Purica Foundation Fund was created by brothers and co-owners of Purica, Trevor and Jason Watkin and their spouses Marnie and Anna. “We realize that many people require special support and additional resources in order for them to make the most of life, work and play and we aim to provide that where we can, with an emphasis on children, seniors and animal welfare,” said Foundation Executive Director, Marnie Watkin, back in July 2016 when the foundation was first announced.

The Purica Foundation committee reviewed a large number of charities before choosing the Cowichan Hospice House project as the charitable organization to receive proceeds from their 1^st annual gala fundraising event.

Purica is a leading natural health and wellness supplement company based on Vancouver Island since 2000. The company name is a portmanteau of Purity and Care, and the owners, have certainly shown they care by raising funds through their foundation to benefit the building of Cowichan Hospice House. In a previous press release Purica noted that the Cowichan Valley community needed, “A place to die with support, safety, and dignity, in a home-like setting. A place where expert medical care is provided, focussed on a person’s own goals and priorities.” Palliative care is available on the Island, but there currently are no hospice beds.

The Watkin family was always involved in charities while growing up in Cowichan Valley near Duncan, BC. Co-owners Trevor and Jason and their families felt it was important to give back to their own community, having received so much support for their business ventures from their hometown area. Once the Cowichan Hospice House project was chosen, they held a number of smaller events, and gathered a community of like-minded people to get involved. With hand-picked volunteers of friends and business associates having “connections” in the local Cowichan Valley community, the Hospice House fundraising committee spent the next year planning their first gala extravaganza.

The foundation’s inaugural gala was held at Mellor Hall, Cowichan Exhibition Park on November 4^th and raised a staggering $130,000 via live auctions of luxury travel packages, silent auctions of over 160 items, live entertainment, and donations by over 400 attendees who all dressed in theme for the event, a 1920’s “Jazz Era” gala.

Cowichan Hospice House will be the first of its kind in the Valley, home to about 46,000 people, and beginning with at least 7 beds once the house is built with funds contributed by the Purica Foundation and others.

Marnie Watkin stated they chose Hospice House to receive the funds from their first annual gala as “we felt it was most needed and would serve everyone inclusively. Everyone is welcome if they need palliative care despite any other status.”

Once completed, Cowichan Hospice House will be managed by Island Health and it is hoped that the 7-bed facility will be completed by 2020, with capacity to increase according to local population’s needs.

https://cowichanhospicehouse.ca/

In a new study published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway reveal that a drug commonly used to treat parasites may be used in the fight against prostate and colon cancer.

The group of researchers has been testing hundreds of existing drugs to see what effect they have on cancer cells.  Their research shows that a well-known and approved anti-parasite drug, nitazoxanide (NTZ), breaks down the beta-catenin protein, which is found at high levels in prostate and colon cancer cells. The activation of this protein causes cancer cells to proliferate at an extreme rate and allows cancer cells to thrive, making them more resistant to treatment.

NTZ, which is used to treat Giardia, tapeworm and other parasites, attacks beta-catenin proteins to prohibit their growth and decompose the activated proteins. NTZ also appears to stimulate central parts of the immune system, that then attack cancer cells.

The leader of the research study, Professor Karl-Henning Kalland at the Department of Clinical Science at the University of Bergen notes, “We discovered that this specific substance is blocking the signalling pathway in the cancer cells, and makes them stop growing. It is not often that researchers discover a substance that targets specific molecules as precisely as this one.”

He also explains, “The advantage of testing already approved drugs is that we know they work in the human body and have no serious side effects, which means that a future treatment may happen quicker.”

This is very promising news for the thousands of Canadians suffering from prostate and colon cancer and doctors who treat these types of cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that in 2017,

• 21,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. This represents 21% of all new cancer cases in men in 2017.
• 4,100 men will die from prostate cancer. This represents 10% of all cancer deaths in men in 2017.
• On average, 58 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day.
• On average, 11 Canadian men will die from prostate cancer every day.

They also estimate that,

• 26,800 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer. This represents 13% of all new cancer cases in 2017.
• 9,400 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer. This represents 12% of all cancer deaths in 2017.
• 14,900 men will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 5,100 will die from it.
• 11,900 women will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 4,300 will die from it.
• On average, 73 Canadians will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer every day.
• On average, 26 Canadians will die from colorectal cancer every day.

The year-end holidays are here and a recent study by YouAppi suggested that 85% of consumers are going mobile this season. Yet some retailers may not be offering the best mobile apps to attract shoppers. According to the study, faster network speeds and feelings of security were among the benefits of mobile shopping most desired by consumers.

Retailers are advised to utilize apps that offer added personalized features such as sending alerts and notifications of sales and promos, and incentive programs that use options to engage customers. An impressive 69% of holiday mobile shoppers said that special offers grab their attention, however, more than half of consumers didn’t want to see any Christmas holiday campaigns until after Thanksgiving.

