So there’s a really cool contest for all of ya’ll fashionistas where $10,000 is up for grabs including a shopping spree at The Core!

All you have to do is head to the COREshopping Facebook page and upload a photo of yourself in your most contemporary, sophisticated Stampede style to the Contest tab.  I did a little pre-shop to get some good examples of contemporary Stampede Style – not that I always shop with my cameraman but there’s nothing wrong with squeezing a little shopping into the work day!

On June 18th, our panel of celebrity judges will choose the three finalists who uploaded the photo that best represents contemporary Stampede style. The public will vote for their favorite finalist, and the winner of the $10,000 grand prize package will be announced at our Stampede Fashion Show on July 4!  Giddyup!

Anyway we’re looking for outfits like this one – gorgeous lace dress, accessories, and belt from BCBG – just post your pics like this and you could win $10,000!

Feeling a little frisky? It’s probably Spring Fever. And yes, it’s a very real phenomenon.

I spoke with Sexologist Dr. Trina Read and she explains that spring is sensory explosion for us. We’re basically coming out of hibernation and all our senses are on fire! First off, there’s more sunlight. When we experience more sunlight we start to produce more testosterone, and testosterone is the hormone that’s linked to our sex drives. We also start producing more Vitamin D which boosts our mood and reduces lethargy.

With warm temperatures, people are also wearing a lot less clothing. Dr. Read explains that even if we’re not dressed provocatively, for example we’re just wearing shorts and a T-shirt, more skin is exposed. More skin is a basic turn on for human beings.

Dr. Read also says we’re eating differently, lighter foods which don’t weigh us down as much. We’re also out and about seeing more people and getting more active. All of these things can boost sex drive.

Dr. Read also talks about people making changes in their relationships in the spring. She says a recent study tracked 10 thousand Facebook statuses and found people tend to break up either around Christmas or in the spring.  So if you’re in a stable relationship spring will just enhance it, if you’re in a questionable relationship you’re likely to move on and make sure you go into summer single!

Bottomline, Dr. Read says spring is so short and we’re all so busy, so just get out there and enjoy this time of rebirth!

CALGARY WEEKEND WEATHER
TODAY: 16, Sunny (Wind: NW 20)
TONIGHT: 2, Clear
SATURDAY: 21, Sunny
SUNDAY: 23, Sunny
>High Pressure, in concert with a solid Northwest flow will be very nice to us today…after a teen high, we’ll move on back to the 20’s – and stay there into early next week. Mother’s Day looks to be the warmest of the next 7 days!!!
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz ( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX )

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: 8, Partly Cloudy (**Breezy: Wind NW 40-60)
TONIGHT: 0, Clear
FRIDAY: 15, Sunny
>Gonna feel a little chilly today – when our average daytime high is 16, we’ll make it to the half-way point – with a forecast high of only 8 degrees (it’ll also be a little breezy into the afternoon)….Temps rise Friday — with a warm weekend on the way.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz ( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX )

Ten thousand people right here in Calgary are living with Celiac Disease.

For Celiac Awareness Month, I spoke with Gastroenterologist Dr. Alaa Rostom for the basics on the disease. He says Celiac Disease is two-fold,  both an auto immune disease and a food allergy. Celiac disease is a medical condition where the lining of the small intestine that helps us absorb food is damaged by our auto immune system. This immune system response is triggered when a patient eats gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye.

In the past, Dr. Rostom says people with Celiac disease were mostly malnourished, with diarrhea and suffered from severe weight loss. But in the last 10 years, Dr. Rostom says more and more people are presenting with vague bowel irregularities and maybe some iron deficiency. Other symptoms include more  early or more severe osteoporosis than expected, unexplained infertility even some psychiatric disorders. Dr. Rostom encourages these people to get tested for Celiac disease. It’s a simple blood test that looks for a specific enzyme. If that test comes back positive, a diagnosis will be confirmed with a biopsy of the small intestine. This biopsy looks for the severity of damage to the intestine.

The good news is, if patients avoid gluten completely, they will start to feel better soon, and the intestine will eventually heal itself. Adherence to this gluten free diet must be strict otherwise patients are at risk of a cancer of the intestine called lymphoma and more severe ulceration of the intestine.

Dr. Rostom also warns about cross contamination for those with severe disease. For example, simply sharing a toaster or cutting board with someone eating regular bread could leave trace amounts on the gluten free alternative causing serious problems for the Celiac patient.

As for medications… there are a couple that are in the clinical trial phase, but Dr. Rostom doesn’t think either will be hugely effective. One medication hopes to help patients digest gluten, the other would make the small bowel more tight so gluten can’t get through.

For now though, Dr. Rostom says a gluten free diet is your best bet for feeling well and staying well long term.

For more information visit,

http://www.celiac.ca/

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects eight thousand people in Alberta. The disease affects both motor and non-motor functioning. Patients experience tremors, loss of balance, fear of falling, stiffness, fatigue, depression and much more.

Many Parkinson’s patients also struggle with walking. They take small strides, they lose their ability to swing their arms and eventually they start shuffling, instead of walking. In fact, Parkinson’s patients have a stride that’s reduced by about 20 to 30 percent. But Dr. Bin Hu, the Head of Experimental Neuroscience at the University of Calgary, has developed an app for that.

Using the iPod Touch, which has a movement sensor, patients listen to music on a wireless headset while they’re walking. The app is a “Gait Reminder.”  Music plays as long as the patient takes long strides, when their stride gets too short, the music stops… effectively reminding patients to take big steps. Larger steps help to improve patient’s  balance and stability while walking. Right now there are 18 patients in this study. All of them are now walking much better and longer than they were just a few months ago. In fact, Dr. Hu says after about 2 months of wearing the headset, patients can walk well without using the iPod.

This is an incredible result. Dr. Hu believes the brain is actually rewiring itself around the part of the brain damaged by Parkinson’s disease. He says this could result in a permanent reduction of symptoms for patients. It could even help patients reduce or eliminate some of the medications they may be taking. Patients will also be able to meet the basic physical activity requirements of walking 30 minutes a day for optimum health and well being.

Dr. Hu wants to recruit more patients with Parkinson’s disease to participate in this study. He says you can phone him directly at 403-210-8640. And, he says, the sooner the better.

You can also get in touch with the Parkison’s Society for more information about the disease and research projects.

http://www.parkinsons-society.org/

CALGARY WEATHER
TODAY: 17, Sunny (WIND: SE 20)
TONIGHT: 5, Clear
TUESDAY: 21, Partly Cloudy
>What a difference a week makes…HELLO SPRING!!  A flurry-free forecast, with temperatures popping into the 20’s.  Look for some cooler temperatures on Thursday, but still into the double-digits.
-Meteorologist Andrew Schultz ( twitter: @AndrewSchultzWX )

Are you trying to lose weight? Well, why not stissck to that diet for just a couple of days? A recent study out of the UK found women who followed a calorie restricted, low carb plan for just two days a week, lost more weight than those who tried dieting for 7 days!! Now that sounds doable!

Be happy if you’re petite! Research published in the Lancet Oncology journal found in a study of 1.3 million women for every 4 inch increase in height, the risk of developing leukemia, melanoma, breast, ovarian, endometrial or colorectal cancer rose by 16 percent! Researchers don’t know why, but they’re going to start looking into the connection between higher rates of cancer in our modern, taller populations.

And most of us who own pets know this, but yes, they do make us feel better. There is now more evidence to suggest our furry friends boost our confidence and resilience. Three recent studies out of the US found those with pets reported higher levels of well being in several areas like happiness, self-esteem, depression, loneliness and fitness. Researchers say our four legged friends are a meaningful source of social support.