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!

Parents want their children to grow up healthy, happy and ready to succeed in life. But, childhood obesity is undermining children’s health. According to Statistics Canada, almost one third of Canadians aged five to 17 are overweight or obese. 
 
Many of the physical problems associated with being overweight or obese as a child – such as heart disease, diabetes, or arthritis - may not appear until adulthood, but the social and emotional problems start early. Some overweight kids are bullied at school. They often have low self esteem and suffer socially resulting in a higher likelihood that they will experience depression.
 
TIPS FOR PACKING A HEALTHY LUNCH BOX
Get your kids to help you so that healthy lunches are a family affair.

• Get out the cookie cutters – not for cookies, but for sandwiches. Kids love food in shapes. 
• Serve sliced meat rolled up into tubes and offer the bread separate. Tuna salad can be offered with crackers.
• Use leftovers. If your child liked last night’s beef stew, serve it up for lunch in a thermos after heating it up in the morning.
• Breakfast for lunch? Pancakes or a sliced boiled egg can be a hit too (remember to put in an ice pack though).
• Fruits and veggies are always a part of a nutritious lunch. To make them more fun, include a dip.

 
TIPS FOR BEING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE
On average only 4% of Canadian children take part in enough physical activity.  Children need physical activity to build strength, coordination and confidence. All of these characteristics lay the groundwork for leading a healthy lifestyle in the future.

• Children should participate in at least 60 minutes of physical activity per day.
• Limit the amount of screen time your children have. In fact, if they are younger than 2 years of age, the Canadian Paediatric Society does not recommend any screen time at all.  If they’re between two and five years of age, the recommendation is one hour per day – that’s right, just one hour!
• Be aware of the opportunities your community offers to help your family stay healthy.

 
Physical activity is more than just organized sports. It can include everyday activities like walking the dog, planting a garden, playing tag, building a snowman or tobogganing, and even household chores like sweeping or shoveling the driveway.  Be your child’s role model and set a positive example by being physically active as a family.
 
 
The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team ...
committed to keeping you as healthy as possible!

Muscle strength is important for bone health, balance and just being strong enough for daily activities, such as climbing stairs or carrying groceries.
 
Regular muscle strengthening has also been shown to help manage blood pressure, blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels, as well as prevent and control heart disease and type 2 diabetes. 
 
Did you know that every decade from the age of 30 we lose 3 to 5% of the muscle mass we naturally have, which causes us to lose muscle function?  The good news is that it’s never too late to get started, even if you’ve never picked up a weight in your life.
 
One of the most talked about reasons for strength training in women is the prevention of osteoporosis.  For most women, bone loss increases after menopause when estrogen levels drop sharply.  In fact, in the 5 to 7 years after menopause, women lose up to 20% or more of their bone density. 
 
Machines are a great option for working on strength because they control the movements, especially if you haven’t trained before – you can work hard with good control. The following machine exercises are ideal for strength training in older adults because they strengthen the biggest muscle groups:

• Seated rows
• Lat pull-down
• Shoulder press
• Leg press
• Assisted chin-up

Aim for two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.
 
While having big muscles might be what some of us are looking for, it’s the strength that really matters when it comes to functioning well into our older years.  Strength training enables us to maintain a level of strength so we can continue to do the things we love.
 
If you haven’t already done so, stop by the fitness centre in Temagami to check out the new universal weight machine.  Membership is available at a cost of $20 per month for adults, $15 for students and $12 for seniors.  The fitness centre is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
 
Preventative Health Care…
the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. It can be caused by viruses and can lead to serious health consequences.  There are a number of different forms of the virus, but the most common types of viral hepatitis in Canada are hepatitis A, B and C all of which are contagious.
 
How Do You Get Hepatitis?
The Hepatitis A Virus (HAV) is spread through contact with the feces (poop) of an infected person either directly (person to person, including sexual activity) or indirectly through food or water that’s been contaminated with the virus. Spread through infected blood or blood products has also been reported. There is no medication available to treat Hepatitis A but most people recover on their own. 
 
The Hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) viruses are spread through contact with contaminated blood, but Hepatitis B is also sexually transmitted. Both viruses can lead to serious liver damage, liver cancer and the need for liver transplantation. In Canada, about 600,000 people are living with Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C. 
 
What are the Symptoms?
Not everyone who becomes infected shows symptoms. Regardless of the type of hepatitis virus infection, the symptoms are similar:

• Fever
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
• Fatigue (feeling tired)
• Loss of appetite (not feeling hungry)
• Stomach pain
• Dark urine
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Joint pain

 
What Can You Do To Reduce Your Risk of Infection?

• Wash your hands properly before and after preparing and eating food;
• Practise safe sex (such as using a condom);
• Do not share personal materials that may come into contact with blood (such as needles, razors, toothbrushes, nail clippers, etc.)

 
Changing behaviours that increase risk is key to protecting yourself from infection and to preventing the spread of infection to others. 
 
Know Your Status – Get Tested
Preventative Health Care – the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!

Breast milk is the best food to help your baby to grow and develop. It is custom-made by each mother for her own baby, and contains the perfect amount of protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins and minerals. Remarkably, as your baby grows, your milk will also change to keep up with your baby’s needs. Human milk is also easier than formula for your baby to digest, which means less mess and fuss!
 
