Alberta recently recorded its 1,000th COVID-19 death, a grim milestone that arrived in a flash in a marked turnaround for a province that seemed to have the disease under relative control for a time.
Hospitals in Quebec's largest metropolitan area are becoming perilously full and could run out of capacity for new COVID-19 patients entirely in as little as two or three weeks, according to new modelling by the INESSS, a provincial government research group.
CBC News has learned that Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Tracy Allard spent time this month in Hawaii on a family vacation, despite a direction from the federal and provincial governments to avoid non-essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
On a day frequently marked by celebrations involving large amounts of alcohol, Canada's chief public health officer is again asking Canadians to go easy on the drinking as they turn the page on 2020.
Transport Minister Marc Garneau is expected to provide more details today about the new requirement for air passengers to test negative for COVID-19 before entering Canada.
2020 has been a year of challenges, pain, and transformation in numerous forms. Most industries have experienced difficult, unprecedented changes and have been obligated to look inward to find ways to adapt to changes and be part of the solution in a time of need. The health and wellness industry is no exception, as the year 2020 leaves us many lessons on which to reflect and take action.
It’s probably fair to say that this year did not quite unfold the way anyone expected. As many have rightly pointed out, the pandemic turned a magnifying glass on many issues that existed before but got a lot worse as a result of the virus (e.g. old-folks homes and meat-packing plants, just to mention two). While some businesses saw opportunity (e.g. on-line retail and home-delivery takeout), others experienced catastrophic misfortune (e.g. hospitality and the performing arts). Not just medical practice, but countless other businesses changed their operations seemingly overnight – suddenly working virtually became a virtue!
The epidemic also magnified the fissures in our societies, some of which appear to have grown to the size of the Grand Canyon. One could not help but note interesting paradoxes. For one, the same crowd that generally calls for “law and order”, meaning that people need to follow the laws, which in turn need to be enforced, suddenly discovered the rather unlawful notion of civil disobedience by openly refusing to wear masks. The same people, who did not appear to value science or scientists, suddenly turned to science to provide the vaccine that would save the day. The same folks who support virtually unlimited budgets for arms and the military (to keep us safe-lol) – found their arsenals empty and their governments unprepared for dealing with an actual danger that scientists had long predicted and was by far more likely to occur than WW III. Interestingly, the most passionate religious and ideological “believers” discovered that it was rather easy to extend their “beliefs” to even the most unlikely conspiracy theories. I could go on, but you get the point.
On a more personal note, the year certainly turned out quite differently from what I had planned but with some interesting unexpected positive spins. Thus, although all of my heavily booked travel itinerary got cancelled, I ended up (thanks to virtual platforms) speaking to far more and far larger audiences globally than I would have, had I needed to physically travel to each event. Although I spent most of the year more or less in lockdown or in quarantine, I connected and reconnected (virtually) with more colleagues around the world than in any other year – in fact, for most of the year, my daily walk-and-talk routine was the most enjoyable part of my day. Although the many planned live events related to the (rather spectacular) launch of the Canadian Obesity Clinical Practice Guidelines were cancelled, I thoroughly enjoyed the weekly virtual COVID-19 and Get Real Series that I had the privilege to host, again reaching a far greater audience that we would have had with in-person events.
Ultimately, thanks to the pandemic, I have also had to reassess both my professional and personal future and I very much look forward to some significant changes in 2021 (stay tuned).
All in all, it’s been a most unusual year and, as we enter 2021, it will be interesting to see what aspects of the B.C. era (“before Corona”) will return and which will forever remain changed.
Wishing all my readers a peaceful, happy, and healthy New Year – stay safe!
@DrSharma
Berlin
Ontario's finance minister has returned to Canada from a controversial Caribbean vacation during strict provincewide lockdown measures that urged Ontarians to avoid non-essential travel.
Nearly 10 months after Alberta's first presumptive COVID-19 case was confirmed, mothers across the province are giving birth to what some have dubbed "the coronial generation."
Alberta will fall far short of the UCP government’s promise to vaccinate 29,000 people against COVID-19 by the end of the year, Premier Jason Kenney has acknowledged.
How many New Years have you promised yourself that you were going to focus on getting healthy? This annual ritual typically results in lowering your self-esteem, not your weight. Are you ready to stop that cycle and actually restore your health?
Make 2021 the year you put your health as your top priority! You can feel good again, shop for smaller clothing sizes and achieve a physical makeover that makes you look 10, even 20 years younger. You can even eliminate the need for a multitude of prescription drugs. All of this can happen without counting calories, requiring exercise or depriving yourself.
