Data on heart-attack deaths, hospital admissions and volumes of snow are linked in new Quebec study Heavy snowstorms are linked to a higher risk of being admitted to hospital for a heart attack, especially in men, a large Quebec study suggests. Shovelling snow has long been suspected of straining the heart, partly because it combines […]

All too often, the mention of chest pain conjures up images of a heart attack, but there are plenty of other diseases and conditions that can trigger this symptom. Some of them — like that chest muscle you pulled raking leaves last fall — are more annoying than serious. But others can be far more […]

As Canadians, we are proud of our universal health-care system, which provides publicly funded essential doctor and hospital care based on need and not ability to pay. Unfortunately, our health system falls short when it comes to prescription medication. Canada is the only industrialized country in the world to have a universal health system without […]

Learn how to identify when a child or youth may need mental health support. Mental health in children and youth Approximately 1 in 5 children and youth in Ontario has a mental health challenge. About 70% of mental health challenges have their onset in childhood or youth. That’s why early identification and intervention is so […]

Study found most patients continued taking medication — sometimes daily — despite not having the condition A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found 33 per cent of adults recently diagnosed with asthma by their physicians did not have an active form of the respiratory condition. The clinical study, […]

Frostbite most often occurs on the feet, hands, ears, nose and face. In extreme conditions, if not properly dressed for the cold, men can even experience frostbite on their genitals. At first, frostbitten skin will “feel a little bit cold and be a little bit more pale than the rest of the surrounding tissue,” Alex […]

After the festive over-indulgence, experts share their tips for keeping fit and healthy in the workplace this year Find ways to exercise in the office A Lancet study from earlier this year found that people need to do at least an hour of physical activity a day to counter the negative health impacts of every […]

How to access free dental care for children 17 years old and under, if they are eligible through the government’s Healthy Smiles program. The program is designed for lower-income families in need of support. How it works Healthy Smiles Ontario is a government-funded dental program that provides free preventive, routine, and emergency dental services for […]

Asthma is a very common chronic (long-term) lung disease that can make it hard to breathe. About 2.4 million Canadians aged 12 and older have asthma1. Over 1.9 million Ontarians have asthma, including one out of every five children3. If you manage your asthma well, it doesn’t have to limit what you can do. With […]

Most people have been affected by what’s commonly known as food poisoning at some point. Understanding the causes of foodborne illnesses is an important step to help prevent them. What are foodborne illnesses? Foodborne illnesses are caused by eating food contaminated with harmful microorganisms. The majority of cases are caused by bacteria. Viruses, parasites, moulds […]