Community News
Debt Getting You Down?

Don’t hit the bankruptcy ‘panic button’ until you have to. Life’s pretty good at throwing curve balls. And whether it comes disguised as a lost job, a health problem or some other unforeseen calamity, all too often that curve ball comes wrapped in financial woe and worry. Suddenly, questions like “How are we going to pay the bills?” and “Do we keep the kids or the cat?” take on far greater relevance than they used to (okay, so not the second one – but you get the drift).

While indebtedness is for most of us a fact of life – how else could you afford that nice home and a new car? – There may come a time when, usually through no fault of your own, you find yourself overwhelmed by debt. And for an ever-increasing number of Canadians, the sinking feeling that accompanies the inability to pay their bills can mean only one thing: bankruptcy.

But before hitting the bankruptcy ‘panic button’, be sure to conduct an honest assessment of just how bad your debt problem is. It can be as easy as making a list of who you owe money to and how much (if possible, include details of interest rates, monthly payments, and the term). Be sure to check whether your credit history has suffered (services such as those offered by Equifax and TransUnion can provide the answer), and determine whether it can: a) be fixed, or b) be prevented from getting any worse. Only then can you properly begin to understand your options?

And while bankruptcy might ultimately be the answer, it shouldn’t be your first recourse. The following tactics are worth considering to avoid going that route:

– Start a budget: Knowing where your money’s going can be a good way to stop the bleeding, enabling you to identify problem areas while targeting (and cutting out) unnecessary spending. Yes, you’ll need to be disciplined, but for many it’s enough to make a positive change to your bottom line.

– Restructure your loans and mortgages: It certainly doesn’t hurt to see if you can free up cash by deferring a car loan or mortgage payment – most financial institutions are happy to help by pushing back one or two monthly payments (usually for a fee), which may be enough to help in the short-term. Alternatively, look into a lower interest / lower payment option that might spread the debt out over a longer period of time.

– Take stock of your assets: Document anything of value – be it land, your vintage 1962 Mustang, or that collection of Disney originals Great Uncle Walt gave you. Don’t be tempted to sell them until you’ve had your situation assessed. These assets could be used to fund a consumer proposal that may, in turn, save you from filing bankruptcy.

If, after all, this, you’re still not sure you can figure your own way out of your financial problems, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.

And remember: simply ignoring the problem won’t make it go away.

LCTaylor Licensed Insolvency Trustees, www.lctaylor.com

Dogs for Mental Health

Pets for Mental Health My advice for the very best in mental and physical wellness: get a dog! Dogs in particular can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for a dog can help children grow up to be more secure and active, or can provide valuable companionship for seniors. Studies have found that dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets. Pet owners also have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than those without pets. One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that dogs fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with dogs, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and most dogs are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost your mood and ease depression.

Amy Buehler, 12th Street Studio/Gallery/B&B

 

Solving Financial Troubles

Financial difficulties can harm our emotional well-being. How can you tell that you are actually in financial trouble? There are certain indicators of financial difficulties, such as receiving frequent calls or letters from creditors or collection agencies, having no savings, spending all your money before payday, stalling one creditor to pay another, buying things impulsively, using your credit cards or other loans to pay for everyday expenses, failing to budget or make a financial plan, having your consolidation loan applications rejected, having trouble making the minimum payments on your credit cards and not knowing what your real monthly expenses are. If you’re in financial trouble, you may believe bankruptcy is your only option. However, there are many options to help you solve your money problems – such as consolidating your loans or making a consumer proposal. Be sure to seek professional advice to find out the best solution for you.

Deloitte Restructuring Inc. www.debtsolutions.deloitte.ca

Commit to Yourself

Taking time for yourself is something most people do not do enough. In a busy world with work, school, family, and social life it is easy to get caught up in the rush. Taking time for yourself is essential for maintaining balance in your life. Participating in activities such as meditation, or yoga, allows you to slow your mind and your thoughts and be at peace in the moment, but it can also be achieved with a simple walk through nature and mindfully observing the beauty all around you. When you take the time to commit to yourself, to slow down and relax – to bring yourself back into balance, you will find that you are less stressed, and you’ll most likely sleep better too!

Nichole Guthrie, www.nicholeguthrie.com

What is a Primal Health Coach?

A Primal Health Coach is a certified professional that is committed to educating you on how you can assist your body in healing health issues (body and brain) through the consumption of foods that your genetic heritage expects. Sleep, stress and moving physically (through play or exercise) are also addressed, but those items don’t improve matters significantly without paying attention to what you eat. Food is not just calories. It’s information that talks to your DNA and tells it what to do. Once you have adopted your primal diet, then your health issues have the best chance of elimination. You become in control of your health and don’t have to rely on doctors and pharmaceuticals which typically slow disease progression or mask symptoms. Food is the best medicine. You can be in charge of your health … let a Primal Health Coach teach you how!

