A Healthier You | August 2014

A Healthier You August 2014

Find Your Fun in

Northern BC page 10

The Great Local Food Fest page 6

HEALTHY KIDS

HAPPY KIDS page 22

Presented by Northern Health and Glacier Media

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contents AUGUST2014

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The Great Local Food Fest

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CEO Welcome Aama Goot Women’s Wellness Program Find Your Fun in Northern B.C. Foundation Updates Capital Update IMAGINE Grants Mental Wellness for All Staff Profile: Mandy Levesque Active for What?

Healthy Kids, Happy Kids How Can We Help?

Communities Making Men’s Health a Priority A Palliative Approach to Care for the Bulkley Valley 2014 Healthier You Expo Distracted Driving – What’s the Risk?

Water Fluoridation and You

Proud supporter of Northern Health

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| A Healthier You

CEO Welcome

Welcome!

Did you know that Northern Health serves a region approximately the size of France with more than 25 municipalities? The geographic area we serve is only one way to understand the diversity of our population. In each community in northern B.C., excellent work is being done to support the health and wellness of northerners. Many of these initiatives are started at the grassroots level. While supported by Northern Health, they are also made possible by the support of other partners and the ingenuity of northerners to roll up their sleeves and work on issues that matter to them. It is the efforts of these people that motivate our eleventh edition of A Healthier You. Stories included in this edition highlight some of the great work that is happening all over our region to support health and wellness where people live, work, learn and play. From promoting mental wellness on Haida Gwaii, to IMAGINE grants supporting healthy eating and physical activity in each health service delivery area, to keeping our children healthy and safe across the region, this issue brings into focus the many initiatives that support health in communities for today and future generations to come.

I hope you enjoy this edition of A Healthier You!

Cathy Ulrich | President and chief executive officer Cathy has held her position of president and CEO of Northern Health since 2007.

From 2002 to 2007, she was the organization’s vice president, clinical services and chief nursing officer. Before the formation of Northern Health, Ulrich worked in a variety of nursing and management positions in northern B.C., Manitoba, and Alberta. Most of her career has been in rural and northern communities, giving her a solid understanding of their unique health needs.

A Healthier You is published by A product of

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Event Calendar

Summer/Fall 2014:

Your Daily Dose of Health and Wellness August • See the Northern B.C. Tourism story on page 10 to learn about festivals and events happening near you!

September • Sept 9: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Awareness Day • Sept 10: World Suicide Prevention Day • Sept 14: Terry Fox Run • Sept 29: World Heart Day

October • • • •

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Healthy Workplace Month International Walk to School Month Influenza Immunization Awareness Month • Oct 5-11: Fire Prevention Week • Oct 10: World Mental Health Day

For more information, visit Health Canada’s Calendar of Health Promotion Days online at: www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/calend/ index-eng.php

All across Canada, specific dates are set aside to bring awareness to various aspects of your health.

Here are some dates you might be interested in! Stay tuned to blog.northernhealth.ca and our Facebook page (facebook.com/ northernhealth) to learn more about these important events as they get close.

Do you have a community event coming up that promotes health? Tell us about it!

Email hello@northernhealth.ca

Join the #healthynorth conversation!

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Healthy Eating

THE GREAT

Local Food Fest

By Sherry Ogasawara, population health dietitian, Northern Health

When you say “summer,” what comes to mind? Maybe things like: celebrations, the great outdoors, and enjoying everything the season has to offer. Personally, one of the very best features of summer and early fall is the availability of fresh produce.

Nothing beats the feeling of the northern summer sun beaming down on you as you savour the flavours from sweet vine-ripened red tomatoes or crunchy peas in a pod picked fresh that day. If you don’t or can’t grow your own, one of the best ways to connect with local foods is through your local farmers’ market. The concept of fresh-from-the-farm offerings has taken root and can be found in most communities across the north. To find a farmer’s market near you visit www.bcfarmersmarket.org

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Local farmers’ markets feature a bounty of diverse food choices to fill an entire family’s shopping basket. Getting peak flavor, peak nutrients and peak freshness with local food choices represents only part of the reason why buying local is becoming a delicious trend. Did you know that the average food product purchased in northern B.C. (not from a farmers’ market) travels over 5,500 kilometres? Among other benefits, buying locally reduces food miles and the overall health of our planet.

Other environmental and economic advantages to buying local: • there is little to no packaging, • food is grown in ways that are kind to the earth, and • you support a farmer to earn a living wage.

While there is a seasonal aspect to the bounty and harvest of summer and fall, you can enjoy the abundance and flavours all year long. Food preservation is becoming increasingly popular as people develop interest in storing food at the peak of ripeness (when nutrient levels are at their highest). Food preservation includes techniques such as freezing, drying and canning.

In the fall, when it’s sad to see summer behind us, the good news is that - with a little extra effort - we can preserve the flavours of the season for months to come.

For more information about safe food preservation, visit www.healthlinkbc.ca.

By selling directly to consumers, farmers get fair market value for their goods, which in turn fuels local economies.

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Aboriginal Health

Aama Goot Women’s Wellness Program

By Victoria Carter, Aboriginal health engagement and integration lead, Northern Health

(Prince Rupert, B.C.)

Northern Health’s Aboriginal Health Initiative Program (AHIP) is a granting program that began in 2002. Through these short-term grants, we support First Nations and Aboriginal communities and organizations in their work of improving the health of First Nations and Aboriginal people.