Breast milk contains valuable antibodies that help prevent disease and may reduce the risk of your baby developing allergies. After birth, your first milk, called Colostrum, offers vital early protection and helps to prevent the growth of harmful bacteria by coating your baby’s digestive system. This early protection is even more important if your baby is born prematurely.
 
Benefits to Mom
Research suggests that breastfeeding provides a measure of protection against breast cancer, ovarian cancer and weak bones later in life.
Your body uses calories to produce milk, so breastfeeding can help you to gradually lose weight gained during pregnancy. Exclusive breastfeeding may also delay the return of menstruation for at least a little while.
Breast milk is always safe, fresh and exactly the right temperature. It’s ready for baby at a moment’s notice, and you don’t have to heat it, boil water, or sterilize bottles. This makes night time feedings a lot easier.
Since breast milk is always with you, travelling and shopping with your baby is simpler, with no equipment to carry or refrigeration needed.
Breastfeeding Support
Breastfeeding is natural, but it may take up to six weeks or longer to establish, so don’t give up!  Advice and support are available from your midwife/primary care provider and/or public health unit.  They have experience with the challenges you may be facing and will understand how you feel. 
Everyone can offer encouragement so mothers feel supported to breastfeed anytime, anywhere.  The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team welcomes and encourages breastfeeding on our premises.  We have a designated breastfeeding area with a special comfy chair available for breastfeeding mothers (provided by the Timiskaming Health Unit).  Please feel free to enquire at the front desk.


The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team…
committed to keeping you as healthy as possible!

Picnic and BBQ season bring lots of opportunities for outdoor fun with family and friends, but with the warm weather also comes opportunities for foodborne bacteria to thrive.  As food heats up in the summer temperatures, bacteria can quickly multiply.
 
Pack and Transport Food Safely

• Keep cold food cold – place it in a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs.
• Organize cooler contents. Pack drinks separately, that way as you open and reopen the drink cooler, the perishable foods won’t be exposed to warm temperatures.
• Keep coolers closed.  Limit the number of times the cooler is opened.  This helps to keep the contents cold longer.
• Don’t cross contaminate.  Be sure to keep raw meat, poultry, and seafood securely wrapped.  This keeps their juices from contaminating prepared/cooked foods or foods that will be eaten raw, such as fruits and vegetables.
• Clean produce.  Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under running tap water before packing them in the cooler.  Dry them with a clean cloth towel or paper towel.

 
Safe Grilling Tips

• Marinate safely in the refrigerator – never on the kitchen counter or outdoors.  Don’t reuse marinade.
• Cook food thoroughly.  Have your food thermometer ready.  Always use it to be sure your food is cooked thoroughly.
• Don’t reuse platters or utensils. Using the same platter or utensils that you previously used for raw meat, poultry or seafood allows bacteria to spread to the cooked food.  Instead, have a clean platter and utensils ready to serve your food.
• Check for foreign objects in food.  If you clean your grill with a bristle brush, check to make sure that no detached bristles have made their way into your food.

 
Outdoor Hand Cleaning
If you don’t have access to running water, use a water jug, some soap, and paper towels or consider using moist disposable towelettes for cleaning your hands.
 
Protect yourself and your family and practice safe food handling!
 
 
The Temagami Medical Centre and Family Health Team ...
committed to keeping you as healthy as possible!

Most people are fairly healthy, but as we age, we are faced with challenges, choices and risks specifically in relation to food, alcohol, tobacco and inactive lifestyles.  Unfortunately, the common result of these choices is obesity, physical inactivity, tobacco use, alcohol abuse and unhealthy diets.  All of these things contribute to today’s epidemic of heart attacks and strokes, cancers, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease and other diseases.
 
The good news is that it’s possible to reduce your risk by adjusting your lifestyle and taking better care of yourself.
 
Self-Care includes:

• Knowledge & Health Literacy – the ability to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to make the right decisions about your health.
• Mental wellbeing, self-awareness and prevention – being more aware of the present moment, including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you (also known as mindfulness), can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges; In terms of prevention, know your body mass index (BMI), cholesterol level, blood pressure and participate in health screening.
• Physical Activity – The World Health Organization defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure – including activities you do while working, playing, carrying out household chores, travelling, and engaging in recreational pursuits. Adults aged 18-64 should try to do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity throughout the week.
• Risk avoidance – quitting tobacco, limiting alcohol use, getting immunized, practicing safe sex and using sunscreen.
• Good Hygiene – hand washing, brushing your teeth and washing your food, e.g. fruits and vegetables
• Rational and responsible use of products and services (diagnostic testing and medication) –  being aware of dangers and using as prescribed.

Is self-care hard to do?  Absolutely – some elements definitely are, such as quitting smoking.  Small steps in a positive direction are the best way to achieve long-lasting results.

If you are a patient of the Temagami Family Health Team and would like to see our dietitian, our mental health worker, our respiratory therapist or one of our primary care providers, please feel free to call the office at (705) 569-3244 to schedule an appointment. 
 
Preventative Health Care – the Easiest Way to Protect Your Future!