Latest / Morning Medical with Dr. Chow / Nurse Burnout, Virtual Mental Health, and Strength Training for Post-Menopausal Women

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Nurse Burnout, Virtual Mental Health, and Strength Training for Post-Menopausal Women · Morning Medical with Dr. Chow

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  Welcome to Morning Medical with Doctor Chow, where we bring you the latest medical and
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  health news from around the world.
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  I'm Doctor Chi-Ming Chow, your host for today's episode.
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  Let's dive into today's top stories.
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  Nurse burnout is a critical issue that's been linked to reduced patient safety and
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  satisfaction, as well as lower quality of care.
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  A comprehensive meta-analysis, examining decades of data, has highlighted this
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  concerning trend.
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  The study evaluated 85 separate studies involving a total of 288,581 nurses across 32
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  countries.
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  It found that occupational burnout among nurses was significantly associated with a lower
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  safety climate or culture, reduced patient satisfaction ratings, and lower nurse-assessed
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  quality of care.
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  The emotional exhaustion and depersonalization aspects of burnout were identified as the most
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  closely associated with compromised patient safety.
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  This meta-analysis, published in JAMA Network Open, underscores the urgency of addressing
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  nurse burnout not just at an individual level, but through systemic changes.
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  Despite numerous organizational and national quality improvement efforts over the years, the
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  link between nurse burnout and quality of care has only grown more negative, emphasizing the
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  need for interventions.
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  Co-author Lambert Zixin Li, a Doctor of Philosophy candidate at Stanford University,
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  pointed out the urgent need for governments and organizations to address the structural issues
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  in the work environment that cause nurse distress, rather than merely teaching nurses to
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  tolerate a flawed system.
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  The findings suggest that even a small reduction in nurse burnout could have
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  significant positive impacts on various patient outcomes.
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  The meta-analysis revealed that nurse burnout was associated with lower safety grades and an
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  increase in nosocomial infections, patient falls, medication errors, and adverse events.
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  However, it was not linked to patient mortality, frequency of patient abuse, patient
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  complaints, or pressure ulcers.
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  These results indicate that while burnout impacts many aspects of patient care, some
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  outcomes remain unaffected.
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  Interestingly, the study found that higher levels of nurse education might mitigate some
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  negative effects of burnout.
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  Although the overall link between burnout and quality of care was not influenced by
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  educational level, the association between burnout and lower patient safety was weaker
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  among nurses with a higher share of college degrees.
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  This suggests that advanced training could help nurses better manage the stressors that
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  contribute to burnout.
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  The analysis did note some limitations, such as the heterogeneity of the analyzed studies and
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  the cross-sectional design of most studies, which prevented the establishment of a causal
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  relationship between burnout and patient outcomes.
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  Nonetheless, the findings provide a compelling case for investing in nurse training and
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  professional development as part of a broader strategy to combat burnout and improve patient
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  safety and care quality.
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  A recent study has found that increased use of virtual mental health care services is linked
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  to a lower risk of suicide-related events.
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  This retrospective cohort study examined data from more than sixteen thousand veterans with
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  prior mental health diagnoses.
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  The researchers discovered that a one percent increase in the proportion of mental health
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  care delivered through telehealth services was associated with a two point five percent
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  decrease in suicide-related events.
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  This significant finding was reported by Kertu Tenso, Doctor of Philosophy, of Boston
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  University School of Public Health and her co-authors in the journal JAMA Network Open.
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  According to Tenso, an increase in virtual mental health visits relative to total visits
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  was correlated with a decrease in suicide-related events among recently separated
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  veterans.
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  "Virtual mental health services may be protective in terms of suicide-related
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  outcomes," she mentioned in an email to MedPage Today.
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  However, she also noted that this might not apply to every patient, as some individuals may
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  still prefer traditional in-person mental health care.
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  Therefore, it's crucial to continue offering both care options.
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  Tenso suggested that the mechanisms behind this reduction might be linked to increased access,
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  thanks to reduced travel time and costs.
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  Additionally, virtual visits could alleviate the discomfort and stigma that sometimes
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  accompany in-person care.
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  These factors might contribute to the protective effect observed with virtual mental
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  health services.
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  In an invited commentary, Jean Yoon, Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Health Science, of the VA
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  Palo Alto Health Care, emphasized that virtual care provides greater access to mental health
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  services for veterans transitioning into civilian life, where suicide is a leading cause
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  of death.
