Buy Canadian First - Your destination for good shopping

My aunt Shirley died of breast cancer and my mother survived it. It is still the leading cause of death for women between the ages of thirty five and fifty. Everyone I know has been touched by this disease in one way or another. The Good Shopper blog has pulled together some wonderful, Canadian-made  Pink products for you to peruse, because good shopping is even better when it helps others!

 

1.  With Winter fast approaching, it's perfect timing for Cherry Lypsyl in the pink ribbon tube! Since last October, the company has donated $50,000 to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. This is a must-have product for your Canadian Winter Survival Kit! How cool that a percentage of every purchase goes to the cause! 

 

Lypsyl 

2. Chapped lips usually has a friend ... frizzy hair! Winter air, indoor heating, hats, you know what I'm talking about! Apparently, a high percentage of women who go through chemotherapy treatments lose their hair and then have it grow back curly, even if it wasn't before. So Jonathan Torch, founder of Curly Hair Solutions, created a non-silicone, chemical free hair care line which includes Curl Keeper,  a great treatment for the frizzies! During the month of October, for every bottle of Curl Keeper purchased at frizzoff.com,  a loonie will be donated.

 

Limited Edition Pink Cashmere

3. Buy Canadian First member Cashmere  encourages us to be "breast aware" and to remember that early detection and treatment are saving lives. I love the limited edition Pink roll! Twenty five cents from each purchase of Cashmere Pink goes to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation! And it's Pink!

 

Pink Scotties

4. Another Buy Canadian First member has gone Pink - Scotties! I am specifically searching these out! I carry tissues with me all year round, as you know, and I even use them in my art work. How cool are pink ones! I'll stock up! The 2011 Scotties "Buttons of Love" tribute box is one of several Pink designs available through November! You can find them in a mixed six pack! Collect them all and trade them with your friends!

You can find lots and lots of great Pink products and companies behind them at the site of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation . Many of these products are things that we need and use all the time which makes it really easy to support a cause that has affected each one of us. You will find kitchenware, clothing, jewellery and accessories, sportswear and fitness products, cosmetics and tools, you name it, there is something Pink for everyone!

What Pink Product are you going to make a point of buying to show your support of Breast Cancer Awareness?

Sidebar: Have a look at this thought provoking article  that Isabelle found. Do you agree or disagree? 

 

:: images courtesy of Buy Canadian First members and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. 

Here at Buy Canadian First, we are truly blessed to be surrounded by individuals and organizations who believe in the Made in Canada message we promote, and strive to support us in very special ways.

 

One such organization is /A\ Morning in Ottawa, with whom we are proud to have been associated with for the last 2 years. The entire team, from on-air hosts to behind-the-scene producers, have always welcomed us on the show with open arms and enabled us to promote products made in Canada and the great companies who make them.

                           The set of /A\ Morning Ottawa

Cast and crew are deeply involved in the local community. They really do care, and it shows. For the past month, they have been auctioning off a selection of products and services donated by local businesses and raised almost $ 15,000 for the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation!

 

Last Friday, to kick-off Ottawa's  Weekend to End Women's Cancers, the /A\ Morning team became the Pink Army and hosted a Pancake Breakfast live outside their studios in the ByWard Market. I was invited to attend, so I got up at 4 AM for the 2-hour drive from Montreal! An early start to a beautiful day, and great fun was had by all!

 

I had to return home that afternoon, but Saturday is when the real work began: a 32 km walk around the city, the first part of the 60-km walk which would take place Saturday and Sunday. Almost 1,000 walkers joined in to raise funds for this all-important cause, some walking in memory of a lost one, others in celebration of their own success in beating the disease.

 

And along the way, some sweet support from another great Canadian company: Kisko, makers of the famous Freezies! When they heard that the Pink Army was looking for some cool treats for the walkers, they graciously donated over 1,000 Freezies to the cause! A family business making Canada's favourite frozen treats since 1977, Kisko is 100% committed to supporting community events such as these. Thanks Kisko, we're so proud to have you on board at Buy Canadian First!

 

Their efforts raised more than $1.8M! Congrats to all...together, we really can make a difference!

