New 8-week Masterclass harnesses power of cannabis to resolve trauma and difficult emotions
January 28, 2021, Tampa, FL— Everyone struggles with past trauma and resulting difficult emotions. For many, the past year has exacerbated these feelings.
The problem with sadness, anger, fear, guilt and shame is that unless you find the root cause, you never do more than slap a band-aid on the issue.Becca Williams, a board member of the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine, one of the only certified Emotional Liberation™ teachers in the world, offers a unique cannabis assisted emotional recovery program designed to find the cause and release all of the associated negative emotions and feelings.
Cannabis' ability to facilitate brain and nervous system reorganization and healing aligns closely with the established benefits of meditation – and for many amplifies and accelerates the process. William’s program is a synthesis of cutting edge brain science and ancient Eastern practices.
“The cannabis isn’t the solution, it’s more like a mental lubricant,” said Williams. “It’s like a truth serum.”
Williams advises patients on what is the best CBD or cannabis for their individual needs. The cannabis is integrated with the meditation portion of a session.
In addition to the eight-week masterclass, private session packages are available. All programs are virtual to allow clients to join from anywhere from the privacy and safety of their own home.
To learn more about cannabis-assisted emotional recovery or to interview Becca Williams, please contact dena@provenmediaservices.com
About Becca Williams
Becca Williams is a yoga therapist and educator who specializes in cannabis-assisted emotional & trauma recovery. Her practice integrates ancient healing modalities that utilize expressive movement and breathwork techniques with the judicious use of cannabis. Becca is a registered dietitian/nutritionist, a certified Emotional Liberation® facilitator and a long-time cannabis advocate and activist. She holds certificates from healer.com in Cannabis Core Curriculum, Dosage Protocols & Methodologies, CBD Essentials and Clinical Application. Becca has worked as a group facilitator, speaker, and mentor for personal and collective transformation for more than two decades. She was the founder of MJ Straight Talk, which aired on the Free Speech Network. Becca is on the board of the American Academy of Cannabinoid Medicine and a member of the Society of Cannabis Clinicians and NORMAL.
January is Glaucoma Awareness Month: Don’t Go Blind from Glaucoma
New York, NY, January 29, 2021 — It’s the new year and one of your resolutions should be to get your eyes checked, advises Dr. Daniel Laroche, Director of Glaucoma Services and President of Advanced Eyecare of New York. Despite the busyness of the new year, he says it’s still important to stay on top of regular doctor visits, including visits with your eye doctor.
What is Glaucoma? Glaucoma is a disease of the eye characterized by three components:
1. Damage and loss of the retinal ganglions cells and optic nerve described as cupping
2. Loss of visual field
3. Usually increased eye pressure (the mean normal eye pressure is 15mmHG)
People at risk for glaucoma include the elderly, Blacks, people with elevated eye pressure, primary relatives with glaucoma, persons with high myopia, high hyperopia, history of eye trauma and diabetes. Blindness from glaucoma is insidious. In most cases, there is no pain, and the loss of vision occurs slowly from peripheral to central. The central reading vision is not affected until the end, thus most people do not realize it until they have lost a substantial amount of their peripheral vision. In low or normal pressure glaucoma, the central vision may be affected first.
The elevated intraocular pressure damages the optic nerve both mechanically and creates decreased blood flow to the eye. The most identifiable cause of glaucoma is the enlarged lens or cataract in the eye. Early cataract surgery and trabecular bypass has become the best option to stop vision loss in patients with glaucoma. The current use of eyedrops and laser help to lower intraocular pressure but do not address the causative mechanism of the glaucoma being the enlarged lens. Incisional cataract surgery and glaucoma surgery is often needed to truly stabilize glaucoma.
All people should be screened regularly for glaucoma as part of a medical eye exam. Screening should consist of an eye examination consisting of gonioscopy (examination of the drainage angle), intraocular pressure measurement with Goldmann applanation tonometry and a dilated optic nerve examination. If there appears to be any damage to the optic nerve or abnormal pressure, then a visual field test should be performed, and optic nerve photos taken. Persons with thin corneas should be more aggressively monitored and treated for glaucoma as the disease tends to be worse in these patients.
