Health. Lifestyle. Business. PREVENTIVE HEALTH

TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH & THE HEALTH OF YOUR PLANET

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• HEALTHY EATING FOR A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT

• EASY WAYS TO MINIMIZE FOOD WASTE

• 10 MYTHS ABOUT VIRTUAL CARE

• CANCER PREVENTION & EMPLOYEE WELLNESS

• FIGHTING SEASONAL ALLERGIES

HEALTHY EATING FOR A HEALTHYENVIRONMENTBy Andrea Stokes, RD, Definitions, a division of Medisys Health Group

We know that our diet has a significant impact on our health, but we don’t always think about the effects it can have on the health of our planet. Many modern food practices that bring food from the farm to the table directly contribute to water and air pollution, increase carbon emissions, and endanger wildlife species and biodiversity. On June 5th, World Environment Day is celebrated across the globe. Whether or not you participate in one of the events taking place around the globe, making small changes to your food choices can positively impact the environment in significant ways. The next time you head out for groceries, keep these tips in mind!

Shop with reusable bags

Plastic bags not only end up in landfills and oceans, their production also uses up a lot of oil. Furthermore, these bags don’t degrade and exposure of the plastic to sunlight can release harmful toxic polymer particles. Worldwide, only about 1% of plastic bags are recycled. Shop with reusable bags whenever you can and recycle any plastic bags you accumulate. Avoid using plastic sandwich bags and instead pack lunches and leftovers in reusable containers.

Buy local whenever possible

Locally-grown foods don’t travel long distances to get to your plate, which saves gas and decreases your carbon footprint. You may not find everything you are used to, but you will often find a great selection of root vegetables, seasonal fruit and vegetables, wild game and other meats, eggs and dairy. Hit up a local farmer’s market to see what’s in season!

Cut back on meat consumption

Industrially-farmed meat production uses a lot of energy and resources, and is a major contributor to climate change. In fact, it is estimated that livestock production is responsible for 18% of greenhouse gases.

You don’t have to cut meat out altogether if that’s not feasible for your lifestyle. Small changes can have a meaningful impact, especially if everyone participates! If you’re a meat lover, try going meatless for at least one day per week.

Purchase products with minimal packaging

Not only are minimally-packaged foods typically healthier than heavily-packaged ones, they also produce less garbage. Fresh, unwrapped fruits and vegetables, meat and fish straight from the deli counter or butcher, and nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils and grains purchased in bulk all boast minimal packaging. Skip bottled water and other beverages too, and use a reusable bottle for filtered tap water instead.

Go organic

Organic fruits and vegetables are grown and processed using farming methods that recycle resources and promote biodiversity, while organic meats and poultry also tend to have a less detrimental impact on the environment. Organic meats are raised more humanely, and are typically more nutritious too. Organic products are often more expensive, so if it’s not feasible to go totally organic, consider buying organic for those products that are most heavily contaminated. Visit www.ewg.org to view the 12 most contaminated produce and the 15 least contaminated produce to help guide your decisions.

For more information on how to improve your nutritional health or for meatless meal recipes, contact our registered dietitians. Click here to learn more about our nutrition services.

Did you know that virtual healthcare is associated with up to a 70% decrease in carbon emissions?

A 2014 study found that when physical visits were

replaced with telemedicine appointments, there was a

40–70 times decrease in reported carbon emissions.

Learn more about supplementing your in-person doctor’s

visits with Medisys On-Demand, our industry-leading,

24/7 virtual care platform.

Sources: https://medium.com/healthtap/can-virtual-care-reduce-the-global-carbon-footprint-d08d8c4ce5fbhttps://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0105040

EASY WAYS TO MINIMIZE FOOD WASTEBy Andrea Stokes, RD, Definitions, a division of Medisys Health Group

Believe it or not, almost half of all food produced worldwide ends up in the trash — whether during processing and transport or when discarded in supermarkets and household kitchens. That’s enough to feed a billion hungry people in the world! When food is thrown out, all the resources to grow, produce, package, and transport it are also wasted (along with your hard-earned dollars). Wasted fruits and vegetables alone cost the average Canadian household over $600 per year.

The answer to the problem is not necessarily to clean your plate (despite what your parents may have told you), but rather to make smarter choices when purchasing, cooking, preparing and storing food.

