger strike

One of the two aboriginal MPs in the Conservative cabinet has called on Chief Theresa Spence to abandon her fast aimed at securing a meeting with Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

Federal Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq, who is Inuk, joined other federal officials in asking Spence to accept a meeting with Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Duncan and end the campaign that has seen the chief go more than two weeks without solid food.

"I would encourage her to stop and meet with Minister Duncan and that's the best way to address her issues," Aglukkaq said Friday.

Duncan is the one responsible for the portfolio and that's why he's the right person to meet, Aglukkaq said

Spence rejected Aglukkaq's recommendation because she believes Duncan isn't the one who should be speaking on a nation-to-nation basis.

"When our ancestors made treaties with the British Crown to allow the Queen's subjects to live in our territories, it was for as long as the sun shines, the waters flow and the grass grows," Spence said in a statement.

"The Crown's only legal access to our lands is contingent upon the fulfilment of the promises made in the negotiations of treaty."

Spence, who is the chief of a remote reserve in Northern Ontario, stopped eating solid food on Dec. 11 in an effort to secure a meeting between First Nations leaders, the prime minister and Governor General over the treaty relationship.

Government serious about improvements

Duncan has offered several times to speak with her and to form a working group, but the minister has been rebuffed at every turn.

The government points to a meeting it held last January with First Nations leaders as proof it is serious about improving the relationship and notes it has spent millions on aboriginal health, housing and education.

But aboriginal leaders say they are being left out of the discussion the Harper government is having about how best to develop Canada's lucrative natural resources.

A series of protests over the last two weeks under the banner of Idle No More were in part spurred by the recent budget bill which removed federal oversight over waterways without consulting aboriginal groups who depend on them for water and food.

'Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions'—Attawapiskat Chief Theresa Spence

Meanwhile, bands are concerned that a lack of training and education will see them shut out of resource development projects that could provide economic stimulus to many struggling communities.

In the statement released Friday, Spence said she remains hopeful that Harper or Gov. Gen. David Johnston will accept her request.

"Canada is considered a First World country and our peoples are living in extreme poverty and substandard living conditions," she said.

"As nations, we held up our end of the treaty, yet Canada continues to only pay lip service to our relationship."

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Source of legionnaires' outbreak in Calgary still unknown

While two people remain in a Calgary hospital after contracting legionnaires' disease, officials are still trying to find out what caused a local outbreak of the bacterial infection.

A total of eight people have been diagnosed as being exposed to the legionella pneumophila bacteria over the past month, and were hospitalized after experiencing serious respiratory illnesses.

"At this point in time ... we've gone through and looked at any of the potential sources that the cases have identified where they may be exposed and the testing for those possible sources has been negative so we're not identifying a risk to the public at the present time," said Dr. Brent Friesen, the area's medical officer of health.

Authorities say the disease is not spread person to person but is connected with water sources like cooling towers or air-conditioning units.

Friesen says given that legionella is normally associated with summer weather and high humidities, it's unusual for an outbreak, such as this one, to occur at this time of year.

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Canada's food safety rules could be better, experts say

Veteran cattleman George Graham has a common-sense solution for how to prevent a repeat of an E. coli outbreak and extensive product recall in the fall that made 18 people sick, threw thousands out of work and smeared the Canadian beef brand.

Officials who regulate and work in the industry must simply do their jobs properly.

"We have an extremely good product and we have a very good food safety program compared to other places around the world," Graham said from his feedlot in southern Alberta where his family has raised cattle since 1918.

"We just need to be more vigilant that the job is getting done."

The manure hit the fan in early September when U.S. food inspectors found E. coli bacteria in a shipment of beef from the XL Foods plant in Brooks, Alta.

The U.S. quickly closed its border to beef from the plant, which slaughters up to 40 per cent of Canada's cattle. Canadian officials then shut the plant down and sent 2,200 workers home.

In the weeks that followed, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency pulled more than 2,000 products across the country involving millions of kilograms of beef — the largest meat recall in Canada's history.

American food safety regulators announced a similar recall by XL Foods of its products in more than 30 states.

In the end, there were 18 confirmed cases of people getting sick in Canada from a specific and potentially deadly strain of E. coli linked to XL Foods beef.

Food safety rules not enforced enough

Canadian producers lost money as cattle prices fell and ranchers had to pay more to ship their cattle to other plants.

Millions of kilograms of beef from prime Canadian cattle was dumped in landfills or rendered into non-food products.

The company that once boasted of being the largest Canadian-owned beef plant turned over management of the Brooks plant to JBS USA, an affiliate of Brazil-based JBS SA, which has an option to buy the facility and other XL Foods holdings.

Professor Rick Holley, a University of Manitoba food safety expert, said there is no excuse for the sanitation problems that led to the closure of the Brooks plant.

He said Canada is respected around the world for its progressive food safety rules. The problem, he suggested, is that those rules are not as vigorously enforced as they should be.

'They just have to get better at the proactive end of things, a lot better'—Rick Holley, University of Manitoba professor

How could 40 inspectors and six veterinarians at the XL plant somehow miss the problems?

"We see too much pressure being put on inspection staff to complete reports," said Holley, who added that some inspectors need more training to effectively do their jobs.

"They just have to get better at the proactive end of things, a lot better."

The responsibility for food safety also rests with company owners. Holley said managers and supervisors must set clear operating standards for hygiene and strictly enforce them.

Part of that responsibility is to ensure that workers, who are often immigrants who speak English as a second language, are fully trained to understand what is expected of them.

Workers must also feel comfortable about being able to speak up if they have concerns.

80% of cattle Canadian-born

Holley said food safety in meat plants is everyone's concern, but ultimately it is the federal food inspection staff that set the tone.

"There is a constant requirement for regulatory oversight, but that regulatory oversight must be viewed by the plant's managers and staff as competent," he said.

"When the activity doesn't appear to be competent, then you end up with people taking shortcuts, and outcomes such as we have seen at XL Foods."

