I can remember when I was a teenager preparing for prom (it was quite a while ago but yes, I can still remember) telling a friend of mine how scared I was to try to walk around in high heels all night. I have never really been a high heel kind of girl. I wish what she had told me would have changed me right then and there; she said that her mom wears high heels all of the time, for work and on weekend and that because of that she had the most amazing, beautiful, and toned legs. As a thin, eat-anything-I-want teenage girl this seemed like a really stupid reason to risk breaking your ankle every day, but now looking down at the short, chubby calves attached to my mother of two body I think, why didn’t I listen?

I realize that there is an argument for the damage that can be caused by wearing high heels every day. Someone once told me that doing so would result in shortening of the calf muscles, making wearing flat shoes very uncomfortable (no wonder Barbie always appears so stiff, he, he, he).

Okay, well to be serious; it is my goal to never sacrifice health for beauty, so I will take chubby calves over painful shortened calves. This brings me to the real reason for the post. There are several new athletic shoes on the market that claim to do wonders for legs and butts! Oh yeah!

These shoes offered by companies such as Sketchers, Reebok, and Curves, work on the principle that a little unsteadiness in the sole of the shoe will cause the body to strengthen leg and butt muscles by trying to prevent you from falling. Sounds like a high heel but without the painful “high” part. Each company has its own design used to create the instability, but the concept appears to be the same.

I would love to try these out but they are quite pricey. Has anyone tried them? Does anyone know which ones work the best?

Thanks in advance, your input is appreciated, by me and anyone else who has to see me in a bathing suit!

Exercising is good for you; this point cannot really be disputed.

It used to be that a brisk run around the park before work was considered to be both safe and effective. Although still true, that seems to be the less popular choice now with more and more people opting for the comfort, convenience, and comradery that a professional fitness facility can provide.

Those that prefer to work out at home have an ever growing number of exercise options available. One of those options may be an elliptical trainer; however, if you purchased one of approximately 125 Horizon Fitness Elliptical Trainers sold at Canadian Tire stores across Canada between October 2009 and December 2009 under the model number CE5.1, and the serial number falls between the ranges EP515N232090001 – EP515N332090519 and EP515X639090001 – EP515X245090129, it has been recalled.

The manufacturer, Horizon Fitness, has received reports of the foot pedals becoming disengaged. Disengaged foot pedals can pose a slip and fall hazard to users however to date no injuries have been reported.

If you own one of these units please contact Horizon Fitness toll-free at 1-800-962-3596 from 8:00AM to 5:00PM CST Monday to Friday for details of the recall procedure.

Are there unsafe ingredients in your cosmetics?

You are probably thinking, and rightly so, “How would I know?” Unless the ingredients listed on your cosmetics include obvious toxins that you have heard of in the news it may be difficult for the average consumer to determine what is safe and what isn’t.

Okay, so now I am on a mission to make you smarter than the “average consumer”; well maybe not smarter, but at least better informed. The chances of cosmetics made in Canada or even in the US containing known dangerous ingredients is fairly low, but it does happen.

For example, in 2007, Health Canada issued a reminder to manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers that the sale of cosmetic products which contain acetonitrile is prohibited in Canada. This “reminder” was issued after Health Canada discovered that products containing acetonitrile were being used in nail salons to remove artificial nails, and in other cosmetic nail preparations. Acetonitrile is known to be toxic by dermal and respiratory routes of exposure; it converts to cyanide in the blood, and at elevated levels, can result in acute poisoning.

Are your cosmetics made by reputable, conscientious manufacturers? All of them, are you sure? Even that really super cute lip gloss that you just picked up at the cash register of your local discount store? Discount cosmetics, while usually very appealing, are often imported from countries where government regulation of cosmetics is minimal, if it exists at all.

Alright, now here comes the good news; there is a way to check your cosmetics for ingredients which are known to be unsafe. The “Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist”, ever heard of it? Health Canada has compiled, and regularly updates, a list of ingredients which are either known to be unsafe when used in cosmetics, or which should only be included in products sold as drug or natural health products, which are more strictly regulated. This list is available to all consumers on Health Canada’s website; you just have to know where to find it. Oh don’t worry I am going to tell you. First, I have this short disclaimer. The list is only truly effective if the cosmetic manufacturer has included a complete and accurate ingredient list on the product. The list also only includes ingredients that are known to be unsuitable for cosmetics, with new advances in testing occurring every day, what is considered safe today may not be considered safe tomorrow. With this being said, the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist is already a very lengthy document. Keep yourself safe; be an informed consumer.

