Neece Electrolysis & Laser Studio

Everyone wants to achieve his or her best self yet, but the challenges of daily life make it hard to keep up with appearances. Neece Electrolysis founder Angela Martino takes her clients from flab to fab in just 45 minutes with a star treatment readily available at her clinic. A firm start to your day begins with VersaSlim, an innovative body reshaping treatment that breaks down fat cells to contour your curves and promote inch loss. While the level of benefit varies within each individual, VersaSlim provides a non-invasive, pain-free option for rapid results in as little as eight sessions.

Following this treatment, Martino shakes things up by incorporating the T-Zone Vibration Machine. This highly effective device complements the body reduction efforts of VersaSlim while increasing metabolism, burning more calories and stimulating the Read more

GTA is the Place to Be!

Over the past three years, housing prices have appreciated in the vast majority of regions across the country. This solid growth has generated a general worldwide consensus that Canada’s real estate market is safe and sound.

Toronto’s market fared notably well during this period. When compared to August 2011, selling prices for August 2012 increased nearly 6.5 per cent to an average of $479,095 per home. This substantial growth was propelled by the city’s low-rise home segment, which includes a 15 per cent price increase in single-detached homes.

Overall, sales may have been down this year in the GTA, but new listings were as well. Accordingly, market conditions held firm due to Read more

All Smiles with Dental Works 4 Kids

Dental Works 4 Kids is creating an exciting buzz in the Vaughan community. With the introduction of orthodontists Dr. Ajeet Ghumman and Dr. Sunny Dhingra, the office has become one of the first pediatric and orthodontic dental clinics in Ontario. Longtime friends who met early in their dental careers, they had always envisioned a place where patients could be cared for by a team of specialists as opposed to the traditional single-specialist clinic. Their vision for this type of successful practice has now become reality. “What first drew us to this profession is working with kids,” says Dr. Ghumman. “It’s a rewarding experience. We’re helping create beautiful smiles, we’re helping their whole outlook on life and their self-esteem.”

Working with pediatric dentists Dr. Jill Oxner and Dr. Karen Stallaert, the specialists have taken a unique approach to preventative care to Read more

Shoppers Drug Mart Gala Honours Noah Facecchia

Spending most of his time in a wheelchair with open but unresponsive eyes at the Hospital for Sick Children’s Critical Care Unit, Noah Facecchia is not living the life of an average seven-year-old. On the morning of Jan. 9, 2011, tragedy came down on his family as he was rushed to the hospital with persistent and uncontrollable seizures in his brain. The condition, idiopathic refractory status epilepticus, was brought on by an undiagnosed life-threatening disease, leaving Noah’s loving family confused and with very few answers. Noah remains unresponsive.

On Oct. 20, 2012, Shoppers Drug Mart at 4000 Highway 7 in Woodbridge, Ont. is hosting a gala in honour of Noah. Fifty per cent of $10 ticket sales will be donated to the family, helping them find a cure and raise money for all of his care-giving needs. Doctors have Read more

A Heart Ahead of its Years

Putting in 1,000 hours of volunteer work may be 25 times the required amount for most high school students, but for 14-year-old Harnoor Gill, offering a helping hand is a pleasure. With a lengthy charity record ranging from environmental causes to welcoming young immigrants to Canada, this young activist from Georgetown, Ont. has gathered a collection of experience and wisdom that exceeds his years. “Sometimes it can be hard,” he explains, “but I have my parents to support me. I believe volunteering is just a good thing to do, just reaching out to others.”

Though he has a heart for all different forms of charity, Gill is particularly passionate about the environment. He is actively involved in P.O.W.E.R. (Protect Our Water and Environmental Resources), a not-for-profit environmental protection organization. During the 2011 Diwali Festival, he shared his earth-loving ideas through a collection of articles, inspiring others to think innovatively for the sake of our planet’s health.

All this extracurricular commitment means an overload of work for this teen. When asked what energizes his philanthropic spirit, Gill says he hopes to motivate other young people to get involved, too. “My overall message to youth is that age is not a barrier,” he says. As a volunteer who began his journey at the age of three, selling cookies door-to-door in his native Hong Kong town, Gill has certainly become an inspiration not only for youth, but for all ages.

