Newsletter 2018 Sep-Oct

The following are the Resolutions which were presented and passed at the three levels of the Catholic Women’s League conventions:

Toronto Diocesan Convention: TD 2018.01 Develop National Standards for Levels of Pharmaceuticals in Canada’s Drinking Water

Ontario Provincial Convention: ON.18.01 Develop National Standards for Levels of Pharmaceuticals in Canada’s Drinking Water ON.18.02 Full Implementation of Income Security: A Roadmap for Change for Disabled Adult Ontarians ON.18.03 To Fully Implement Alternative Sentencing to Incarceration of Indigenous Offenders

National Convention: 2018.01 Attestation Requirement on Canada Summer Jobs Program 2018.02 Setting a Standard for Products Marketed as Flushable 2018.03 Legislate Designation of Hospice/Palliative Care, Free from Medical Assistance in Dying.

For full details and action plans, please go to the following websites:

• Toronto
  • www.cwltoronto.ca
• Provincial
  • www.cwl.on.ca
• National
  • cwl.ca

As Community Chair, I have been focusing a lot in helping the poor in our community, especially in the way of soup kitchens and food banks.

St Ann’s Parish, in downtown Toronto has had a good bank in its existence since 2005. For the past 13 years the bank has steadily increased its clients, with serving 700 + every month. Here in Scarborough, we have a soup kitchen called 5N2. This kitchen is located at 1250 Markham Road. Just South of the 401 on the West side. This is a fairly new kitchen which just celebrated its 5th year of serving its neighbors free and healthy meals.

The 5N2 is run by Directors, volunteers, community leaders and donors. They plan, prepare and make free hot meals for those who are most vulnerable, working 7 days a week with servings to over 9 locations. For more information or how you can play a role in this operation, whether you are a student or a senior or somewhere in between, you can phone 5N2 kitchen at 647 993 9513.

Hello Sisters in the league…..I hope that you all had a restful summer and took time to recharge and rejuvenate with family and friends. The dog days of summer will soon give way to the shorter days of fall and for some of us perhaps more time indoors and diets that may begin to include less fresh green vegetables.

Given this, I thought it might be a good time to share with you an article on Liver health as your liver is the organ whose primary function is to filter or clean your blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it to the rest of the body. Here are 12 things that you can do to maintain a healthy Liver:

Drink Coffee

People who drink a few cups of coffee a day may be less likely to get liver diseases including cancer and scarring (fibrosis, cirrhosis). It might even slow those conditions in some people who have them.

Don’t Overdo Acetaminophen

It’s in more than 600 meds, including many cold and flu drugs. Most adults shouldn’t get more than 4,000 milligrams per day.

Check on Your Supplements

They cause almost a quarter of all liver damage. Herbs like borage, comfrey, groomwell, and coltsfoot have “pyrrolizidine alkaloids” that can gum up the tiny blood vessels inside the organ, either over time or all at once (if you take a lot). Other herbs like Atractylis gummifera, Camellia sinensis, celandine, chaparral, germander, and pennyroyal oil (used in tea) can also cause liver problems.

Skip Herbal Liver Remedies

Common liver remedies like milk thistle, turmeric, and astragalus don’t have much research behind them. Colloidal silver, sometimes used (with little scientific support) for hepatitis C, can cause irreversible side effects like turning your skin blue. Tell your doctor about all pills, herbs, and supplements you take. First, to check on the safety of each item, but also because of how they might interact with each other.

Drink Only in Moderation

When you drink, your liver stops doing other things so it can break down the alcohol and remove it from your blood. If you overdo it — more than a drink a day for women, two a day for men — it’s really hard on the organ and could hurt it. Over time, this often leads to “fatty liver,” an early sign of disease. It also might cause bad bacteria to grow in your gut that can travel to your liver and cause damage.

Eat the Rainbow

That means fruits and vegetables from all the colors of the rainbow, which helps ensure you get all the nutrients and fiber you need. Avoid refined carbs like doughnuts and white bread in favor of whole-grain rice, breads, and cereals. A bit of meat, dairy, and fat can also help. But not too much, and look for “good” (monounsaturated, polyunsaturated) fats from seeds, nuts, fish, and vegetable oils.

Keep a Healthy Body Weight

That means working to keep a body mass index (BMI) of between 18 and 25. There are online tools to help you figure out your number. Exercise and a well-balanced diet are the best way to help maintain a good-for-you weight and lower your chances of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Your doctor can help you set a weight goal that will help keep your whole body well over the long term.

Wash Your Hands

It’s a simple, easy way to keep germs away that could infect your liver. Just a little soap and warm water will do. It’s especially important right before you prepare food and right after you change a diaper or go to the bathroom. You can spread hepatitis A in particular when you touch food or water with contaminated hands.

Exercise Regularly

It can help keep your BMI at the right level, which could protect against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. But even if your BMI doesn’t change, exercise is likely to help. Why? Because it improves how your insulin works and burns triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood.

Avoid Toxins

These might be chemicals in cleaning products, spray cans, insecticides, and other household items. They could hurt cells in your liver if you touch, absorb, or breathe in too much of them. You can protect yourself if you wear a mask and goggles and open the windows when you use them.

Check for Liver Damage

It’s especially important for your doctor to do this if you drink heavily or have a family history of liver disease. Early treatment helps, and you might not have symptoms at first.

You should also get tested if you’re more likely to have hepatitis C. This includes anyone who:

Had a blood transfusion before 1992 — Ever used illegal drugs — Is on dialysis — Has HIV– Was stuck by an infected needle — Got a tattoo from an unregulated place — Was born between 1945 and 1965

Get Vaccinated

You can get it for hepatitis A and hepatitis B, but not for hepatitis C. A lot of kids have been vaccinated, but many adults haven’t. Talk to your doctor about whether you need it. It might be especially important if your immune system is weak or your liver already shows some damage.