Healthy Living by Times Colonist

HEALTHY

LIVING SPECIAL FEATURE

Health benefits of JUICING

Happy, healthy FEET with help from a Home Footcare Nurse Protecting the community from COVID-19: An interview with Dr. Chris Fraser

Blend and extend: A new take on plant-based eating

JUNE 2020

2 | HEALTHY LIVING | Times Colonist

SPECIAL FEATURE

The Health Benefits of Juicing By UK Juicers

rinking fresh, raw vegetable and fruit juices on a daily basis is one of the most positive lifestyle choices you can make. Fresh juice is vibrantly coloured and delicious and it often surprises people how pleasant and naturally sweet vegetable juices can be. Supplying the body with the unadulterated nutrition from fresh living vegetable juices can be a powerful tool in the task of overcoming disease. Start using a juicer on a regular basis and within weeks your body will provide its own evidence to convince you.

Did you know?

ccording to the Canadian Cancer Society, several viruses have been linked to cancer in humans. Viruses work by entering living cells and hijacking their machinery in order to reproduce and make more viruses. To do so, the CCS notes that many viruses will insert their own DNA or RNA into their host cells, affecting those cells’ genes. That can push the cell toward becoming cancer. At least a dozen types of human papillomaviruses, or HPVs, are known to cause cancer. That’s important to note, as the CCS says most sexually active people are infected with one or more of the more than 40 types of HPVs

that are passed on through sexual contact. In addition to HPVs, a type of herpes virus known as the Epstein-Barr virus as well as HIV and hepatitis B and C have also been found to cause cancer. It’s equally important to point out that while these and other viruses can cause cancer, that does not mean everyone who has been diagnosed with them will get cancer. But people who have been diagnosed with cancer-causing viruses should discuss their cancer risk with their physicians, making sure to ask if there is anything they can do to lower their risk for the disease. - MC

TIMES COLONIST

Healthy Living JUNE 9, 2020 PUBLISHED BY THE VICTORIA TIMES COLONIST, A DIVISION OF TC PUBLICATION LIMITED PARTNERSHIP. 2621 DOUGLAS ST., VICTORIA, B.C., CANADA V8T 4M2 PHONE: 250-382-2255 timescolonist.com CONTACT: MARGARET LONG, ADVERTISING PHONE: 250-380-5246 MLONG@TIMESCOLONIST.COM EDITOR: JENUS FRIESEN JFRIESEN@TIMESCOLONIST.COM

HEALTHY LIVING | June 9, 2020 | 3

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REPAIR AND REJUVENATE: FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CLOSEUP Poor nutrition contributes to many of the degenerative illnesses we see in the developed world. The human body is a complex system with millions of metabolic processes taking place simultaneously at any given moment, all fueled and optimised by the nourishment we take in. Raw, freshly prepared vegetable and fruit juices are abundant in natural organic nutrients that are easily absorbed and delivered in exactly the form that the body requires. Juices provide some of the building blocks of the metabolic processes that take place at a cellular level, rebuilding and regenerating healthy tissue. You can drink more nourishment from a larger quantity of fruit and veg than you could ever possibly eat.

intelligence, so if you are giving it the full range of what it needs, cravings subside and appetite reduces. A mature customer recently reported she lost 38 kilos as a result of juicing, diet and exercise. She and her husband bought a high quality masticating juicer. Green vegetable juices played a big part in their regime. Nutritional therapists often prescribe green juices for their alkalizing properties and abundant micronutrients. When we hear someone enthusing about how they feel ten years younger, how they seem to need less sleep and yet have more energy, how exercise is fun and no longer a chore, how they are less susceptible to colds and other viruses, how their attention and concentration have improved, how their skin looks radiant and healthy – we know it’s the juice talking!

