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Find Your Keystone Habit

In architectural terms, the keystone is a wedge-shaped stone at the crown of an arch that helps keep all of the other stones in place, allowing it to maintain the proper shape. In behavioural terms, a keystone habit is the habit that helps keep all of your other habits in place, allowing you to maintain consistent wellness practices. The keystone habit will differ for each individual. For some, it may be habitual exercise. For others, daily meditation or prayer is essential. It could be a consistent bedtime routine. Whatever your habit, you will experience balanced energy levels, clarity of mind, and reduced stress, which in turn allows you to act in a more purposeful manner in other areas of your life. When life becomes chaotic, focusing on your keystone habit gives you the best chance of maintaining your health and vitality.

Have you Heard of Ashwagandha?

Stress triggers adrenaline production in the body allowing you to react to the stressful situation. Heart rate, body temperature, endocrine response and anxiety all increase. Productivity increases for a short time, but fatigue and exhaustion can follow, and if the stress is prolonged, health issues can occur. Adaptogenic herbs like Ashwagandha can enhance one’s ability to deal with stress. They contain medicinal components that can help normalize the body’s functions during periods of mental and physical stress to rebalance and rejuvenate. Not only does it decrease stress-induced damage, but it is also safe and beneficial even at higher than normal doses. Ashwagandha is also free from adverse effects such as withdrawal and avoids impacting normal body functions more than necessary. Ashwagandha can be used safely by both males and females and also helps to rebalance hormones which are negatively impacted by high cortisol levels.

What is My Pelvic Floor?

Your pelvic floor is a broad sling of muscles, ligaments and sheet-like tissues that stretch from your pubic bone at the front of your body, to the base of your spine at the back. The pelvic floor is sometimes compared to a trampoline, as it can stretch in response to weight, and bounce up again. Unlike a trampoline, however, if it bears weight for a long time, as it does during pregnancy, the muscles or tissues can become overstretched and weak. This stretching occurs as early as 12 weeks into your pregnancy. If you do your pelvic floor exercises correctly and often, it can help to protect you while you’re pregnant and after your baby is born. It will also help to prevent a prolapse and leakage. If you have not been shown how to do pelvic floor exercises, see your Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist.

Benefits of Green Tea Extract

Green tea extract is a powerful fat burner loaded with beneficial antioxidants called catechins that help support immune function, cardiovascular health, and fat loss. Studies show that regular consumption of green tea extract has a positive effect on overall health and to your dietary habits. It also contains 2% to 4% caffeine, which affects thinking and alertness, increases urine output and may improve the function of brain messengers. The addition of caffeine to the potent mix of catechins revs up your production of noradrenaline, pumping you with feel good confidence, stimulating the nervous system, heart, and muscles by increasing the release of certain chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters. To safely incorporate green tea extract into your weight loss regimen, consider drinking plenty of water. One of the active ingredients in SlimROAST weight loss coffee from Valentus – The Healthiest Coffee on the Planet!

Treatments for SI Joint Syndrome

Dysfunction in the Sacroiliac Joint (also called the SI Joint) causes low back pain. The SI Joint is located between the sacrum and base of the spine. When the SI Joint ligaments are damaged or compensating for any inhibited muscles, the SI Joint may become inflamed and irritated. Degenerative disease, falls, trauma and childbirth may be potential causes of SI Joint Syndrome. In addition to lower back pain, SI Joint problems may also cause pain in the groin, hip, thigh, as well as pain that radiates into the buttocks and down the path of the sciatic nerve. SI Joint dysfunction is often overlooked as the cause of suffering. To avoid unnecessary frustration, pain, and surgery, SI Joint Syndrome should be considered in any low back diagnosis. Acupuncture, Osteopathic Manual Therapy, and Prolotherapy are effective, non-surgical treatments that can not only help you manage your pain but also help you attain optimal health.