How much damage did the recall and E. coli outbreak cause Canada's beef industry, which is centred in Alberta, but includes cattle producers in every province? No one is quite sure.

Most of the beef that Canadians eat — almost 80 per cent — comes from cattle that are Canadian-born, bred and processed. Canada produces twice the amount of beef that it consumes. The rest is exported, mainly to the United States.

The slogan of the industry's marketing arm, Canada Beef Inc., is "Quality That Inspires Confidence."

Ron Glaser, a Canada Beef vice-president, said it appears that most consumers haven't stopped eating beef. But shoppers are asking more questions about the beef they are buying.

"They want to know what plant it is from," he said from Calgary. "They are going to want to know, basically, is it safe?"

To reassure consumers, the industry is developing an information campaign that it is expected to roll out in the new year, Glaser said.

It is likely to include information on how producers take care in raising cattle and an assurance that Canada has an extremely safe food system.

The XL Foods fiasco will be cast as an exception, not the rule.

"It is unfortunate that there are occasionally problems like this," Glaser said. "It is unfortunate that this will potentially tarnish a broader industry."

Making ends meet

On Oct. 29, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency cleared the Brooks plant to resume slaughtering cattle and packaging beef. Products have since been allowed to be shipped again to retailers. XL Foods has also been given permission to resume exports to the United States.

Despite a seeming return to normalcy, some ranchers warn it will take time for the industry to recover.

"Are we making ends meet? Just barely, as we are still playing catch-up for the years that we did not get a decent price for our calves during the BSE years and we had to use all our resources to keep ranching," said Eileen Juhasz, who has 150 head on her ranch south of Lethbridge.

The CFIA has said there was no single factor that caused the E. coli outbreak in Brooks. Problems included deficiencies in bacteria control, sanitation and record keeping.

The federal government has promised a complete review of what happened and to make its final report public, including possible recommendations to improve food safety.

"Certainly we take this to heart and don't want to see these kind of issues happen, but we'll never apologize for the size and the scope of the recall. If that's what's required, that's what we'll do," Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told The Canadian Press.

The federal government is also putting its faith in JBS USA, the company that's now managing the Brooks plant.

"JBS is a tremendous corporate partner," Ritz said. "They brought an era of food culture to that plant that we haven't seen for quite some time so we look forward to them and moving on to the future."

Cattleman George Graham is also bullish on JBS and hopes the international food giant will buy the XL Foods plant.

He said business at his South Slope Feeders feedlot outside of Brooks is picking up. He recalled how the industry bounced back from the financial upheaval caused by the mad cow disease scare a decade ago.

"We have seen a lot of hurdles thrown at us the last 10 years and we've managed to survive some pretty big ones," he said. "I don't think this is going to be any different."

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Voluntary drug-shortage reporting adopted despite concerns

The federal health minister opted to let drug makers voluntarily alert doctors and pharmacists of medication shortages despite concerns from her own department that the approach could put Canada's drug supply at risk, documents show.

Records obtained by The Canadian Press indicate civil servants at Health Canada warned in February of last year that a voluntary notice system was "susceptible to bad company behaviour" and could see firms neglect to report every shortage.

An outline comparing voluntary versus mandatory approaches cautioned there would be no way to punish manufacturers who fail to report production gaps, which leaves health practitioners scrambling to get drugs to their patients.

Three weeks later Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq wrote to drug industry associations requesting they voluntarily release information on the increasingly common problem of medication shortages.

The letter to the Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association, Rx&D and BIOTECanada said that "regulatory alternatives" forcing notification would be considered only if it was not possible for the industry to develop a voluntary plan.

Opposition to voluntary reporting

Health Canada threw its support behind the resulting system — drawn up with input from health groups — in which drug makers pledged to post shortage information on a central website aimed at health professionals and patients. The site, drugshortages.ca, went live in April.

Voluntary reporting has been strongly opposed by the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society and other health and patient groups. They insist the best way to ensure Canadians reliably get medications such as chemotherapy drugs and antibiotics is for Ottawa to require full disclosure from drug manufacturers on planned or unexpected gaps in production.

Aglukkaq's spokesman Steve Outhouse said a voluntary system was chosen because it would take too long for Health Canada to bring forward regulations mandating companies disclose production gaps.

"The website that tracks drug shortages is up and running now because of adopting a voluntary approach. Regulations can take years to pass, and would mean delays in getting this information to Canadians," Outhouse said in an email.

He added that a mandatory system will be considered if manufacturers do not voluntarily comply.

Shortages increasing

The issue of drug shortages came to the forefront in February when a Sandoz Canada plant providing 90 per cent of generic injectable anesthetics and other medications commonly used by hospitals cut production due to a facility upgrade and subsequent fire.

Cancer Society senior analyst Lauren Dobson-Hughes said the advocacy group regularly hears from patients struggling to hunt down therapeutic medications that do not pop up on the drug-shortage website.

"When cancer patients call they say, 'I cannot get my hands on this drug for love nor money.' And yet it is not listed short," she said.

'We know that drug shortages are increasing, but because nobody's tracking them systemically on a mandatory basis we still don't know where or how they're impacting patients.'—Lauren Dobson-Hughes, Cancer Society senior analyst

"We know that drug shortages are increasing, but because nobody's tracking them systemically on a mandatory basis we still don't know where or how they're impacting patients," Dobson-Hughes added.

The Canadian Press obtained the internal Health Canada documents on drug shortages through the Access to Information Act.

Other records show a limited form of mandatory reporting was recommended in an exhaustive $25,000 report on drug shortages commissioned by Health Canada — one of several times the department has probed the issue of shortage notices.

The July 2011 report by Secor Group advised that Health Canada give manufacturers no choice but to provide an immediate alert on outages of drugs produced by one or a small number of manufacturers.

The report came months before Aglukkaq gave final approval to the industry's voluntary reporting plan.

