On November 17, thousands of fitness lovers are set to ride spin bikes and sweat their way through group fitness classes as part of Spin4Kids, a fitness fundraiser to help kids with intellectual disabilities and autism access physical activity. The one-day event will take place at 100 locations across Canada, including one near you.

The goal is to raise $1 million so we're hoping you might be able to help us get the word out to your audience - all the details are below.

Please let me know if you would be interested in connecting with a Spin4Kids organizer, or a contact from one of the organizations that have received a grant in the previous years.

Sweat for a cause: Thousands of fitness lovers will ride spin bikes and sweat their way through group fitness classes at Spin4Kids events across Canada November 17 to raise money to help kids with special needs get active. Organized by GoodLife Kids Foundation, Spin4Kids one-day fitness fundraisers will take place in 100 communities with a goal to raise $1 million. To sign up, visit spin4kids.com

Event participants will gather to ride indoor spin bikes and take part in group fitness classes like BODYATTACK, BODYFLOW, and Zumba for an hour or more throughout the day. Participants do not have to be members of GoodLife Fitness, and no experience is necessary.  People can take part on their own or as part of a team of up to eight people.  Spin4Kids events feature great music, special guests, silent auction items, decorations, and costumes. Canadians can register to participate and fundraise, donate to an existing team, or learn more at spin4kids.com.

World Heart Day: Nearly One in Five Deaths From Cardiovascular Disease are Caused by Air Pollution, a Total of 3 Million Deaths Globally Every Year

United Way and Pantone Color Institute™ join forces to make local issues Unignorable

• The organization’s largest national integrated campaign shines the spotlight on local issues
• Multi-media partnerships include an installation at Nuit Blanche

TORONTO – You can’t solve a problem if you don’t know it exists. In our busy world, important local social issues can often go unnoticed. United Way wants to change that.That’s why today, United Way announced that they have partnered with the Pantone Color Institute™ to create Unignorable – a brand new colour developed specifically to highlight local issues and bring attention to the millions of Canadians impacted by them. This new colour is the foundation of the United Way’s largest integrated public awareness campaign to date.

The national campaign will kick-off with a public début at Toronto’s Nuit Blanche on September 29. An immersive and interactive art installation will live in the heart of the city at Nathan Phillips Square from 7 p.m. – 7 a.m., and will emulate the feelings of isolation, helplessness and uncertainty that millions of Canadians experience. Dressed in Unignorable, a custom colour developed for United Way by the Pantone Color Institute™, the thought-provoking piece will bring attention to these issues and act as a venue for people to learn more about how they can get involved. Visitors are encouraged to share their experience on social media using #unignorable.

"Issues like poverty, youth unemployment and social isolation negatively impact our communities by holding too many people back,” says United Way Greater Toronto President and CEO, Daniele Zanotti. “To tackle these complex issues, we need everyone in communities across Canada to show their support. But first, we need their attention.”

“To highlight these issues, we wanted to create a distinctive color that was virtually unignorable; a color whose 'can’t miss' high visibility immediately stops you in your tracks,”says Laurie Pressman, Vice President, Pantone Color Institute™. “Displaying a radiant glow that instantly mesmerizes, this irresistibly captivating coral shade we call 'Unignorable' stands out from its surroundings, draws immediate attention and with its high physicality, induces us to act."

The multi-media, fully integrated campaign, draws on a long tradition of art for social change. It includes images designed by award-winning international illustrator Malika Favre, whose bold pieces have appeared on the cover of The New Yorker and within campaigns for Vogue, BAFTA and Sephora. Favre’s customized designs will captivate onlookers with the Unignorable colour at the forefront, while the illustrations will command attention for issues that hold too many Canadians back: poverty; youth unemployment; social isolation; domestic violence; hunger; mental health; education inequality; and homelessness.

The campaign's launch film, directed by Montreal-based Benjamin Nicolas, uses colour as a universal language to remind everyone that poverty and inequality surround us. Awareness is just the beginning, the difference-maker is to act. The video and all video assets will live on YouTube and United Way’s social channels.

If you love where you live, you can show your local love by taking action and ensuring that local issues are unignorable. Canadians are encouraged to visit showyourlocallove.ca on September 29 (landing page available as of September 26) to learn more about the issues, find out how the colour was created and be a part of the movement by sharing the campaign on social media, and wearing the campaign on unignorable merchandise.

