The zipper. Avril Lavigne. Degrassi Junior High. All quality Canadian productions (hey, don’t judge)… then shows like “The Guard” come out and give them all a bad name. Sometimes turning on the CBC makes me want to cringe. When it comes to mags though, can we redeem ourselves? The market for women’s health magazines is continuously growing so it was only a matter of time before a Canadian equivalent emerged. First to step up to the plate, none other than Reader’s Digest with its new Best Health mag, specifically catering to health conscious Canadian women. With healthy menu options and new gyms popping up all the time, let’s see what this magazine has to offer.

I can instantly tell when a Canadian TV show comes on. Not because of the content or the actors, but because of the production quality. And I always know the latest up and coming Canadian artists because their songs are played to death on the radio as a result of our amazing Canadian content laws (a good idea in theory, not so much in practice). And I know every actor that’s Canadian. Why is this such a novelty for interviewers? It seems as though it’s brought up every single time said actor opens his or her mouth.

A Canadian magazine on the other hand, doesn’t stand out on the shelf with a blinking light over it, but it does offer a lot that its American counterparts do not. For one thing, it presents information and articles that are relevant to me, using Canadian experts from cities and hospitals and research facilities that I recognize. Make it health related and directed at women and in today’s day and age, you have a recipe for success. Put the name Reader’s Digest behind it and you’ve got instant credibility, so when I received Best Health in the mail, I was pretty excited to sit down and pore through its pages.

For a one year subscription, you get six maxed-out issues for about $25. The magazine is bigger than its competitors’ both in page size and in thickness, probably to compensate for not being a monthly mag. Unlike fashion periodicals, its table of contents is actually easy to find and the many quality articles are thankfully not lost in the quicksand of adverts. Best Health is intuitively split into four sections: Look Great, Get Healthy, Eat Well and Embrace Life. The bright images are a draw, and articles like “Canada’s Healthiest Cities” (Van City’s on top!) and “Stripping Off the Pounds: My First Turn at the Pole” will keep any reader engaged.

One of my favourite things in this whole magazine was a small little sidebar item on one of the pages. It was a little bitty health tip that suggested using milk instead of cream when getting your Timmy’s Iced Cap fix. Seriously, can you get any more Canadian than that? They weren’t screaming it from the rooftops, but they were giving me information I can use that is strictly Canadian. And let’s be honest, those Iced Caps add up by the end of a long, hot summer!

I loved the fact that they used predominantly Canadian experts for their articles but still made reference to American or other international studies or experts. Props to the designers as well, for the great use of imagery and space. A good publisher appreciates the fact that a good layout, even the font size and style, can make a difference in the number of eyeballs per page. Thank you new mag, for not making me flip through half the magazine to get to the end of an article (show of comments, who else finds that annoying?). The only complaint I have about this magazine is that it wasn’t directed at my age group. The very first study focused on women aged 30-59 and that theme continued throughout.

So, the verdict is in. I would absolutely highly recommend this magazine to anyone I know who is at all interested in health and is above the age of 30. Reader’s Digest has really done it again. And who better? It’s like an institution in this country. As if Best Health needs any more cred. The articles were great, the visuals phenomenal, and the price? Just right.

For this trying-to-be-healthy twenty-something, you can bet that I’ll be asking for this subscription for my thirtieth birthday.

Here’s the Table of Contents to give you an idea of what else to expect from Best Health:

Premiere Issue |Spring 2008

1 Look Great
Feed Your Skin From grape serums to mushroom moisturizers to white tea eye treatments, the latest skin care recipes put the spotlight on food.
Younger, Stronger, Sexier What’s one of the best things you can do to improve your looks and your health? Start light weightlifting.
“I Reached Nirvana in 2.5 Seconds” A 35-year-old spa virgin tells all.
Beauty Bar Our roundup of makeup, hair and skin care products.
Hair Rx Make it thicker and shinier – with every wash (really!).
White Fever Can today’s amazing array of teeth whiteners deliver a dazzling smile?
Spring Beauty Boosts The season’s trends are decidedly pretty, fresh and simple to adapt.
Secrets of Scent It’s invisible, yet sensual and powerful – and we’ve put together a guide to help you find the perfume that suits you best.
The Truth About Makeup Expiry Dates When do you really need to toss your cosmetics?

2 Get Healthy
Walk Off 10 Pounds Do it in eight weeks with our exclusive plan.
*Toxic Truths How much should you worry about some common household products?
Canada’s Healthiest Cities We rated them from east to west.
Diagnosis: Breast Cancer There’s new thinking about the disease that every woman fears.
Pillow Talk From a Sleep Doc A medical expert reveals the three things that help her deal with her own insomnia.
Healthy Humour Our reporter’s take on the pole-dancing craze.
Male Call How to get your favourite guy to visit the doctor.
It Worked For Me! One woman tells how she finally quit smoking
Pain, Pain, Go Away The best over-the-counter pills for your ache
Quiz: Rate Your Health Take stock of your habits, and then find out how to improve your life through diet and exercise.

3 Eat Well
Zest for Spring Fresh new ideas for squeezing more nutrient-packed citrus fruits into your diet.
Let’s Ban Trans Fats Why they should beoutlawed in Canada.
Quick Fixes Healthy suppers you can make in about 30 min.
Tired of Dieting? Then try these seven get-slim strategies.
Meet Canada’s Fresh-Food Celebrity Paul Finkelstein has created some unique take-with-you lunch recipes.
Oh-mega! Why you can’t do without omega-3 fatty acids.
Test Your Supermarket Smarts Take the quiz to find out how much you know (and learn seven smart nutrition tips).
Healthy Picks Three new good-for-you choices for your shopping cart.

4 Embrace Life
Taste for Life How one woman swapped burnout for a delicious new career leading culinary tours in Turkey.
Nine No-Fail Stress Busters Relax with these research-based tips.
Force of Nature Find out why experts are saying “horticultural therapy” is helpful in treating anxiety and depression.
Just a Quirk? All of us have our idiosyncrasies. But when do you need to fret about your funny little habits?
Better Sex Now Three things to tell him – and three things to ask.
Pedal Power This group of Vancouver women know how to live it up!
Wine and Your Health To drink, or not to drink? Finally the answer.
Win At Work Leave your psychological baggage at the office door.
My Healthy Life A Halifax yoga instructor shares her wellness secrets.

*A couple of pages from the magazine for you to check out:

What we’re working on…

Immunity 101! Next week, Stasia‘s got The Goods on the new Astro BioBest Maximmunité, a probiotic drink containing unique cultures that purportedly target cells of the immune system to help fortify your natural defenses.

Got a great new product that you think could make it on Stasia’s shopping list?
Email us and tell us about it!