The COVID-19 Experience: Canada Health Infoway Finds Canadians Trust and Have Come to Depend on Digital Health
New survey insights released to mark Digital Health Week 2020
TORONTO, Nov. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - Canadians and health care providers have met the unprecedented challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic head-on by embracing change in the way health care is delivered — from in-person to virtual. This week is Digital Health Week and to mark the occasion Canada Health Infoway (Infoway) is sharing research conducted in partnership with Environics that digs into this substantial shift and what Canadians want for their digital health future.
This latest research project, A Healthy Dialogue, is one of the largest public consultations about digital health ever conducted in Canada. The consultation reached more than 58,000 Canadians — including those underserved by the health system — who shared how they thought technology would impact their care experience.
The research revealsi:
An overwhelming majority (92%) of Canadians want technology that makes health care as convenient as other aspects of their lives.
More than half (53%) of Canadians who have used health technology in the past year say it helped them avoid an in-person visit to a provider or an emergency room.
Of those Canadians who received virtual care during the pandemic, 91% were satisfied with the experience, 86% agreed that virtual care tools can be important alternatives to seeing doctors in-person, and more than three-quarters (76%) are willing to use virtual care after the pandemic.
"We've gone from talking about ways to further integrate digital health into everyday health care to living it. The events of the past year have accelerated our digital health progress significantly and have proven to Canadians just how important and helpful digital health can be," says Michael Green, President and CEO of Infoway. "Digital Health Week is an important time to celebrate our progress and acknowledge the hard work of all those who have made it possible."
While technology can help reduce barriers and improve access to health care, the research also found that nearly six in 10 Canadians feel they don't know enough about digital health apps and services. As Canada's digital health agency, Infoway is committed to working with its partners to address these gaps through activities like Digital Health Week.
Digital Health Week was created to celebrate how digital health is transforming care across the country and to increase awareness about the value and benefits of digital health for all Canadians. Digital Health Week is supported by 60+ organizations. Join the conversation and share your story. #ThinkDigitalHealth.
About Canada Health Infoway
Infoway helps to improve the health of Canadians by working with partners to accelerate the development, adoption and effective use of digital health across Canada. Through our investments, we help deliver better quality and access to care and more efficient delivery of health services for patients and clinicians. Infoway is an independent, not-for-profit organization funded by the federal government. Visit www.infoway-inforoute.ca.
For more information please contact:
Karen Schmidt Director, Corporate/Internal Communications Canada Health Infoway 416.886.4967 Email Us Follow @Infoway
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i A national survey of about 6,900 Canadians was conducted from December 2019-February 2020, pre-COVID-19; a follow-up survey was conducted in June 2020 with about 2,200 of the original 6,900, to see if their views had shifted since the pandemic began.
SOURCE Canada Health Infoway
Courageous Kids Must Save Santa in Time for Christmas
New York, NY, November 16, 2020 — Amid the backdrop of an overindulgent culture and waning Christmas spirit, one company, Eastern Industries, is uniquely poised to monopolize the attention of children with the launch of its latest video game. But things have gotten way out of hand. Santa is missing, the North Pole is in a state of chaos, and Christmas may not happen at all! With the holiday traditions of the world hanging in the balance, can a team of intrepid youngsters drawn from the Naughty List, some toy soldiers and living snowmen save the day?
Author Thomas Conway sets the stage for worldwide adventure in The Naughty List, his imaginative, modern Christmas tale that blends elements of pop culture with the age-old tradition of Santa Claus. The story begins at a Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade without Santa, where toy manufacturer Eastern Industries has just released a new holiday marketing scheme, which keeps kids glued to their devices and drains everyone’s holiday spirit. With Christmas fast approaching and Santa nowhere in sight, a team of daring youngsters recruited from Santa’s Naughty List aim to rescue Santa and save the holiday.
While primarily a Santa tale, The Naughty List cleverly incorporates Winter holiday beliefs from around the world, including the legend of Marduk, a Babylonian god; the Roman feast of Saturnalia; the epic story of Jangar from North Asia; Moravian traditions of animal communication; and the present real-life adventures of Israeli Santa Claus, Nicola Abdou.
Also sprinkled with references to holiday favorites such as Miracle on 34th Street, T’was the Night Before Christmas, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and others, this wonderfully rich tale promotes right over wrong, good over evil and love over fear.