Whether you are new to the Wheat Belly lifestyle or are in need of a reboot the Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox is the answer you have been looking for! The Detox book distills all the wisdom of the original Wheat Belly books and the lessons learned by the millions of people who have adopted this approach. It incorporates the most effective strategies, and gets you on the path to weight and health success in 10 short days. The best part, you can connect to a community of people who understand what you are going through and are here to support you as you become the healthy person you desire to be.
The carefully-designed meal plans and delicious recipes will provide everything you need to fully eliminate wheat and related grains in the shortest time possible. The book packages everything you need to get up and running to regain control over weight and health as quickly, as smoothly, and as effectively as possible. If you want to feel and even look better than you have in 10 years, and want the ABCs to do so, then the Wheat Belly 10-Day Grain Detox will show you how. Who can benefit from a grain free lifestyle? Well, truthfully everyone can!
Your health is worth it; you are worth it! It all begins with committing to the 10-day challenge… just 10 days to start to change your life! Don’t you owe it to yourself? Make no excuses, NOW IS THE TIME! Make your health a priority and join the next Wheat Belly 10 Day Grain Detox Challenge on January 6th.
Learn more here: Next Wheat Belly 10 Day Grain Detox Challenge
Get the book here: Wheat Belly 10 Day Grain Detox Book
From Dr. William Davis and the Undoctored and Wheat Belly Team
The post Make Your Health a Top Priority in 2021 appeared first on Dr. William Davis.
Air passengers entering Canada will need to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test before arriving in the country, the federal government announced today.
Health Canada says it still needs more information before it can make a decision on approving the COVID-19 vaccine made by AstraZeneca.
B.C.'s Interior Health Authority says it has identified an additional 15 cases of COVID-19 linked to the Big White community cluster, bringing the total number of cases to 111.
Opinions about COVID-19 inundate social media, but a Winnipeg doctor felt the voices of health-care workers weren't being heard enough — so Gigi Osler takes her followers behind the scenes and into the hospital.
Health Minister Christian Dubé says Pfizer's requirement that the second of its two-dose vaccine be held back is bogging down the vaccination effort. Other provinces are plowing ahead regardless.
A Toronto doctor has created an award to support Indigenous medical students and encourage more Indigenous people to enter health care. The award is in memory of her adopted Indigenous son, who died by suicide after battling mental health issues.
With the recent announcement that Health Canada has approved the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, Canadians are likely wondering when it will be their turn to get inoculated.
Britain on Wednesday became the first country to authorize an easy-to-handle COVID-19 vaccine whose developers hope it will become the "vaccine for the world." The approval and a shift in policy that will speed up rollout of the vaccine in the United Kingdom comes as a surge in infections threatens to swamp British hospitals.
A new variant of the coronavirus that may be more contagious has been found in a Colorado man who had not been travelling, triggering a host of questions about how the first U.S. case of the new version showed up in the Rocky Mountain state.
A public health researcher, a disability sports advocate and several trailblazing women who achieved firsts in their fields are among the 61 people being honoured with New Year’s appointments to the Order of Canada.
Some Nova Scotians are still struggling with complications brought on by COVID-19 months after they officially recovered from the virus.
Sharing this barre booty workout you can do anywhere. All you need is a sturdy chair or countertop to hold onto for balance. This workout targets the muscles in your lower body, especially your inner thighs, outer thighs, glutes and hamstrings.
Hi friends! How’s the morning going? I hope you’re having a wonderful day! I’m still enjoying the blur between Christmas and New Years and staying up way too late each night watching Schitt’s Creek. David is my very fave.
For today’s post, I have an all-new workout for you! This one is a barre booty workout and is an INTENSE and fun lower body burner. We work your entire body, focusing on strengthening adductors, abductors, glutes, and hamstrings. I also included some cardio blasts to get your heart rate up and a nice sweat.
Here’s a pinnable workout graphic for later:
(Photo: Kristi Harris // leggings are here)
and here’s the full follow-along video:
(I apologize for the low mic volume compared to the music. I hope you can still get an awesome workout.)
For notifications when I post new videos, subscribe to my YouTube channel here.
Please let me know if you give it a try!
Have a great day and I’ll see you soon!
xo
Gina
More barre videos you can do at home:
Quick and intense 30-minute barre
The post Barre Booty workout (video) appeared first on The Fitnessista.