Buy only what you need

• Create a menu plan for the week and shop according to that plan — avoid stocking up at the grocery store if you don’t have a clear idea as to what you are going to make with all the food you’re buying

• Avoid buying in bulk if you know you won’t be able to eat it all (regardless of how much of a “deal” it is)

• Share perishable bulk items with a friend or family member.

• Invest in a deep freezer to store bulk purchases that can be frozen (such as meats, seafood and frozen produce)

Store foods properly

• Take produce out of plastic bags when you get home (wrappings suffocate the produce and speed up the decay process)

• Delay washing fruits and vegetables until you know you’ll consume them within a day or two

• Keep produce whole as long as possible to extend its life (avoid ripping off fruit stems and chopping days in advance)

• Store produce like this to maximize freshness:

Fridge Drawer/Container 1 Fridge Drawer/Container 2 Bowl on counter Cupboard/Pantry

Apples Bananas (ripe) Avocados Garlic

Apricots Broccoli Peaches Potatoes

Cantaloupe Kiwis Plums Squash

Honeydew Summer squash Bananas (unripe) Onions

Figs Leafy greens Pears

Carrots Tomatoes

Cauliflower

Cucumbers

Peppers

Peas

Cabbages

Eggplant

Watermelon

Grow your own

Start growing your own herbs on the window sill, a vegetable box on the patio, or a full garden or greenhouse. Some plants can even be regrown from kitchen scraps! For example, white stems of green onions will regrow when placed in a cup of water and potato scraps can be dried on the counter then planted in soil.

Additional ways to reduce waste

• Freeze leftover coffee in ice cube trays and add to iced coffee or smoothies

• Freeze unused fresh herbs in ice cube trays with olive oil or melted unsalted butter; add to frying pans when ready to cook

• Freeze over-ripe fruit, like bananas, in small storage bags and use in smoothies or thaw for baked goods• Invest in a variety of small glass storage containers so you can freeze food items like supper leftovers, or batch-cooked soups and stews, in single-serve portions

• Keep a list on your fridge and freezer of items that need to be consumed quickly (otherwise they might get lost in the back)

• Try to buy fewer food items that come with a lot of packaging — shop for cereals and grains at bulk food stores, portion out yogurt from a larger container, or try making your own granola bars and baked goods

• Consider composting so you can make use of food waste

10 MYTHS ABOUT VIRTUAL CARE?

?Does the word “virtual” bring to your mind images of high-tech 3D goggles and holograms? Contrary to the belief that virtual care belongs to the world of science-fiction, it is actually quite a simple concept: the use of technology we already have to communicate with healthcare professionals. If you have used Skype, FaceTime or Zoom to speak with a client or to join a meeting, you are already familiar with the technology required to use virtual care.

Widely adopted in Europe and Asia, virtual care helps individuals fill in gaps between visits to the doctor and avoid unnecessary trips to clinics and emergency rooms. Virtual care also provides companies with practical and cost-effective employee health benefit options. However, because it is still gaining traction in Canada, it can be difficult to find accurate information about this new technology.

We’ve rounded up 10 common myths about virtual care to help you navigate what’s true and what’s false about this new model of healthcare in Canada today:

Myth 1: Virtual care professionals cannot treat patients effectively.

A recent study in B.C. found that 79% of patients who experienced a virtual visit said the quality of care was to the same standard as an in-person visit1. Moreover, 91% said the online visit helped them with the health issues they were dealing with2. During a virtual consultation using Medisys On-Demand, if the healthcare professional is unable to provide optimal care virtually, you will either be directed to the closest clinic or your family physician. If your symptoms are alarming and the medical professional determines that it’s an emergency, you will be directed to the closest emergency room. In both cases, the clinician will contact you within 48 hours to do a follow-up and ensure your health is in good hands.

Myth 2: Virtual care is only useful for people living in remote locations.

Virtual care is a highly effective tool for those living in remote locations, but it’s more than just a lifesaving technology for those without easy access to a doctor. Virtual care benefits everyone as it allows people to:

• Save time: 90% of ER visits in Canada in 2016 took 7.8 hours to complete3

• Improve continuity of care: 68% of Canadians skip or avoid medical appointments due to barriers like long wait times4

• Receive private health advice for sensitive issues from the comfort of your home: more than 60% of people with mental health illness don’t seek the help they need, often because of the stigma or perceived stigma around seeking help5

• Seek medical attention without having to wait for an appointment at the doctor’s office

Myth 3: With virtual care, employees can easily fake symptoms to get sick notes.