Images courtesy of Isabelle Remy and Ziyada Callender.

L’automne est définitivement parmi nous.  Plusieurs d’entre vous êtes plus ou moins heureux de voir cette saison se montrer le bout du nez, et certains d’entre vous êtes plutôt comme moi et êtes presque jouissifs de vivre pleinement cette superbe saison et de profiter de ce que ces courtes semaines ont à nous offrir!

Le mois d’octobre est un mois rempli d’événements et d’activités à faire pour accueillir l’automne en beauté.  Un des plus importants événements selon moi est le fait qu’octobre soit le mois de la sensibilisation au cancer du sein.  Cette cause me tient fort à coeur car ma mère ainsi que ma grand-mère ont été atteintes.  Ma grand-mère a malheureusement dû se faire enlever un sein à cause de cette fâcheuse maladie, par contre ma mère heureusement s’en est bien sortie avec une chirurgie mineure et de la radiation. 

Aujourd’hui, 10 ans plus tard, je suis heureuse de savoir que ma mère a survécu et est maintenant complètement libre de cancer.  On peut tous aider à soutenir cette cause, et chaque geste, aussi petit soit-il, compte pour beaucoup.  Plusieurs marchands offrent des items que l’on peut acheter pour bénéficier la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein, comme par exemple Cashmere® qui fait la promotion du papier hygiénique rose. En plus, ce produit est fabriqué au Canada, donc une raison de plus de s’en procurer, car non seulement nous soutenons une bonne cause mais aussi l’économie Canadienne!

 

25¢ provenant de la vente d’articles de l’édition limitée de papier hygiénique Cashmere® rose seront remis à la Fondation canadienne du cancer du sein.

Cashmere® a également lancé un concours nommé Top création, Top cause Votez, qui est un concours où les internautes doivent voter pour leur design favori de la collection Blanc Cashmere 2010, qui est une collection de vêtements fabriqué entièrement à partir de papier hygiénique.  Non seulement Cashmere® contribuera $1.00 en votre nom à la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein, mais de plus, Cashmere contribuera 5 000$ à la Fondation au nom du designer qui aura reçu le plus grand nombre de vote.

Plusieurs autres marchands offrent des produits ‘roses’ faits au Canada tel que Bureau en Gros, et Foxy Originals.  Cette dernière est une compagnie qui fabrique des bijoux 100% canadiens, en plus d’offrir une collection de colliers fabriqués spécialement pour amasser des fonds pour aider à la sensibilisation au Cancer du sein.  Pour chaque collier de leur collection Pink Eco & Eden vendu, Foxy Originals fera un don de 5$ pour la sensibilisation à la cause. On peut dire que les canadiens sont non seulement fiers d’être canadien, mais aussi soucieux  de la société et des bonnes causes.

  
 
 
Donc, comme vous pouvez le constater, il est vraiment facile de contribuer à cette cause et de sensibiliser les gens.  Et ça ne s’arrête pas là, il n’y a pas que des marchands qui contribuent, mais nous pouvons tous le faire par plusieurs différents moyens.  Un de ces moyens est d’utiliser les médias sociaux, tel que Facebook. CIBC à pleinement exploiter ce dernier en lançant la page Facebook ‘Engagement communautaire CIBC’.  Cette page à pour but de sensibiliser les gens ainsi que de les encourager à soutenir différentes causes, dont celle de la Course à la vie CIBC au profit de la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein.  De plus, pour démontrer notre appui à la course à la vie, la page Facebook offre l’occasion de produire un cadre photo et y inscrire le nom de la personne pour qui vous courrez, télécharger sa photo puis la publier comme photo de profil.  Ce petit geste ne coûte rien, mais peut faire toute une différence dans la vie des personnes atteintes directement ou indirectement par le cancer du sein.

Pour ceux qui préfèrent contribuer directement à la cause, il est toujours possible de le faire en faisant un don à la Fondation Canadienne du cancer du sein.  Je vous encourage tous à donner à cette cause et d’offrir votre soutient car chaque don et chaque geste nous rapproche peu à peu à créer un avenir sans cancer du sein.