If you have eye pressure or glaucoma and feel that you may be losing vision, Dr. Laroche recommends that you seek the care of a glaucoma specialist for a second opinion. DON’T GO BLIND FROM GLAUCOMA! People with conditions such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy that could lead to blindness if left unchecked need to stay particularly vigilant with their checkups. The pandemic shouldn’t keep you from visiting your doctor, but for patients over 60, Dr. Laroche advises it's better to stay home and do telehealth visits or video consultations until the pandemic flattens. He also encourages people to wear face masks on visits and maintain social distancing, even if they are in a health clinic, and if you’re high-risk, consider adding eye protection when in public spaces.
“Eyesight or human vision is one of the most important senses. As much as 80 percent of what we feel comes through our sense of sight. By protecting the eyes, people will reduce the chance of blindness and vision loss while also staying on top of any developing eye diseases, such as glaucoma and cataracts.
“A healthy brain function requires a healthy vision. The brain is our most essential organ, and it allows us to control other organs. Normal and healthy vision contributes to improved learning and comprehension for a better quality of life,” says Dr. Laroche.
About Dr. Daniel Laroche
Dr. Laroche is an exceptional glaucoma specialist in New York. He studied and received his bachelor's degree from New York University and a medical doctorate with honors in research from Weil Cornell University Medical College. He underwent a medical internship at Montefiore Hospital and finished his ophthalmology residency at Howard University Hospital in Washington D.C., where he was the chief resident in his third year. He later completed his glaucoma fellowship at New York Eye and Ear.
Cutback Coach is creating a new wellness category in proactive alcohol health
Stepping into the newest frontier of wellness, mindful drinking, Cutback Coach is creating a new category in wellness, proactive alcohol health. With their recent infusion of 3.1 million in seed funding, Cutback Coach is already helping thousands of people build better habits around their alcohol consumption. Backed by some of the biggest names in health and wellness including Mike Lee of MyFitnessPal and James Park of FitBit, Cutback Coach hopes to make counting drinks as common as counting steps or counting calories. Co-Founders Nick Allen and Ian Andersen announced the nationwide launch of their proactive alcohol health platform, with the goal of helping anyone who regularly drinks alcohol build more mindful drinking habits.
Cutback Coach is poised to help millions build a healthier relationship with alcohol in 202. Just as you don’t need to be extremely out of shape to get benefits from tracking calories and steps, you don’t need to be an extremely heavy drinker to improve your overall health by tracking your alcohol consumption. Our goal is to help people be more mindful about their drinking, especially after the challenges 2020 presented for many of us,” says CEO and Co-Founder Nick Allen. With 3 in 4 US adults drinking more in 2020 vs. 2019, the founders see now as the perfect time to re-examine our collective relationship with alcohol.
Unlike the vast majority of alcohol health apps and programs in the market today, Cutback Coach is focused on mindful drinking rather than an all-or-nothing approach. The program is designed for people who enjoy drinking and have no desire to quit, but who occasionally feel the impact of overconsumption. Cutback Coach provides a personalized plan for each participant, incorporating their lifestyle characteristics, baseline habits, and individual goals. After a 6 month beta program, in which thousands tested the product and experienced an average of 29% reduction in weekly alcohol consumption after 4 weeks,
Cutback Coach leverages proven behavioral psychology strategies to support users in balancing their drinking to achieve health benefits including better sleep, weight loss, increased productivity and more energy. The program takes a novel approach in that it’s delivered entirely via 2-way text message, providing an easy, effective and high- touch method for daily participation. Some tips that Cutback Coach provides to help build mindful drinking habits include;
Implementing “dry days” throughout the week
Taking 5-10 minutes between drinks
Cutting out the last drink of the night that you don’t really want, and that makes you feel worse the next morning
With February looking like “New New Year” and many people taking personal inventory around their personal habits, we wanted to put Cutback Coach on your radar.
Doctors demand action to prevent more COVID-19 outbreaks and deaths in long-term care
TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW/ - Premier Doug Ford must act immediately to end the humanitarian crisis ravaging Ontario's long-term care homes before more of the province's elderly and vulnerable residents get sick and die from COVID-19, Ontario's doctors said today.
"We cannot allow this deplorable situation to continue one minute longer," said Dr. Samantha Hill, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "The vaccine supply is beyond our control, but there are many other effective initiatives we must take immediately to safeguard our most vulnerable."
The Ontario Medical Association called on the government to implement the following measures immediately:
Provide paid sick days to all employees, including those in long-term care, so no one has to make the difficult decision whether to stay home if they have or suspect they have COVID-19 or feel obliged to go to work to earn money for food or rent.