Suitable for all ages, The Naughty List skillfully weaves valuable lessons about overindulgence and society’s tendency to put labels on children, with the overarching theme that when kids misbehave they should not be defined by their bad deeds but rather see it as a learning opportunity, since when we appreciate the best in humanity and combine our talents, we are capable of almost anything.
The Naughty List, winner of the 2020 Indie Book Award in the E-Book Fiction category, is the first release from Thomas Conway. His 30-year career spans various industries. When not at work, he devotes his time to environmental matters and inventing stories for his two children.
Gym Closed? How You Can Reach Your Fitness Goals in Your Own Home
As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the world, thousands of gyms shut down to control the spread of the virus. Though some gyms have started opening up again in recent months, many gyms remain closed. Don't let your closed gym stop you from reaching your fitness goals. Work out from the comfort of your own home and get fit with these tips.
Stream Your Workouts
The internet is filled with free online workouts that you can stream directly to your phone, television, or computer. The most important thing is to pick a workout you enjoy and do it regularly. This is also a great way to try something new without having to commit to a workout class or a gym. Try something that you haven't don't before, such as kickboxing, Zumba, or strength training.
Get Creative With Equipment
Don't let a lack of equipment at your home stop you from getting a sweat. Get creative with things you have around the house. For example, a gallon of water weighs eight pounds and can be used as a dumbbell substitute, or an old shirt can be cut and tied to make a fitness band. Look around the house to see what you can use, and make what you find work.
Try Virtual Fitness Coaching
Those who prefer working out with a personal trainer may be frustrated that their gym is closed. However, you don’t have to break social distancing guidelines to work with a trainer. You can use a virtual fitness coach to stay fit during this time. Fitness coaches, like those at Plan 7 Coaching, may be available for virtual fitness classes or for individual coaching. Fitness coaches can help you stay motivated and keep you accountable.
Keep on Top of Your Numbers
It's easy to let the stress of life lead to comfort eating and skipping a few workouts. The best way to stay on top of your fitness goals is to watch your numbers. Keep meals within your personalized macros and calorie counts, check your weight or body fat weekly, and keep track of your workouts to motivate you.
Stay Accountable
Having a sense of accountability can help keep you motivated to stay on top of your goals. Connect with friends via social media or text messaging, and challenge each other to work out regularly. Check-in with each other to encourage each other to succeed. A friendly wager over who can work out the most or lose the most weight over a set time can bring out your group's competitive side and make working out more fun.
A closed gym doesn't mean that you have to put your fitness goals on pause. Get creative and use some of these tips to stay fit and healthy during this time.
Once-discounted binding mechanism may be key to targeting viruses Rice, MD Anderson team models complex that immune system uses to recognize virusesHOUSTON – (Nov. 12, 2020) – “Position 4” didn’t seem important until researchers took a long look at a particular peptide. That part of the peptide drawn from a SARS-CoV virus turned out to have an unexpected but significant influence on how it stably binds with a receptor central to the immune system’s ability to attack diseased cells. In a study published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers at Rice University’s Brown School of Engineering and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center revealed models at atomic resolution that detail not only the binding but also, for the first time, the unbinding mechanisms that underlie a key component of the immune system. They say better understanding of the entire mechanism could lead to advancements in immunotherapy that boosts the body’s ability to fight disease. Rice computer scientist Lydia Kavraki, alumnus Jayvee Abella and postdoctoral researcher Dinler Antunes, led the study.“Finding good targets to trigger a protective immune response is very challenging, especially in cancer research,” Antunes said. “The fact that this particular peptide was predicted not to bind to HLAs (human leukocyte antigens) by sequence-based methods highlights a blind spot in our current prediction capacity.“By incorporating structural analysis, we can detect the contribution of these secondary interactions to peptide binding and stability, hopefully enabling us to find better targets for antiviral vaccine development and T-cell-based cancer immunotherapy,” he said.The researchers used their simulations to illuminate details of how the intracellular SARS peptide, QFKDNVILL, binds to an MHC receptor protein known as HLA-A∗24:02, primarily at dominant anchors on both ends of the peptide (at positions 2 and 9) and presents them for inspection to the immune system’s T cells. Stable binding of a peptide and MHC is a prerequisite to the activation of T cells, which look for peptides not normally found in healthy cells. If the peptide and protein don’t bind, the T cell is not prompted to attack. “That much was known from previous studies of the bound and unbound states of many such complexes,” Kavraki said. “What they didn’t capture was the intermediate states and the transitions that lead from one state to another, especially the unbinding.