Post-partum depression involves depressive symptoms or episodes after giving birth, affecting up to 30% of new mothers. The rates of suicide linked to post-partum depression continue to increase, so it’s important to address any symptoms of the condition as soon as they become apparent. Along with psychological intervention, acupuncture may help with the symptoms of post-partum depression, and some studies have shown that this combination can be as useful as certain anti-depressants. It’s thought that acupuncture helps to stimulate the nervous and immune systems and balance various neurotransmitters, reducing the brain’s reaction to stress and therefore the depressive state.
Community News
What’s Your Path to Wellness?
Most of us face health challenges at some point in our lives. As we experience these challenges, we strive to return to wellness but often get overwhelmed with health options or frustrated with advice and approaches that simply don’t work. An Integrative Health Coach helps to sift through wellness options to guide you to the most meaningful health strategies that make sense to you. As your Integrative Health Coach, I draw on a wide knowledge base of diverse healing practices to find the most helpful options that align with your goals and life experiences. What’s your path to wellness?
Living Without Regret
Holding onto regret is like dragging around the weight of the past wherever you go. It drains our energy and makes us less available for living life tin the present because we are constantly looking behind us to the past. When we continue to feed this endless pattern, it weighs us down. When we can choose to move into applying what we have learned instead of becoming stuck, we transfer our energy into something constructive and creative that gives us back our life force and sets us free. Regret when released becomes a learning that allows us to grow.
A Powerful Wellness Combo
A holistic approach to whole-body health is made up of interdependent parts – body, mind, and soul. If one of these parts is not working properly, all the other parts are affected. If you have imbalances (physical, emotional, or spiritual) in your life, it can negatively affect your overall health. Holistic healing involves multiple complementary medicines and alternative healthcare practices that can overlap with modern-day Western medicine. During a unique Nutri-Aroma consultation, which combines nutrition, aromatherapy, and Reiki, you learn how to achieve the best results for healthier living in the shortest amount of time.
8 Pillars of Holistic Health
For holistic wellness, #Balance incorporates 8 dimensions that should work in harmony. These include: Financial – overall financial health; Spiritual – connected to something greater than yourself; Intellectual – refers to active participation in scholastic, cultural, and community activities; Emotional – inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction and the development of inner strength; Physical – promotes proper care of our bodies; Social – refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others; Occupational – is the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure; and Environmental – is an awareness of the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment.
Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke
Heat exhaustion can occur if the body loses an excess amount of fluid through sweating and does not have it replenished. As your body becomes dehydrated, it begins to overheat and you may start to feel faint, dizzy, and lightheaded. If left untreated, heat exhaustion may progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition. At this stage, your temperature rises to a dangerous level and you may no longer sweat due to extreme dehydration. A person suffering from heat stroke may be in a state of confusion and disorientation. If you suspect someone is experiencing a heat stroke, call 911, get them out of the heat, and apply cold compresses on the body to lower body temperature quickly.
Supporting Your Quitter
If your friend or loved one is trying to quit smoking, there are many ways in which you can support them on their journey. Familiarize yourself with the reasons quitting can be so difficult by reading articles, brochures, and other information. Understand your own relationship with smoking and ensure you are celebrating their successes, being supportive, and avoiding being too critical. Be positive when the person you know who is quitting wants to talk about their goals, setbacks, and other aspects of the process. Helping to distract your friend or loved one, or helping them to de-stress, can also be a great way to offer support.
8 Pillars of Holistic Health
For holistic wellness, #Balance incorporates 8 dimensions that should work in harmony. These include: Financial – overall financial health; Spiritual – connected to something greater than yourself; Intellectual – refers to active participation in scholastic, cultural, and community activities; Emotional – inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction and the development of inner strength; Physical – promotes proper care of our bodies; Social – refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others; Occupational – is the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure; and Environmental – is an awareness of the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dentures
To get the most out of your dentures, it’s important to take proper care of them. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to denture care. DO: 1) Handle your dentures carefully. 2) Remove and rinse after eating. 3) Remove before bed and soak overnight. 4) Rinse before putting them back in your mouth. 5) Brush dentures daily. 6) See your denturist regularly. DON’T: 1) Use whitening toothpaste, abrasive cleaners, bleach products, sharp objects, or hot water to clean your dentures. 2) Use tugging motions when eating. 3) Neglect your dentures. 4) Wear ill-fitting dentures.
Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke
Heat exhaustion can occur if the body loses an excess amount of fluid through sweating and does not have it replenished. As your body becomes dehydrated, it begins to overheat and you may start to feel faint, dizzy, and lightheaded. If left untreated, heat exhaustion may progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition. At this stage, your temperature rises to a dangerous level and you may no longer sweat due to extreme dehydration. A person suffering from heat stroke may be in a state of confusion and disorientation. If you suspect someone is experiencing a heat stroke, call 911, get them out of the heat, and apply cold compresses on the body to lower body temperature quickly.
Meet Your Practitioner
Barbara Balshaw-Dow is a clinical social worker/therapist who received her Master of Social Work in 2007 and has been practicing since 2015. She has a passion for highlighting mental wellness and works with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, as well as other life challenges. She helps her clients develop strategies to do things differently and move forward by using tools such as: solution-focused questions, strategies from cognitive behavioural therapy, and basic eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Barbara is also a registered yoga teacher and is working towards certification in equine-assisted counselling.