The retailer’s benefits of mobile shopping are only obtained if the shopping experience is the best it can be for the customer. Basic functionality is at the core of customer experience as the following was among the highest-ranked requests from consumers: being bug-free; an app experience that flows and makes sense; speed; and fluidity between the app and the online store. These details are important as 68% of mobile shoppers were willing to abandon the sale when faced with functionality issues. Younger generations, Gen Z in particular, are even more impatient and finicky, refusing to use an app that is too slow or difficult to use.

The study found there is still some disconnect between what is wanted by consumers and what is being offered through mobile shopping. Making payment easy was desired by holiday mobile shoppers, as most preferred to pay using a credit card from an existing file. Besides the functionalities, the emotional disconnect to consumers borders on an untapped area of marketing. Companies that appeal to the more human needs of the customer tend to perform better at raising profits, and acquiring and retaining new customers compared to those that do not.

Holiday shopping is expected to bring big numbers this year, regardless of whether sales are achieved as in-store picks or in-hand clicks. Adobe’s analytics suggest that 2017 will be the first year that holiday shopping breaks $100-billion, with year-to-year growth.

It’s not too late to prepare the best mobile holiday shopping experience possible, as your customers’ loyalty could be the greatest gift of the season.

In the last decade, concern about carbohydrate intake, and sugars in particular, has skyrocketed.  We’re all aware of the connection with type 2 diabetes, but sugar can have ties to other serious conditions such as hypertension and fatty liver disease, too.

Sugar Affects Blood Pressure

It’s been suspected for some time that dietary sugar and blood pressure are linked.  It’s even been shown that higher levels of sugars are associated with elevated blood pressure readings in children[1].

A 2017 study found that sugar can increase salt sensitivity in some people and when sugar and salt are taken together in the same meal, the effect on blood pressure is even greater than it would be if these substances were consumed separately – a kind of “double whammy” effect.[2]

This makes the sugar connection for blood pressure, and the related effects for cardiovascular health, all the more important.

Sugar Affects Your Liver

Your liver keeps you healthy by filtering your blood, helping to manage your blood sugar level, and processing nutrients and other substances such as medications for excretion.  While it is normal to have a certain amount of fat in your liver, too much fat prevents the liver from doing its job.  When liver function is impaired by fat, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may be diagnosed.

High intakes of ordinary table sugar (sucrose) promote the development of a fatty liver, but fruit sugar (fructose) does so even more[3].

Tips for Reducing Your Sugar Intake

• Watch for hidden sugar by reading ingredient labels. Any ingredient ending in “ose” is a form of sugar.
• Cut back on high-sugar beverages, such as sodas and fruit juices. A serving of fruit juice is 4 ounces (125 ml) and counts as a serving of fruit.
• Limit fruit servings to 2 per day for non-diabetics and 1 per day for diabetics. A serving of fruit is one medium-sized fruit, approximately the size of your closed fist, or a ½ cup of chopped fruit or berries.
• If you put sugar in tea or coffee, consider using stevia instead. Stevia is a natural substance that has a sweet taste similar to sugar. Because it has a different chemical structure, it doesn’t have the negative effects of sugar.

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[1] Kell, Kenneth P., et al. “Added sugars in the diet are positively associated with diastolic blood pressure and triglycerides in children.” The American journal of clinical nutrition 100.1 (2014): 46-52.

[2] Preuss, Harry G., et al. “Blood Pressure Regulation: Reviewing Evidence for Interplay Between Common Dietary Sugars and Table Salt.” Journal of the American College of Nutrition (2017): 1-8.

[3] Moore, J. Bernadette, Pippa J. Gunn, and Barbara A. Fielding. “The role of dietary sugars and de novo lipogenesis in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.” Nutrients 6.12 (2014): 5679-5703.

Liberty Village will soon have plenty of choices in natural, vegan and organic fresh foods for residents of this popular neighbourhood in Toronto. Organic Garage Ltd. just announced they have signed the lease for a historic property at 42 Hanna Avenue where they plan to open their new Ontario location.

Organic Garage opened its first store in Oakville, Ontario in 2006, carrying on an ancestral family tradition of selling more affordable fresh foods and groceries, or as their slogan states, “Healthier food for less!”. Their newest store in Liberty Village will place the family-run business not far from the site of their grandfathers’ grocery store on 374 College Street, which opened in 1931 and operated continually by successive family members until its closure when the current CEO, Matt Lurie, was a boy.

According to their own corporate web site, “The company’s stores are in prime retail locations designed to give customers an inclusive, unique and value-focused grocery shopping experience.”