“I think this is the only analysis that shows the unbinding of peptides from the MHC with atomic resolution,” Kavraki said. “Other peptides have similar characteristics and we think they would have similar behaviors.”All of these interactions were revealed in great detail through Markov state models that analyze how systems change over time. In this case, the models revealed the importance of secondary sites that support the peptide’s primary anchors. That’s where position 4 stood out.“There are the main, canonical anchors that people know, but there are these secondary interactions that contribute to the binding and the stability,” Antunes said. “These are harder to capture, but in this study, it seems that position 4 plays a very important role. When you mutate it, it affects the behavior of the peptide as it unbinds from the molecule.”The researchers modeled mutations of the MHC to see how they would influence binding and found they supported the importance of position 4 to the stability of the complex.“Our computational approach was able to make predictions on the effect of mutations that are then experimentally verified,” said co-author Cecilia Clementi, a former Rice professor who recently became Einstein Professor of Physics at the Free University of Berlin. The researchers developed a two-stage process to simplify the computational complexity of atom-scale analysis of large molecules. The first stage used a technique called umbrella sampling to accelerate the initial exploration of the molecules. The second, exploratory stage used adaptive sampling, in which simulations are driven to accelerate the construction of the Markov model. “The challenge is that these MHCs are pretty large systems for computational chemists to simulate,” said Abella, whose research on the topic formed much of his doctoral thesis. “We had to make some approximations and leverage advances in these classes of methods to move forward.“We're not the first one to study unbinding, but what characterizes our work over others is that we keep full atomic resolution in our simulations,” he said. “Other works use a technique known as a Markov chain Monte Carlo, whereas we use molecular dynamics, which lets us incorporate time into our computation to capture the kinetics.”Their methods can be applied to other peptide-MHC complexes with existing 3D models. “This was, in some sense, a feasibility study to show we can use molecular dynamics and build a Markov state model of a system this size,” Abella said. The researchers also noted the study’s relevance to the current fight against COVID-19, as the SARS peptide they viewed, QFKDNVILL, is highly similar to the NFKDQVILL peptide in SARS-CoV-2, with the same binding pockets in positions 2, 4 and 9.“These results suggest that both peptides can bind to HLA-A*2402 and provide targets for anti-viral T-cell responses, which are of great interest in light of the current pandemic,” said co-author Gregory Lizée, a professor in the Department of Melanoma Medical Oncology at MD Anderson. “But these results also shed light on many other potential immune targets, including those of other viruses and even human cancers.”Kavraki noted that experimental work by longterm collaborator Lizée and Kyle Jackson, a graduate research assistant at Lizée’s lab who produced the mutant proteins, were critical to validate their simulations. Kavraki’s own lab won a National Science Foundation (NSF) Rapid Response Research grant to help identify fragments of SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins as possible targets for vaccine development. Kavraki is the Noah Harding Professor of Computer Science and a professor of bioengineering, mechanical engineering and electrical and computer engineering. The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, the Gulf Coast Consortia, the NSF, the Einstein Foundation Berlin and the Welch Foundation supported the research.-30-Read the abstract at www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.2007246117This news release can be found online at https://news.rice.edu/2020/11/12/once-discounted-binding-mechanism-may-be-key-to-targeting-viruses/Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNewsRelated materials:Kavraki Lab: http://www.kavrakilab.orgClementi Research Group: https://www.physik.fu-berlin.de/en/einrichtungen/ag/ag-clementiGregory A. Lizée: https://faculty.mdanderson.org/profiles/gregory_lizee.htmlGeorge R. Brown School of Engineering: https://engineering.rice.eduNSF RAPID grant supports COVID-19 ‘computational pipeline’: http://news.rice.edu/2020/06/16/nsf-rapid-grant-supports-covid-19-computational-pipeline/Images for download:https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2020/11/1109_MHC-1-web.jpgAn illustration shows a major histocompatibility (grey) protein encompassing a peptide