Et vous, que ferez-vous pour la cause?

Auteure: Annie Curran, Montreal

The last time I was in Winnipeg was 16 years ago. I was backpacking alone across this great country of ours by train, stopping in Toronto, Niagara Falls, Sault Ste Marie, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Jasper, Kamloops and Vancouver, staying in youth hostels along the way. At the time (I was about to turn 19) this was something I felt I had to do before I started travelling to foreign countries. I only spent 3 days in Winnipeg but have great memories of this fun and historically rich city.

So obviously you could understand why I was excited to get a call from the producer at BT Winnipeg inviting Buy Canadian First to be on their show... and I'm thrilled to say that my second time out to Winnipeg was equally fun. I stayed at the Inn at the Forks. Primarily because of location as the CityTV studio is litterally around the corner from the hotel, but boy what a gorgeous boutique hotel!

Once there (at 7:00AM Wednesday morning), I was welcomed by the security guard and then the set director who gave me the 411 on how things were going to happen. He was really helpful and also very curious about what Buy Canadian First was about. As I crossed the set, while the BT crew was on a commercial break, Pay Chen, producer and co-host, recognized me. "Hi Melissa!" she yelled and waved. So nice... I set everything up for our first segment that I would be doing with Pay. Jon Ljungberg, her co-host, came by to chat with me and to talk about the wine we were going to feature (huge fan of Canadian wines)... The crew was also very inquisitive about the products and even gave me a few leads on Manitoban-made products they knew of (thanks guys!). I had a bit of time left to run through the layout with Pay and then we went live!   

Segment 1: Spring Cleaning for the Mind, Body & Soul. These are the companies we featured:

The Garlic Box, Ontario (official website)

Buy Canadian First member LUSH Cosmetics is at it again: helping the planet and giving things away (check the end of the post)!

For years LUSH has been a leader in ethics and quality. They use the freshest of ingredients, they never test on animals or use products from vendors who test on animals. All handmade, 70% of all their products are 'naked', their catalogues are eco-friendly, they promote green living, support local communities and now LUSH will cut their palm oil use by at least half and eventually eliminate the ingredient all together from their product lines.

What's wrong with palm oil?
Palm oil is found in food products, bio fuels and is a key ingredient in many cosmetics, including soaps. LUSH has invested years of research, visiting the plantations, meetings with organizations such as Friends of the Earth (FoE) and Sumatran Orangutan Society, meetings with the Roundtable for Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as well as talking with manufacturers and retailers, they decided that eliminating the ingredient was the only way.

Palm plantations cover vast areas  Indonesia and Malaysia, places that was once covered in lush ancient rain forests. The burning of these forests add the the already serious global climate problems. Ingenious peoples have been forced from their lands and those who are working on the plantations are at the lowest level with little pay. This is also the last refuge of the orangutans and nearly 90% of their habitat is gone, bringing them to possible extinction in as little as 10 years! Read the details here.

What can we do?
LUSH is contacting 300 companies that use palm oil asking them to reformulate their recipes to eliminate the use of palm oil, in fact, if any of these companies decide to wash their hands of palm oil, LUSH will supply their headquarters with a year's supply of soap. We as consumers can do the same. Encourage your favourite manufacturers and retailers to cut their use of palm oil, contact your MP and tell them how you feel. WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals) and LUSH have partnered together to create a Charity Pot to help the Orangutans, 100% of the retail price of the charity pot, less taxes, go to the organization. As a consumer you have the power just with your buying habits and opinions.

The giving away part
LUSH would like you to see how awesome their palm free soap is! Just leave us a comment about how fantabulistic Lush is and be put into a draw to win 2 of the bestselling LUSH palm free soaps!

We will accept comments as entries until December 22nd. Good luck and thank you LUSH Canada!

Image source: LUSH Cosmetics

Each year, thousands of Canadians are touched by breast cancer. It not only impacts the individuals living with the disease, but their families, friends and loved ones as well.  

These words are quoted from the member profile of Buy Canadian First member Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. It is hard not to be affected by breast cancer in one way or another and even men are not immune to this.

