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Fit cities : my quest to improve the world's health and wellness-- including yours / by Lee, Karen K.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references.In the arena of public health, this Canadian woman is an international superstar. In the early 2000s, she went to the US to join a team of "health detectives" for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Smoking was in decline, and so the US CDC's attention had turned to the next biggest causes of premature death: over-eating and under-exercising. Dr. Lee's zeal in seeking out the root causes-- in schools, restaurants, and environments that encourage a sedentary, calorie-packed way of life-- was matched by her inspired approach to finding solutions. She was next recruited by the City of New York, where she was instrumental in introducing Active Design, an initiative for creating opportunities for healthy living in everyday life that has helped reverse childhood obesity and lengthen life expectancies. Her influence has since spread around the world. Dr. Lee has always known that health education, public service announcements, and our individual struggles are not enough. The world around us needs to change to support us in taking steps (literally and figuratively) to save our own lives. Working with civic leaders, city planners, and architects, she has been a pioneer in addressing today's leading health problems, such as obesity, heart disease, strokes, cancers, and diabetes. Fit Cities is a riveting memoir of that work-- the story of how Dr. Lee and her many teams of brilliant collaborators uncovered, and set about eradicating, the causes of a pandemic of unhealthy living. And every step of the way, it offers invaluable advice on how we can all help ourselves to live healthier lives.
Subjects: Lee, Karen K.; Public health.; Health.; Medicine, Preventive.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Health for all : a doctor's prescription for a healthier Canada / by Philpott, Jane,1960-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."From one of Canada's most respected and high-profile health professionals (and former federal Minister of Health), a timely, practical, ambitious, and deeply personal call for action on health that sets out the roadmap to our future well-being. Jane Philpott has spent her life learning what makes people sick and what keeps people well. She has witnessed miracles in modern medicine. She has also watched children die of starvation in a world that has plenty of food. With Health for All, she sounds a clarion call for a radical disruption in a health care system that is broken--but not beyond repair. The vision is rooted in a deep-seated commitment to health equity. Decades ago, a few visionary Canadian leaders put laws in place to ensure health care insurance for all. But the structures to deliver that care were never fully developed as envisioned. As a result, our health systems are not comprehensive or well-coordinated. In the wake of a pandemic, we risk it all falling apart. More than six million people have no family doctor, nor any other access to primary care. Emergency rooms are routinely closed. Exhausted health workers wonder if it will ever get better. Some say we should hand health care over to the private sector. But to abandon our commitment to publicly funded health care now would only lead to more expensive and less equitable care. Philpott outlines a different solution--an ambitious, once-in-a-generation reset of health systems with universal access to primary care teams. What sets this book apart is that it's more than a prescription for better medical care. Philpott looks at the big picture of health for all. This includes an intimate look at the personal roots of well-being: hope, belonging, meaning, and purpose. Then, through real-life stories, she examines the impact of the social determinants of health. Finally, she explains that none of this will happen without the political will to do the hard work of rebuilding a healthy society. The remedy we await is serious leadership to implement what we already know and to put the well-being of Canadians at the top of the agenda"--
Subjects: Medical policy; Public health;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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The wisdom of plagues : lessons from 25 years of covering pandemics / by McNeil, Donald G.,Jr.,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."For a certain class of American's, Donald McNeil was a comforting voice when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. He was the regular reporter on the New York Times's popular Daily podcast, and he was telling folks to prepare for the worst. A generation of NYT readers went out and stocked up on food and PPE stuff because of his clear advice. He'd covered public health for the Times for 25 years and understood what he was seeing out of China. THE WISDOM OF PLAGUES is his account of what he learned over a quarter-century of reporting on public health in over 60 countries: part-memoir, part history, and part activism. Many science reporters understand the basics of diseases--how a virus works, for example, or what goes into making a vaccine. But very few understand the psychology of how small outbreaks turn into pandemics: How everyone from hunters to farmers to guano-diggers gets exposed to animal diseases. How diseases spread through networks of similar people and by "mass-gathering" events. How surveillance fails. How countries respond slowly or even cover up outbreaks. Why people refuse to believe they're at risk, or why they reject protective measures like quarantine or vaccines. How wild rumors spring up and scare people away from common sense responses. How greedy makers of false remedies spread confusion. Why public health agencies fumble and let things spiral out of control. The Covid pandemic was the story McNeil had trained his whole life to cover. His experience and deep bench of sources let him make many accurate predictions in 2020 about the course that a deadly new respiratory virus in Wuhan, China, would take and how different countries would respond. By the time McNeil wrote his last Times stories about the Covid-19 pandemic he had not lost his compassion, but he had grown far more stone-hearted about how he thought governments should react. He had witnessed so many failures and read enough history to realize that while every epidemic is different, failure was the one constant. Again and again, containable outbreaks ballooned into catastrophes because weak leaders were mired in denial. Citizens refused to make even minor sacrifices for the common good and were encouraged in that by money-hungry entrepreneurs and power-hungry populists. Science was ignored, obvious truths were denied, and the innocent too often died. THE WISDOM OF PLAGUES is ultimately about what we can do to improve global health and be better prepared for the next pandemic, which is coming"--
Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Epidemiology.; Pandemics.; Public health surveillance.; Public health;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Extra life : a short history of living longer / by Johnson, Steven,1968-author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."As a species, humans have doubled their life expectancy in one hundred years. Medical breakthroughs, public health institutions, rising standards of living, and the other advances of modern life have given each person about 20,000 extra days on average. This book attempts to help the reader understand where that progress came from and what forces keep people alive longer. The author also considers how to avoid decreases in life expectancy as public health systems face unprecedented challenges, and what current technologies or interventions could reduce the impact of future crises"--
Subjects: Health services administration; Life expectancy.; Public health administration;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Pandemic spotlight : Canadian doctors at the front of the COVID-19 fight / by Hanomansing, Ian,author.;
Canadians who have followed the news about the COVID-19 pandemic will recognize the names of doctors Lisa Barrett, Isaac Bogoch, Zain Chagla, Sumon Chakrabarti, Susy Hota, Fatima Kakkar, Srinivas Murthy, Lynora Saxinger and Alexander Wong--nine remarkable Canadians who found themselves in the spotlight during a remarkably challenging year. While dealing with their own personal concerns about the worsening pandemic and their busy medical practices, the doctors profiled in Pandemic Spotlight volunteered their time and offered their expertise in hundreds of media interviews, providing calm, clear and independent analysis. Hanomansing talks to them about what inspired them to become doctors and what led them to specialize in infectious diseases and then take on this very public role. The doctors discuss the moment the pandemic became very real to them and speak candidly about what it was like when infections raged out of control in Italy and then New York City, leaving doctors at Canadian hospitals to wonder what might be next. And they explain the sense of duty they felt to step into the media glare, even as public anxiety and skepticism sometimes turned into hostility and social media made them easy to contact and, sometimes, easy targets. And for anyone who's been asked to offer their expertise to the media, they have advice on how to answer the call. There are a few silver linings in the COVID storm. One of them is how these doctors put science front and centre and became public symbols of trust and hope. As they prepare to return to their private careers, they respond to Hanomansing's invitation to reflect on lessons learned and their concerns about the next pandemic.
Subjects: Communication in public health; COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-; Medical personnel;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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What can I do? : my path from climate despair to action / by Fonda, Jane,1937-author.;
"In the fall of 2019, frustrated with the obvious inaction of politicians and inspired by Greta Thunberg, Naomi Klein, and student climate strikers, Jane Fonda moved to Washington, DC to lead weekly climate change demonstrations on Capitol Hill. On October 11, she launched Fire Drill Fridays (FDF), and has since led thousands of people in non-violent civil disobedience, risking arrest to protest for action. In her new book, Fonda weaves her deeply personal journey as an activist alongside interviews with leading climate scientists, and discussions of specific issues, such as water, migration, and human rights, to emphasize what is at stake. Most significantly, Fonda provides concrete solutions, and things the average person can do to combat the climate crisis in their community. No stranger to protest, Fonda's life has been famously shaped by activism. And now, on the eve of the next presidential election, she is once again galvanizing the public to take to the streets. Too many of us understand that our climate is in a crisis, and realize that a moral responsibility rests on our shoulders. 2019 saw atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases hit the highest level ever recorded in human history, and our window of opportunity to avoid disaster is quickly closing. We are facing a climate crisis, but we're also facing an empathy crisis, an inequality crisis. It isn't only earth's life-support systems that are unraveling. So too is our social fabric. This is going to take an all-out war on drilling and fracking and deregulation and racism and misogyny and colonialism and despair all at the same time"--
Subjects: Climatic changes; Greenhouse effect, Atmospheric; Public health;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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The plague cycle : the unending war between humanity and infectious disease / by Kenny, Charles,author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index.For four thousand years, the size and vitality of cities, economies, and empires were heavily determined by infection. Striking humanity in waves, the cycle of plagues set the tempo of civilizational growth and decline, since common response to the threat was exclusion-quarantining the sick or keeping them out. But the unprecedented hygiene and medical revolutions of the past two centuries have allowed humanity to free itself from the hold of epidemic cycles-resulting in an urbanized, globalized, and unimaginably wealthy world. However, our development has lately become precarious. Climate and population fluctuations and aspects of our prosperity such as global trade have left us more vulnerable than ever to newly emerging plagues. Greater global cooperation toward sustainable health is urgently required-such as the international efforts to harvest a Covid-19 vaccine-with millions of lives and trillions of dollars at stake. Written as colorful history, The Plague Cycle reveals the relationship between civilization, globalization, prosperity, and infectious disease over the past five millennia. It harnesses history, economics, and public health, and charts humanity's remarkable progress, providing a fascinating and timely look at the cyclical nature of infectious disease.