drawn from a SARS-CoV virus (pink). The complex helps trigger the activation of T cells that are part of the immune system. Rice University researchers discovered a non-anchor binding residue in the peptide that could both contribute to binding and to the T-cell activation needed to defeat the virus. (Credit: Kavraki Lab/Rice University)https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2020/11/1109_MHC-2-web.jpgAn illustration shows the electrostatic charges (blue is positive, red negative) in a major histocompatibility protein bound to a peptide drawn from a SARS-CoV virus. The complex helps trigger the infection of T cells that are part of the immune system. Rice University researchers discovered a non-anchor binding residue in the peptide that could both contribute to binding and to the T-cell activation needed to defeat the virus. (Credit: Kavraki Lab/Rice University)https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2020/11/1109_MHC-3-web.jpgElectrostatic potential maps created from models by Rice University show a major histocompatibility protein bound to a peptide drawn from SARS-CoV viruses. Such dynamic complexes can trigger the activation of T cells that are part of the immune system. The Rice team discovered the stabilizing influence of an alternative binding residue (at position 4) common to both the peptide they studied, at top, and one associated with SARS-CoV-2, at bottom, responsible for COVID-19 disease. (Credit: Kavraki Lab/Rice University)Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
SKYMINT BRANDS™ BRINGS MICHIGAN’S LARGEST SUNGROWN CANNABIS FARM TO HARVEST WITH THE LAUNCH OF SKYMINT FARMS™
Located on 200 acres, SKYMINT Farms™ aspires to become Michigan’s largest purveyor of regeneratively and sustainably cultivated, sungrown cannabis; its launch supports Forgotten Harvest, Metro Detroit’s only food rescue organization
DIMONDALE, MICH., November 12, 2020 — SKYMINT Brands™, Michigan’s largest vertically integrated cannabis company, today announced its establishment of SKYMINT Farms™, a 200-acre sungrown cannabis farm nestled in the Huron-Manistee National Forest and focused on the values of regenerative farming, sustainable agriculture, premium cannabis cultivation, and community enrichment.
“Michigan is known for its 3,000 acres of wine grape vineyards and nearly 10 million acres of farmland that give our state a dynamic food and agriculture industry. With SKYMINT Farms, we are on a mission to additionally put Michigan on the map for cultivating some of our nation’s best sungrown cannabis,” says SKYMINT Brands’ CEO and co-founder Jeff Radway.
Joining SKYMINT Brands’ two state-of-the-art, sustainable cultivation facilities, SKYMINT Farms aims to receive Sun+Earth status within the next two years. The coveted seal certifies cannabis brands that farm using beyond organic methods, holistically, responsibly, and regeneratively for the well-being of all people, farmers, and the planet.
SKYMINT Farms ensures that its cannabis is grown using the sun as the primary source of power, rain water as the primary source of irrigation as well as crop rotation, intercropping, and cover crops to create a nutrient-rich living soil. Within the next two years, SKYMINT Farms will additionally include grazing animals to make the farm truly biodynamic.
“Elon Musk once said in a TED Talk, ‘We have this handy fusion reactor in the sky called the sun. You don’t have to do anything. It just works,” says James Barr, SKYMINT Farms’ Head of Operations. “Even the best indoor grow lighting can’t compare to the natural light spectrum. Cannabis loves the sun and expresses itself very differently when farmed outdoors. Cannabinoid and terpene production is greater, and the plant is more resilient.”
SKYMINT Farms reflects the three pillars that inspire the work at SKYMINT Brands: To elevate the production of cannabis; to cultivate a stellar collection of premium brands; and to leverage its resources and position within the industry to change our world and communities for the better. Not only does SKYMINT Farms aspire to do right by the land and the environment but it also aspires to do right by Michiganders by cultivating community. Its cultivation site is in Lake County, one of the poorest counties in Michigan, and SKYMINT Farms provides nearly 30 year-round farm jobs on its beautiful rural oasis.
Adds Radway, “Community is at the core of our company ethos. At SKYMINT, we wholeheartedly believe that cannabis has a meaningful role to play in bettering people’s lives, hence our motto that happy plants make happy people. But foundational to the pursuit of happiness is food security, and in Detroit, 1 in 6 remain hungry. There’s no better way to nurture and grow community than to literally help feed it, which is why we’re proud to partner SKYMINT Farms with Forgotten Harvest this holiday season.”
To immediately address the food deserts surrounding Metro Detroit, SKYMINT Farms has joined forces with Forgotten Harvest, a food rescue organization that distributes 45 million pounds of food to Detroiters each year. SKYMINT FARMS will sponsor Forgotten Harvest’s annual Hope for the Holidays event to provide holiday meal boxes to 2,000 Michigan families — some 6,000 individuals — over the course of just three days in December.