What is Breast Cancer?
If cancer is first found in the breast it is called breast cancer. There are various types of breast cancer and the region runs from the breast to the collarbone and from the armpit to the breast bone.

Cancer is a disease that strikes at a cellular level. Our bodies are made of up of cells that each contain our DNA which stores genetic information and the function of the cell. The DNA usually controls the function, growth and reproduction of a cell unless it is changed. Then the cells begin to grow in an uncontrolled manner. This cell growth becomes a lump and has two outcomes: They are benign (non-cancerous) and not life threatening,  or they begin to invade neighboring healthy cells and are thus called malignant. This condition is cancer. The process known as metastasis is when cancerous cells break free and spread to other parts of the body creating new malignant cell growths.

 

Be Breast Aware
The breasts change through life and being breast aware means that you are aware of how your breasts normally look and feel. This way if something does seem different you will (hopefully) notice them early.  Keep in mind that a change to the breast does not mean breast cancer, it could be a benign condition the key is to know what to look for and to discover malignant growth early. All women  of any age need to be aware. Become Breast Aware with these 5 simple steps.

 

All the Ways to Help.
Donating to the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation can be done as a single, monthly or tribute donation online, by email,  over the phone, fax or post.You could give through a personal giving or get your company involved. You could also donate to one of the many run participants of the CIBC run for the cure.

Blog post written by: Kirsten Bartel

 

Are you a student? Have you ever thought of taking a volunteer vacation? This may be just what you are searching for!

Me to We is an organization which works with youth to help promote change by action. Schools can register their students, thus giving them the opportunity to help such organizations as Free the Children and travelling abroad to places like Kenya, Africa, to build schools, dig wells for fresh water, plant trees and more.

 

We Day was recently hosted in Vancouver on September 29, 2009, and now We Day Toronto has moved to the Air Canada Centre for Monday, October 5, 2009. Registration for tickets is closed, however, you can still catch a LIVE webcast on Monday, from 09:00 to 14:30 EST at ctv.ca/weday. We Day Hamilton will return to Hamilton Place, for the second year in a row, on November 5, 2009. This unique event is a celebration of the power to change the world, and is always attended by inspirational speakers and performers. At We Day Vancouver, His Holiness the Dalai Lama spoke to the 16,000 students who filled GM Place. Every one of the attendees at a We Day event is committed to help make the world better.

If you are attending university and wondering what you should do during the next summer break, wonder no more. Me to We Trips will offer you something unique, something that will impact your life. You will be able to apply knowledge you have learned during your school year to real life applications.

 

 Embark on a trip to a place like Kenya, Africa, and:

• help build a school so children can have a place to learn
• work at providing clean, safe drinking water for the communities
• learn about the traditional culture of another land
• participate in hands-on workshops to learn about issues in Africa

That is only the beginning. While there, you also get to experience and be awed by the natural environment around you. Spend evenings under starry skies and days taking a safari to see the wildlife — lions, zebra, wildebeest — living on the vast savannah. This will definitely be a trip filled with memories which will last a lifetime.

 

If you plan to embark on such a volunteer vacation, you will need to bring quite a few items. You can purchase great and meaningful apparel directly from the Me to We Style online store where fifty percent of all the proceeds will go to the Free the Children organization (and you'll be happy to know that everything is made-in-Canada too).

 

And be sure to check out some of the items we have here through Buy Canadian First members.

• First of all, a strong backpack will come in handy to carry your personal items. Check out the medium backpack from Fort McPherson Tent & Canvas.
• You then have to consider that you will be working and walking a lot, thus a good pair of work gloves and well-fitting hiking boots are also a must.
• The sun is stronger in Africa, and many of the places to which you would travel, than it is here, so a supply of good Lip Balm will also be important. Try the Honey Trap Lip Balms by Lush. We also really like the idea behind their Charity Pot Body Lotion. Lush selects different non-profit organization and to which they donate all the proceeds of their sales to. Lush hand-makes their products in Ontario and British-Columbia to ensure quality, they source their ingredients ethically from around the world and they generously give proceeds to charities, so you can help a cause each time you buy their products.

