Community Health
Health Recommendations:
1. Teeth cleaning and dentist check up every six months - the health of your mouth greatly affects your gut health which eventually affects your mood, immune system and hormones.
2. Regularly monitor your blood pressure! - there is a BP monitor near the pharmacy at many major stores including all Shoppers Drug Marts and Walmarts. I have seen different cases of abnormally high blood pressure recently in practice. We do not know the aftermath of Covid affecting the body. Ideal blood pressure is 120/80 mmHg and blood pressure above 135/85 mmHg is recommended to seek treatment. Hypertension (high blood) is “silent” and often does not have symptoms, even at alarmingly high states, but it can cause stroke or heart attack if left untreated and thus is important to know about. It is advised to check out your blood pressure annually, either by booking an appointment for a check up or next time your near a pharmacy that provides a BP monitor. For more information: https://guidelines.hypertension.ca/
3. 2023’s Dirty Dozen and Clean 15:
Organic food is important: it minimizes toxins, antibiotics and hormones into YOU. If you are not fully organic, it is recommended to buy the “Dirty Dozen” organically.
DIRTY DOZEN:
Spinach
Kale, collard, and mustard greens
Nectarines
Apples
Grapes
Strawberries
Bell and hot peppers
Cherries
Peaches
Pears
Celery
Tomatoes
For more information and the list of the “Clean 15”:
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/ewg-dirty-dozen-and-clean-15-lists
4. Gynecology:
A PAP at 21 and every 2-3 years until 70 years old: Cervical Cancer screening guidelines in Canada recommended women to have a PAP at 21 years old and then to have a gynaecological exam every 2-3 years (unless otherwise told) until age 70 years.
STI Testing: A reminder that sexual ethics means to test for any sexual transmitted or blood-borne infections with each new sexual partner. Please make sure your testing is up to date.
DID YOU KNOW That you do not have to interact with a doctor to test for sexually communable diseases, and can simply: 1. fill out a form online and 2.go into Lifelabs at any location in British Columbia for a serum and urine sample. This is done without cost to the individual. Results go directly to your email. It is your Civic Responsibility as an individual in Canadian society to immediately seek appropriate care if any result in your STI screen comes back positive. To do so, please visit your local emergency room/hospital. http://www.bccdc.ca/our-services/programs/getcheckedonline
Mammogram at 50 and every 2 years: Mammogram screenings are recommended to start at 50 years old for women without any familial medical history of breast, uterine or ovarian cancer. Mammogram screening is then recommended every two years. Clinical breast exams are recommended with cervical cancer screening (PAPs). Home breast exams are recommended regularly from 21 years old. If there is family medical history of breast, uterine or ovarian, it is recommended to book into a mammogram and breast ultrasound starting at 30-40 years of age, depended on personal medical history.
Prostate health: A simple blood test of PSA (prostate specific antigen) can inform of risk of prostate cancer and is recommended to start measuring at 45 years old.
DEXA bone scans for women at 50: A bone scan is recommended for women at 50 years old to assess your bone health. For more information: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/dexa-scan.html
5. Colorectal Cancer Screening: fecal immunochemical test (FIT) is a screening test suggested by Canadian guidelines to begin at 50 years of age, then every two years, if there is no primary relative with a medical history of colorectal cancer. A colonscopy is recommended at 50 years old, then every 5-10 years, if individual has a primary relative with a medical history of colorectal cancer.
6. The Enhanced Healthy Living Assessment: is a serum (blood) laboratory provided by Lifelabs in various locations within British Columbia that will tell me the health of your body, and if I need to investigate anything deeper. The cost of this laboratory is $350 + documentation fee ($17) and requires and initial visit ($215) and follow up visit ($185). It tests many blood markers that are not being tested by the government medical system yet have strong evidence in their indication as markers of pathology or the pathological process. This testing is recommended to do at 30 years old and then every 5 years minimum.
7. An Enhanced Thyroid Panel: a complete check up of your thyroid includes many blood markers that the government medical system is often not measuring thorougly). The cost of this laboratory is $185 + documentation fee ($17) and requires and initial visit ($215) and follow up visit ($185).
8. Vitamin D Status: has mounting evidence that ANNUAL SCREENING is so very important to your health! The only way to know if you have healthy levels is by a serum (blood) test. Vitamin D measurements are covered in the Enhanced Healthy Living Assessment and we can also just test your Vitamin D Status alone. The cost of this is $85. Vitamin D is imperative to mood (seasonal affective disorder), immune health and resiliency, hormone health, libido and fertility - for both men and women - and to the entire gastroenterological system (digestive tract and organs). Latest news in the last five years is the discover of how many Vitamin D receptors are all over the digestive tract. It absolutely plays a role in digestion and absorption and acts as a hormone in the body, we are still learning about it in the medical field. What we know factually is that most people in Canada are deficient in it and the evidence is mounting that it is a CRITICAL SCREENING MARKER OF HEALTH, and that it’s important to maintain a target serum level for health of many different systems of the body.