Latest posts in Docs Talk
Environmental health is a matter of intergenerational justice
It's not fair that we leave our descendants to pay with their health and security for the environmental damage we created, knowingly or unknowingly. (Credit: Peggy Olive)
Peggy Olive is Scientist Emeritus at the British Columbia Cancer Agency. Her research focused on the use of DNA damage as a way to predict patient response to cancer treatments. She is involved with the Suzuki Elders, a voluntary association of self-identified elders working with and through the David Suzuki Foundation to mentor, motivate and support other elders and younger generations in dialogue and action on environmental issues. Docs Talk asked Dr. Olive to share her thoughts on the intergenerational dimension of environmental health issues.
Docs Talk: What motivated you to volunteer as a Suzuki Elder?
Dr. Olive: In November 2009, I awoke to hear CBC's Vancouver morning-show host Rick Cluff announcing a meeting to be held that day at the Vancouver Public Library. The Suzuki Elders were hosting an Elders and Environment Forum. Although I'd been a volunteer with the David Suzuki Foundation since retiring earlier that year, I hadn't known about this group, so I attended the meeting, which led to my joining the Association of Suzuki Elders with the intention of motivating myself and others to action on critical environmental issues. We've recently organized a successful second forum, and our membership is growing.
Continue reading »Coping with climate change is a family matter
(Credit: Difei via Flickr)
Michael Ocana is a child-and-adolescent psychiatrist in Kelowna, B.C., with an interest in the climate crisis. Docs Talk asked Dr. Ocana to share his ideas on how to take care of our mental health in the face of environmental challenges and how to support our children as they grow up in a changing world.
Docs Talk: What emotions are involved in our response to the climate crisis?
Dr. Ocana: First of all, I have found that integrating an awareness of the implications of climate change is difficult. It is not easy to image that the world may be profoundly different for our children or grandchildren. When we do, we might experience sadness, anger, frustration, anxiety and guilt. Processing these emotions is no small task. Our culture includes strong social pressure to "think positive" and "put on a brave face." We can face resistance from others as we wrestle with a new awareness. In our modern world there is rarely the social network available to support our experience of such powerful emotions. The power of the individual to influence change seems so small. It is easy to give up, believing that any action we take will be meaningless. Yet we do have an influence no matter how tiny. We can't entirely distance ourselves from shared responsibility. The potential for guilt and psychic dissonance sets in. It may even feel as if we are facing a decision between denial and succumbing to anxiety and paranoia. The path between these two extremes can feel like a tightrope.
Continue reading »Pesticides bans are healthy for environment and people
If you live in a province that hasn't already banned cosmetic pesticides, tell your representative that you want legislation to ensure a clean environment for you and your children (Credit: OlivIreland via Flickr).
Cathy Vakil is a family doctor in Kingston, Ontario, and an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Queen's University. She is an active member of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) board of directors and the Ontario College of Family Physicians Environmental Health Committee. She co-authored the Pesticide Literature Review published by the Ontario College of Family Physicians in 2004. As a follow-up to her earlier posting in this series, Docs Talk asked Dr. Vakil to reflect on recent developments in pesticide science and policy.
Docs Talk: What prompted you to become involved in pesticide issues?
Dr. Vakil: As a family doctor, I consider preventative medicine the best way to deal with health issues. Maintaining a healthy environment is key to a healthy population. There has been a lot of controversy about the health effects of pesticides for many decades, particularly with respect to cancer, and especially childhood cancer. I became more aware and concerned about pesticides when my children were young and I was worried about the harmful effects of contaminants on the food they were eating. This led me to explore the research on pesticides and health.
Continue reading »Your brain on nature
There are multiple ways in which people can make contact with nature in a mindful way – a 20-minute respite away from the office or classroom in an urban park, community or personal gardening, and many other activities (Credit: David via Flickr).
Alan C. Logan is a graduate of the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine and an invited faculty member at Harvard's School of Continuing Medical Education. His latest book, written in collaboration with Harvard Medical School physician Eva Selhub, explores the connection between nature and human health and happiness. Your Brain, On Nature: The science of nature's influence on your health, happiness and vitality will be published by John Wiley Inc. in spring 2012.
Docs Talk: What happens to our brains "on nature"?
Dr. Logan: People commonly report that spending time in nature makes them feel better. A series of recent studies provides scientific support for this notion. Sophisticated brain-imaging techniques show that when healthy adults view nature scenes rich in vegetation, areas of the brain associated with emotional stability, empathy, and love are more active. These same pathways are activated when a person looks at pictures of a loved one. In contrast, viewing scenes of the built urban environment produced a significant increase in activity of the amygdala, an area of the brain associated with fear and stress. These findings support previous investigations showing that nature scenes can enhance brain-wave activity in ways that are similar to the benefits of meditation.
Docs Talk: How is day-to-day life preventing our brains from reaping those benefits?
Dr. Logan: There has been a shift away from nature-based recreation in favour of the ubiquitous screen. Even when individuals enter green space, they are often not really "there" in the mindful sense — texting, incoming messages, and eyes fixated upon Smartphones take the brain elsewhere. In many ways we are drowning in a sea of infotoxicity and entertainment media. Extracting ourselves from the information vortex is hard because "information", even of dubious quality, has a powerful physiological pull. To be clear, technology does wondrous things; it is not "bad". However, an overuse of gadgetry technology may be a key driver in the dilution of nature's benefits.
Continue reading »The heart of the matter on climate change
Bradley J. Dibble is a cardiologist working in both Barrie and Newmarket, Ontario. In addition to his commitment to health care with a particular emphasis on risk-factor management and preventative medicine, he has a special interest in environmental issues and the climate crisis. He was appointed by the federal Minister of the Environment in 2009 to the Sustainable Development Advisory Council and is an Eco-Leader with the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE). Dr. Dibble has written a book titled Comprehending the Climate Crisis, which has just been published. Docs Talk asked Dr. Dibble to share his perspective on climate change.
Docs Talk: As a cardiologist, what sparked your interest in climate change issues?
Dr. Dibble: First and foremost, my concerns about climate change stem more from simply being a concerned citizen of this planet. However, as physicians we have a duty to care for people in our communities, and not just those who are sick; we also do our best to prevent health problems. I believe that duty extends beyond those who step into our offices. Additionally, cardiovascular and respiratory patients are particularly sensitive to changes in temperature and humidity, so many of the types of patients I treat are going to be the most susceptible to adverse effects on health due to climate change.
Continue reading »