Since its inception in 2018 — originally under the name Green Peak Innovations — SKYMINT BRANDS has dedicated itself to creating and curating premium-crafted cannabis brands, hand-grown to perfection and available to Michigan adult-use consumers at 11 SKYMINT retail locations throughout the state. Its growing brand portfolio includes flower, pre-rolls, edibles, beverages, and concentrates, with SKYMINT Farms sungrown flower slated to power up to 50% of SKYMINT Brands products over the next 10 years.
SKYMINT X DNA GENETICS™ is the newest imprint under the SKYMINT Brands umbrella, joining SKYMINT™, North Cannabis™, Jolly Edibles™, and the socially responsible Two Joints™ label which supports the critical efforts of Last Prisoner Project.
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About SKYMINT BRANDS™
Beginning operations in Fall 2018, Skymint (formerly known as Green Peak Innovations) is Michigan's leading vertically integrated cannabis company and the state's largest medical and recreational license holder. With two state-of-the-art indoor grow facilities, the company cultivates, processes, markets, distributes and sells a full range of branded cannabis products, including SKYMINT™, North Cannabis™, Jolly Edibles™, the Two Joints™ brand, which benefits the Last Prisoner Project, and SKYMINT X DNA GENETICS.™ Just as SKYMINT treats its plants like people - tending to and caring for them by hand, and even playing them music - each and every product is handcrafted to ensure the safest, cleanest, highest quality products at the best value. SKYMINT™ products can be found at the company's SKYMINT™ provisioning centers and via retailers around Michigan through a robust wholesale network. As purveyors of premium-crafted cannabis, SKYMINT™ has developed a portfolio of the finest cannabis brands available for daily wellness, healing, or just getting high on life. SKYMINT™ inspires people everywhere to feel better, live better and do better.
Finding joy through fitness
It can be tough to see the bright side right now. After months of chaos and uncertainty, one way to replenish your energy is to find happiness in the little things in life – a joke, time spent in nature, leisure activities and just taking time to savour the moment (a meal, music, a walk).
Mental health experts suggest these ways to find joy in life and re-program your mood.
Find some humour. Collect jokes or sayings that make you laugh. Listen to our watch a stand-up comic. Laugh at yourself. It's hard to be stressed and angry when you’re laughing. Smiling releases dopamine and serotonin that can make us feel happier.
Do something fun. Whether it's playing with kids or playing golf, doing something fun promotes overall well-being. Leisure activities can help fight stress, build confidence and distract us from difficulties.
Get in the zone. There are certain activities that totally absorb us and make us feel fulfilled. Think about activities where you focus entirely and stop being distracted by the usual stressors. For some people it might be cycling, yoga, drawing or journaling.
Indulge yourself. Take time to treat yourself to a relaxing soak in the tub, a therapeutic massage or even some meditation or a nature break.
Let it out. When you're feeling good, throw your whole self into it. Go ahead, jump up and down, clap your hands. Research shows that if you act out a certain emotion, you can fire up that feeling.
Since exercise triggers the brain to release endorphins that improve your mood and help fight anxiety and depression, here are some joyful exercise options to blow off steam and fight the pandemic doldrums.
Social DisDance: Group fitness instructor Michelle Ryder (@micheryder) has always loved to dance, so when COVID closed down her group fitness dance classes, she found new ways to get her groove on and work up a sweat outdoors. Ryder got a speaker and pulled together some great tunes and organized a weekly Saturday event from June-October in downtown Halifax. Now she’s leading Social DisDance classes on GoodLife Instagram TV to get Canadians off the couch and grooving with high energy tunes, strobe lights and lots of swagger.
Chair Choreography: Kim Lavender (@coachklav), VP of group experience with GoodLife Fitness choregraphed her own chair dances and stretches for those working from home. Along with other workout videos, Lavender has been posting short video clips with chair moves and motivating music, designed to give people incentives to sit less and move more throughout the day.
Kick your cares away: Channeling your inner Jackie Chan is a great way to release stress and feel empowered. Fitness instructor Inno Delarmente (@innod3) has been leading Canadians in kickboxing cardio sessions since the early weeks of the pandemic. The goal is to work up a sweat while you vent your frustrations with martial arts moves.
Learn to breathe properly: Another group fitness instructor Carole Reber (@carolereber) has been posting mindful meditation, breathing and yoga sessions designed for people feeling the stress of the pandemic. Her goal is to give people a break during the day when they can take time for themselves and be grateful for the positive things in their lives, as well as ease the effects of tension in their muscles.
