Saturday, October 31, 2020

Saturday Stories: The Election, The World Series, And The Expectations


Ed Yong, in The Atlantic, predicts what the future of COVID in America will look like following a Biden or a Trump election win.

Jeff Passan, in ESPN, discusses how this year's World Series was a metaphor for 2020 America.

Helen Branswell, in STAT, on how now might be the time for us to reset our expectations of when vaccines will pull us out of this mess.

Photo By TonyTheTiger - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62897879



Saturday, October 24, 2020

Saturday Stories: Respecting Uncertainty, Rapid Home Testing, And Herd Immunity


George Davey Smith, Michael Blastland, and Marcus Munafò, in the BMJ, on how when it comes to COVID, certainty is a red flag.

Amy McDermott, in PNAS, on how it'll likely be rapid home COVID testing that brings back some sense of normalcy - it can't come soon enough

Christie Aschwanden, in Nature, on the false promise of herd immunity.

Photo by By Tkarcher - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56760604



Thursday, October 22, 2020

RDs! We're Hiring! Looking To Fill A Full-Time Permanent Position With My New Venture Constant Health (Telecommuters Welcome!)


Since 2004, Constant Health’s expert team has been at the forefront behavioural weight management, and now, by leveraging the best that technology has to offer, the goal is to share that expertise while eliminating geographic boundaries. Our headquarters are in Ottawa, but our team stretches across Canada from Halifax to Vancouver.

We believe that there is no one best way to lose weight, but rather that every individual has a healthiest life that they can enjoy and Constant Health is there to try to help people cultivate theirs and in so doing, help them to find their best weights.

Using the latest research into weight management, behavioural psychology, and nutrition, Constant Health’s data driven approach provides the regular feedback required both for clients to improve their weights, but also for our team to continually improve our technology.

In addition to our strong clinical team, we have a team of experienced professionals with deep expertise in mobile design, development, integration, and project delivery for iPhone, iPad and Android platforms.

If you have a passion for health, fitness, and technology we'd love to hear from you.

Job description

Constant Health, a dietitian delivered chronic disease management company that utilizes its own proprietary behavioural intervention technology tools is looking for a permanent full time dietitian to join our professional and unique team.

We are looking for an individual who loves working with people and technology, is great at multi-tasking, is a team player, thrives off of challenges and responsibility, and wants to utilize his or her skills in making a dramatic positive difference in people’s lives.

Responsibilities will include:

  • Collaboration with interprofessional team members.
  • One-on-one virtual counselling sessions via Constant Health’s proprietary platform to motivate and help patients live the healthiest lives they can with an emphasis on diabetes and/or weight management
  • Design individualized nutrition plans based on each individuals’ unique lifestyles, and dietary likes and dislikes.
  • Write for Constant Health’s different social media outlets: Website, blog, vlog, and monthly newsletter.

The skills you’ll need:

  • Exceptionally strong motivational counselling skills.
  • Must have excellent listening skills, empathetic and sensitive to patient’s needs. We do not ever utilize negative reinforcement in our counselling.
  • Able to adapt nutrition advice to recent scientific research with thoughtful critical appraisal and for a wide variety of diets – from keto and intermittent fasting, to balanced deficits, to plant-based whole foods, to everything in between, because at Constant Health we recognize that the key to long term success is actually enjoying your chosen diet.
  • Must be innovative and give patients realistic and helpful nutrition advice.
  • Positive and non-restrictive approach to weight management.
  • Comfortable giving presentations.
  • Possess sound professional judgment, initiative and enthusiasm.
  • Good time management skills and ability to organize.
  • Excellent computer skills, and comfort with social media
  • Strong cooking skills.

The requirements we’re looking for:

  • Minimum one year of clinical experience
  • Registered Dietitian
  • Member of the College of Dietitians of Ontario and in good standing (or willingness and ability to join).
  • Master level clinicians and/or Certified Diabetes Educators are preferred, although not required.
  • Previous experience working in weight management and diabetes care is an asset.

Because we are looking for the best candidate our wages are highly competitive with those in the community ($59K - 70K/year depending on qualifications) and after the 3 month probation period, medical and dental benefits are part of our package.

Interested candidates can send along their CV to careers @ constanthealth.ca

We look forward to hearing from and meeting with you.



Saturday, October 17, 2020

Saturday Stories: The Scamedemic, The "Great" Barrington Declaration, Sweden, And The John Snow Memorandum

 


Tony Scott, in SFGate, on how he used to call it the 'scamedemic'. He doesn't anymore. 

Marc Lipsitch, Gregg Gonsalves, Carlos del Rio, and Rochelle P. Walensky, in The Washington Post, on the why the so-called Great Barrington Declaration is far from well named.

Kelly Bjorklund and Andrew Ewing, in Time, cover the disastrous truths of COVID in Sweden.

And as a response to renewed interest in herd immunity and that Great Barrington Declaration comes a competing declaration, the John Snow Memorandum, which explains why herd immunity strategies are dangerous and why, and unlike the Barrington document, does not include the signatures of Dr. Person Fakename, Professor Notaf Uckingclu, Dr. Johnny Fartpants, Dr. Very Dodgy Doctor, Dr. Brian Blessed Doctor in Winged Flight (truly, they are actual Barrington signatories)



Saturday, October 10, 2020

Saturday, October 03, 2020

Saturday Stories: Vaccine Chaos And What Did You Expect?


Sarah Zhang, in The Atlantic, on why vaccine chaos may be looming

David Frum, also in The Atlantic, asks, what did you expect?