The Diabetes Epedemic – B.C.’s Public Perception
The incidence of diabetes is increasing among Canadians at an alarming rate. Indeed, the rate of increase technically qualifies as an epidemic. The reasons for this increase are multiple, and indeed some of the factors at play are probably unknown. Known factors include the increasing average age of the population, as the incidence of diabetes […]
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Food For Thought – Glycemic Index
Introduction One of the most important concepts to understand when you are a diabetic is the concept of glycemic index (GI), the measure of how quickly carbohydrate foods affect blood glucose levels. Since the condition of diabetes impairs the body’s ability to effectively maintain proper levels of glucose in the blood it is important to […]
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Cholesterol PART III
Lowering Plasma Lipid Levels Using Medications In Part II of this series we discussed improving your diet and exercise regimen and giving up smoking as ways to improve your plasma lipid profile (cholesterol). Unfortunately, not everyone responds to, or is capable of, these lifestyle modifications and as a result lipid lowering medications are often recommended […]
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From the Editor
Welcome to the Fall Equinox issue of the Quarterly Newsletter. As we are gearing up for production of our diabetes educational video I have taken this opportunity to make this a special diabetes issue. Dr. Keith Dawson starts with a discussion of the reality of diabetes in our society and the politics of medication availability. […]
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Ovulatory Menstrual Cycles are Not a Problem
Go With the Flow! As a reproductive endocrinologist and feminist scientist studying women’s health, I am not surprised at the current hype that women needn’t suffer periods. Instead, take a birth control pill every day. Women of my, and subsequent, generations have been in love with the potential to control fertility. As Alice Rossi wrote, […]
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Cholesterol PART II
Improving Plasma Lipid Levels Lifestyle Modifications ELEVATED PLASMA LIPID LEVELS In Part I of this article you were introduced to a variety of blood plasma lipids, including cholesterol. We discussed what these plasma lipids were and how to determine whether your plasma lipid levels represent a risk for heart disease. If your blood test shows […]
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From the Editor
Welcome to the Summer Solstice issue of the Quarterly Newsletter. I thought that if I delayed publishing this issue long enough summer would actually arrive. I can wait no longer, so here it is. Dr. Jerilynn Prior has taken time from her busy research and teaching schedule to provide us with another excellent article. In […]
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Young Women and Osteoporosis
Building Our Knowledge and Resources If you are under 50 years old and recently learned that your bone density is lower than it should be, you may be feeling confused, worried or frightened. You are not alone. Osteo Juniors is a group of younger women throughout BC who have osteoporosis or osteopenia. The problem with […]
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Diabetes in the Elderly
Diabetes in the elderly will be the epidemic in this Century. Current data suggests that about 20% of patients over the age of 65 will develop diabetes at some point in their life. At least half the patients are unaware that they have the disease yet these patients are still susceptible to the complications of […]
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An Introduction To Cholesterol PART I
Introduction There is certainly no shortage of discussion in the media regarding cholesterol as it pertains to general health and more specifically heart disease. What is missing is a more complete appreciation of just what cholesterol is and how the different lipid components interact in your body and impact on your health. This article will […]
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