“What our results show is that resistance training can indeed improve both your cognitive performance and your brain function,” said Prof. Teresa Liu-Ambrose, who led the study at the University of British Columbia.

“What is key is that it will improve two processes that are highly sensitive to the effects of aging and neurodegeneration: executive function and associative memory — often impaired in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.”

Links can be found below to the study, as well as articles from Medcan trainers on the importance of strength training.

Resistance training promotes cognitive and functional brain plasticity in seniors with probable mild cognitive impairment.

The Skinny on Fat Loss

Strength Training for Women

“5 Things You Will See, 5 Things You Will Not See in Canadian Healthcare the Next 5 Years”

Shaun Francis, Chairman and CEO, Medcan Health Management Inc.

Moderated by:  M. Craig Shepherd (HBS MBA 2002), Managing Director & General Counsel, DRI Capital Inc.

RSVP: Natalie Glick, ng@dricapital.com (please indicate HBS April 18 Event in the subject line)

Date: Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Time: 6 – 9pm

Location: Oliver and Bonacini Cafe Grill

33 Yonge St, on the northeast corner of Yonge & Front Streets

(647) 260-2070

Website: http://www.oliverbonacini.com/Yonge-Front.aspx

Map: http://www.google.ca/maps/place?q=oliver+and+bonacini+cafe+grill,+33+yonge+st&hl=en&cid=1118740061535740075

Parking: Parking is available after 5:30pm upon validation (from O&B); underground lot accessible via Scott St.

Subway: King Street Subway Station; exit at Wellington Street Exit; walk south toward Front St.

Cost: $55/person including hors d’oeuvres, wine and gratuity

Payment: http://www.hbstoronto.ca/store.html?event_id=312

Medcan’s high beam laser technology effectively targets and removes hair roots.  Compared to more traditional methods like waxing, this solution causes significantly less discomfort.  This technology works to eliminate facial and body hair for men and women of all skin tones, hair types and color.  This multiple wavelength technology, Pro Wave, is our most recent addition to our trusted Cutera System.

Plastic Surgery Consultation

As part of our growing range of onsite specialties, we are privileged to welcome Dr. Dimitrios Motakis to our team.  Dr. Motakis, who completed  his doctorate and residency at McGill University, and is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, is available for consultations for cosmetic procedures including Blepharoplasty (upper and lower eyelids), Phytidectomy (face and neck lift), Rhinoplasty (nose), breast augmentation, liposuction, Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck), and scar revision.

For any questions please contact Nina Mehta directly at 416-350-5938 or e-mail her at  ninamehta@medcan.com.

Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Strategies (MBCS) is derived from the work of Zindel Segal and others (The Mindful Way Through Depression), and combines meditative practice with the tools of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy resulting in a powerful method for dealing with life challenges and negative states.

There is much evidence to support the use of this work.  It significantly reduces depressive relapse and is helpful for dealing with acute anxiety or worry and its effects (such as related insomnia), depression, and mood problems associated with cancer.  These interventions have also been shown to reduce absenteeism, increase productivity, and it is known that meditation increases contentment.

This 8-week clinical program takes place once per week for two hours in a group format.  Participants learn from each other as we acquire both meditative and cognitive skills.  Home practice reinforces the program in which participants engage in mindfulness and other exercises throughout the week. Participants must have a family physician and be free of substance use.

We are beginning our second program under the direction of Dr. Patricia Rockman, MD, CCFP, FCFP, a family physician with a focused practice in mental health and a special interest in mindfulness-based interventions.  Her co-facilitator, Dr. David Denis, ND, is a naturopath with a special interest in mindfulness and its relationship to cancer care.

The program begins with an orientation on April 18, 2012 and will continue for 8 consecutive Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m. till 6:30 p.m. until June 13, 2012.  Medcan’s MBCS program will be held at the Sheraton Center Toronto (123 Queen Street West, Toronto, ON, M5H 2M9).

To learn more about the program, please email Paula Gomes at paulagomes@medcan.com

This summer my husband and I were in the outback of Algonquin Park, and as I was about to get into our canoe, I realized what a balancing act it actually is.  As I stepped into the canoe, I had to step exactly into the middle, making sure I kept the canoe perfectly balanced, to prevent it from tipping, or cracking.  This time it took more effort and focus, as we were coming out of a very rocky enclave, with waves lapping into the shore.  As we paddled safely out onto the lake it came to me to do my next yoga blog on the topic of balance.

In yoga the practice of balance goes back for thousands of years.  One of my favourite yoga postures is the tree pose: standing perfectly still on one leg, with the weight evenly distributed throughout your body, while keeping a perfectly balanced position.   Standing in this pose offers the experience of peace and inner strength.   Balance is not only a part of yoga postures, but a large part of yoga philosophy, where ‘balance’ is practiced as a way of life, which can also bring one peace and contentment.

Balance is the very foundation of our nature and existence, the perfect electromagnetic balance of every atom in our bodies, keeps it working harmoniously so that we can live, move and participate in life, on a planet that is also perfectly balanced in all the forces of nature’s laws.

So how can this yoga concept of balance be applied to the Westerner who lives a very demanding and busy lifestyle?   Here are some very practical ways how balance can become a part of our daily lives:

*Create a balanced exercise workout program, to include cardio, strengthening exercises and stretching.

*Balance meals, with protein, vegetables, whole grains and fruits.

*Balance your busy working day with 10 minutes of yoga stretches in the morning, some deep yoga breathing at lunch time, as you head out for a walk or take a yoga breathing break sitting at your desk, and end your day with 10 minutes of relaxing yoga stretches before falling asleep.

*Balance the list of worries that go around in circles in your head with a positive affirmation:  “I am peace, peace is me” as you take a deep breath.

