The #1 reason employees quit and 6 factors that fuel their happiness

What do employees need to be happy? Managers, take note: a new jobs report released Thursday has some pointers.

“Happiness is not a nice-to-have, but a necessity for a productive and successful business,” said Paul McDonald, senior executive director of recruiting firm Robert Half.

The company surveyed more than 12,000 workers across Canada and the U.S. in its quest to discover the secrets of workplace satisfaction.

What makes good workers quit

One of the biggest takeaways of the research? As it’s often been said: “People leave managers, not companies.”

“Relationships make or break any job. And the number one reason people stay — or quit — is because of their relationship with their boss,” Aymee Coget, a leading expert on workplace happiness, said in the report.

A manager can have a huge effect on how their subordinates feel, explains Nic Marks, who worked on the research. He’s the founder of Happiness Works, a platform that helps improve work environments.

“If your manager says one bad thing to you, it can really dampen your motivation for days, even weeks,” Marks wrote.

He urges managers not to micromanage, which he believes “robs employees of the chance to grow.” Empower workers instead by allowing them to make decisions on their own, Marks argues.

Those who feel a disconnect with their employer are most likely to leave their jobs within a year, according to the survey.

However, much of one’s happiness at work also comes down to having chosen the right role.

Who’s the happiest?

Here’s who seems to fare best (and worst) on the happiness scale, when broken down into the following four categories:

• Happiest: Staff at small business of fewer than 10 people.
• Least Happy: Employees at organizations of 10,000.

• Happiest: 55+
• Least Happy: 35-54 (this age group is also most stressed, and least interested in their work).

• Happiest: Marketing and creative professions. Teachers are up there too.
• Least Happy: Finance sector. The legal field is also up there. It apparently has the highest stress levels.

• Happiest: Senior executive. They’re apparently the least stressed as well.
• Least Happy: Sales and customer service staff

Even though happiness means different things to different people, these are the six commonalities that appear to span jobs, genders and sexes.

6 things all employees need

Workers who feel proud of their organizations are three times more likely to be happy at work compared to those who don’t.

Pride is the strongest driver of happiness for both men and women across North America, the survey found.

It also tops the list for workers aged 35 and up, and those in the IT, financial services, and administrative sectors.

In the legal and accounting professions, appreciation is the most important factor.

The need for recognition was evident when survey respondents were asked for anecdotes of times at work when they felt most content.

The memory that stood out most for one person was a 10-year-work anniversary dinner where the employer handed out “a glass bowl with some candy and a cheque.”

Another had to go back a decade to when his skill set and contributions “were acknowledged.”

Being treated fairly is especially important to women, the results show, and an area they often feel let down.

“A single act of unfair treatment — whether actual or perceived — is often enough to turn a happy, satisfied worker into one who is cynical and skeptical of the company,” the report reads.

Dianne Hunnam-Jones, a district president with Robert Half, encourages employers to give as much information as possible when making certain decisions that have the potential to be seen as unfair.

She gave the example of a decision that might come down from the corporate office that only the sales staff get paid parking.

Even though the reasoning (that they’re in and out of the building all day) may be sound, it may not be so obvious to the now-disgruntled person sitting in a cubicle wondering why others get special treatment.

“It’s really playing fair,” said Hunnam-Jones. “Not playing favourites.”

“Make sure you have that relationship so you can give the information.”

Unequal compensation between colleagues is another common sore spot.

This ties in with the desire to feel appreciated.

“You need to know what you do matters and people notice,” said Hunnam-Jones.

People want to feel like their values align with those of the company.

The shared vision allows a deeper emotional connection to one’s workplace.

All the perks in the world can’t make up for a lame workplace culture.

“That games table, free lunch in the cafeteria…will only last so long,” said Hunnam-Jones, “if you don’t feel like you have a deep satisfaction [with your workplace].

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Vancouver International Airport named best airport in the world

Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has been named the best airport in the world.

The CAPA Centre for Aviation crowned YVR with the prestigious title at the Aviation Awards in Amsterdam on Thursday.

The award is given each year to the airport that has been the “biggest standout strategically, established itself as a leader and done the most to advance the progress of the aviation industry,” according CAPA.

This is the first time YVR has earned the ranking and is the first North American airport to do so. Previous winners are Singapore Changi Airport, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, and Beijing Capital International Airport.

CAPA said Vancouver was selected for its “innovative marketing strategy and approach for incentivising growth.”

The organization also cited Vancouver’s increase in number of routes, technological innovation, and 32 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per passenger over the last decade.

“Vancouver Airport continues to be an industry leader on several fronts, enabling it to achieve impressive growth,” Peter Harbison, CAPA executive chairman, said.

“The airport also has a unique governance structure with a community-based, not-for-profit airport authority that reinvests all profits back into airport operations and development. Under this structure Vancouver Airport has been able to set and implement a highly successful strategy.”

In May, YVR was again named Best Airport in North America for the seventh consecutive year by the Skytrax World Airport Awards.

“This is an incredible achievement and is a testament to YVR’s success and our growing influence on the world stage,” said Craig Richmond, YVR’s president and CEO.

“We have achieved this milestone thanks to our focus on safety, teamwork, accountability and innovation—and our community based, not-for-profit governance model, under which we constantly improve the airport for our passengers, our partners and our communities.”

Among award-winning art and architecture, a stunning west coast-themed international departure area, and almost unanimous customer satisfaction reports (91 per cent), YVR features the largest Northwest Coast Native art collection in the world and two satellite Vancouver Aquarium exhibits.