The Aama Goot Women’s Wellness Program, run by Carol Azak out of the Friendship House in Prince Rupert, is one such project that has been supported by an AHIP grant. Thirty-four women meet weekly and work on the design of a mural using house crests, buttons, and colours to tell a story about their family structure. Some of the women also help with the Power Puff girls’ group, where 32 girls aged seven- to 12-years-old meet weekly to design their own family mural and do other crafts.

Participants also help prepare healthy snacks, build friendships, and support each other, developing these activities and skills to use at home with their families and friends too. In addition to weekly events, 12 women just graduated from an anger management program which was delivered in partnership with the Friendship House alcohol and drug counsellor and the Northern Health’s mental health program. Through the Aama Goot program, Carol also makes referrals to other community resources and assists family members as needed with filling out forms and writing letters.

For more information about AHIP grants, please visit www.northernhealth.ca/YourHealth/ AboriginalHealth/WhatWeDo/AboriginalHealthI nitiativeProgram(AHIP).aspx

Northern Health Tip: Developing a healthy approach to food and moving your body early in life can last a lifetime.

• • • •

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Learn to eat naturally and well Accept our bodies Develop active lifestyles Prevent overweight or obesity

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Northern B.C. Tourism

FIND YOUR FUN

in Northern B.C.

By Susan Clarke, Northern B.C. Tourism

Even though summer is winding down and the start of school is just around the corner, there is still time to get out to a variety of northern B.C. events! Depending on your family’s preference, you can take in music, arts, rodeo, and agricultural events - even drag racing! Here are a few suggestions of upcoming events to inspire you: Wells – ArtsWells (August 1-4, 2014) Over 100 musical performances on 12 stages. There are even workshops, films, and kids’ activities. www.artswells.com Terrace – Riverboat Days (August 1-10, 2014) Celebrate the culture and heritage of the area with a huge parade, concerts, sports competitions, drag racing, food, and fun. www.riverboatdays.ca Dawson Creek – Dawson Creek Exhibition & Stampede (August 6-10, 2014) The 92nd annual event is one of the largest agricultural fairs in British Columbia. Look for rodeo events, 4-H displays, demonstrations, grandstand concerts, and a midway. www.dawsoncreekfair.com

Prince George – British Columbia Northern Exhibition (August 7-10, 2014) Formerly the PG Exhibition, take in the home arts and horticulture exhibits, 4-H animals, stage shows, pancake breakfast, and a midway. www.bcne.ca Burns Lake – The Big Pig Mountain Biking Festival (August 15-17, 2014) Family friendly event featuring kids’ races, downhill, jump jam, four-cross, and family cross-country relay. www.burnslaketrails.ca Vanderhoof – Nechako Valley Exhibition (August 15-17, 2014) A true country fair that’s fun for the whole family. www.nvesociety.com

Northern Health Tip: Rule of thumb: more movement is better!

More daily physical activity provides greater health benefits - for everyone!

Increase activity for: • • •

Healthy growth & development Functional ability Health benefits

Moving more can help you live longer and better.

Increase physical activity, you can drop your risk for: • • • • • • •

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Death – by 30% Cardiovascular disease – by 33% Stroke – by up to 30% Hypertension – by over 30% Colon cancer – by 30% Breast cancer – up to 30% Type 2 diabetes – over 40%

Rodeo in Dawson Creek, B.C., credit: Simon Ratcliffe

Riverboat Days in Terrace, B.C., credit: Susan Clarke, Northern B.C. Tourism

Fort St. John – North Peace Fall Fair (August 15-17, 2014) Tractor pull, livestock demos, exhibits, and even a kids’ colouring contest. www.npff.blogspot.ca Dunster – Robson Valley Music Festival (August 15-17, 2014) A huge lineup of musical acts in the gorgeous Robson Valley. www.Robsonvalleymusicfestivalbc.com Fort St. James – Music on the Mountain (August 22–24, 2014) A three-day full music and arts festival featuring original and independent music and art from all over B.C., Canada, and the world. www.momfestival.com Smithers – Bulkley Valley Exhibition (August 21-24, 2014) Rodeo, parade, concerts, exhibitions, and a midway. www.bvfair.ca

Riverboat Days in Terrace, B.C., credit: Susan Clarke, Northern B.C. Tourism

Telkwa – Telkwa Barbeque and Demolition Derby (Aug 30 - Sept 1, 2014) Weekend-long festivities including concerts, demolition derby, tournaments, beef barbecue, and dance. Lots of family entertainment. www.telkwa.com/live/annual-events Burns Lake – Lakes District Fall Fair (September 5-7, 2014) The 71st annual fall fair features children & teen events, agricultural exhibits, races, and gymkhana. There’s even a mom & baby tent for breaks and changes. www.ldfallfair.ca Prince George – Mennonite Fall Fair (September 27, 2014) Stock up on fair trade crafts, browse the rummage sale, and lunch on borscht. Stock up on fresh B.C. apples for school lunches! www.westwoodchurch.bc.ca/go-3/go/mennonitefall-fair

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Foundation Updates

Fort St. John Hospital Foundation

By Jane Neher, development coordinator, Fort St. John Hospital Foundation

The people who give to the Fort St. John Hospital Foundation come from all walks of life: they have different interests, different income levels, and different reasons for giving. But, they have one thing in common: their generosity makes a very real difference in the lives of patients and residents of our hospital and Peace Villa facility.

Foundation donors play an important role in all of our campaigns and events. Recently, donor generosity made possible the opening of the Fort St. John prenatal clinic.

