Health & Wellness
 

Say NO To Bottled Water http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2007/11/c3377.html?view=print Toronto based survey reveals negative attitudes towards bottled water TORONTO, April 11 /CNW/ - XYYZ (www.xyyz.ca), the website for guys in Toronto, has launched a campaign to encourage its members to drink tap water in restaurants instead of bottled water. Through its website (www.xyyz.ca), XYYZ is offering a special download of a restaurant billfold insert which members can use to voice their opposition to bottled water. With every download, members also get a chance to win one of 20 copies of The Weather Makers, by Tom Flannery. This number one national bestseller from HarperCollins is one of the most acclaimed books on the urgent need to deal with climate change. "We cater to urban guys who eat out a lot," says Russell Smith, XYYZ Executive Editor. "Before they order that expensive bottle of exotic spring water we want them to think: Think of the tonnes of waste, not from only the plastic bottles going to landfills, but from the carbon expended to get that water to their table. Think of the fact that Toronto tap water is tested thousands of times a year for purity. Think of the 1.1 billion people who have no access to a steady supply of clean drinking water." Smith continued, "We're asking Toronto guys to let restaurateurs know that they aren't being cheap when they refuse bottled water, they're being smart. Our free downloadable restaurant billfold insert can help get the point across in a polite and effective manner."

Canadian Cancer Statistics 2007 Released By The Canadian Cancer Society Cancer: a serious threat to baby boomers MONTREAL, April 11 /CNW Telbec/ - Cancer, the leading cause of death in Quebec, is on the rise across Canada. According to the latest Canadian Cancer Statistics, in 2007, there will be an estimated 41,000 new cancer cases in Quebec (159,900 in Canada) and 19,500 deaths caused by the disease (72,700 in Canada). This is 2,700 more cases and 400 more deaths than in 2006 (6,800 more cases and 2,300 more deaths in Canada). "With the aging baby boomer generation and the population growth, it can be expected that close to 1.5 million Quebecers (5.7 million Canadians) will develop one form or another of cancer over the next 30 years, and that 725,000 (1) of these people (2.7 million for all of Canada) will die from the disease during the same period(2)," says Dr. Gilles Pineau, interim president of the Canadian Cancer Society's Quebec Division. The aging baby boomer population is propelling Quebec and the rest of Canada into a cancer crisis. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, establishing a coordinated cancer control strategy is urgent.  More than one person in three-38% of Canadian women and 44% of Canadian men-will develop cancer in their lifetime. Within the next few years, one person in two will have at least one cancer during their life. Also, an estimated 24% of Canadian women and 29% of Canadian men, meaning approximately one person in four, will die of cancer(3). Across the country, breast cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for women (5,900 new cases in Quebec, 22,500 in Canada) and prostate cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for men (4,2004 new cases in Quebec, 22,300 in Canada). However, the breast cancer mortality rate is dropping and a larger number of women are surviving longer(5). In men, the prostate cancer mortality rate has declined significantly since 1994. The decreased mortality rates in both these types of cancer are due largely to new and improved treatments and more frequent screening. In 2007, lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death in both women and men: 6,200 in Quebec (2,600 women and 3,600 men), i.e. 31% of all lung-cancer-related deaths in the country (19,900 deaths in Canada: 8,900 women and 11,000 men). In 25 years, smoking has decreased at a slower rate among women than men. The result: lung cancer is now the primary cause of cancer death among women in Quebec and the rest of Canada. New fact: more young women (aged 20 to 44) than young men are diagnosed with lung cancer and die from it.(6)  Colorectal cancer is still the second leading cause of cancer death (2,400 in Quebec, 8,700 in Canada). Approximately 90% of colorectal cancer cases are diagnosed in Canadians over the age of 50. Screening by means of the fecal occult blood test may reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer by detecting blood in the stool from pre-cancerous polyps. Once identified, these polyps can be removed before they become cancerous. Scientific evidence shows that colorectal cancer deaths could be reduced by 17% if 70% of Canadians between the ages of 50 and 74 had a fecal occult blood test every two years. This year, the eldest of Canada's baby boomers will be turning 60(7), an age when cancer frequently occurs. This phenomenon will accelerate in the coming years and will completely change the demographic face of Quebec society. "The risk of developing cancer increases significantly with age," says Dr. Pineau. "Estimates for 2007 indicate that in Canada, 110,900 new cases-70% of the total-will be diagnosed in people aged 60 and over(8). Some 59,600 deaths-82% of the total-will be recorded in the same age group." "It's true that incidence and mortality rates have stabilized or declined for several cancer sites in the last ten years," says Ms. Marie-Claude Lafleur, Director of Communications at the Canadian Cancer Society's Quebec Division. However, Ms. Lafleur points out that in addition to research, a great deal remains to be done in the fight against this terrible disease:

