,

Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation Hosts – Ask an Expert in Victoria

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation – BC/Yukon Region (CBCF) is proud to host the Ask an Expert event in Victoria, BC on Tuesday, October 30th 2012 at 7pm at the Vic Theatre, 808 Douglas St., Victoria.

 Formerly known as the Breast Health Speaker Series, the primary purpose of the event is to engage with Vancouver Island’s brightest minds in the subjects of breast cancer and breast health to provide important information and encourage interactive discussion with the public. Hosted by this panel of experts, the public forum is designed to provide insight into this critical subject as part of the Foundation’s dedication to creating a future without breast cancer.

 The event will feature world-renowned researcher Dr. Peter Watson from the Trev and Joyce Deeley Research Centre/BC Cancer Agency, who will share the latest information on breast cancer research, Dorothy Yada, Breast Health Patient Navigator from Victoria General Hospital will cover the basics of breast health and cancer, and Jules Sesia, a breast cancer survivor and stand-up comic, will share her personal story.

Following the presentations, the floor will be opened to a question-and-answer period and discussion, providing the opportunity for attendees to gain clarity on breast cancer research, health, and to share their personal experiences.

For more information, please visit www.cbcf.org or call 250.384.3328. Please note that space for this free event is limited; please secure your seat by emailing rsvp@cbcf.org.

The BC/Yukon Region of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation was established in 1992 to make a difference in breast cancer and breast health for BC women. Every year, the Foundation, along with its donors, sponsors and partners, raises funds to support unique and innovative initiatives across the areas of prevention, early detection, treatment, research and emerging issues in the health care workforce. The BC/Yukon Region is committed to realizing a future without the fear of breast cancer by 2020, when breast cancer is a manageable and treatable disease.

/0 Comments/by

The Biological Internet That Could One Day Program Artificial Organs

Scientists have just found a way to use DNA to send massive amounts of data between cells, which means we soon may be able to give our cells incredibly complicated instructions.

Much like humans use the Internet to communicate, cells have mechanisms to pass on data to each other. It’s a system that is being hacked by scientists who realize the value of being able to send custom genetic data from cell to cell. Because when large groups of cells can be commanded by humans to work on complex tasks, the possibilities are endless.

Typically, scientists have spurred on communication by sending sugar molecules from cell to cell–the concentration of sugar either activates something in a receiver cell or doesn’t, depending on the command. But this is limiting, says Monica Ortiz, a doctoral candidate in bioengineering at Stanford. “You can’t send very much information with these sugar molecules.” So Ortiz and Drew Endy, an assistant professor of bioengineering, set out to create a more complex system.

We know that we can encode anything we want to in DNA.

Their solution, published in a recent issue of the Journal of Biological Engineering: a bacteriophage, or virus that infect bacteria. “We recognized that phage are essentially nucleic acids packaged by protein, and we know that genes and other elements in the genome are always encoded into DNA. So we know that we can encode anything we want to in DNA,” explains Ortiz. “We can encode genes, activation of transcription in various ways and we don’t need to rely on this middleman sugar molecule.”

Ortiz and Endy selected M13 as their cell-communicating virus. It’s the ideal specimen: It doesn’t kill the host cell, scientists can vary the length of DNA that they’re packaging (M13 packages genetic messages), and it has been engineered to get its DNA into mammalian cells.

The M13 communication system is, as Stanford Engineering explains, like a wireless information network for cells to send and receive messages. M13 wraps up strands of DNA (programmed by scientists) and sends them out in proteins that infect cells and release the DNA messages once they have gained entry. Scientists can send whatever they want in the DNA–everything from a sentence in a book to a sequence that encodes fluorescent protein.

What we’ve shown is that we can send and receive a message.

The M13 system dramatically increases the amount of data that can be transmitted at one time compared to previous cell-to-cell communication systems–roughly 80,000 bits compared to one bit with the sugar molecule system. M13 can also transmit data over long ranges.

“Practically I think sending DNA between cells has a lot of applications,” says Ortiz. “What we’ve shown is that we can send and receive a message and do something in the receiver cell with that message.” In the future–we’re talking decades down the line–the technology could be used in tissue engineering as well as in creating artificial organs and biomaterials that have no direct analog in nature.

Ortiz emphasizes that the research is just beginning. “People are calling it the biological Internet, and that’s a fairly good analogy. I want to make the point that this is a very early stage proof-of-principle paper.”