This is an extremely important clinic ensuring all our expectant mothers have access to the care they need.

Bluey Day donors (those who shave their heads in support of cancer patients) gave over $90,000 this year.

Our “Be an Angel” gala continues to sell out and our golf, baseball, and poker tournaments are well-supported.

Also because of donor generosity, our endowment fund continues to grow ensuring future funding for generations to come.

Because of donor and volunteer support, the Foundation is able to purchase equipment that keeps our patients here at home for diagnosis and treatments surrounded by their friends and family. And hopefully reserving more travel time for fun vacations.

The Janet Taylor Award is handed out at the “Be An Angel” Gala.

Pictured from left: Bob and Janet Taylor, Jim Reeder (recipient) and Gordon Gentles (Board Chair).

Fort Nelson Hospital & Healthcare Foundation

By Christine Mould, summer student, Fort Nelson Hospital Foundation

The Fort Nelson Hospital & Healthcare Foundation (FNHHF) has had a wonderful year.

In June 2013, Mrs. Leonda Clarke, FNHHF executive assistant, was offered and accepted the position to be the foundation’s new executive director. Under her direction, the annual events all continued with great success.

Thanks to fundraising, the hospital’s physiotherapy equipment was upgraded in preparation for the arrival of physiotherapist Chrissy Woodcock. Chrissy and her family moved from Manitoba to Fort Liard and she commutes part-time to provide services to the community of Fort Nelson. We are thrilled to have Chrissy join the team at the hospital and are happy to help provide the necessary instruments for her patients.

We are currently gearing up for the 11th annual ladies charity classic golf tournament. The event will be held on Saturday, August 16th at the Poplar Hills Golf & Country Club. If you will be in the area or would like to make the trip up we would love to have you join us – Register now, on our website!

We also now have a website where you will find information about the foundation’s mission, history, and staff, as well as access to up-to-date information on events and getting involved. Learn more about us at www.fnhhf.com.

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Capital Update

Construction Moving Along for the New Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre

By Jonathon Dyck, public affairs and media relations lead, Northern Health

The Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre is progressing well in Burns Lake, B.C. The facility is fully enclosed and crews are working on the interior of the facility. The $55 million project, funded by the Province of B.C. and Stuart Nechako Regional Hospital District, will be ready to accept patients in 2015.

The facility will include 16 beds, emergency services, diagnostic imaging, a laboratory, pharmacy, and more.

There will also be space for public health, mental health and addictions, and home and community care services, as well as local physician and emergency services.

“We’re pleased with the progress being made by PCL Westcoast Constructors Ltd.,” said Marie Hunter, Northern Health Lakes District Health Service Administrator. “This is an important project for the community as it will create an environment for staff and physicians to better deliver care for residents.”

Construction on the project officially began with excavation work on-site in June 2013. The current facility was built in 1960.

Paul Rudecki, Northern Health Project Director; John Rustad, MLA for Nechako Lakes and Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation; and Marie Hunter, Northern Health Lakes District Health Service Administrator in front of the new Lakes District Hospital and Health Centre.

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IMAGINE Grants

IMAGINE Grants:

Helping to Create Healthier Northern Communities

By Michael Erickson, health promotions project assistant, Northern Health

Sometimes, instead of leading to answers, a question can first lead to more questions. “How does a health authority create healthier communities?” is a perfect example. Before answering such a complex question, several others arise, like: What do communities want? What do they need? How are community members engaged? How can we support sustainable health projects with achievable goals? Who will help?

Northern Health IMAGINE Grants support many initiatives that contribute to the health of northern communities. They provide funding for prevention and health promotion projects led by community partners, including local groups, nonprofit organizations, schools or school districts to support the health and wellness of northerners where they live, work, learn and play.

Ideas for IMAGINE Grant projects are inspired by community needs, guided by Northern Health’s healthy living guidelines (position statements), and led by communities. Projects target the prevention of chronic disease and injury through lifestyle.

In the spirit of the 2015 Canada Winter Games coming to Prince George in February, recent grant applications were asked to have a physical activity focus, combined with another key health promotion goal, such as injury prevention, healthy eating, tobacco-free, HEAL for your heart, prevention of problematic substance use, HIV prevention, harm reduction or chronic disease prevention.

Nearly one hundred projects were awarded funding through the IMAGINE Grants in early 2014. Successful and exciting projects can be found across the north. Below are a few great examples of projects that have been funded through the IMAGINE Grants.

Injury Prevention in Prince Rupert Before Constable Maury Tyre’s longboard safety program began in Prince Rupert, only cyclists were required by law to wear helmets, a vital piece of road safety equipment. The exclusion of skateboarders from the law put that group at serious risk. That changed in April 2014 when Const. Tyre and his partners, the City of Prince Rupert, School District 52, ICBC, local RCMP, and Northern Health, helped create a bylaw that meant skateboarders would also legally have to wear helmets. The program is not only changing the law; it’s changing attitudes. Const. Tyre has set out to address the perception that helmets are “dorky” by creating a reward system for skateboarders who RCMP spot wearing the proper protection. He wants to have at least 75% of cyclists and skateboarders in Prince Rupert wearing helmets and, after hosting a hugely successful longboard safety event that included equipment demos, explanations of road rules, and the closure of an entire street for races, he is well on his way to reaching that goal.

Physical Activity in Prince George When two Prince George students observed that many of their classmates were leading sedentary lifestyles, their principal

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Constable Maury Tyre’s longboard safety program in Prince Rupert, B.C.

