Chia seeds are packed with omega-3 fatty acids and protein. They will absorb several times their mass in liquid, creating a jelly-like substance in the process. Instead of cooking fruit down, relying on pectin, and adding sugar to help it set, all we need to do is mash up some fruit and stir in a few tablespoons of chia seeds! So easy! Ingredients: 2 cups chopped strawberries, 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, 1-2 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp chia seeds. Cook the berries on medium heat until they start to break down. Mash the fruit with the back of a spoon or a potato masher, leaving it as smooth or as lumpy as you like. Remove from heat and stir in 1 tbsp of the honey and lemon juice. Stir in the chia seeds. Let stand until thickened. If you’d like a thicker consistency, stir in more chia seeds 1 tsp at a time. The jam will thicken further and become more set once completely chilled.
Community News
Mental Health Resources
Did you know that the Canadian Mental Health Association has information online regarding different mental health issues? As well, your local Canadian Mental Health Association branch can answer any questions you may have and provide services to the public. Workshops and courses are another great way to learn about these issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association along with other organizations in your community offer this service. Research what organizations are around you and call them to find out times, dates and whether courses are available for free at a cost. Visit your local library to take advantage of free resources or head to a bookstore or shop online to purchase.
5 Reasons to Eat Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are the richest sources of Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the world! 5 Benefits of consuming this super food are 1. High in Fibre – Fibre aids in digestion, prevents constipation and suppresses hunger. 2. Women’s Health – The lignans present in them help in battling high levels of estrogen and assist in balancing hormonal levels. 3. Healthy Hair & Skin – The ALA fats in flax seeds benefits the skin and hair by providing essential fats as well as b-vitamins which can help reduce dryness and flakiness. It can also improve symptoms of acne, rosacea, and eczema. 4. Lower Cholesterol – The soluble fiber content of flax seeds trap fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it unable to be absorbed. 5. Weight Loss – Since flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss.
Book Club: Is Your Child’s Brain Starving?
By Michael R. Lyon MD and Christine Laurell, PhD
Michael Lyon went from overweight academic underachiever to graduating as the top male student in his high school a year later, thanks to a total change of diet and lifestyle. He ultimately became a medical doctor involved in research on nutrition. This book is an inspiring guide to better brain function through diet and lifestyle changes. The minor downfall is the promotion of supplements he has helped to develop, but it is still a valuable book for parents and has a good recipe section.
IQ and Nutrition
What if you could increase your child’s IQ with nutrition? Inhabitants of a tiny island off the coast of Japan have the highest IQ scores in the world and produce seven times as many geniuses as any other place in the world. Seniors living there don’t seem to struggle with cognitive decline either. The secret: DHA, an essential fatty acid found in fish, krill, squid and some algae. The brain is made mostly of fat, 60% of which is DHA. DHA is found in mother’s milk and has long been recognized as aiding IQ scores in children. Almost everyone nowadays is deficient in DHA. This may be one of the reasons for the increased rates of ADHD, learning disabilities and autism as well as increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive problems.
What Yoga Means to Me
Over a year ago, my wife, Donna asked me what I would like for Christmas. I replied a yoga mat. So that beautiful day arrived and there it was sitting under the tree. I didn’t really know why I had asked for such a gift but what unfolded over the next year was truly amazing. At first, I was reluctant to use the mat. I tried a little self-practice at home, used a book I had laying around for years, and quickly became disenchanted with the whole process. Then it happened while on a summer holiday at Nelson B.C an opportunity presented itself. I almost walked away from that opportunity that would change my life. I listened to my heart and took my first yoga class, a restorative practice. It was magic, so peaceful, no evasive and taught in a none judgemental manner. Only do what your body allows you to do at this moment. Wow, I was hooked. I came back home and immediately asked a good friend, an excellent yoga teacher, to hook me up at where she teaches.
So I was introduced to Breathing Room Yoga out of Inspire You Studio. What I found there was a treasure of gifted instructors, a warm and caring studio and an absolute feeling of community. I have taken all of the different styles of yoga that are offered at the studio. Hatha, Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Kundalini, Restorative. I have enjoyed them all the instruction is always informative and personalized to meet my needs. I started on this journey for betterment in my physical state. I had been walking all winter and lost over thirty pounds, within two months of yoga practice, five times a week, I lost a further seventeen pounds. My body has become leaner, and I actually have definition in areas such as my core and legs. Further to this, I have found the most important part of yoga practice that makes it all worthwhile. There is a spiritual connection between yourself and your maker. This awakening is centuries old, and it simply lies there waiting for you on your mat. I have embraced this energy and combined with the physical benefits found peace and contentment in my life. All this through the gift of a yoga mat from my love. I would end this with a thank you to all the instructors, for without your dedication hard work and care my reality, the trueness of one’s self would have stayed dormant without your kind awakening of my inner self. Lastly, I would encourage all to come to practice, experience your breath, the movement of one’s body and what you are really capable of. I will leave you with this your yoga practice is like a flower it blooms when it is ready, but it is always growing. Namaste you beauties.