Health Minister Christian Dubé says he has been shocked by the behaviour of some Quebecers vacationing in the south during the holiday break. He is asking the federal government to implement COVID testing at airports of departure, upon arrival and also to put more resources into enforcing strict quarantine measures here.
A statement from Quebec's Health Ministry says infected traveller had close contacts with three relatives after returning home on Dec. 11, more than a week before flights from the U.K. were halted. One has tested positive for the variant.
A doctor in South Africa who has seen the COVID-19 pandemic push her country's health-care system to the "breaking point" says nations with large supplies of vaccines should consider sharing them early to protect at-risk people around the world.
A COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Saskatchewan's Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization (VIDO) is headed for human clinical trials.
Navdeep Bains, Canada's industry minister, says the country faces mounting mental health concerns that the government will have to address in 2021.
Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé and public health director Dr. Horacio Arruda provide an update on the spread of COVID-19 in the province.
Gov. Gen. Julie Payette says Canadians owe a debt of gratitude to front-line workers for their efforts to save lives and care for others during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Scenario: A personal trainer, Cameron, greets her client, Rodney, and leads him through a workout while Rodney’s Apple Watch tracks his heart rate and active calories burned. For the following week, Cameron builds a training plan for Rodney, including a few independent workouts and daily habits, and Rodney completes them. The next week, a scheduling conflict pops up for Rodney when he’s supposed to meet with Cameron, so Cameron reschedules him for a session for the following day.
Sharing my top posts and pages for 2020.
Hi friends! How’s the day going? I hope you’re having a great one so far. It’s pouring today, so we’ll prob snuggle up with some movies and I’ll catch a BODYPUMP workout in the garage. I’ve also had fresh planner nearby so I can jot down ideas for our upcoming fitness challenge and content for the new year.
As I set my intentions for the upcoming year, I always like to go back and check out my blog posts to see which ones performed well. Some of these are usually expected, and some are complete surprises! It gives me a little glimpse into the type of content that you’re looking for and I like to use some of these ideas to plan future posts.
When I’m planning my content for the next year, I also use your survey suggestions and topic requests. If you haven’t done this year’s survey yet, please take 3 minutes here! Your feedback is invaluable to me (and yes I’ll have a sneaky giveaway to celebrate this week!).
This was the house project I was most excited about! It made such a huge difference in our kitchen and really brightened everything up. It took quite a while (I think it was 5 days total??) but saved us a ton of money and the results were so worth it.
I had a feeling when I wrote this post that it would do well because it’s something that I had to research SO much before we got our guinea pigs. We knew we were getting them for the kiddos, but I was adamant that our house would not smell like a barn. We’ve had them for over a year now and the method has worked well for keeping their habitat clean and smell-free.
Peloton was a huge theme with my top posts because I think so many people are Googling for Peloton-related content. If you have any Peloton specific post requests, please let me know! I’d be happy to create some more sample plans with workouts from the app.
This was from that one time my mom and nana potty trained Liv in 24 hours. It was glorious, I tell ya. The funny thing is that I can’t really give potty training tips to anyone because I’ve never really done it. Mom and nana helped Liv and it was super easy and fast, and P potty trained herself when she was two and we lived in Georgia. She screamed at me to not put a diaper on her, so I didn’t, and she was fine. I definitely got lucky with that whole situation.
This breaks down the app and my fave parts about it!
My heart is still broken from losing our sweet, sassy, fur baby. I feel like I’ve pushed a lot of my grief aside (not healthy, I know) because I can’t think about it too much. I miss her every single day and I can’t believe she’s not here anymore.
These are still some of our go-to staples!
I still drink this often and especially love it during the winter months.
These are still all of my fave instructors!
This is one of those old posts that continues to do well year after year, despite the horrible photos.
More Peloton content 🙂
This is still one of the best things I’ve ever done. I feel SO much better without them in my body and my energy levels are great and my hormone levels are stabilized. I truly think my body was giving me the sign that it was done with them, and I’m so happy I decided to go for it.
One of my very favorite workout platforms! You can still use my link here for 30 days free.
This makes such an easy DIY gift idea or something you can do for yourself! It makes the shower smell incredible.
The girls still love these!!! Such a delicious and healthy little snack bar for kids.
I LOVED the dance cardio workouts on this platform but found the price to be high for what it was, and also had a difficult time canceling my account.
I need to do an updated post since they’ve added so many new classes!
This is another one of the posts I wrote because I felt like there was a lack of info out there. These are my tips for setting up your bike properly and safely unclipping.