Link to Health Canada’s Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/cps-spc/person/cosmet/info-ind-prof/_hot-list-critique/hotlist-liste-eng.php

If you have any questions about the ingredients in your cosmetics please contact the Cosmetics Division of Health Canada at one of the locations listed here: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/contact/cps-spc/hecs-dgsesc/pso-bsp_on-eng.php

I think this is a question that we have all asked at least once – Can I still use this expired product?

It is 3am and your child wakes with a fever; you reach in to the medicine cabinet and pull out a product 6 months past its expiry date. Do you still use it? Is it safe? I mean, I always eat cereal that is past its expiry date and it hasn’t hurt me yet and the other day while out for coffee I heard the barrister tell a patron that coffee beans past their expiry date are fine just not as fresh. Could this be the same for medicines? Do they lose freshness?

Is the expiry date on drug and natural health products an arbitrary number decided by the manufacturer? No it isn’t, well okay honestly, in the beginning it may well be. When a manufacturer applies to Health Canada for a Drug Identification Number (DIN) or a Natural Product Number (NPN), they consider all of the information available on their product at that time to determine an appropriate expiry period. For most product types, research on similar products has provided a clear indication of the length of time that a product will remain both safe and effective.  If there is little to no information published on this type of product however, the manufacturer will make a conservative “guess” of how long the product will last based on the research and testing that they have performed. Don’t worry though, this “guess” doesn’t last long, because then they have to prove it!

It is a requirement of the Food and Drug and the Natural Health Product regulations that products undergo a stability testing program. As part of this program, the manufacturer tests for many aspects of product quality including tests on product strength, preservative strength, colour and odour changes and any interactions between the product and its packaging. The results of stability studies determine whether an expiry period must be shortened or, as in most cases, can be lengthened.

So if the stability results show that a product is safe and effective for 5 years, the expiry date will be 5 years from the date of manufacture; right? Well… not necessarily. If you are reading this as a consumer you may be surprised by this, but if you are a business owner you may know exactly where I am going with this. If I sell a product to you and you keep it on your shelf feeling entirely confident that is safe to use for 5 years, I am losing money. After all, if I said that it was only good for 2 years then maybe you would have thrown the leftover out and bought a new bottle by now. Brings to mind those Stride gum commercials, doesn’t it? Long lasting products are not always the best money makers.

Okay, so now you may be asking yourself, “Why don’t manufacturers make the expiry period really short then; why not 1 year?” Simple, they have to give you time to buy it and to use some of it. If you end up throwing out an almost full bottle of product because it has past its expiry date, it may make you think that you really didn’t need it on your shelf at all, I mean what a waste; and if the product expires while sitting on the store shelf waiting to be purchased, that is a really poor money maker!

Setting an expiry date takes a careful combination of determining how long the product actually remains safe and effective, how long it will take to sell the product, and how soon you want the consumer to replace the product.  

So what happens to a product when it “expires”? Many things could happen to drugs and natural health products over time. It could be as simple as a colour change; some products start to look dull over time. Although a change in colour is unlikely to kill you, it may be an indicator of another issue such as loss of potency.

Potency, or strength, of a product often decreases over time until it is no longer effective as a treatment. Could loss of potency kill you? Depends, was the active ingredient in the product what was keeping you alive in the first place? If it is a headache remedy that we are talking about, you may be okay with a weakened dose, but if it is your blood pressure medicine, don’t take the chance.

A real danger with expired products occurs if the preservative in the product has lost effectiveness. Preservative may not be exactly what you are envisioning right now; I do not mean that the product has lost freshness and is a little soft; I mean that the product may no longer be microbe free. The preservative is what blocks microbial contaminants from growing in a product. I know, pretty gross; this is especially pertinent when thinking about cosmetics. Expired cosmetics can be dangerous; spreading bacteria on your face is not recommended.  

Prescription products should not be used past their expiry date; some prescription products actually break down into toxic substances overtime. This is a chance you should not take. In fact, it is recommended that you think carefully and consider whether the risk of not taking the product outweighs the risk of taking it before using any products past their expiry date. The expiry date is there for a reason. If you have consumed an expired product and are worried about the consequences you can call the contact number listed on the product, contact a doctor or pharmacist or call Telehealth Ontario for more information.

I knew that cleaning was dangerous!

Health Canada issues a recall notice for Conair’s Lysol® Steam Cleaning Mop model number SM-10LC.

When plugged in, the steam mop heats up fast and provides up to 12 minutes of continuous steam to power away tough grease and scum and can be used with or without the addition of Lysol® All-Purpose Cleaner. 

