Organic Garage is pleased to announce the opening of its third store location on Wednesday, July 5, 2017 in Toronto’s west-end Junction neighbourhood. The new 15,000 square foot store is located at 43 Junction Road (Keele and Dundas area). This will be Organic Garage’s largest location and the first in a multi-store expansion into the Toronto market.

The flagship store will open at 9 a.m. and the first 100 people to shop at the new location on opening day will receive a free tote bag, among other goodies. At 8:45 a.m., the store will hold its grand opening ribbon cutting event with many special guests including MP’s and brand ambassadors in attendance. Attendees are invited to spend time afterwards exploring the store.

“The upcoming opening of our new flagship store in Toronto showcases the evolution of the Organic Garage brand,” commented Matt Lurie, “and represents a significant milestone in our GTA growth strategy.”

Some of the features for this newest Organic Garage location include:

• A 100 per cent Certified Organic produce department; one of the largest selections available in Toronto.
• A bulk section with over 100 options boasting over 80 per cent Certified Organic items and 3 fresh nut butter mills.
• The launch of its private label program under the banner Kitchen Originals.
• A fresh salad bar with unique and seasonal items.
• State of the art, environmentally friendly refrigeration and HVAC technologies.
• 300+ car parking and patio seating.

“Our stores are different”, explains Matt Lurie, “you really have to come in and experience it yourself.”

On Saturday, July 8 and Sunday, July 9, in celebration of opening in the Junction neighbourhood, along with lots of in-store specials and bi-weekly flyer deals, Organic Garage will be putting on a Grand Opening Weekend Event with indoor and outdoor product demos and prizes to be won.

Square One has announced that it has achieved $1 billion in annual retail sales, the shopping centre’s most productive year over year performance to date. From May 2016 to May 2017 sales have resulted in $1 billion, making the foremost fashion, lifestyle and entertainment destination the second shopping centre in Canada to achieve this milestone.

Owned by Oxford Properties Group and Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), Square One’s success can be attributed to a number of factors including the opening of the new 130,000 square foot Holt Renfrew, and a number of luxury and aspirational retailers such as Salvatore Ferragamo, Rolex at Raffi Jewellers and Ontario’s first Simons.

“This incredible sales milestone echoes our mission to create a connected and thriving city centre that inspires our community, maximizes the infinite opportunities of our city and resonates beyond our boundaries,” says Greg Taylor, Director and General Manager, Square One. “With unprecedented redevelopment, along with the arrival of highly coveted brands to Square One, we will continue to be a passionate and genuine partner in creating and driving positive growth and development in Mississauga’s downtown core. This milestone heralds a new era for Square One as a world-class destination for fashion, lifestyle and entertainment.”

Over the past year, Square One introduced over 30 new retailers, including German premium fashion brand Marc Cain, the first freestanding Urban Decay store in Canada, Japanese lifestyle brand MUJI, Fascination Porsche popup, high-end shoe retailer Stuart Weitzman, and many more.

About Square One Shopping Centre

Proudly managed by Oxford Properties, Square One is distinctively positioned as Ontario’s largest and foremost fashion, lifestyle and entertainment destination with over 340 merchants including Holt Renfrew, Salvatore Ferragamo, Simons, Apple, Stuart Weitzman, Crate and Barrel, Zara and Whole Foods Market. Square One is owned by Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo) on behalf of its clients and Oxford Properties Group. Dedicated to sustainability, Square One’s 2.2 million square feet has been recognized and awarded by the City of Mississauga for creating a balance between sustainable environmental programs and an exceptional shopping experience. Square One continues its rapid growth, and is one of Canada’s Top Ten most productive shopping centres with a current sales productivity of $1,056 per square foot. Square One is a designated tourist destination and is open on statutory holidays. For details visit www.shopSQUAREONE.com. Follow us on Twitter/Instagram @shopSQUAREONE and at Facebook.com/SquareOne.

Probiotics could be the answer to depression, says research from McMaster University.

The study, published in the medical journal Gastroenterology, found that twice as many adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) found that their co-existing depression improved when they took a specific probiotic. This provides further evidence for the link between the brain and the gut.

“This study shows that consumption of a specific probiotic can improve both gut symptoms and psychological issues in IBS,” says Dr. Premysl Bercik, an associate professor of medicine at McMaster and a gastroenterologist for Hamilton Health Sciences. “This opens new avenues not only for the treatment of patients with functional bowel disorders but also for patients with primary psychiatric diseases.”

The study looked at 44 adults both with IBS and mild to moderate anxiety or depression. They were followed for 10 weeks, as half took a daily dose of the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum NCC3001, while the rest were administered a placebo.