Documents show recommendations in favour of a mandatory system date back to late 2010. During talks with industry and health groups, Health Canada floated a proposal for "a requirement for manufacturers to notify Health Canada of anticipated or occurring drug shortages when it has a public health impact."

Voluntary system ruled out

The idea was generally supported by participants, who ruled out a voluntary system, a subsequent memo indicates.

The document states that one of the "consistent themes" in feedback was that "notification of drug shortages should be mandatory (not in guidance or voluntary) and Health Canada must ensure timely communication of the information."

Drug makers advised the department that possible shortage regulations should be fairly wide-ranging and not limited to drugs made by a single manufacturer, according to the memo.

"The industry responses also suggested that the proposal should extend to multi-sourced products to better meet the policy objective and that it must be flexible to accommodate exceptional circumstances, if the trigger for notification includes a set time period (in advance of a planned shortfall)."

The Canadian Generic Pharmaceutical Association and BIOTECanada confirmed they were involved in the 2010 talks, but declined to say whether they supported the proposal.

An Rx&D spokeswoman said the group did not provide comment on mandatory reporting of shortages, but responded to other issues surrounding medication sourced from multiple suppliers.

All three groups said they are behind the current voluntary tracking system, which they created following Aglukkaq's request.

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Salmonella outbreak spreads in southwestern Alberta

This undated image provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows salmonella bacteria in a petri dish. (CDC/Canadian Press)

Alberta Health Services says a salmonella outbreak in southwestern Alberta is spreading.

About 30 cases were confirmed in and around the Lethbridge area Monday.

The organization's south zone medical officer of health, Dr. Vivian Suttorp, says new cases have cropped up since then — mostly spread by household contact.

"I can't give you an exact number at this point in time. I think, fair enough to say, that we have some individuals who are perhaps more ill than others who are seeking medical attention and where stool samples will be done. There's a whole other group out there who are not seeking medical attention but who also have similar symptoms."

Suttorp said they are working with the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch and their first priority is stopping the spread.

She says the best way to do that is wash your hands, cook food thoroughly and avoid cross contamination.

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Nap Nanny baby recliners recalled in U.S.

Four retailers in the U.S. agreed to recall more than 150,000 Nap Nanny baby recliners after at least five infant deaths and dozens of reports of children nearly falling out of the recliners, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.

The recall covers Nap Nanny Generations One and Two, and the Chill model infant recliners. All were sold between 2009 and 2012. The Nap Nanny was designed to mimic the curves of a baby car seat, elevating an infant slightly to help reduce reflux, gas, stuffiness or other problems.

The CPSC warned parents and caregivers that the Nap Nanny contains defects in its design, warnings and instructions. The agency said the product poses a substantial risk of injury and death to infants.

The four retailers — Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Diapers.com and Toys R Us/Babies R Us — agreed to voluntarily participate in the recall of the Nap Nanny because its manufacturer is unable or unwilling to participate, the government agency said in a statement.

Health Canada to contact retailers

Health Canada said Thursday it is not aware of any incidents involving the product in Canada.

However, Health Canada said it is aware that the product is marketed in Canada and will be contacting retailers to determine what corrective action, if any, is required.

The manufacturer, Baby Matters LLC of Berwyn, Pa., told The Associated Press earlier this month that it had gone out of business. At the time, the company's website carried a statement from owner and founder Leslie Gudel that the company didn't believe the CPSC complaint had merit and that its products were safe when used as instructed.

The first two versions of the foam recliner were recalled in July 2010 after the agency became aware of one death and 22 reports of infants hanging out or falling over the side of the Nap Nanny even though most of the infants had been placed in the recliner's harness. Since then, the agency learned of four more deaths. Four were linked to the first versions of the recliner, and one to the newer model.

Five thousand Nap Nanny Generation One and 50,000 Generation Two models were sold between 2009 and early 2012. About 100,000 Chill models have been sold since January 2011.

The CPSC advised consumers seeking more information about the recall to review the return policies of the retailers participating in the recall.

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5 heroes of health in 2012

Double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell of Ottawa used her own personal journey to overcome medical challenges to promote the importance of organ donations, making her one of the top five leaders in health in 2012.

1. Organ recipient raises donation awareness

Campbell, 21, used social media savvy to promote organ donation. Her efforts led to her appearance on the U.S. television program The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and gained the attention of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Twitter.

Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She had transplant surgery at Toronto General Hospital in April.

Ontario's Trillium Gift of Life credited Campbell for a spike in organ donation registrations.

2) Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' exercise push

A Toronto doctor's "magic pill" for health went viral in early 2012.

A video by Dr. Mike Evans used a simple and light-hearted approach to examine, "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Evans reviewed the medical literature and concluded the answer is getting at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, mostly walking.

He said completing at least a half-hour of exercise every day amounts to a magic pill for arthritis, depression, anxiety, obesity and overall quality of life.

3) NYC mayor's battle against large sodas

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign against large sodas and other sugary drinks acted on public health research on fighting obesity.

The ban, effective in March 2013, imposes a 16-ounce (473-millilitre) limit on the size of sweetened drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts.

Bloomberg's rationale is that concentrated sugar, in huge, regular doses, can be considered a threat to public health.

In December, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Canadian politicians should be inspired by Bloomberg's leadership to act.

4) Canadian group fights mental health stigma

The Mental Health Commission of Canada raised awareness of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses with its final report in May that coincided with similar efforts by hospitals and advocacy groups.

The commission's 100 priorities and recommendations were grouped into strategic areas that covered mental health prevention and promotion, access to services, upholding the rights of people with mental illness and fostering their recovery, addressing the needs of specific populations such as seniors and First Nations and remote communities, and improving collaboration among governments and stakeholders.

In October, an Ontario report that was nationally representative suggested that the burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers.

5) Gabrielle Giffords and her recovery

Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords's story of recovery from a bullet wound to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in January 2011 illustrated the importance of a trajectory of the bullet and intensive music and speech therapy.

