People started commenting on my body pretty early. I was a competitive water skier starting at age six. We’d go to the fair and my sister, who also water skied, would volunteer for the “guess your weight” booth. We thought it was so funny that, as a muscly athlete in a deceivingly small frame, people’s guesses would be completely off.
By Grade 8, kids started commenting on how big my arms were getting from water skiing. It didn’t stop me from wanting to get stronger and compete, especially because in the water skiing world, I was completely normal. But as a kid, it was hard. I started wearing long-sleeve shirts, hiding my arms from view, and avoided putting my hair up in a ponytail in front of people because my muscles would flex.
As an alpine skier, I’m now in a sport that isn’t judged—the best time wins—but I still hear comments about women’s bodies from the spectators. I’ve heard bodies compared to the shape of a cell phone, presumably because they’re flat-chested, square- shaped and stocky. Some athletes don’t want to wear the padding, which protects us from injury, because it makes them look bigger. I’ve had those moments, too. As athletes, we’re chasing perfection and that can extend to how we look.
When I transitioned from water skiing to alpine, I started training in a gym. I had never lifted weights or done squats before, and I felt behind the rest of my team. I wanted to improve as quickly as possible, so I studied the athletes around me and diligently followed the provided diet plan. When the team’s nutritionist told me to eat 10 almonds as a snack and eat lean chicken with no sauce, that’s literally how I ate.
At 19, my body composition results—meaning the battery of tests measuring everything from muscle mass to body fat percentage, to inform our training—said that my body fat was too low. I was sent to Calgary where I met with the person who ultimately helped me develop a healthy body image: sports physiologist Matt Jordan. He’s an amazing teacher and he taught me to start asking why: Why am I being told to eat less oil or drink only skim milk?
Matt helped me understand that skiers need more than muscle. I need weight to get down the hill and fat to keep me healthy throughout the year and protect me if I fall.
I’ve had coaches make suggestions that should only come from a sports physiologist, nutritionist or doctor. One coach told me that based on my body composition results, I looked like a prepubescent boy, and that with those numbers, I couldn’t be a contributing woman in society. I think what he meant is that it’s not sustainable to stay this way. He was trying to scare me into changing. Another told me and my teammates to go biking to burn calories before having lunch and frequently made comments about my body. That same coach questioned why I wasn’t skiing well at the time, since I had the perfect body for alpine racing. I remember thinking, “What is the perfect body in skiing?” I saw people of all different heights and sizes making it to the podium, but he had this one, narrow idea of what an athlete should look like.
I don’t look at my body composition data anymore. I now ask my coach just to tell me whether I’ve improved or if there’s a concern, but I don’t need to know the specific numbers because I trust him completely. I’m also careful with how I talk about my body, diet and training because I know that I am setting an example for younger skiers. For instance, I no longer call body composition tests “the fat test” as we did when I was younger.
It really bothers me that we define how hard someone is working by how they look. I built my body for skiing to get down the hill fast. But beyond that, I’m a person. When viewers watch athletes compete at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, I want them to realize that there’s beauty—and strength—in all different body types and sizes. We shouldn’t define anyone based on what we see.
This essay is part of Best Health’s Body Talk package exploring the issue of body image in elite sports. Read more about the experiences of current and former Winter Olympians and Paralympians, and what is being done to make sports a safer space for all athletes, here:
“Fat Doesn’t Fly”: Inside the Culture of Body Shaming in Figure Skating
Olympic Legend Catriona Le May Doan: “I Worried About How People Viewed Me My Whole Career”
Paralympian Brittany Hudak: “I Didn’t Think About Body Image Until I Became an Elite Athlete”
Bobsledder Cynthia Appiah: “I Looked Phenomenal, but I Felt Absolutely Terrible”
Speed Skater Alyson Charles: “I Consider Myself Lucky”
Get more great stories delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for the Best Health Must-Reads newsletter. Subscribe here.
I used to joke that speedskaters are built like pears. We tend to have big butts, big legs and a small upper body. I think strong, muscular bodies are beautiful. But it’s hard not to feel self-conscious, especially if I think back to my peak training days leading up to the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and 2002 in Salt Lake City. Then you add the skin-tight suits and television cameras, and you look a lot bigger than you are.
During that time, if I wore a bikini in the summer, people would always stare because I had massive, super strong legs. Did I worry about how people looked at me? Pretty much my whole career. That’s part of the reason I started wearing the dark glasses—I loved that extra layer to hide behind. I wasn’t worried about how I looked—I celebrated whatever size I was through sports performance—but I was hiding from the opinions and pressure of all those watching me.
I’ve been retired for 18 years and people still ask if my legs are as “huge” as they were. I realized that’s the image people had. I’m nearly 51 and, naturally, my body has changed since I was an Olympian. I now understand how people get into a funk, not wanting to work out. When I was competing, I had so many people involved in my weight, body and health. Now it’s all up to me.
As a mother, I’m also more aware of the pressure on women athletes to look a certain way. When my daughter was around eight, she asked me, “Mom, are my legs going to be big?” I told her “Well, they might be like Mommy’s—and Mommy’s legs are pretty big.” My daughter is 17 now and a great ringette player. She will still make comments about her body. I try and remind her that being healthy and strong is the best look there is, but there’s more pressure now, especially with social media, which wasn’t around when I was competing. Being a woman and an athlete means that your body is held to two different standards that sometimes don’t align.
We’ve started to celebrate strong bodies, but not enough. We need to be having conversations with young girls, and boys as well, about preconceived notions about what an athletic body looks like. We need to build self-confidence in these young athletes, separate from the pressure to look a certain way.
It took me quite a few years of retirement to be more comfortable with, and more accepting of, my body. I’ve started playing “old lady” hockey and ringette, and going for runs. I’m super slow, and my teams are in the lowest division, but there isn’t the same end goal.
