Air quality worsens in eastern US as Canadian wildfire smoke hangs over Midwest
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Smoke from Canadian wildfires started making air quality worse in the eastern U.S. on Wednesday as several Midwestern states battled conditions deemed unhealthy by the federal government.
The fires have forced thousands of Canadians to flee their homes and sent smoke as far as Europe.
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Global News
13 minutes ago
- Global News
Halifax Mooseheads' anthem singer battling brain cancer: ‘I drew this card'
A well-known Halifax musician says he's remaining upbeat despite a sudden cancer diagnosis. Peter Baylis has been the Halifax Mooseheads' anthem singer for more than a decade, and he's now hoping the community he's uplifted for years will help him in his new fight. 'Another door of your mind opens up when someone tells you, 'you have cancer,'' he said of his shocking diagnosis. Baylis, who is best known for his passionate renditions of the Canadian national anthem at Mooseheads' games, was diagnosed last month with a glioblastoma, an aggressive form or brain cancer. 'We are guaranteed nothing on this planet. Nothing at all,' he said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'If you look at it that way, metaphorically, and that deck of card is your life. I drew this card — you know, there it is.' Story continues below advertisement He says he's not letting this new obstacle take away his love for life. 'I will open my mind with a positive mindset that I'm going to grab this and I'm going to run through it with all my strength that I possibly can,' he said. A GoFundMe has been launched to support Baylis and his family, as he will be unable to work while undergoing chemotherapy. The team's president, Brian Urquhart, says Baylis is an integral part of the Halifax Mooseheads family and has brought a patriotic flair to the Scotiabank Centre for QMJHL games. 'Peter is a well-known anthem singer in junior hockey circles which is a little, it was not the norm, to be honest,' said Urquhart. 'It's something that he should be very proud of and we're certainly proud of to have him as part of our family.' Baylis hopes to help others dealing with glioblastoma as he goes through his treatment process, and also dreams of returning to a stage sooner rather than later. 'Because I feel very, very at home and at ease in that particular moment because I'm so darn proud of what I'm doing,' he said.
Vancouver Sun
an hour ago
- Vancouver Sun
Canadian brand Protein Candy is making high-protein snacks fun
Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page. If it seems like an influx of protein-based snacks and meal replacements have flooded your grocery shelves and social media feeds lately, you wouldn't be wrong. Ipsos Five reports a 112 per cent increase in the number of Canadians identifying protein as their primary nutritional concern since 2015, and a 20 per cent increase since 2020. Nourish Food Marketing's 2025 Trend Report also reveals that 71 per cent of consumers are looking for ways to increase their daily protein intake. High-protein foods like meats, beans and dairy will always be part of a healthy diet, but these days brands are getting creative with new protein-rich products that go beyond protein powders , shakes and bars. Protein Candy , founded in London, Ont., is one such company helping to make snacking more fun with its range of high-protein candies. Discover the best of B.C.'s recipes, restaurants and wine. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of West Coast Table will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. The candy comes in four varieties ( Berry Punch , Tropical Fruit , Classic Fruit and Classic Fruit Sour ), each filled with an assortment of four fruity flavours. One serving is packed with 14g of protein, 6g of fibre and just 4g of sugar. It's also free from gluten, artificial colours and flavours for a better-for-you sweet treat. To learn more about the London, Ont.- based company, we spoke with Protein Candy co-founder and CEO Michael DeLorenzi. Q: For those who aren't familiar, can you share a bit about the brand Protein Candy? A: Protein Candy is the world's first 'super candy.' The brand was co-founded by serial entrepreneurs Michael DeLorenzi and Trevor Lenders, two leaders with a shared vision of making a better-for-you candy. Trevor, driven by a personal passion for fitness and formulation, spent years collaborating with food scientists to develop a high-protein treat that truly tasted like candy. What sets Protein Candy apart is its exceptional protein content, offering up to 100 times more protein than traditional candies available in the market. With no artificial sweeteners, Protein Candy is sweetened with monk fruit juice and stevia and uses natural flavours and colours in all products. It's a treat you don't have to 'earn,' just enjoy on the way to reaching your goals. Q: What inspired you and Trevor to create a protein-powered candy? A: The idea for Protein Candy started nearly four years ago when