Verified health information

Health advice

Plain-language guidance for adults, written from the public advice of Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, and Canada’s national health organisations. Every article lists its sources.

Everyday habits

Small routines that add up to better health.

Everyday habits How much physical activity adults actually need Canadian guidelines call for 150 minutes of moderate activity a week, plus strength work and less sitting. Here is what that looks like in real life. 5 min read Everyday habits Building better meals with Canada's Food Guide Canada's Food Guide replaced serving counts with a simple plate: half vegetables and fruit, a quarter protein, a quarter whole grains — plus water as the drink of choice. 6 min read Everyday habits Sleep: why 7 to 9 hours matters, and how to get there Adults need 7 to 9 hours of good sleep. Short or broken sleep affects mood, concentration, blood sugar and heart health. Small routine changes help most. 5 min read Everyday habits Your mouth and the rest of your health Gum disease and tooth decay are largely preventable, and small daily habits plus regular check-ups stop small problems becoming painful, expensive ones. 5 min read Everyday habits Neck and shoulder pain from desk work: what helps Sitting still for long stretches does more damage than imperfect posture. Small changes to how often you move matter more than buying the right chair. 5 min read Everyday habits Alcohol: what Canada's guidance actually says now Canada's guidance changed substantially in 2023. It now describes a continuum of risk that begins at a much lower number of drinks than most people expect. 5 min read Everyday habits Supplements: what the evidence actually supports A few supplements have clear evidence for specific groups of people. Most of the rest are treating a deficiency you probably do not have — and some interact with prescription medication. 6 min read

Prevention & screening

Catch problems early, before they grow.

Prevention & screening Know your blood pressure numbers High blood pressure usually has no symptoms but damages blood vessels over years. Knowing your numbers and acting early prevents strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease. 5 min read Prevention & screening Type 2 diabetes: the risk factors you can change Type 2 diabetes develops slowly and often silently. Knowing your risk, getting a simple blood test, and acting at the "prediabetes" stage can prevent or delay it. 6 min read Prevention & screening Protecting your heart: the basics that matter most Most heart disease is driven by a short list of risk factors — blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking, activity, diet, diabetes. Managing them early does the most good. 6 min read Prevention & screening Cancer screening in Ontario: what is offered and when Ontario has organised screening programs for breast, cervical, colorectal and (for higher-risk people) lung cancer. Screening finds cancers earlier, when treatment works best. 5 min read Prevention & screening Preventive care and vaccines through adulthood Vaccines and check-ups are not just for children. A short list keeps working through adult life — including boosters, flu and COVID shots, and shingles and pneumococcal vaccines later on. 5 min read Prevention & screening What an eye exam catches besides your prescription An eye exam looks at the only place in the body where blood vessels and nerve tissue can be seen directly. It can pick up glaucoma, diabetes and blood-pressure damage long before you notice anything. 5 min read Prevention & screening Quitting smoking or vaping: what raises your odds Most people who quit for good needed several attempts first. Combining a stop-smoking medication with some form of counselling roughly doubles the chance that this attempt is the one that sticks. 6 min read Prevention & screening Bone health and preventing falls Falls are the leading cause of injury-related hospital stays among older Canadians. Balance and strength training is the most effective prevention — and it works at any age. 6 min read

Mental wellbeing

Looking after your mood, stress and sleep.

Mental wellbeing Stress, low mood, and when to reach out Feeling stressed or low sometimes is normal. When it lasts more than two weeks or affects daily life, it is worth acting on — and help is available, including free options. 6 min read Mental wellbeing Living with chronic pain: what helps when it does not go away Roughly one in five Canadian adults lives with chronic pain. The approaches with the best evidence combine movement, sleep, pacing and psychological support — rarely one treatment alone. 7 min read Mental wellbeing Anxiety: what actually helps Anxiety disorders are among the most common and most treatable mental health conditions. Cognitive behavioural therapy has the strongest evidence, and several routes to it are free in Ontario. 6 min read

Cost & access

What care costs, what is free, and how to pay less for it.

Cost & access What to do when you cannot afford your prescription Skipping doses to make a prescription last is common and quietly dangerous. There are several routes to a cheaper or free supply, and most start with a conversation. 6 min read Cost & access Free and low-cost mental health support in Ontario Private therapy runs $120 to $260 a session and no provincial health plan pays for it. Several publicly funded routes exist, and most people have never been told about them. 7 min read Cost & access Getting physiotherapy without paying full price A course of physiotherapy is six to twelve visits, not one. Here is who gets it publicly funded, who else might owe for it, and how to need fewer sessions. 6 min read Cost & access Eye exams: who gets one free, and what an adult pays Coverage depends on your age and your medical conditions, and the rule that catches people out is the one about diabetes. 5 min read Cost & access What to ask before agreeing to dental treatment Dentistry has no fixed price in Ontario, and quotes for identical work vary widely. A few questions, asked before you agree, change what you pay. 6 min read Cost & access Sliding-Scale Therapy in Ontario: What It Is and How to Ask for It Sliding-scale therapy lowers the fee based on what you can afford. Here is how it works in Ontario, who offers it, and exactly how to ask. 3 min read Cost & access How to Ask a Clinic for a Lower Fee: Scripts You Can Copy Asking about price feels awkward, but it works more often than you think. Copy-and-paste phone and email scripts for physio, therapy, dental and more. 3 min read Cost & access Student-Run and Teaching Clinics in Ontario: Lower-Cost Dental, Physio, Therapy and Eye Care Teaching clinics in Ontario offer care at lower fees, with students supervised by licensed professionals. Here is how they work and how to find one. 3 min read Cost & access What Does a Session Cost in Ontario in 2026? Price Benchmarks by Service Typical private-pay price ranges in Ontario for physiotherapy, therapy, chiropractic, massage, dental, eye care and more, plus how to lower them. 3 min read Cost & access ADHD Assessment Cost in Ontario and Ways to Lower It How much a private ADHD assessment costs in Ontario, who can do one, what is covered, and practical ways to bring the price down. 3 min read Cost & access Dental Anxiety: How to Find a Gentle Dentist and What It Costs Afraid of the dentist? Here is how to find a patient, gentle dentist in Ontario, what calming options cost, and ways to keep the bill down. 3 min read