If I really wanted to look ripped, I could change what I eat and drink. But these days, I’m more focused on how I feel about myself. That’s really what’s changed: I’m not doing this for somebody else. I’m doing this for me.
This essay is part of Best Health’s Body Talk package exploring the issue of body image in elite sports. Read more about the experiences of current and former Winter Olympians and Paralympians, and what is being done to make sports a safer space for all athletes, here:
“Fat Doesn’t Fly”: Inside the Culture of Body Shaming in Figure Skating
Paralympian Brittany Hudak: “I Didn’t Think About Body Image Until I Became an Elite Athlete”
Bobsledder Cynthia Appiah: “I Looked Phenomenal, but I Felt Absolutely Terrible”
Alpine Skier Erin Mielzynski: “I Was Just Trying To Be Perfect”
Speed Skater Alyson Charles: “I Consider Myself Lucky”
Get more great stories delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for the Best Health Must-Reads newsletter. Subscribe here.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians paid homage to the health care workers on the frontlines. We banged pots and pans, put signs in our windows and posted social media messages thanking these heroes. The essential role of our health care workers has never been clearer—but the contributions of the Black women who are a vital part of that system, are too often overlooked.
Not only are Black doctors and health care workers underrepresented within the field, but they also face barriers on the job like racial bias and microaggressions.
Yet during the pandemic—which disproportionately affected Black communities—these women stepped up to ensure that Black Canadians had equitable access to care and medical services. Cheryl Prescod, executive director at Black Creek Community Health Centre, advocated for better vaccine access in areas of Toronto that were severely underserved, by helping set up vaccine clinics in those areas. At the same time, Dr. Onye Nnorom and the Black Physicians of Ontario advocated tirelessly for the collection of race-based COVID-19 data that would help properly inform health care responses to the disease within the community.
The leadership of Black women in health care is not new—these contributions go all the way back through Canada’s history. Figures like Marisse Scott, a nurse and activist from Owen Sound, Ontario who fought for the right to attend nursing school, and Bernice Redmond, the first Black nurse to practice at a hospital in Canada, were trailblazers. And even though women like Scott and Redmond continue to make history, much of their work and accomplishments remain unknown.
This Black History Month, we are celebrating the work of Black women in medicine who continue to build inclusive, culturally safe health care for the entire country. We asked seven prominent Black doctors and health care researchers to spotlight changemakers Canadians ought to know about. Here’s who they picked:
Dr. Onye Nnorom
Family doctor and public health specialist and president of Black Physicians of Ontario
“Dr. Onye Nnorom has changed Canada’s health history by focusing on inequity in the health system. She has done this locally, nationally and internationally. Locally, she teaches medical students about inequity in medicine, has been instrumental in the formation of Black Health Vaccine Initiative (BVHI) to ensure that Black residents of Ontario receive vaccines, and are educated and vaccinated by Black Health workers. Internationally, her podcast Race, Health and Happiness has focused on navigating professional life as a racialized individual.”
— Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass, physician, president of the Black Physicians of Canada and assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Setorme Tsikata
Family physician and associate professor with the University of Alberta
“Dr. Setorme Tsikata is of Ghanaian origin and has encouraged many young women, including myself, to get into medicine. She has now established the Compassion Medical Wellness Centre on the outskirts of Edmonton, to reach the Black and immigrant populations who live around there. She is also an associate professor with the University of Alberta training medical students and residents, and has greatly contributed to [the administration of] palliative medical care in a culturally sensitive way for the Black community. She strives for excellence in her work every day and strives even more to bring it out in others. She is down to earth, a mother to many as well as a physician par excellence.”
— Dr. Ekua Amponsah Agyemang, resident physician (PGY4) at the public health and preventive medicine program at the University of Alberta where she recently handed over as chief resident.
Camille Orridge
Senior Fellow at the Wellesley Institute and former CEO of the Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre
“I met Camille Orridge through Massey College, where she is a Quadrangle Society Member. She inspires me because she is a passionate and persistent advocate for Black health and demonstrates that it is possible to hold positions of power and use them for systemic change. For example, she supported the launch of Language Services Toronto (a telephone interpretation service for non-English speaking patients of Toronto’s hospitals that markedly improved aspects of access to Toronto’s hospitals). In the context of social determinants of health such as education, she co-founded Pathways to Education, a program with 27 chapters across the country, that has touched the lives of thousands of high-school students by helping them to graduate. Overall, she is an amazing role model and cherished member of Toronto’s Black community.”
— Chantal Phillips, third-year medical student at the University of Toronto with an interest in equity-based research that generates tangible, community-focused interventions.
Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass
Physician and president of the Black Physicians of Canada
Dr. Modupe Tunde-Byass has been an active staff member at North York General Hospital (NYGH) since 2004, where she has held key administrative positions such as residency site coordinator and interim chief of ob-gyn. She was the co-chair for the Quality Standard on Increasing Access to Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Section and an expert panel member for early pregnancy complications and loss. She has received numerous teachings and innovation awards.
“She launched a Canada-wide program to match medical residents with mentors that identify as Black. This was done with attention to details and process and inclusivity. It is a landmark initiative.”
— Dr. Mireille Norris, internist and geriatrician at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in Toronto and assistant professor of medicine at the University of Toronto.
Dr. Miriam Rossi
Pediatrician and former associate dean of student affairs in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
“The late Dr. Miriam Rossi worked at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Toronto for many years and in all that time, she was a tireless advocate for equity, diversity and inclusion, especially for Black students. She was so passionate about Black representation in the field of medicine. I met her when I was an undergraduate student and was inspired by her passion, her energy, her humility and her ability to connect with people. She was a true trailblazer and there is a direct line connecting her efforts to the fact that the University of Toronto medical school now has more Black students than ever before. Her many years of work in this area exemplifies to me why we have to keep up the fight and that this work is a marathon, not a sprint.”