Reducing Elderly Falls

Inappropriate footwear can increase an elderly person’s chance of a fall. Many people purchase the wrong footwear because they want to help their aging parent by finding something that is easy to put on, and they think that softer is better. Not true. As we age, our motor and sensory skills decline. Our loss of proprioception skills (one’s ability to sense where our limbs are in space) makes us feel less sure of our footing and therefore less balanced. Loose fitting, soft-soled footwear do not provide appropriate signals to the feet to inform them of where they are in relation to the ground. Properly fitting, sturdy shoes with non-skid soles provide more direct contact between the ground and the foot, sending sharper signals to the brain. Choosing lace-up or velcro closure shoes instead of slip-ons ensures the best stabilization of the foot within the shoe.

Essential Oils – A Natural Choice!

Remember those summer days as a kid when mosquitoes would come out in the early evening to interrupt your fun? As a farm boy who loved to run around in bare feet and cut-off jeans, preferring the coolness and sense of freedom over feeling protected from the bugs, I was an easy target. I still remember how my head would spin, and my senses cringe when my mother pulled out the old spray-bomb of bug repellent and covered me in a small cloud of noxious chemicals. Granted, there was less awareness of natural alternatives back then, and she was only doing what she thought was best. I’m sure glad that now when I want to extend my gardening pleasure well into the evening, I can reach for a safe and effective blend of essential oils that is so simple to use.

Ask the Expert:

Q: What’s the best colour tint for sunglass lenses?

A: The short answer is: choose brown to enhance your perception of pleasant colours like greens and reds, or choose grey to limit brightness without altering colour perception. There are other, equally important attributes to sunglasses. Lens materials can affect transparency and durability. Polarised lenses reduce glarish reflections from shiny surfaces like icy roads or sun on the water. Ultraviolet protection is necessary to prevent short and long term damage to the eyes. Photochromic tints get darker in brighter light and can increase the functionality of the lens. The size and shape of the lens is important for adequate coverage. An anti-reflective coating on the back surface of the lens can reduce reflections from behind the wearer. The general style of the sunglasses is important too, in that they should not be embarrassing to the point of not wearing them.

10 Tips for Dealing with Stress and Tension

The following are suggestions to get you started on managing the stress in your life:

  1. Use relaxation techniques – Yoga, meditation, deep breathing, or massage.
  2. Exercise – Physical activity is one of the most effective stress remedies around!
  3. Manage time effectively- Do essential tasks and prioritize the others.
  4. Get enough rest, sleep and “me” time.
  5. Talk with others – Talk with friends, professional counsellors, support groups or relatives about what is bothering you.
  6. Volunteer work can be an effective and satisfying stress reducer.
  7. Work off your stress – Get physically active, dig in the garden, start a project or hobby.
  8. Tackle one thing at a time – Don’t try to do too much at once.
  9. Don’t be too competitive.
  10. Make the first move to be friendly.

Have some fun!! Laugh and be with people you enjoy!

5 Ways to Improve Lymphatic Health

Your lymphatic system works like a “drain” to keep toxins moving out of your body. A clogged system can result in poor health and disease. Here are five ways you can keep your lymph system working in top order and experience better health: 1. Massage- Lymphatic massage is gentle using very little pressure to move and stretch the skin to stimulate flow through the lymphatic capillaries that are located just under the skin. 2. Dry Brushing-This technique boosts lymph flow by stimulating sweat glands and supporting circulation below the skin. 3. Exercise & Yoga- Unlike the circulatory system, lymph does not have a pump to keep it moving. Movement and muscle contraction will assist lymphatic circulation. 4. Anti-Inflammatory Diet- Consuming a healthy diet rich in antioxidants and full of healthy fats is critical to support a healthy immune system. 5. Hydrate- The lymphatic system is primarily composed of water and must be hydrated to function at the highest level.

Bouncing Back From Adversity

Some people naturally bounce back from adversity, but everyone can build resilience to create a better life. How we think about adversity is an essential building block in developing resilience. For example, viewing adversity as something that will eventually end allows us to maintain hope for the future, which in turn encourages us to set goals. Goal setting helps us deal with adversity because when we plan for the future, we are better prepared to deal with any obstacles that arise. Resilience also requires us to cultivate our strengths. This can be difficult to do alone, which brings us to our final resilience building block- recruiting a strong support system. Resilient people talk to their friends, family, colleagues, counsellors, or life coaches about their feelings, worries, and dreams. Resilience contributes to our emotional wellness by helping us experience a greater sense of peace and life satisfaction.