TLDR version: make tempeh bacon and NEVER put it in the slow cooker.
So tell me friends: is there a post on the blog that stuck out to you that you really loved? Any topic requests for 2021?
Hope you have a wonderful morning and I’ll see ya tomorrow with an all-new barre booty workout video!
xo
Gina
The post Top posts and pages for 2020 appeared first on The Fitnessista.
More people are currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in England than at the first peak of the outbreak in the spring. Health-care workers are back in "the eye of the storm" as they had been in the spring, the head of the National Health Service said.
COVID-19 vaccinations in Ontario are expected to return to full operations on Tuesday after the province came under fire as the program was scaled down over the holidays.
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday to increase COVID-19 relief cheques to $2,000 US, meeting President Donald Trump's demand for bigger payments and sending the bill to the Republican-controlled Senate, where the outcome is uncertain.
Mapping the nearest washrooms before leaving home is routine for Remo Testini. For 14 years, he’s been living with Crohns disease — a chronic inflammatory bowel condition that can lead to severe abdominal pain and a sudden urgent need to use a restroom, among other issues.
Yukon and the Northwest Territories each received a shipment of 7,200 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Monday, the first step in plans for the territories to vaccinate 75 per cent of their adult population by the end of March.
Hi friends! Happy Monday and welcome to the blur between Christmas and New Years, where time doesn’t really matter. I personally love this week as a chance to regroup and clean after Christmas festivities – our house is a toy store explosion – and also plan for the upcoming year. While I’m not setting my hopes or productivity goals TOO high for 2021 (lesson learned from last year), I’m definitely taking time to assess and plan what I can.
I hope that my friends who were celebrating last week enjoyed a wonderful Christmas! Ours was more key than previous years, but still absolutely lovely. Instead of having the huge Christmas Eve dinner with my dad’s entire side of the family, it was much smaller.
My stepmom set up beautiful outdoor seating areas so we could be spaced out and the kiddos could play on their playground. The weather was perfection!! We ate Chinese takeout, desserts, opened gifts, chatted around the outdoor fireplace, and my dad set up a race track on his putting green so the boys could race remote controlled cars. It was pretty hilarious.
We headed back home and I prepped the egg casserole and cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. The girls put out their treats for Santa and the Pilot and I drank wine and watched Christmas Vacation before calling it a night. (Because we were home so much more this year, we had all of the gifts wrapped and hidden so all we had to do was set everything out!! Usually we’re up until crazy hours of the mornings prepping and assembling, and this year was a pleasant surprise. I’m going to try and do this again for future years!)
A huge Christmas gift: the girls let us sleep until 8am. They were watching TV in the playroom and playing, SO excited to open their gifts, but didn’t wake us up. I can’t even handle their sweetness.
We listened to Christmas music while they opened their gifts, and then mom, nana, my stepdad, Trevor, Uncle E and our cousins were over just in time for breakfast: cinnamon rolls, egg casserole, tamales, picadillo, and ALL the sweet treats. I set out a tray of cookies and peppermint bark, and madre brought over cookies, coffee cake, and grammies (I’ve had a hundred this weekend).
My fave pics from the day:
Mrs. Claus and Christmas Carol
P the explorer,
the Pilot, making his famous eggnog,
and Livi with her favorite: Uncle Jesse.
The kids spent the afternoon playing with their toys and we sat around eating sweets and watching movies. I caught a quick ride on the Peloton and we made dinner: roasted lemon and garlic asparagus, steak (a mix of NY strip and filet mignon), BBQ salmon, roasted potatoes, and mulled wine in the slow cooker.
The rest of the weekend was spent taking down decorations (wah), cleaning up, and taking a break for some time at the pool since it was 75 degrees (and the pool is heated). I’m back in the swing of things today, but before I sign off to get Fit Guides sent, I wanted to share the winner of my favorite things giveaway!
Instagram comment #9: @ksfitzpatrick
I’ll be getting all of the goodies on the way this week and stay tuned for more giveaway fun 🙂
THANK YOU so much to those of you who entered and those of you who completed the annual survey. I’m so excited to plan 2021 content using your amazing requests and feedback. I’m working on a special challenge for January based on many of your survey responses, current struggles (and things I’ve experienced myself!), so I’ll have the details on how to join next Monday. If you want to make sure you get the info first, be sure to sign up for my newsletter here.
Have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya soon!
xo
Gina
The post Christmas 2020 recap appeared first on The Fitnessista.