Public Health envisions vibrant communities where well-being thrives and everyone can attain their full potential. A broad range of factors influences our health: genetics, individual lifestyles and behaviours, as well as the physical, social, and economic environments in which we live. We work locally with individuals, families, the community and partner agencies to promote and protect health and to prevent disease. Browse these health topics to learn more.
We all play an important role in fall prevention and supporting healthy aging.
- We are living longer and the number of older adults in our communities is growing.
- As we age, our minds and bodies change.
- Falling is not a natural consequence of aging but is the result of several age-related factors such as loss of muscle strength and balance.
Stay on Your Feet
The Stay on Your Feet strategy helps support healthy active aging.
In Northeastern Ontario, Ontario Health, the five public health units, and many other community partners work together to plan and implement this strategy. Stay on Your Feet promotes ways to stay strong, stay active, stay social, and live our best life as we age. Our collective goal is to prevent falls among older adults (65+).
Stay on Your FeetBe prepared by learning about what to do if you fall (Health Canada).
We do not provide individual nutrition counselling.
Use the Find a dietitian search tool (Dietitians of Canada) to find a registered dietitian near you.
You can learn more about what community food programs and services are available in your area.
Helpful resources
- Canada’s Food Guide: Canada’s healthy eating guidelines (Health Canada)
- Cookspiration: An app for recipes created by Dietitians of Canada
- Food Allergy Canada: Information, tools, and support for those living with food allergies
- Foodland Ontario: An interactive website with seasonal recipes and information on the seasonal availability of Ontario produce
- Love Food Hate Waste Canada: Tips on reducing food waste
Mental health is key to our well-being.
It involves how we feel, think, act, and interact with the world around us. Mental health is about realizing our potential, coping with the normal stresses of life, and making a contribution to our community. There are many facets of mental well-being that link to physical health. We can’t truly be healthy without it.
Mental health and substance use resources
If you are still having trouble finding what you need, reach out to 211 Ontario. 211 quickly and confidentially connects people to social services and community programs across the province. Call by dialing 211, texting 211, or chat via the live chat on their website.
- If you are in crisis or need to reach someone immediately, please call 911 or Health Sciences North’s 24/7 crisis toll-free number at 1.877.841.1101.
Being active is one of the most important things you can do for your health.
There are many ways to make active living part of your everyday routine. If you have not been active lately, start slowly. Find activities you enjoy and increase your activity level gradually.
Resources
- Canadian Society of Exercise Physiology (CSEP): 24-Hour Movement Guidelines
- ParticipACTION
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for the Early Years (ParticipACTION)
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Children and Youth (ParticipACTION)
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults: Ages 18-64 (ParticipACTION)
- Canadian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines for Adults: Ages 65+ (ParticipACTION)
- Ontario Active School Travel
- Active for Life : Raising kids who love to move
- Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety: Active Living at Work
Get the health benefits of being active outdoors by walking, cycling, and moving in ways you enjoy. There are programs in Greater Sudbury and the districts of Sudbury and Manitoulin that offer financial support for participation in sport and recreation programs.
Community supports
Physical activity plays an important part in living a long and healthy life. We have many opportunities to get out and be active right in our own community.
The following programs offer financial support or incentives for participation in physical activity.
Jumpstart (Canadian Tire)
As a nationally registered charity, Jumpstart works to remove financial barriers so that children aged 4 to 18 can participate in organized sport and physical activity.
P.L.A.Y. Program (Human League Sudbury)
The P.L.A.Y. (Positive Leisure Activities for Youth) program is dedicated to removing barriers, so that children can participate in organized sport and recreation. Families looking for assistance can submit an application to the P.L.A.Y. Program.
SnowPass (Ski Canada)
For a nominal registration fee, the Canadian Ski Council’s SnowPass™ enables grade 4 and 5 students, across Canada, to ski and ride, three times, at participating ski and snowboard areas.
Wear the gear. Slow down. Buckle up. Drive sober. Text responsibly. Get trained. These are some simple rules for all to use to keep our roads safer. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for those under 35. For this reason, we work with partners in road safety.
Resources
Screen time is the time spent using a device that has a screen, such as a smartphone or television. Too much screen time can keep kids from important childhood activities such as playing, learning to talk, reading, being active and spending time with friends and family.
A healthy lifestyle requires a balance of physical activity, sedentary behaviour, and sleep. Sleep is essential for a productive lifestyle and overall health and wellness.
Sleep is a result of your sleep-wake cycle, also known as your circadian rhythm. The circadian rhythm is your internal biological “clock” that tells you when you are tired and when to wake up. Each day your biological “clock” must be reset. Sunshine or bright light in the morning helps reset your clock.
Resources
- Sleep On It Canada
- Sleep Diary (Sleep On It Canada, PDF)
- Are Canadian Kids Too Tired to Move? (ParticipACTION, PDF)