The recall has been issued following reports that hot water, when mixed with Lysol, can forcefully spurt out and rupture the housing unit, posing a burn hazard to consumers and a possible laceration risk from the broken housing unit.

Health Canada states that they have not received any reports of incidents or injuries related to the use of these mops. Not surprising really, since I doubt that Health Canada is high on consumer’s list of people to call when they burn themselves using their mop.

Conair Corporation has received 14 reports of hot water forcefully spilling out of the water reservoir compartment in the US and 1 incident report in Canada. Two people in the US received minor burn injuries requiring medical attention.

Approximately 8,700 of the recalled products were sold at Sears Canada, Home Hardware, and other retailers across Canada between from March 2007 and October 2009.

Consumers affected by this recall can contact Conair Corporation at 1-866-729-2389 between 8:30AM and 5:00PM ET Monday through Friday, or by email at consumer_canada@conair.com for information on receiving a free replacement steam cleaning mop.

On January 14, 2010 Health Canada issued a recall notice for all lots of Hesh Aritha Powder – The Natural Shampoo for your Hair, sold under UPC 8901701104108. Approximately 1,300 units of this product were sold in total from 2003 to 2010 at various retailers in Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba and from 2007 to 2010 at various retailers the Greater Toronto Area.

The product was found to be contaminated with high numbers of microbial growth, including Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia hermannii, Pantoea species, Enterobacter cloacae, and mold.  Coliforms such as Enterobacter cloacae can be found in the feces of many birds and mammals, including humans. Contamination of products with mold and bacteria such as coliforms are clear indicators that this product has been manufactured or stored under poor sanitary conditions. Although not specifically identified, Health Canada warns that the presence of these contaminants suggests that other pathogens of fecal origin may also be present.

The concern with a contaminated product sold in a powdered form, such as Hesh Aritha Powder, is that these pathogens may be introduced into the body through inhalation or open wounds. To date, Health Canada states that they have not received any reports of incidents or illnesses related to the use of this product.

Hesh Aritha Powder is marketed as an Ayurvedic Treatment for Hair and is sold as a natural cleansing agent for hair, skin, laundry, washing silk, woolen clothes, silver and gold ornaments and utensils.

Hesh Pharma, the creator of this product, was established in India in 1978 with the claim of being dedicated to fostering the revival and growth of Ayurveda. An excerpt from the Hesh Pharma website states, “As a matter of principle, the Company has always adhered to using purest raw material and processing them in an infrastructure that’s absolutely state-of-the-art”; a bold statement in light of the recent contaminant findings.

Ayurveda is a form of traditional medicine that originated in India and is used widely by people of Indian decent all over the globe. In recent years, traditional forms of medicine have grown in popularity with people from all cultures. In an effort to escape the hold that many Canadians feel Big Pharma has placed on our society, people reach out to homeopathy, acupuncture, Ayurveda and other types of traditional treatments in an attempt to move back toward more natural forms of healing.

Many natural health products pose much less of a risk to your health than their pharmaceutical counterparts and a natural health product has never been determined to be the cause of any death in Canada, which is something that cannot be said of pharmaceutical medicines. For these reasons, the word “natural” is often thought of as being synonymous with the word harmless.

This, unfortunately, is not the case. A natural remedy taught to you by your grandmother such as hot water with ginger and brown sugar to cure a sore throat is not the same as purchasing a natural health product that was manufactured in a factory. Many factories which produce natural health products, whether in Canada or overseas, maintain very high levels of cleanliness and work hard to prove to consumers and to Health Canada and other regulatory agencies that they are just as capable of adhering to government regulations as the pharmaceutical industry is. It is unfortunate when one company’s acts serve to tarnish the reputation of an industry already in the position of David against Goliath.

Drinking your way to a slimmer you sounds too good to be true and depending on the product you use it just may be.

On January 14, 2010, Health Canada issued a warning to consumers to discontinue use of the products “The Slimming Coffee” and “Lose Weight Coffee”. These natural health products were distributed by Gateway International of Ville Saint-Laurent, Québec and manufactured in China by MeiYa Technology Building. Gateway International has stopped selling this product and no recall has been issued at this time.

The warning was in response to the finding that these products contain the drug Sibutramine. Sibutramine is a chemical found in prescription medicines, such as Meridia, used to treat obesity. It is used to help people lose weight and maintain their weight loss by affecting the chemicals in the brain that control appetite, making people eat less by helping them feel full.