When Giffords resigned her congressional seat in January 2012, she said she wanted to concentrate on her recovery.

After months of surgeries and therapy, Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiance in September at the Democratic National Convention.

Connie Tomaino, a music therapist in New York who collaborates with Dr. Oliver Sacks on patients with stroke and Parkinson's disease, explains why Giffords was able to recite the pledge in an interview with CBC News.

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U.S. warns doctors on Canadian Botox

Federal regulators in the United States have warned more than 350 medical practices that Botox they may have received from a Canadian supplier is unapproved and could be counterfeit or unsafe.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter sent last month, a letter released publicly last week, that batches of the wrinkle treatment shipped by suppliers owned by pharmacy Canada Drugs have not been approved by the FDA and that the agency cannot assure their effectiveness or their safety.

The FDA said Canada Drugs was previously tied to shipping unapproved and counterfeit cancer drugs.

The agency warned doctors about buying drugs from sources other than licensed U.S. pharmacies. It is the fifth warning the agency has made this year about foreign suppliers providing unapproved drugs.

In February, the agency warned 19 medical practices that they had received a counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin. On three more occasions the FDA issued similar warnings about counterfeit Avastin and Altuzan, another brand name for the same drug. The alerts were also primarily targeted at drugs distributed by Canada Drugs.

A request for comment from the drug distributor was not immediately returned.

Drug shortages increased the financial incentives for some pharmacies to provide counterfeit or illegally imported drugs. The drugs subject to warnings have all been injectable treatments typically distributed through medical practices and not directly to patients.

In October, the FDA ordered operators of about 4,100 websites to immediately stop selling unapproved medications to U.S. consumers. The vast majority of those sites were operated by Canada Drugs. The site was still operating Friday.

Genuine Botox is made by Allergan Inc., based in Irvine, Calif. Avastin is made by Roche Holding AG's Genentech unit.

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Salmonella outbreak hits 30 in southwestern Alberta

Health officials in southwestern Alberta are dealing with an acute outbreak of salmonella.

Officials in Lethbridge say there are more than 30 cases, mostly in rural areas.

Many of the infections are secondary ones, meaning it is being spread by household contact.

Symptoms include nausea and vomiting and residents are warned that the most serious complication is dehydration.

Dirty cooking surfaces along with undercooked eggs and poultry are the common causes of salmonella.

Alberta health officials are working with Health Canada and First Nations and Inuit Health to stem the outbreak.

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Canada's food safety rules could be better, experts say

Veteran cattleman George Graham has a common-sense solution for how to prevent a repeat of an E. coli outbreak and extensive product recall in the fall that made 18 people sick, threw thousands out of work and smeared the Canadian beef brand.

Officials who regulate and work in the industry must simply do their jobs properly.

"We have an extremely good product and we have a very good food safety program compared to other places around the world," Graham said from his feedlot in southern Alberta where his family has raised cattle since 1918.

"We just need to be more vigilant that the job is getting done."

The manure hit the fan in early September when U.S. food inspectors found E. coli bacteria in a shipment of beef from the XL Foods plant in Brooks, Alta.

The U.S. quickly closed its border to beef from the plant, which slaughters up to 40 per cent of Canada's cattle. Canadian officials then shut the plant down and sent 2,200 workers home.

In the weeks that followed, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency pulled more than 2,000 products across the country involving millions of kilograms of beef — the largest meat recall in Canada's history.

American food safety regulators announced a similar recall by XL Foods of its products in more than 30 states.

In the end, there were 18 confirmed cases of people getting sick in Canada from a specific and potentially deadly strain of E. coli linked to XL Foods beef.

Food safety rules not enforced enough

Canadian producers lost money as cattle prices fell and ranchers had to pay more to ship their cattle to other plants.

Millions of kilograms of beef from prime Canadian cattle was dumped in landfills or rendered into non-food products.

The company that once boasted of being the largest Canadian-owned beef plant turned over management of the Brooks plant to JBS USA, an affiliate of Brazil-based JBS SA, which has an option to buy the facility and other XL Foods holdings.

Professor Rick Holley, a University of Manitoba food safety expert, said there is no excuse for the sanitation problems that led to the closure of the Brooks plant.

He said Canada is respected around the world for its progressive food safety rules. The problem, he suggested, is that those rules are not as vigorously enforced as they should be.

'They just have to get better at the proactive end of things, a lot better'—Rick Holley, University of Manitoba professor

How could 40 inspectors and six veterinarians at the XL plant somehow miss the problems?

"We see too much pressure being put on inspection staff to complete reports," said Holley, who added that some inspectors need more training to effectively do their jobs.

"They just have to get better at the proactive end of things, a lot better."

The responsibility for food safety also rests with company owners. Holley said managers and supervisors must set clear operating standards for hygiene and strictly enforce them.

Part of that responsibility is to ensure that workers, who are often immigrants who speak English as a second language, are fully trained to understand what is expected of them.

Workers must also feel comfortable about being able to speak up if they have concerns.

80% of cattle Canadian-born

Holley said food safety in meat plants is everyone's concern, but ultimately it is the federal food inspection staff that set the tone.

"There is a constant requirement for regulatory oversight, but that regulatory oversight must be viewed by the plant's managers and staff as competent," he said.

"When the activity doesn't appear to be competent, then you end up with people taking shortcuts, and outcomes such as we have seen at XL Foods."

How much damage did the recall and E. coli outbreak cause Canada's beef industry, which is centred in Alberta, but includes cattle producers in every province? No one is quite sure.

Most of the beef that Canadians eat — almost 80 per cent — comes from cattle that are Canadian-born, bred and processed. Canada produces twice the amount of beef that it consumes. The rest is exported, mainly to the United States.

The slogan of the industry's marketing arm, Canada Beef Inc., is "Quality That Inspires Confidence."

Ron Glaser, a Canada Beef vice-president, said it appears that most consumers haven't stopped eating beef. But shoppers are asking more questions about the beef they are buying.