To read Northern Health’s healthy living guidelines (position statements), visit www.northernhealth.ca/ AboutUs/PositionStatementsAddressingRiskFactors.aspx

challenged them to educate their peers to be more physically active. They responded by recruiting more students, Action Schools! B.C., the City of Prince George, and School District 57 to create “Kids Helping Kids” – a program to promote the immediate and future benefits of healthy eating and physical activity. Because of the program’s peer-to-peer emphasis, students also learn valuable leadership skills. The program’s growth has been nothing short of phenomenal. In its first year, the program was offered in independent schools in the Prince George area. Three years later, it is in every school in Prince George. Program organizers hope that the program will begin to expand outside of Prince George this school year.

Healthy Eating in Chetwynd At Little Prairie Elementary School in Chetwynd, the Food for Fuel – Outdoor Classroom and Winter Games (FFFOCWG) program is using a greenhouse to teach children the value of eating well, understanding their environment, food security, and healthy communities. FFFOCWG won its initial funding from an IMAGINE grant called Hungry for Your Ideas (HFYI).

In the HFYI grants, community members could purchase a dinner and a voting ballet for five dollars. Their vote would decide which community members would win a $500 prize

A sign in front of Chetwynd’s greenhouse welcomes people to the outdoor classroom.

Students of Prince George’s Kids Helping Kids program learn the value of healthy eating and physical activity.

to put towards a grassroots health initiative. HFYI was the first time that an IMAGINE grant had been awarded for the purpose of a competition that would reward the best healthrelated project and the result could not have been better.

The Chetwynd community garden is providing the land for FFFOCWG. It now features a 40-foot greenhouse that has raised beds, benches, and a picnic table. Decisions around which seeds are being used in the greenhouse is being guided by the 2015 Canada Winter Games’ Food for Fuel initiative which focuses on how food affects physical and mental well-being, and how athletes use food to prepare for peak performance.

And more!

IMAGINE Grants are also helping prevent the spread of HIV in Dawson Creek, provide summer camps for the physically disabled in Quesnel, develop community gardens in Stewart, and much, much more. Initiatives like these are typically the ideas of everyday people, just like you. They saw an issue in their community that they wanted to address or they saw an opportunity to promote better health and asked what they could do. These inspirational projects scratch the surface of the projects that the IMAGINE grants have helped bring to communities throughout northern B.C. They also beg one more question: how will you partner with the IMAGINE Grants to make your community healthier?

For more information about Northern Health’s IMAGINE grants, visit northernhealth.ca/YourHealth/ HealthyLivingCommunities/ImagineGrants.aspx

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Mental Wellness

MENTAL WELLNESS FOR ALL:

The Haida Gwaii Experience

By Michael Melia, mental health and addictions director, Northern Health

In November 2011, I had the opportunity to travel to Masset to meet with a number of agencies and community members concerned about gaps in local services around the problematic use of substances. The communities shared with me some of their past positive experiences where partnerships had developed to provide day treatment programs. This approach has been the catalyst for many people to make positive and lasting change.

The key elements of a day treatment program include: • • • • •

few barriers to access the service offer services closer to home harm reduction respect for culture can be an alternative to treatment or provide care for after treatment

With much enthusiasm, the group in Masset formed a working group and they accepted the challenge to launch the program within eight weeks. Funding was found to support a 12-week pilot program, but the working group had the additional task of securing resources to extend the program beyond the initial pilot.

What followed next was truly inspirational. Through the commitment of Sandra Dan (a counsellor at Haida Health), along with Dan Binnema and Dawn Edwards (nurses with Northern Health mental health and addiction services), the program has done exceptionally well.

After launching within the agreed eight weeks, there was no stopping the working group. Group members chose to name the initial program the “Masset Wellness Warriors,” and with support from many other individuals and programs, they have continued to thrive.

Every program is unique and Dan Binnema believes that the Masset Wellness Warriors are a success because: • the group is collaborative • the program is client-driven and client-focused • they are acting out of a mandate of “decolonization” (one that respects local culture) • they are nourishing healthy relationships As Dan describes it, “The people of our communities demonstrated readiness and dedication by coming to the group, taking ownership, working towards wellness, being respectful and maintaining confidentiality - making it what it is today.”

Dan presented the story of the Wellness Warriors during a BC Healthy Communities webinar. To view that presentation, visit bchealthycommunities.ca/event/4126/view

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Northern Health Staff Profile

Staff Profile: Mandy Levesque 1. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your new role at Northern Health.

I was born and raised in Thompson, Manitoba. After high school, I moved to Saskatoon to attend the University of Saskatchewan and then returned home to the north after graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. Prior to moving to B.C., I spent the previous 12 years working in public health, focusing on population health and community development.

Recently moving to northern B.C. from Canada’s northern prairie regions, Mandy Levesque works in Prince George as Northern Health’s regional lead on physical activity. As a newcomer to northern B.C, Mandy is having fun exploring and continuing her active lifestyle in our region. She is a positive role model for us to learn to be active in our own backyards, especially as we lead up to the 2015 Canada Winter Games!

My husband and I, along with our two children, moved to Prince George from Thompson in August 2013. I began my employment with Northern Health in May 2014 as the regional lead for physical activity. My position is based out of Prince George and I am really enjoying this new and exciting role.