— Dr. Aisha K. Lofters, family physician, associate professor and clinician scientist at the Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto.
Dr. Rahel Zewude
Founder and president of the Black Physicians of British Columbia
Dr. Rahel Zewude is an internal medicine resident physician at the University of British Columbia. She attended medical school at the University of Toronto, where she was the co-president for the Black Medical Students’ Association and created several new initiatives, including a Black health speaker series, which gave students the opportunity to learn from medical professionals about how race and health interact. She also ran the Summer Application Support Initiative, which provided application advice and interview preparation to students from underrepresented communities who may be interested in a career in medicine, and played a major role in expanding the advocacy and mentorship efforts of the association. In 2020, she formed the Black Physicians of British Columbia in order to bring together marginalized Black physicians and trainees in B.C.
“Dr. Rahel Zewude’s dedication to advocacy for the Black community in terms of representation in medicine and access to equitable health care is unparalleled. I am proud to call her my friend.”
— Dr. Ruth Habte, Obstetrics and gynaecology resident physician at the University of British Columbia.
Dr. Mojola Omole
Surgical oncologist and co-host of the CMAJ podcast
“Dr. Mojola Omole is amazingly talented, and her excellence in this field gives patients comfort in knowing that their surgeon is not only very talented but also understands the importance of cultural sensitivity, diversity and inclusion. As a racialized person, the significance of having a female person of colour perform such an important surgery and hold your hand through the process cannot be quantified. Her work in reconstructive top surgery is also tremendous. Her practice is inclusive; for members of our society that already feel marginalized or rejected, to be able to see a surgeon that is compassionate and creates a space where everyone feels safe, heard and understood makes a huge difference.
Even with all that, she still finds time to be active in the Black community. She actively works on recruitment of young Black medical students, volunteers at many of the Black community vaccine and testing programs and is active in furthering education in the Black community. [She does] this, all while raising an amazing Black boy of her own.”
— Dr. Abosede Akintan, family physician and medical director at the Albany Medical Clinic and St. Clair O’Connor long term care facility.
Next: Meet Best Health’s 2021 Health Heroes
In many parts of the world—including Europe, the Middle East and much of Asia—bidets enjoy plenty of popularity. Muslims use a similar tool called a lota (a small, water-filled pot that sits beside the toilet) to wash their backside—cleanliness is considered very much next to godliness in Islam, and being as clean as possible, especially prior to prayers, is essential. But in North America, there tends to be confusion around washing versus wiping, and bidets are usually a punchline. In fact, it took a global pandemic to finally make us reconsider the whole concept of bidets.
During the early days of COVID-19, bidet sales rose due to toilet paper shortages across North America and an uptick in germ phobia. Tushy, a popular New York-based bidet company, saw revenues rise by a factor of 10 in March 2020 in the U.S. In Canada, we’ve been a little more open to the device for a bit longer. Tushy’s founder and chief creative officer Miki Agrawal says that bidet sales in Canada have more than doubled year-over-year for the past five years. Meanwhile, British Columbia-based bidet company Clean Touch representative Michael Xie says they’ve seen a steady increase in sales over the past 20 years, and exponential growth recently.
“Because Canada has such a diverse range of cultures, including those who are already familiar with bidets, adoption isn’t as slow compared to countries with less cultural diversity,” Xie says. “These days, hygiene is very important. And besides actually taking a bath or a shower, a bidet is the best way to clean oneself after using the toilet.”
Bidets also mean cleaner hands. According to a 2005 study involving residents of a nursing home that used bidets, the “wash-and-dry” system improved not only cleanliness but also comfort, with a reduction in bacteria content on hands and bottoms.
(Related:‘I Have a Cloud Over Me’: How Isolation Affects Seniors Living at Home)
The health benefits don’t stop there. Bidets can bring comfort to those with gastrointestinal issues, including irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, as frequent bathroom visits can cause skin irritation (especially for vigorous wipers). For older people, particularly those with mobility issues or arthritic hands, it can make cleansing easier and reduce shame.
“For people with itching or discomfort in the perineal area, bidets are a great option to help mitigate that,” says Dr. Talia Zenlea, a Toronto-based gastroenterologist. “Sometimes we have patients who—because of hemorrhoids, prolapse or other similar issues—have difficulty with feeling like they have good hygiene. In that context, a strategy with water might be an option where they might feel a greater sense of cleanliness.”
Using bidets can be a little more complicated for those with vaginas, especially if they are pregnant. A 2010 study found that regular bidet use can disrupt the balance of vaginal microflora, either by depriving normal microflora or “facilitating opportunistic infection of fecal bacteria and other microorganisms.” But research on this is still minimal, and according to one 2013 study, bidets pose no health risk of preterm birth or bacterial vaginosis for pregnant people.
(Related: How to Build a Strong Microbiome to Improve Your Gut Health)
Zenlea adds, “Water itself is always a great approach, but when it comes to pressurized bursts, that’s a different story. Sometimes a gentle rinsing in the bath can be preferable. In the case of [post-partum] women, anything more might disrupt stitches.” Many bidets do offer pressure moderation controls (and others can have this feature added for less than $100). Still, it’s always helpful to consult your doctor if you’re feeling hesitant.
But if your worry is due to a taboo around poo, just remember: No less an icon than Judy Blume has professed her love of bidets, calling them “the greatest luxury.” Bidets win sustainability points, too, for being much less wasteful than toilet paper for wiping. In America alone, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, each individual uses three rolls of toilet paper per week, which is more than any other country in the world. That equates to 15-million trees and 473-million gallons of water, based on a Scientific American report, so imagine the difference if even half switched to bidets. If wet wipes have been your seemingly clever alternative, I’m sorry to inform you, but those also amount to considerable waste and can clog and damage sewer systems.