YVR has grown from serving only 1,072 passengers in 1931 to an expected 22 million in 2016. It now serves over 35 airlines from around the world.

Other award-winners at the event included Qatar Airways for CAPA Airline of the Year, Eastern Europe’s Wizz Air was named Low Cost Airline of the Year, and Icelandair was named Regional Airline of the Year.

Donald Trump says NBC broke the law by releasing audio of lewd comments about women

Donald Trump now says NBC broke the law when it released a recording of him making lewd comments about how he felt entitled to grope women aboard an “Access Hollywood” bus.

Trump tells Fox News Channel’s “The O’Reilly Factor” that “the microphone was not supposed to be on.”

He’s also claiming it was an “illegal act” for NBC to record his conversation, even though he was in the midst of recording a television episode.

Trump says, “you know that was a private dressing room – yeah that was certainly illegal, no question about it.”

California law makes it a crime to record private conversations unless all parties consent – as long as the participants have an objectively reasonable expectation that no one is listening.

Trump is also suggesting he might consider taking legal action against NBC after the election. He has rarely followed through with such threats.

Abandoned dog waits for owners on dirty mattress next to trash after family moves out

A dog in Detroit has been rescued after spending days sleeping on a discarded mattress after its owners moved out of the home and left the animal behind.

According to WXYZ Detroit, the dog was found sleeping on a mattress next to a pile of furniture after waiting for its owners to return for nearly a month.

Neighbours told the news station the dog was left behind after its owners were evicted from their home.

Mike Diesel of Detroit Youth & Dog Rescue was alerted to the dog after a neighbour sent the rescue organization a photo of the lonely animal.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking for him. It’s heartbreaking for anybody that sees it,” Diesel told the Detroit news station.

Apparently, a neighbour left food and water for the dog after seeing Boo’s owners vacate their home.

“They came back one time, took the belongings that they chose to keep. Unfortunately, that wasn’t Boo,” Diesel explained.

Speaking to FOX2 Detroit, Diesel said it took him several hours and a lot of coaxing to get the animal to warm up to him.

“I spent the entire day earning his trust,” Oliver told the news station. “He was not leaving those belongings because they had the smell of his former owner.”

Eventually, Diesel was able to obtain the dog’s trust and was able to leash the animal and took the pup to a local animal hospital.

For the most part, the dog was said to be in good shape upon arriving at the animal clinic but will have to undergo treatment for a heart worm.

“He is wonderful,” veterinary technician Laura Owens told WXYZ Detroit. “You would think that he would be scared and fearful of people but he is not. He came in here wagging his tail.”

Once healthy, Detroit Youth & Dog Rescue said Boo will be placed into a foster home until the animal is adopted.

“Dogs are the most loyal,” Diesel told the news station. “If we can get humans to be anywhere close to that level of compassion then we would have a much better world.”

University of Alberta researchers develop pill to help people with celiac disease

EDMONTON — Researchers at the University of Alberta believe they have found a new way to help people with celiac disease enjoy certain foods they usually have to avoid.

Using the yolks of chicken eggs, two U of A professors have developed a natural supplement that prevents the absorption of gliadin, a component of __gluten that people with celiac disease have trouble digesting.

Hoon Sunwoo, an associate professor in the Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, says the supplement binds with __gluten in the stomach to help neutralize it, providing a defence to the small intestine which limits the damage caused by gliadin.

“It is our hope that this supplement will improve the quality of life for those who have celiac disease and gluten intolerance,” said Sunwoo, who has family and friends with celiac disease.

“I wanted to learn more about why some people cannot tolerate gluten and if there was a way to reduce the symptoms,” he added. “With gluten present in so much of our food, I wanted to find a way to improve the quality of life for my friend, his family and others.”

An estimated one in 133 Canadians suffers from celiac disease, according to the Canadian Celiac Association. The disease causes the absorptive surface of the small intestine to be damaged by gluten, which results in the body not being able to absorb nutrients like protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, triticale and barley.

The pill has proven to be safe, now the research team needs to prove how effective it is.

Sunwoo and his partner, Jeong Sim, a retired professor from the university’s Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, will start a trial with 200 patients from Edmonton and Calgary in June 2016.

The pair hopes the pill could be available to Canadians within the next three years.

Recipe for gluten-free Margherita pizza with a chickpea crust

If there’s a more basic and universally loved dish than pizza, I can’t name it. Bread, cheese and tomatoes… Perfect!

Unless, that is, you’re one of those poor souls who is sensitive to gluten. Happily, here’s a pizza that swaps out the traditional Italian wheat-based crust for a chickpea “flour” crust that’s popular in many parts of the world. And it’s just in time for the start of tomato season.

Chickpea flour is nothing more complicated than ground-up dried chickpeas. A widely-used ingredient in Middle Eastern and Indian cuisines, it is known variously as besan, gram flour, garbanzo bean flour and cici bean flour. The direct inspiration for this pizza was the popular Provencal street food called socca. There they turn the chickpea flour into a pancake, bake it in a wood-burning stove, and serve it straight up or with toppings.

Most North American supermarkets stock chickpea flour these days, though you will want to check the label to be sure it’s gluten-free. Of course, there’s more to be said for chickpea flour than that it lacks gluten. It’s a very good source of protein and fiber, and boasts a robust nutty taste.