• Since the work you will be doing will require that you can move freely and efficiently, you will need to have a good pair of pants, such as the Sport Fit Pant by Respecterre, which will allow you the flexibility you need.

• Lastly, organic cotton clothing, such as those made by Attraction in their facilities at Lac Drolet, Quebec, will help show your commitment to the environment and the betterment of the world, as well as, wearing something which will breathe while you work.

Go out and try something new, join the cause, learn while helping others and exploring the world and realize what impact you can have on those around you.

Image sources: Flickr Creative Commons Stevie Withers, Flickr Creative Commons Greg Westfall, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

It's that time of year again! What time? Why it's R-r-r-r-roll up the r-r-r-r-rim to win time!

I couldn't think of a better time to get a caffeine fix in order to get spring cleaning done, well maybe not, but go get your ‘extra large double double' and an apple fritter and enjoy a little Canadiana. But before I begin...

For kicks, Buy Canadian First is hosting its own contest!!

We have 4 - $10 Tim Hortons gift cards to give away!  Leave us your email and comments  about why you buy Canadian and Friday morning (March 13th) we will pick 4 winners using a random numbers generator. Good Luck!

Now, for a bit of history and facts...

Tim Horton was born in Cochrane Ontario in 1930 and was signed to the Maple Leafs in 1949. He played 17 full seasons and 3 partial seasons with the Leafs, he also played briefly for the New York Rangers before he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins. His final years in hockey were with the Buffalo Sabres. His whole 22-year career with the NHL was played as a steadfast defenseman on the blue line. Famous for his strength, Gordie Howe called Horton "hockey's strongest man" but despite his legendary strength, Horton was not a supporter for violence on the ice.

Horton knew that his hockey career wouldn't last forever so he sought out a way to supplement his hockey income. In 1964, Horton decided to try out the coffee and doughnut business and opened a location in Hamilton, Ontario. In 1967 he became partners with retired police offer and franchisee of the Tim Hortons store # 1, Ron Joyce. The rest, as they say, is history.

Horton never saw the chain's iconic success. While returning to Buffalo from a game at Maple Leaf Gardens, Horton was killed in a tragic car accident on February 21, 1974. At the time there were only 40 Tim Hortons locations. The Buffalo Sabres retired his jersey as a tribute to his memory.

Today, Tim Hortons has 2,942 stores in Canada and employs well over 10,000 Canadians comprised of many talented individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, styles and characteristics.

Tim Hortons offers a vast array of employment positions that include some or all of these ‘perks'; Flexible schedules, Convenient locations, competitive wages, comprehensive training, free uniforms, advancement opportunities, incentive programs and benefits.

The true wonders of this company are the community involvement and care of its staff. Every year Tim Hortons give out 20 $1,000 scholarships in Canada to their staff, their children and grandchildren, who also believe in giving back to their community through volunteer work.

It is great to know that the place where you work is concerned about your education and is willing to help out. I am very grateful to Tim Hortons for their support.
- 2005 Tim Hortons Scholarship Recipient

Certainly the goodwill and programs doesn't stop there, in fact this company with its rich Canadian roots does so much more. The Children's Foundation was founded in 1974 to the memory of Tim Horton who loved kids. The foundation sends kids to camp from economically disadvantaged homes. Local programs like free spring break skate and swim times, Tim Bits minor sports program, Earn a bike and more. Tim Hortons support local organizations and charities with donations or sponsorship as well as national sport sponsorships including curling, CFL, NHL, fishing and the Canadian Cycling Association. Sustainable coffee program supporting farmers in their communities and an environmental campaign with several different projects, Tim Hortons is a leader in community involvement.

The Toyota segway...

Now, going back to the Roll-up-the-rim-to-win contest...There are over 31,026,135 prizes to be won ranging from a beverage to to a brand new Toyota Venza. While the Venza is not Canadian made, Toyota does make the Corolla, Rav4 and Matrix right here in Canada! Here is their  current promotional campaign about it! All three models are top of their class for fuel efficiency combined with Toyota's quality and affordability.