Subjects: COVID-19 (Disease); Communicable diseases; Public health; Globalization;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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Fatal conveniences : the toxic products and harmful habits that are making you sick--and the simple changes that will save your health / by Olien, Darin,author.;
"The New York Times bestselling author of SuperLife and cohost with Zac Efron of the hit Netflix series Down to Earth, Darin Olien offers invaluable advice for addressing the health of our bodies and the health of the planet by identifying common products and behaviors that are harmful and providing alternatives that are non-toxic and life-enhancing. Fatal conveniences are the toxic products we routinely use and the unhealthy things we do that our culture and corporations have made us believe are safe and necessary for living well and efficiently. These things--from deodorant, cosmetics, dental floss, and sunscreen to laundry detergent, air fresheners, carpets, and crayons to candles, tea bags, cell phones, and chewing gum--are ubiquitous in daily life ... and they are wreaking havoc on our health and our planet. The environmental toxins found in these products create a cascade of problems, including chemical sensitivities, auto-immune issues, obesity, chronic health diseases, and more. Darin Olien has spent most of his adult life obsessively researching these "conveniences" and in this book, he raises our awareness of their dangers, demolishes the myth that "if it's easy, it must also be good," and gives us alternative choices to take control of our lives and our health. Fatal Conveniences offers a fresh perspective and achievable, small tweaks that will lead to big, life-enhancing changes."--
Subjects: Brand name products.; Commercial products.; Environmental protection.; Life change events.; Toxins.; Health; Public health;
Available copies: 0 / Total copies: 1
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The wellness trap : break free from diet culture, disinformation, and dubious diagnoses -- and find your true well-being / by Harrison, Christy(Nutritionist),author.;
Includes bibliographical references and index."It's not a diet, it's a lifestyle." You've probably heard this phrase from any number of people in the wellness space. But as Christy Harrison reveals in her latest book, wellness culture promotes a standard of health that is often both unattainable and deeply harmful. Many people with chronic illness understandably feel dismissed or abandoned by the healthcare system and find solace in alternative medicine, as Harrison once did. Yet the wellness industry promotes practices that often cause even more damage than the conventional approaches they're meant to replace. From the lack of pre-market safety testing on herbal and dietary supplements, to the unfounded claims made by many wellness influencers and functional-medicine providers, to the social-media algorithms driving users down rabbit holes of wellness mis-and disinformation, it can often feel like no one is looking out for us in the face of the $4.4 trillion global wellness industry. The Wellness Trap delves into the persistent, systemic problems with that industry, offering insight into its troubling pattern of cultural appropriation and its destructive views on mental health, and shedding light on how a growing distrust of conventional medicine has led ordinary people to turn their backs on science. Weaving together history, memoir, reporting, and practical advice, Harrison illuminates the harms of wellness culture while re-imagining our society's relationship with well-being.
Subjects: Alternative medicine; Cultural appropriation.; Health; Medical misconceptions.; Misinformation; Public health; Self-care, Health.; Well-being.;
Available copies: 1 / Total copies: 1
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In pursuit of silence [videorecording] / by Brumme, Andrew,film producer.; Shen, Patrick,film director,film producer,director of photography,editor of moving image work.; Vedder, Brandon,film producer.; Cinema Guild,publisher.;
Co-producer, Cassidy Hall ; editor, Patrick Shen ; composer, Alex Lu ; cinematographers, Patrick Shen, Brandon Vedder."Responding to the increase of noise pollution, a 'major environmental and public health burden' according to the World Health Organization, In Pursuit of Silence is a meditative exploration of our relationship with silence, sound and the impact of noise on our lives. This critical acclaimed documentary takes us on an immersive cinematic journey around the globe - from Denali National Park in Alaska to a forest outside of Tokyo, where a researcher studies the impact of silence on urban dwellers - and instantly inspires us to experience silence and celebrate the wonders of our world."--Container.E.DVD.
Subjects: Video recordings for the hearing impaired.; Documentary films.; Silence; Silence; Sound; Noise; Noise; Public health;
For private home use only.
Available copies: 2 / Total copies: 2
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