"They want to know what plant it is from," he said from Calgary. "They are going to want to know, basically, is it safe?"

To reassure consumers, the industry is developing an information campaign that it is expected to roll out in the new year, Glaser said.

It is likely to include information on how producers take care in raising cattle and an assurance that Canada has an extremely safe food system.

The XL Foods fiasco will be cast as an exception, not the rule.

"It is unfortunate that there are occasionally problems like this," Glaser said. "It is unfortunate that this will potentially tarnish a broader industry."

Making ends meet

On Oct. 29, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency cleared the Brooks plant to resume slaughtering cattle and packaging beef. Products have since been allowed to be shipped again to retailers. XL Foods has also been given permission to resume exports to the United States.

Despite a seeming return to normalcy, some ranchers warn it will take time for the industry to recover.

"Are we making ends meet? Just barely, as we are still playing catch-up for the years that we did not get a decent price for our calves during the BSE years and we had to use all our resources to keep ranching," said Eileen Juhasz, who has 150 head on her ranch south of Lethbridge.

The CFIA has said there was no single factor that caused the E. coli outbreak in Brooks. Problems included deficiencies in bacteria control, sanitation and record keeping.

The federal government has promised a complete review of what happened and to make its final report public, including possible recommendations to improve food safety.

"Certainly we take this to heart and don't want to see these kind of issues happen, but we'll never apologize for the size and the scope of the recall. If that's what's required, that's what we'll do," Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz told The Canadian Press.

The federal government is also putting its faith in JBS USA, the company that's now managing the Brooks plant.

"JBS is a tremendous corporate partner," Ritz said. "They brought an era of food culture to that plant that we haven't seen for quite some time so we look forward to them and moving on to the future."

Cattleman George Graham is also bullish on JBS and hopes the international food giant will buy the XL Foods plant.

He said business at his South Slope Feeders feedlot outside of Brooks is picking up. He recalled how the industry bounced back from the financial upheaval caused by the mad cow disease scare a decade ago.

"We have seen a lot of hurdles thrown at us the last 10 years and we've managed to survive some pretty big ones," he said. "I don't think this is going to be any different."

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5 heroes of health in 2012

Double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell of Ottawa used her own personal journey to overcome medical challenges to promote the importance of organ donations, making her one of the top five leaders in health in 2012.

1. Organ recipient raises donation awareness

Campbell, 21, used social media savvy to promote organ donation. Her efforts led to her appearance on the U.S. television program The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and gained the attention of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Twitter.

Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She had transplant surgery at Toronto General Hospital in April.

Ontario's Trillium Gift of Life credited Campbell for a spike in organ donation registrations.

2) Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' exercise push

A Toronto doctor's "magic pill" for health went viral in early 2012.

A video by Dr. Mike Evans used a simple and light-hearted approach to examine, "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Evans reviewed the medical literature and concluded the answer is getting at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, mostly walking.

He said completing at least a half-hour of exercise every day amounts to a magic pill for arthritis, depression, anxiety, obesity and overall quality of life.

3) NYC mayor's battle against large sodas

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign against large sodas and other sugary drinks acted on public health research on fighting obesity.

The ban, effective in March 2013, imposes a 16-ounce (473-millilitre) limit on the size of sweetened drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts.

Bloomberg's rationale is that concentrated sugar, in huge, regular doses, can be considered a threat to public health.

In December, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Canadian politicians should be inspired by Bloomberg's leadership to act.

4) Canadian group fights mental health stigma

The Mental Health Commission of Canada raised awareness of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses with its final report in May that coincided with similar efforts by hospitals and advocacy groups.

The commission's 100 priorities and recommendations were grouped into strategic areas that covered mental health prevention and promotion, access to services, upholding the rights of people with mental illness and fostering their recovery, addressing the needs of specific populations such as seniors and First Nations and remote communities, and improving collaboration among governments and stakeholders.

In October, an Ontario report that was nationally representative suggested that the burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers.

5) Gabrielle Giffords and her recovery

Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords's story of recovery from a bullet wound to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in January 2011 illustrated the importance of a trajectory of the bullet and intensive music and speech therapy.

When Giffords resigned her congressional seat in January 2012, she said she wanted to concentrate on her recovery.

After months of surgeries and therapy, Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiance in September at the Democratic National Convention.

Connie Tomaino, a music therapist in New York who collaborates with Dr. Oliver Sacks on patients with stroke and Parkinson's disease, explains why Giffords was able to recite the pledge in an interview with CBC News.

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Hélène Campbell says she was 'at peace' during lung surgery

Hélène Campbell says even though her life was at risk during a double-lung transplant, she was at peace knowing her story was shared to help raise awareness about organ donation.

The Ottawa woman sat down with CBC News for a one-on-one interview looking back on a year that changed her life.

Campbell underwent a major double-lung transplant surgery in a Toronto hospital and survived, but she continues to adjust to her new set of lungs.

You can see the interview above.

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U.S. warns doctors on Canadian Botox

Federal regulators in the United States have warned more than 350 medical practices that Botox they may have received from a Canadian supplier is unapproved and could be counterfeit or unsafe.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter sent last month, a letter released publicly last week, that batches of the wrinkle treatment shipped by suppliers owned by pharmacy Canada Drugs have not been approved by the FDA and that the agency cannot assure their effectiveness or their safety.

The FDA said Canada Drugs was previously tied to shipping unapproved and counterfeit cancer drugs.

The agency warned doctors about buying drugs from sources other than licensed U.S. pharmacies. It is the fifth warning the agency has made this year about foreign suppliers providing unapproved drugs.

In February, the agency warned 19 medical practices that they had received a counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin. On three more occasions the FDA issued similar warnings about counterfeit Avastin and Altuzan, another brand name for the same drug. The alerts were also primarily targeted at drugs distributed by Canada Drugs.

A request for comment from the drug distributor was not immediately returned.