Trevor was trying to balance his love for candy with a commitment to fitness. While there were better-for-you candy options, none offered nutritional value that actually supported fitness goals. Protein bars and snacks were the closest alternative — but they often tasted chalky, were full of sugar or artificial ingredients and lacked the chewy, fruity experience he craved. When Trevor approached [me], he was looking for a partner to bring Protein Candy to market. With Trevor leading product development and me shaping the commercial strategy, we combined our strengths to disrupt the 'better-for-you' aisle. What: Protein Candy Tropical Fruit, 12 Bags Price: $72 Where to buy: Protein Candy | Natura Market | Q: What is your favourite flavour and why? Is it the same among consumers? A: My favourite flavour is tropical . I love the flavours in that pack, specifically Mango and Pina Colada! It's a great way to make me feel like I'm on a beach, even if I'm stuck in traffic or sitting in the office. Our best seller to date has been Classic Fruit Sour , which was also voted Product of the Year 2025 and winner of the Healthy Snacks category (according to 4,000 people who voted, conducted by Kantar). We continue to see a rise in consumer demand and the market for sour snacks, so we're thrilled to be offering one of the first sour protein candy options on the market. Q: Why do you think people are paying more attention to their protein intake these days? A: Protein has always been vital for overall health, supporting growth, development and cellular repair. A deficiency in protein can lead to serious health issues, including weakened immune function, hair and skin changes, muscle weakness and an increased risk of fractures. The growing attention to protein today is because consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the impact it has on weight management, muscle development and overall well-being. From accelerating metabolism to curbing cravings, there are a myriad of reasons why protein has been cast into the nutritional spotlight. The growing protein supplements market is a testament to this — it's poised to double in value and reach $10.8 billion by 2030 . To meet this demand, food manufacturers are launching protein-forward innovations across several categories and featuring high-protein claims more prominently in their marketing. Research tells us that we should also be mindful of our fibre intake, as 90 per cent of Canadians are not getting enough. What: Protein Candy Sour Fruit, 12 Bags Price: $72 Where to buy: Protein Candy | Natura Market | Q: What are some of your favourite healthy lifestyle hacks? A: Some of my favourite healthy lifestyle hacks are daily sunlight, red light therapy and a minimum of 15,000 steps a day (movement is medicine). I also aim for at least 30g of protein at every meal. Q: Are there any other Canadian snack brands you're a fan of? A: I love Smart Sweets ! I'm also a huge fan of Mid-Day Squares . Canadian better-for-you snack brands know what we're doing. I am also a fan of the Envy green juice and Ginger Wellness Shots from my other brand Pulp & Press, and the occasional Exponent Energy drink. Q: What's next for Protein Candy? A: In 2025, we're laser-focused on delivering exceptional innovation, scaling distribution and building brand love across North America. This year is about deepening our retail presence, launching new flavours and formats and continuing to build Protein Candy into a household name. Everything we're doing now lays the foundation for an aggressive 2026 expansion across the U.S. and Canada — and beyond. We're excited to be leading the charge in blurring the line between functional food and indulgence with a candy that people reach for daily, not just as a cheat. This shift is just beginning, and we plan to lead it. Shopping Essentials , a category written by research-obsessed shopping fanatics, is now on . Explore in-depth product reviews, expert recommendations and exciting collaborations — plus get behind-the-scenes info on your favourite brands and trending products — learn more here or sign up for our newsletter . kmendonca@
Winnipeg Free Press
4 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘Nature of Things' looks at how parenthood changes men's brains and bodies with ‘Dad Bods'
TORONTO – A new episode of CBC's 'The Nature of Things,' timed to Father's Day, explores some of the ways men's brains and bodies adapt to parenthood. The episode titled 'Dad Bods' takes viewers across Canada and around the world to look at social and scientific elements of fatherhood. The Canadian Press spoke with director Christine McLean about how the doc, available now on CBC Gem, came together. CP: Tell me about the tone of the documentary. McLean: I like to think that it's not just humorous, but it's warm-hearted… I think the most important point that came out of all this science, most of it quite recent, only in the last 20 years or so, is that we as humans, we have these incredible bodies that are so adaptable. And especially our brains. What the science is showing us is that given the