Many of us made a New Year’s Resolution to take better care of ourselves in 2022. We welcome you to check out the Wellness Hub, our local, online Health and Wellness resource for great information on doing just that. The Wellness Hub features hundreds of health tips and articles on a variety of health and wellness topics along with a directory of hundreds of local businesses and practitioners offering services and products. It is easy to search, access and share information. While you are checking out the Wellness Hub, don’t forget to enter the January Contest. The draw date is January 31, 2022.

Did you make any New Year’s resolutions? If you are a smoker, you can now add an increased risk of hearing loss to the list of reasons to quit. The chemicals found in cigarettes may affect the way your ear processes sound. Smokers are 15% more likely to have hearing loss than non-smokers. Hearing loss isn’t fatal, but it can lead to several health-related issues down the line. Dementia & depression have been linked to untreated hearing loss, so be sure to have your ears checked regularly. Get started by scheduling a hearing test today.

With the darker winter months upon us, the suns rays are not strong enough for our bodies to produce Vitamin D. This is why Osteoporosis Canada recommends that most Canadian adults should take a daily vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone health by facilitating the absorption of calcium. Plus, it also helps maintain muscle health and reduce the risk of fractures caused by falls. A number of studies have suggested that it may also reduce the risk of certain diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and some cancers. Talk to one of our pharmacists about recommended doses.

Children and youth living in low-income households have been some of the hardest affected during the pandemic. 1 in 3 children under the age of 6 in District 69 lives in poverty without enough to eat. When kids are deprived of adequate nutrition, it is harder for them to focus, adding to their anxiety. Ensuring all children have access to healthy food should be our top priority. You can help by donating to the SOS grocery gift cards fund to fill hungry bellies and nurture healthy minds. Donate online at www.sosd69.com, by phone 250-248-2093, in person or mail to: SOS – 245 West Hirst Ave. PO Box 898 Parksville BC V9P 2G9. Thank you.

Proper digestion is important to our overall health but we forget that digestion starts in the mouth with proper chewing. Nutritional experts say that each mouthful of food should be chewed forty times. If we do not chew our food properly, it passes through our digestive system in a chunk that essentially rots as it passes through our digestive system. Patients with dentures have 90% less chewing force. They tend to list “digestive problems” as health concerns and often need medications for these issues. Dental implants bite with a force similar to that of natural teeth and may resolve these issues.

December can be a challenging month at the best of times. The pandemic has taken its toll on us emotionally, physically, intellectually, spiritually, and financially. Online gambling has increased in popularity while land-based venues have reopened where players have renewed their patronage. If gambling used to be a light-hearted and fun activity but has changed to become an outlet or longshot for financial and/or emotional stress relief, connect with us at VI Gaming Support. You can reach us by phone, text, email, social media (Facebook & Instagram), or online on our website at VIGamingSupport.ca. Provincial toll-free support line 1-888-795-6111 is open 24/7.