Website: showyourlocallove.ca
Hashtag: #Unignorable

About the United Way Unignorable Campaign 
United Way in Canada and the Pantone® Colour Institute have joined forces in a national campaign to help make local issues unignorable. With a shared goal of raising awareness of local issues that are easily ignored, the organizations have come together to help motivate individuals to support their local communities. The Unignorable campaign, in tandem with the United Way’s ongoing Local Love campaign, aims to encourage people to act and address core issues affecting their local communities.

The colour created by Pantone®, aptly named Unignorable, is a friendly and engaging orange coral whose animated luminosity positively glows. Spirited yet sociable, the viewer is boldly drawn in to notice Unignorable, and is encouraged to connect with their communities, sharing their love locally.

In addition to their passion and commitment to the mission of United Way, each of the following partners on the campaign brought considerable pro bono resources and bonusing. Credit for the concept for Unignorable and the Pantone and Malika Favre partnerships go to TAXI.  The TV spot was directed by Benjamin Nicholas of 4Zero1, the colour creation documentary was directed and music designed by Lossless Creative.

Media planning and buying was managed by Touché, a division of Omnicon Media Group. Public relations, including the Nuit Blanche partnership, was executed by Rock-it Promotions.

About United Way: Since 1919, the United Way Centraide (UWC) Movement has been dedicated to creating opportunities for a better life for all Canadians. The United Way Centraide Movement is a federated network of United Way and Centraide offices serving more than 5,000 communities across Canada. Each United Way and Centraide is registered as a nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer-led, local board of directors. Together we are the United Way Centraide Movement working to create sustainable solutions to the social issues faced by local communities across Canada.

Rock Solid Research On How To Prevent Dementia And Maintain A Healthy Brain

Chattanooga, TN, Sept. 27, 2018 ― Dr. Timothy R. Jennings speaks expertly on a subject that concerns over 5.5 million people across the nation: how to prevent dementia and keep our mind sharp as we age. A psychiatrist and international speaker, Jennings introduces his new book, recently rated #1 by Amazon in books on dementia, The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind.

Dr. Jennings prescribes simple, everyday actions we can take to stave off disease, promote vitality, and prevent dementia and late-onset Alzheimer's. "The choices we make now can help us to keep our minds sharp and maintain our independence as we age,” says Jennings.

An easy-to-use guide to maintaining brain and body health throughout life, The Aging Brain is based on solid, up-to-date scientific research, and the interventions discussed can prevent progression toward dementia, even in those already showing signs of mild cognitive impairment. The recommendations also may help reduce disability and depression.

"This book isn't just for people hoping to slow the aging process,” says Jennings. "It's also for anyone who is a caregiver to someone at risk of or already beginning to suffer from dementia. It offers a hopeful, healthy way forward.”

Jennings, who maintains a private practice in Chattanooga, TN, has authored several books, including The God-Shaped Brain and The God-Shaped Heart. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and Fellow of the Southern Psychiatric Association, and is president and founder of Come and Reason Ministries.

For more information about Dr. Jennings, please visit the website: https://www.agingbrainbook.com.

To connect with Dr. Jennings, please visit: https://www.facebook.com/DrTimJennings/ and https://twitter.com/timjenningsmd.

The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind
Baker Books
Released: June 2018
ISBN-10: 080107522X
ISBN-13: 978-0801075223

Reviews for The Aging Brain: Proven Steps to Prevent Dementia and Sharpen Your Mind:

Dr. Caroline Leaf, Cognitive Neuroscientist, Communication Pathologist and Author: "Great advice and excellent science on aging! It's well worth following and applying these principles so as to age the way we are supposed to.”

Rodney A. Poling, MD, DFAPA, medical director, Behavioral Healthcare Center, Columbia TN., and board-certified geriatric psychiatrist: "A well-researched and commonsense book aimed at helping one understand the complexities of dementia, while offering recommendations for maintaining healthy brain function into our later years.”

Michael Lyles, psychiatrist, author, and speaker: "Dr. Jennings clearly describes how to practically manage the medical and lifestyle variables that can positively impact brain health and the process of aging. Age is a number, but getting old is a lifestyle.”

Acromegaly Patients Shed Light on their Disease

COSMETIC PROCEDURES: RED FLAGS NOT TO IGNORE

www.psspecialists.com

As more and more cosmetic procedures become readily available and mainstream, it seems as if everyone is having something done. However, easy access to treatments and procedures comes with concerns. As captured on the popular TV show “Botched,” things can go very wrong with serious, even life-threatening consequences. Anyone conducting cosmetic procedures can call themselves a “cosmetic surgeon.” However, to be considered a plastic surgeon one must be certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. Dr. Stanley Poulos, a Board-Certified San Francisco area Plastic Surgeon offers the following red flags not to ignore when selecting a plastic surgeon, dermatologist, aesthetician or anyone else you plan to trust your body with.