Our own Melissa, Partner and Director of Marketing is a very proud owner of a 2009 AWD Toyota Matrix, which she bought because (one) she loved the new model and (two) because it was made in Canada (we don't just talk a good talk here at Buy Canadian First, we really do walk it too ;-)

 

Necessity is the mother of invention...

So we have our contest cup and we are using our teeth and hurting our fingers trying to roll up the rim to see if we won... But now, there is a better way. Buy Canadian First member, Paul Kind of Novel Solutions has invented a gadget known as the Rimroller that was featured in CBC's Dragon's Dene in October of 2008. The Rimroller is easy to use:  just push down and pull up. You can buy them at Lee Valley or any Zellers location for less than $3.

Iona, of Novel Solutions, wanted me to point out that the Rimroller allows you to see if you've won and if you did, you need to remove the whole message (French and English) otherwise you may be denied your prize! You have until May 24th, 2009 to claim your Roll-up prizes. Our contest ends this Friday, with the winners being announced Friday as well.

Image source: Tim Hortons, Toyota Canada, BuyCanadianFirst.ca

To quit smoking is, at best, excruciating. My husband is going through the process right now, he doesn't want to be a smoker anymore but he is battling to win against his own justifications to have another smoke or drag. I asked him for a thought about quitting smoking and of all of them this, to me, describes the hold that smoking has on him and potentially every other smoker out there {you} wanting to quit.

The phrase "cold turkey" scares the s*** outta me...if I thought for one second that there is absolutely no cigarettes left on the planet. I would panic and go crazy...just talking about it is making me shake.

I root for my husband everyday and know that he will win this one on his own terms.

 

Prior to writing this post I was going to throw at you all the statistics, health concerns, death tolls and fires that are associated with or caused by smoking. After looking online for information I realized that perhaps that was not the best format. You see I am a non-smoker now and have been for the last year, had I looked online a year ago to find information to help me quit smoking, I may have lost hope. There is so much to sift through: charity sites, organizations, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, personal blogs, quit smoking coaches and more. In fact so much so that I closed down my web browsers to regroup and start anew today. Instead I am going to organize these links into something that you can sink your teeth into and find what you need fast.

Health Canada has a comprehensive site helping you through your quit smoking journey. They will walk you through: getting ready to quit, quitting now and staying quit. Health Canada has a step-by-step guide to get you prepared for your quit day and an online self help program, two great pages to start with.

The Lung Association of Canada has an easy to view and navigate site with valuable information and links. One of their quit smoking tools is to get help and support to increase your chances of success. Talk to your doctor, community nurse, or your local lung association for programs, services, events and support.

The Canadian Cancer Society is another complete help guide with a helpline, online community and booklets. The Smokers' Helpline is a free, confidential telephone service for smokers who want to quit, are thinking about quitting, have stopped smoking and need support, and for those who don't want to quit, says the website. The Society also has online help, it's free to sign-up and you are able to join the forums, have a quit meter that calculates the money you've saved and your health benefits based on your quit date, quit buddies and inspirational emails. There are the 3 work booklets: One for the smoker who doesn't want to quit, one for the smoker who does and one for those who want to help others. They are available online, in pdf formats or you can fill out a form to receive a mailed copy.

It is said that only 5% of people who quit without help will succeed. In clinical trials, people receiving a 12-week course of CHAMPIX, a stop-smoking-aid developped by Pfizer Canada, nearly quadrupled the likelihood of quitting smoking compared with those taking placebo. CHAMPIX is not a nicotine replacement but targets the nicotine receptors to reduce cravings. Talk to your doctor about it.

Ubi-soft developed, in conjunction with the Allen Carr's experts, My Stop Smoking Coach with Allen Carr. Choose your personal coach then get advice and tips based upon your smoking habits, only for your Nintendo DS.

Some people feel great pride in quitting and they totally should. I am thankful that I can look at my children and ask them to never start and not feel like a hypocrite. I am thankful because I will be a that much healthier as I get older. I am thankful that I can enjoy the taste of a freshly brewed cup of coffee. I am also happy that my husband has decided to quit and grateful that our eldest will remember our experiences and how we struggled and hopefully make different choices later on.

