Category: Health

Northern Healing: medical student reflects on time spent in Mistissini

Northern Healing: medical student reflects on time spent in Mistissini

by Andrés G. Griborio-Guzmán, as told to Ana P. Castillo-Méndez As a medical student at McGill University, I knew I would go to Mistissini for my rural family medicine rotation in January. Besides the wintry weather, I was not sure […]

Big Sugar

Big Sugar

Here are some ways to reduce sugar consumption by Dr. Sharon Messinger There’s a long-term war raging for people’s money led by what I call “Big Sugar”. Sugar is everywhere in the community and it’s cheap compared to healthy foods. It’s […]

An ancient treatment for a modern disease

An ancient treatment for a modern disease

  Elder Minnie Awashish never imagined that she would have a key medication compound for diabetes treatment named for her. After nearly 15 years of working with scientists from universities in southern Quebec and Ontario, the Mistissini Elder was surprised […]

Cree kids participate in international walk to school initiative

Cree kids participate in international walk to school initiative

Hand in hand with their parents and other community members, this October the children of Eeyou Istchee participated in activities celebrating “Walk to School Month,” an initiative held in over 40 countries worldwide to get children out and active. In […]

A Chibougamau mom alleges racial abuse at Ste-Justine hospital

A Chibougamau mom alleges racial abuse at Ste-Justine hospital

When Kelly Bosum brought her toddler in for day surgery at Montreal’s Ste-Justine children’s hospital to have tubes put into his ears, the last thing she expected was to have her Aboriginal heritage insulted. According to Bosum, however, she has […]

Just how active should you be during pregnancy?

Just how active should you be during pregnancy?

While expecting mothers may not feel like it at times, exercise can actually be one of the best things for both mom and the baby to be. Unless a physician has told you that you are in need of bed […]

4 ways to stay safe this Goose Break

As Goose Break excitement takes hold of Eeyou Istchee, it is important to keep safety top of mind. First-timers and young children should be given extensive safety instructions before heading out. But for the rest of us, here are four […]

Chisasibi Community Greenhouse Project close to sprouting

Chisasibi Community Greenhouse Project close to sprouting

If the necessary funding comes through, construction of the Chisasibi Community Greenhouse Project may start as early as next year. According to project coordinator Diane Croteau, the greenhouse has been in discussion for the last six years. But it wasn’t […]

Eeyou Istchee TB rates remain among the lowest in Native communities

The success of years of tuberculosis prevention and control has left Eeyou Istchee with one of the lowest TB rates among Indigenous populations in North America. According to Dr. Kianoush Dehghani of the Cree Board of Health and Social Services […]

Programs and ideas for improving your health during the cold months

Programs and ideas for improving your health during the cold months

With the light and warmth of summer months away, the natural inclination is to bundle up in front of the TV as much as possible. However, this is the worst plan for your health as human beings need to be […]