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  "These findings highlight the potential for telehealth to improve access to mental health
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  care and health outcomes among veterans at risk of suicide or other adverse outcomes," Yoon
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  wrote.
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  However, Yoon pointed out that the study's emphasis on the quantity of care provided
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  through telehealth services leaves some questions unanswered about its overall benefits
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  and risks.
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  For their study, the authors identified a nationally representative sample of Veterans
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  Health Administration patients who received mental health care between March first, two
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  thousand twenty, and December thirty-first, two thousand twenty-one.
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  All participants were recently separated veterans who completed active duty between
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  March first, two thousand nineteen, and December thirty-first, two thousand twenty, and
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  had at least two diagnoses related to major depressive disorder, substance use disorder, or
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  posttraumatic stress disorder in the year before their separation date.
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  The researchers employed a quasi-experimental instrumental variable probit model for their
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  analysis.
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  They chose the percentage of the population in a county with broadband access as their
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  variable, defining it as access to three or more internet providers offering speeds of one
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  hundred megabits per second or higher.
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  In total, they analyzed sixty-six thousand three hundred eighty-seven data points from
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  sixteen thousand two hundred thirty-six veterans, who had a mean age of thirty-two
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  point nine years.
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  Just over half of the participants were white, about twenty-six percent were Black, and
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  sixteen point four percent had an unknown ethnicity.
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  Among the observations, sixty-seven point four percent were male veterans, and there were nine
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  hundred twenty-nine suicide-related events.
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  The authors also noted that virtual visits constituted a mean of forty-four point six
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  percent of all mental health visits in the data sample, with an average of two point two visits
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  per month, including virtual, phone, and in-person visits.
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  The study acknowledged several limitations, such as relying on zip code data for about
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  seven percent of the veterans' locations, which may not be precise or could represent addresses
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  where veterans no longer reside, like their parents' homes.
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  Furthermore, the authors cautioned that their findings might not be generalizable to
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  non-veteran populations, and unmeasured confounders could have influenced broadband
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  access or the outcome of suicide-related events.
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  Despite these limitations, the study provides valuable insights into the potential benefits
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  of expanding virtual mental health care services for veterans.
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  Today, we're diving into the significant benefits of strength training for women
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  post-menopause.
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  As we age, staying active is one of the best things we can do for our health.
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  While many people tend to focus on cardiovascular exercises, it's crucial to
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  prioritize weight-bearing exercises, especially for women approaching menopause.
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  During menopause, the body undergoes several changes.
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  One of the most notable is the decrease in estrogen levels, which can lead to a loss of
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  muscle mass and a weakening of bones, significantly increasing the risk of
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  osteoporosis.
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  While medications can help manage these symptoms, strength training offers a more
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  proactive approach to prevention.
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  Strength training not only helps to build muscle mass but also increases bone density,
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  making it an essential component of physical health maintenance both before and after
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  menopause.
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  The good news is that you do not have to engage in strenuous lifting to see the benefits.
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  Even simple exercises using three-pound weights can be effective.
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  Jen Rockwern, a certified nurse-midwife, emphasizes that strength training is suitable
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  for everyone, including those with osteoporosis or limited mobility.
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  She suggests seated or aquatic workouts as excellent options for those unable to perform
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  traditional weight-bearing exercises.
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  The key is to find a routine that works for you and stick with it.
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  Many women express concerns about becoming 'bulky' through weightlifting.
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  However, Rockwern explains that women generally do not have enough testosterone to develop
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  large muscle mass from strength training alone.
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  The focus should be on improving health and strength rather than worrying about appearance.
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  Trying a new workout routine can feel intimidating, but the long-term health benefits
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  are undeniable.
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  By incorporating strength training into your routine, you can help offset the decline in
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  bone density and muscle mass that accompanies menopause.
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  Your future self will undoubtedly thank you for taking these proactive steps.
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  A recent report from Ottawa Public Health has revealed a startling increase in food
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  insecurity among households in the city.
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  According to the findings, nearly one in four households struggled to afford food in 2023, a
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  significant rise from the previous year where one in seven households faced similar
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  challenges.
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  This alarming trend was highlighted in a presentation at the Ottawa Board of Health
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  meeting, underscoring the growing crisis of food affordability in the region.