2. What do you anticipate are some of the best features of northern B.C. that will support your health and wellness?

As a family, we enjoy being outdoors and love the mild climate that northern B.C. offers, allowing us to be outside together all year. We spent the winter appreciating the various parks and ski hills around Prince George and took a couple of trips to Jasper, enjoying the wildlife and trails along the way. Thankfully, the winter temperatures are quite a bit warmer here than northern Manitoba! Our summer plans will include weekend excursions to as many northern communities and festivals as we can, fishing in lakes and rivers as we go. I am also looking forward to the 2015 Canada Winter Games and experiencing all of the sport and culture happening in northern B.C. for this amazing event!

3. What do you do to live a healthy life?

I enjoy spending time with my family. We like to travel and we like to play - be it sports, games, biking, skating, or just jumping on the trampoline in the backyard. We are a very busy and active family! I also coach soccer and am a huge cheerleader for my kids’ dance, hockey, soccer and baseball teams. When I have some time to myself, I enjoy reading, walking and going to the gym. Getting a babysitter for a date night out with my husband is always great too!

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Physical Activity

Active for What?

By Mandy Levesque, physical activity regional lead, Northern Health

We all know that physical activity has many health benefits - but are we getting enough and how much do we actually need to achieve these health benefits?

Incorporating regular physical activity into our daily routines reduces the risk of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, and Type 2 diabetes. Other benefits include: • decrease your risk of high blood pressure • maintain a healthy body weight • increase your mental well-being Active people are also more productive, sick less often, and at less risk for injury. Basically, becoming more active will improve your overall health, well-being, and quality of life.

The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology released the Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines in 2011, in an effort to help Canadians become healthier and more active. The guidelines outline the amount and types of physical activity by different age groups that are required to achieve health benefits.

For adults aged 1864 years, the goal is to accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderateto vigorous-intensity aerobic activity per week, in intervals of at least 10 minutes or more. The guidelines also recommend adding muscle and bone strengthening activities that use major muscle groups, at least two days per week.

Moderate-intensity activities are those activities that will cause us to sweat a little and breathe harder.

These include things like brisk walking and bike riding. Vigorous-intensity activities should cause us to sweat more and be “out of breath.” Activities like jogging, swimming, or crosscountry skiing are considered vigorous-intensity and can be included as your endurance and fitness levels increase.

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Does 150 minutes of physical activity per week sound overwhelming?

Breaking down the 150 minutes to 30 minutes per day, five days per week may sound more enticing and achievable for some people. In a very motivating visual lecture titled 23 and ½ Hours (which can be found by searching on YouTube), Dr. Mike Evans discusses how 30 minutes of physical activity per day is the “single best thing we can do for our health.” If you have not seen the video, it is definitely worth checking out!

(The video can be found by searching on YouTube or visiting www.evanshealthlab.com/23-and-12-hours.)

For many people who have never led an active lifestyle or played sports, becoming more physically active may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. Start slow and gradually increase your daily physical activity to meet the guidelines. Move more and sit less throughout the day – remember, every move counts! Being active with co-workers, friends, and family is a great way to achieve your physical activity goals while having fun.

Resources to get you started: Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology (www.csep.ca) Get the guidelines for all ages (kids too!) and start your plan to get active every day.

The Physical Activity Line (www.physicalactivityline.com) British Columbia’s primary physical activity counselling service and free resource for practical and trusted physical activity information.

Healthy Families BC (www.healthyfamiliesbc.ca) A provincial strategy aimed at improving the health and well-being of British Columbians at every stage of life. The site contains great resources and information for health and wellness.

ParticipACTION (www.participaction.com) The national voice of physical activity and sport participation in Canada. Through social marketing and collaborative partnerships, they inspire and support Canadians to live healthy, active lives. Great information and programs available!

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Healthy Kids

Healthy Kids, Happy Kids

By Karen Wonders, school and youth program manager, Northern Health

How do we help children and youth to be healthier? We all have opportunities to contribute to the health of our children and youth where we live, work, learn, and play. In the educational setting, we know that healthy students are better learners and that students who achieve greater academic success are healthier. But health happens beyond this setting because all of our environments influence our health and well-being.

As summer activities wind down, the focus tends to shift to the excitement of preparing children for back to school. This is a time when it’s really important to re-establish routines that support healthy living. So, what can we do at home to keep our kids healthy as they prepare for another school year?

One of the main things to remember is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day –especially for children. Children who eat a healthy breakfast tend to have a greater chance of achieving better test results in school and are better able to concentrate and learn.

There are other things to consider when preparing children for back to school, such as: • Encourage physical activity by walking or cycling to school if possible. If cycling to school, ensure that your child is wearing a properly fitted helmet.

• Teach your children to cross the street at marked crossings and to stop, look, and listen before they cross the street.

• If your child takes a bus, teach them to make eye contact with the driver and to stay within the driver’s view.

• Set regular times and space to complete homework to decrease stress and anxiety.

• Set regular bedtimes to ensure that your children are getting enough sleep. Adequate sleep quality and quantity (8-10 hours) is necessary to decrease illnesses, to increase sense of well-being, and also to increase school performance.

• Ensure your child’s immunizations are up-to-date.

Immunizations provide protection from vaccine preventable diseases. Public health nurses offer immunizations to children in kindergarten and in grades six and nine.

For more information on health and healthy living for children and youth, please visit: www.northernhealth.ca, healthyschoolsbc.ca, or www.parachutecanada.org/safekidscanada

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Children and youth should be active for at least 60 minutes/day.