Tom White, www.becomehealthy.ca

Fertility Facts

Fertility can be a sensitive issue, and is an often misunderstood one. Did you know that in women, fertility starts to decline at around 29 years of age and speeds up its decline around 35? In men this happens around 40 as sperm count and motility of the sperms starts its decline. Also, fertility challenges are 1/3 female, 1/3 male and 1/3 the couple? Studies show that a female with a male partner with an age gap of 5 years or greater takes longer to conceive. Workplace stress and environmental exposures are big factors in treating fertility and need to be assessed from both the female and male’s perspective. Your weight also plays a significant role. Most fertility clinics will not accept anyone into an IVF program if they have a BMI of under 19 or over 30. Reflexology is a proven effective method for correcting Fertility challenges and can effectively address both male and female fertility issues.

Gloria Laing – Registered Canadian Reflexology Therapist

www.gloriasreflexology.ca

Do You Scrape Your Tongue?

From an Ayurvedic perspective, tongue scraping should be performed on a daily basis. This ancient practice helps to stimulate the internal organs through energetic connections with the rest of the body, improve digestion by increasing your sense of taste, and cleanse the body by removing Ama and bacteria from your oral cavity. In addition, it increases clarity of the mind by reducing heaviness and Ama from the head. Ama refers to any accumulation of toxic residue in the mind-body. When your physical and emotional bodies are balanced, it allows you to expand your spiritual awakening as well. Tongue scraping should be done with a gold, silver, brass or stainless steel scrapers. Never use your toothbrush as this accumulates bacteria and you would be injecting bacteria instead of removing it.

Carole Tetreault, Calder Healing House, www.prairiewellnessretreat.com

Flower Essences for Your Pet

Animals reflect the emotions of people close to them and the environment in which they live. Emotions such as fear, anxiety, worry or depression can lead to disease as they deplete the physical body of its natural vitality. Negative energies have electrical patterns that can leave animals feeling anxious, out of balance, or ill. In contrast, the positive electrical patterns of Flower Essences help animals to improve their health and emotional well-being. They do this by replicating the positive electrical patterns of the Flower Essences in their own electrical systems. Flowers hold a specific electrical pattern indicating their evolutionary challenges of adaptation, natural selection, health, and radiant self-expression. Flower essences can be put in water, food, or sprayed to mist their fur or bedding. By using the appropriate essences to balance emotional attitudes, subtle changes occur that bring renewed energy forward.

Rositha Jeanson, Balance and Harmony, www.rositha.ca

Be Good to Yourself

July 24th is International Self-Care Day. The date symbolizes that the benefits of self-care are experienced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In other words, the benefits of self-care are life-long and do not just relate to a single day. International Self-Care related activities have been focused on community involvement programs, physical examination programs, public lectures, expert advice, sponsored public walks, occupational health, pharmacy manager training, research on self-care habits and behaviour, and the media. Learn your body– Speak to your doctor and engage in health screening to identify your physical and mental condition. It’s time for you to give yourself a little self-love!

Yvonne Harder, Eastman Safety Training Centre, www.eastmansafety.ca

What’s With Carpal Tunnel?

Carpal Tunnel happens when the median nerve in the wrist swells causing tingling, weakness, and numbness in your hand. This nerve runs alongside tendons and ligaments in your forearm into your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The swelling of this nerve occurs over time due to repetitive movements. Once diagnosed, depending on the severity, your Doctor may suggest surgery. In this surgery, the tunnel which this nerve passes through gets cut, allowing free movement of the median nerve. This surgery may or may not take care of the symptoms, but definitely does not address the cause. An alternative to surgery is massage therapy. An RMT can treat this as well, often allowing the individual to push back surgery or even eliminate the need for it at all! Next time you hear someone talking about this surgery, feel free to tell them to check in with their RMT and see what they can do for them!

Theadora Juenke, RMT, Rejuvenate Massage Therapy, www.facebook.com/Rejuvenate-Massage-Therapy

Health Benefits of Purified Water

Although public water suppliers work hard to provide clean water, many contaminants remain when that water reaches your glass. Some of these contaminants can cause bad taste and odor, and though they are not harmful to most, they are certainly unpleasant. Reverse osmosis is a water purifying process that removes foreign substances, such as organic chemicals, chlorine, pesticides, and herbicides. The process forces water through specialized membranes to remove impurities and minerals, therefore purifying the water and removing any unpleasant odor and taste. Reports by Medline Plus inform that cancer patients benefit from reverse osmosis water during and after cancer treatments. This is due to the reduced levels of acidity and the greater level of purification when compared to both distilled and spring water. Low acidity means that your body can process the water better and faster while also using less energy. Your body can then focus on keeping you healthy.

Marcel Mulaire, Delo Water