There is a long list of conditions that make taking a product containing Sibutramine dangerous to your health. You should not take Sibutramine if you are taking or have recently taken any other weight management medications that act on chemicals of the brain, MAO inhibitors, St. John’s wort, antidepressants and antipsychotics or the antidepressant fluoxetine. You should also avoid Sibutramine if you suffer from a psychiatric illness including depression, high blood pressure that is not properly controlled, a history of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa or if you have ever had a heart attack, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, heart-related chest pain, irregular heart beats, a stroke, or symptoms of a stroke.

Reported side effects of Sibutramine include constipation, headache, sweating, nervousness, trouble sleeping, dry mouth, and vomiting however Health Canada warns that Sibutramine may also cause serious side effects including cardiovascular reactions such as increased blood pressure, chest pain, and stroke.

In their issued warning, Health Canada makes the clear statement that “The Slimming Coffee” and “Lose Weight Coffee” are not authorized for sale in Canada. This statement leaves many people wondering how products such as these come to be available on Canadian store shelves.  Gateway International has not done anything illegal by offering these products for sale. They have, in fact, done the responsible thing by stopping the sale of this product. To date no adverse reactions from the use of either “The Slimming Coffee” or “Lose Weight Coffee” have been reported in Canada.

The reason that many natural health products remain “unauthorized” at this time is due to the backlog of Product Licence Applications currently waiting to be reviewed by the Natural Health Products Directorate. It has been the practice of Health Canada for many years to allow natural health products to be sold prior to the completion of their review process.

When natural health products pass Health Canada’s assessment for safety, effectiveness, and quality, a Natural Product Number (NPN) is issued and will appear on the label of that product. It is your choice as an informed consumer whether you choose to use only those products that have been issued an NPN. An NPN does indicate that Health Canada has reviewed the paperwork sent to them; however it does not ensure the safety of any individual batch of product. Evidence of this is clear based on product recalls issued for products that contain Drug Identification Numbers (DIN), a Natural Product Numbers (NPN), and Homeopathic Medicine Numbers (DIN-HM).

The absence of an NPN also does not indicate that a product is unsafe; it is possible that the documents for that product just had the misfortune of ending up on the desk of a really slow reviewer.  

~Do not sacrifice health for beauty. Do not sacrifice freedom of choice for government protection~    

Big Pharma – those greedy, money hungry, tyrannical saboteurs of all that is good in the health care industry.

Okay, well maybe they are not as bad as all that and they may not even be as bad as you have been made to believe.

In the wake of the incredible devastation in Haiti, some pharmaceutical companies are reaching down into their deep pockets to provide aid in the form of money and much needed medicine. An examination of Big Pharma press releases has provided this short list of what some of the members of Big Pharma have committed to donating to the disaster relief efforts:

Lilly has initially pledged $250,000 in direct cash contributions. Half of this amount will be for short-term relief, with the balance donated over the next 12 months in support of the longer-term rebuilding efforts. The company will also match contributions of its U.S. employees, up to a total of $250,000. In addition, Lilly will work with non-governmental organization partners working in Haiti on appropriate donations of medicines. (1)

Initial donations of GSK medicines valued at $1.4 million have been provided from stocks held in warehouses of our non-profit partners, such as AmeriCares, Direct Relief International, Health Partners International of Canada and International Medical Assistance. These medicines were mainly oral and topical antibiotics, including Bactroban, Zovirax, Augmentin, Ceftin, Zinacef and Zantac. The company has also committed approximately $408,000 (£250,000) to the British Red Cross to help meet the water and sanitation needs of those affected by the disaster. (2)

Bayer is providing immediate relief in the form of medicines worth around EUR 90,000. The company will make the medicines available to the Red Cross in the Dominican Republic to enable it to be distributed quickly from there to neighboring country Haiti. Bayer also calls on its employees worldwide to make donations through the Bayer Cares Foundation. The company will double the amount donated by its employees up to a level of EUR 100,000. These funds are to be used for projects that will make a sustainable contribution to reconstruction in the disaster areas. (3)

AstraZeneca is contributing to the global rescue effort in the wake of Haiti’s devastating earthquake. We have donated antibiotic and respiratory medicines (Meronem, Pulmicort and Rhinocort) through US charity AmeriCares and through Health Partners International in Canada, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and respiratory (Tenormin, Losec, Nexium, Bricanyl, Pulmicort Turbuhaler) medicines. We have also made a donation of £100,000 to the British Red Cross Emergency Appeal. (4)

Novartis is providing the equivalent of over USD 2.5 million in immediate emergency aid for victims of the recent earthquake in Haiti. The support includes both direct financial aid to relief agencies working in Haiti as well as donations of essential medicines, including antibiotic and pain relieving drugs. (5)

It is our desire as a society to hold these companies accountable and demand that they show us their generosity that has lead to the need for companies to provide these figures.