Ariel Schwartz is a Senior Editor at Co.Exist. She has contributed to SF Weekly, Popular Science, Inhabitat, Greenbiz, NBC Bay Area, GOOD Magazine.

/0 Comments/by

Should You Race a Half Marathon to train for a Marathon?

Should You Race a Half Marathon to train for a Marathon?The first question you need to ask is;  is a half marathon a good idea for every marathoner?

The answer is; it depends on your fitness level and marathon goals.

If you’re a first-time marathoner and your only goal is to finish the race, the benefits of a half marathon race aren’t as important.  Remember that racing causes muscle damage, and novice runners won’t heal as quickly as more advanced  runners, which means that the novice runner will need to take time off to recover and this can set back your training schedule.

If you are a experienced marathoner and have a specific time goal, there are advantageous to racing a half marathon to prepare your body. Running a half marathon will allow you to estimate your marathon finish time, familiarize yourself with the course and will give you a much more accurate estimate of your fitness level.

If you choose to race a half marathon as your marathon tune-up race, follow these guidelines:

  • Schedule them 5 to 7 weeks before your marathon to allow sufficient recovery
  • Don’t run more than one half during a marathon training cycle  and don’t wear, eat or drink anything new on race day.
  • Prioritize recovery after the race: extra sleep, an ice baths, and light cross-training will get you back to marathon training as soon as possible
  • Reduce the volume and intensity of the next 1 to 3 runs in your training plan

You know your body best and if you get beat up by racing and need more time to recover adequately you should choose a shorter tune-up race, such as a 10K.

What you don’t want to do is increase your training a few weeks before the race. This is the time when many runners have been racing for at least 2 months and have become used to a certain level of training. Draw strength from the hard work you’ve put in and have confidence in what you’ve been doing.

Running a half marathon can be a valuable tool to help estimate your finish time and gauge how well your body & fitness level will hold up to a full marathon….. Good Luck!

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Do you Overpronate or Underpronate? | Orthotics Victoria

Orthotics are biomechanical appliances, that enable feet to be held in a more stable position, therefore reducing stress and strain on the body.

Over 50% of the population have feet that overpronate or underpronate. This means that the foot turns too much or not enough. Overpronation or underpronation can lead to serious injury and pain.  Orthotics can help this by correcting the problem by adjusting the angles in which your feet touch the ground.

Do you Overpronate or Underpronate? | Orthotics Victoria Orthotics can help with such conditions as plantar fascitis, chronic blisters, shinsplints and back pain. Most problems that occur within your body, are likely caused by too much stress on it. Too much stress causes things to break, rip or tear. In this case, orthotics help prevent these injuries by reducing the amount of stress that has caused the problem in the first place.

Orthotics help restore the normal balance and alignment of your body by gently correcting foot abnormalities. They gently reduce problems associated with pressure points, and muscle strain on knees, hips and backs.

What type of orthotics to use depends on what you are trying to accomplish for the foot. For the over-pronator, generally a more rigid type of orthotic is necessary since you are trying to limit the amount of rolling that occurs. Softer types of orthotics are indicated for under-pronators, to fill the arch and provide increased shock absorption.

The important point to remember when considering orthotics is that they should be customized for your feet and made by someone well-trained in foot biomechanics. While there is a lot of science that goes into deciding upon and making an orthotic, there is some art as well and sometimes adjustments are necessary. The final orthotic product should be something you would not think of going on a run without, not an expensive dust collector in the back of your closet.

Diversified Health’s lead Chiropractor, Dr. Krisjan Gustavson has been making orthotics for over 25 years, and would be happy to meet with you to discuss if you are a candidate for custom orthotics.

/0 Comments/by

Becoming a Produce Detective

Becoming a Produce DetectiveGrocery shopping is something we all do several times a month. We all struggle to buy less processed food, and more locally sourced produce, in environmentally friendly packaging.

So, how do we know about the toxicity of whole foods? Is there a way to identify if the produce we purchase has been genetically modified, organically grown or grown conventionally.

The answer to the question – PLU – Price Look-Up Codes. These codes are printed on small stickers that are found on all fruits and vegetables. The stickers have either a 4 or 5 digit number and depending on where the produce originates the PLU sticker may also contain the produce variety, country of origin, and logo. These codes are affixed to every piece of fresh produce which helps the supplier identify the product and allows the registers at grocery stores to scan them.

