The places where children play – whether it’s at the local park or the neighbourhood daycare – tend to be crawling with germs. That’s because children have not yet figured out how to prevent spreading germs. Most adults cover their mouth when they cough or sneeze. Young kids? Not so much. And what about thoroughly...
Who doesn’t enjoy eating French fries or potato chips from time to time? After all, frying is one of the oldest and most popular forms of cooking. It gives food that taste, colour and texture we love so much. Of course, most fried food is not exactly what you could call “healthy”. Partially hydrogenated oils...
Listeriosis is a foodborne illness primarily caused by ingesting food contaminated with a bacterium called Listeria monocytogenes. Approximately 150 Canadians are infected with listeriosis each year. Though rare, listeriosis can sometimes lead to death, especially in people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, pregnant women (and their fetuses), and very young children. How...
Biofilms are a sticky matrix of proteins and sugar polymers created by bacteria as a way of protecting themselves. More specifically, biofilms consist of bacteria, moulds, yeasts and fungi, viruses and microscopic algae, and frequently show up inside pipes and in other very humid locations. Biofilms are ugly, smelly and uncomfortable to touch. But more...
As people become more aware of the health and environmental risks of red meat, a growing number of Canadians are looking to curb the amount of meat in their diets. Some are adopting a more plant-based diet; others are giving up meat altogether (roughly 4% of the population is currently vegetarian). The most popular alternative...
As of September 15, 2018, the Government of Canada will be banning the sale of all products containing partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of industrial trans fats in Canadian foods. Although Canadians have greatly reduced their intake of trans fats in recent decades (in the 1990s, we were among the world’s biggest consumers of...
What’s the best way to stay healthy? By eating a balanced diet? Going for a daily jog? Drinking lots of water? All of the above! And yet, there’s one vital and easy-to-adopt habit missing from this list: washing your hands. As simple as it may seem, washing your hands is one of the best ways...
The world population continues to grow and is projected to exceed 9 billion by 2050. Numbers like these make it painfully clear that conventional animal farming will soon not be enough to supply the world's population with meat. The search for new sources of protein is crucial and urgent. Among the possible options, insects appear...
In today's fast-paced world, people are spending a lot less time cooking. Working professionals, students, young families - you name it. It seems that everyone's lives are too hectic to find time to prepare meals. Cooking has now become more of a hobby than a daily activity, and home-cooked meals are increasingly being relegated to...
Suffering from a sore throat, stuffy nose and nasty cough. Feeling feverish and fatigued? How can you tell if these symptoms are due to a cold, the flu or allergies? Not easily, sometimes, because all three ailments share many of the same symptoms. They all affect the respiratory system and can make breathing difficult. All...