To make pizza crust using chickpea flour, you just mix it with water and a little salt, no yeast required. But as with wheat flour, chickpea flour needs to be carefully mixed once the water is added to smooth out the lumps. And like wheat flour, chickpea flour benefits from a rest on the counter after it’s mixed before cooking.

Chickpea crust will never be as sturdy as a wheat crust. But you certainly can get it crispy enough to pick up easily using my method of cooking it in a non-stick or stick-resistant pan on the stovetop. Be sure, though, to follow the prescribed temperatures and timing; given its relative delicacy, the crust might otherwise fall apart. Also, don’t flip it until you see a nice even brown colour on the bottom.

With tomatoes now in season, I’ve topped my chickpea pizza with the classic Margherita combo: tomato, basil and mozzarella. Start by salting the tomatoes, which drains them of excess liquid and maximizes their lusciousness, then toss them with a little minced garlic. The tomatoes drain while the batter rests.

This recipe yields four 10-inch crusts. You can make them ahead of time, pop them in the oven at the last minute, then add the toppings. I’m betting that after you try this chickpea pizza just once, you’ll want to experiment with other toppings. My pizza-loving family – none of whom is sensitive to __gluten – were wild about this new twist on the traditional pie.

—

CHICKPEA CRUST PIZZA MARGHERITA

If you want slightly crispier crusts, bake the pizza shells in the middle of the oven for 5 minutes before topping them.

Start to finish: 1 hour

Servings: 4

• 1 1/2 cups (6 1/4 ounces) garbanzo bean (chickpea) flour
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (cut into 1/2 inch pieces)
• Heaping 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 5 ounces coarsely shredded mozzarella cheese (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil

Into a medium bowl, sift together the chickpea flour, table salt and pepper. Add 1/3 cup of water and whisk until the mixture has the consistency of a smooth paste. Add the remaining 1 cup of water, 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until the batter is smooth with each addition. Let stand for 30 minutes while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

In a colander, toss the tomatoes with the kosher salt. Set over the sink or a large bowl and let drain for 15 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to dry, then in a medium bowl combine them with the garlic.

Heat the oven to 400 F.

In a 10-inch nonstick or stick-resistant skillet over very high, heat 2 teaspoons of the oil. Whisk the batter and add a quarter of it (about 1/2 cup) to the skillet. Tip the pan to spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the skillet and reduce the heat to medium-high. Drizzle 2 teaspoons of the oil on top of the pancake, spreading it with a rubber spatula and cook the pancake until nicely browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Peek underneath the pancake to see if it is browned. Do not attempt to flip it until it is browned.

Flip the pancake and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned on the second side (it will not brown as much on the second side). Transfer the pancake to a sheet pan, browner side down. Repeat the procedure with the remaining batter and oil to make 3 more pancakes, transferring them as they are done to the sheet pan. You will need 2 sheet pans.

Divide the tomatoes among the 4 pizza crusts, then top each with a quarter of the cheese. Bake the pizzas in the middle of the oven for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Cut the pizzas into wedges, sprinkle the basil on top and serve immediately.

Inspired by her children, West Island mother opens gluten-free factory

DOLLARD-DES-ORMEAUX – Miriam Pearl began cooking gluten-free food out of necessity.

Her children, then five and six-years-old were diagnosed with Celiac disease, a serious __gluten intolerance and Pearl had to figure out a way to cook for them.

“I went to try to figure out how to make food that is for Celiac disease,” she said.

“I’d never even heard of that before, to be honest.”

After trying different recipes, the mother of two created Delicious Without Gluten, a gluten, nut, peanut and dairy-free factory.

It’s also kosher.

“The first thing we sell is bread,” she told Global News.

“We have all kinds of bread, from baguettes and bagels and pita bread and regular bread and buns.”

Pearl and her staff also make desserts – from muffins and brownies to cupcakes and cake pops.

“[At birthday parties], one kid is left out or two kids are left out or this one can’t participate,” explained Pearl.

“So, the idea really is to make something that everybody can eat.”

According to one study, around 10 million Canadians are looking for gluten-free products, while 2.5 million require them for medical reasons.

Martine Cohen, a Delicious Without __gluten customer said Pearl’s food is a gift.

“A little less than two years ago, I was diagnosed and then it felt like ‘oh, you can’t eat this,’ there was a whole list of what you can’t do and there weren’t a lot of alternatives on the market,” she said.

Not only were there limited options, Cohen said it was also hard to find foods with good texture and taste.

“[Now], you feel like you have options, you feel like you’re no longer limited,” said Cohen.

But those like Cohen aren’t the only ones enjoying gluten-free food.

Cohen said her kids prefer Pearl’s bread to regular bread as well.

“They’re like ‘can we have some of your bread? Can we have some of what you’re eating?’ And I’m like, ‘but what am I going to eat,'” she said.

Pearl said that’s exactly the point.

“The whole goal isn’t just for my kids,” she said.

“It’s a gift that I felt I could produce something that everybody could enjoy.”

Man dead, 2 children left injured after jump from New Jersey bridge

WANAQUE, N.J. — A man who jumped off a New Jersey highway bridge with his two children is dead, and the children are injured.

State police say the man jumped from an overpass into a wooded area near the Wanaque River on Monday night.

The unidentified man was pronounced dead at the scene. His two children were taken to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately available.

