Are you feeling afraid, isolated, and desperate for connection? Try connecting with friends and family through online platforms like Zoom, Facetime, or Whatsapp. Although we have the limits of social distancing and the request to self-isolate, this gives us an opportunity to connect with our loved ones to a greater degree. Too often we get too busy with our lives that we do not spend the time so essential to building our closest relationships. Finding ways to rejuvenate your relationship with your loved ones is such an important aspect for self-care, and for loving connectedness that builds resilience in such uncertain times.
Community News
Brain Injury – Plan for Recovery
Recovery from a brain injury takes positive reinforcement. Celebrate the small successes. Make recovery a social activity. Your success can be fostered with the help of others, even if they do not have a brain injury or stroke. Look for intensity of experience during recovery. The intensity of the experience will help ingrain what is being learned. Fall in love with the process of recovery. Have a recovery plan that includes measurable goals. Success should be measured. Make recovery efforts a part of your everyday schedule. Don’t do the recovery journey by yourself. Let Cowichan Brain Injury help you on this journey.
Support for Your Immune System
Today, more than ever, it is important to take steps to support your immune system. Eat a whole foods diet to support gut health and intestinal cleansing, making sure to include extra fruit and vegetables. Exercise and spending time outdoors can help minimize stress which in turn helps keep your immune system strong. Make sure to get adequate sleep. Herbal supplements can be helpful when needed; Filling in missing gaps with necessary vitamins and superfoods can be essential. Valuable supplements include: Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Zinc, probiotics, elderberry, quercetin, oregano oil and colloidal silver. Take extra good care and be safe!
Make Your Home Safer
Things you can do to make your home safer and reduce the risk of falling:
Remove tripping hazards like clutter, small throw rugs • Keep items you use the most easily accessible • Improve lighting to ensure you can see your path when walking, especially at night • Install grab bars in the bathroom and ensure your home has handrails on all staircases • Wear non-slip shoes both inside and outside of the house • Get a Home Safety Assessment if you are at risk of falling; an Occupational Therapist can help to advise you on making your home safer.
Product Review: RELEAF Stick
ACTIVE RELEAF aims to encourage active wellness through the use of nature’s most powerful ingredients. With a synergistic blend of coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, and broad spectrum cannabinoid-rich hemp plant extract, ACTIVE RELEAF’s topicals offer a natural alternative for pain relief. Try the Original Formula RELEAF Stick as a reliable remedy to soothe everyday aches and pains. For extra stubborn discomfort associated with joint stiffness, and inflammation, the Extra Strength RELEAF+ Stick is specially formulated to soothe quickly and be long lasting. Apply liberally to affected areas 3 – 4 times a day or as needed.
Community Profile
Bliss Yoga Studio and Wellness Centre is owned and operated by long-time Ladysmith residents, Clayton and Alison Strom. This cozy boutique studio and wellness centre in downtown Ladysmith is also their home. Whether you take one of the many unique or traditional yoga classes offered in the Studio or visit them downstairs in the Wellness Centre for alternative therapies for pain and injury, they look forward to meeting you. Clayton and Alison are proud to be Islanders and welcome all abilities, shapes, sizes and genders. Along your journey to health and wellness, they hope to help you find your personal path to bliss…
Tea and Toast Syndrome
“Tea and toast syndrome” refers to malnutrition in seniors when a lack of desire or inability to prepare and/or eat proper meals results in them relying on simpler meals like tea and toast. Seniors who skip meals almost daily, have gained/lost more than 10 pounds in the past six months, take medications, have dental issues, or have a disability can be at risk for malnutrition. Some common signs to watch for include unexplained weight loss, fatigue, memory issues, digestive issues, a weak immune system, muscle weakness, and anemia. There are support services available to help seniors eat well and regularly!
Gambling Outreach Support
If you are looking for support or an alternative to counselling, you can easily access our team of outreach specialists. They can provide support, assist with personal goals and connect individuals and families with harm reduction resources and appropriate services. They are a resource that provides information, support, referrals, and accompaniment to resources, including: *peer support organizations (such as 12 Step groups or Smart Recovery), *online self-help resources, *community support organizations (legal services, housing services, community mental health services, and many others). They can be reached by phone, text messaging, web chat, or in person. All services are free of charge.
Not Getting Enough ZZZZ’s?
We know that a good diet and exercise will help keep us healthy but did you know that not getting enough sleep has a negative impact on your health? Short term problems include *Lack of alertness, *Impaired memory and ability to think, *Relationship stress and quality of life. Serious health issues related to insufficient sleep include, *Weight gain, *Increased risk of heart disease and stroke,* High Blood pressure, *Lack of sex drive. It is time to make sleep a priority. Let’s get sufficient sleep, starting tonight! Come in and discuss the various sleep products available to help you!
Digestive Health
Today we recognize the importance of having the right kind of bacteria in our gut. Probiotics are a certain type of bacteria that provides health benefits when eaten. The use of probiotics have been shown to reduce overall symptoms and abdominal pain. Clinical trials showed that probiotics are overall effective treatments for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Probiotics may also reduce the amount of H. pylori bacteria in the gut, speeding up the healing process of peptic ulcers. Experts agree that the benefits of probiotics are strain-specific. Speak to your pharmacist to determine which probiotic is right for you.
Related Fall Risks
In addition to decreased mobility, there are other risk factors that can lead to falling: Sensory Deficits; problems with sensation, whether it be with the eyes, ears or feeling in the feet, can increase your risk of falling. Have your eyesight and hearing checked regularly and talk to your doctor if you’re experiencing numbness in your feet. Low Blood Pressure; when we quickly go from lying or sitting to standing, our blood pressure drops, this can interfere with balance, vision and coordination. If you feel dizzy or lightheaded when standing, sit down until your head clears, stand up slowly and ensure you have good footing before taking a step.
