Nepean Active Health Centre

Stroke Awareness Some of the warning signs of a stroke or a transient ischemic attack include: Weakness: Sudden loss of strength or sudden numbness in the face, arm or leg even if temporary.... Trouble speaking: Sudden difficulty speaking or understanding or sudden confusion, even if temporary. Vision problems: Sudden trouble with vision, even if temporary. Headache: Sudden severe and unusual headache. Dizziness: Sudden loss of balance, especially with any of the above signs. See more

Hockey Playoff Trivia With the Stanley Cup Playoffs on the doorstep, here are a few trivia questions regarding the quest for Lord Stanley’s Mug.... 1. What player has won the Stanley Cup a record 11 times? 2. What two players hold the record for most goals in an NHL playoffs? (Hint: it occurred in 1976 and 1985) 3. What player holds the record for the most points in the Stanley Cup Finals? See more

What is Multiple System Atrophy (MSA)? According to msaawareness.org, MSA is "a rare, neurodegenerative disorder affecting multiple body systems". PubMed Health suggests that MSA causes symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease but with the added damage to other parts of the nervous system that control other important functions. MSA can be considered three disorders in one including sporadic cerebellar ataxia, atypical Parkinsonism (Parkinson's Plus), and autonomic dysfunct...ion (dysautonomia). The symptoms of each of these disorders can affect the person in any combination. The cerebellum controls movement patterns and co-ordination - when you have cerebellar ataxia you have a loss of balance and co-ordination that can result in frequent falls. Parkinson's disease can give the person rigidity and tremors and the autonomic system controls things like blood pressure, sweating, heart rate, and bowel and bladder control. A dysfunctional autonomic system can result in severe low blood pressure causing dizziness or fainting, bladder retention or incontinence, constipation, impotence and breathing problems. From: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001764/, and msaawareness.org March is Endometriosis Month from endometriosis.org Endometriosis can be a very difficult condition to deal with and diagnose. Just ask the estimated 176 million women worldwide that have it. It can make becoming pregnant very difficult (but not impossible) and the pelvic pain can become unbearable. There is no known cause and presently no definable cure. Endometriosis is a condition that is defined as the women having tissue similar to the tissue found lining the uterus located in other areas of the body. Most commonly this aberrant tissue is found in the pelvic cavity but has been found as far away as the skin, lung and brain. The pelvic pain often correlates with the menstrual cycle but it can also occur at other times. This makes the problem unpredictable and ironically predictably frustrating. Endometriosis can cause scarring of the tissue around the lesions which can distort the internal anatomy. Although rare, it can cause the internal organs to fuse together in a condition termed "frozen pelvis". It is estimated that 30-40% of women with endometriosis will not be able to bear children - compared to 10.2% in the general population. Treatment for endometriosis is tailored to help with symptoms rather than cure the problem. Estrogen is known to exacerbate the problem and hormonal treatments are aimed at reducing its effect. Unfortunately, there are side effects associated with the drugs used to help. Surgery is the other option and is also the only way to definitively diagnose the condition. If the lesions of endometriosis are found during surgery, the treatment is to remove them and hope that symptoms reduce.

Baked Herb Sweet Potato Fries Ingredients 3 large sweet potatoes 1 tbsp (15 mL) olive oil... 3/4 tsp (4 mL) finely chopped fresh thyme 3/4 tsp (4 mL) finely chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt 1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper Preparation Cut sweet potatoes into 1/2-inch (1 cm) thick sticks. Toss with oil, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake on 2 parchment paperlined baking sheets in bottom and middle thirds of 425F (220C) oven, switching and rotating sheets and tossing once, until tender and edges are browned and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes. Source : Canadian Living Magazine, March 2012 Sweet potatoes contain beta-carotene (aka vitamin A), a antioxidant that can prevent cancer and heart disease. Beta-carotene will also keep the skin clear, smooth, and youthful, and vitamin A has been shown to keeping lungs in good shape.

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