At six weeks 64 per cent of the patients taking the probiotic had decreased depression scores. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) showed that the improvement in depression scores was associated with changes in multiple brain areas involved in mood control.

iLevel Management Inc. has announced that Jeanette Sousa is joining its team as a marketing assistant.

Jeanette draws from her broad experience in holistic nutrition and working in marketing health and wellness products for over 10 years. She has worked in both marketing business to business, as well as online direct to consumer. She has an extensive skillset that will allow iLevel’s brands to develop and execute integrated marketing strategies and campaigns.

Jeanette can be contacted at:

jsousa@ilevelmanagement.ca

1 (416) 342-0213

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. has released its first quarter earnings for the 2018 fiscal year, citing significant online growth as a source of its success. The U.S. retailer noted that Canada’s overall performance was also a high note for the company.

“In Canada, net sales increased 2.7 per cent and comp sales increased 1.5 per cent. During the quarter, we reduced inventory levels even as sales increased, and according to Nielsen we continued to gain market share in key traffic driving categories like food and consumables, and health and wellness,” said Wal-Mart Stores in an analysts’ call. “Continued planned investments in price and in-store efficiency initiatives are being supported by progress with our cost analytics program.”

The team added that Canadian business continues to perform well, with 12 consecutive quarters of positive comp sales.

With online sales looking up for Walmart, it looks like the retail giant has a chance at competing with Amazon—a rivalry which has been particularly strong this year. However, for independents, this e-commerce growth could signal weakened sales. As a result, it is imperative that bricks-and-mortar stores up their sales game with special offerings, excellent in-store service, and an overall stellar experience.

A new study suggests that bacteria in the gut may influence the structure of the brain’s blood vessels—and may be responsible for malformations that can lead to stroke and epilepsy. Published in Nature, the research adds to an emerging dialogue that connects disorders of the nervous system to intestinal microbes.

Funded by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study investigated the mechanisms that cause cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) to form in in genetically-engineered mice. CCMs are clusters of dilated, thin-walled blood vessels that can lead to seizures or stroke when blood leaks into the surrounding brain tissue. At the end of the study scientists discovered an unexpected link to bacteria in the gut—when bacteria were eliminated, the number of lesions dramatically diminished.

“This study is exciting because it shows that changes within the body can affect the progression of a disorder caused by a genetic mutation,” says Jim I. Koenig, Ph.D., program director at NINDS.

While investigating this link, Alan Tang noticed that the few mice with dramatic lesions had developed bacterial abscesses in their abdomens. The abscesses contained Gram-negative bacteria. The team found that Gram-negative bacteria produce molecules called lipopolysaccharides (LPS), which are activators of innate immune signaling.

Researchers found that by blocking TLR4, an LPS receptor, lesions were greatly reduced.

“These results are especially exciting because they show that we can take findings in the mouse and possibly apply them at the human patient population,” said Koenig. “The drug used to block TLR4 has already been tested in patients for other conditions, and it may show therapeutic potential in the treatment of CCMs, although considerable research still remains to be done.”

Clint Mahlman, the executive vice-president & chief operating officer of London Drugs, was honoured by the Retail Council of Canada at its annual Excellence in Retail Awards ceremony. Mahlman was presented with the Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award.

The Distinguished Retailer of the Year Award recognizes a retail leader and company who have led their organization to outstanding business success and who have consistently demonstrated a commitment to the communities they operate within. The recipient is seen as a role model due to his or her exceptional leadership within the corporation, in the retail industry in Canada, and in the community at large, through personal or corporate philanthropic activities.

Mahlman first joined London Drugs in 1984, where he has held a variety of senior position. He became the executive VP and COO in 2014, leading the company through expansion, innovation, and a variety of philanthropic, community-based activities.

In addition, Mahlman has been the catalyst behind London Drugs’ environmental initiatives. He is widely recognized for the significant impact that London Drugs’ “What’s the Green Deal?” recycling program and waste-management stewardship has and is making in the retail industry. What’s more, Mahlman continues to serve and support ‘retail as a career’ programs through local and national academic venues and initiatives.

“RCC is thrilled to recognize Clint Mahlman and London Drugs Limited for their passion, their leadership, and their ability to embrace change in today’s retail landscape,” said Diane J. Brisebois, President and CEO, Retail Council of Canada.

Mr. Mahlman and London Drugs Limited are recognized by their peers in the retail industry in Canada for their outstanding and ongoing business success, their innovative and successful approach to customer care, their unwavering commitment to the communities they serve, and their outstanding leadership in promoting and supporting retail as a career.

