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John Swart

John Swart

After three decades co-owning various southern Ontario small businesses with his wife, Els, John Swart has enjoyed 15 years in retirement volunteering, bicycling the world, and feature writing. At the Voice of Pelham he won the George Cadogan Memorial Outstanding Columnist Award, and Outstanding Columnist in the Canadian Community Newspaper Awards. His column The Balanced Life appears weekly on PelhamToday.

Recent Work by John

THE BALANCED LIFE: The health risks of normalizing obesity

THE BALANCED LIFE: The health risks of normalizing obesity

Body positivity, yes, but where is counterproductive social media taking us, asks John Swart
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THE BALANCED LIFE: We can't ignore our own responsibility for our health

THE BALANCED LIFE: We can't ignore our own responsibility for our health

We’re getting some of it right, but the rest, not so much. Check the stats, writes John Swart
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THE BALANCED LIFE: Functional Fitness could be for you

THE BALANCED LIFE: Functional Fitness could be for you

Real-world exercises that benefit all ages
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THE BALANCED LIFE: No admission tickets required, Señor y Señora

THE BALANCED LIFE: No admission tickets required, Señor y Señora

The best experiences in Spain are free—no superyacht required— writes our man John Swart in the final installment of his Spanish quartet
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THE BALANCED LIFE: Benifallet Spain – not your average village

THE BALANCED LIFE: Benifallet Spain – not your average village

Our man John Swart reports on his latest adventure
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THE BALANCED LIFE: Benifallet Spain – not your average village

THE BALANCED LIFE: Benifallet Spain – not your average village

Street-side disco, wild boar hunting, and tunnels—so many tunnels
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THE BALANCED LIFE: In rural Spain, it's the connections that count

THE BALANCED LIFE: In rural Spain, it's the connections that count

People and the unexpected make travel truly rewarding
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THE BALANCED LIFE: Spain is full of surprises

THE BALANCED LIFE: Spain is full of surprises

Getting totally lost on their bikes wasn’t one he expected, writes John Swart
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THE BALANCED LIFE: The lively pace of Scottish Country Dancing

THE BALANCED LIFE: The lively pace of Scottish Country Dancing

When I suggest to friends and others they consider Scottish dancing, the first thing I hear is, 'I’m not Scottish'
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THE BALANCED LIFE: Getting set for cold-weather fitness

THE BALANCED LIFE: Getting set for cold-weather fitness

Our mild Niagara winters offer abundant possibilities
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