Drug shortages increased the financial incentives for some pharmacies to provide counterfeit or illegally imported drugs. The drugs subject to warnings have all been injectable treatments typically distributed through medical practices and not directly to patients.

In October, the FDA ordered operators of about 4,100 websites to immediately stop selling unapproved medications to U.S. consumers. The vast majority of those sites were operated by Canada Drugs. The site was still operating Friday.

Genuine Botox is made by Allergan Inc., based in Irvine, Calif. Avastin is made by Roche Holding AG's Genentech unit.

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Salmonella outbreak hits 30 in southwestern Alberta

Health officials in southwestern Alberta are dealing with an acute outbreak of salmonella.

Officials in Lethbridge say there are more than 30 cases, mostly in rural areas.

Many of the infections are secondary ones, meaning it is being spread by household contact.

Symptoms include nausea and vomiting and residents are warned that the most serious complication is dehydration.

Dirty cooking surfaces along with undercooked eggs and poultry are the common causes of salmonella.

Alberta health officials are working with Health Canada and First Nations and Inuit Health to stem the outbreak.

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5 heroes of health in 2012

Double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell of Ottawa used her own personal journey to overcome medical challenges to promote the importance of organ donations, making her one of the top five leaders in health in 2012.

1. Organ recipient raises donation awareness

Campbell, 21, used social media savvy to promote organ donation. Her efforts led to her appearance on the U.S. television program The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and gained the attention of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Twitter.

Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She had transplant surgery at Toronto General Hospital in April.

Ontario's Trillium Gift of Life credited Campbell for a spike in organ donation registrations.

2) Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' exercise push

A Toronto doctor's "magic pill" for health went viral in early 2012.

A video by Dr. Mike Evans used a simple and light-hearted approach to examine, "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Evans reviewed the medical literature and concluded the answer is getting at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, mostly walking.

He said completing at least a half-hour of exercise every day amounts to a magic pill for arthritis, depression, anxiety, obesity and overall quality of life.

3) NYC mayor's battle against large sodas

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign against large sodas and other sugary drinks acted on public health research on fighting obesity.

The ban, effective in March 2013, imposes a 16-ounce (473-millilitre) limit on the size of sweetened drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts.

Bloomberg's rationale is that concentrated sugar, in huge, regular doses, can be considered a threat to public health.

In December, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Canadian politicians should be inspired by Bloomberg's leadership to act.

4) Canadian group fights mental health stigma

The Mental Health Commission of Canada raised awareness of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses with its final report in May that coincided with similar efforts by hospitals and advocacy groups.

The commission's 100 priorities and recommendations were grouped into strategic areas that covered mental health prevention and promotion, access to services, upholding the rights of people with mental illness and fostering their recovery, addressing the needs of specific populations such as seniors and First Nations and remote communities, and improving collaboration among governments and stakeholders.

In October, an Ontario report that was nationally representative suggested that the burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers.

5) Gabrielle Giffords and her recovery

Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords's story of recovery from a bullet wound to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in January 2011 illustrated the importance of a trajectory of the bullet and intensive music and speech therapy.

When Giffords resigned her congressional seat in January 2012, she said she wanted to concentrate on her recovery.

After months of surgeries and therapy, Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiance in September at the Democratic National Convention.

Connie Tomaino, a music therapist in New York who collaborates with Dr. Oliver Sacks on patients with stroke and Parkinson's disease, explains why Giffords was able to recite the pledge in an interview with CBC News.

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Hélène Campbell says she was 'at peace' during lung surgery

Hélène Campbell says even though her life was at risk during a double-lung transplant, she was at peace knowing her story was shared to help raise awareness about organ donation.

The Ottawa woman sat down with CBC News for a one-on-one interview looking back on a year that changed her life.

Campbell underwent a major double-lung transplant surgery in a Toronto hospital and survived, but she continues to adjust to her new set of lungs.

You can see the interview above.

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U.S. warns doctors on Canadian Botox

Federal regulators in the United States have warned more than 350 medical practices that Botox they may have received from a Canadian supplier is unapproved and could be counterfeit or unsafe.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a letter sent last month, a letter released publicly last week, that batches of the wrinkle treatment shipped by suppliers owned by pharmacy Canada Drugs have not been approved by the FDA and that the agency cannot assure their effectiveness or their safety.

The FDA said Canada Drugs was previously tied to shipping unapproved and counterfeit cancer drugs.

The agency warned doctors about buying drugs from sources other than licensed U.S. pharmacies. It is the fifth warning the agency has made this year about foreign suppliers providing unapproved drugs.

In February, the agency warned 19 medical practices that they had received a counterfeit version of the cancer drug Avastin. On three more occasions the FDA issued similar warnings about counterfeit Avastin and Altuzan, another brand name for the same drug. The alerts were also primarily targeted at drugs distributed by Canada Drugs.

A request for comment from the drug distributor was not immediately returned.

Drug shortages increased the financial incentives for some pharmacies to provide counterfeit or illegally imported drugs. The drugs subject to warnings have all been injectable treatments typically distributed through medical practices and not directly to patients.

In October, the FDA ordered operators of about 4,100 websites to immediately stop selling unapproved medications to U.S. consumers. The vast majority of those sites were operated by Canada Drugs. The site was still operating Friday.

Genuine Botox is made by Allergan Inc., based in Irvine, Calif. Avastin is made by Roche Holding AG's Genentech unit.

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Salmonella outbreak hits 30 in southwestern Alberta

Health officials in southwestern Alberta are dealing with an acute outbreak of salmonella.

Officials in Lethbridge say there are more than 30 cases, mostly in rural areas.

Many of the infections are secondary ones, meaning it is being spread by household contact.

Symptoms include nausea and vomiting and residents are warned that the most serious complication is dehydration.

Dirty cooking surfaces along with undercooked eggs and poultry are the common causes of salmonella.

Alberta health officials are working with Health Canada and First Nations and Inuit Health to stem the outbreak.