Breaking: man dead in @passaic_county after jumping with 2 children from I-287 overpass. @NJSP says kids survived. We drove past the scene pic.twitter.com/XfhL9gGxeV

— Tony Aiello (@AielloTV) October 25, 2016

Authorities say they found the man’s car near the bridge.

It’s unclear why he jumped. The investigation is ongoing.

Semi-naked man found dead on Spanish airport bench with deli meat on his buttocks, genitals in tuna can

Police in Spain are investigating the bizarre death of a British man who was found semi-naked, bound to a bench outside of an airport with sandwich meat placed on his body and his genitals in an open tuna can, according to British media.

According to the BBC, the 51-year-old man was found Friday bound to a bench outside of Malaga airport. The British broadcaster reported the man’s body was found with his hands tied behind his back. He had been stripped of his clothing from the waist down.

The Metro U.K. reported the victim was found with deli meat placed on each of his buttocks and his genitals placed in an open can of tuna.

According to the Daily Mail, Steven Allford was found face-down with his legs bound to a bench between the airport’s train station and the terminal building.

Citing a source close to the investigation, the British tabloid reported police the man may have choked on his own vomit.

“There were no obvious signs of violence on his body but the position he was found in suggested foul play,” the Daily Mail quoted the source as saying. “It is not known if what happened was done after or before death.”

The newspaper also reported investigators were trying to determine if food was placed on the man’s body by a passerby as some sort of a “sick joke.”

No arrests have been made.

Reena Virk killer Kelly Ellard is pregnant behind bars: report

The grandfather of a teenage girl beaten and drowned on Vancouver Island nearly two decades ago says he wishes his granddaughter’s killer well after a news report that she is pregnant in prison.

Mukand Pallan of Victoria, B.C., says he hopes becoming a mother will inspire Kelly Ellard to become a better person.

Pallan was reacting to a report from the Vancouver Sun that Ellard is eight months pregnant following a conjugal visit with her boyfriend, who is also currently behind bars.

Ellard was found guilty of second-degree murder in the killing of Reena Virk.

She was 15 years old when she smashed Virk’s head against a tree and held the Grade 9 student’s head underwater until she stopped moving.

She was denied supervised release from prison last May after a parole board found the now-33-year-old woman was still minimizing many aspects of her crime.

Teen beaten to death at church counselling session, pastor pleads guilty

UTICA, N.Y. – The pastor of a small church where two brothers were beaten for hours during a counselling session that she called pleaded guilty on Friday to manslaughter and assault.

Three other church members admitted to less serious charges for their roles in the all-night beatings that killed Lucas Leonard, 19, and injured Christopher Leonard, 17, last October.

Word of Life Christian Church Pastor Tiffanie Irwin, her brother Joseph Irwin and mother and son church members Linda Morey and David Morey were the last of nine people charged to be convicted in the attack, which investigators say took place after the brothers discussed leaving the congregation. Joseph Irwin and the Moreys each pleaded guilty to assault.

Oneida County District Attorney Scott McNamara called the case “a terrible tragedy.”

“I can only hope that Luke can rest in peace, Chris can get on with his life,” McNamara said.

The victims’ parents and half-sister and the pastor’s mother and a second brother were among those charged after members of the secretive church took the bloodied body of Lucas Leonard to a hospital, where doctors initially thought he had been shot. Authorities later found his badly injured brother still inside the converted New Hartford school building that housed the church and living space for its leaders.

Christopher Leonard testified at an earlier hearing that Tiffanie Irwin asked his family and some others to stay behind for a meeting after an eight-hour Sunday service last October. Over the next 14 hours, he said, he and his brother were pummeled in their torsos and genitals with an electrical cord.

McNamara has said the brothers were ordered during the beating to repent for a variety of sins, including using a voodoo doll. Police have said there was no evidence to support a claim by their half-sister, Sarah Ferguson, that they had molested her children.

Ferguson was convicted of manslaughter and assault after a non-jury trial in July. The only defendant to decline a plea deal, she was sentenced last month to 25 years in prison.

The victims’ parents, Deborah and Bruce Leonard, pleaded guilty to assault. The church’s matriarch, Traci Irwin, and her son Daniel Irwin, a deacon, admitted to counts of unlawful imprisonment.

Sentencings are scheduled for December and January.

Ex-teacher slashes throat in court after being convicted of raping girlfriend’s daughter

SANTA ANA, Calif. – A man convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager pulled a razor blade and slashed his throat in an Orange County courtroom Wednesday moments after the verdict.

Jeffrey Scott Jones, 56, of Huntington Beach, was rushed to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Jones, who taught Advanced Placement English classes at the Libra Academy in Huntington Park, was accused of molesting and having sex with a teenage relative of his live-in girlfriend in 2012 and 2013. Prosecutors said DNA evidence pointed to Jones.

The defence argued that the DNA evidence wasn’t conclusive and even called the girl’s mother to refute her testimony, saying her daughter lied to cover up her marijuana use.

“What mother turns their back on a child?” Michele Deleske, a neighbour of Jones’, asked KCBS. “We were all in shock when she stayed with him.”

A Santa Ana jury deliberated about two hours before convicting Jones of continuous sexual abuse and aggravated sexual assault of a child, which carry a potential sentence of 66 years to life in prison.

“Right after the judge asked if we wanted jurors polled, both attorneys said no, and then he took a razor out of his left pocket and slashed his throat,” prosecutor Heather Brown told City News Service. “His head hit the table, and I thought he fainted. But then I saw the blood and the razor on the table.”

