Life

As a business owner during the province-wide re-launch, what are you doing to make yourself, your employees and your customers feel safe when they enter your establishment? We’ve all read the Provincial Re-launch Guideline documents, the general guideline and/or the industry specific guidelines located on https://Alberta.ca/guidance-documents.aspx. We know we are required to perform a hazard [...] Read More »

Despite the obstacles, there are courageous businesses that are persevering through this challenging time. Businesses that two months ago had a different operating model, and have virtually changed overnight to meet the needs of today’s reality. At Invest Medicine Hat, we have been sharing these stories of bravery – from companies offering curbside pick-up, to [...] Read More »

Over 96 per cent of businesses in our region are small businesses and through provincial survey data, over 50 per cent of businesses had to lay off employees, with the same number having used up most of their cash reserves. There are concerns about mid- to long-term impact, particularly with an extended shut down and [...] Read More »

If you’ve ever Googled machine learning (ML), you’ll notice that your list of articles will include in-depth discussions about algorithms, articles about the different types of ML (i.e. artificial intelligence (AI), ML and/or deep learning (DL)), several articles on what computer languages you should learn to work in the ML industry and then there are [...] Read More »

I think most, if not all, businesses would love to have thousands of consumers see their business and have customers walk through their doors over the course of just a few days. However, businesses may not associate that desire for exposure and the opportunity to expand their customer base with the potential that trade shows [...] Read More »

March is Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is More Than Food. Dietitians across the country want Canadians to know that healthy eating goes way beyond just food. It extends to eating together, cooking delicious home made meals, generational cooking skills and mindful eating. Dietitians love food and the science behind it. We are passionate [...] Read More »

Not only is February the lucky month to host Valentines Day, it’s also the designated month for Heart Health Awareness. This is an extremely important area of our health to keep on top of. That old saying is true, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Both diet and exercise play key [...] Read More »

Friday is Valentine’s Day and the red, pink, hearts and Cupids are in full force. There are also a little extra chocolate treats to tempt tastebuds throughout many stores. Chocolate is a deliciously decadent treat that, like many foods, does actually have a healthy component as well as less healthy ingredients. I might mention moderation [...] Read More »

I know this is a food column but I’m going to share a little story with you that is not so appetizing. In fact, here’s a warning: This column may contain content some might find culinarily offensive. A few years ago I was out at a local restaurant. My succulent Caesar salad topped with grilled [...] Read More »

The most popular New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. This goal often comes along with that nasty word associated with dieting – deprivation. Losing weight should be about wanting to be permanently healthier. It means finding positive lifestyle changes you can live with forever. It should not be temporary. It should not eliminate entire [...] Read More »

re obese individuals at a higher risk of contracting and dying from COVID-19? Yes. We know cardiac, respiratory and metabolic diseases (such as diabetes and hypertension) are more common among patients with obesity. These have been identified as risk factors for more severe disease or death from COVID-19. It is critical that people living with [...] Read More »

Are you sufficiently prepared for another crisis? What might possibly be the next disaster? You might argue, we are not yet out of the mess of the current one. And this should have us all thinking about keeping stock of essential supplies. Have you got the things you need? Hopefully not guns to protect your [...] Read More »

Visiting the dentist is rarely a high priority, even in the best of times. We can always find reasons for delay.  But what level of coronavirus threat should justify more waiting? There is increasing concern that all these closures of “non-essential” healthcare service providers may, in some cases, be doing more harm than good.   There’s [...] Read More »

Physical Activity Decreases Risk of Seven Cancers Is physical activity good for you? During COVID times, it might be prudent to avoid cramped, indoor gyms.  But outdoor activity in open spaces is invariably a healthy choice. We know that getting off the couch and out for a walk helps prevent obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and [...] Read More »

us@docgiff.com Why do so many people leave the toilet seat up all the time? After all, it’s not the most attractive display object. Now, convincing medical evidence confirms we should cover the potty before flushing. Researchers at Yangzhou University in China utilized computer modeling to show that flushing toilets does not keep all viruses and [...] Read More »

As an ex-entrepreneur, if there really is such a thing, I lived through some tough times. I understand the angst that is brought on by economic downturns, recessions, and low commodity prices. The absolute despair that can overtake the toughest, savviest and even most successful business owner when there is a crisis, is something that [...] Read More »

Many creative ideas have come as a result of the COVID 19 pandemic. Companies large and small have had to act quickly to change the way they do business in a now isolated world. This new business environment has forced many to come up with solution based ideas and act on them quickly. When business [...] Read More »

“Epidemics are like fires. When fuel is plentiful, they rage uncontrollably, and when it is scarce, they smolder slowly.” – Justin Lessler, an associate professor of epidemiology at Johns Hopkins University, wrote in the Washington Post in March. The problem is we do not know how much fuel COVID-19 virus is left with. This question [...] Read More »

We are living in a world that can be scary and full of unknowns. Never before has there been anything exactly like the COVID-19 pandemic that has been terrorizing the world. Governments have followed recommendations of researchers and health experts in ways that have changed our entire lifestyles. At the same time, however, I have [...] Read More »

Some young athletes die suddenly. If the athlete is over 35 years of age, sudden death is usually caused by coronary artery disease. If the athlete is below 35 years of age, sudden death is most commonly related to congenital or genetic heart conditions. Exertional heatstroke can cause sudden death. Exertional heatstroke is caused by [...] Read More »

The Bajan Queen partied too hard. And now she’s at rest on the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. But, all is good. This 45-metre tugboat, which toiled for years at the port in Bridgetown, Barbados and finished out her above-water life as a tourist-party boat, was sunk deliberately in Carlisle Bay in 2001. Now, in [...] Read More »

Now is the time for Indigenous tourism in Canada. The Canadian public seems to have suddenly cultivated an appetite for Indigenous tourism and the industry is initiating programmes and itineraries highlighting different aspects of Indigenous tourism. The Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria has been fortunate to hire a First Nation Cultural Liaison Officer who has [...] Read More »

At first, the rain is barely a mist on my face. Feather-soft and refreshing, the tiny droplets have somehow navigated their way through the thick canopy of trees, massive ferns and vines. Before long, the precipitation is a steady drizzle, which quickly morphs into a savage downpour. I pull up the hood on my rain [...] Read More »

Santorini (Santa Irena, Saint Irene) is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful landscapes on Earth. It is the southerly-most island of the Cyclades Islands of Greece in the Ionian Sea. The island is roughly the shape of a reverse C, the remnant of an enormous volcanic eruption in the mid-16th century BC. The Minoan Eruption [...] Read More »

As we emerge from the urban, palm tree forest, there it is. The 17,500-seat SAP Centre, a silver-sided edifice better known as the Shark Tank, is the home rink of the National Hockey League’s San Jose Sharks. This is definitely going to be NHL hockey, California-style. Me and my son, Alex, have walked three blocks [...] Read More »