*Balance the demands of your long work day, with activities that are recreational such as sports, activities out in nature, or the arts.

*Take some time for quiet reading, writing or reflection.

*Try a meditation class or a yoga relaxation class.

*Turn off the BlackBerries and cell phones and just be with others you care about in your life.

To practice the yoga philosophy of ‘balance’, it can be this simple.   May you enjoy the wonderful benefits of this ancient yoga practice – balanced living.

Yoga quote: by Paramahansa Yogananda (one of the first yogi’s to come to America from India in 1920 to give lectures on yoga philosophy).   “Man’s great need is to find more time to enjoy nature, to simplify his life and his imaginary necessities, to enjoy the true needs of his existence, to learn to know his children and friends better, and most of all, to know himself and the God who made him.”

Personalized Medicine (PM) is a buzz term right now, and is being hailed as the ‘next big thing’ in medicine. But what does it really mean?

Personalized Medicine can be broadly defined as a medical model that emphasizes the customization of healthcare, with all decisions and practices being individualized to a specific patient.

Most physicians will agree that ‘personalized medicine’ is nothing new, and in fact they’ve been practicing it for years. These physicians argue that they treat their patients as individuals, and manage their care based on their individual medical parameters and individual needs. For example, anytime a doctor alters the management of a patient based on his or her body mass index or cholesterol level, that doctor is personalizing care for that patient.

However, the new era of personalized medicine aims to take this ‘personalization’ a step further by customizing your medical care based on your DNA. New technology has enabled us to incorporate your genomic variability into decision-making around medical management, diagnosis, treatment and disease prevention strategies.

At Medcan we dove right into the new era of personalized medicine when we first started offering our Personal Genome Testing in 2009. Our program offers clinically-guided genome testing in the context of a primary care setting, and allows people to understand their genetic risks for common complex disease as well as risks for medication sensitivities (see ‘Pharmacogenomics’ for more information.) Our program is focused primarily on disease prevention: by understanding where you’re starting out with higher genetic risks, you can make modifications to lifestyle, diet and/or screening practices in order to reduce your risk for disease, and hopefully prevent it all together.

For all intents and purposes, personalized medicine is still in early days. The shift towards using genomic information in mainstream medicine is likely to take time, especially in larger institutions. However, at Medcan we have learned first-hand how beneficial incorporating genomic information into your primary medical care can be. We’re excited about what the future holds, as we continue to grow our program and navigate the new world of personalized medicine.

The prep for a colonoscopy is pretty straight-forward: follow a clear liquid diet the day before your procedure and take the laxative solutions the night before your procedure. It sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Sort of like putting together one of those do-it-yourself projects at home…the kind that comes with pages and pages of “simple instructions”. Here’s the thing – the longer the instructions, the less likely people are to read them all and that’s when things can go wrong!

We tried to simplify our instructions as best we could and keep them relatively short but still provide the relevant information. Here are the most common questions I hear with regards to the instructions:

Your instructions say to start taking the prep at 5pm but the instructions in the Pico-Salax say to start at 8am.

Our instructions indicate you should disregard the instructions that come with the Pico-Salax. There is really no need to feel the effects of the laxatives all day. Starting later in the day is just as effective. You should mix the packets of Pico-Salax with 5-8oz of water.

Your instructions say I should follow a clear liquid diet the day before my test but I can still eat my usual breakfast, right?

No. We do not want you to eat any solid food the day before your exam. Following a clear liquid diet helps to cleanse your colon so that the physician will be able to examine the lining of the colon completely. By eating solid food the day before your test means you will likely have leftover “debris” in your colon and the physician will not get an optimal view of the lining which means polyps may be missed (not seen).

I want to start the prep earlier than 5pm – can I do that?

Yes you can. The reason we indicated 5pm as the time to start the prep is because most of our patients are at work that day and don’t want to begin taking laxatives whilst still at the office! If you would like to start the prep earlier we recommend the following: Take the first packet of Pico-Salax at 3pm, the second packet at 5pm and the bottle of Citro-Mag at 7pm.

Your instructions tell me to disregard the instructions with the Pico-Salax but you don’t tell me how I’m supposed to mix the packets.

We mean to disregard the instructions that indicate you should take the prep at 8am. As I mentioned above, you do not need to experience the effects of a laxative all day. Our instructions indicate you should mix the packets with 5-8oz of water.

The Endoscopy Team at Medcan is always happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the procedure or the preparation involved. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you do have questions.

Now that summer is waning we can look at some strategies to return to a more disciplined and health-focused behaviour:

1. Weight Loss – Because we are much more active in the summer, managing our weight in the winter is far more about diet than exercise. New studies suggest that more rapid weight loss with a structured healthy diet leads to a greater likelihood of long-term success
2. Vitamin D – Less sunlight in the winter means less chance of getting enough vitamin D. Vitamin D helps keep your muscles, nerves and immune system working properly and should be added to your daily health program from September to May.
3. Build at least one half hour 3 days a week into your schedule for exercise.  Make at least one of these a ‘high’ intensity workout where you feel spent at the end of your workout.  Remember that exercise should have three important components: aerobic, resistance and stretching.
4. Sleep is an essential element to not only your daily energy level and performance, it is an instrument needed for maintaining overall health.  Ensure that you are achieving 6-8 hours nightly.  Sleep cannot be stored so don’t fool yourself by saying you will ‘catch up’.
5. Alcohol is often enjoyed in larger amounts in the summer.  Beer, coolers, and cocktails are common when entertaining or recreating.  Unrecognized calories are often ignored or underweighted.  Remember that each drink means 1-2 kilometres of running or walking to counter the caloric value.  Prudent drinking is no more than 2 drinks daily for a man and 1 drink daily for a woman.