A shower for your butt, however, reduces waste, helps the environment and keeps your perineal area healthier. Plus, imagine how fun it’ll be to explain that fancy new appliance in your bathroom to guests. Consider it the conversation starter you never knew you needed.
Next: Can a Kegel Chair (Yes, a Kegel Chair) Improve Your Pelvic Health?
Your body’s core does it all—it facilitates movement and houses your inner organs and central nervous system. In other words, it helps you do just about everything. Here are five reasons to work on strengthening it.
1. Help prevent injuries
Building a strong core takes more than a few crunches. For Martha Purdy, a physiotherapist and Pilates instructor with Halifax Health Centre, developing a strong torso means building both core stability (those deep internal muscles close to the spine) and core strength (think “six pack” abs).
“It’s important to build core stability first, and then build core strength,” Purdy explains. “You want to get the deeper muscles working first.” Purdy says when you’ve got a strong core, “everything else will fit into place on top of it.” This means your overall fitness will improve, making you less prone to injury down the road.
Even though it’s easy to presume that when you’re moving, your extremities do most of the work, the opposite is true: most movement starts at the centre and moves outward. A rock-solid centre will help ensure that your movements are strong and pain-free.
A simple but effective exercise for building core stability is to draw in the abdominal muscles (think about your belly button pulling away from your pantline), hold for five breaths, and then relax. Repeat 10 times. Purdy recommends doing this 10 times a day.
She also suggests women practice Kegel exercises, drawing in the pelvic floor to strengthen the lower end of your core (with the added bonus of better bladder control).
2. Protect your inner organs and central nervous system
Staying healthy also means protecting those vital systems below the surface. Your core is not only where your organs and central nervous system do their busy work, it’s also where your body’s largest (and most important) veins and arteries are based. Keeping strong core muscles will help ensure everything stays protected as you move through your day.
Renee Whitney, a Kingston-based personal trainer and owner of Focus Personal Fitness, uses the spinal cord as an example: “Your spinal cord is everything,” she explains, “but if you have pressure on it because it isn’t well supported by your core muscles, then it is going to affect your movements. It will eventually cause pain, and that will affect the quality of your life.”
3. Strengthen your core to back pain
Back pain is a common side effect of a weak core. “When our abdominals are weak, it’s often because our back muscles are overly strong,” says Whitney.
Building core strength will help bring balance to the front and back of your body. Sitting at a desk all day doesn’t help, either. “Not being mindful of how we’re sitting, and not engaging our core, can lead to things like compressed discs in our spine,” Whitney explains.
She says many people make the mistake of sitting for long periods with a tilted pelvis and an arched back, rather than sitting tall on their “sit bones” (think about the boney part of your bum pointing straight down).
To work your core at the office, Whitney suggests sitting on a stability ball rather than a traditional chair, because the sense of instability and the movement it creates forces your abdomen to stay engaged.
4. Get a strong, confident posture
If your core is strong, you’ll be hard-pressed not to carry yourself with confidence. “A tall, upright posture exudes strength,” says Whitney. “It gives the impression that this person is in control of their life.”
A slumped posture, on the other hand, looks weak and defeated. Whitney suggests practicing good posture when you’re in the car, by sitting up properly, and then adjusting the rear-view mirror accordingly. As soon as you start slumping, you’ll lose sight of yourself and you’ll have to sit up tall again.
5. You’ll feel better
Once you’ve developed your core stability, you can start working on the more superficial core muscles to build strength you’ll be able to see.
Exercises like the “plank,” “bridge” and other abdominal moves are great ways to get started. Classes and workouts that incorporate Bosu and stability balls are another good option.
“It really is about working from the inside out”‘ says Purdy about building core strength. “Just because you’re strong, it doesn’t mean you have a strong core. It’s really something everyone can work on.”
Next: 5 Ways to Get the Most out of a Plank
Arts and crafts aren’t just for kids anymore.
During the pandemic, which continues to make 2020 feel like the year that refuses to end, Canadians have turned to all sorts of hobbies to stay safely occupied and entertained amid public health restrictions. Bread making was followed by gardening was followed by snowshoeing, all in the pursuit of socially distant self-care. Similarly, crafting kits for adults saw a boom during the pandemic as first-time buyers picked up knitting needles, tried their hands at pottery or got into drawing.
In short: Craft kits have become a hot pandemic commodity—and the resulting mugs, embroidery and scarves aren’t the only benefits.
A 2011 review found that creative arts can improve psychological and physical well-being because they “promote relaxation, provide a means of self-expression, reduce blood pressure while boosting the immune system and reducing stress.” A 2020 review echoed these findings and reiterated that in addition to the mental health benefits, arts engagement can protect against mental distress.
“When we’re doing things with our hands, we are kind of in the moment and it’s a real mindfulness practice,” says Sally Stewart, a University of British Columbia associate professor who has literally written the book on the principles of health and well-being. Stewart explains that doing activities that allow you to be ‘in the moment’ promotes well-being because it helps decrease cortisol levels, the stress hormones. Plus, unlike physical activities, like going for a daily walk, crafting is often sedentary, which can make sewing or sketching feel meditative.
(Related: The Life Changing Power of Hobbies)
Finding creative outlets during times of turmoil is nothing new. Marcel Danesi, puzzle expert and University of Toronto professor of semiotics and anthropology, points to the the surge interest in puzzles during the Great Depression. “The jigsaw puzzle provided a kind of solid deflection away from the reality which you would otherwise have to face,” says Danesi, noting that crafting likely has the same draw. Where books and movies offer an escape, crafting provide a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment, while also creating something beautiful.