All of these fitness professionals are available to talk more about and demonstrate some moves from their workouts to show how movement can clear your mind, add more fun and spark joy in your daily life.
How to Prevent Foot Problems When Getting into Running
Despite helping you keep fit, running has a strain on your feet than any other part of the body. Therefore, you need to take good care of your feet before getting into a run. No matter how your gaming outfit is or how fast you are, sore feet will prevent you from having a good run.
Here are the tips to keep your feet healthy before getting into a run.
Your Shoe Matters
Consult a specialist before purchasing a new pair of shoes. The specialists will analyze your gait to determine the right size for you and the kind of support your feet needs. Employees in a specialty running store are likely to have vast experience since they deal with sports shoes every day.
Additionally, the shoe size has a considerable impact on your feet. According to experts, there should be a space between your longest toe and the cover of your shoe. If you feel your shoe when you wiggle your toes, then the shoe is narrow and too short for you.
Stretch
The golden run to prevent sore feet is to start small and increase your distance gradually. Make sure you stretch several times a day toenhance your propulsion. Choose exercises that focus on your feet's small, deep muscles that are responsible for running motion. For desirable results, lift your big toes with your legs planted firmly on the ground. Besides helping runners, a podiatrist will have it that these drills are effective for people who regularly wear high heels. Wearing heels causes painful inflammation in the arch, which can result in plantar fasciitis.
Choose Socks Wisely
Socks have a significant effect on your feet. Make sure you buy sock size that fits your footwell. Don't use your pair of socks for a prolonged time because they shrink with time and lose their elasticity. When socks wear thin, your feet are set up for blisters. In addition, avoid purchasing pure cotton socks because they tend to hold moisture for long, a common cause of fungus.
Consider Summer
As a runner, the last thing you can ever think of is the type of shoes you wear when not running. But podiatrists say that the kind of shoes you wear when not running will determine whether you will keep running. Flip flops and sandals do not give your feet the necessary support they need. However, there are several approved open shoes specifically designed for athletes.
The most basic way to prepare for a run is by carrying out stretching and strengthening exercises. However, all of the above steps will help you prevent injuries while running.
From marathon cycle rides to climbing mountains - nothing holds Hassan back‘Be a fighter and say yes you can’, says YAYA award winner
13 November 2020 For most people, completing not one but two coast-to-coast cycle rides and climbing Mount Snowdon and Pen-y-ghent would be challenging enough but for Hassan Hayat, who is registered blind and sufferers from a rare degenerative genetic condition, it’s nothing short of inspirational.The 25-year-old Bradfordian has just been honoured at this year’s YAYA (Yorkshire Asian Young Achievers) Awards, winning the category of Achievement in Overcoming Life Obstacles Award, which is sponsored by the University of Bradford as part of its ongoing commitment to social mobility in the district.Hassan has Alstrom Syndrome, a degenerative disorder characterised by vision and hearing loss, obesity and diabetes. He lost his sight when he was about 13 but does not let it hinder him.Over the last few years, he has undertaken more challenges than most, completing two 130-mile coast-to-coast tandem cycle rides, climbing two of Britain’s highest peaks (a planned ascent of Ben Nevis this year had to be postponed because of lockdown), and taking part in numerous fundraising events for charity. In addition to that, Hassan plays veer goalball, blind cricket, does karate and trains (both himself and others) in the gym. He has also done several podcasts for the University’s radio station, RamAir.Commenting on his achievements, he said: “At the end of the day, I’m a fighter. I don’t like to let anything hold me back and I want to show other people what can be done. I have climbed Snowdon and Pen-y-ghent and am planning to do Ben Nevis next year. I enjoy cycling and the walks are great fun too.“I think you have to fight for yourself, to challenge obstacles and overcome barriers. What I would say to other people like me is, don’t say you cannot do something, say yes you can. We’re all believers.”Adam Tasker, University of Bradford Student Development Leader and close friend of Hassan, ran a lottery-funded project called Choices 4 All, which enabled students to interact with disabled people.He said: “Hassan is a joy to be around, his constant enthusiasm and optimism boosts the spirits of those around him. He's thrown himself into cycling, hiking, and numerous other sports and before Covid hit, he was organising a national sporting event at the University for people with Alstrom Syndrome. He has also given a presentation on healthy eating to students.”Hassan attends Henshaw’s Specialist College, Harrogate, where he is training to be a gym instructor. He added he was grateful to receive the award and that he was looking forward to his next challenge (in addition to climbing Ben Nevis), which will involve cycling from Bradford to Hull and then travelling via ferry to cycle around Holland and Belgium.Father Kez said: “We would like to thank Adam Tasker at the University, who is doing a phenomenal job in terms of offering a great number of opportunities to these young people, despite the challenges they have. The care, compassion and his person-centred approach is exemplary and it has had such a positive impact on Hassan’s life - it truly has opened many doors and created great opportunities for all the young people Adam works with.”Professor of Diversity, Udy Archibong, said: "The university is proud to be associated with the YAYA Awards and to sponsor the category in which Hassan won. We're also proud of Hassan's association with our University and the opportunities it has created for him. Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of the University's vision and this award is a prime example of how we are making that vision a reality." Pictures: 1) Hassan Hayat, from Bradford, receiving his YAYA award, pictured alongside his father, Kez. Credit: YAYA Awards. 2) and 3) Hassan pictured on one of his outdoor hill climbs. Credit: University of Bradford.