Hire and train more people to work in long-term care, and work with doctors to aggressively shift societal attitudes so that caring for older adults is considered to be one of the most important jobs in the world.
Require long-term care homes to immediately implement a staff and visitor screening program that includes the rapid antigen test that detects people who are not yet showing symptoms of COVID-19.
Give priority for COVID-19 vaccines to long-term care residents and health-care providers.
Provide funding to ensure all long-term care staff receive adequate training in infection prevention and control, including the proper use of personal protective equipment, and that they have adequate supplies of PPE.
"Societies are judged by how they treat their elders and most vulnerable members," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "History will judge us poorly unless we all move quickly, within our areas of authority and expertise, to improve conditions in long-term care homes."
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
‘Halal and kosher vaccine will accelerate UK vaccination once approved’Novovax vaccine ‘a milestone in race to beat Covid-19’ says Bradford professor
29 January 2021 News that the Novovax covid-19 vaccine - trialled in Bradford (England) - will shortly go before regulators, has been hailed as a “milestone for the UK '' by the clinician leading the local trials.Experts say it contains no animal products, a fact which could help persuade some minority groups who have ethical doubts over vaccines, to sign up for vaccination.Professor Dinesh Saralaya, an honorary visiting professor at the University of Bradford, said news that the trials had been a success was “the highpoint of my career.”The Novovax trials are the largest in the UK, with 15,200 people taking part, 726 of those from Bradford - tests were carried out at the University’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ).Prof Saralaya said: “This is huge news for Bradford and the University. This is the largest Phase 3 covid-19 trial in the UK, with one in 20 of the 15,200 coming from our city.“It is also the first vaccine to show efficacy against the Kent variant (89 per cent) and South African strain (50 per cent). It has an overall efficacy of 89.3 per cent. In the language of vaccines, if you can reach 70 per cent efficacy, that’s the primary goal, so this surpassed all expectations.”No animal products in vaccineProf Saralaya also said the Novovax vaccine contained no animal products and, like the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine, was easy to transport.“The vaccine is halal and kosher in that it contains no animal products. Novovax also has a very easy cold chain, like the Oxford vaccine, so it will be one of the vaccines which is taken door to door.”He added: “For Bradford, this is stupendous. It means we have been part of the global race to find a cure for covid-19. I'm proud of my association with the University; I offer my thanks to Vice Chancellor Professor Shirley Congdon for allowing us to collaborate and use the DHEZ. I see this as a joint city effort between BTHFT, the University and the local federation of GPs.“What will happen now is the vaccine will go before regulators. I hope it gets approved because what this means, with the UK buying 60m doses, is it will accelerate vaccinations and enable us to treat the entire population, so we protect the NHS and save lives. This is a milestone in the race to beat covid 19.”Bradford West Labour MP Naz Shah was among those who took part in the trial, which included around 720 people from Bradford, some seven per cent of whom hailed from a BAME background.‘Honour to contribute’Dr Liz Breen, Director of the DHEZ, said: “We are honoured to have contributed to the Novavax trial within Bradford. The Digital Health Enterprise Zone prides itself on our collaborations with our local partners, to enhance healthcare and wellbeing delivery for our communities. The news of the Novavax efficacy is testament to the hard work of our patients, healthcare providers and supporting teams. We will continue to offer our support to Covid-19 research endeavours.”Professor Congdon said: “The Novovax trials are a major part of the national fight against covid-19. The fact they were able to conduct those trials right here in Bradford, using the University’s facilities at the DHEZ, shows that we are at the forefront of global research. This is a proud day for the BTHFT, University, and the City Region.The vaccine made by the US biotech firm will be produced in Stockton-on-Tees in the North East.Additional informationProf Dinesh Saralaya is a Respiratory Physician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (BTHFT). He is director of the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) patient recruitment centre in Bradford.In September, he was made honorary visiting professor at the University of Bradford.Recently, it was announced the University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone is hosting one of the world’s first mass Covid-19 vaccine trials, run by US biotechnology company Novavax in conjunction with Bradford Institute for Health Research (BIHR), part of the Bradford Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.In 2015 and 2016 Dr Saralaya was awarded the best Principal Investigator Award for the UK for his delivery into the commercial respiratory research portfolio by NIHR. In 2014, Prof Saralaya was appointed Associate Director of Research at the BIHR and has grown the institute’s commercial research portfolio to over £1.25 million pounds annually. In 2019 he was awarded the joint NIHR/ Royal College of Physicians award for research in England for the year 2018-19.DHEZ is part of a £13m partnership led by the University of Bradford and the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, with £3.5m of funding from the Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership has supported DHEZ from the outset as the regional hub for digital health innovation. Pictures: 1) Prof Dinesh Saralaya, from the University of Bradford and Respiratory Physician at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2) University of Bradford's Digital Health Enterprise Zone. 3) Generic shot of University of Bradford campus. Picture credits: University of Bradford.