“It may seem like trivial, but it isn’t because it is emotionally and cognitively beneficial,” says Danesi.
Here are some craft kits for adults that are available in Canada:
Flower press kit
Turn the bright blooms of summer or fall foliage into lasting memories. Handmade in Halifax, this kit includes a how-to manual and birch plywood press.
$60, Oake Living
Candle making kit
Turn your home into a lightly scented oasis with soy candles you can make yourself. Each kit is sustainably packaged and handmade in Make This Universe’s Port Hope, Ontario studio and makes one 4 oz candle.
$34.50, Make.This.Universe.
Wood carving kit
This kit includes everything you need to take your charcuterie game to the next level with a live-edge board made from Eastern black walnut.
$149.95, Lee Valley
Arm-knitted blanket kit
Canadian company Click and Craft works with local artists to create how-to videos for a range of DIY kits including how to macrame and how to sew a leather handbag. This starter kit includes all the chunky tube yarn you’ll need to twist and pull your way to the perfect cozy blanket.
$174.99, Click and Craft
(Related: These Activities Help Prevent Dementia, According to a New Study)
Comic book kit
Admittedly, Kid Made Modern’s comic book kit is intended for a younger audience, but that doesn’t mean adults can’t enjoy writing their own adventures.
$24.99, Staples
Embroidery kit
This embroidery kit from Canadian Craft Crate will help you create a bouquet of flowers that will stay bright and beautiful all year round.
$42, Canadian Craft Crate
Beeswax food wrap kit
Beeswax wraps are a great, eco-friendly alternative to saran wrap or other packaging, and with the help of this craft kit from Vancouver-based small business Mugumugu Mint, they can now be made at home.
$29.87, Mugumugumint
Soapstone carving and whittling kit
Based in Vancouver, Studiostone Creative offers soapstone carving kits for a range of figurines like bears, orcas, wolves and turtles. The kits contain all the tools and materials required to turn stone into beautiful works of art in less than two hours.
$60, Studiostone Creative
DIY pottery kit
If your home has turned into a haven for house plants, Club Terracotta has the perfect craft kit for you. These pottery kits contain all the materials needed to create six small pots or two larger pieces, all without a pottery heel or kiln.
$75, Club Terracotta
Plant hangers kit
Speaking of plants, this plant hangers kit from Canadian Craft Crate can help put air plants and succulents on display—and bonus, it’s on sale right now.
$42, Canadian Craft Crate
Weaving for beginners kit
This kit has a solid five-star review on Etsy and comes with everything needed, including sari silk and merino wool, to start weaving from the comfort of your home.
$130, Blanc Laine & Divinity Fibers
Next: It’s Time to Break Up With Busy and Make Time For Yourself
Vaginitis is an umbrella term used to describe an inflamed, itchy or sore vaginal area, or a change in the consistency or odour of vaginal discharge.
But because these disagreeable symptoms can be caused by so many different things—bacterial infection (also called bacterial vaginosis), yeast infection, a sexually transmitted infection (such as trichomoniasis, chlamydia or gonorrhea), detergents, soaps, fabrics, sexual activity, a forgotten tampon, and even skin conditions like psoriasis or eczema—often the toughest part is figuring out the cause so the problem can be effectively treated.
You’re not alone
Vaginitis can affect all people with vaginas, from younger to older people, although it most commonly crops up in the reproductive years, since contributing factors include hormonal changes and sexual activity.
Most people with vaginas will have at least one episode of vaginitis at some point in their lives, and some may have repeated episodes. But not every person will see their doctor about it, and in fact, many cases will resolve without medical help.
“If a woman has a severe situation, she should obviously see a healthcare provider as soon as she can,” notes Dr. Unjali Malhotra, a family physician and women’s health expert in Vancouver. But if the problem is mild, it may go away on its own after one menstrual cycle.
“Normal things like pregnancy, advancing age and ovulation can change the odour and consistency of discharge, and cause irritation,” Malhotra adds.
Should I use soap, water or douche?
If your nether parts aren’t too painful, the first step may be to give your vaginal area a chance to heal itself. Stop using soaps and shower gels, which can worsen irritation; after all, the skin in the vulvar (external) area is sensitive.
Instead, cleanse by adding a little salt (Epsom, table or sea salt are fine) to your next bath, or use a hand-held shower head to gently flush the affected area with water. Then let your vagina’s amazing self-cleaning powers do their work.
But don’t use a douche. “Douching actually predisposes women to vaginitis,” says Dr. Mark Yudin, an OB/GYN with special training in female infections at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto. “They’re more susceptible to getting an infection because they don’t have healthy bacteria to keep the environment normal.”
Also in the quick-fix department, many women grab an over-the-counter yeast infection treatment from a drugstore at the first sign of an irritated vagina. “It’s really common for women to have itching and discharge and assume that it’s a yeast infection,” says Malhotra.
While self-treatment for one episode is okay, you need to talk to your doctor—if the problem persists or keeps coming back, because it may be caused by something other than a yeast infection. And if irritated vaginal tissue doesn’t heal, it can become infected more easily.
(Related: 10 Foods Your Vagina Needs You to Eat)
The true cause of vaginitis
A healthcare provider can help track down the true cause of vaginitis, starting with an examination of the vagina and the vulvar area. Your doctor may observe redness or lesions on any of these parts.
He or she can take a culture to look for vaginitis-causing culprits such as bacterial overgrowth or a sexually transmitted parasite called trichomoniasis.
Untreated, both kinds of infections can interfere with a healthy pregnancy, and they raise your risk of sexually transmitted infections including HIV.
