Many Canadians will view the new drinking recommendations with great skepticism Looks like we all need to drink less alcohol. Last fall, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), a national organization that provides information and advice on substance use and addiction, shared recommendations that we should all drink no more than one…
Unlike several other carcinogens, radon cannot be detected by human measures As homeowners, our ultimate goal is to provide ourselves and our families with a safe place to live. Unfortunately, some homeowners don’t realize that some of the most substantial threats to their family’s well-being are not the physical ones – like intruders – but…
But could take 10 to 15 years to develop and test a drug An international team of researchers has uncovered a new mechanism that enables cancer cells to move throughout the body, providing a potential new target to stop metastasis, which is responsible for 90 per cent of cancer deaths. In findings published in Nature,…
Easier-to-produce compound for cancer diagnostic imaging is ready for patient use For people waiting for imaging tests to diagnose neuroendocrine cancer, time is of the essence. Now a new medical imaging agent for PET scans promises to reduce wait times while costing less to produce and possibly revealing more of some types of cancer tumours.…
Radon exposure takes the lives of eight Canadians every day
One hates to be part of a statistic, but it seems like I’m one of the 94 per cent of people who had no idea that a silent killer was lurking in my home. It’s radon, which takes the lives of eight Canadians each day. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the Edmonton home…
Radon can become a risk to the health of you and your family
November is National Radon Action Month in Canada. Many people don’t know that radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Listed below are some myths and misconceptions about radon, a radioactive gas that comes from the breakdown of uranium in soil and rock and can become a risk to your and your family’s…
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer
When we think of a tasteless, odourless, invisible killer potentially lurking in our homes, carbon monoxide (CO) immediately comes to mind. What’s beyond our radar, however, is radon. In Canada, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer, next to smoking, and the number one cause of cancer in non-smokers. While carbon monoxide poisonings…
RNA technology used to target gene defects in blood cells that lead to diseases like leukemia
A University of Alberta researcher is hot on the trail of a new drug to combat blood cancers. Based on RNA technology — best known for the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines — the drug targets specific gene defects in blood cells responsible for cancers such as leukemia. “With conventional cancer drugs, there is a…
Undiagnosed, untreated illness could lead to heart disease later in life, says lead researcher
Not enough men in Alberta – especially those in their 40s – are getting tested for diabetes, putting them at risk for heart disease, cancer and other illnesses, according to new population health research published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas. “My main message to young men is that early diagnosis is critical because diabetes…
Flexitarians have decreased risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes and reduced risk of cancer
For a number of years, I talked about becoming a vegetarian. I could see the health and environmental benefits, but completely removing meat seemed a bit extreme for my tastes. I recently discovered flexitarianism, a vegetarian diet where one eats meat occasionally. I limit my intake of meat and seafood, but I can still enjoy…