Dr Cory Couillard

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net The convergence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and infectious diseases (IDs) in low- and middle-income countries presents major challenges to the world’s poorest and most neglected groups of people. NCDs continue to escalate and cause hundreds of billions of dollars of loss annually despite aggressive lifestyle campaigns. A NCD is a medical condition or disease that is non-infectious and non-transmissible amongst people. NCDs may be chronic diseases of long duration and slow progression, or they may result in more rapid death such as some types stroke and heart attacks. Unknowingly to most, NCDs also include autoimmune diseases, many cancers, asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease and many more. Most Low- to middle income countries has dual disease burdens of NCDs and IDs including tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and parasitic diseases. Unfortunately, experts, institutions and policies that support prevention and control of these two overa

Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net Over the past twenty years, a lot has changed, and the foods that we eat are creating a sicker generation of children. Even small changes will go a long way when significant percentages of the population take part, knowing or unknowingly. As a result, we now have epidemic increases in diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer. The commercialization of food has forced food companies to find newer, cheaper mechanisms to increase the shelf life of food, improve color, taste and perceived nutritional value.  The result – a food system that is heavily laced with food preservatives, artificial food colorings and chemicals. Processed foods are one of the greatest dangers to one’s overall health as they provide little actual nutritional value.  These foods are commonly loaded with unhealthy sugars, salts and fats that create inflammation, spike blood sugar and elevate blood pressure. Instant noodles topped with MSG There are many brands of

Image courtesy of www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net Processed meats make global news once again.  A new study published in the journal BMC Medicine concluded that diets that are high in processed meats would increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers said that the salt and chemicals used in preserving sausages, ham, bacon and other processed meats increased the risk of dying young in a study that included over a half of million otherwise healthy people in 10 European countries. The British Journal of Cancer (BJC) recently found processed meats to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer by 38 percent as well. The data was gathered from 11 clinical trials and over 6,000 pancreatic cancer patients. Pancreatic cancer is one of the types of cancers that boast the highest mortality rate amongst all cancers. Lifestyle dictates health outcomes In total, one in every 17 people in the study died prematurely.  The statistics show that 5,500 died from heart disease and nearly 10

Image courtesy of www.kidney.org World Kidney Day is turning into a global phenomenon.  On 14 March 2013, medical professionals, government officials, the general public, celebrities and patients will take action in local communities around the world. Past World Kidney Days have seen more than 600 events in well over 90 countries. World Kidney Day is a joint initiative between the International Society of Nephrology and the International Federation of Kidney Foundations. They report that fewer than 1 in 10 people are aware that regular kidney checks are a vital health tool in the prevention and treatment of kidney disease. Vast prevention efforts are underway to curb the millions that die prematurely of heart attacks and strokes associated with kidney disease.  Being proactive is the key as 1 in 5 people with kidney failure are only referred to a specialist when their kidneys have already failed and their prognosis is poor. Kidney disease becoming more common It’s been rep