Your doctor will ask questions
- Have you been using bubble bath? You might be sensitive to its chemical content.
- Do you put a scented dryer sheet in with your delicates? You could be reacting to the added fragrance.
- The interrogation may get personal, too—have you had multiple sex partners? Does your partner ejaculate inside you? Either activity can change the balance of normal bacteria in your vagina.
- Do you use panty liners? Daily use of pads or liners can increase skin irritation.
- What’s your underwear made of? Cotton provides better absorption and air circulation than nylon or Lycra.
- What do you wear to bed? Going commando gives your tissues a chance to breathe.
- Do you wipe from front to back in the bathroom instead of vice versa? This will avoid the transfer of bacteria.
- “They need to gather quite a bit of information, so having a professional that you’re comfortable with is important,” says Malhotra.
Yes, there’s a cure
Once the source of vaginitis has been identified, it can be treated.
Your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for a bacterial infection. If you have a skin condition like eczema, you may be given an ointment such as a steroid cream. If it’s a yeast overgrowth, you’ll need an over-the-counter yeast infection treatment, or a prescription treatment from your doctor. (And now you can treat yeast infections with a pill you take by mouth. CanesOral is available across Canada without a prescription.)
Often a cure can be as simple as cleansing your vagina with water only (no soap), or changing to a mild laundry detergent. If you happen to have sensitive skin in general, you may find that your vagina is particularly reactive to chemicals, fragrances and dyes.
“Some women have vaginitis once in a blue moon,” says Yudin. “But those with repeated occurrences really need an examination to determine what’s causing their symptoms.”
Next: I Need You to Know that All Vulvas Are Beautiful
With the Omicron variant surging across the country, more than 40 percent of fully vaccinated Canadian adults have received their booster—but many are already wondering if they should prepare for a fourth dose. These questions are fuelled in part by the COVID response in Israel, where a medical expert panel advising the Israeli government recommended fourth COVID-19 vaccine for all adults. Israel has already been providing fourth doses to anyone 60 and over since late last year.
Working as an internal medicine physician in Toronto, many of my patients have asked if they will eventually need fourth (and maybe even fifth) doses as the pandemic extends into its third year. Currently in Canada, anyone over the age of 18 is eligible for a third vaccine dose. Canada is also offering fourth booster vaccine doses to Canadians from high-risk groups, like residents of long-term care or those who are immunocompromised.
While it’s looking less and less likely the pandemic will come to a discreet end like we saw with SARS, it’s too early to determine if and how COVID will eventually become an endemic disease, meaning something we live with, like the flu or malaria.
It’s also too early to call if fourth doses or eventual seasonal ‘COVID boosters’ make sense for all Canadians. We don’t know yet how long three doses provide robust protection or if a new variant will arise that can evade the defence the vaccine provides.
Our understanding of fourth doses is constantly evolving, but here is what we know so far:
What’s the difference between a third dose and a COVID booster?
Before Omicron, the average person who received two doses of an approved COVID-19 vaccine was considered fully vaccinated.
Data quickly emerged that immunocompromised individuals, like transplant patients on anti-rejection drugs, had a lower antibody response with two doses and needed a third dose. These third doses were not considered boosters because these individuals needed all three doses for protection.
Last summer, we learned from Israeli data that a significant part of our antibody immune response wanes about six months after our second vaccine dose. When combined with winter Delta variant surges followed by the highly-mutated Omicron strain exploding in numbers, we started to see many more breakthrough infections in people with two doses of vaccine.
While two doses seem to provide enough protection to prevent recipients from needing hospitalizations and ICU admission, it is not enough to reduce transmission of Omicron, especially in higher risk indoor settings. Because of this, many experts are now thinking of Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines as three-dose vaccines, with all three doses needed to be ‘fully vaccinated.’ Many existing vaccines come in a similar three dose series, like the hepatitis B vaccine or the HPV vaccine.
With mounting evidence that three doses are better than two, the Public Health Agency of Canada plans to revisit the number of doses required to be considered fully vaccinated once more Canadians have had a third dose.
(Related: COVID-19 Vaccines Are Vital—And So Are These)
If this is a three-dose vaccine, why are some people now getting a fourth dose?
Canada, along with the U.S. and the U.K. are offering a fourth vaccine doses to people in high-risk groups and people who are immunocompromised. Individuals who are immunocompromised require more COVID vaccine doses to generate an immune response and COVID antibodies.
Because third doses were rolled out much earlier for high-risk individuals, their immunity is likely waning now, amid a surge in COVID cases. The hope is that four doses will induce a robust immune response to Omicron in those that are at the highest risk of complications, like long-term care residents, cancer patients, seniors who live in congregate settings and transplant patients.
Israel is one of the only countries that is already offering fourth vaccine doses to people over 60 since and is likely to start offering fourth doses more widely in the near future. On Jan. 3, Israel’s prime minister announced, based on the results of a small unpublished study of hospital staff, that antibody concentrations increased fivefold a week after a fourth vaccine dose. Though research is still ongoing, no data has been published yet and it remains to be seen what the value add of a fourth dose might be.
So, could we need another booster eventually?
It is possible, but not certain. There are many factors at play here. First, we need to better understand how much protection third doses give us and for how long. We also need to continue to collect any available data we have on fourth doses. It will take several months for researchers to know whether people who received fourth doses had more protection against infection, severe illness and hospitalizations than those with three.
Second, the amount of virus circulating in the community matters. If Omicron spread settles down and case counts decrease, we might not need the immunity boost from a fourth dose. But if a new variant emerges in the summer that is just as prevalent as Omicron, we may need that boost in immune response to curb the spread.
Israel has been several months ahead of us when it comes to vaccinating their population. Their data on fourth doses will hopefully help us understand if there is a benefit to larger sections of the population.