JUICING MAKES PERFECT SENSE If you want to read more detailed and referenced scientific information on the benefits that juices offer, we recommend Steve Meyerowitz’ books. (ukjuicers. com) No amount of information could be more convincing than the direct benefits experienced of actually trying it for yourself. Most people will happily spend time preparing a delicious cooked meal, in

spite of the fact that we lose some of the nourishment in the process. With a juicer, you can have a glass of the most delicious fruit and vegetable juice in just a few minutes, teeming with undamaged nutrients that will make a massive contribution to your well-being. Whether you want to add juicing to your life as a little extra health insurance or you want to make it part of a broader commitment and become a juicing enthusiast, it all makes perfect sense. trianglehealing.com

JUICING AND WEIGHT LOSS Enzymes, proteins, vitamins, and minerals are destroyed or deteriorate when foods are cooked or heated. When we eat a diet containing a high proportion of cooked foods, our bodies crave the nutrients that cooking takes out; we can inadvertently bulk up. In our Western diet, we take in more empty calories in an effort to replace the missing nutrients that have been destroyed by heat. Time and again, customers tell us they experience a transformation in their energy and wellbeing when they start using a juicer. Your body has its own

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We all have grief at this time T

he thing I’ve noticed throughout this pandemic is that we have all been affected by some form of loss and grief. We have all had to adjust and deal with the fact that things did not go as planned this year. All of our gatherings have been cancelled. All of our trips and vacations have been refunded and

By Laura Van Sprang, Manager, Sands Victoria Funeral Chapel

postponed. Weddings are put on hold or look very different, with many important people unable to attend. All of those hard working graduates are not getting to experience the time-honoured tradition of walking across that stage to receive their well-deserved diplomas in front of all who supported them. Milestone birthdays, retirements, baby showers, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, visits with grandparents and parents in nursing homes, and the list goes on. Then there are the funerals, which for me, being in the funeral industry, was the hardest to see change so much. When you work in a profession that teaches you

SPECIAL FEATURE

to support the bereaved by gathering and bringing the community together, to provide a shoulder to lean on and extend a hand to wipe away tears with a gentle touch or hug, it is very difficult to change your approach to show your compassion. But we, too, have adjusted and tried to help the best way we can, to honour those who have passed and to be there for those who have had to endure the pain of loss a little differently. The other thing I noticed is that the human spirit will find ways to connect. We continue to celebrate, and to acknowledge accomplishments and achievements. We continue to send our encouragement, laughter and love to each other, and most importantly, we continue to live. Many of the things we have had to do differently will go back to some sort of normal and we can pick up where we left off. But for those who have lost their lives to this disease or during this difficult time, we remember you, we celebrate you and it is you who we grieve the most. arbormemorial.ca

“The human spirit will find ways to connect”

EXPLAINING CLINICAL TRIALS

ver the last several decades, survival rates for many types of cancers have improved dramatically. Much of that improvement can be traced to the tireless efforts of cancer researchers and the organizations and donors who fund their research. According to the Canadian National Institute of Health, there are two types of clinical research: observational studies and clinical trials. Observational studies observe people in normal settings, and during these studies, researchers gather information, group volunteers according to broad characteristics and compare changes over time. Observational studies sometimes help researchers discover new opportunities for clinical trials, which are research studies that aim to evaluate medical, surgical or

behavioural interventions. Clinical studies are often how researchers learn if new drugs and treatments are safe and effective. Clinical trials are somewhat routine, though they tend to capture the attention of the general public during public health crises. For example, much attention was paid to clinical trials during the recent COVID-19 outbreak as researchers hurried to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. Cancer researchers utilize clinical trials to advance treatments and as part of ongoing efforts to find a cure for all types of cancer. In Canada, these trials must go through various phases as outlined by the Canada FDR. During these phases, treatments are tested and researchers try to find appropriate dosages while also documenting any potential side effects. A clinical trial must go

through three phases before a drug can be approved for use. • PHASE I: A phase I clinical trial tests an experimental treatment on a small group of people, typically healthy people between the ages of 20 and 80. Phase I aims to judge the safety of a treatment and find any side effects while also determining dosage. • PHASE II: More people are typically needed for a phase II clinical trial, which may require as many as 300 participants. A goal of phase II trials is to obtain data regarding the effectiveness of the drug on people who have certain diseases or conditions. Safety, particularly in regard to short-term side effects, also is studied during a phase II trial, which can last for several years.

