Community News
Why We Should Meditate

In today’s crazy world, we could ALL benefit from daily meditation. During most of the time that we are awake, we are bombarded with our internal dialogue, which sometimes isn’t the friendliest. Meditation can help quiet this negative self-talk, as well as combat stress and make you sleep better, feel happier, and be more peaceful. Other benefits include:
• Decreased blood pressure and hypertension
• Lowered cholesterol levels
• Reduced production of “stress hormones”, including cortisol and adrenaline
• More efficient oxygen use by the body
• Increased production of the anti-aging hormone DHEA
• Improved immune function

Book Club:

What To Do After “I’m Sorry, it’s Cancer.” An Exceptional Guidebook for Navigating Your Way to Health and Happiness. Two-time survivor Wanda St. Hilaire provides easy-to-read information that you will not get at your local cancer centre. Learn how best to navigate your cancer journey and make empowered, informed decisions. St. Hilaire’s mission is to greatly reduce suffering and ensure you maintain a high quality of life through, and well beyond, cancer. You’ll discover how to uncover imbalances for healing and you’ll create a unique and personalized wellness plan that will help you on toward health and happiness. ImSorryItsCancer.com

Suffer from Low Back Pain?

Kidney stones are often the reason for pain in your lower back. One in every 20 people develops kidney stones at some point in their life, normally due to a lack of water in the body. The stones press against nerves in the kidneys and cause various degrees of pain. When the pain travels down into the thighs, it is called sciatica. Bioresonance therapy can test to see if you have kidney stones and, if the stones are present, can help remove them. This is done by sending healthy frequencies into your body, allowing the stones to pass out of the body and relieving your pain. Dennis Ludwig, Evergreen Holistic Health Centre, [email protected]

Is Your Skin Dry?

Colder months often wreak havoc on even the clearest complexions. Ganban-yoku, a Japanese thermal therapy, can not only provide lasting deep warmth for the body, but also a smooth, silky complexion. This is because of the sebum released during the session, which acts as an extra coating on the skin’s surface. This helps smooth and keep the skin moisturized, while making it glow. Ganban-yoku is also a useful relaxation therapy. By reducing stress, hormone levels stabilize and can result in better skin. The reduced stress level can also increase production of sebum to fight dry skin. Mieko Morisawa, PoccaPocaSpa.com

The Feeling of Calm

A recent client who experienced Brainwave Optimization for the first time discovered what it was like to feel calm. Years of abuse had left her always cautious and afraid of not being able to manage the overwhelming feelings that come indiscriminately because of the PTSD. “It seems as though I’ve come further in these last two weeks of brain balancing than I have in all my years of therapy. I actually feel calm. It is such a foreign feeling to me.” And all that, just by sitting back, relaxing, and listening to her own brain balancing itself. Joanne Couture, RMFT, RSW, La Loba, LaLobaTraumaRelease.com

Do’s and Don’ts of Dating

In today’s distracted world, where people are panicked when they don’t have instant access to their electronics, face-to-face meetings can be a foreign concept. When getting to know someone, it is important that they feel you are giving them your undivided attention. Cell phones need to be on silent and put away while on a date. Exes are not discussed. Communication needs to be real. Texting and emailing are not appropriate ways to get to know someone. Take the time to call them and have a real conversation. Do an activity on your date where you have ample time to get to learn more about the person. Mini golf, bowling, the zoo, or walking through craft shows are some suggestions that allow you to get to know one another without pressure. Lianne Tregobov, CamelotIntroductions.com

Is Your Toothpaste Toxic?

Did you know that your mouth is one of the most absorbent places in your entire body? While you’re brushing the ingredients in your toothpaste enter your mouth and gums, which are the gateway to every system in your body. This is why you need to be very careful when choosing toothpaste. Many brands contain questionable ingredients that you’re far better off avoiding. Modere’s toothpaste received the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) gold standard verification. • Sugar free • Fluoride-free • Water-soluble abrasives clean without damaging tooth enamel • Supports healthy looking teeth and gums • Our non-toxic formula means it is safe for the whole family • Natural peppermint oil freshens breath. Lisa Tustin, Modere, LiveClean.Market

Does Your Pet Need Dental Care?

It’s not surprising that many of us don’t think too much about periodontal disease in our pets…at least not until something starts to look…or smell…bad! Often, there are no obvious signs, but just as with humans, our pets’ overall well-being is very dependent on the state of their teeth and gums. Infections, gingivitis, and broken teeth all can have very adverse effects on their systemic health, as well as being just as painful to them as it is for us. Your veterinarian can help with tutorials on dental home care and prevention. Treatment may include diet, oral rinses, brushing, and of course, professional cleaning done by your veterinary team.

Stressed about Stress?

Stress is often thought of as something that happens to us. However, stress is a response to an event and therefore mostly within our control. A major study found that when people view unpleasant physical sensations, like a racing heart and nervousness, as helpful instead of harmful, the risk of heart disease, stroke, and early death diminishes greatly. How can we change our mind about stress? By intentionally subjecting ourselves to a healthy stressor. Fifteen minutes of intense exercise releases endorphins – our body’s natural pain killers and stress fighters – which helps us associate a positive feeling with stress-inducing events. Sean Miller, CMHA MB and Winnipeg, mbwpg.cmha.ca

New to Yoga?

The first step is to determine your heath goals through a yoga consultation, and then decide if therapeutic yoga is right for you.
Since the practice of therapeutic yoga is modified to suit the individual, the person does not need to meet any requirements of fitness, age, or health to start practicing.
Common benefits experienced by many students include improvement in quality of sleep, elimination of pain, and reduction in stress. As teachers, we are instructing our students on how to support the functioning of their parasympathetic nervous system, which in turn supports healing.
Wendy Anderson, RYT-200, Yoga 10 Studio, Yoga10Studio.com, CourtenayMassageTherapy.com

Rotator Cuff Injuries

Injuries to the rotator cuff (muscles and tendons surrounding the shoulder) are often related to overuse, especially in activities that take place above head height. Occasionally, these can be related to specific trauma. Injuries can be as simple as a strain to the muscle(s) and tendon(s), while in more extreme injuries, the tendon(s) may become partially or completely torn. The prevalence of rotator cuff disease increases with age, with four percent occurring in individuals 40 years of age and older. Fifty-four percent of rotator cuff injuries affecting those 60 years and older are usually more severe, resulting in partial or complete tendon tears. Symptoms of a rotator cuff strain or tear may include pain and swelling in the front or side of the shoulder, pain when raising or lowering the arm, pain when reaching back (putting on a jacket). Treatment involves avoiding activities that cause pain, and gentle stretching exercises as prescribed by your physiotherapist. Doug Treloar (BMR, PT, Acupuncture Certified) PhysioFirstClinic.ca