Many people feel a little sad when summer comes to an end and a long season of cold weather is approaching.  Seasonal depression or seasonal affective disorder (otherwise known as SAD) is a type of depression that happens at certain times of the year, usually in the fall and winter.  The symptoms are pretty much the same other types of depression including less energy, irritability and loss of interest in things that once made you happy. 
 
If you’re feeling any of these symptoms already or they sound familiar from last year, there are a few things you can do to prevent SAD from getting worse and make yourself feel better.
 
Get Plenty of Exercise
Exercise not only helps to improve your physical health and reduce your risks for a number of chronic diseases, but it’s been shown to be a great mood booster. 


Try Light Therapy
This has been tested as an effective treatment for SAD because it tricks the body into thinking the days are longer and brighter than they really are.  It involves sitting under a special bright light for a certain amount of time each day.  You could ask your health care provider about this or just try to get as much sunlight as you can outdoors every day and keep your curtains and blinds open to let the light in.
 
Socialize Often
If you tend to make excuses for not going out in the fall and winter, you need to get yourself out of that habit. Keeping to yourself will only make you feel lonely and that’s what you’re trying to avoid so pick up the phone and call a friend or family member – make plans to go out for lunch and/or for a nice walk.
 
If you think you might suffer from seasonal depression and might be interested in light therapy, the Temagami FHT has a SAD light that is available free of charge for our rostered patients to use.  Just call the office to schedule a time. We also have a 24/7 fitness centre available at very low membership rates, i.e. $20 per month for an adult, $12 for a senior or $15 for students. 
 
The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team
is committed to keeping you as healthy as possible!

Did you know?

• Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men;
• One in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime;
• Over 90% of prostate cancer cases are curable if detected and treated in their earliest stages

 
Signs and Symptoms of Prostate Cancer

• Difficulty urinating
• Urgent need to urinate
• Frequent urination, especially at night
• Burning or pain when urinating
• Inability to urinate or difficulty starting or stopping urine flow
• Painful ejaculation
• Blood in the urine or semen

Risk Factors
While any man can develop prostate cancer, you may be at a high risk if you are…

• Over 50: Age is the strongest risk factor for prostate cancer. Your risk increases starting at age 50, and most cases are diagnosed in men over age 65. Depending on your risk, your health care provider may recommend that you think about testing at an earlier age – as young as 40.
• Have a family history of prostate cancer: Your risk is higher if a first-degree relative (father or brother) has had prostate cancer. Your risk increases with each additional first-degree relative who has the disease.
• African or Caribbean: Prostate cancer is more common among men in these ethnic groups. (Men of Asian descent have lower risk.)

Don’t Ignore Symptoms
The sooner symptoms are reported to your health care provider, the sooner testing to help diagnose and treat the problem can begin.  Symptoms may be caused by prostate cancer or by another health problem.
Symptoms are not always present especially in the early stages of prostate cancer.  If detected and treated in its earliest stages, the chances of survival are greatly increased.  Early detection is key! 
 
Preventative Health Care – the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!

What is FASD?
FASD is a brain injury that can occur when an unborn baby is exposed to alcohol.  It’s a lifelong disorder with effects that include physical, mental, behavioural and learning disabilities that can vary from mild to severe.  FASD is the leading known cause of preventable developmental disability in Canada. 
Signs and Symptoms
Every unborn baby will be affected by alcohol differently. FASD is often called an invisible disorder because the majority of people with it have no obvious signs of disability. Their learning and behavioural challenges are often mistaken for other problems.
Some babies are born with facial features that are characteristic of FASD. These features are only evident when a fetus is affected by alcohol at a specific stage in pregnancy. Only a small number of people with FASD will have these features. The features include:

• thin upper lip
• little or no groove or ridge between the nose and upper lip
• small eyes or shorter distance between one corner of the eye to the other

For all people with FASD, there will be different degrees of brain damage. These may include problems with:

• learning
• memory
• attention
• language
• social skills
• motor skills
• controlling behaviour
  
• reasoning and judgement
• academics like math and reading
  

In everyday life, problems with behaviours may look like:

• being impulsive
• acting out from frustration
• not understanding consequences
• being unfocused and easily distracted
• difficulties with keeping up with classroom learning
• forgetting how to do something they’ve done before
• a hard time with handling money or learning how to tell time

An early diagnosis followed by the proper interventions and support help to minimize the disabilities associated with FASD.
If you are a patient of the Temagami Family Health Team and are concerned about the possibility of FASD, please call the office at (705) 569-3244 to schedule an appointment with your primary care provider.
 
The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team ...
committed to your health and well-being!

Thousands of women are living with ovarian cancer in Canada. It’s estimated that this year 2,800 Canadian women will be newly diagnosed. Ovarian cancer is the 5th most common cancer for women.
 
Rick Factors

• Age:  your risk increases as you get older, ovarian cancer is more common in women aged 50-79.
• Ethnicity – Jewish women of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) background have a higher risk. French Canadians of certain ancestry may be at increased risk. 
• Family history – your risk is higher if your family has a history of ovarian, breast, endometrial or colorectal cancer.
• Gynecological surgery – your risk is lower if you have had your fallopian tubes and/or ovaries removed.
• Reproductive history – your risk is higher if you have not delivered a child or have had difficulty getting pregnant.
• Oral contraceptives/hormone replacement – your risk is lower if you have used oral contraceptives. Your risk may be higher if you have taken hormone replacement.
• Other factors – your risk may be higher if you have a history of a condition called endometriosis.

 
If you have a family history, it is important that you let your health care provider know.  Ask for a referral to a genetic counsellor.  This is an important step to help you understand the risks and benefits of genetic testing.


Signs and Symptoms
Symptoms associated with ovarian cancer are often vague and can be mistaken for other things.
Common symptoms include: 
1.     Bloating - increased abdominal size/persistent bloating
2.     Eating - difficulty eating or feeling full quickly
3.     Pain - in pelvic or abdominal areas
4.     Urinary symptoms - urgency or frequency
Occasionally there can be other symptoms such as changes in bowel habits, extreme fatigue or unexplained weight loss. Just because you have the symptoms does not mean you have ovarian cancer.

However, if the symptoms are:

• New – they are not normal for you and may have started in the last year
• Persistent – they have been present for more than 3 weeks
• Frequent – you notice the symptoms happen frequently

…then it is important that you see your health care provider. If you are aware of symptoms and communicate these to your health care provider, it may help you to get diagnosed and treated earlier.
 
 
Early detection is key.
Preventative Health Care – the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!