As with any doctor, it is possible that an employee could fake an illness to get a sick note. However, Medisys On-Demand only employs experienced healthcare professionals just as qualified as any family doctor or nurse practitioner. Each will only give out sick notes (for a maximum of three days) if deemed medically necessary after the completion of a video consultation to confirm the patient’s identity and state of health. Our virtual care practitioners also have access to the patients medical files and history, to support the accuracy of a diagnosis.

Myth 4: During a virtual consultation, it’s too easy to get prescriptions for antibiotics.

Virtual care doctors are held to the same standard as brick-and-mortar doctors, which means they are just as aware of the problems surrounding the over-prescription of antibiotics and work to find the best solution for each of their patients.

If it is deemed that a physical test is necessary to distinguish between a possible viral or bacterial infection, the patient will be directed to obtain such test(s).

Myth 5: Personal virtual care accounts can easily be shared with relatives so they can use the service.

Virtual care apps take security and privacy seriously. Most apps are secured, and with Medisys On-Demand, users are required to authenticate their accounts with a picture ID. When a prescription is written, a video consult is required to confirm the user’s identity and the prescription is written in the user’s name only. Within your Medisys On-Demand account, you can invite your family members to use the service, but your partner requires his or her own app, account and user authentication. Children over 14 can also have their own accounts, with your agreement. No personal information is shared within families to guarantee that each account holder can consult privately and address highly-personal issues.

Myth 6: Virtual care is only useful for common health issues like colds.

Virtual care goes beyond common health issues. For many users, it helps manage a variety of conditions such as assessing injuries, dealing with anxiety and depression, managing chronic conditions and other more complex health problems. Learn about the variety of ailments Medisys On-Demand helps diagnose and treat by clicking here.

Myth 7: Telehealth devalues the doctor/patient relationship.

Medisys On-Demand, and apps like it, are not meant to replace your family doctor. In fact, with your consent, we share information about your virtual visits to keep your family doctor up-to-date on any changes to your health. Furthermore, numerous studies have found that virtual consults can successfully replace office visits in many situations without

compromising the quality of care and communication between patient and physician. For instance, the American Journal of Managed Care recently published a multi-year study revealing that 62% of responding patients reported the quality of virtual video visits was no different from that of office visits, and 68% of patients rated virtual video visits at 9 or 10 on a 10-point scale6. Clinicians also overwhelmingly report that virtual video visits are superior to office visits for timely scheduling of patient appointments and for visit efficiency. Myth 8: If I start a virtual consultation, I’ll end up speaking to a doctor in another country who doesn’t meet Canadian standards.

We can’t guarantee the quality of care on all virtual care apps, but with Medisys On-Demand we only use experienced Canadian physicians and registered nurses. Every time you log in, you will speak with a live medical professional within your region who follows and is governed by provincial regulations.

Myth 9: Using a virtual care app is not secure.

With access to such sensitive information, it’s vital to ensure all the information you share is kept secure – Medisys On-Demand takes this to heart. Just like your family doctor visits, every consultation with our health care professionals remains fully confidential. Only you and your care team are allowed to access the information in your medical records. We can, however, share this information with your primary care physician, but

only with your consent. To maintain this confidentiality, your health records and conversation history are fully encrypted and stored in an ISO 27001 and ISO 27018-certified data centre located in Canada. With these measures in place, 94% of patients reported confidence in the security and privacy of their personal information when using a virtual care system7.

Myth 10: It’s possible to get a prescription for a medication and use it several times.

Prescription drugs are often necessary components of a treatment plan, but they can be inappropriately used. To combat this, each prescription given out by a doctor over Medisys On-Demand is sent directly to the pharmacy of your choice, where the prescription will be filled. This allows our healthcare professionals to track the drug usage of their patients. Prescription renewals are only provided when medically necessary.

How virtual care can help you

It takes research and understanding to decide if any new technology is a good choice for you or your business. With these common myths about virtual care debunked, you’ll have a clearer view of what it offers.