“I didn’t see it even though I was sitting next to him” and only became concerned when Jones hit the table, defence attorney Ed Welbourn said.

“It’s very unfortunate, the whole thing,” he said. “We respect the jury’s decision, but we thought there was reasonable doubt as to what occurred … It’s just terrible. The good news is it looks like he will recover.”

“It had crossed my mind that he might try to kill himself rather than face life in prison,” senior deputy district attorney Heather Brown told KCBS. “So, I wasn’t completely shocked when that happened.”

The county sheriff’s department will investigate how Jones, who had been free on bail, managed to get the razor blade through court security, Lt. Mark Stichter said.

Throughout the trial, Brown described Jones to the court as a dangerous predator, saying he groomed his former students for sex.

“He had a history of marrying an underage student, finding a new underage student as soon as he got divorced from the next one,” she said.

According to Brown, Jones had previously married three of his former students, who were each under the age of 18.

Jones’ actions left neighbours worried for the safety of their own children.

“I have a young teenage daughter in my house. I would worry about her every time we left because I wasn’t sure what he was capable of doing,” said Deleske.

Deleske’s husband, Ken, told KCBS that he taught his daughter how to use his shotgun.

“I told her if he ever comes into the house, shoot him.”

— With files from Global News

Recipe: Gluten-free fruit & honey granola

Food writer and photographer Jennifer Pallian is making a quick and easy homemade granola that can be prepared well in advance for families on the go.

Fruit & Honey Granola

INGREDIENTS

• 3-1/2 cups large flake oats or gluten-free quick standard oats (uncooked)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
• One 6‑ounce package diced dried mixed fruit (about 1‑1/3 cups)

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F.
2. In large bowl, combine oats and pecans; mix well. Spread evenly in 15 x 10‑inch jelly roll pan or on rimmed baking sheet.
3. In small bowl, combine honey, oil, vanilla, cinnamon and salt (if desired); mix well. Pour over oat mixture; mix well.
4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown, stirring every 10 minutes. Stir in dried fruit. Cool completely. Store tightly covered up to 1 week.

Variations: Substitute dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots or chopped dried peaches for dried mixed fruit.

Is your gluten intolerance real? You’re not imagining it, new study suggests

You deal with bloating, stomach aches and gastrointestinal pain every time you eat food made from gluten. While you may not have celiac disease and skeptics cast doubt on your symptoms, a new study suggests your __gluten sensitivity is the real deal.

Scientists out of Columbia University say you may not be diagnosed with celiac disease, but the pain you encounter after eating __gluten may be because of a weak intestinal barrier, triggering body-wide inflammation.

In short, while your friends and family say you’re making up your bad reaction after eating bread and pasta, these doctors believe a leaky gut may be to blame.

“Our study shows that the symptoms reported by individuals with this condition are not imagined, as some people have suggested,” study co-author, Dr. Peter Green, said in a university statement.

“It demonstrates that there is a biological basis for these symptoms in a significant number of these patients,” Green said.

There are about 300,000 Canadians living with celiac disease, according to Health Canada. It’s a food sensitivity triggered by gluten, causing damage to the small intestine while leaving patients with inflammation and abdominal pain among other symptoms.

But the medical community is struggling to figure out why some people who don’t have the genetic markers of celiac disease grapple with celiac-like symptoms. Aside from their stomach issues, gluten makes them feel tired and lethargic, it disrupts their mood and their focus, for example.

The condition is called non-celiac gluten or wheat sensitivity or NCWS. The guess is that exposure to gluten triggers an intestinal response. Because there are no distinct biomarkers for NCWS, it’s hard for doctors to pinpoint its prevalence, but the estimates are at about one per cent of the population. That’s roughly the same as celiac disease.

In his study, Green and his team worked with 80 people with NCWS along with 40 people with celiac disease and 40 healthy participants.

After comparing intestinal immune response between the groups, the scientists say that the NCWS group had a “weakened intestinal barrier.” Bacteria and food particles were getting into their intestinal walls and bloodstream, which sets off their inflammation and discomfort.

It was different from those with celiac, too. Their symptoms kicked in much faster, while celiac disease patients feel discomfort hours later.

When those with NCWS cut gluten out of their diets for six months, they were able to normalize their immune activation and the damage to their intestinal cells, the researchers say.

Right now, the only way people manage celiac disease is by following a strict gluten-free diet, avoiding wheat, barley and rye. Instead, gluten-free diets swap these out for flours made with rice, soy, potatoes or tapioca.

Beans, nuts, fresh eggs, meat, fruit and vegetables are also safe bets for those with gluten intolerance.

Even people without diagnosed celiac disease have adopted gluten-free diets, too. They say they feel healthier with better digestion.

For years, Australian doctor Peter Gibson has been skeptical about gluten intolerance. In his 2014 findings, he said that it’s likely in your head.

His conclusions are based on a small study: he had 37 people who were allegedly sensitive to gluten cycle through three different diets: a high-gluten diet, low-gluten and control diet.

The results? Gibson’s participants reported stomach pain and sensitivity even when they weren’t eating gluten. Each diet had patients reporting pain, bloating, nausea and gas after their baseline treatment.

Read Green’s full findings published in the journal Gut.

carmen.chai@globalnews.ca
Follow @Carmen_Chai

Father of twin brothers killed in bobsled crash at Canada Olympic Park speaks out

The father of Jordan and Evan Caldwell told a crowd at a prayer breakfast Thursday morning about his final memories of his boys who lost their lives riding toboggans down the bobsled track at Canada Olympic Park after hours.