Care near you

Lower-cost physiotherapy and therapy in Toronto, York Region and Peel.

Care near you Physiotherapy Under $75 in Toronto: Where to Look and What to Expect A realistic guide to finding physiotherapy for $75 or less in Toronto, including where lower fees come from and what to ask before you book. 3 min read Care near you Therapy Under $100 in Toronto: Real Options for Every Budget Looking for therapy in Toronto for $100 a session or less? Here is where lower fees come from, who offers them, and how to ask. 3 min read Care near you Affordable Physiotherapy in York Region: Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill How to find physiotherapy you can afford in York Region, including Markham, Vaughan and Richmond Hill, and what to ask before you book. 3 min read Care near you Affordable Physiotherapy and Therapy in Peel: Mississauga and Brampton How to find physiotherapy and therapy you can afford in Mississauga, Brampton and the rest of Peel Region, with questions to ask before you book. 3 min read

Choosing a provider

Who does what, how to check registration, and what to watch out for.

Choosing a provider How to get a family doctor in Ontario, and what to do while you wait Roughly two and a half million Ontarians have no family doctor. Here are the official routes onto a roster, and the care available to you meanwhile at no cost. 6 min read Choosing a provider What a walk-in clinic can and cannot do for you Walk-in clinics are free with a provincial health card and genuinely useful for episodic problems. Knowing their limits saves a wasted trip and sometimes a serious delay. 5 min read Choosing a provider Psychotherapist, Psychologist, Social Worker or Counsellor: What the Titles Mean and What They Cost Confused by therapy titles in Ontario? Here is what psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers and counsellors do, how they are regulated, and what each usually costs. 3 min read Choosing a provider Physiotherapist, Chiropractor or Massage Therapist: Which One Do You Need? Not sure whether to see a physiotherapist, chiropractor or massage therapist? Here is how they differ, what each usually costs in Ontario, and how to pick. 3 min read Choosing a provider How to Check a Health Provider Is Registered in Ontario A step-by-step guide to confirming that your physiotherapist, dentist, psychotherapist or other provider is registered with their Ontario college. 3 min read Choosing a provider Red Flags: How to Spot an Unregistered or Overpriced Health Provider Warning signs that a health provider may be unregistered, overcharging or pressuring you, and what to do instead. 3 min read

Coverage, benefits & tax

Using your plan, OHIP gaps, dental plans and claiming costs on your taxes.

Coverage, benefits & tax The Canadian Dental Care Plan: who qualifies and what it covers A federal plan now covers dental care for people without private dental insurance, below an income threshold. Many who qualify have never heard of it. 6 min read Coverage, benefits & tax What Ontario’s OHIP does not cover, and what it costs you Public health insurance covers your doctor and your hospital care. It is silent about teeth, eyes, therapy and physiotherapy for most working-age adults. 7 min read Coverage, benefits & tax How to read your workplace health benefits before you spend them Most people discover the limits of their benefits after exceeding them. Ten minutes with your booklet answers the questions that cost real money. 6 min read Coverage, benefits & tax Use Your Health Benefits Before They Reset: A Year-End Checklist Many benefit plans reset on January 1 and unused money disappears. Use this checklist to make the most of your coverage before the year ends. 3 min read Coverage, benefits & tax No Benefits? How to Pay for Health Care as a Gig, Contract or Self-Employed Worker No workplace benefits? Here are practical ways to pay for physio, therapy, dental and eye care as a freelancer, contractor or gig worker in Canada. 3 min read Coverage, benefits & tax Claiming Physio, Therapy and Dental on Your Taxes: The Medical Expense Credit Can you claim physiotherapy, therapy and dental costs on your Canadian tax return? Here is how the medical expense tax credit works and how to claim it. 3 min read

Newcomers & students

Paying for care in Ontario when you are new here or on a study permit.

Newcomers & students A Newcomer’s Guide to Paying for Health Care in Ontario New to Ontario? Here is how public health coverage, interim federal coverage and private options work, and how to keep costs down while you settle in. 3 min read Newcomers & students International Students in Ontario: Health Coverage Gaps and Low-Cost Options What your student health plan may not cover in Ontario, and practical low-cost options for dental, eye care, physio and mental health. 3 min read