Bariatric Surgery Associated with Diabetes Remission, Reduced COVID-19 Risk
In addition to enhanced cosmetic appearance, bariatric surgeries lower the chance of hospitalization and death from COVID-19 and have an impact on reducing and preventing other severe obesity-related diseases
January 29, 2021. Worldwide obesity rates have nearly tripled in the last 45 years, leading to the rise of weight-loss surgeries. While commonly obesity is related to such diseases as type 2 diabetes and hormonal imbalances, recent studies have found a link between disproportionate fat distribution and severity of COVID-19, which doubles the risk of hospitalization and death from the coronavirus. When the traditional weight-loss strategies like physical activity or diets are insufficient, doctors may recommend bariatric surgery.
Bariatric surgeries make changes to the patients' digestive system, helping them to lose weight when the other options have proved unsuccessful. Gastric bypass, one of the most common bariatric procedures, involves creating a small pouch from the upper part of the stomach and connecting it to the small intestine. As a result, the swallowed food bypasses most of the patient‘s stomach and part of the small intestine, and they will feel full with less food. Other variations, such as gastric sleeve, decrease the size of the stomach to reduce food intake, resulting in long-term weight loss.
"For severely obese patients with BMI of 40 or higher, bariatric surgery can have a critical impact on the quality of life. In addition to an enhanced cosmetic appearance, bariatric procedures also prevent future health problems and often lead to remission of severe diseases, such as type 2 diabetes. In the long run, this helps tremendously when it comes to contracting and fighting the coronavirus," said prof. Almantas Maleckas, a leading surgeon at Nordbariatric Clinic, a forefront medical institution for bariatric weight-loss surgeries in Kaunas, Lithuania.
A recent study found that those patients who have had weight-loss surgery are less likely to be hospitalized for the coronavirus. As for diabetes, 80-85% of the risk of developing type 2 diabetes is accounted to obesity, while weight loss is associated with a reduced risk of the disease. Within five years of the procedure, most people with type 2 diabetes have achieved remission. Gastric bypass surgery produces the best results with the lowest rebound rates even for patients who have complex medication regimens or poor control of blood sugar.
“More than half of our clinic’s patients have obesity-related diseases. Some of these can lead to fatal conditions, such as heart attacks or strokes, and are extremely problematic when it comes to catching and treating the coronavirus. In these cases, bariatric surgery can be a life-saving procedure, and some of our patients have already expressed gratitude for becoming more resilient in the face of the virus,” said prof. Maleckas. “Unfortunately, patients often face prolonged waiting times or delays in most of the countries worldwide. Each month, Nordbariatric Clinic performs over 50 bariatric surgeries, ensuring short waiting periods and safety. Each patient is tested for COVID-19 and receives the necessary post-surgery care.”
Bariatric surgery can also benefit people who suffer from various gastrointestinal disorders. One of the most common conditions is acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), closely associated with obesity. Gastric bypass can provide a substantial long-term improvement in GERD symptoms, such as heartburn and reflux. A study that followed morbidly obese patients with GERD before and after receiving a gastric bypass operation shows that the procedure can successfully alleviate the GERD symptoms for the majority of patients.
When starting a family, obesity can also affect couples’ ability to get pregnant. By reducing the excess weight, bariatric surgery helps to restore hormonal balance for men. This increases sperm count and its concentration, increasing the chances of conception. For reproductive-age women, bariatric procedure mediates the regression of polycystic ovarian syndrome, the most common cause of infertility. After the surgery, the size of the ovaries is restored, and the period cycle returns to normal, promoting successful pregnancy.
"Unfortunately, obesity is becoming more common around the globe and affects every aspect of one’s life. It is a delicate subject matter that requires a sensitive approach, especially when considering the raging pandemic. If every other method of weight-loss fails, surgical weight-loss procedure may be a solution that will improve the overall quality of life and prevent serious complications," concluded prof. Maleckas.