The 17-year-old twins and six other teenage boys used personal sleds to go down the track and hit a large gate used to separate the luge and bobsled tracks.

The other six boys were injured.

The incident happened early in the morning of Feb. 5, and Jason Caldwell recounted how his family shared a supper together before the incident, as they often did.

“I hugged each of them before they headed out the door to their church youth group event.”

He went on to explain how quickly things went wrong.

“Hours later as they sat around a restaurant table with several other teenagers, a dreadful idea took shape; a high-jinx toboggan ride down the Canada Olympic bobsled track,” he said, adding that the boys’ zest for adventure combined with their teenage brains had not been able to calculate the potential danger. He also said that none of the parents could have imagined what catastrophe awaited them.

Caldwell described getting a text message early the next morning asking if he knew where his boys were, and then standing in the waiting room at the Foothills hospital with the other parents.

“We soon came to realize that our boys weren’t there. I was taken out to a police cruiser and driven down the hill to the medical examiner’s office and I fell to my knees between the bodies of my sons.”

Jordan and Evan Caldwell identified as the twins who died in Winsport incident

Calgary Police Service

Caldwell has used faith to help him get through the past few months. He described a moment days after the accident when he was standing at the top of the bobsled run trying to make sense of what happened and likening the track itself to a metaphor for life.

“A wide smooth and inviting straight stretch at the beginning; we don’t know what’s just around the corner. There is no advance warning saying, ‘head’s up. You are approaching the last turn of your life.’”

Caldwell talked about how his family and many others whose kids were there that night have been judged harshly since the accident.

“My entire professional career has been focused on risk management.”

Caldwell’s work is centred around recovery after crashes and attacks in a virtual world. Caldwell spoke of feeling totally helpless as the reality of what had happened to his family hit him.

“On that moment as I kneeled on the concrete floor of the medical examiners’ office all I could say is, ‘thank God I don’t have to worry about where my sons are.’”

Some of the boys who were also on the track that night were at the prayer breakfast.

“The plan had been set. Evan was on the first sled and Jordan would be on the third. As Jordan gave sled two the push-off over the edge of the track everybody heard him bellowing out, ‘Our Father who art in heaven’…he was praying the Lord’s Prayer over sled two, and sled two never hit the barrier. My son’s last act in life was praying for his friends.”

With files from Jill Croteau and the Canadian Press

Canadians becoming less dependent on banks: online survey

TORONTO – A new survey from EY suggests Canadians are becoming less dependent upon their banks as the main providers of financial services.

The business consultancy firm says a quarter of those polled agreed with the statement, “I’m less reliant on established (financial services) companies and banks these days, as there are more options to self-manage my finances.”

Another five per cent of the respondents strongly agreed with the statement, while 21 per cent disagreed, five per cent strongly disagreed and 39 per cent said they neither agree nor disagree. Another four per cent said they don’t know.

The top reasons cited by consumers for considering a non-bank provider included more attractive rates, access to different products and services, how easy it was to set up an account and a better online experience.

The online survey of 2,021 Canadians was conducted between January and April 2016.

The polling industry’s professional body, the Marketing Research and Intelligence Association, says online surveys cannot be assigned a margin of error because they do not randomly sample the population.

Banks and traditional financial services behemoths have been facing growing competition from the slew of new tech-savvy startups sprouting up recently, offering everything from personal and business loans to online investment management.

EY reported that 36 per cent of those polled said in the past 12 months they have used an online-only financial product or service from a fintech startup, an investment firm, or a company not in the financial services space such as a retailer.

Another 20 per cent said they haven’t tried any but would consider doing so in the future. Meanwhile, 23 per cent said they haven’t and wouldn’t consider it, while 20 per cent said they don’t know or aren’t sure.

“The results of our survey show a changing attitude towards traditional banks, as people look for an enhanced customer experience, simpler products and high-quality advice,” Paul Battista, EY’s financial services advisory leader, said in a statement.

“To stay relevant, especially as financial technology companies, or fintechs, are taking a piece of the market, traditional banks need to build on their strengths – including brand, trust and community presence – and invest in a superior customer experience.”

Tom’s Take: Donald Trump advocates for civil disobedience during final presidential debate

All we need to know about Wednesday night’s U.S. presidential debate is this: Donald Trump won’t accept the result of the election if he loses.

That is all sorts of new levels of crazy. Perhaps if he also agreed to reject a victory for himself, we could get somewhere. Perhaps we should join in and decide not to accept the Jays’ loss to the Indians. But as it stands, Trump is advocating for civil disobedience. He’s game to overthrow 240 years of the sublime tradition of the peaceful transfer of power. That’s not a small thing. In fact it’s a dreadful thing and it should horrify everyone.

You have to feel sorry for the Democratic and the Republican parties. If either of them had a better candidate this would have been an easy win. After two terms of Democratic control of the White House, it would be only natural for the Republicans to have their turn. But then along comes Donald Trump.

The Democrats faced with Trump should have had this election in the bag months ago. But Hillary Clinton, seen as untrustworthy by a majority of Americans, just can’t find the love and is having trouble closing the deal. To paraphrase former defence secretary Donald Rumsfeld though, you fight with the candidates you have. The result is not pretty.

I know that because I watched the debate with a group of people who couldn’t stop yelling at the screen. Well mainly they were yelling at Trump, although they weren’t cheering for Clinton.