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How Can We Help?

How Can We Help?

By Chelan Zirul, health promotions and communications officer, Northern Health

Stay tuned for more!

In our November 2014 and February 2015 issues, we will feature similar listings of services available in the northwest and northern interior health service delivery areas, respectively.

Northern Health has a variety of services available all across the north to support your health and wellness. Our services are more than acute care. We support healthy community development, public health and mental wellness.

One of the most important things you can do for your health is be aware of who to call when you need help. We encourage you to rip this page out and post it on your fridge so it’s always close at hand!

My family physician’s phone number is:

Fort Nelson and Northern Rockies emergency numbers:

___________________________________________________

• • • •

In case of emergency, call 9-1-1.

Here is a listing of services available in your area. More information on all services listed below is available at www. northernhealth.ca/ourservices.aspx or you can visit www. northernhealth.ca/OurServices/ContactUs/CommunityContactsFacilities/NorthEast.aspx for a listing of all contacts in your region.

Northeast health service delivery area. Aboriginal patient liaisons can help you to navigate the health system.

• North Peace: Bev Lambert, 250-261-7418 (Fort St. John) • South Peace: Yvonne Tupper, 250-788-7224 (Chetwynd); 250-795-6109 (Dawson Creek) Community care licensing supports the health, safety and well-being of adults and children in licensed care facilities, such as day care and residential care facilities.

• Dawson Creek: 250-719-6500 • Fort St. John: 250-263-6000 • Or, call Enquiry B.C. to contact the office nearest you: 1-800-663-7867 Environmental health officers can help you with issues that affect the health of the general public, such as food-borne illness outbreaks and sewage entering neighbouring properties.

• Fort St. John: 250-263-6000 • Dawson Creek: 250-719-6500 • Fort Nelson: 250-774-7092 Home and community care promotes independence, choice and dignity for northerners through in-home supports, respite, assisted living, residential care, and hospice palliative and end-of-life care. Please contact the office nearest you for more information: • • • • • •

Chetwynd: 250-788-7200 Dawson Creek and Pouce Coupe: 250-719-6500 Fort Nelson: 250-774-7092 Fort St. John: 250-263-6000 Hudson’s Hope: 250-783-9991 Tumbler Ridge: 250-242-4262

A Healthier You | 24 | August 2014

Police (RCMP): 250-774-2777 Fire department: 250-774-2222 Hospital: 250-774-8100 B.C. Ambulance: 250-774-2344

Lab testing services are available near you. For hours, please call: • • • • • •

Chetwynd: 250-788-2236 Dawson Creek: 250-784-7340 Fort Nelson: 250-774-8100 Fort St. John: 250-261-7616 Hudson’s Hope: 250-783-9991 Tumbler Ridge: 250-242-5271

Medical imaging, such as X-ray, is available near you.

Please call: • • • • • •

Chetwynd: 250-788-7228 Dawson Creek: 250-784-7320 Fort Nelson: 250-774-8136 Fort St. John: 250-261-7424 Hudson’s Hope: contact a local physician Tumbler Ridge: 250-242-5271

Mental health and addictions community programs offer services such as crisis response, intake, support and education. To learn what is available near you, please call: • Chetwynd: 250-788-7211 • Dawson Creek: 250-719-6525, or toll-free at 1-888-592-2711 • After hours emergency line: 1-888-562-1214 • Fort Nelson: 250-774-8105 • Fort St. John: 250-262-5269 or 250-263-6080 • After hours emergency line: 250-262-5200 • Crisis line: 1-888-562-1214 • Tumbler Ridge: 250-242-5505 Public health nurses can help you with adult, women’s, infant, children and family health, including communicable disease prevention and control, dental, hearing, school and youth, and speech and language services. Call your local health unit or health centre: • • • • • •

Chetwynd: 250-788-7200 Dawson Creek: 250-719-6500 Fort Nelson: 250-774-7092 Fort St. John: 250-263-6000 Hudson’s Hope: 250-783-9991 Tumbler Ridge: 250-242-4262

Northern Health Tip: Nicotine is the addiction; tobacco is the killer.

•

Nicotine stimulates the central nervous system and has immediate access to pleasure and reward centres in the brain.

•

Nicotine is extremely addictive; it is the addictive part of tobacco.

•

Nicotine is as addictive as heroin or cocaine.

•

Even one or two cigarettes can cause brain changes that cause cravings and addiction.

•

Nicotine replacement therapy helps some people quit. In this form, nicotine is less addictive.

HUB CITY MOTORS R001821502 4.00x65.0-4C PG14 / 293816

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| A Healthier You

Men’s Health

Communities Making Men’s Health a Priority

By Holly Christian, men’s health lead, Northern Health

The health of northern men matters, because men matter.

In the last three years, Northern Health has worked on a number of initiatives to explore “where the men are,” how their health is, and how we can support them to lead longer, healthier lives. The results are clear. Men and their families are living, working and playing all across the north, predominantly in industry-related jobs, and health-wise, they’re falling behind women in northern B.C. and other men province-wide. Overall, men from northern B.C. are dying sooner of all causes.

We’ve spent time and resources sharing this information and working hard to promote health to our northern men through a variety of ways, such as building a men’s health website (men.northernhealth.ca), sharing stories and holding many men’s health screenings. And what we’re seeing now, is some amazing grassroots work in the area of men’s health springing up in communities all across the north!