• PHASE III: Different populations and different dosages are studied during phase III trials, which may require the participation of several hundred, if not thousands, of people. Positive results during a phase III trial typically result in Health Canada approval. Once a drug is approved by the Health Canada and Canada FDR, a phase IV trial is conducted to study the effectiveness and safety among large, diverse populations. Side effects of a drug may not become clear until more people are studied over very long periods of time, which is why drugs are often studied even after they’re approved by the FDA. Canadians interested in learning more about cancer trials can visit: canadiancancertrials.ca. – MC

SPECIAL FEATURE

Happy, healthy FEET

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HEART@HOME FOOTCARE NURSES CAN COME TO YOUR HOME AND ASSESS AND TREAT FOOT PROBLEMS By your friendly neighbourhood Heart Pharmacist

ur feet are both our biggest asset and most likely the last thing we spend attention on. When our feet hurt, our whole body hurts and this can affect our ability to maintain physical fitness, enjoy daily activities and get out and about doing the things we love to do. Some people are unable to care for their own feet due to physical limitations, or they have illnesses that put them at higher risk for infection or injury. In these instances, it is helpful to have someone to assist with regular health and maintenance for our toes and feet. Regularly scheduled footcare supplied by a Registered or Licensed Practical Nurse with Advanced Footcare education is an important aspect for maintaining overall health and wellness. Advanced Footcare Nurse, Kim Dickinson, suggests the following tips to maintain optimal foot health: Wash your feet every day. A quick soak from 3-8 minutes is enough. Check the temperature of the water before sticking your feet in to protect them from scalding and burning. Dry between your toes with a towel. Finish with a gentle moisturizer, but do not put any between your toes (fungus loves moisture). Go for a quick walk; gentle stretches and foot exercises have benefits that extend well beyond our toes. While sitting, pick up marbles or a small cloth with your toes off the ground, or simply curl and relax your toes. While holding on to a table or a sturdy chair back, rise up on tiptoes, then rock back onto heels. While sitting, alternate pointing your toes towards your nose with pointing them down towards the ground. Rotate your ankles in circles, clockwise then counterclockwise.

TIPS FOR BUYING SHOES Buy shoes late in the day; this is when your feet will be most often swollen. Buy shoes that fit properly. Make sure you can wiggle your toes and they do not touch the front of the shoe, or the top or sides. They should have room to breathe and stretch out. Choose leather or canvas or some other type of naural fabric to ensure moisture doesn’t get trapped and cause your toes to sweat. Make sure your socks have a high level of cotton and are the right size. Pick shoes that have a closed toe and full back. You want your shoes to be snug but not tight, and offer your whole foot support. The heel of the shoe should be as wide as the foot and shouldn’t have more than a 1.5-inch/3cm heel. Make sure the soles have a decent tread to prevent slipping or falling. Laced up shoes are the most preferred, or Velcro if it is easier for you. This allows for adjustment to the snugness of the shoe over time.

IN-HOME FOOTCARE Even if we do all of these things, we sometimes need a little extra help. The Heart@Home Team at Heart Pharmacy hosts Footcare Nurses that can come to your home to assess foot and lower leg issues. They are trained to spot infections, bruises, corns, callouses, cuts, scrapes and decreased sensation due to things like diabetes and cardiovascular issues. Footcare Nurses provide treatment options to keep you and your feet healthy. If you are unable to reach your lower limbs or feet to trim your nails or maintain foot health, a nurse can come to your home to provide regular footcare services. Heart@Home Footcare provides regular assessment, treatment, and assistance that decrease the instance of cuts and injuries that may be caused

by thickened, overgrown and often fungal nails. Fungal infections in and around toenails is very common and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. They can often cause severe thickening and discolouration of the nail leading to ingrown nails and overgrown cuts. When this happens, they often become too thick and too stiff to cut with regular over the counter nail clippers. Heart@Home Footcare nurses help keep your feet comfortable and free of injury, including thinning and shortening those thickened, discoloured toenails. Fungal infections between the toes often leads

to red, scaly and itchy skin. Heart@Home Footcare Nurses can walk you through treatment options or point you in the right direction towards a higher level of treatment through allied care providers. No matter the issue, Heart@Home Footcare Nurses will assist, guide you through treatment options, and suggest allied care providers for issues that remain challenging. For more information, call: 778-817-0417, or visit the Shelbourne Heart Pharmacy to book your appointment today. heartpharmacy.com