Click here to learn more about what Medisys On-Demand can do for you and your workforce.

References:

1 https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/component/content/article/2-miscellaneous/7519-digital-health-myths

2 https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/myths

3 https://www.cihi.ca/en/emergency-department-wait-times-in-canada-continuing-to-rise

4 https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/news-polls/seven-ten-canadians-skipped-seeing-doctor-due-long-wait-times

5 https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/English/opening-minds

6 https://www.healthleadersmedia.com/innovation/virtual-care-perceptions-shift-docs-board-patients-willing-pay

7 https://www.infoway-inforoute.ca/en/solutions/access-health/access-to-services/virtual-visits

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Cancer Prevention & Employee WellnessBy Dr. Vivien Brown, VP Medical Affairs, Medisys Toronto

When people hear the words ‘cancer prevention’, they don’t often think of their employer. But research is proving that one of the best weapons against cancer is prevention through living a healthier lifestyle, and when it comes to the health and well-being of an individual, employers can actually play a significant role.

According to a new Canadian study, approximately 40% of cancer diagnoses can be prevented through lifestyle changes. In 2015 researchers estimated that nearly 70,000 cancer cases across Canada were likely attributable to lifestyle factors like poor diet choices, lack of exercise, air pollution and other preventable risk factors. Cancer can be such a formidable disease when it takes over the body, but it’s amazing to consider that making simple adjustments to your lifestyle could prevent it from ever having the chance.

The reality is that these lifestyle adjustments aren’t always that simple to make. We live in a consumer-driven culture with too much junk food, supersized portions, bad diet scams and endless messages promoting lifestyle habits that simply don’t do the body good. Below is a breakdown of what individuals can do to prevent cancer, and how employers can help.

What Individuals Can Do

1. Know your numbers. Body Mass Index (BMI), cholesterol, blood pressure, fasting glucose, waist circumferences, triglycerides – these are some of the numbers that you should clearly understand and discuss with your team of healthcare providers to identify potential areas of health risk.

2. Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight is the second leading preventable cause of cancer, but maintaining a healthy weight is a challenge for many Canadians. Some fall victim to our culture’s constant promotion of foods without proper nutrients; others want to lose weight quickly by not eating enough or making inconsistent changes to their diet. Even the time of day we eat affects our weight. There’s a lot to understand about how to effectively maintain a healthy weight, and it’s critical to that you manage your weight in a way that considers personal health risk factors, weight goals and lifestyle.

3. Exercise. Incorporating a regular exercise routine into your lifestyle has truly incredible effects on so many areas of the body. It helps you control your weight, reduce your risk of heart disease, and it strengthens your bones and muscles. When you consider the importance of your numbers and their relation to your overall risk of cancer, making exercise a part of your lifestyle is one of the best ways to get those numbers where you want them.

4. Talk with your doctor. Individual health management requires special attention to personal risk factors for injury and illness. By speaking with your doctor you can learn about preventive health strategies that fit your specific lifestyle and risk factors. Your doctor can help you better understand things like available vaccinations to aid in the prevention of certain cancers like cervical cancer and throat cancer (HPV vaccine) and liver cancer (Hep B vaccine).

How Employers Can Help

1. Promote better health for your employees. The majority of an employee’s time is spent at the workplace, and if their workplace is designed to support a healthier lifestyle, then they have a much better chance at success. This represents a serious win/win for employers, because studies show that a healthier employee is proven to be far more productive, present and satisfied.

2. Reduce risk factors and costs. Canadian employees with two or more lifestyle risk factors (such as a sedentary lifestyle, obesity, smoking or a high alcohol intake) are absent 50% more often than those without risk factors, and they cost their employers two to three times more in health benefit costs. “The cost of recruiting and training replacement workers and the cumulative negative impact that unhealthy employees have on productivity, workplace injury risk, and employee morale far exceed the costs of absenteeism,” explains Dr. Farrell Cahill, head of research at Medisys Health Group.

3. Promote a healthier culture overall. An increase in both mental and physical health has profound effects on internal corporate culture, which is why we’re seeing more and more companies providing preventive health and wellness programs such as biometric assessment, on-site workout classes, training programs, lunch & learns and preventive health assessments. A healthy corporate culture is greater than the sum of its parts, and can make a real, measurable impact on your company.