PLU Numbers on Produce Stickers:
• Organic produce has a 5 digit PLU number that begins with the number 9.
• Conventional produce has a 4 digit PLU number that begins with the number 4.
• Genetically modified (GMO) produce has a 5 digit PLU number that begins with the number 8.

The codes have been in use since the early 1990’s, and while it’s true that fresh produce in supermarkets is labeled with a code to help identify it; using an 8 to label GMOs is optional, and most companies don’t identify that their produce is genetically modified. Genetically modified foods are not regulated and as of yet, do not require labeling.

PLU Examples:

Fuji Apples
#94129 Organic
#4131 Conventional

Granny Smith Apples
#94017 organic
#4017 conventional

Gala Apples
#94133 Organic
#4133 Conventional

So the next time you go shopping and wonder about how the food you are buying has been grown, be a produce detective and take a look at the PLU code; they contain a little more information than you think.

/0 Comments/by

Benefits Associated With Cycling | victoria public health

Benefits Associated With Cycling | victoria public healthThere are major benefits that are associated with cycling.

Cycling is one of the easiest ways to exercise, because there is no high level of skill or equipment required.

Cycling builds strength and increases muscle tone through strengthening leg muscles and increasing the mobility of hip and knee joints.

Cycling improves cardio-vascular fitness by using the largest muscle groups the legs, which will raise your heart rate to benefit stamina and fitness.

Cycling helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Cycling is a lifetime activity and can help ward off health issues related to an inactive lifestyle.

Cyclists are physically active citizens, and are good for the economy as they have fewer sick days and need less medical treatments.

Cycling can help you sleep better. Exercising outside exposes you to daylight and this helps get your circadian rhythm back in sync, and also rids your body of cortisol, the stress hormone that can prevent deep regenerative sleep.

Cycling improves your cardio-respiratory fitness which will help improve your mental fitness, by building new brain cells in the hippocampus – the region responsible for memory.

Cycling helps your overall health.  Moderate exercise makes immune cells more active, so they’re ready to fight off infection.

Here in Victoria you can ride all year round and can cycle almost everywhere. If you are just starting out there are three important things to remember:

Be Visible – wear bright colors, and use headlights on the front of your bike and blinking red lights in the back.

Be Predictable – A common mistake that beginning cyclists make is feeling that they are not entitled to be on the road –  behave like a car, riding in a straight line in the lane where the car’s right wheel would go.

Choose appropriate route – some roads are just not suitable for bikes. Heavy, high-speed traffic on roads with no shoulders will make for unsafe or unpleasant riding.

Before starting any new exercise regime, check with your health care practitioner for information and tips about keeping yourself safe and injury free.

/0 Comments/by

How Much Do You Spend on Keeping Physically Active?

How Much Do You Spend on Keeping Physically Active? Many of us believe that you have to spend a small fortune on gym memberships or personal trainers to be physically fit and active. In fact, you can be active without spending any money.

During the colder months, invite some friends to meet you at a local mall.  You can get some exercise and socialize while you are walking, and you can continue your walks out side when the weather becomes warmer.

All activity counts towards being physically fit, so even tasks such as household chores, or gardening will help you shape up.

Don’t forget to check with your healthcare practitioners, many clinics now have Rehab Gyms and as a patient you can use the facility at little or no cost.

Community & Recreation Centres

Many recreation or community centres offer a first class for free, so take advantage of these free demonstration exercise classes.   Your local library’s will have exercise DVD`s that you can borrow for free, or  download activities such as yoga and stretching exercises. For something with a bit more social and entertainment value, try participating in  community-sponsored fun run, or if you need a bit more of a team atmosphere try joining a volleyball or basketball league that plays at your local community center.

Local Parks

Many city parks have free nature walks where you can learn about native trees and plants while exploring a local forest or beach.  Another way to keep active is to help your community by participating in a stream clean-up effort.

In Your Neighbourhood

Try bike riding, and if you don’t own a bike, no worries, many communities have bike shops that also have rentals.  Or, try playing a game of tennis, and sign up for matches at the community courts in your neighbourhood.

Joining a walking group will keep you motivated, and will allow you to meet new people and get you walking on routes that you might otherwise not try.

Staying connected to you community is a good way to keep fit mentally and physically at little or no cost to yourself; and will keep you moving while having a great time!

/0 Comments/by

Size Matters When Choosing a Bike | Victoria Walk in Clinic

In order to enjoy cycling without injury; the choice of bike, proper frame size, and adjustments of the handlebar, seat and pedals can play a huge part; so size does matter when choosing a bike.