Why would we no longer need additional doses? It seems like that is where we are headed.
It has been notoriously difficult to predict the future during this pandemic. We simply don’t know exactly what will happen six months from now, whether it’s emerging variants or waning immunity.
Canada, along with the U.S. and U.K., is waiting for more data on waning immunity and effectiveness of vaccination in reducing hospital admission before it decides on offering a fourth jab to a wider group of people.
Researchers will be studying people’s antibody levels in the months following a third dose. While those levels are expected to drop in four to six months, the degree to which it will drop is unknown. If the drop is minimal to moderate, we may not need more doses.
There are also some new factors to consider, like how the outpatient antiviral treatment Paxlovid could impact hospitalizations and severe illness numbers as it becomes more widely available in Canada.
(Related: Everything You Need to Know About COVID Antiviral Pills)
Are we likely to see variant-specific boosters in the future?
In theory, COVID vaccines can be adapted and updated as variants emerge. But it still might not be fast enough.
Both Pfizer and Moderna made Beta- and Delta-specific vaccines, but it was found that the original vaccine had an equivalent response so there was no need to make a change. Pfizer is working on an Omicron-specific booster that could be ready for use as early as March. But with the speedy spread of Omicron, many people may experience an Omicron infection before the booster is ready. Also, third doses of the existing vaccine neutralized Omicron in preliminary studies, stunting the benefit of an Omicron specific booster.
If new variants continue to emerge, they could evade parts of our existing immune response from the vaccine, as we saw most recently with Omicron. At some point, more of the same vaccine may not be better and we may need to update the vaccine. We could also see the vaccine evolve in other ways. Moderna announced in the fall it was working on a new mRNA-based influenza vaccine that is combined with a booster COVID-19 dose.
We all hoped the pandemic would have ended by now. But the good news is that as the pandemic evolves, so have our tools to protect ourselves.
Dr. Seema Marwaha is a general internal medicine physician in Toronto and an assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Medicine. She is also the editor-in-chief of Healthy Debate.
Next: Could Protection from COVID Soon Be Available Through a Nasal Spray?
Daily planks are a quick and easy way to stay fit at home. Though you mostly feel the burn in your abs, planks are an excellent full-body workout—they strengthen your shoulder, back and chest muscles, as well as the front of your thighs, according to Charlotte Shen, the owner of Max Fitness in Toronto and a registered kinesiologist. Here are five things to keep in mind when you’re planking to get the most out of the pose.
(Related: Here’s how long you need to hold a plank for.)
Hold the plank for as long as possible
“You should always push to exhaustion,” says Shen. “Meaning, you should plank until you cannot plank any more. Like, you can’t hold it for one more second.” And forget about the clock, she suggests. That’s the way to actually improve your core endurance. You’ll find that the more you practice, the longer you’ll be able to hold the pose.
Maintain good posture
The key to good plank posture is to keep your legs straight, back parallel to the ground and spine neutral, says Rebecca Graham, the owner of No Borders Fitness in Midland, Ontario, and a master trainer at Pound fitness. “Imagine that you’re trying to shorten the distance between your elbows and your toes by squeezing inwards in both directions, using all positional forces to keep the back flat.” And most importantly, squeeze your butt. “You can’t squeeze your butt enough,” says Graham. This creates tension, which helps your legs stay straight and works your core.
(Related: These chest stretches can help improve your posture.)
Move while you’re planking
To increase the intensity of the plank, Graham says to add propulsion. Plank jacks (moving your feet in a jumping jack position while you hold the plank), mountain climbers (lifting alternating knees to your chest, as if climbing) or alternating between holding the plank position on your hands and dropping down to your elbows will all work your whole body more than a static plank.
Reverse your plank
Once you’ve mastered the standard plank, reverse it and try a back plank. Start on your back and lift yourself up with your fingers facing your feet. Don’t forget to drop your shoulders and keep your body straight. “[This exercise] works your muscles on the posterior side, like your mid-back, glutes and hamstrings,” Shen says. Introducing new exercises or variations, like a back plank, to your routine is key to maintaining full-body strength.
Make your plank bigger
Anytime you want to add intensity, make the plank bigger. This could mean getting off your knees and onto your toes, coming up from your forearms onto your hands or opening up into a side plank. “By adding side planks, by adding levels, we ultimately add intensity,” says Graham. Conversely, if you’re struggling, make your plank smaller. “By simply dropping the knee or going down to the elbow, you can shorten your range of motion,” says Graham. “These small little tweaks to plank positions can offer a huge amount of relief for someone who’s starting off. Finding something that works for you is absolutely key.”
Next: 4 Stretches to Improve Range of Motion as You Age
I didn’t plan to end up in therapy on my birthday.
Before I started a new job, I was rushing to use up my old health benefits. I packed my calendar with massages, purchased new glasses and booked a therapy appointment.
I’m not new to therapy. I’ve been in and out of counsellors’ and therapists’ offices for the past seven years, sitting through dozens of sessions of talk therapy. Initially, I was encouraged to speak with a professional to help me deal with my mother’s cancer diagnosis, then with the grief following her death. Later, I sought counselling to help navigate my every day. Am I doing enough? Am I doing too much? Why can’t I stop thinking about what my friend said? Even as my grief faded, there was always plenty to talk about.
Similar to booking a massage or making time for a bubble bath, therapy felt like caring for myself, and that’s how Vancouver-based clinical counsellor Makita Wiggins sees it too. “I always promote to my clients to use therapies as self-care,” she says.
For me, therapy was where I went to unpack my brain and examine those bits and pieces of myself that I didn’t realize I was carrying around. My birthday, on the other hand, is a celebration, often involving friends, cake and more than a few tequila shots. In my personal Venn diagram, therapy and my birthday were in separate bubbles. But in 2021, determined to cash in on my insurance, I found myself ringing in the big 3-2 with a virtual therapy session—and honestly, it was the best gift.
