#1 Assiduité (92.1%), #1 Lowest % ER visits (1.7%) in CIUSSS Centre-Ouest de L'île-de-Montreal (2023-2024)

Category: Health Promotion

Sante KildareBlogHealth Promotion
By Elizabeth Jack June 19, 2014 Health Promotion

Update: My WHO Sugar Challenge

So I have been on my WHO sugar challenge for a few weeks. I have had good days and bad days. The good news is I am not a big soda drinker. The bad news is I have a big sweet tooth. The hardest part so far has been avoiding all of the treats like muffins, cookies, and chocolates that are brought by the clinic to thank us. The second hardest thing is going to celebration and functions that are full of treats. I have been working slowly on treating myself to small things occasionally.

The Heart and Stroke Foundation published a good article on sugar. They have some good Tips for reducing sugar in your diet like:

-Know where sugar hides by reading Nutrition Facts tables on food packages. Choose foods that are lower in sugar. Swap your sugary pasta sauce for homemade sauce and try the sugar-free salad dressings.

-Switch from pop to sparkling water, or try our unsweetened Minted green iced tea.

-Add less sugar to coffee or tea. Instead, add flavour with cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa or ginger.

For more good tips go to:

http://www.heartandstroke.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ikIQLcMWJtE&b=4869055&ct=7134805

By Elizabeth Jack May 16, 2014 Health Promotion

What a coincidence!

So I am 1 week into my WHO sugar challenge when I came across this article in Maclean’s magazine!

What a coincidence!

It is an interesting article about the health risks of having too much added sugar in our diet. 

Author Kate Lunau writes:

“Of course, as a source of calories, eating lots of sugar leads to extra pounds. But it’s more complicated than that. While sugar isn’t the direct cause of diabetes, for example, it seems to spark a cascade of effects that wreak havoc in the body.”

As for me, I have been doing fairly well.  I’m lucky that I’m not a soda drinker to begin with.  But I sure find it hard in the evenings when I want a little treat after dinner.  I find having a nice decaf coffee after dinner helps curb my cravings (no sugar of course!)

-Jennifer

By Elizabeth Jack May 9, 2014 Health Promotion

My WHO sugar challenge!

As you may have seen on our Facebook page the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging people to lower their intake of added sugar.  Canadians consume about 26 teaspoons of sugar a day on average!! A DAY!  The WHO recommends we cut back to 5% of our daily intake or about 25 grams/day.  That’s just 6-7 teaspoons.

Sugar has been linked to all sorts of health problems such as dental cavities, diabetes, heart disease, and even some cancers.

So with all the dangers of sugar, I have decided to take up the challenge and follow the WHO guidelines.

Starting today I will limit my added sugar intake to 25 grams/day or about 6 teaspoons.  I will keep you posted on how this goes! Wish me luck

-Jennifer

 

By Elizabeth Jack May 7, 2014 Health Promotion

Sunshine!

Have you seen the forecast for the next week? The Canadian Government website says we are looking at a beautiful day for Thursday and for next Monday (May 12th). Take advantage of these gorgeous spring days to join us on our walks!

weather
http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/qc-147_metric_e.html

By Elizabeth Jack May 7, 2014 Fun Facts, Health Promotion

Sugar Rush

I saw this interesting post on CBC and then again on the Canadian Diabetes Association Website last week. It’s incredible the amount of sugar the average person consumes in one day! One can of Cola has about 10 tsp of sugar, we should be only be consuming 6 tsp of sugar a day as per the World Health Organization. Do you think you could live up to that challenge?

http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/lower-sugar-intake-to-less-than-5-of-daily-calories-who-says-1.2560639

gummybear2s

By Michael Kalin May 5, 2014 Clinic News, Health Promotion

Introducing Scripps

What`s a Scrip?
According to the dictionary, the term scrip has been around for over 400 years. It may be as simple as a scrap of paper or even possess a monetary value. A quick Wikipedia search describes scrips as vouchers, used by companies to provide workers with credit when their wages had been depleted. In the 19th century, the federal government devised a plan to distribute land grants, called scrips, in Western Canada. Scrips were widely used during the Great Depression and after conflicts, to pay employees and POWs. During the Korean and Vietman Wars, U.S. soldiers were sent on leave with a scrip marked with expiration dates which could be spent at establishments cooperating in the program. Most recently, scrips are used as gift certificates or by companies for point of sale transactions (think Canadian Tire Money and Disney Dollars).
scrip def

So – what`s a Scripp?
In 2009, the New Zealand Ministry of Health implemented an innovative and ambitious nationwide program to address obesity and lack of fitness. This program, Green Prescription (GRx), relies on a health professional`s written advice to a patient to be physically active, as part of the patient`s health management.
Research published in New Zealand and British medical journals support Green Prescriptions as an effective and inexpensive way of increasing activity and improving a patient`s quality of life, without evidence of adverse effects.
This concept – of prescribing exercise – has gained international recognition and momentum including in Canada:

cbc

bc

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But why limit a script to just exercise?
Scripps – Strategic Care Recommended & Influenced by Physician Prescriptions – conceived of and implemented at Sante Kildare, is a uniquely Canadian, second-generation Green Prescription, designed to promote and wellness beyond exercise. Scripps target patient well-being through recommendations to diet, exercise, income and environment.
More to follow…