Here’s how to tell if the bike is truly right for you, and specific points on how you can fine tune the seat and handlebars to make it perfectly comfortable for you.

Frame Size:

The first step is getting the right size bike, so stand over the frame with both feet flat on the ground. A properly-sized road bike frame will allow an inch or two clearance between the top tube of the frame and your crotch. A mountain bike should aim for twice this distance.

Seat Height:

Your seat height should be set to a height that allows your leg to extend until it is almost completely straight when you are sitting on the seat. There should be only a slight bend to the knee when your foot is on the pedal in the bottom position.  A common mistake is for people to think that they should be able to sit on their seat touch the ground.  For maximum comfort, you want your seat to be level.

Handlebar Position
The goal of handlebar height adjustment is to find the position where you can ride comfortably without putting strain on your back, shoulders or wrists

Your handlebars should be at least as high as your seat, or even above it, so you can ride upright. If your handlebars are lower than your seat you’ll be pushed into your handlebars, and you’ll place more stress on your wrists, arms, neck, and back.

Making sure your bike fits is of utmost importance to cycling injury free.

/0 Comments/by
, ,

Knee Pain

Knee pain is a common complaint that affects people of all ages. A few reasons one may be experiencing knee pain include: a sudden increase in one’s training or activity schedule, the commencement of a new sport or activity, a change in footwear, improper training technique, or muscle imbalances and/or alignment issues.

Understanding what is causing your knee pain is the first step in treating it, and there are many possible causes of mechanical knee pain which include:

patello-femoral syndrome, patellar fracture, bursitis, Ilio-tibial band friction syndrome, patellar or quadriceps tendinopathy, ligament injuries/sprains, Meniscal injuries/tears, Osteoarthritis, Osgood-Schlatter’s disease,  Loose Bodies, etc…

 Knee pain is one of the most common cycling injuries. The most common cause of knee pain in cyclists in ilio-tibial band (IT band) syndrome. The IT band is a thick band of fibrous tissue that runs down the outside of the upper leg from the hip area to the knee. Pain usually results when the IT band becomes too tight and therefore rubs over the bony prominences of the knee. The IT band has direct attachments to the tensor fascia latae (TFL) muscle, which runs down along the outer front of the thigh/hip area and acts to help flex and abduct the hip. This muscle, which is used consistently in cycling, often becomes shortened and/or tight, thereby increasing tension on the IT band and contributing to knee and/or hip pain.

 As injury can often be a problem of overuse, or misuse, it is important to avoid the temptation to do too much (especially if just starting out with a new sport/activity, or commencing a training season). To avoid misuse of muscles, and prevent injury, it is important to ensure appropriate training technique and equipment fit (ie: bike fit).  With cycling, it is important to add in a stretching program for your lower extremities to help maintain a healthy and appropriate muscle length while training.

 In order to determine the cause of one’s knee pain, a comprehensive examination of the knee is completed and the appropriate treatment plan is outlined.

Treatment for knee pain can include:

1)    Electrotherapy such as ultrasound to decrease swelling, pain, speed up cell turn over and thus enhance healing and recovery.

2)    Interferential current may be used to decrease swelling or joint effusion, decrease pain, and speed up recovery.

3)    Heat may be used to decrease pain and increase range of motion

4)    Ice may be used to decrease inflammation and pain

5)    Soft tissue work to improve circulation, break up adhesions, decrease muscle tightness or tension, decrease pain

6)    Joint mobilizations to increase range of motion, decrease stiffness, increase circulation, and decrease pain

7)    Passive stretching to increase muscle length

8)    Taping to improve muscle function or joint alignment and decrease pain

9)    Comprehensive exercise program to correct for muscle imbalances, increase flexibility, improve strength / stability / proprioception.

 Below are a few exercises to help prevent knee injuries:

  1. Glute med strengthening – use theraband or stretchy tubing tied around ankles. In standing with legs straight and core contracted, side step (with straight legs) to left against the resistance of the band around the ankles. Continue for a minimum of 15 steps or until fatigue and then return to the starting point by side stepping to the right as above.
  2. Double leg or single leg squat, either on a BOSU or on the ground with a stability ball against the wall (your back leaning against the stability ball).
  3. Hamstring, Hip flexor stretching, and IT band rolling on foam roller

Remember to follow the PRICE principle if you believe you’ve sustained an acute knee injury, until you’ve been assessed from your health care practitioner.