Organic Garage has established a reputation for affordable organic and natural health supplements, organic produce and groceries targeting consumers of non-GMO and eco-sustainable foods and health & beauty products. Additional offerings promised for this new 13,000 sq. ft. location will include a specialty beverage and juice bar for kombucha, cold-brewed coffee and other nutritional beverages; food bars for sushi and specialty foods, and self-serve kiosks.

They currently have stores in Vaughan and in Toronto’s Junction district, while another location at 33 Laird Drive is scheduled for opening in 2018.

For those suffering from eczema (aka atopic dermatitis), there can be overwhelming choices in available treatments. Between what is found over-the-counter to what is prescribed by a doctor, even wading through the options is disheartening as some may have side effects, or lack supportive research. Where does one start when seeking relief from eczema?

The itchy, red rash that develops on the skin often brings symptoms of pain and discomfort. Further, it can cause problems with sleep, emotional distress and affect daily living. For many, eczema may appear only in winter or other seasons, sometimes as an acute allergic skin reaction, while in others it is a chronic condition with no known cause. However, there are some promising treatments.

Pharmaceutical Options

Conventional treatments refer to therapies and treatments that have been scientifically researched by pharmaceutical companies, and are prescribed more often by allopathic doctors. These may include over-the-counter medicines, prescription medicines, targeted therapies, etc.

Two recently-approved new treatments seem promising for the inflammation associated with eczema. Crisaborole (trademarked as Eucrisa) is a nonsteroidal topical ointment and the first anti-inflammatory cream to be approved by the US FDA for the treatment of mild to moderate eczema in over 15 years. Another is a biologic therapy given by injection to adults who haven’t responded to, or can’t use topical medications. However, the outcomes have not always been consistent and long-term use of powerful immunosuppressive medicines is unsafe. As there is still no definitive cure for eczema, some people combine conventional treatments with natural alternatives.

Natural Health Options

There are several natural treatments commonly used for those seeking non-pharmaceutical eczema options. Although many individuals find relief in the following treatments, it’s important to remember that just because something is defined as natural, doesn’t mean it is safe for you. Always consult with a licensed health practitioner before trying any new treatments.

1. Sunflower Seed Oil – Applied topically, it can aid in inflammation, itch, and improvement of skin barrier function.
2. Coconut Oil – Currently being researched for its antibacterial effects against Staph bacteria. Most natural oils safe for the skin can help moisturize and relieve dryness.
3. Massage – Aids in stress reduction.
4. Acupuncture & Acupressure – Helps with pain and itching while decreasing stress.
5. Vitamin D – Counters eczema flare-ups, especially in winter.

When the symptoms of eczema seem unbearable and uncomfortable, one seeks the best, personalized relief possible. Until the cause of one’s eczema can be discovered, perhaps a combination of treatment strategies is best at keeping eczema under control.

Canadians were issued a new warning by Health Canada about a popular antioxidant touted for weight loss. Green tea extract is a concentrated form of green tea used in supplements, particularly weight loss products. Health Canada notes that the amount of green tea added to many drinks and foods would be safe to consume but that the extract, normally sold in pill, capsule or powder form has a higher concentrated form of Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the ingredient at issue.

EGCG can be found in white and black teas in smaller amounts but is usually extracted from green tea and added to dietary supplements in forms that also include chewable products, gummies and tablets. Previous warnings had stated to “consult a health care practitioner prior to use if you have a liver disorder or develop symptoms of liver trouble…” but after a few reports worldwide and two in Canada, Health Canada this week added this Known Adverse Reaction: “Rare, unpredictable cases of liver injury associated with green tea extract-containing products have been reported (in Canada and internationally) (HC 2017).”

The American College of Gastroenterology noted in 2014 that green tea extract in very high doses could lead to liver damage, but it is not clear if lower doses of EGCG could lead to health problems. They also stated that it is unknown why one may develop a liver injury from green tea extract, although genetic susceptibility was suggested. Health claims for green tea extract are not allowed by the US FDA.

Health Canada recently reviewed reports of a link between EGCG and liver damage worldwide, including a few in Canada and decided an updated, stronger warning was required. Their caution for the ingredient now includes, “Stop use if you develop symptoms of liver trouble such as yellowing of the skin/eyes (jaundice), stomach pain, dark urine, sweating, nausea, unusual tiredness and/or loss of appetite and consult a health care practitioner.” They also now recommend that green tea extract should only be taken by adults over age 18.

Health Canada also stated they will require manufacturers to add these new additional warnings to their labels and information for products containing green tea extract.

Swiss packaged food conglomerate Nestlé is just one of the companies considering acquisition of US organic and natural food giant Hain Celestial. A sale of Hain Celestial has been rumoured since their profits dropped nearly 70% in 2016 from $165-million to $47-million, although they reported a rise in 2017 to $67-million.

