Community News
Plan a Stress-Free Vacation

Planning your holiday is meant to be fun and exciting. The lure of the convenience of the internet can quickly turn to confusion, indecisiveness, and anxiety. Travel agents are here to save you time and don’t cost a penny. Think of a travel agent as your tour guide, who will lead you to the perfect vacation. No matter how much you prepare, sometimes unexpected things happen while you are on vacation. When you book with a travel agent, they are with you every step of the way to ensure a stress-free, enjoyable time, which is what a holiday is meant to be.

Holly Sproule, SouthBeachTravel.ca

Counselling: Investing in You

Have you been thinking about counselling? If you don’t know where to start or how it might help, here are a few ideas to consider:

• Counselling provides an opportunity to talk about concerns in a safe, confidential place.

• It can help you gain increased self-awareness, direction, and invaluable coping skills.

• The hope, self-worth, stability, and health that you develop continue long after the counselling sessions end.

Counselling is an investment in you. Take the first step today.

Tracy Sparham, BSW, RSW, Sparham Counselling, SheaTreeWellness.com

Turmeric for Your Health

Turmeric is one of the prized spices, with an impressive list of health benefits. It is one of the most potent antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents. In my practice, I see that there is a growing trend of taking turmeric (active ingredient – curcumin) as a supplement. In Ayurveda, great importance is given to vipaka (post-digestion effect). The vipaka of turmeric is pungent. Therefore, taking turmeric as a supplement creates stress in the liver, as our liver has a tendency to overheat. However, using turmeric in cooking changes the vipaka, as it gets mixed with foods with different post-digestion effects. This way, you get maximum health benefits from turmeric without creating unwanted stress in the liver. This is how it has been used in India for thousands of years, never as a supplement.

Purnima Chaudhari, Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner, Reflexologist & Reiki Master, AyuReviveAyurveda.com

Health Product Review

Super Critical Omega Norwegian Gold by Renew Life.

With well over 7,000 studies on their safety and efficacy for many health issues, there is not a single natural health product with more scientific validation than omega 3 fish oils essential fatty acids. They are necessary fats that humans cannot produce, so we must get them through diet or supplementation. With so many fish oil supplements on the market, what makes the Renew Life Norwegian Gold line so different?

• 100% fish gelatin, not pork or beef. This makes them ideal for fish-eating vegetarians or those with religious dietary restrictions.

• Enteric-coated and contain the fat-digesting enzyme lipase, so there is optimal absorption and no fishy aftertaste.

• Have a 5-star rating from the International Fish Oil Standards (IFOS) program. This proves that they meet or exceed all national and international standards for purity, potency, and freshness.

• Friend of the Sea certified. This certifies that the products are from sustainable fisheries and aquaculture.

Aviva Natural Health Solutions, AvivaHealth.com

Pre-habilitation

Having to go through an orthopedic surgical procedure can be scary. What if there is something that you, the patient, could do to help maximize your outcome and give you the best chance at success? Think of your upcoming surgery as a big game or event that needs preparation and training. Pre-habilitation is a term used to describe the treatment, education, and strengthening that clients receive leading up to orthopedic surgery. Whether you are scheduled for a knee or hip replacement, ACL reconstruction, muscle-tendon repair, or cartilage repair, physiotherapists will develop a pre-hab strengthening program, help manage pain through modalities, such as acupuncture, and maximize your available mobility through myofascial techniques, dry needling, and manual therapy. All of these factors being the best they can be before your big day can give you your best chance at your post-operative recovery and rehabilitation.

Prairie Trail Physiotherapy, PrairieTrailPhysio.ca

Protect Teeth from Acid Damage

Dental erosion is a form of tooth wear – where enamel and then dentin is worn down. It is defined as irreversible damage to the teeth caused by chemicals (usually acids). This acid can come from outside sources (e.g., food and drink) or from inside the body. External sources of acids include fruits and fruit juices (particularly citrus), soft drinks, sports drinks, wine, and vinegar. Internal acidic sources include stomach acids (think acid reflux and other gastric disorders), as well as frequent vomiting. Dental erosion is preventable. The use of a straw can help keep acidic drinks away from the teeth. Rinsing with mouthwash or water after eating can help neutralize the acid exposed to your teeth and gums.