Hertime Daily Provides PMS Relief!
It’s inevitable: every month premenstrual symptoms can wreak havoc on the way women feel. But is there a natural solution?
Meet Hertime Daily by Mixhers! Specifically created to provide month long hormone balance, reduce bloating, ease cramps, lighten flow and increase energy, Hertime Daily has been carefully and lovingly crafted by women and for women to give your body the nutrients it needs to support your monthly hormonal changes.
After the birth of her twins, founder Jess Toolson’s period symptoms worsened and she was in search of a natural solution. Teaming up with a holistic health care practitioner, Hertime was created using natural, earth-grown remedies that can regulate hormones, reduce inflammation in the uterus, and stifle our monthly strife. Hertime Daily features:
- Balances hormones with nutritional therapy
- Relieves PMS symptoms
- No more cramps, bloating, moodiness, hormonal acne, aches and heavy bleeding.
- Suitable for women of all ages and stages of their cycle.
- All natural ingredients
- Mix with 8-12oz of hot or cold water
- 3 flavors to choose from: Strawberry Lemonade, Juicy Peach and Raspberry Refresher
- Pre-portioned, travel-friendly daily packs so you can grab and go!
With Hertime Daily, no need to track your monthly cycle! Mix one convenient stick of Hertime Daily once a day with 8-12oz hot or cold water and get hormonal support all month long!
Doctors to Ontarians – Please take COVID rise seriously, stay home and physically distance
TORONTO, Nov. 13, 2020 /CNW/ - Ontario's doctors say we all need to resume the good hygiene practices and physical distancing we embraced last spring to stop the record numbers of people getting sick with COVID-19.
Doctors are worried about projections there could be 6,500 cases a day in the weeks before Christmas. Flattening the curve is a shared responsibility and we all need to take this pandemic seriously.
"We know that everyone is weary of being cooped up in their homes and missing friends and family, especially as the holiday season approaches," said Dr. Samantha Hill, president of the Ontario Medical Association. "As Premier Ford has said, to defeat this pandemic, we need to all work together – patients, doctors on the front line and the government. This pandemic will pass. The decisions we make and the actions we take will determine who will be alive and what our society will look like then. Together we can create a better future and frankly we must."
Take your doctor's expert advice and do these five things to reduce the spread of COVID:
Wash your hands regularly.
Wear a mask or face covering at all times unless you are at home with housemates or outdoors with guaranteed two metres distance from others.
Stay away from crowded places.
Celebrate or gather only with members of your household. Don't invite others into your home.
Prepare for contact tracing if you get COVID. Download the COVID-19 app and/or keep track of where you go and when.
Ontario's doctors are also calling on the government to fix the new framework for when regions can tighten and loosen pandemic restrictions. The framework allows too many businesses to remain open even when many people in their communities have the virus. We strongly recommend regions in the "restrict" and "control" categories should close bars and indoor dining altogether.
Hotspots, particularly Toronto and neighbouring Peel Region, should stop all non-essential services including all public events to gain control of the spread while strengthening public health measures. The government need to ensure testing, contract tracing and isolation.
"We appreciate that the government is trying to balance managing the pandemic and the economy, both of which impact everyone's health and livelihoods," said OMA CEO Allan O'Dette. "The OMA shares Premier Ford's objectives. All Ontarians are in this together."
About the OMA
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
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