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  The report utilized data from the 2024 Nutritious Food Basket survey, which calculates
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  the cost of providing a family of four with a basic nutritious diet based on Canada's food
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  guide recommendations.
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  The survey revealed that it now costs approximately one thousand two hundred
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  forty-four dollars per month to adequately feed such a family, marking an increase of four
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  percent from 2023 and ten percent since 2022.
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  Emily Coja, a senior nutritionist with Ottawa Public Health, presented the survey findings
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  and emphasized the financial strain on low-wage earners and individuals reliant on social
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  assistance.
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  "The real crisis is that incomes are not increasing at the same rate," Coja stated,
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  highlighting the widening gap between income growth and living costs, which forces many to
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  depend on food programs and experience food insecurity.
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  The situation was relatively stable between 2020 and 2021, thanks in part to government
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  assistance programs like the Canada Emergency Response Benefit during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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  However, Ottawa's Medical Officer of Health, Doctor Vera Etches, described the recent surge
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  in food insecurity as "stunning," noting that the crisis is exacerbated by the high cost of
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  housing.
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  "The affordability of housing has really dropped," she noted, pointing out that rising
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  rent costs are compounding the issue.
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  Rachael Wilson, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ottawa Food Bank, also addressed the Board
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  of Health, warning that the food bank is struggling to meet the increased demand.
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  "We've seen a staggering ninety percent increase in visits since 2019, and we simply
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  cannot keep up with demand," Wilson explained.
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  She stressed that without additional funding, the food bank might have to reduce its services
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  starting in January.
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  Wilson concurred with the report's assertion that food programs alone cannot solve the
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  problem of food insecurity.
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  She advocated for government actions to combat poverty through income-based approaches, such
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  as implementing a basic income for working-age adults and increasing social assistance rates
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  to reflect current living costs.
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  "Unless this pressure is put on all levels of government to do their part, it will continue
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  to be downloaded to municipalities and charities," Wilson warned.
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  Today we're going to talk about an interesting perspective on nutrition shared by Maye Musk,
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  the mother of tech mogul Elon Musk.
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  Maye Musk, a dietitian, model, and grandmother, recently shared her approach to maintaining a
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  healthy lifestyle, both personally and within her family.
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  During an appearance on Fox Business' "The Bottom Line," she discussed the importance of
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  choosing healthier foods and how communities can work together to promote better eating
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  habits.
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  Maye Musk, who has run her private practice for forty years, has seen firsthand the impact of
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  diet on health.
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  She pointed out that conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, hypertension, and
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  diabetes can often be managed or even prevented by changing dietary habits.
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  "Once they started changing their diets, their blood values looked better," she said,
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  emphasizing that improving diet can reduce the cost of treating these conditions.
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  She stressed that teaching people to eat better should be a collective effort.
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  "We need to be able to teach people to eat better, and to have communities doing it
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  together," Musk stated.
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  She highlighted the challenges faced when communities have a culture centered around
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  food, making it difficult for individuals to change their habits.
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  As a grandmother to fourteen grandchildren, Maye Musk practices what she preaches in her
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  own home.
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  She avoids keeping chips and cookies, joking that her grandchildren often say, "I've got no
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  food." Instead, she opts for healthier options like fruits, vegetables, yogurt, milk, cereal,
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  and whole-wheat bread.
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  "If you start on them, you can’t stop," she said about unhealthy snacks, preferring not to
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  have them in her home at all.
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  Musk also follows a "flexitarian diet," which prioritizes plant-based foods while allowing
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  for moderate meat consumption.
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  This approach is more flexible than strict vegetarianism and is credited by Musk for
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  helping her maintain her health and appearance.
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  "To me, to keep the body healthy and skin glowing, you have to eat well," she shared with
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  Fox News Digital.
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  Beyond diet, Maye Musk is committed to a daily active lifestyle, incorporating simple workouts
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  that can be done at home, such as yoga, weightlifting, and walking her dogs.
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  Her holistic approach to health emphasizes the importance of both nutrition and physical
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  activity in maintaining well-being.
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  That's all for today's episode of Morning Medical with Doctor Chow.
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  Thank you for tuning in as we explore these important topics in health and wellness.
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  Remember, making small changes in your daily habits can lead to significant improvements in
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  your overall health.
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  Until next time, take care and stay healthy.