RCI | English : Columns

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  • With our columns, learn more about topics as diverse as Canada’s place in the world, the Arctic, health, art, culture and the environment.
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  • Canadian adults get a failing grade for physical activity

    Canadian adults get a failing grade for physical activity
    Oct 29 2019
    Only 16 per cent of Canadian adults are meeting the national guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity per week, according to a national non-profit. Calling this an “inactivity crisis,” ParticipACTION says inactivity can lead to increased risk of chronic diseases, cognitive decline, falls and social isolation among older adults. It has issued a first-ever report card on physical activity in adults and has given them a grade of D. “Physical activity has been engineered out of our lives,” says Elio Antunes, president and CEO of ParticipACTION, a national organization founded to promote physical fitness and healthy living. “Everything that we have is to make life easier and with less effort. We have a culture of convenience.” A large slice of the Canadian population is aging and becoming more sedentary. They will age better with the benefit of regular physical activity, says Antunes.  ParticipACTION suggests employers have walking meetings rather than book a boardroom. (iStock) Small changes can have big effect ParticipACTION suggests simple ways to start increasing activity such as moving more throughout the day, trying something new, upping the intensity , asking others to join in, breaking up extended periods of sitting and adding strength training two to three times a week. Antunes says three-quarters of adults know they need to be physically active and they want to be. “As individuals, we need to take responsibility. We need to incorporate...even bouts of 10 minutes of physical activity at a time makes a big difference,” he says. “But we also need to ensure that the environment that we’re in supports us wanting to be physically active.” For example, Antunes says municipalities should build communities that encourage walking or other active transportation, health practitioners could prescribe physical activity to patients, employers could create workplaces that encourage movement and hold walking breaks or meetings. Antunes says this is an extremely important issue, especially given that inactivity will increase costs to the health care system by billions of dollars as time goes on. Elio Antunes says physical activity needs to be a vital part of everyday life to all Canadians.EN_Interview_2-20191029-WIE20
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    4 min
  • Climate change will challenge new minority government

    Climate change will challenge new minority government
    Oct 24 2019
    In Canada’s federal election, 63 per cent of voters chose parties with strong platforms on mitigating climate change. The Liberal Party will form the government but, since it does not have a majority of seats, it will have to seek the support of other parties in order to govern. Two of these parties strongly favour tougher measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.  The New Democratic Party and the Green Party both campaigned hard for major reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. (iStock) Two opposition parties seek stronger climate action “We see that the Liberals, the New Democratic Party...the Green Party...all agree that this country needs to step up the ambition of our climate commitments,” says Catherine Abreu, Executive Director of the Climate Action Network of Canada, a coalition of groups concerned about climate change.  “We need to meet that 2020 deadline set out by the UN to come back to the table with a stronger commitment under the Paris Agreement. We need to legislate..emissions reduction targets...that help us get there, as well as holding ourselves accountable for those commitments and establishing institutions that keep us on track.   But the Conservative Party ran on a promise to kill the carbon tax that the previous Liberal government levied on provinces. The leaders of the oil-rich, western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan are opposed to the tax and other environmental measures that would weaken the oil industry.  The challenge of the new minority government will be to reconcile those conflicting visions.  Political parties recognize there will be a need for a transition from oil industry jobs to greener alternatives. (iStock) Parties agree job diversification needed Some of the parties emphasized a need for economic diversification and job creation as the country moves away from fossil fuel industries and toward what they call a climate-safe future.  Abreu likens the situation to the collapse of the cod fishing industry in the 1970s in eastern Canada that forced families to leave and seek work in other parts of the country. “Even though politicians foresaw the collapse of the cod fishery, they didn’t plan for it. And I want us to make sure that we are not in the same position in the next couple of decades, that we see that the oil and gas industry...does need to wind down gradually...over time, and that we need to plan and prepare for it, have conversations with workers and communities about what they need to prepare for it and invest in the industries of the future that are going to protect people and the planet.” The Liberals will form a government with 157 seats, leaving it short of the 13 required for a majority. For support on climate issues, it can seek the help of the NDP which obtained 24 seats, the Bloc Quebecois which garnered 32 seats, and/or the Greens with three. Conservative Party is a strong supporter of the oil industry The Conservative Party which supports the oil industry obtained 32 seats and so, does not have enough to topple the government if it disagrees with climate policy.  However, even though his Liberal Party did not win any seats in Alberta and Saskatchewan, Prime Minister Trudeau has said he wants to serve people there as well and he plans to go ahead with the expansion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline to bring oil product to tidewater. The NDP, the Bloc Quebecois and the Greens are opposed.  The prime minister has made no formal alliance with any party and says he will seek their support on a case-by-case basis. It will be interesting to see how he manages. A minority government in Canada typically falls in about 18 to 24 months. Catherine Abreu says there will be much opposition party support for strong action to mitigate climate change.EN_Interview_2-20191024-WIE20
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    5 min
  • Depression link to inflammation explained in book

    Depression link to inflammation explained in book
    Oct 23 2019
    A new book suggests that depression should be considered an inflammatory illness. That is to say, depression can provoke high levels of stress hormone which cause certain brain cells to stop working properly and to produce proteins that cause inflammation. Inflammation can cause other problems like heart disease, diabetes and obesity. “When you have multiple or very severe episodes (of depression) there’s actually an inflammatory cascade that is set up in the brain and it can lead to real measurable changes in the brain’s structure and functioning,” says Dr. Diane McIntosh, a psychiatrist  and author of the book This is Depression: A Comprehensive Compassionate Guide for Anyone who Wants to Understand Depression. “We can see in the brains of chronically, severely depressed patients that they have shrinkage of particular brain areas, one called the hippocampus. We can measure that in people who have severe and chronic depression and that’s related to an inflammatory cascade.” Severe and chronic depression can cause changes in the brain. says author. (iStock) Treatment must be tailor-made, says psychiatrist McIntosh says there are no specific anti-inflammatory treatments for depression yet and there is much work being done to be more specific in the targeting of depression. However, many current treatments for depression do have an impact on the inflammatory system and neurotransmitters, and they help nourish the brain. Among the treatments are anti-depressants, electro compulsive therapy, and exercise to can have a beneficial effect. The difficulty is that everyone is different and every treatment needs to be tailor-made for each patient. Things like yoga and mindfulness can also help patients manage their symptoms. McIntosh says there is much trial and error involved in finding the right regimen for each patient. Dr. Diane McIntosh says depression is complex and involves inflammation.EN_Interview_2-20191023-WIE20
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    8 min

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