The reality is that this election is over. There’s not a single poll that suggests that Trump has any hope of winning the White House. Wednesday night won’t change that, it will only reinforce it.

So what was the point of the last debate? Call it the Hail Mary option.

Both Trump and Clinton were pitching to their respective supporters. Neither was reaching out to the other side, meaning that they believe the cement is beginning to set. All that matters now is getting their supporters to actually vote.

A big turnout favours Clinton, a small turnout would be the faint hope clause for Trump. If Democrats stay at home, the battlefield is left to Trump and his supporters, who, in theory, could win some key districts. But that’s just a theory and a recurring fantasy for the Trump team. Clinton, unliked and untrusted, needed to make sure that it just remains a fantasy. Last night, she was strong enough to do just that.

Presidential debate: Trump calls Clinton ‘such a nasty woman’

00:43

Presidential debate: Trump calls Clinton ‘such a nasty woman’

02:24

Presidential debate: Donald Trump refuses to say whether he will accept the result of the election

02:22

Presidential debate: I’m going to get the bad hombres out: Trump

02:02

Presidential debate: ‘Donald thinks belittling women makes him bigger’ – Clinton on Trump’s treatment of women

01:32

Presidential debate: ‘I don’t know Putin’: Trump

01:25

Presidential election: Trump argues, on national debate stage, that ‘The Apprentice’ should have won an Emmy

01:22

Presidential debate: Donald Trump lays down strong language on late-term abortion

01:54

Presidential debate: Hillary Clinton says Donald Trump ‘is the only one who has shipped jobs to Mexico’

00:46

Presidential debate: No handshake for Clinton, Trump at debate’s end

00:23

Presidential debate: ‘They’ve poisoned the minds of the voters’: Trump on the media

02:06

Presidential debate: Donald Trump maintains all sexual assault allegations against him are “fiction”

01:04

Presidential debate: ‘I was monitoring Bin Laden raid, he was hosting Celebrity Apprentice’: Hillary Clinton

01:15

Presidential debate: Hillary Clinton calls Donald Trump ‘a puppet’ for Vladimir Putin

02:02

Presidential debate: Hillary Clinton accuses Donald Trump of exploiting undocumented workers

00:53

Presidential debate: Hillary attacks Trump’s idea on punishing women who get abortions

02:07

Presidential debate: Chris Wallace presses Donald Trump to clarify his position on abortion

00:26

Presidential debate: Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump don’t shake hands again

Meanwhile, Canada watched in disbelief and no small degree of discomfort. Both candidates have signalled troubled times ahead for us. A President Clinton would re-open NAFTA and reject TPP, or at least that’s what she says now. It wouldn’t be out of character for Clinton to completely reverse course on strongly held principles. A President Trump would simply and gleefully blow things up. Neither would spare much of a thought for us.

But our problems in this are miniscule compared to what awaits America. The key date may not be November 8th, election day, but rather the next day. What happens then? Civil unrest after a defeated presidential candidate calls on his millions of supporters to take revenge on an illegitimate election?

Even if that can be avoided, one of the two great political parties will have come undone, and the power and the glory of Clintonworld will go unchallenged perhaps for years.

While it would be satisfying to say that we manned the barricades against the Trump assault on peaceful democracy, the truth is that we are on the outside, without a vote and largely without a voice in the noise that is this election. We may as well just take the dog for a walk.

WATCH LIVE: Appeal of Dennis Oland’s conviction for father’s murder enters final day

The Crown is expected to wrap up its case Thursday in the appeal hearing of Dennis Oland‘s second-degree murder conviction.

The appeal is set to get underway at 10 a.m. local time.

Much of the debate so far has focused on what Oland was wearing the night his father, well-known businessman Richard Oland, was killed in his New Brunswick office in 2011.

Justices in the Court of Appeal in Fredericton questioned Crown prosecutors Wednesday about Oland’s statement to police that he was wearing a navy jacket when he visited his father when he in fact had on a brown jacket.

The garment was later found to have a number of minuscule blood stains and DNA that matched the profile of Richard Oland, a wealthy and well-known businessman who was bludgeoned to death in Saint John in July 2011.

The Crown has portrayed Dennis Oland’s statement about the jacket as an intentional lie meant to mislead police, but his lawyers are arguing it was an honest mistake.

They want his conviction overturned or a new trial ordered.

Short Of Time In The Morning? Try These Tasty Breakfast Cookies

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Two-ingredient banana oatmeal cookie, anyone?

If you're someone who skips breakfast in the morning because you just ain't got the time, here's a suggestion you will love:

Make breakfast cookies.

They're easy to whip up, are absolutely scrumptious, and you can make them in advance so they're all ready to go when you leave home in the morning.

Breakfast cookies are like regular cookies, but made a little more healthy. No, that doesn't mean molasses bran cookies with carob -- just delicious cookies with added nutrition thanks to whole grains, nuts, seeds and dried fruit.

Don't worry, though, you'll still find choc chips here. There's even a savoury breakfast cookie option for those who don't have as much of a sweet tooth.

Minimalist Baker, Foodie Crush, I Quit Sugar

1. Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

Recipe and image from Foodie Crush.

If you're a chocolate chip cookie fanatic, these oatmeal cookies are the answer to your on-the-go breakfast needs. Made with an oat base for extra fibre, these cookies are packed with pecans and, of course, chocolate chips.

Check out the recipe here.

