Although Canada’s COVID-19 case counts are dropping, the number of domestic violence cases remains the same. A woman in Canada is killed by her intimate partner approximately every six days, according to the Canadian Women’s Foundation.  More than 6,000 women and children stay in shelters on any given night because it isn’t safe at home. This was the case even before the pandemic. Since March 2020, that number has increased.  In The Impacts of COVID-19 on Canadian Victim Services Statistics Canada report, 54 per cent of the surveyed victim services noticed an increase in the number of domestic violence victims they served between mid-March and early July 2020.  As a result, women’s…

Meal prepping — putting together the week’s meals ahead of time — has been a popular planning method for several years. According to Canada’s Food Guide, it’s an effective way to save time, reduce portion size and help reach nutrition goals. It can also help save money and reduce food waste. Start small When it comes to meal prepping, it is important to start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Cooking breakfast, lunch and dinner for an entire week at once can be intimidating at first. The Food Guide said, “There is no right or wrong way to plan meals. You can plan for the whole week ahead, or you can plan…

Menstruation can be an emotional, painful and messy experience.  What the average person who menstruates might not realize is how much single-use plastic waste is involved. Tampons, pads, panty liners and their packaging all contain plastic. Pads alone are around 90 per cent plastic.  This waste amounts to the average user throwing away 125 to 150 kg of menstruation-related products in their lifetime. This plastic waste can end up in a landfill or in oceans, rivers and beaches.  The Canadian government recently announced a federal ban on single use plastic products. Regulations will be finalized by the end of 2021.  Environmental groups like A Greener Future are asking the government…

How COVID-19 is affecting mental health

Acne is something most of us deal with at some point or another. It affects more than 5.6 million Canadians, according to the Canadian Dermatology Association (CDA).  Some people get it as a young teen, then grow out of it as they approach adulthood. However, not everyone is that lucky. The CDA also reported that up to 30 per cent of adults aged 20 to 40 experience acne. Three-quarters of that number are women.  I just so happen to be part of that demographic. The beginning One months away from turning 21, I am going on my fifth year of having acne. If you think those pesky zits are frustrating…