Health Canada Reminds Canadians of Egg Safety http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/advisories-avis/2007/2007_37_e.html OTTAWA - Health Canada is reminding Canadians of the importance of proper food handling and preparation in the prevention of foodborne illness associated with eggs. Eggs are occasionally contaminated with Salmonella and other bacteria that can make you sick. It is also possible to contaminate eggs with bacteria from other foods. Following a few simple food safety tips can help you avoid contracting foodborne illness from eggs. Shop carefully: One of the best ways to ensure that the eggs you’re going to eat will be safe is to buy them carefully. Choose only refrigerated eggs with clean and un-cracked shells. Check the best before date on the package and pick up eggs just before you get to the check out counter. Refrigerate eggs within two hours of purchase. Keep eggs cold: Eggs should be put away immediately when you get home from the grocery store. Eggs should be placed in the coldest section of the refrigerator, usually near the back, in their original carton. The carton helps protect eggs from odours and damage. Don’t crack the shell of an egg until you want to use it. If a shell cracks by accident, remove the egg from the shell, store it in a refrigerated covered container and use within four days. Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the fridge in a covered container for up to one week. Egg salad sandwiches are a popular lunch food, but if you are sending a child to school with an egg salad sandwich in a lunch bag, be sure to include an icepack or frozen juice box to keep the sandwich cold. Keep clean: Handwashing, using soap and warm water before and after handling food, is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of foodborne illness. Remember to wash your hands carefully before and after handling raw eggs to avoid potential cross contamination. Also carefully wash all cutting boards, counters, knives and other utensils with soap and warm water after preparing foods using raw eggs. Cook thoroughly: Eggs and egg-based foods should be cooked thoroughly to ensure that they are safe to eat. Serve egg dishes immediately after cooking or store in shallow covered containers and refrigerate them within two hours. Uncooked cookie dough, batters or frostings made with raw eggs can contain Salmonella bacteria. Always make sure your baked goods are cooked thoroughly and never lick the spoon or eat raw cookie dough when baking using raw eggs.

Recent Surveys Show Canadians Want More "Family Time" Duncan Hines challenges Canadian families to spend more time together...baking! TORONTO, April 9 /CNW/ - Recent studies show Canadians are unhappy with the amount of quality time they spend at home with their families. In a survey conducted this March by UrbanMoms.ca, the majority of moms (67 percent) stated they would like to spend at least four hours a day with their kids. In reality, less than one-third is able to do so. The survey also found that while 83 percent of parents enjoy baking with their children, only 40 per cent of them do it more than once a month. The majority (74 percent) of survey respondents bake cookies or cupcakes with their children and almost two-thirds (63 percent) let them help throughout the entire baking process. In light of Statistics Canada's announcement earlier this year that people spent on average 45 minutes less at home than two decades ago, Duncan Hines created the "Cupcake Challenge" as a means to get Canadians back in the kitchen with their loved ones. "From the UrbanMoms.ca survey, we know that 60 percent of moms bake with their kids in order to spend some quality time with them," said Jenn Stone, renowned baking expert and owner of JS Bonbons. "The Duncan Hines Cupcake Challenge is all about getting families into the kitchen to make easy, fun treats for everyone." Jenn Stone offers some tips on how to include your kids in baking: Get younger kids involved by letting them decorate their own cupcakes. Ask older kids to help add and mix ingredients. The result is a yummy treat that everyone had a hand in making. "Two-thirds of the moms surveyed told us they let kids of all ages help with the entire baking process," said Linda Fox, Marketing Manager for Duncan Hines. "The time you spend together baking is an opportunity to just relax and talk to your kids, no matter what their age." As part of the "Duncan Hines Cupcake Challenge", Canadians are asked to send in a photo of themselves baking with their kids and their own tips on how to make baking quality time. For more information or to enter the contest, go to www.duncanhines.ca. Duncan Hines mixes and frostings are easy solutions for time-starved families. And with milk-free products, kosher mixes and lower-fat recipes, Duncan Hines has options for everyone. About UrbanMoms.ca Urbanmoms.ca is an online community of more than 10,000 Canadian women that provides a forum for moms across the country to interact and communicate with one another, as well as a place for moms to find information relevant to their busy lives.

Soft skills trump technical skills for support professionals http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/April2007/12/c4223.html?view=print TORONTO, April 12 /CNW/ - When hiring administrative staff, it's tempting to focus on the technical expertise needed for the position, but a new survey shows that less tangible "soft" skills are often valued more. Sixty-seven percent of human resources (HR) managers polled by OfficeTeam, HR.com and the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said they would hire an applicant with strong soft skills whose technical abilities were lacking; only nine per cent would hire someone who had strong technical expertise but weak interpersonal skills. The overwhelming majority (93 per cent) of HR managers felt technical skills are easier to teach than soft skills. More than 300 administrative professionals and 400 HR managers took part in the study, which was released to coincide with Administrative  Professionals Week (APW), April 22-28. The full survey results are reported in Fitting In, Standing Out and Building Remarkable Work Teams, a resource guide available from OfficeTeam.           "The results indicate the increasing complexity of the administrative function," said Sandra P. Chandler CPS, IAAP 2006-07 international president. "Today's professionals often negotiate with vendors, plan meetings and special events, create presentations, and interview and supervise other employees. While office technology skills are very important, excellent interpersonal abilities are invaluable and usually difficult to teach." The managers surveyed cited the following soft skills as being most in demand at their companies:(*) Organizational skills................. 87% Verbal communication ..............81% Teamwork and collaboration...... 78% Problem solving.........................60% Tact and diplomacy...................59% Business writing.......................48% Analytical skills........................45% (*) Multiple responses were permitted. Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam, pointed out that while administrative professionals frequently focus on building technical expertise to advance their careers, they should also look at how well they work with others, "The ability to collaborate and build consensus on projects distinguishes top performers." When asked which soft skills they would like to improve, IAAP members surveyed ranked analytical skills, verbal communication, negotiation and problem-solving skills above others.