Communities are recognizing the vital roles their men play as fathers, coaches, spouses, and employees, and communities are finding innovative ways to support the physical, mental, social, and spiritual health of men.

Northern Health’s IMAGINE grants are helping this work!

• In Burns Lake, there is a workshop designed to develop positive parenting skills and strengthen relationships between fathers and their children, and it acknowledges the important role that dads play. The workshop encourages more men to spend quality time with their children.

• In Fraser Lake, men with addictions issues have access to a group-based program that provides a space to support personal growth, increased sense of purpose, and overcome challenges -- all with the goal of preventing relapse.

• In Fort St. John, the importance of men’s health has come out of the findings of “The Peace Project” (thepeaceprojectfsj.com). The project is a federallyfunded research initiative to reduce violence against women. Community organizations and industry representatives are working together to address the causes of gender-based violence.

This is just a small taste of the community-driven inspiring work that is improving the health of our northern boys and men … and the work continues.

For more information on men’s health and to see some of the resources available, visit our website: men.northernhealth.ca

A Healthier You | 26 | August 2014

August 2014 | 27

| A Healthier You

Smithers Health Hub

A Palliative Approach to Care for the Bulkley Valley

By Lynn Shervill, volunteer, Smithers Health Information Hub

“When I hear the word palliative, hope goes out the window!”

It’s a reaction heard by many caregivers when discussing treatment for a life-limiting illness with clients and their families.

But it need not be this way, especially if a new national initiative, aimed at creating a life-enhancing, palliative approach to care, is successful.

Such an approach, according to Dr. Doris Barwich, newly appointed head of the B.C. Centre for Palliative Care, would start earlier, focus on comfort, embrace patient and family goals of care, be holistic (physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional care) and involve a team approach when necessary.

“The outcomes of this palliative approach to care include better pain and symptom management, increased satisfaction with care, better quality of care, and lower health care costs,” Dr. Barwich told more than 100 doctors, nurses, home support workers, care aides, grief counsellors, and pharmacists attending a palliative care conference in Smithers in April.

Dr. Barwich, who is also president of the Canadian Society of Palliative Care Physicians, referred to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine that randomly divided 150 patients with spreading lung cancer into an early, mandatory palliative care group and a standard care group. According to the study, the early group had improved quality of life, less depression and lived three months longer.

And the palliative approach to care would apply not only to cancer patients but those with other chronic, life-limiting illnesses such as organ failure, dementia and frailty.

Hospice Palliative Care Association’s website (www.chpca. net). That report says only about 15 per cent of us will need the complex or tertiary palliative services provided by specialists in hospices and palliative care units. The needs of the rest, according to the report, can be met “by integrating a palliative approach to chronic illness and frailty into conventional care settings such as the home, long-term care facilities, hospitals and shelters.”

Alice Christensen, nurse coordinator of the Smithers Community Cancer Service and one of the conference organizers, said she hopes the Smithers conference will serve to launch a discussion focussed on how best to implement the palliative approach to care in the Bulkley Valley.

According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Information, the percentage of seniors in Canada will double and the number of deaths increase by 65 per cent over the next three decades. In British Columbia it has been estimated that only 27 per cent of people who die are even identified as being palliative and those statistics tend to be worse in rural areas where the population is generally older than in urban areas and there are fewer formalized palliative services.

“We have to do better,” Christensen said, “and the palliative approach to care, which is more about living, and living well, than it is about dying, is a way to get there.”

Sponsors for the Smithers conference were the Bulkley Valley Hospice Society, BV Community Cancer Care Team, Houston Hospice Society, Northern Continuing Medical Education, Bulkley Valley Health Care and Hospital Foundation, Wrinch Memorial Hospital doctors, BV Health Information Hub and Northern Health.

The palliative approach to care starts with the family doctor who asks, “Would I be surprised if this patient died in the next year?” If the answer is “No” the next question the doctor might ask is, “How can I enable this person to live as well as possible for as long as possible?”

Elizabeth Beddard-Huber, another featured speaker at the Smithers conference and clinical nurse specialist with the Vancouver General Hospital palliative care program, said caregivers don’t have to use the ‘palliative’ word; they can just as easily refer to palliative care as ‘comfort’ measures.

Beddard-Huber said the palliative approach doesn’t link the provision of care as much to prognosis as it does on conversations with patients and families about their needs and wishes, comfort measures, support for psychosocial, spiritual and cultural issues and bereavement.

Details of the palliative approach to care are contained in a draft report, entitled The Way Forward, on the Canadian

A Healthier You | 28 | August 2014

Palliative care conference in Smithers, B.C. Pictured from left: Elizabeth Beddard-Huber, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Palliative Care Program, Vancouver General Hospital; Dr. Doris Barwich, Executive Director, B.C. Centre for Palliative Care; Alice Christensen, Northern Health Nurse Navigator; Nicole Dahlen, Pharmacist Lead, Northern Health Hospice Palliative Care Program; and Dr. Inban Reddy, Physician Lead, Northern Health Hospice Palliative Care Program.

2014 Healthier You Expo

2014 Healthier You Expo

By Christine Hinzmann, Prince George Citizen

Healthy eating and healthy living is the focus for the Healthier You Expo coming to Prince George Sunday, October 19.

The expo offers a wide variety of information for those interested in living longer and living stronger in the north.

“Many people talk to me about leading a healthier lifestyle and making those personal health choices that help you feel better, be more active,” said the Honourable Shirley Bond, Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Minister Responsible for Labour, who is in partnership with the Immigrant and Multicultural Services Society and the Prince George Citizen to present the Healthier Expo for free in Prince George. “It’s really about education, awareness and personal choice and finding ways to improve our lifestyles and ultimately our health.”