In-Home FOOT CARE SERVICES AVAILABLE THROUGH

Basic Nail Trimming $35 Full Footcare $65. ~ Nail Trimming ~ Corn & Callous removal/maintenance ~ Diabetic Foot Education ~ Thinning of Thickened/Fungal Nails

ALL TO S TE R I LI O L S ZE AUTOCL D BY AVE

Services provided by registered, licensed practical nurses with Advance Footcare Certiﬁcation CALL OR VISIT THE STORE TO BOOK YOUR APPOINTMENT Heart Pharmacy at Shelbourne Plaza 3643 Shelbourne St. 250-477-1881 FOOTCARE NURSE: Kim Dickinson, LPN AFCN DIABETES STORE COORDINATOR: Dodi Forbes DIABETES EDUCATOR: Andrea Silver, RPh CDE

www.heartpharmacy.com/foot

6 | HEALTHY LIVING | Times Colonist

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Blend & extend: A new take on plant-based eating

s plant-based foods continue to grow in popularity, everyone is looking to fit more veggies into their diet. Mushrooms can easily be mixed into many of your favourite family meals, including tacos, pasta and burgers. Finely chopped mushrooms mix in well with any ground meat because they are high in umami flavour and because their texture easily imitates the taste and consistency of ground meat. Not to mention, mushrooms are high in nutrients and low in calories, great for turning any meal into a healthier option. Try out the blend and extend recipes below they are as simple as two easy steps: STEP 1: MUSHROOMS FOR BLENDING • ½ lb. (500 g) mushrooms • 1 small onion, diced • Place mushrooms in a food processor or blender and pulse until finely chopped. • In a non-stick skillet over medium heat, cook chopped mushrooms and onions, stirring until browned and most moisture has been released, around 5 minutes. Set aside to let cool. STEP 2: EXTEND GROUND MEAT WITH MUSHROOMS • Mix the mushrooms into your favourite dish. BLENDED BURGERS In a large bowl, stir mushroom mix with 1lb ground beef, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ cup breadcrumbs and 1 egg. Form into six patties; cook either on the barbecue or stovetop at medium heat for 5 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Serve on buns with toppings of your choice.

CHEESEBURGER QUESADILLAS In a large skillet over medium-high heat, stir in ½ pound lean ground beef, 1 clove minced garlic and the mushroom mix. Cook for 8 minutes or until ground beef is cooked through. Place one tortilla in the bottom of a grill pan over medium heat. Sprinkle with ¼ cup shredded cheese, sliced red onion, diced tomatoes, diced dill pickles and meat mixture. Top with the second tortilla. Carefully flip the quesadilla over and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from skillet and cut into wedges. Repeat to make four quesadillas total. Serve topped with fresh shredded lettuce, ketchup and mustard. BLENDED MEATBALLS • In a large bowl, combine the mushroom mix, 1 pound lean ground beef, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ cup breadcrumbs and 1 egg; mix ingredients until incorporated. Shape mixture into 1½ inch meatballs. Place on foil lined tray and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes. – MC

Half a dozen reasons that make eggs a true Canadian staple

s we celebrate everything that makes us proud to be Canadians, some food items have earned the right to be called a real Canadian staple. Take eggs, for example. They are nutritious, delicious and compact. But there’s nothing small about the impact of Canada’s egg farmers. One egg contains 6.5 grams of highquality protein. Talk about a superhero food staple. More than 1,100 farm families are producing the eggs Canadian love, in every province and the Northwest Territories. They provide a versatile, affordable ingredient to your family every day of the year. Thanks to the truly Canadian system of supply management, the tradition of family farming is kept alive in egg farming, with some farms going back to 10 generations.

Canadian eggs are produced according to world-leading standards of food quality and safety. Canadian eggs are green: over the last few decades, the industry has decreased its environmental footprint by 50 per cent while increasing its production by 50 per cent. Eggs are parts of your family traditions: holiday baking, Easter brunch, weekday dinner, they are part of every culinary moment, big or small. There are so many reasons to love Canadian eggs. Every egg you buy in Canada supports Canadian families and Canadian jobs. Our whole country is stronger thanks to Canadian egg farming — and that is worth celebrating. Learn more at eggfarmers.ca.

