If we get another scurvy outbreak, why not blame Justin Trudeau? The Prime Minister gets blasted for every other woe we face today. So it would be convenient to fault him should an ancient disease such as scurvy become more prevalent. Food insecurity likely contributed to a case of scurvy that was diagnosed last year in Toronto. And we know that the federal government is responsible for people’s financial problems. People cannot afford to buy decent food; they get sick. Trash That Trudeau.
In addition to providing fodder for another three-word alliterative attack, the scurvy news is a cautionary tale.
We are what we eat. But people also ought to be aware of other factors, such as smoking and isolation, that are beyond even the control of the PM.
The case of hypovitaminosis C, a.k.a. scurvy, was red-flagged in a Canadian Medical Association Journal report.
A 65-year-old woman showed up at the emergency department complaining of progressive leg weakness and poor mobility. She had a history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism, anxiety, and depression. She reported smoking half a pack of cigarettes a day, according to the article.
“Her social history showed a several-years-long period of substantial limitations in her instrumental activities of daily living, including grocery shopping and meal preparation, owing to difficulties ambulating, attributed to symptoms of leg claudication. She reported little social and family support. This social isolation had resulted in a sustained period of dietary intake limited to predominantly nonperishable foods — specifically, canned soup and tuna fish, along with white bread and processed cheese. During this time, she was not taking any supplements or vitamins,” the report said.
Although her diet alone would have predisposed her to hypovitaminosis C, cigarette smoking likely played a role as well, owing to increased vitamin C catabolism in people who smoke, the article reads.
“This case presents a complex example of food insecurity manifesting as an uncommon diagnosis,” says the report, urging physicians to have “a higher index of suspicion in patients with low socioeconomic status or who are experiencing food insecurity.”
You do not need to be a doctor to know that one bad thing can lead to another. The scurvy patient suffered from bad health, which was exacerbated by her smoking habit and her inability to get nutritious food. She also did not have anyone to help her.
Loneliness by itself can be lethal. Studies show that social isolation can increase a person’s risk for heart disease and stroke, diabetes, depression and anxiety, self-harm, dementia and earlier death.
While food insecurity cannot be easily resolved, and smoking is a difficult habit to kick, people can get by with a little help from their friends.
It doesn’t take a lot of effort to do a lot of good.
Perhaps we could take some time and see if someone needs a sympathetic ear, a friendly gab, or a drive to the grocery store.
Of course, people also have to take care of ourselves.
Which brings us to rabies, another disease that was thought to have been brought under control decades ago.
A seemingly harmless contact with a bat led to the death of an Ontario girl recently. It was the first such fatality in the province since 1967.
The child and her parents were staying near Sudbury. They awoke to discover a bat in their bedroom. Since there were no signs of a bite or scratches, the parents were unaware that the girl had been bitten by the rabid bat and did not seek treatment. The victim later died in hospital in late September.
Now we do not have to freak out but there have been two reported cases of rabid bats in the region served by the Eastern Ontario Health Unit.
Any contact with a bat can be dangerous, stresses the health unit, emphasizing that since the creatures have needle-sharp teeth, which may not leave a mark after biting, you may not know you’ve been bitten. If a bat is found dead or alive inside your house, visit your local emergency room immediately, the EOHU advises.
And, of course, we should always steer clear of wild animals, especially if they are acting strangely.
Speaking of strange, a survey of dog owners conducted in the United States found that one-third of the respondents believed canine vaccination can cause autism in pets. In case you were wondering, there is no scientific evidence of autism in dogs, or any link between autism and vaccination.
But some dogs can demonstrate signs of canine dysfunctional behaviour (CDB), which can be managed through medication, exercise, a balanced diet and positive reinforcement.
In fact, the same treatment methods could be applied to improve the comportment of humans, although canines are more obedient and easier to train than people.
With the cold weather setting in, we must be particularly vigilant against anything that could compromise our health. With the scarcity of doctors and lineups in emergency, we have to avert any illness as if it were the plague.
It is a free world but everyone should get a flu shot. Eat your vegetables, visit a neighbour, get your vitamin C, do not smoke. Prevention is the best medicine.
By the way, October is Health Literacy Month. As you know, health literacy is defined as the degree to which an individual has the capacity to obtain, communicate, process and understand basic health information and services to make appropriate health decisions.
Sadly, according to the Canadian Public Health Association, 60 per cent of Canadian adults and 88 per cent of seniors are not health literate. Some seniors cannot follow instructions on a medicine bottle.
It is hard to believe that in this day and age, when we have so many sources of information, that we still have so much to learn about our own health. But can we really lay all these problems at the feet of the PM?