During the expo, guests will have access to a variety of health tests, such as blood pressure checks, and representatives from organizations including The Kidney Foundation of Canada and the Arthritis Society, will be on hand to provide information.

“It really is a chance for us to learn about the non-profit sector organizations, and I’ve gotten to know so many of them in my years in public office and they do a fantastic job and I, like everyone else who goes to the Healthier You Expo, learn a lot and you try to apply that personally.”

Don Bassermann, former city councilor and teacher in Prince

George, will do a presentation about urban farming and the good news about growing your own food, including health and economic benefits.

Janet Podleski, one of the authors of LooneySpoons and Eat, Shrink and Be Merry, will do a presentation on nutrition.

Sisters Greta and Janet Podleski are top selling Canadian authors. Their first cookbook, LooneySpoons, was published in 1996 and became the fastest selling book in Canadian publishing history, selling 850,000 copies, and was on the bestseller list at number one for eight months. That’s pretty great for the sisters who self-published the book out of their basement.

“So Janet Podleski will be talking about healthy eating,” said Bond. “She’s a very popular speaker. We’re also hoping to get a presence from ParticipACTION so we can get our younger families involved because getting kids up and mobile is important. We know childhood obesity is a growing problem in our province and country so I think there will be something for everyone.”

At the expo there will be great opportunities for people to learn about exercise, healthy eating, and buying local.

“I’m really excited about the early work that we’ve done,” said Bond.

The venue for the October 19th Healthier You Expo is yet to be determined.

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| A Healthier You

Dental Health

Water Fluoridation and You

By Brenda Matsen, dental program manager, Northern Health

Water fluoridation costs less than $1 per person per year and it supports the health of our community’s most vulnerable people. Water fluoridation is an important health measure that provides protection against tooth decay for all, especially those who cannot afford dental care. Every year in Northern Health, nearly two million dollars are spent for the treatment of tooth decay in hospital.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral nutrient found in soil, water and plants. It’s one of the most common elements in the earth’s crust; it is not artificially created. In the right concentration, fluoride safely helps protect against tooth decay. All water contains some fluoride but not necessarily at the amount that helps to protect teeth. Where naturally occurring fluoride levels are below the concentration that helps prevent tooth decay, water can be supplemented to the levels that will safely protect against tooth decay.

Water fluoridation is recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the ten greatest public health achievements of the 20th century. The use of fluoride as part of dental care is endorsed by over 90 national and international professional health organizations such as Health Canada, Canadian Dental Association, Canadian Medical Association, Canadian Paediatric Society, Canadian Public Health Association, and the Centre for Disease Control. In addition to Northern Health’s medical health officers, our local dental professionals also support water fluoridation.

Tooth decay is an epidemic. It is the number one chronic disease in children and adolescents in North America. It is five times more common than asthma and seven times more common than hay fever. It is the most prevalent infectious disease in humans and, unlike other health care needs, not everyone can access dental care.

Studies continue to show an increase in dental decay rates in communities where water fluoridation is removed. An increase in the severity of tooth decay will compete with limited health care resources. This November, residents of Prince George will be asked in a referendum if they want to keep fluoridating their water system. Northern Health encourages people to support the practice to help everyone, and especially our most vulnerable populations.

For credible information, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and current evidence, visit northernhealth.ca/YourHealth/ PublicHealth/DentalHealth/Fluoridation.aspx

A Healthier You | 30 | August 2014

Injury Prevention

Distracted Driving – What’s the Risk?

By Denise Foucher, injury prevention coordinator, Northern Health

People are busy. Increasing efficiency and multitasking are the norm. Smartphones, texting, talking, music, movies, dogs, kids, friends, the never-ending “to-do” list, and the ridiculous driver that just cut you off. Distractions are everywhere we go, including our cars.

What do you think about when you hear distractions and challenges while driving? Is it just someone else’s problem?

Is distracted driving really an issue we need to talk about?

Consider the facts: • Every day across B.C., an average of 1,200 people will need medical treatment for a serious injury, four people will die, and thousands of dollars will be spent on treating those seriously injured.

Families, workplaces, and communities will be disrupted temporarily or forever.

• Traffic-related injuries continue to be a leading cause of death and hospitalization.

• About one-quarter of all fatal crashes in B.C. are the result of distracted driving, resulting in over 90 deaths.

• Talking on a cellphone? You are four times more likely to be involved in a crash.

• Texting while driving? You are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash.

You may not be thinking about the real risk of your distraction when making that quick trip to soccer practice, when dropping the children off at school, when racing to work just in the nick of time, when plugging another movie in for the kids while cruising down the highway, when trying to find that great new song on your handheld, or when making that quick call that will “only take a moment.”

Are you still thinking that distracted driving is just an issue for the other drivers on the road? Is this just an issue for new drivers? Or, do we all see ourselves as a driver, passenger, pedestrian or other road-user trying to get about our day?

Distractions put everyone at risk.

What choices can you make, today and every day, to ignore the distractions and focus on driving? For more information, ideas and tips on preventing distracted driving, please visit preventable.ca, www.parachutecanada.org/, and www. icbc.com/road-safety/crashes-happen/Pages/Distracteddriving.aspx

If you think car crashes only happen to others, have a word with yourself. (preventable.ca)

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