1. They offer discount coupons.

Discount coupons make sense if you're looking for a haircut or a massage, not for plastic surgery. "Don't bargain shop when it comes to something serious like surgery. You want to make sure you research the average prices and if something seems too steep of a discount, beware;” Dr. Poulos says.

2. The surgeon is not Board-Certified.

Look for credentials, someone who is Board-Certified in plastic surgery by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. If they are they usually have this credential prominently visible in their office and on their website. This means the surgeon has had at least six years of surgical training with two or three years devoted specifically to plastic surgery, has passed rigorous oral and written examinations and has demonstrated safe and ethical surgical practice.

3. They make lofty promises.

Dr. Poulos states that “Any surgeon that promises to make you look like a celebrity or says he can make you look 30 years younger, is over-promising. A skilled surgeon knows the potential and limitations of surgery and will be clear about this from the start. A good surgeon will want you to look like an improved version of you, not someone else.”

4. The surgeon’s operating facility is not accredited.

Often plastic surgery is performed in an ambulatory care center or the surgeon’s office-based surgical facility. “Either way, “you want to make sure the facility is properly accredited. Accreditation ensures that strict standards are met for proper equipment, safety, surgeon credentials, and staffing,” stresses Dr. Poulos.

5. They try to "up-sell" potential patients.

An initial consultation with a plastic surgeon should be a collaborative effort in which doctor and patient come to an agreement about which course of treatment is best.  It's reasonable for the surgeon to suggest alternative approaches, but that it's worrisome if he/she uses high-pressure tactics. “Your surgeon may suggest consideration of more or different procedures than your initial request but should have sound reasons why this is his/her advice,” says Dr. Poulos.

6. The consultation is short and lacks professionalism.

The first visit with a plastic surgeon must be a thorough, get-to-know-you session in which both patient and doctor determine if they can work together. Also, trust how the overall consultation experience feels to you. Is the staff friendly and welcoming? Was your phone call handled professionally? Did they follow through on getting your promised information? Are they clear about all costs and how the procedure will go?

7. They’ve been censored or sued several times.

“Just because a surgeon has faced a malpractice lawsuit doesn't mean they are incompetent. In today's medical climate, even first-rate surgeons are sometimes sued. However, “be wary of a surgeon who has been sued more than a few times or have been censured by the state medical board,” says Poulos.

8. They don’t provide before and after photos. If you’re interested in a procedure, you should see what the physician can do for you. One of the best ways to see the quality of work is to view before and after photos of their actual patients. If they won’t show you any, they may not have enough experience or success in that particular procedure.

9. When to Consider a Different Aesthetic Surgeon

Dr. Poulos says that “searching for a cosmetic surgeon is more manageable when you use a clearly defined system to make the choice. Consider all options and weigh them cautiously. If you’re consulting with a cosmetic surgeon and any of the above red-flags come up, consider looking for a different surgeon.”

About Dr. Stanley Poulos

Dr. Poulos specializes in cosmetic breast surgery and body contouring procedures. He helped pioneer the quick lift facial rejuvenation surgery in California and is recognized as one of the leading plastic surgeons in Marin County and the entire San Francisco Bay area.  Dr. Poulos and Plastic Surgery Specialists have extensive experience in body contour procedures.

A graduate of the University of Texas Medical School, Dr. Poulos completed his internship and residency at UC San Francisco. He completed a plastic surgery fellowship at St. Francis Hospital in San Francisco and is certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery.

Gripping Memoir Details Life Before And After Debilitating Stroke

Trevose, PA, September 26, 2018 ― For Mary Reid-Hill, the word "no” means surrender. It means life on the couch. It means dying a slow death. So never tell Mary that she can't do something. Because she'll do everything in her power to prove you wrong.

Mary entered "adulthood” with a load of problems to unpack, including a twisted, abusive childhood; a misguided teen marriage; and a cancer diagnosis at the tender age of 22. Somehow, in spite of it all, she used her skills as a visual artist to carve out a career in the male-dominated world of sign design and installation.

But life wasn't done testing her. At age 38, at the peak of her success, she suffered a major stroke which left her with essentially half her brain and body capacity. For more than 15 years, she has defied doctors, therapists, and even friends and family to stubbornly and relentlessly find her own equilibrium and happiness, "in spite of” all of her health challenges, psychological roadblocks and spiritual upheaval.