Read more

Gratitude Gala 2012

How often do you say ‘thank you’ in a day? A month? A year? It’s a word that Serge Kaptegaine believes should be heard more often, and it’s a word he’d like to repeat at the Canadian Centre for Refugee Employment’s (CCRE) Gratitude Gala on Sept. 20, 2012. Kaptegaine, director of the CCRE, is taking this opportunity to recognize the mentors, employers and organizations that have aided his organization in its mission to ease newcomers into Manitoba — a province that offered him peace when he emigrated from unspeakable circumstances in war-torn DR Congo in 2005. “To see the faces of real people devoting themselves to help others to achieve greatness, it makes me believe that the human race can live together in harmony,” says Kaptegaine. By raising awareness and creating a platform for refugees to gain the skills and knowledge necessary for employment, the CCRE has created opportunities Read more

2012 Lexus CT 200h

Toyota captures lighting in a bottle with its now wildly successful flagship hybrid, the Prius. Its popularity has skyrocketed in recent years, and the Japanese auto manufacturer has made a recent push to replicate that potent electric-gas magic, releasing various Prius iterations and hybridifying other models, like the Camry and Highlander.

Lexus is following suit. Riding the wave of Prius-induced hybrid fever, Lexus has padded its roster with a hybrid for virtually every segment. If you’re on the market for a hybrid, there’s a Lexus for that.

The most recent addition to the family is the compact CT 200h. While the Prius is tailored for the eco-minded utilitarian, the CT 200h is out to add some zest to the green. With a sporty esthetic, low price point Read more

Hotel Albergo

Toronto-based performing arts collective Lady Luck Productions is presenting Hotel Albergo at the Capitol Event Theatre on Sept. 23, 2012. With 15 astonishing dancers, actors, singers, musicians, acrobats and comedians, this will be a show you don’t want to miss. Hotel Albergo is an interactive, family-friendly dinner theatre production about an Italian immigrant family trying to save their beloved hotel. Celebrating Toronto’s rich Italian culture, the fun-loving production will have audience members laughing out loud. Read more

Help Bring Anna Leibenko Home

Tragedy has befallen a community member. Anna Leibenko, a 24-year-old Toronto resident, is in a coma in a Croatian hospital, and her family is asking for your help.

While on a European vacation with friends, Leibenko, a former Argonauts cheerleader, had traveled to Croatia for Yacht Week, where she slipped off a catamaran, hitting her head on the boat’s ledge and falling three metres into the water bellow. She was transported by helicopter to a hospital in Split, Croatia, where she remains in a coma with brain contusions and facial bone fractures. And the bills are mounting.

When her condition stabilizes, Leibenko will need to be flown by air ambulance back to Toronto. Unfortunately, Leibenko was without travel insurance and her family must now front the staggering Read more

You Are What You Eat

Growing up on a farm in Mildmay near Walkerton, Ont., animals provided food, but also friendship for Luke Albert and his family. With his chickens making good companions, a young Albert disliked the meat on his plate when he thought of his friends on the field. At 14, he decided to switch to vegetarianism, three years ago he became a vegan, and today he holds the position of festival and events coordinator for the Toronto Vegetarian Association.

While his small town didn’t have all of the convenient vegetarian options that Toronto offered, he made due with leafy greens and whole grains. Unlike his younger self who often resorted to junk food for sustenance, Albert now looks at healthier alternatives to meat and dairy.

“Once upon a time, if you asked me if I would ever crave tofu I would’ve said ‘no,’” says Albert, whose favourite restaurants now include Fresh and Vegetarian Haven in Toronto. “Things have come a long way and now you crave it like you would any other type of meat.”

Desiring tofu is only one of the many changes Albert found in his switch to veganism. As a result of healthier eating and the low-density foods consumed on a vegan diet, Albert lost 80 pounds over the course of a few years and found that he was more energetic in his new lifestyle. “I ran a half marathon a couple of months ago,” says Albert, defeating the myth that vegans aren’t as athletic as their counterparts.

Justin Elchakieh is also working against this stereotype. A vegan for just over a year now, he has figured out how to stay healthy and fit, frequently working out to increase his strength. While he initially lost weight, doing research and speaking to other vegans in the community helped him discover what was missing from his diet so that he could live a balanced life. By getting a hold of as much information as possible, the transition was a healthy one and easier than expected.“I suggest you do a lot of research on veganism,” says Elchakieh. “It’s very important that you do it properly.”

-The Toronto Vegetarian Association reports that a vegetarian diet requires only a half acre of land — that’s seven times less than a meat-based diet.

-According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, livestock production accounts for 30% of the entire land surface of the planet and 18% of climate change.

-A study published in the British Medical Journal discovered that vegetarians outlive meat eaters by six years.

– According to the Toronto Vegetarian Association website, a vegetarian/vegan diet lowers the risk of heart disease, many types of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, food poisoning and obesity

– The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) website says research shows cows to be socially complex animals that can hold grudges, develop friendships, form social hierarchies and choose leaders.

For more information on veganism or vegetarianism visit www.veg.ca

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