Murray Smith, Yoga for life. Inspire You Studio
www.inspireyoustudio.com
Sun Safety
There has been a lot of discussions involving sun safety and the dangers of over exposure. Many improvements in the tanning industry have been made thanks to technology that has led to better safety and increased positive effects of salon tanning. My 27 years’ experience in the tanning industry has seen these changes, and I’ve done a lot of research into skin exposure to both the sun’s rays and salon rays. It is important to remember all things in moderation. Studies have shown that salon tanning has many beneficial effects for such conditions as arthritis, PMS, psoriasis, and eczema, as well as seasonal affective disorder. A careful, cautious approach gradually builds a superior protection against full spectrum (UVA and UVB) burning rays. Moderate exposure to the sun is essential to the maintenance of good physical and psychological health. Our many years of experience and expertise can help you reap the positive benefits of the sun year-round.
Tracey Delmage, Catch-A-Tan
www.catchatan.ca
Balance Classes?
Most people take balance for granted. They navigate without thinking, effort, or fear. For others, poor balance is a problem. Some struggle with long-term dizziness or imbalance. Others suffer balance-related falls and injuries. A new study concludes that exercise can reduce not only the odds of falling but the odds of sustaining fall-related injuries. As we age, our strength, flexibility, and proprioception decline, so does balance. Accomplishing day-to-day activities means you need to be steady on your feet. Walking, standing, sitting, and lifting all require balance and the better yours is, the easier those daily movements become. There are Balance Classes available that help you strengthen all of the lower-body muscles. Strong muscles, strong bones, and better balance will make you more mobile and less likely to fall.
Curves – Lakewood Blvd. www.curves.com
Standing Core Exercises – DOWN
Put your mat away and give your neck a rest. Standing core exercises work more muscles than crunches—and the more muscles we use, the more calories we burn. Your core includes any musculature about your central skeleton that may balance your trunk. Try including more standing postures in your work day to avoid back pain and other health concerns. Now apply some of those abdominal exercises you did on your back; the standing knee-cross crunch, the cross-body chop (with or without a medicine ball, use any easy weight really) and the overhead-dumbbell side bend; all of these can be found on our website. The great thing about these exercises, is that they can be done anywhere and will greatly improve your postural core. Give yourself more reasons to stand today!
Chris Bisignano, Concourse Physiotherapy, www.yourphysio.com
Bowen Therapy
Bowen therapy works to alleviate acute and chronic skeletal muscle injury or disorders and nervous system disruptions. Tom Bowen, an Australian who developed this technique in the 1950’s, asserted that everything in the body is interrelated so damage at one site restricts the function of the entire system. Furthermore, the body is self-healing; however, injuries or disruptions can limit this healing response. It is this healing response that Bowen therapy works toward activating, with the goal of allowing the body to heal itself. Studies have shown that in addition to restoring muscle and nervous system integrity, Bowen treatments can shift the central nervous system from the sympathetic (flight and fight) response to the parasympathetic (rest and restoration) response. As a result, it can positively affect physiological functions such as circulation, arterial pressure and heart rate, digestion, sleep, lymphatic circulation, and the endocrine system.
Julia Rempel, PhD (Immunology), Certified Bowen Therapist, www.sagewaterhealth.com
Did You Know?
Did you know that aging changes our bodies and how medications work? Some areas of the body become more sensitive to certain medications or less susceptible to others that may result in symptoms that appear like new problems- often treated with new medications and reason for too many medications. In most cases additional medications are avoidable: fewer medications means more quality of life. Senior Care Practitioners are medical professionals, medication experts, and patient advocates with expertise and knowledge to identify these kinds of issues and suggest safe solutions. They advocate for patients at other health care providers and pursues desired outcomes. Experts in the area of geriatrics agree that seniors should be assessed and treated differently compared to other population groups and that not all health professionals are equally trained to identify how aging and medications affect seniors. Everyone agrees that optimal functionality and quality of life make older adults thrive and lower caregiver burden.
Mathilda Prinsloo BPharm CGP CDE, Senior Care Pharmacy Practice, www.seniorcarepractice.com