But that's just Mary.

And now, she's sharing her remarkable story in her inspirational memoir, In Spite Of . . . How I Survived Abuse, Cancer, and a Giant F@#%ing Stroke, as told to David Tabatsky—author, co-author and/or editor of more than thirty books, covering a vast range of subjects. For more information on David, please visit his website at: www.tabatsky.com.

Mary's approach is refreshingly candid and infused with humor as she chronicles a series of life events that would emotionally cripple most people, including her messed- up childhood, two bad marriages, the devastating stroke, her battles with weight and insurance companies, and the death of her husband. Through it all, her no-nonsense prose underscores why she's become a living example of what the human spirit is ultimately all about and how, in spite of it all, she's still here.

Mary was born and raised in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and still lives there today, on the corner of Hope and Humor. For the past 17 years, Mary has been unable to hold down a job, due to a disability stemming from her stroke. However, she remains as active as possible, renovating her home, refinishing furniture and continuing her main passion––drawing. Her memoir includes 15 original drawings, some of which she created before the stroke, and several after, when she had to teach herself to draw all over again, this time with her left hand. On top of that, Mary cares for two dogs and occasionally her two closest sisters.

For more information, please visit the website at: www.inspiteof.life.

In Spite Of . . . How I Survived Abuse, Cancer, and a Giant F@#%ing Stroke
Legacy Projects
Release Date: August 2018
ISBN–13: 978-1722983352
ISBN–10: 1722983353

Stop Foodborne Illness applauds FDA’s new policy to better inform consumers about retailers selling recalled foods

The new FDA policy permits the FDA to inform consumers as to which retailers may carry foods that have been recalled due to contamination by pathogens causing foodborne illness. According to the FDA’s announcement, the agency “has not traditionally released specific retailers where recalled foods may have been purchased. This is because certain supply chain information is confidential between the supplier and retailer.”

With its new policy, the FDA can and will decide to publicize lists of retailers—known as retail consignee lists—identifying retailers potentially carrying a recalled product, when doing so better protects consumers from purchasing potentially harmful foods. These lists could include online retailers as well as “brick and mortar” stores.

“Detailed information about the identity of recalled products and where they are being sold can be a matter of life and death for consumers,” said Lauren Bush, Board Co-Chair of Stop Foodborne Illness and a survivor of an E. coli outbreak in 2006. “There is much more to be done by government and industry to improve recall communications and effectiveness, but we appreciate the step FDA is taking to disclose the identity of stores that received recalled product.”

“Commissioner Gottlieb’s announcement is an important step in the right direction,” said Michael Taylor, Board Co-Chair of Stop Foodborne Illness and former FDA Deputy Commissioner of Foods. “We look forward to better understanding the scope of the FDA’s new policy and monitoring its implementation to be sure consumers get information they can use to protect themselves from recalled foods.”

The FDA acknowledged that while typically the information released to the public—labeling information, product descriptions, lot numbers, photographs, geographic distribution and information voluntarily provided by retailers—is adequate to allow consumers to identify and avoid the recalled product, there are situations where the names and locations of retailers carrying the product need to be publicized to better protect consumers from foodborne illness.

The FDA specifically mentioned situations where the recalled food—intended for either human or animal consumption—is not easily identified from its retail packaging, such as foods sold directly to consumers without a UPC or bar code. Examples include deli cheese, nuts, rawhide chews, or pet treats sold in bulk and fresh fruits and vegetables sold individually.

Stop Foodborne Illness Is Here to Help You
Stop Foodborne Illness is a national, nonprofit, public health organization dedicated to preventing illness and death from foodborne pathogens by promoting sound food safety policy and best practices, building public awareness and assisting those impacted by foodborne illness. For more food safety tips please visit www.stopfoodborneillness.org/awareness/. If you think you have been sickened from food, check this out and contact your local health professional.

For questions and personal assistance, please contact Stop Foodborne Illness’ Community Coordinator, Stanley Rutledge, at srutledge@stopfoodborneillness.org or 773-269-6555 x7. To donate to Stop, visit here.
Social Media:

• Facebook.com/stopfoodborneillness
• Twitter.com/stopfoodillness
• LinkedIn.com/company/stop-foodborne-illness
• Pinterest.com/stopfoodillness
• Instagram.com/stopfoodborneillness

Newsroom:

• ​​Newsline360.com/stopfoodborneillness

Ride for Cancer powered by BMO Bank of Montreal hits the road and trail on September 29