Encouraging you every step of the way: Health coaches help Canadians manage chronic disease

SOURCE Saint Elizabeth Health Care

New Study Confirms Run to Quit helps to boost physical activity and cut down on smoking 

Six months after Run to Quit completed its first year, an impressive 40 per cent of participants surveyed said they had quit smoking and 43 per cent said they were also running on average three times a week.

In addition, 91 per cent of participants who completed the program said they had cut back on smoking and 97 per cent reported Run to Quit helped them to exercise more.

Run to Quit is being studied by researchers from the University of British Columbia for its potential as a chronic disease prevention program.

“We saw participants shift in terms of the way they saw themselves; first as smokers and eventually to runners fully embracing the Running Room culture. Their confidence to both quit smoking and run increased as did their overall physical and mental health scores,” says Dr. Carly Priebe, a researcher at UBC.

Participants’ confidence to quit smoking grew from 67 per cent at the beginning of the program to 80 per cent by week three.

“Maintaining health behaviour change is really difficult, but 24 per cent continue to be engaged with Running Room walk and run programs,” reports Priebe.

Run to Quit is a unique program that pairs the quit-smoking expertise of the Canadian Cancer Society with Running Room Canada’s learn to walk or run 5 km clinics. The step-by-step program helps smokers cope with discomfort and cravings through its simple and encouraging approach to cutting down while they become more physically active.

“While quitting smoking is the biggest goal for most Run to Quit participants, we know that staying active is important to reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as cancer. We were happy to see that participants really embraced exercise,” says John Atkinson, director, cancer prevention and tobacco control, Canadian Cancer Society. “Participants who continue to exercise are doing even more than the recommended guidelines of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week.”

In its first year, Run to Quit welcomed more than 1,000 participants in all three streams of the program – online, do it yourself, and in-store training. In-store training was offered in 21 stores in six provinces. This year, the program has expanded to include 50 stores in all provinces as well as online training options available three times per year. The program will continue to expand to more than 100 stores next year to reach as many smokers as possible.

“Run to Quit’s pilot program shows promising results in influencing measurable healthy behaviour and lifestyle change," said Dr. Jane Philpott, Minister of Health. "This innovative quit-smoking and active living program is a leading example of how government, the not-for-profit and the private sectors can work together to encourage healthier lifestyles for Canadians."

Emmanuelle Connelly was a smoker for more than 30 years. She started as a teen and tried to quit several times over the years, but it wasn’t until a routine mammogram gave her a health scare that she decided she really needed to quit urgently. Her aunt had suffered from cancer and Emmanuelle was determined to reduce her risk as much as possible.

“I have never been physically active and the thought of having to run in public intimidated me, even more than quitting smoking,” says Emmanuelle. ”But Run to Quit’s approach to quitting smoking and getting active was done in baby steps and the group kept me accountable. Once I overcame my first craving, I knew I could quit smoking and used the techniques I learned from the program. In the end, I quit smoking and I continue to run. It’s liberating to be able to lace up and run anytime I feel like it.”

Survey results show that 100% of participants who completed the program would recommend it to a friend who wanted to quit smoking.

“I am a former smoker, like so many of our Run to Quit trainers,” said John Stanton, founder and CEO of Running Room Canada. “It’s been a thrill and privilege to show people through Run To Quit how to identify as athletes and to commit to an athletic lifestyle with the help of our running and walking clinics. We look forward to welcoming current smokers to be lifetime athletes with the camaraderie and support of our running community.”

Additional information on survey results:

• 1000 participants joined all streams of Run to Quit in 2016
  • 184 in-store clinics
  • 71 online clinics
  • 815 Do It Yourself program
• 83 participants were interviewed as part of the six-month follow up survey
  • 40 per cent reported quitting smoking
  • 28 per cent were successful at not smoking for six whole months (since the training program ended)
  • 43 per cent per cent said they were also running on average three times a week.

Registration for Run to Quit is now open and available in all provinces across Canada. To register or for more information, visit runtoquit.com. Run to Quit is funded in part by the Public Health Agency of Canada. Thanks to quit partners NICODERM® and NICORETTE® all eligible participants will receive coupons for nicotine replacement therapy products to help them quit smoking.