I quit because it was the right time for me, when's your quit date?

Image source: Flickr, Creative Commons - biwook

I think I may be beginning to disappear.

Canadian Sarah Polley wrote and directed the movie Away from Her, based upon the short story The Bear Came over the Mountain by author Alice Munro. It is a heart touching love story dealing with memory and marriage where married couple Fiona (Julie Christie) and Grant (Gordon Pincent) can no longer ignore that she has Alzheimer's. Filmed in southern Ontario and winner of 7 genie awards, this film is a glimpse into the lives of couples living with the disease.

Alzheimer's is a degenerative disease that destroys the brain and impairs memory and thinking it is also the most common form of dementia. In 1906 Dr Alois Alzheimer discovered the disease as well as two key characteristics; plaques and tangles. Plaques form when abnormal clusters of protein fragments called beta-amyloid cluster together, it is believed that they prevent the cell to cell synapse communication and signal the immune system to devour the damaged cells. Tangles destroy the vital cell transport systems made of proteins. The system is organized in parallel strands delivering nutrients, cell parts and other important materials, these lines are held together with the protein tau. The tau collapses and twists where the tangle is forming, the strands are no longer able to stay straight, they fall apart and disintegrate, nutrients and other essentials can no longer pass through the cells and they eventually die. Over time the brain mass with shrink affecting how it functions.

A recent study estimates that 500,000 Canadians are living with Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia of that 71,000 people are under the age of 65 and 50, 000 of those are under 60, this is clearly a concern for us all.

The Alzheimer's society of Canada has a few other startling statistics;

• Women make up 72% of those living with the disease
• In 5 years another 250,000 Canadians could develop Alzheimer's disease or a related dementia
• Within a generation, 25 years, the number could skyrocket to 1-1.3 million Canadians

There is no cure for Alzheimer's.

Brain Health
Genetics and age are 2 risk factors that we haven't control over, but that shouldn't prevent you from following these simple guidelines to maintaining your brain health, and possibly preventing the onset of Alzheimer's.

• Challenge yourself - Just as exercise improves the body, thinking improves the brain, it is that simple. Researchers have shown that learning new things, changing routine and mental exercises cause new synapses and pathways to grow in the brain. Play number games, like Sudoku, try to finish a cross-word puzzle, learn to play an instrument, take a course, memorize new recipes before you start to cook it, attend cultural events and gallery shows or even make it a point to memorize phone numbers. Ubisoft, a premier developper and manufacturer of video games, whose think-tank is located in Montreal, has a great selection to choose from - for all ages. Try Prince of Persia, a non linear adventure game where you make up the story (available for all systems).

• Be socially active - Studies show that people who regularly socialize with others maintain their brain functions better than those who don't. Accept invitations as well as invite others, strike up conversations with people you meet throughout your day, practice random acts of kindness, and volunteer your time.

• Eat well - It is no secret that a well balanced diet can; elevate energy levels, reduce the risk of diabetes and stroke and improve general health but it is also a benefit to the brain. Enjoy a variety of foods; whole grains, seeds, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and lean proteins. Maintain a healthy body weight with physical activity and well balanced diet. Limiting salt, caffeine and alcohol is also good practice. It has become much easier to buy healthy foods but eatit.ca has made it nearly effortless. Eat it is your online organic grocery store; based out of Winnipeg they will deliver your non perishable groceries to you all across Canada, should you live within a few hours you can order perishables as well. Offering you several Canadian items including a made in Manitoba section.

 

Being physically active, reducing stress, protecting the head from injury are also good preventative measures and being wise about our choices; Avoid smoking, drug use and excessive drinking, get regular check ups, enjoy a good nights rest to help with your memory and mood.

How can we help?
You can make a difference by donating money, volunteering your time, or giving a future gift to the society in your Will. There are also events that happen throughout the year that you may be available to participate in, be sure to check your local calendar (British Columbia/Yukon, Alberta/NWT, Saskatchewan, Manitoba/Nunavut, Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia).

To learn more about Alzheimer's please visit the Alzheimers Society of Canada