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Health officials urge Ottawans to get flu shot

Ottawa Public Health is urging people to get the flu shot after the influenza virus hit the capital early this year.

Rosamund Lewis, associate medical officer with the public health agency, said there are 40 confirmed cases, including five outbreaks at long-term care facilities, schools and daycares in Ottawa.

"We often don't have it peak until February or March and sometimes we don't even have cases until the new year," Lewis said. "But now we're seeing quite a few cases already."

The earlier the virus takes hold in a community, said Lewis, the more time it has to spread. Another reason to get a flu shot is that this year's vaccine is a good match to combat the current strain making the rounds which, according to Lewis, is somewhat more severe.

"Some are just a little more virulent than others. Some cause a little bit more fever and respiratory and flu-like symptoms," Lewis said. "But the main concern is transmitting it to those who are not protected or who are more vulnerable for whatever reason."

Dr. Earl Brown, a virologist at the University of Ottawa, said modern travel habits combined with family gatherings and parties during Christmas increases opportunities for the virus to spread.

"Canada seems to be following on the heels of the United States, whose flu season came even earlier," said Brown. "And now we're sort of in full swing here, which is earlier by normal years."

Flu outbreaks in any one locale generally last six weeks, Brown said, but "if Toronto started faster than the rest of us, we're going to share it out."

In addition to getting the flu shot, hand hygiene should be maintained as well as avoiding close contact with those who are showing symptoms of infection.

"Generally a metre to two metres is the closeness, so if you're within that zone, you're in the danger zone," cautioned Brown. "And if you start touching people … then you're going to get infected."

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Autism device hidden in designer vest

A Vancouver entrepreneur's start-up company is hoping to put "the squeeze" on autism.

Lisa Fraser, a recent graduate from Vancouver's Emily Carr University, has designed a special medical vest that helps children cope with the disorder and made the device — the SnugVest — look just like a sleeveless jacket with a hoodie.

An air bladder inside inside the vest puts pressure on the torso with the use of a hand-pump. Studies have shown the squeezing effect it produces has a calming effect on autism sufferers.

Fraser says the idea came to her when she worked with kids with autism who wore vests with shoulder weights.

"Children with autism ... don't like being necessarily touched," Fraser says, "But they crave the sensation of pressure on their body to feel calm and to allow them to complete their daily tasks efficiently."

Fraser is now taking pre-orders for the $300 vests on her web site and hopes to launch the product fully next spring.

Forbes magazine has listed the device on its Entrepreneur's Gift Guide.

Fraser plans eventually to make the vest for high-stress people also needing a hug.

With files from the CBC's Chad Pawson

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5 heroes of health in 2012

Double-lung transplant recipient Hélène Campbell of Ottawa used her own personal journey to overcome medical challenges to promote the importance of organ donations, making her one of the top five leaders in health in 2012.

1. Organ recipient raises donation awareness

Campbell, 21, used social media savvy to promote organ donation. Her efforts led to her appearance on the U.S. television program The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and gained the attention of Canadian popstar Justin Bieber on Twitter.

Campbell was diagnosed a year ago with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, an incurable and degenerative lung disease. She had transplant surgery at Toronto General Hospital in April.

Ontario's Trillium Gift of Life credited Campbell for a spike in organ donation registrations.

2) Toronto doctor's 'magic pill' exercise push

A Toronto doctor's "magic pill" for health went viral in early 2012.

A video by Dr. Mike Evans used a simple and light-hearted approach to examine, "What is the single best thing we can do for our health?"

Evans reviewed the medical literature and concluded the answer is getting at least 30 minutes daily of exercise, mostly walking.

He said completing at least a half-hour of exercise every day amounts to a magic pill for arthritis, depression, anxiety, obesity and overall quality of life.

3) NYC mayor's battle against large sodas

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg's campaign against large sodas and other sugary drinks acted on public health research on fighting obesity.

The ban, effective in March 2013, imposes a 16-ounce (473-millilitre) limit on the size of sweetened drinks sold at restaurants, movie theaters, sports venues and street carts.

Bloomberg's rationale is that concentrated sugar, in huge, regular doses, can be considered a threat to public health.

In December, an editorial in the Canadian Medical Association Journal said Canadian politicians should be inspired by Bloomberg's leadership to act.

4) Canadian group fights mental health stigma

The Mental Health Commission of Canada raised awareness of the stigma surrounding mental illnesses with its final report in May that coincided with similar efforts by hospitals and advocacy groups.

The commission's 100 priorities and recommendations were grouped into strategic areas that covered mental health prevention and promotion, access to services, upholding the rights of people with mental illness and fostering their recovery, addressing the needs of specific populations such as seniors and First Nations and remote communities, and improving collaboration among governments and stakeholders.

In October, an Ontario report that was nationally representative suggested that the burden of mental illness and addictions is more than 1.5 times that of all cancers.

5) Gabrielle Giffords and her recovery

Former Arizona representative Gabrielle Giffords's story of recovery from a bullet wound to the head during a mass shooting near Tucson in January 2011 illustrated the importance of a trajectory of the bullet and intensive music and speech therapy.

When Giffords resigned her congressional seat in January 2012, she said she wanted to concentrate on her recovery.

After months of surgeries and therapy, Giffords led the Pledge of Allegiance in September at the Democratic National Convention.

Connie Tomaino, a music therapist in New York who collaborates with Dr. Oliver Sacks on patients with stroke and Parkinson's disease, explains why Giffords was able to recite the pledge in an interview with CBC News.

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Nova Scotia apologizes to breastfeeding working mom

The Department of Agriculture has apologized for the way it handled complaints about a restaurant owner breastfeeding while at work, CBC news has learned.

"Babies in restaurants in and of themselves don't represent a food safety risk," read the statement.

Hannah Gibson, who owns Rocco's Ristorante Italiano in Dartmouth, told CBC News customers complained about her breastfeeding, which sparked a food safety investigation.