Q&A to Researcher: Is the strength in this program the maintenance quit smoking rate and sustained physical activity rate six month after program completion? Or is the strength of the program that it gets people physically active while quitting smoking?
"I think that BOTH of these are huge assets of the program! We often don't see behaviour change maintained over time so the fact that we saw decent quit rates and a significant increase in physical activity and then saw this maintained is a really positive finding. It's also important to highlight that this program targets multiple health behaviours and therefore gives you more "bang for your buck" when it comes to health and a lifestyle change. Even if someone didn't quit, increasing physical activity is an important outcome. If you can do both (quit and increase activity), you're well on your way to numerous health benefits (in the case of quitting smoking, many of these health benefits are very immediate). In terms of bringing in the evaluation, our findings support that the program truly does target BOTH of these behaviours (smoking cessation and activity) and we saw significant changes in both."

About the Canadian Cancer Society

The Canadian Cancer Society is a national, community-based organization of volunteers whose mission is to eradicate cancer and enhance the quality of life of people living with cancer. Thanks to our donors and volunteers, the Society has the most impact, against the most cancers, in the most communities in Canada. For more information, visit cancer.ca or call our toll-free bilingual Cancer Information Service at 1-888-939-3333 (TTY 1-866-786-3934)

ARE YOU RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN WRINKLES AND LINES? READ ON AND FIND OUT

www.zannisplasticsurgery.com

Many aspects of facial and body aging are inevitable and a fact of life. However, there are daily habits, motions and actions that we do that unnecessarily accelerate the aging process. While we are very fortunate to have so many non invasive advances in plastic surgery, many of them would not be necessary at younger ages if we negated some of the behaviors that cause wrinkles to appear prematurely. Dr. John Zannis is a New Bern, North Carolina board Certified Plastic Surgeon who breaks down some of these “off limits” behaviors.

Tanning Beds

Despite skin cancer warning labels and common sense, 45 percent of young women surveyed in a February 2014 study revealed they still use tanning beds. Here’s your wakeup call: Tanning beds blast you with 12- to 15-times more ultraviolet radiation than the sun, which means you’re that much more likely to get wrinkles, dark spots, thick leathery skin and cancer. And that cancer could be the deadly kind: Melanoma is one of the most common cancers diagnosed among young women, with more than 32,000 women expected to be diagnosed in the coming years.

Alcohol

Alcohol is a natural diuretic, so the more you drink, the more dehydrated you become. Dr. Zannis states that, “besides sapping the natural moisture from your skin, excessive alcohol also triggers rosacea outbreaks and exacerbates fine lines, acne, and wrinkles, all of which instantly make you look older. You don't have to swear off the bottle altogether, but by drinking less, your liver doesn't have to work as hard to flush out toxins and impurities from your body, and when it works more efficiently, you'll see the results in your skin.”

Smoking

It’s certainly no secret that smoking is bad for your health. But did you know it’s bad for your looks, too? Dr. Zannis says that, “studies show that in addition to shortening your life by increasing your risk for heart and lung disease, smoking can activate enzymes that break down the elasticity of your skin. Even if you’re a closet smoker, the fine wrinkles and pallor that cigarettes cause can give you away — just one more reason to snuff out those smokes.”

You sleep with your face in the pillow

Sleeping on your stomach or on your side with your face smashed into the pillow can create wrinkles and accelerate aging. "The connective tissue and collagen in your face becomes weaker and less supportive with age," says Dr. Zannis. "So when you sleep on the same side of your face night after night, your skin won't smooth out or spring back as quickly as it did when you were young." Those crease lines from your pillow can become permanent. Sleep on your back or invest in a satin pillowcase to keep skin smooth.

Cleaning facial skin  too thoroughly.

After a long day, you want to get all the dirt, grease, and grime out of your pores by any means necessary, but this is a mistake that could cost your skin its youthful suppleness and glow. "When people use harsh soap in order to get a squeaky clean feel, they strip their skin of its natural oils and accentuate fine lines," says Dr. Zannis. Stick to a gentle cleanser and don't scrub, your skin will thank you later.

Aggressively removing your eye makeup.

Taking off your makeup at night is important, but you should do it gently. The last thing you want to do is rub, tug, or scrap the skin around your eyes to get that last little bit of mascara off. "You can cause broken blood vessels and puffiness," warns Dr. Zannis.

Sipping Through A Straw

“Yes, repeated straw drinking causes people to purse their lips and can create wrinkles from the repetitive muscle motion,” says Dr. Zannis. He adds, “Much like repeated frowning causes wrinkles on the upper face.”

Meet Dr. John Zannis - New Bern, NC Plastic Surgeon

www.Zannisplasticsurgery.com

Dr. Zannis is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery. He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio and studied Human Biology and Studio Art at Stanford University prior to entering Medical School. He obtained his Doctor of Medicine degree (M.D.) from the University of Cincinnati College Of Medicine.