P – Protect: Avoid anything that could cause further harm/injury or increase pain

R – Rest: Discontinue any and all physical activity as much as possible

I – Ice: Apply ice, 15-20 min max, 3-4 times/day

C – Compression: Wrap the injured area with a tensor bandage etc applying pressure around the area (to help decrease swelling and inflammation)

E – Elevation: Sit or lie with the limb or injured area elevated

Written by Jessica McCartie M.P.T.

/3 Comments/by
,

Meet The Man Figuring Out What To Do With All That Plastic Waste

The recent winner of a prestigious environmental prize, Mike Biddle and MBA Polymers are changing what we think of as recyclables.

When the Gothenburg Prize called Mike Biddle and told him he’d won this year, he didn’t understand the message at first. “I couldn’t get the Swedish accent. I thought they wanted me to be a judge,” he says. “When they said, ‘Oh no, we want to give you the prize,’ I was literally speechless.”

The Gothenburg, which focuses on sustainable development, isn’t the Nobel, but it’s prestigious enough (Kofi Annan and Al Gore are previous recipients). Biddle is bashful about why he was chosen, but thinks it may be because he’s “stuck with something for 20 years,” and achieved something “quite difficult.”

If my coffee maker or vacuum cleaner dies, you can take it to Goodwill, and that’s about it. They throw the rest away.

“That’s why you don’t see hundreds of companies like us out there, sorting plastics. We figured out how to do it, and took it to a commercial reality. That’s not something you always see with new technologies.”

MBA Polymers, the company Biddle founded 20 years ago, goes after the recyclables others don’t want, or don’t know how to deal with: plastics from coffee makers and toasters, TVs and cell phones, fittings from cars and trucks, and so on. These materials are actually more valuable, and more plentiful, than steel, Biddle says. But they don’t get recycled in high volumes, because they’re more difficult to separate from the waste stream.

You can use a magnet to extract metals, or sort them by hand: They have different colors and tell-tale densities. But plastics are much less distinguishable. They have infinite different colors, share similar densities, and have no electrical or magnetic properties that make sorting easier. Hence, metals are recycled at an estimated 90% rate, while plastics have only a 5% to 10% rate. The rest ends up in landfills, burned in incinerators, or shipped to dangerous and inefficient sorting plants in the developing world.

MBA Polymers takes waste from “shredders” that have already separated out metals, then isolates up to 40 plastic types in a multi-stage process. It produces virgin plastic pellets that can be reused in the same way as traditional plastic, but with an 80% savings in energy, and a lower cost. Biddle calls this “above the ground mining,” and thinks there is a huge potential, if only we could see used plastic as a resource, instead of as a disposable good.

MBA has three plants so far–in China, Austria, and the U.K. But it’s still only scratching the surface of what gets thrown out every year. In fact, the overall problem of un-recycled plastic is getting worse. While many developed countries now collect standard recyclables such as PET Coke bottles and milk jugs, the rates for other plastic types are pathetic. Computer and electronics waste is the fastest growing part of the world’s waste stream.

If you can get the collection right, the economics take care of the rest.

Biddle says the problem isn’t necessarily technological. Plants like his, while costly upfront, are economical. The issue is having reliable incoming waste streams, which means better collection in the first place. “Single-stream recycling has gone a long way to solving the problem of household waste. But if my coffee maker or vacuum cleaner dies, you can take it to Goodwill, and that’s about it. They throw the rest away.”

“But if you can get the collection right, the economics take care of the rest. The problem in developed countries is the first mile from the home to the recycling plant.”

The issue in developing countries is different, Biddle says. There are thousands of “pickers” who already sort through the trash looking for materials they can sell to make some extra money. There is no lack of willingness to sort the waste, or manpower to do it. The problem is that the work is often unsafe, and the economic opportunity and environmental benefits aren’t maximized. “Pickers can play a vital role if we can figure out how to get them to collect stuff and bring it to processing centers like ours,” he says.

Biddle’s currently looking at ideas for coordinating informal pickers into organized teams, possibly working in some kind of public-private partnership. And he thinks he can improve incomes, and health and safety standards, as a result.

“[The pickers] don’t necessarily get treated fairly in my experience. We’re trying to get around that and give them another option, and provide a more environmentally safe way to market,” he says.

Written by Ben Schiller

Ben Schiller is a staff writer for Co.Exist, and also contributes to the FT, and Yale e360.

/0 Comments/by