Sarah Sangalang, Reflections Dental, ReflectionsDentalHealth.ca

Putting Others on a Pedestal

When we meet someone and fall in love, we often put that person on a pedestal…only seeing their best qualities, and unable to see the bigger picture of who they are. We all do this. As long as we remember that no one is “perfect” (I always say “perfect” is someone you don’t know well) and the pedestal phase of a relationship is just that, a “phase” that helps open our hearts to bond and connect. Everyone has their strengths and blind spots, so when we hold the illusion that someone can do no wrong, we don’t allow room for their humanness to emerge. Over time, the pedestal does not last and we become disillusioned and hurt with the very qualities we once admired. When we can embrace their shadow side and our own idealized projection, we can begin creating a deeper connection and intimacy.

D’Arcy Bruning-Haid, Souls-Journey.com

Hypertension

It is quite surprising and frustrating that the cause of primary hypertension has not been discovered yet, even though it has been around for centuries. Primary hypertension means hypertension that is not a complication from another disease, and 70% of hypertensive patients are diagnosed with the primary type. Hypertension is called the “silent killer” because, after a long period without prominent symptoms, death often results from the absence of blood pressure control. Unfortunately, many hypertensive patients give up taking medications because of adverse effects. Some antihypertensive agents may weaken the heart and some may cause mineral imbalance. I’m not against taking medications for hypertension. It is much better than doing nothing. When you can’t tolerate the adverse effects of the medications, you can find other measures rather than giving up controlling blood pressure. Sometimes, losing visceral fat, changing your diet, or taking the right nutritional supplements works more or less.

Yong Han Lee, ReVitamins of Charleswood, Facebook.com/revitamins

Which Legacy is Best?

Wouldn’t it great to be known as the city where the eradication of diabetes began rather than the city that is the Slurpee Capital of the World? As complex as the medical world makes diabetes appear, it is simply a metabolic issue with horrendous outcomes. There is no reason for Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes to exist, except for the current dietary environment in most nations of the world. To support our bodies with healing, we must return closer to what our ancestors consumed during evolution. The food that we are genetically adapted to consume. Eat like your life depends on it, because it does!

Tom White, becomeHEALTHY.ca, EndDiabetesManitoba.ca

Benefits of Ganban-yoku

Ganban-yoku, a Japanese natural thermal therapy, can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It has a wide range of benefits like relieving pain, improving circulation, helping to reverse the effects of aging, detoxifying, and aiding in weight loss. The treatment has been well received by many visitors. Here are some of the comments from clients after their first session.

“It was so relaxing and my skin feels very good.” ~ Joy.

“Very relaxing and relieved my congestion.” ~ Sunshine.

“Such a relaxing experience. Meditation for the mind and tranquility for the body.” ~ Edward.

“The stone bed started to feel like foam, it was very relaxing.” ~ Grace.

Mieko Morisawa, Founder|Owner, PoccaPocaSpa.ca

Meet Your Practitioner

Meet Yolanda Yeung. Yolanda is originally from Halifax and attended pharmacy school at Dalhousie University. After graduating in 2012, she moved to Brandon, where she gained a variety of skills unique to pharmacy practice. Her time in Brandon has given her experience in long-term care management for group homes and nursing homes. She takes a holistic approach to pharmaceutical care by meeting frequently with clients to assess their medications and working closely with their physicians and care-givers to resolve any drug-related issues. Yolanda is excited to continue her career with Care At Home Pharmacy and to experience the difference pharmacy makes in bettering the lives of each client.

Care At Home Pharmacy, CareAtHomePharmacy.ca