Oh, the weather outside is frightful…ly hot, but it’s still important to stick to your goals and keep getting a sweat on, when you’re already getting your sweat on just standing still. But working out in the heat requires a little more effort to stay safe and to stay on track. There are benefits to… Read more »
Category: Health & Wellness
Keep your cool: How are you getting work done in extreme heat?
As someone who has already managed a mild heat stroke this summer, let me say this: it happens fast and can have dire consequences. Canada Day here in the Ottawa area pushed the thermometer to 47 degrees C with the humidex. Because we have livestock, some things still have to be done every day, and… Read more »
New data shows rural Canada should be concerned about opioid use
It’s really easy to ignore data or information that we don’t want to hear. In this case, we cannot afford to ignore the impact that opioids are having in our rural communities across Canada. There is new data out today for the Government of Canada revealing that there was almost 4,000 opioid-related deaths in 2017…. Read more »
Fit Farmer — Ep 4: Working mental fitness into your routine
When someone says “take care of your mental health,” do you envision meditation sessions in quiet rooms or the latest yoga tend? While both meditation and yoga can be part of taking care of your headspace, they’re not the only way to do so. The most important thing is that you work to add mental health… Read more »
Put on the plaid for dad this Friday
One in seven Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, according to the Canadian Cancer Society. It’s the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian men. This Friday — leading up to Father’s Day — will mark the fourth year where Prostate Cancer Canada has partnered with workplaces and individuals across the… Read more »
Keeping baby safe: Tips for farming with kids under 2
The joy of farming includes working from home — it’s a short commute, sometimes there’s a hot, mid-day meal (inexplicably referred to as dinner by many), and you get the chance to work with family, including many days being “bring your kids to work day.” The trouble is, farms are also work sites, and dangerous… Read more »
A nap could improve your farming productivity
There are times of the year where hours of sleep are few and the days are long. As farmers and ranchers check on the livestock, plant the crop, and try to cover as many acres in a day as possible, sleep deprivation becomes a consequence of getting the job done. But not getting enough rest… Read more »
Do More Ag Foundation receives $20,000 from Bayer CropScience
Bayer has announced a $20,000 contribution to The Do More Agriculture Foundation — a not-for-profit organization launched this past winter to raise awareness and promote mental well-being among farmers in Canada. “We believe that through this partnership we can help increase awareness of mental health issues and break the stigma that currently exists in the… Read more »
This year’s Ag Safety Week focused on senior safety
Is your farm family ag safe? It’s Canadian Ag Safety Week, and the Canadian Agriculture Safety Association has once again teamed up with the Canadian Federation of Agriculture for the third year of its three-year campaign helping families farm safe. Each of the three years focused on a different generation of the family farm. This… Read more »
Next steps for the Do More Ag Foundation
While running their last venture, Farm At Hand, Kim Keller and business partner Himanshu Singh started a mental health initiative called “Here for Farmers,” a t-shirt fundraising campaign focused on supporting mental wellness in the agriculture community. Outside of the campaign, however, the calls kept coming in, asking for help finding mental health resources in… Read more »
Foundation to champion mental wellbeing in Canadian agriculture
A not-for-profit foundation focused on addressing mental health challenges in Canadian agriculture will officially be launched in Edmonton next week at FarmTech. The Do More Agriculture Foundation kicked off its online and social media presence this week. The initiative is the brainchild of its four founders: Kim Keller, Lesley Rae Kelly, Himanshu Singh and Kirk… Read more »
Bringing mental health first aid to the agricultural mainstream
I was in a conference call around access to mental health services last month, and a question came up that I’m sure a great many of us have considered: what can we do to break down stigma in our communities? Now, there are many ways we can go about breaking down stigma (worthy of a… Read more »
The opioid crisis isn’t ‘just an urban issue’
Substance dependency is often reported as — and thought of as — an urban issue. Statistics blur the issue, showing high numbers of dependency, and, sadly, death, in areas of greater population. But addiction is not isolated to people who live in cities. From alcohol to tobacco to what we’ll focus on in this post,… Read more »
Mental health advocate gets the picture
Canada’s leading advocate for mental health awareness in agriculture, University of Guelph veterinary medicine professor Andria Jones-Bitton, is in high demand at farm meetings to speak about her ground-breaking research results. Through her studies over the past three years, she’s discovered an abnormally high rate of depression and other mental illnesses among farmers (and veterinarians)…. Read more »
In light of Mental Illness Awareness Week
In 1992, the Canadian Psychiatric Association established Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) to highlight the impact of mental illness to the Canadian public, and promote recovery. The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health (CAMIMH) now coordinates the week in collaboration with its member organizations and other supporters. This year, MIAW runs from October… Read more »