Last week the restaurant received its second official letter of complaint in six months from Nova Scotia's food safety inspectors. Gibson said she was then visited by inspectors and warned about publicly breastfeeding in her restaurant.

"Our minister has been in contact with Ms. Gibson and regretted any misunderstanding with regard to the province's support for breastfeeding," said the department.

The provincial Department of Health supports several breastfeeding campaigns, including a promotional video called Make Breastfeeding your Business.

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Family meals boost children's fruit and vegetable intake

Children eat more fruits and vegetables when families sit down to dine together, British researchers have found.

Health authorities such as the World Health Organization recommend the eating of five 80-gram portions of fruits and vegetables a day to promote health and prevent disease.

Children from families who said they always ate a meal together at a table consumed 125 grams more fruits and vegetables than those who never ate a meal together. (Eric Parsons/Associated Press)

England's Health Department has a $128-million campaign to promote eating five portions a day, but the program does not directly address behaviour at family meal time.

When researchers looked at the diets of 2,383 elementary school children in London, they found children whose families said they "always" ate a family meal together at a table consumed 125 grams more fruits and vegetables than those who never ate a meal together.

"Eating a family meal together regularly could increase children's fruit and vegetable intake and help them achieve the recommended intake," Meaghan Christian of the school of food science and nutrition at University of Leeds and her co-authors conclude in Thursday's issue of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Children from families who reported "sometimes" eating a family together had on average 95 grams of fruits and vegetables more than those children who never dined as a family.

Daily consumption of fruits and vegetables by parents was also associated with higher consumption by the children, the team found.

Kids watch what parents eat

"Children need to see adults eating fruit and vegetables to help demonstrate positive behaviour," the researchers noted.

"Another important, but simple to implement, public health message is that cutting up fruit and vegetables facilitates children's intake," the study's authors suggested.

Children whose parents always cut up fruits and vegetables also consumed half a portion more on average. Children whose parents sometimes chopped up produce consumed about 21 more grams than those in the never group.

Previous research done mainly in the U.S. also pointed to the importance of the family meal for preschoolers and primary school children.

The researchers acknowledged limitations of the study, such as how parents might be inclined to give "socially desirable responses," which could lead to overestimates of the association.

The one-day tick list of foods used age and gender specific portion sizes, but may not reflect intake of nutrients in the longer term, they said.

About 36 per cent of parents did not fully complete the questionnaire, although they didn't find any differences when the findings were analyzed with and without those participants.

The study was funded by the U.K.'s National Institute for Health Research.

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Flu on the rise in Canada

Flu is increasing in Canada with two regions in Ontario reporting widespread activity and seven provinces showing localized outbreaks, health officials say.

"Weekly reports from the health care frontlines show high numbers of patients with influenza-like symptoms visiting doctors' offices and emergency rooms, and higher numbers than usual of lab-confirmed influenza cases, especially in southwestern and eastern Ontario," Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care said in a release Thursday.

The flu shot offers about 60 per cent protection each year, research suggests. (Pawel Dwulit/Canadian Press)

The influenza virus is also spreading in Newfoundland and Labrador, Dr. Faith Stratton, the province's chief medical officer of health said noting this year's vaccine protects against two strains of the virus.

Last week, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said there was localized flu activity in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec, P.E.I., Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador during the first week of December.

"Influenza activity in Canada continued to increase," the agency said in its weekly report.

The prescription rate for antiviral medications also continued to increase, the federal agency said.

Dr. Michael Gardam, director of the infection prevention and control unit at the University Health Network in Toronto, suggested three proven ways to avoid getting sick with flu, colds and other respiratory illnesses:

"The flu shot definitely works," said Dr. Michael Gardam, director of the infection prevention and control unit at the University Health Network in Toronto.

"Overall, roughly 60 per cent protection each year, so it's certainly better than doing nothing and there's really no downside."

Handwashing also has support in the medical literature, he said.

"Studies have shown that if you wash your hands at least five times a day you will significantly reduce your risk," of getting respiratory viruses.

Whether hand washing protects against flu viruses in particular isn't known, Gardam said.

Many studies also suggest that respiratory viruses infect us by entering through the eyes, nose and mouth.

People catch colds from being coughed on or from surfaces, such as touching a contaminated handle and then rubbing your nose.

It's less clear how flu viruses spread person to person, he said.

Ontario's health ministry suggested sneezing and coughing into your sleeve and staying home when you're sick as other ways to prevent spread of flu.

The strains of flu viruses that are circulating varies in North America this year. In Canada, the influenza A(H3N2) strain predominates, while in the U.S., a mix of A(H3N2) and influenza B have been detected and in Mexico influenza B is predominant, PHAC said.

With files from CBC's Kim Brunhuber

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Fake cancer canvasser cheats Red Deer residents out of $10,000

A fraudulent canvasser collected $10,000 while going door-to-door on behalf of a cancer victims in Red Deer, Alta., say RCMP.

Police were called by a suspicious resident Thursday after getting the man's name and checking it with the Canadian Cancer Society.

The Alberta/NWT Division of the Canadian Cancer Society told the resident it ended its annual door-to-door canvass in 2008.

The resident called police who responded immediately, arresting the man in the area and charging him with numerous fraud charges.

Police believe nearly 600 people in the Red Deer area were cheated with the amount of pledges obtained in excess of $10,000.

Police are trying to contact the victims through information obtained from the pledge sheets recovered from the suspect.

Potential victims are asked to call the RCMP at (403) 343-5575.

Red Deer police are also warning the public about a group of people canvassing door to door claiming to be raising money for the victims of the Newtown, Connecticut, shooting.

Police urge donors to protect themselves by:

• Never providing personal information such as your bank account information, social insurance number, date of birth, credit card numbers or PIN at the door or over the telephone, unless it's something you've initiated
• Dealing only with reputable charities — do some background research to make sure they are who they say they are
• Not allowing yourself to be pressured into immediately making a donation
• Always requesting a tax receipt.

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