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Protecting the Community from COVID-19 And so the data has been really surprising us. I spend about an hour a day just reviewing clinical scientific information and trying to learn as much as I can about this illness. What I’m telling you today will probably be very different in September. By then, we’ll probably have much more information. What was it like for your team visiting homeless camps during the pandemic? It’s a very intense experience because you’re shocked that there are so many people whose needs are so poorly met by our society. We feel a lot of concern for their vulnerability,

but there is also hope because many people want better for themselves. So it’s a very complex reaction. While we think harm reduction is essential, at the end of the day if we can help people reduce their drug use, not just reduce the harm of drug use, people can move forward in their lives and experience much better outcomes. For the full interview please visit: coolaid.org/news. To support Cool Aid’s efforts in keeping vulnerable people safe, please donate at: coolaid.org

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. CHRIS FRASER

s we enter the second half of 2020, we prepare ourselves for a second wave of the pandemic. For Cool Aid’s Medical Services Team, this means working on the frontline to protect the community’s health and safety. Dr. Chris Fraser, Medical Director of Cool Aid’s Community Health Centre and Clinical Faculty Member of UBC’s Faculty of Medicine, specializing in inner-city medicine, has been on the front lines since the beginning. We asked Dr. Fraser a few questions about his experiences. Why the need to focus testing on vulnerable populations? So far, COVID-19 has not hit the streets of Victoria, which is excellent news. We were very concerned that if the virus were to hit our vulnerable population — people with lung related illnesses who are malnourished, who are active in addiction, or who are immunocompromised such as those living with HIV — they would be hit hard. And because people who are homeless or underhoused can’t self-isolate in the same way, we were afraid this would contribute to the rapid spread of the disease and overwhelm our healthcare system. We were very much spared this wave, and now the key is to really keep up testing and surveillance to make sure nothing goes

sideways as we reopen and reduce social distancing. I think the government has a very good plan of reopening in phases with a lot of monitoring along the way, and then we’ll see what happens when we face our second wave. Are you optimistic that we’ll get through this pandemic? I think BC Public Health has shown excellent leadership in maintaining our safety. I have nothing but admiration for what they’ve done despite the lack of testing abilities and supply shortages. The medical and scientific community has been extremely active in working on vaccine trials and it gives me hope that there will be a vaccine within 18 months. Through my work in infectious disease, I was also able to gain first-hand knowledge of the trial drugs which are showing strong promise in treating this illness. What can we expect during the second wave? The second wave, according to what we’ve learned from other viruses, will occur sometime in the fall through September, October and November. In the meantime, we’re learning everything we can about this virus. It’s not the flu – COVID-19 is its own virus. It’s a lung virus, but it also appears to be a vascular virus.

Cool Aid’s Community Health Centre Nurses - Back row: Hannah Roy and Tamara Barnett (on bench); Back row on sidewalk: Anne Drost, Christiane Gray-Schleihauf, Caroline Meegison; Front: Karen Lundgren, Kellie Guarasci, Roz Milne.

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Everyone Deserves Health

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Cool Aid’s nurse Katie Leahy (left) and Dr. Fraser (right) consult with a palliative care patient who is living outside

People experiencing mental health challenges, substance use and other complex medical issues often face barriers in accessing the health and palliative care they need. Cool Aid’s Community Health Centre is an integral part of the community’s health care system that provides unique and targeted services to individuals who are marginalized.

taking health and palliative care to where people are at – on the streets, in shelters, hospitals or in their homes. Your donation to Cool Aid’s Community Health Centre will help vulnerable people get the healthcare and support they need to stay heathy, or for compassionate care at the end of their life.

The Cool Aid Mobile Inner City Outreach (CAMICO) is the most recent addition to Cool Aid’s health services. It consists of dedicated physicians, nurses and support staff who are

Please donate today at coolaid.org/donate to change a life.

Cool Aid Mobile Inner City Outreach (CAMICO) Van

Anne Drost (Right) Clinical Nurse with a volunteer

coolaid.org | 250.414.4799 | donate@coolaid.org