Booked a therapy appointment for my birthday. This is 32. pic.twitter.com/PD3JpkTcLd
— Ishani Nath (She/Her) (@ishaninath) June 23, 2021
Radio host Jax Irwin had a similar realization. There’s a perception of therapy as “heavy and problem-solving,” she explains, but as someone who has been going regularly for years, therapy is part of her routine. So, when Irwin’s appointment happened to fall during a birthday trip with some friends, she didn’t reschedule. Instead, with her friends still asleep, Irwin climbed atop the houseboat they had rented and started her birthday with a call to her therapist. She remembers it as a sort of “private rooftop therapy oasis.”
Whether you’re on top of a houseboat, on a video call or in an office, therapy is a space where you can be yourself. You don’t have to be “the birthday girl” or mask how you’re feeling. For the duration of the session, you get to talk about whatever is on your mind, whether or not it makes for socially acceptable conversation. It truly is your party—and you can cry if you want to.
“If I’m a little bit sad after, that’s OK,” Irwin told her radio co-hosts when questioned about her unconventional tradition. “Growth is growth is growth, and I want to go into the next year growing.”
It may not seem like a fun way to commemorate a new year or birthday, but having fun isn’t the only way to mark a milestone. “Therapy sessions can go so many different ways: They can be hard and a lot of heavy lifting, but they can also be just so freeing,” says Irwin. She adds that after discussing this idea on the radio, the show heard from multiple listeners who have also integrated therapy as part of their birthday celebration, and even more people who were intrigued by the idea.
To be clear, I’m not saying that therapy is easy, let alone enjoyable—this especially depends on the type of therapy you’re engaging in. Really, it can feel like the opposite of conventional self-care. Instead of escaping into your favourite TV show, therapy forces you to confront everything from harmful patterns to trauma. But while therapy may not feel good in the moment, it has the potential to help you feel good long-term.
And just like your birthday is not like any other day, birthday therapy does not need to be like other sessions. Instead, a birthday therapy appointment can be used as a point of reflection and forward thinking. Irwin uses the time to set intentions for her next year. “It feels exciting to look forward with somebody who knows the ins and outs of you like that.”
(Related: How to Find the Best Therapy App for You, According to Experts)
I had met with a new counsellor for my birthday session, someone who didn’t know me, but having them ask how I was doing and offer professional insight was healing. It was a designated time to discuss personal successes and struggles that don’t appear on Instagram or my resumé, like learning to set healthy boundaries or building self-esteem. My session didn’t solve any of these issues, but I walked away with a greater awareness of myself, my strengths and struggles, than before—something I wouldn’t have ever thought to put on my birthday wish list.
Regardless of the occasion, making time to care for our mental health is becoming increasingly urgent. With pandemic-related job loss, isolation, anxiety and fear, Canadians are facing a mental health crisis. One in four Canadian adults experience symptoms of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and according to Statistics Canada, these rates are on the rise.
(Related: 8 Women Share the Impact the Pandemic Has Had on Their Mental Health)
While Wiggins is all for the idea of reframing therapy as a form of celebration, she notes that the cost of mental health services is still a barrier for many. Prices vary depending on the type of therapy, location and the provider. Treatment from a general practitioner is covered by public health insurance, but other providers’ prices vary widely and can depend on several factors, like the type of practitioner and location. For instance, prices range from $70 for one-on-one psychotherapy with a social worker to $200 per appointment with a psychologist. Prices can also vary based on the type of therapy, such as couples counselling versus trauma-informed individual sessions Canadians spend around $950 million per year on private-practice psychotherapists, services that one in three are paying for out of pocket. A Canadian study published in 2020 highlighted the cost of services not covered by private insurance plans as a major barrier to mental health care.
I fall into that category. With my new health care plan, I will end up paying for the majority of my therapy sessions if I want to go regularly. It’s a frustrating reality, and yet another reason why it makes sense to see a therapist on my birthday—it’s a way of treating myself.
Wiggins tries to make her services accessible with sliding scale pricing and keeps a spot open for a pro bono client. But if it’s only feasible to go to therapy once or twice a year, she encourages clients to let the care provider know that, so that they can structure sessions accordingly. “Even if you just have that one-off, you learn so much about yourself in that one session,” she says. “Do it.”
How to access free mental health care
Canada is facing a mental health crisis, fuelled in part by the ongoing pandemic. Yet, in 2020, fewer than half of Canadians who wanted mental health support received services, according to the Commonwealth Fund’s annual International Health Policy survey. The price tag associated with care was a major barrier.
If you or someone you know needs mental health care, here are some free resources:
eMentalHealth.ca
This website, run by the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), provides an extensive database of resources that can be narrowed down by the type of therapy, location, languages available and more. Users can also filter for “no fee” options.
Family doctors and psychiatrists
Getting mental health treatment from a family doctor or general practitioner (some of whom have training in mental health support) is covered by provincial and territorial health plans, such as RAMQ in Quebec or OHIP in Ontario. Family doctors can also provide assessments and referrals for a psychiatrist, who is a medical doctor specializing in mental illnesses. Psychiatrists are covered by public health insurance.
Wellness Together Canada
Created in response to the pandemic, with funding from the Government of Canada, Wellness Together Canada provides a range of educational and counselling resources, available 24/7 at no cost. Services include immediate text support, self-guided wellness programs and individual phone, video and text counselling. There are also free peer-support programs connecting Canadians with trained individuals who have personally experienced mental health and/or substance use challenges. Services are available to all Canadians, even those living abroad.
Next: 14 Virtual Care Services in Canada You Need to Know About
