Doing lots of squats and heavy lifts alone won’t necessarily make you a good climber or proficient at carrying heavy loads. Our everyday natural movements are much more complex and require more skill than the exercises practised with a classic strength and conditioning approach. Natural movement training comprises locomotive skills such as walking, running, balancing, jumping, crawling, climbing, or swimming and manipulative skills such as lifting, carrying, throwing, and catching. It is about seamlessly incorporating fitness as a way of life to make you stronger in everyday life and help you deal with whatever life throws at you.
Community News
Winter Safety for Seniors
Winter can be a tough time for everyone, but especially seniors, with hazards like ice and snow putting them at risk of falls and injuries. Some ways that seniors can stay safe in the winter include: 1) Staying warm – wear comfortable, waterproof, warm clothing and accessories when outdoors to prevent hypothermia and frostbite. 2) Asking for help – if you have health issues, get help from loved ones for shoveling, snowblowing, etc. 3) Walking safely – wear boots that have good non-slip soles and use a walking aid, if needed. Walk slowly on icy, uneven surfaces and walk with a buddy!
Stress and Your Nervous System
Humans cannot withstand being in a long-term state of emergency. When we encounter a stressful “event”, we have an expected physiological response (heart rate increases, pupils dilate, blood shuttles to our extremities and away from our organs), and after a few hours, we should return to a more balanced state. Research shows blood flow increases in our “hindbrain” away from our “forebrain,” meaning we become more emotional vs. rational. Talk to your chiropractor about how stress manifests in your nervous system and what they can do to help. In the meantime, work on lowering stress levels any way you can!
A Great Time to Make Changes
The beginning of a new year is a great time to make some real changes for your health. Some simple dietary suggestions include: 1) Try a new vegetable once a week and add an extra serving of veggies each day. 2) Slowly decrease pop or juice intake by ¼, then by ½, while increasing water intake. 3) Try some fruit for dessert. 4) If you have a lot of digestive issues, consider an elimination-type diet or food sensitivity testing to help decrease inflammation. 4) Try deep breathing before eating and chewing your food thoroughly to promote better digestion.
Home Care: Keeping Vulnerable Seniors Safe
The pandemic has drawn attention to issues that affect many long-term care facilities, including chronic understaffing and inadequate supplies of personal protective equipment for employees. During COVID-19, some Canadian families have opted to pull their loved ones out of seniors’ facilities and bring them home, with the support of home health care services. “Data clearly illustrates that seniors who live at home and receive in-home care have lower COVID-19 rates than institutionalized care,” says Maureen Charlebois, Chief Nursing & Clinical Officer at Bayshore HealthCare. “Our seniors deserve the dignity of staying in their own homes with excellent reliable care. Tragically, COVID-19 has proven that home care isn’t just a better experience, with this disease, it has vastly better health outcomes.”
Angie’s KICKSTART Weight Loss Challenge!
The New Year is a great time to make positive changes in our lives, and one impactful change you can make if you’re wanting to look and feel healthier is joining a weight loss challenge. Weight loss challenges are cost-effective options that create laser focus on your goals, they increase personal accountability, offer CASH prizes and encourage you to create new lifestyle changes that include fitness classes, strength training, online coaching and meal plans. Working towards your goals within a community of like-minded people can help you feel more in control of your mind & body and give you the support you need to succeed!
AJ Pedal Wheelchair
Whether your mobility has been impacted by Parkinson’s, MS, a stroke, or knee or hip trouble, the AJ Pedal Wheelchair is designed to get you moving again. Like a bike, it’s powered by you – so you can reconnect with your body, rebuild muscle tone and improve your cardiovascular system. Designed to maneuver in tight spaces like narrow halls and doorways, the AJ rides easily into elevators, buildings and shopping centres. More robust than a wheelchair, the AJ allows you to pedal through parks, along sidewalks and even ride public transit. One-handed, dual hydraulic brakes allow you to stop quickly with just a gentle squeeze of the brake handle. The comfort-ride shock and pneumatic tires keep you comfortable and confidently in control. Each AJ is hand built in Victoria, BC, using the highest grade aluminum and other durable materials for a safe and sturdy ride.
Setting Healthy Boundaries at Work
Occupational burnout has been defined as a recognizable syndrome by the World Health Organization. Burnout results in physical and mental fatigue, poor productivity and overall health. Employers and employees need to set healthy boundaries to create healthy, high performing workplaces. Here are some great ways to prevent burnout: • Nourish a safe culture making it ok to admit if the workload is too high • Compromise and negotiate workload • Delegate • Prioritize, prioritize, prioritize • Create a ‘not-to-do’ list • Take breaks • Practice mindfulness • Practice saying no • Offer flexibility or telecommuting options Find more workplace wellness tips at WellnessWorksCanada.ca.
Your Cool New Booze-Free Option
Taking a night off from drinking can now be a part of an exciting night out! Self-care can extend past sunset and socializing can boost your health and wellness game. When we consume beverages that are healthier for our body and mind, we feel more empowered and connected to our souls. We call this mindful consumption. Our Brü is soulfully curated for both flavour and functionality, creating a novel social experience. It’s time we remove outdated, stigmatized labels like alcoholic, recovery, disease and replace them with empowering words like alcohol-free, sober curious, and non-drinker, so people can feel proud about their accomplishment by choosing not to drink.
Preserving the Human-Canine Bond
Community volunteers at ElderDog Canada Victoria provide no-cost services such as dog walking, transportation to and from a vet or groomer, foster care when a senior is temporarily hospitalized, and rehoming when keeping the senior and dog together is no longer feasible. Eligible seniors include those who have ongoing health and/or mobility challenges, require temporary support while they undergo and recover from surgery, or must move to a care facility and cannot bring their dog with them. If you are a senior who needs help caring for your dog, you can email ElderDog Canada Victoria at [email protected].
Music of the Plants: Interspecies Communication
Since the 1970s, Damanhur—a Federation of Communities with its own constitution, culture, music, currency, school and uses of science and technology has researched communication with the plant world. They created an instrument that perceives the electromagnetic variations from the surface of plant leaves to the root system and translates them into sound. Each variation is given a different musical note value. When connected, the musical instrument digital interface turns the value into an audible note of music. Plants can create 4 to 5 octaves of music and upward of 120 different sounds. Music of the Plants allows people around the world to connect with plants’ innate intelligence to expand their awareness.