Patients choose Nordbariatric Clinic mostly because of the high-quality services offered by the team of prof. Almantas Maleckas. A surgeon with 15 years of working experience in Sweden, Gothenburg University hospital, treats patients both in Sweden, UAE and Lithuania and has already carried out more than 6,000 bariatric surgeries working in this highly specialized and complicated field where a specialist's competence and experience are essential.
-END-
ABOUT NORDBARIATRIC
Nordbariatric is a private bariatric surgery clinic in Kaunas, Lithuania, part of Nordclinic, offering high-quality services and focusing on foreign patients. It is equipped with modern diagnostic and surgical facilities. Medical professionals at the clinic speak fluent English and show personal attention to every patient. www.nordbariatric.com/en/
Frequent cannabis use by young people linked to decline in IQ
Thursday, 28 January 2021: A study has found that adolescents who frequently use cannabis may experience a decline in Intelligence Quotient (IQ) over time. The findings of the research provide further insight into the harmful neurological and cognitive effects of frequent cannabis use on young people.
The paper, led by researchers at RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, is published in Psychological Medicine.
The results revealed that there were declines of approximately 2 IQ points over time in those who use cannabis frequently compared to those who didn’t use cannabis. Further analysis suggested that this decline in IQ points was primarily related to reduction in verbal IQ.
The research involved systematic review and statistical analysis on seven longitudinal studies involving 808 young people who used cannabis at least weekly for a minimum of 6 months and 5308 young people who did not use cannabis. In order to be included in the analysis each study had to have a baseline IQ score prior to starting cannabis use and another IQ score at follow-up. The young people were followed up until age 18 on average although one study followed the young people until age 38.
“Previous research tells us that young people who use cannabis frequently have worse outcomes in life than their peers and are at increased risk for serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia. Loss of IQ points early in life could have significant effects on performance in school and college and later employment prospects,”commented senior author on the paper Professor Mary Cannon, Professor of Psychiatric Epidemiology and Youth Mental Health, RCSI.
“Cannabis use during youth is of great concern as the developing brain may be particularly susceptible to harm during this period. The findings of this study help us to further understand this important public health issue,” said Dr Emmet Power, Clinical Research Fellow at RCSI and first author on the study.
The study was carried out by researchers from the Department of Psychiatry, RCSI and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin (Prof Mary Cannon, Dr Emmet Power, Sophie Sabherwal, Dr Colm Healy, Dr Aisling O’Neill and Professor David Cotter).
The research was funded by a YouLead Collaborative Doctoral Award from the Health Research Board (Ireland) and a European Research Council Consolidator Award.
ENDS
About RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences
Ranked number one globally for Good Health and Well-being in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings 2020, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences is an international not-for-profit university, with its headquarters in Dublin.
RCSI is exclusively focused on education and research to drive improvements in human health worldwide. It is among the top 250 universities worldwide in the World University Rankings (2021) and its research is ranked first in Ireland for citations. RCSI has been awarded Athena Swan Bronze accreditation for positive gender practice in higher education.
Visit the RCSI MyHealth Expert Directory to find the details of our experts across a range of healthcare issues and concerns. Recognising their responsibility to share their knowledge and discoveries to empower people with information that leads them to better health, these clinicians and researchers are willing to engage with the media in their area of expertise.
RICHMOND, Va. - Collegiate institutions across Virginia have adopted GMX7’s revolutionary new training device called the X1-PRO in an effort to gain an advantage over their swimming competitors and pursue championships.
Since November, Liberty, Virginia Tech the University of Richmond have all adopted the X1-PRO and are continuing to increase the devices they have on-hand.
The X1-PRO is a small, 6-inch-long device with adjustable resistance that weighs less than 5 pounds and clips into the end-point connections for a pool’s lane lines. It can then be connected to the swimmer via a leash and travels on a line back and forth up to 50 meters in length at the adjustable resistance the swimmer desires.
“We love our X1-PRO’s at Liberty and we use them 3-4 times per week. Coaches are only limited by their creativity when using this device. Whether for pure power, post-activation potentiation, power endurance, kicking, or drilling, the X1-PRO delivers it all,” said Liberty Head Coach Jake Shellenberger. “In regards to power endurance specifically, the ability to go 50 meters is a game changer, and the X1-PRO is just as beneficial for distance swimmers as it is for sprint types.”
