The summer season can be a time of growth, renewal and a time to let go of regular routines. Manitoba winter weather places limitations on taking our self-care outdoors. Take advantage of the longer days and sunshine- You Deserve It! Here are some tips and ideas on how to take care of your mental and physical health: 1. Do things you’ve been wanting or needing to do. 2. Create a deliberate habit and routinize something small in your life by doing it, in the same way, each day or week. 3. Eat regularly, drink water, get outside, and get plenty of sleep. 4.Take your workout outdoors. 5. Arrange a date with a friend for pampering. 6. Act like a tourist and explore your city. 7.Find local outdoor events. 8. Punctuate your day with a 3-minute mini-meditation. 9. Do a mini-declutter. 10. For 1 hour today: unplug!
Community News
Hot Weather Workout Safety
Exercising outside when it’s very hot can be risky business since it’s harder for the body to cool itself. And it’s not just the heat but also the humidity that takes its toll. Our bodies cool primarily when sweat evaporates off the skin. But as humidity rises, this doesn’t happen as efficiently; potentially causing your core temperature to rise, increasing the risk of heat-related ailments such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Stay hydrated with cold drinks, and maintain hydration during your activities. Also, be sure to dress properly. Heavyweight, dark and tight-fitting clothing will heat you up. Keep it loose. Keep it light. More air will be able to circulate over your skin, keeping you cool. Get your workouts in during the morning or evening, when it’s relatively cooler and more comfortable. Don’t forget the sunscreen, and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Getting There by Relaxing
An ad for a fitness centre caught my eye some time ago. It said, “Don’t look back; you’re not going that way.” As for the body; so for the brain! As a body part, our brain only knows what it has been trained to know through the experiences we’ve had. As much as it is important to understand what has happened to us in the past through talk therapy or contact with others who have survived the same struggles as we have, movement forward means doing exercises that help us achieve the goals that will build the future we carry in our hearts. Sometimes we can’t do that because old habits and patterns hold us back. The best way through those is to relax. Brainwave Optimization helps the brain relax and reset itself on its own terms so you are supported as you work at getting yourself to where you want to be.
Exposing & Resolving our Buttons & Triggers
We have buttons. We have triggers. We have experiences that send us flying off the handle. These intangibles cause a ton of stress in our lives and in our relationships. The interesting piece to this is that we do not wear our buttons on our surface. Others don’t even realize they are pushing our buttons because they cannot see them. A button or trigger for one person is totally neutral for someone else. This means that the buttons and triggers themselves are not actually the issue – how we react to them is the issue. Our reactions stem from our minds and are a result of our past, our patterns, and our beliefs. Our buttons, triggers, and reactions are resolved by uncovering and removing them within the mind itself. What buttons/triggers do you have that if resolved, would eliminate stress and conflict within your life?
Drive Right
ROAD TRIP! The car is packed, snacks ready, music cranked, you’re ready for a summer adventure! Then aches come, back tight, legs cramped, neck stiff. It’s a common problem you can help avoid with simple vehicle ergonomics. The back of the knees should be 2-3 fingers width away from the seat pan and the left knee at a 90-degree bend. Recline the backrest from vertical by about 2-3 inches; adjust lumbar support if you have it. With hands on the steering wheel at 9 and 3 o’clock, positions elbows should be at your side with a slight bend. Be close to the car/load you lift when packing/unpacking the car, no twisting motions and lift with your legs! Remember it’s your holiday, take breaks. Get out of the car every few hours to stretch and move. Enjoy your vacation, you earned it!
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!
Screen Addiction & Your Kids
You have over 230 moveable or semi-moveable joints in your body, and guess what they are designed to do? That’s right – MOVE! When joints are motionless for long periods of time they begin to lose normal function. Now look at the posture our kids have when they are looking at their devices. They often assume this gargoyle like pose for hours. Though it may seem like they are just wasting time, they are also damaging their spine. The Canadian Society of Pediatrics state infants aged 0-2 years should not have any exposure to technology, 3-5 years be restricted to one hour per day, and 6-18 years restricted to two hours per day. As we end the summer and move back into the school season, there is an inevitable change in our routine. Use that change as an opportunity to schedule time for your kids (and you) away from electronics.
Creating Balance; How Full Do You Need to Be?
Our lives are a blank slate…what we put in them is up to us. Logistics to make our lives operate well is essential, but the bigger question is how do we create a balance within to nourish ourselves and decrease the cortisol levels so that we don’t always run on adrenaline? When we schedule too many things in our lives, we rob ourselves of precious down time and an opportunity to replenish. Our quick texting and instant gratification world we live in demands us to be “on” and creates a fear of missing out, trying to please and wrestling with the guilt of saying: “no thank you I shall pass on that.” There is definitely an important skill to develop where we honour our obligations and expectations to others without neglecting a need to take care of ourselves.
Is Illness Normal?
No. No. No. Due to the prevalence of issues with poor health in today’s society we consider illness normal and inevitable. We have a ‘victim’ mentality and that we are unable to do much about the ’inevitable’. We take medicines (prescription and over-the-counter) but they mostly just mask symptoms or slow down the progression of a health condition. Health issues such as diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, depression, IBS, Alzheimer’s, cancer, dementia, allergies, issues with thyroid, gut, adrenal, auto-immune, inflammatory processes or skin can likely be traced to a poor diet. 71% of the calories in the Standard American Diet did not exist 100 years ago. We have strayed so far from the diet that our ancient ancestors thrived on. Let a Primal Health Coach teach you how YOU can allow YOUR body/mind to heal and BE IN CHARGE!
Financial Fitness: Retirement Checkup
Here are three signs that your retirement plan could use a check-up:
1. You don’t know your number. Are you aware of how much retirement savings you need to retire successfully? If you can’t answer that question, you can’t measure if you’re on track to hit your goal.
2. You expect to have one or more loans in retirement. Living on a fixed income in retirement isn’t easy, and hefty debt payments don’t make it any easier. You should re-examine your debt repayment strategy if it looks like your mortgage, credit cards or line of credit are here to stay.
3. Are you unsure when to take government benefits? The timing of your government pensions is critical to a successful retirement. You’ve paid for them your entire working career so now is not the time to let that money go to waste!
Eating for Your Genes
Not everyone is created equal, right? Nutrigenomics is a new scientific discipline that uses modern genomics technology to study the relationship between genes, nutrition, and health. Nutrigenomics examines how the interaction between genes and diet can positively influence human health. Genetic differences can affect how we respond to the foods we eat, giving each of us our specific nutritional needs. The comprehensive genetic test is a simple saliva test that consists of 45 genetic markers. Learn how your genes can affect weight management, nutrient metabolism, food intolerances and more. Together we will use the information from the Personalized Nutrition Report and your current dietary habits, preferences or restrictions to develop a personalized nutritional plan. Recent research has shown that giving people information about their genes motivates them to adopt healthier dietary habits and stick to them!