Foodie Crush

Chewy, sweet and delicious.

2. Currant cookies

Recipe and image from Foodie Crush.

For those looking for a more healthy breakkie cookie, this recipe uses dried currants instead of choc chips, less sugar and adds warming spices like cinnamon and cloves. All you need to do is bake a big batch and keep them in a jar, so they're ready for when you walk out the door.

Here's the full recipe.

Foodie Crush

YUM.

3. Healthy no-bake superfood breakfast cookies

Recipe and image from Big Man's World.

Can't be bothered to bake? You can still enjoy breakfast cookies with these no-bake breakfast cookies, which are loaded with healthy ingredients like rolled oats, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, nut butter and coconut shreds. They only require 10 minutes to whip up and are naturally free from gluten, dairy, egg and refined sugar.

Check out the full recipe here.

Big Man's World

Yes, and even chocolate chips.

4. Healthy blueberry muffin breakfast cookies

Recipe and image from Minimalist Baker.

If you love blueberry muffins, these cookies are for you. Made with oats, banana, nut butter, blueberries, maple syrup and chopped nuts, these vegan and __gluten free breakfast cookies are filling, sweet and high in fibre.

Here's the full recipe for you to try.

Minimalist Baker

SO good.

5. Two ingredient banana bread cookies

Recipe from I Quit Sugar.

Only two ingredients stand between you and these delicious banana bread cookies. If you want to pimp up these breakfast cookies, experiment with different add-ins such as spices, dried fruit and seeds.

Makes 12.

Prep time: five minutes.

Cooking time: 12 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 medium bananas, very ripe if possible
• 1 cup rolled oats

Optional add-ins:

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
• ¼ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons cacao nibs

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Place bananas into a mixing bowl and mash into a chunky purée with a fork. Fold through rolled oats. Here is where you can stir through any optional add-ins. Our favourite combo is cinnamon, vanilla and cacao nibs.

3. Scoop up a one heaped tablespoon amount of mixture and place onto the prepared baking tray. Lightly flatten the cookies. Place into the oven and bake for 12 minutes. Once cooked, remove cookies and place onto a wire rack to cool.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Oats give these cookies a hearty, filling factor.

6. Apple bircher cookies

Recipe and image from I Quit Sugar.

If Bircher muesli is your favourite cafe breakfast, transform it into these scrummy cookies. They're packed full of healthy ingredients like oats, coconut, seeds, cinnamon, fresh apple and yoghurt. Just grab a couple while running out the door and you're set.

Makes 24.

Prep time: 15 minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

Dry ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ cup plain flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup shredded coconut
• 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 2 teaspoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
• ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Wet ingredients:

• 1 small red apple, grated, with extra moisture squeezed out
• 125g butter, melted
• ¼ cup rice malt syrup
• Full fat natural or Greek yoghurt, to serve

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and line a large baking tray with baking paper.

2. Combine all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Then add in wet ingredients and fold through until well combined.

3. Roll tablespoons of the dough into balls, place onto the prepared baking trays and flatten down slightly, until the cookies are about 1cm thick. Place into the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until they are lightly brown -- you don't want to overcook them here, so we suggest checking your oven at 12 minutes.

4. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool on a wire tray. Try them served in true Bircher style, dipped into some yoghurt.

I Quit Sugar

These breakfast cookies are soft, crumbly and full of apple goodness.

7. Bacon and peanut butter cookies

Recipe and image from I Quit Sugar.

Peanut butter fans, rejoice. These breakfast cookies combine two delicious things -- your favourite peanut butter and bacon -- for a magical flavour explosion. Imagine a Snickers inspired cookie, laced with bits of crispy bacon. Drool.

Makes 20.

Prep time: 10 minutes.

Cooking time: 120 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• ¼ cup rice malt syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla powder
• ½ cup arrowroot flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt (if your peanut butter isn't salted)
• 100g bacon rashers, rind removed and chopped finely

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Add bacon pieces to a non-stick frying pan on medium heat. Cook until bacon pieces are crispy, about five minutes. Place into a large mixing bowl.

3. Add remaining ingredients into the bowl, and stir until you form a smooth batter. Scoop up one heaped tablespoon of mixture and roll into a ball. Place onto the prepared baking tray and flatten slightly. Place into the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden on top. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.

I Quit Sugar

These cookies are a delicious balance of salty and sweet.

8. Corn fritter drop cookies

Recipe and image from I Quit Sugar.

If you're more of a savoury breakfast kind of person, try these corn fritter drop cookies with melty cheese. They're easy to make and become wonderfully crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside.

Makes 16.

Prep time: 20 minutes.

Cooking time: 25 minutes.

INGREDIENTS

• 1¼ cups plain flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• Pinch black pepper
• 50g butter, cubed
• 50g cheddar cheese
• 1 cup tinned corn kernels, rinsed
• ¼ cup coriander, very finely chopped
• ½ lemon, juice and zest
• ¾ cup full fat milk

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Sift flour, baking powder and sea salt into a large mixing bowl. Rub butter cubes into the flour mixture with your fingers until crumbly.

3. Stir in the cheese, corn, coriander, lemon and milk until a thick dough forms. Scoop up one heaped tablespoon portions and drop onto the prepared baking tray.

4. Place into the oven and cook for 25 minutes or until cookies are golden. Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving.

Note: Place into a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week. Reheat in the oven for 10 minutes before serving.

I Quit Sugar

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