After medical school, Dr. Zannis received his formal training in General Surgery and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina under the guidance of world-renowned plastic surgeon Dr. Louis Argenta. During this time, he performed over 5,000 surgical procedures and covered all aspects of plastic surgery including cosmetic surgery of the face and body, complex reconstructive procedures of face and body, cleft lip and palate surgery, hand surgery, facial and jaw fracture repair, and reconstruction following massive weight loss. He has given numerous national academic presentations and keeps abreast of the latest technologies in Plastic Surgery at symposia across the country.

His studies in art and art history in Florence, Italy cultivated a passion for the Renaissance and geniuses of that time such as Leonardo DaVinci. Dr. Zannis instills artistry and perfectionism into his practice of surgery. His keen interest in procedures like rhinoplasty stem from their sculptural nature and the challenge they pose: “Rhinoplasty is considered one of the most difficult surgeries to master.

The slightest adjustment to the nose’s framework can have a significant effect. The true challenge is knowing what needs to be altered and improving the aesthetics, without changing the uniqueness and personality of someone’s face.”

Outside of medicine, Dr. Zannis enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He has a passion for travel, languages, painting, and guitars. “When I’m not operating or spending time with my family, I retreat to my workshop.”

Lets Talk Libido

It doesn’t matter if you are a man or a woman, young or old you can have problems with your sex drive. This can seriously affect your personal relationships and/or marriage with your spouse. It has lead to separation or divorce in many cases.  In men a reduced sex drive is often linked to erectile dysfunction.

Some Ways to Boost your sex drive include:

Libido Enhancers
Technology and medicine have advanced so that you can pop a little blue pill and get the desires that you were seeking in many circumstances. This pill does not solve the problem it is only a quick fix. Basically like just patching a tire instead of changing it. However, this does not always work.  When some people take these medicines they have minimal to know effects.

Some people prefer natural libido enhancers. There are products out there from a lot of different companies that have pills that advertise themselves as being “natural.”  Oftentimes these products can be packed with random substances that aren’t scientifically proven. This is where the consumer should be careful.

There are some that are packed with herbs and other natural ingredients  that can increase your sex drive with all natural ingredients that have been scientifically proven.

Dietary Changes

Also some studies have shown that by taking supplements that include tribulus terrestris, tongat ali, acai berry, chaste berry,  ginseng and ginkgo biloba, muira pauma have been shown to be effective.  Also Zinc has been proven important in testosterone production. It is found in a lot of meets.

Also taking protein supplements. If one increases their protein intake It helps give you better recovery, more power and stamina and can also aid in naturally boosting testosterone production. Again I recommend Rivals products because I know they have been scientifically tested and proven. http://www.rivalus.net/online-shop/products/promasil-milk-chocolate-2-33-lb

A low carbohydrate diet and low sugar diet. This is because carbs and sugar affect your body’s insulin level in the blood and that directly affects testosterone. The result of this is a decreased libido.

Make sure that you are eating Essential Fats such as Omega 3s. Again they help naturally boost the body’s testosterone level, and blood flow.  Examples are fish oils, olive oils, nuts and flaxseed.

Lifestyle Changes
In today’s society more and more people are becoming sedentary and not physically active. This is why in today’s world more and more people are overweight or obese. Obesity has been linked to you guessed it, A low sex drive as well as, poor blood circulation which again effects your libido. This can also lead to erectile dysfunction. So get off the couch and stop being a couch potato and get active. Start out small and gradually increase your activity levels. It is important not to do to much too fast. Grab a friend to keep you motivated and as you shed the pounds watch your libido come back!

Smoking and alcohol can also result in a poor sex drive. Smoking can cause breathing problems, is linked to cancer and can affect your circulation which in turn can affect your sex drive. Also Alcohol can cause a reduced sex drive due to mood swings, depression and again blood flow. So stay away from these two addictive substances if you are having problems with a low sex drive.

Try and stay happy and stress free. Increases stress causes a substance in your body called cortisol to increase and again that will affect your natural testosterone levels. Try and stay calm and relax. Try meditation, pilates, yoga or tai chi to reduce your stress levels.

Overall my advice is don’t abuse your body, stay active, stress free and try and stay away from things that are toxic for your system. This will keep your sex drive active, healthy and hopefully active for many years to come.

Alicia Bell
http://www.twitter.com/trainitright