So here we are in a New Year. The hustle and bustle of the holidays are behind us – the decorating, shopping, gift-giving and entertaining are all done. We hear all around us that it is time for new beginnings. Gym memberships beckon and headlines encourage us to eat well and spend less. I should feel energized, optimistic, and excited, right? So why do I feel, well, flat?
I remember how exciting it was for my husband and me when we had our first newborn! However, I also recall feeling overwhelmed by the exhaustion, breastfeeding challenges, caring for the baby and household chores! Breastfeeding and bonding with my baby were so important to me – but how could I do it all??
ENTER: my mom!
Vaping is gaining popularity with youth. My teens claim everyone’s doing it and the statistics are showing a rise in use. In 2017, more Ontario students in grades 7-12 had used e-cigarettes compared to tobacco cigarettes. About one-in-ten students (around 80,800 in Ontario), report using more than just a few puffs of vape, with or without nicotine, in the past year.
Vapes also known as e-cigarettes , vape pens, mods and tank systems are battery operated devices that change a liquid into an aerosol that is inhaled.
An important question to ask ourselves is “should we be worried about vaping?”
At work, in our kitchen, is a poster with words of inspiration – apparently. I however, have tried to purposefully avoid reading it, until the other day when I sat down for a meeting and it was right in front of me.
I am not sure what to think about this wall art. Honestly, I find these messages unrealistic. I also think they create pressure for us to be perfect. Continue reading
I am a rule follower. Ask anyone who knows me. Rules bring order to life. When everyone follows the rules then things run more smoothly. Simple, right?
This is probably why my attempts to drop my children off in the designated school drop off zone result in feelings of anger, frustration and sky-rocketing blood pressure all before my day has really begun. The rules are not being followed. Continue reading
Over the last few decades, devices have become such a large part of our lives and one thing we can be sure of – they’re not going away. 64% of Ontario youth “spend three hours or more per day of screen time in their free time”.
There’s a lot of talk in the media about screen-time changing our children’s brains and affecting their health. So is there really any basis to screen-time being harmful? I decided to investigate the science behind what happens in our kids’ brains and bodies when they try to meet the high demands of their devices. Continue reading
Think about how much you and your kids are active in relation to how much you sit. Humans were not made to sit, they were made to move. Muscles need to be worked, blood needs to be circulated, lungs challenged and bones to bear weight.
Being active is the single best prescription a doctor could give. It guards against chronic disease, elevates mood and keeps the body operating like a finely tuned machine. Continue reading
Andrea Scott RN
Carolyn Wilkie, RN
Cynthia Lindsay RN
Halton Guest Blogger
HaltonRegion
Dr. Hamidah Meghani
Karen Hay, RN
Tamara Kraszewski, RN
Maureen Harris, RN
Nicole O'Donnell, RN
Sarah Flynn RN