The list of companies for whom I could find no evidence of a proposed contribution or for whom I found a commitment to assist without figures provided is much longer; BUT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, they have, or will, contribute to the Haitian people without the need to make a global announcement. After all, doing the right thing should be the reward itself, not the recognition and praise that you hope to achieve from articles like this.

References
1. Lilly Sends Relief to Haiti Earthquake Victims: http://newsroom.lilly.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=437716
2. GSK contributes to Haiti relief efforts: http://www.gsk.com/media/pressreleases/2010/2010_us_pressrelease_10005.htm
3. Bayer Helps Victims of Earthquake in Haiti: http://www.press.bayer.com/baynews/baynews.nsf/id/C640954D68FE0A9AC12576AC005C17A5?Open&ccm=001
4. AstraZeneca contributes to global rescue effort for Haiti: http://www.astrazeneca.com/;jsessionid=q9YJLRSTHgywTdRsTQH1qyM1MMJ9hPPh316w6WrsdnVTKjrczhFR!1898410805?collapsePanel4092841=true!1898410805?collapsePanel4092841=true
5. Novartis providing equivalent of over USD 2.5 million in immediate emergency aid for victims of Haiti earthquake: http://www.novartis.com/newsroom/media-releases/en/2010/1374141.shtml

Working in the area of drug and natural health product regulation I have found that this is a question that divides many people – myself included.

You see, although I spend a lot of time working with people who see Health Canada as an opposition to their goal of having their products licenced for sale in Canada and a speed bump in their road to success, I am also a Canadian citizen and a mother. I want what is best for my family, neighbours, and friends and in the end what is good for Canadians overall.

Health Canada states their mission as the following:

Health Canada is committed to improving the lives of all of Canada’s people and to making this country’s population among the healthiest in the world as measured by longevity, lifestyle and effective use of the public health care system.
– Source Health Canada website January 13, 2010

What does this mean to you?

I recently read an article on the CTV News website which surprised me. The author was concerned that Health Canada was not doing enough to keep ineffective weight loss products off of our store shelves. I was surprised because most of the people that I have spoken with are concerned about how many products that Health Canada already prevents Canadians from accessing. Natural Health Product submissions in particular are being rejected by Health Canada in alarming numbers and hundreds more are being withdrawn by manufacturers who are no longer willing to subject themselves to the burden of adhering to the increasingly complex demands of Health Canada.

As a mother and Canadian consumer I want safe products on the shelves, I want to have confidence that the products that I buy have conformed to strict safety and efficacy requirements.

As a mother and Canadian consumer I also want choice. I want to decide what is best for me and my family; I want access to products that can improve our quality of life.

As a business owner, I feel for all of the honest small business owners in this industry. Meeting Health Canada’s requirements can be difficult and expensive. There are great, safe, and effective products out there that we may never see. Not because of issues with their quality, but because of a lack of funding. Is this, I ask you, “improving the lives of all of Canada’s people”?

With a pantry full of snacks and candy and a cupboard full of extra strength cleaning solutions, my house certainly is not. Well, not yet anyway. I believe that I am still capable of change and I am on a mission to do so.

With two small kids at home you would think that my eyes would have been opened to the dangers of harmful chemicals long ago. Well, as a biologist I am aware of their effects on the environment; and as a specialist in Canadian food and drug and natural health product regulations, I am aware of the dangers that the chemicals they contain could pose to human health. These facts, however, have never really hit home so far as to make me delve into my cleaning supplies and toss them in exchange for their “green” equivalents. Incredibly, my kids have never even tried to venture into that cupboard (probably because they rarely ever see me go in there either, I am by no means a domestic goddess).

So what has prompted me to dust off the cobwebs and have a look?

A little puppy, well actually a whole bunch of little puppies to be exact.

Recently, my dog had a litter of eight puppies. This was a planned event and the puppies were very happy and healthy. I was vigilant about cleaning up any messes left by the pups and wiping up the areas with towels and water. The area in which the puppies were making the mess was in my mudroom where we store our shoes and not in an area in which the kids were playing so it was not too much of a concern of mine. Then, one day when I came home, there was my husband mopping the area with a very strong and lemon scented cleaner (That actually explained a lot, about who had bought all of those cleaners in that dusty cupboard in the first place). I started screaming, “You can’t use that in here you will poison the puppies!” A bit of an exaggeration I know, but I am known as a bit of a drama queen.

So here I am, asking – what should I use? Do you have a favourite safe cleaning product? Let us know.