Hain Celestial has struggled in the past year after reporting it found irregularities in previous revenue reports and may be seeking a sale as the solution to their challenges.

Nestlé, the largest food company in the world with branded products that include chocolate, candy confections, baby food, pet food, and an assortment of snack foods, reported a profit of $8.8-billion in 2016 on sales of $89.46-billion. In spite of what sounds like great news, Nestlé has lagged behind its competitors in sales growth with critics suggesting they have not moved fast enough to accommodate consumers’ increasing demand for healthier fresh and natural food alternatives and less packaged foods.

Back in June activist investor Daniel Loeb acquired a $3.5-billion stake in Nestlé and it is thought he may be leading the push to adapt to the changing tastes of consumers for natural brands and which may include the sale of its US confectionary brands, frozen foods such as Lean Cuisine, or its cosmetics brand L’Oreal.

Analysts believe that Nestlé may wish to acquire Hain to add more natural food brands to its portfolio and that the move could be good for both companies. Hain’s Earth’s Best and Ella’s Kitchen organic infant nutrition brands could fit well with Nestlé’s Gerber baby food line, while Nestlé’s dairy brands such as Carnation and Coffee-mate could soon include the addition of Hain’s plant-based non-dairy beverages such as Rice Dream.

Other companies interested in acquiring Hain Celestial include General Mills, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and Kellogg.

In a new study, researchers from Australia’s National Institute of Complementary Medicine at Western Sydney University and the Division of Psychology and Mental Health at the University of Manchester in the UK examined the effects of aerobic exercise on the brain. Their study showed that aerobic exercise increased the size of the left region of the hippocampus, the area of the brain responsible for memory, verbal learning and other cognitive functions.

On average, the brain shrinks by 5% every decade after the age of 40. The study shows that aerobic exercise can diminish brain shrinkage and neural atrophy.

The researchers reviewed 14 clinical trials, examining the brain scans of 737 people before and after aerobic exercise or in control conditions.

The study group ranged in age from 24 to 76 years old, with a median age of 66, and included a mixture of healthy participants, participants suffering from mild cognitive conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and participants clinically diagnosed with depression, schizophrenia or other mental illness.

The researchers examined the effects of aerobic exercises like walking, running on a treadmill or cycling on a stationary bike. Interventions ranged from three to 24 months with a range of 2-5 sessions per week.

Joseph Firth, lead author of the study, indicated that their findings provide clear evidence that exercise can contribute to brain health. “When you exercise you produce a chemical called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which may help to prevent age-related decline by reducing the deterioration of the brain,” Firth said.

“Our data showed that, rather than actually increasing the size of the hippocampus per se, the main ‘brain benefits’ are due to aerobic exercise slowing down the deterioration in brain size. In other words, exercise can be seen as a maintenance program for the brain.”

The study findings were published in the journal NeuroImage.

Smartphone apps and wearable devices that can be used for health benefits are continuing to rise, not just in quantity, but also in quality and value to the health professional. Now, California-based Abbott Laboratories recently announced the FDA has approved the first insertable cardiac monitor that can link up with a smartphone app for monitoring “even the most difficult to detect cardiac arrhythmias, including irregular heartbeats” according to their press release.

Their new product, called the Confirm Rx™ Insertable Cardiac Monitor (ICM), is a “smartphone compatible ICM designed to help physicians remotely identify cardiac arrhythmias. With FDA clearance Abbott can now provide U.S. patients a new way to monitor for abnormal heart rhythms while staying connected to their physician remotely and being able to engage in their health care.”

Devices that assist or measure the heart from inside the body are not so new. An assistive heart monitor was first developed in the 1940’s using radioelectrocardiogram (RECG) to measure heart activity, with the device being further refined and developed in the 1960’s as the Holter Monitor, which had to be worn for 24-hour periods by patients.

The pacemaker was invented for internal implantation in 1958 although it took a few more years for it to be reliable, and to last a longer time. Today, they have advanced to include defibrillators in a single device, while becoming much smaller in size with latest inventions being pill-sized, and not necessarily attached to the heart directly. Several manufacturers now create devices that can be inserted via a leg catheter instead of invasive surgery.

Abbott’s Confirm Rx ICM is slim, easily inserted under the skin, and uses Bluetooth technology to connect to Merlin, AI-based software created specifically for healthcare. The device monitors cardio-activity to help diagnose arrhythmias and other heart illness, by recording ongoing heart performance, while the data is collected and sent on to the doctor’s smartphone for review. The device and app help speed up diagnosis by doing away with the need to connect to external transmitters, and is more convenient for wear and monitoring in the patient.

As regards to healthcare, the future is here today and we can only expect to see more developments of AI-connected app technology, as our smartphones become medical devices that will keep no secrets from our doctors.