opportunity, we all have the potential, whether we're male or female, to be great nurturing parents. Dads become more empathetic than they might have been before they had children, but they also become experts in their own child. The part of the brain that's stimulated is the part that allows us to read social cues. And they really become very intelligent in terms of figuring out why a baby is in distress. CP: Did anything you learned while making the documentary surprise you? McLean: I did not know that a man's testosterone typically goes down after he has a child. It made a certain amount of sense because I think many of us notice that when a person becomes a parent, they become a softer, gentler version of themselves… I had no idea that that was linked to biological changes inside that person. That was the first surprise. All men are impacted by hands-on care of children: grandfathers, uncles, adoptive fathers. If they're holding that child, they have those hormonal changes happening. That was all new to me. I think new to most people was the recent science about the benefits of what they call skin-to-skin care, which is common in Canadian hospitals. I remember noticing a few years ago friends would send me photographs of babies being held by their dads, and the dads would have their shirts off. And I'm thinking, what is happening in the delivery room these days? It puzzled me. Is this a weird new selfie that people are taking? Little did I know that there's all kinds of physical benefits to that. The father's heart rate goes down, his blood pressure goes down, the baby is comforted. But also the baby often will take in the good gut bacteria that can be on the dad's skin and it helps their digestive system. And who knew that? That was only discovered a couple of years ago. And we now know that for babies who are born via caesarean section, they don't get the gut bacteria from the mom that they get with a conventional birth. And yet, if dads practise skin-to-skin care, the latest science shows that their contribution to that baby's gut health is as robust as the mom's would have been had she delivered vaginally. It's extraordinary. CP: The episode made me think about masculinity, and the conversations we're having around what masculinity means. McLean: It wasn't one of my goals to delve into that, but watching it, you can't help but think about these things. I would say that anybody watching this documentary is not going to be left with the feeling that a good father isn't masculine. I think they're going to have the exact opposite feeling. The book that inspired it ('Father Time: A Natural History of Men and Babies' by American primatologist Sarah Blaffer Hrdy) delves into that a little bit more. There is this sense that if we are to give men permission or at least encourage them to be close to their children, that the changes that happen in their body result in a different kind of masculinity. I'm not going to say it's less masculine… I think that there's kind of a new version of a hero that's evolving when it comes to fathering children. And I think today's heroes are the dads who get up in the night, the dads that change the diapers, the dads that worry about whether their children are happy. And I don't think that makes them less a man. I think it makes them a greater human being. And I think that discovering there was so much going on in the male body in a sense takes gender out of the equation. CP: How would you respond to someone who doesn't like the idea of their testosterone level going down? McLean: The fact that testosterone goes down, when that was discovered about 20 years ago, it attracted a lot of attention and led to this burgeoning field of science. And I can only assume that there was some concern about that on the part of men, because it's testosterone that allows men and women to build body mass. It leads to competitiveness, it leads to assertiveness. None of those things are bad. The thought of losing some of that, I can understand where somebody — particularly a young man — might not like thinking about that. But anybody who watches this documentary will see that the rewards for being a hands-on dad are so great. Losing a little testosterone in the process is no big deal when you see the rewards, the bonds that develop with your child. Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. We couldn't fit everything into the documentary, but what the data shows is, in addition to fathers living longer and having greater health, they have stronger marriages. They have better relationships with their kids. We were focused on the dads, but if you were to look at the children, there are so many profound benefits to a child to having a hands-on dad, in terms of how well they do in school, how well their mental health is. And I think that a good dad makes for a good family, and good families make for a great community, and there's just these ripples of positive impact from dads being as involved as they are today. This interview was edited for length and clarity. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025.