University of Richmond has reportedly also seen the benefits.
“The Richmond women immediately commented on the deceptively smooth resistance,” said University of Richmond Head Coach Matt Barany. “The coaches are excited, as these compact devices do not clutter our small pool deck. Further, the X1-PRO appears to have limitless applications and we’re inspired to re-imagine our training at Richmond.”
In addition to Liberty and University of Richmond, Virginia Tech’s powerhouse swim program has also adopted the X1-PRO.
“The X1-PRO is an essential resistance training tool that every coach should have and use with their swimmers. It is very simple to set up, easy to maintain and barely uses any storage space. You can use it every day to work on developing power/speed on the start, turns, underwaters and breakouts,” said Sergio Lopez, head coach of swimming at Virginia Tech “It’s also, a great tool to use with low resistance to work on technique correction and stroke awareness. The fact that the X1-PRO is so portable makes it an essential piece of equipment to take to training camps and competitions to be able to keep working in developing and improving the stroke technique and conditioning.”
It’s not just schools in Virginia, either. More than 75 anticipated Olympians from 10 countries across the world are training on the X1-PRO in hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.
From reigning 100-meter butterfly world-record holder and 2-time Olympic gold medalist Caeleb Dressel, to 6-time Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte, who holds the world record for the 200-meter individual medley, the X1-PRO, assembled in the USA by GMX7, is quickly becoming a necessity for all levels of competitive swim, especially those collegiate swimmers working so hard to get to the very top of their sport.
“When coaches and their athletes witness the results of swimmers training on the X1-PRO regularly, it’s only natural that these programs start to incorporate this level of training more frequently,” said David McCagg, founder and CEO of GMX7.
Development of the X1-PRO began in 2018, and it was tested extensively at the University of Florida prior to becoming available to the general public earlier last year.
About GMX7
Founded in 2018, GMX7 is based in St. Petersburg, Florida and is dedicated to changing the world of swimming by empowering competitive swimmers with the best aquatic resistance training devices ever created. GMX7 was founded by David McCagg, a 7-time gold medalist, former world record holder and winner of multiple national championships. The first device on the market by GMX7 is the X1-PRO. Designed by ROBRADY Engineering, the X1-PRO has already been the recipient of several awards including the 2020 International Design Excellence Award, 2020 Red Dot Award and most recently the Good Design Award in 2020.
Medicom Canadian Mask Facility Begins Producing New Pediatric Procedure and Tie-On Surgical Masks
MONTREAL, Jan. 28, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Quebec-based AMD Medicom Inc. ("Medicom"), one of the world's leading manufacturers of surgical and respiratory face masks, today announced that they had begun production of additional specialty mask types at their new mask manufacturing facility in Montreal. The company has installed 26 production lines to date, allowing it to diversify output and produce different mask constructions to meet additional needs of Canadian governments, healthcare professionals and their patients.
As new production lines continue to be set up to increase local supply of additional types of specialized personal protective equipment for Canadian healthcare professionals, Medicom will continue to develop the SafeMask® Architect™ line. This will allow the company to service government contracts and meet future local needs, starting with a new pediatric and surgical tie-on mask lines.
"Medicom is committed to producing a complete line of medical-grade face masks right here in Quebec to help meet the needs of all Canadian healthcare professionals, as well as all Canadians, as 3-ply procedure masks become mandatory in schools and public places," reinforced Guillaume Laverdure, Chief Operating Officer.
The right masks for better protection The new pediatric earloop masks, SafeMask Architect Junior, will provide young patients with ASTM Level 1 barrier protection. Medicom pediatric masks are designed to provide a better fit on smaller faces, reduce gaping and provide better protection for young wearers, while offering excellent comfort and breathability.
The surgical tie-on masks, SafeMask Architect Acute, are designed for use in the sterile environment of operating rooms. These high-barrier ASTM Level 3, fluid-resistant masks provide healthcare workers with reliable respiratory protection and exceptional comfort.
Medicom continues to increase production capacity at its Montreal plant, with plans to expand its mask lines to meet the respiratory protection needs of Canadian healthcare workers throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
The 60,000 square foot facility opened in July 2020, a mere 3 months after it was announced. The first production lines produced surgical earloop masks under the Medicom SafeMask Architect brand, with initial volumes dedicated to fulfilling long-term contracts with the Canadian and Quebec governments. The company started manufacturing N95-type masks in September under the SafeMask Architect Pro brand. These masks are approved by Health Canada and by the Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST).