Preventive health is about facilitating a healthy lifestyle with specific attention to individual risk factors, and it’s proving to be a critical factor in cancer prevention. At Medisys we help you incorporate preventive health into your corporate culture, so you can support cancer prevention for all of your employees, and support your company at the same time. To find out more about how Medisys can help your workplace, or to book your next preventive health assessment, click here.

FIGHTING SEASONAL ALLERGIES

The arrival of beautiful weather signals trees to begin pollinating in earnest. This process causes many people to experience a variety of symptoms such as a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, ear fullness and popping, watery and itchy eyes and puffy eyelids. If you feel the onset of any of these, chances are you have allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever. But don’t be fooled by this name: you don’t have to be exposed to hay to experience symptoms, and fever is usually not one of them!

What is an allergy?

An allergy is the body’s abnormal reaction to foreign substances. This reaction occurs when the immune system misidentifies an otherwise harmless substance as an invader and treats it like a dangerous virus. It mobilizes its defensive forces, called mast cells, which release a substance called histamine. This substance is responsible for the symptoms that indicate the allergy.

There are two forms of allergic rhinitis:

• Seasonal: Symptoms typically occur in spring, summer andearly fall, and are usually caused by allergens such as airbornemold spores or pollens from grass, trees and weeds

• Perennial: Symptoms are experienced year-round andgenerally caused by dust mites, pet hair or dander, cockroachesor mold

Some allergens are extremely dangerous, but if you’re a seasonal allergic rhinitis sufferer, they are relatively harmless. You’re also in good company: according to Asthma Canada, 1 in 5 Canadians suffers from allergic rhinitis. But many people don’t even know they’re suffering from allergies — they think they’re dealing with a cold instead.

The intensity of allergy symptoms vary from one person to another, and in some cases, they can affect the quality of your life by causing fatigue, irritability, concentration problems and sleeping troubles.

The best way to prevent allergic rhinitis is to avoid allergens by tweaking your habits.

Here are some tips for airborne allergy-sufferers:

• Keep windows and doors closed during high-pollen periods

• Use an air conditioner in indoor cycle with a filter to cool,filter and dehumidify the air

• Refrain from outdoor activities between 5:00 and 10:00 am,as pollen counts are highest during this period

• After outside exposure, shower to remove pollen from yourhair and skin

• Do not dry laundry on an outdoor clothesline as pollen cancling to the fibres in your clothes

• Stay indoors during wet or windy weather

• Wear sunglasses when outdoors to keep pollen out ofyour eyes

• Do not keep too many house plants as damp soil can promotemold and mildew growth

• Keep car windows closed when driving

• Ask your partner, friend or housemate to rake the leaves andcut the grass, as these tasks stir up pollen and different typesof mold

• Enclose mattresses, box springs and pillows in zippered, dust- proof covers; do not use feather pillows or duvets

• Vacuum on a weekly basis, and if you have allergies, try toavoid doing the chore yourself

There is no cure for allergic rhinitis, and it’s impossible to totally avoid contact with allergens, but treatment options are available to help control symptoms:

• Oral antihistamines provide quick relief of symptoms bylessening the effects of histamine, one of the chemicalsreleased by the body during an allergic reaction

• Decongestant sprays help relieve a stuffy nose

• Inhaled steroids (nasal sprays) decrease the damage doneby inflammatory cells brought to the nasal lining by theallergic reaction

Available both over-the-counter and by prescription, these treatments can help ease annoying symptoms like a runny nose and itchy eyes. However, if these remedies prove insufficient, it’s important to contact your doctor for further investigation. He or she may suggest desensitization — also called immunotherapy — to reduce the human body’s sensitivity to the substance responsible for the allergy using injections containing a small dose of allergen.

Are your allergy symptoms affecting your quality of life and not relieved by over-the-counter medications? It’s time to seek help! Communicate instantly with Canadian healthcare professionals by text and video chat with Medisys On-Demand, our 24/7 virtual care platform. Click here to learn more.

HAPPY FATHER’S DAY FROM YOUR MEDISYS FAMILY.

YOUR HEALTH MATTERS. MAKE IT A PRIORITY.

CLICK HERE to learn more about our Preventive Health Assessments.