About London Drugs

London Drugs was established in 1945 and began as a humble, community drugstore-just 1000 square feet-but this little store on Main Street, Vancouver, was given a big name. The store was named after London, England, the home of Canada’s King, George VI. In the months after World War II, London Drugs carried the promise of peace and prosperity.

Today, London Drugs has 80 stores in more than 35 major markets throughout British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba including its online store LondonDrugs.com. London Drugs offers consumers a wide range of products and services from digital cameras and cosmetics to computers and televisions. More people buy their small appliances in London Drugs than any other place in Western Canada. All told, London Drugs serves over 45 million customer visits each year, and this iconic retailer is still growing.

London Drugs proudly sponsors various community-based events and corporate initiatives that are in-line with its values and goals of building healthier and stronger communities.

A new study out of the University of Bonn and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem suggests that Cannabis can increase memory performance in aging individuals.

Researchers found that old animals were able to regress to the state of two-month-old mice with a prolonged low-dose treatment of a cannabis active ingredient. This could have wonderful implications for patients with Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The researchers administered a small quantity of THC to mice aged two, twelve and 18 months over a period of four weeks. Afterwards, they tested learning capacity and memory performance in the animals, such as orientation skills and the recognition of other mice. Mice that were administered a placebo displayed natural age-dependent learning and memory losses, while animals treated with cannabis were just as good as the two-month-old control animals.

After the experiment, the researchers examined the brain tissue and gene activity of the treated mice. They found that the molecular signature no longer corresponded to that of old animals, but was instead very similar to that of young animals. The number of links between the nerve cells in the brain, an important prerequisite for learning ability, also increased.

Moving forward, the researchers want to investigate whether this has applications for human patients.

Organic Garage has announced the launch of its private label program under the banner Kitchen Originals. The brand will primarily focus on Certified Organic products, and will launch its first lineup at the company’s new Toronto location.

This launch marks a significant milestone in Organic Garage’s development plan. The company will start rolling out private label offerings across the store over the next year, helping to deliver on its message of “healthier food for less”.

“The goal of our private label program, under the Kitchen Originals banner, is to deliver continued value and the highest quality products to our customers,” says Matt Lurie, CEO of Organic Garage commented. “We are excited to launch this brand with a fantastic line of introductory products in conjunction with the upcoming opening of our new flagship store in Toronto next month.”

About Organic Garage

Organic Garage is one of Canada’s leading independent organic grocers committed to offering its customers a wide selection of healthy and natural products at everyday affordable prices. The company’s stores are in prime retail locations designed to give customers an inclusive, unique and value-focused grocery shopping experience.

Founded in 2005 by a fourth generation grocer, Organic Garage is headquartered in Toronto and operates a highly efficient supply chain through its centralized distribution centre. The company is focused on continuing to expand its retail footprint within the Greater Toronto Area. For more information please visit the Organic Garage website at www.organicgarage.com.

A 2017 study out of the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy suggests that dry needling could provide an alternative for cortisone injections in pain treatment.

According to the study, dry needling, a technique that uses thin filament needles to penetrate the skin and stimulate the trigger points of pain, could be used in patients with greater trochanteric pain syndrome (GTPS).  This comes as an alternative to cortisone (corticosteroid) injections, which have a wide variety of serious side effects.

This study, led by Kindyle L. Brennan, PT, PhD, OCS, COMT, is the first to compare the use of dry needling and cortisone injections to manage GPTS. Overall, it confirmed the equal effectiveness of the two treatments.

Previously, cortisone injections were inducted as the standard treatment for GTPS, as it was believed that the pain originated from inflammation of the hip bursa. However, it has now been found that GTPS pain arises as a result of muscle and tendon injury.

“Dry needling the myofascial structures of the hip region is aimed at improving the biochemical and neuromuscular homeostasis of these structures, which research has demonstrated is more likely the source of patients’ pain,” says Dr. Brennan.

Over the course of the study, 43 participants (50 hips) were given either cortisone injections or dry needling. At the end, patients in both groups reported less pain and improved mobility, but dry needling offered equal pain reduction and functional outcomes, without cortisone’s side effects. This being said, dry needling did cause some minor adverse reactions, including post-injection soreness, flushing, and sweating.

Dr. Brennan adds that dry needling should be followed by physical therapy to reduce chances of recurring pain.

“The end result is not simply addressing the pain, as cortisone would, but the factors that led up to and continue to contribute to the pain,” she said “Pain is a very complex entity that can become its own animal long after the original injury is healed. The clinical and basic science of dry needling suggests tremendous potential for modulating pain perception, local pain sources, and motor recruitment patterns, which have become dysfunctional as sequelae of injury or regional dysfunction.”