"We are proud to have delivered the first procedure masks and N95-type masks made entirely in Quebec to the governments of Quebec and Canada. We are also pleased to announce that we are on schedule for future deliveries. At a time when new variants of COVID-19 are of concern and when various countries are implementing new lockdowns or seeking to protect their own supply of personal protective equipment, healthcare workers in Quebec and Canada can count on Medicom to provide them with quality masks produced in Montreal," concluded Mr. Laverdure.
About Medicom
The Medicom Group is one of the world's leading manufacturers and distributors of high-quality, single-use, preventive and infection control products for the medical, dental, industrial, animal health, laboratory, retail and health and wellness markets. Medicom distributes infection control products under the Medicom, Ritmed, Kolmi, Hopen, Hedy and Ocean Pacific brands. Medicom subsidiaries include Kolmi-Hopen in France, Medicom Asia in Hong Kong, United Medical Enterprise in the USA, KHM Engineering in Singapore and Medicom HealthPro Limited in the UK.
Medicom has extensive experience in responding to the demand for personal protective equipment in the event of a pandemic. Medicom was founded in 1988 in response to the urgent need for medical gloves for healthcare professionals during the global HIV crisis. Since then, the company has been a reliable supplier of infection control solutions during multiple epidemics, including avian flu, SARS, H1N1 and Ebola, as well as the covid-19 pandemic.
For more information about Medicom and their comprehensive portfolio of infection control solutions, including an extensive range of medical face masks, please visit Medicom.com, follow us on Twitter @MedicomNA or visit pages on Facebook or LinkedIn.
SOURCE AMD Medicom Inc.
Your Veterinarian Needs Help
Atlanta, GA, January 28, 2021 — Your veterinarian chose to dedicate his or her life to the altruistic pursuit of tending to the health and lives of pets. What you may not have considered is that the health and life of your veterinarian also needs protecting: he or she is nearly four times more likely to die by suicide than someone among the general population. But there are ways you can help.
Sandy Weaver, author of the groundbreaking new book Happy Vet Happy Pet: Caring for Your Pet’s Caregiver, is on a mission to ease the lives of veterinarians, one client’s heart at a time.
“I’ve known for years, as have those in the veterinary field, that there was an issue with suicide and veterinarians,” Sandy says. “Then in early 2019, the CDC report on veterinary suicide was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, and what had been anecdotal became data: male veterinarians are 2.1 times more likely, and female veterinarians are 3.5 times more likely, to complete suicide than their non-veterinarian peers.”
Happy Vet Happy Pet is a distillation of Sandy’s research into neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology mixed with data from the CDC report. The result is an impactful approach that weaves easy-to-understand science with stories that touch the minds and the hearts of pet owners — empowering them to be part of the solution.
Chapters dive deep into topics all pet owners should understand, including:
1. The heart, mind and life of a person who decides to become a veterinarian; 2. The very human, very vulnerable person behind the scrubs; 3. The ways clients unknowingly mistreat their pets’ caregivers; 4. Three simple rules to follow to help your veterinary team; and 5. What to do if you feel that someone near you is facing suicidal desperation.
Happy Vet Happy Pet shares Sandy’s unique point of view that it takes a village to save a veterinarian. “Making pet owners mindful of how their behavior impacts their veterinarian mobilizes the village to help solve the problem,” she adds.
This book will change your relationship with your veterinarian and their team forever. And what you learn in this book could save your veterinarian's life.
Author Sandy Weaver is an expert speaker, trainer, mastermind facilitator and lover of all things dog.
As the Program Director of the Center for Workplace Happiness, Sandy creates the training programs, workshops, mastermind groups and keynotes that help people lead happier, more successful lives. She is also a citizen-scientist in the fields of neuroscience, neuroplasticity and positive psychology. In 2019, she took the resilience tools and strategies she’d been teaching to general audiences and crafted programs specifically for veterinary teams. Her goal is to touch the life of every veterinarian and technician in a way that helps them avoid the pain and despair that comes with an inability to manage stress.
Now in her 40th year of Siberian Husky ownership, Sandy is a passionate advocate for veterinarians and their teams and an ongoing donor to Not One More Vet.
Surgery in progress, photo credits ©Nordclinic
