Community News
Spring Happiness

April is truly spring. Our senses peak to the scent of flowers, vivid colours, and sounds of birds. This is a perfect time to multiply the effects everywhere within our body, especially with exercise and nutrition. You feel like walking and running outdoors and just the look of fresh spring vegetables will have them home and on your plate before you know it. It is so important to glorify the positives around and within you. Breathe it in and hold it in your memories for future use. People sometimes say, “Nothing makes me happy.” Spring is your chance to discover natural happiness; start your inventory of happy this month.

Barbara Gilmore, BGilmoreCounselling.com

Fresh like Spring

If you’re like me, you must be anticipating the newness of Spring as the season approaches. With our long winter’s nap nearly behind us, we can start to grow and blossom like fresh rosebuds. Now is the time to take advantage of the opportunities to be renewed and healthy – like getting outdoors, being active, enjoying fresh, smoke free air, living cleaner and growing stronger. It’s like a second ‘New Year’, a second chance to make 2019 the healthiest, and most rewarding year yet. What changes will you be making this Spring and who will be making the changes with you?

Samantha Virkkus, SmartChoice Laser Centre, SmartChoiceLaser.com

Challenged With Your Child?

Are you struggling with your child? Is your child defiant, moody or grappling with anxiety?  Imagine acquiring the tools needed to support you with your child.  And imagine your child engaging with paint, puppets or the drum. The expressive therapies offer a safe and supportive setting for children to explore and transform their inner world through the arts and play. Give your family an opportunity to strengthen relationships and to create a sense of peace in your world at home today. Reaching out to a professional can be the first step in bringing some ease into your life with your child.

Sophie von Herrmann, B.Ed. M.A., VictoriaExpressiveTherapies.ca

Qigong for ADD/ADHD

ADD and ADHD can affect attention, self-control, and executive functioning (what helps us get things done). Treatment can vary depending on the individual, but may include mindfulness and meditation. That’s where Qigong comes in! Qigong is a moving meditation, which is much easier for those with a restless body, and the visualizations and sounds help to keep bright, creative minds engaged. It is also a very grounding practice, giving deep relaxation to the overactive brain. Improving the body’s ‘energy flow’ promotes better focus, calmness, and peace of mind, as well as helps to balance all internal organs, including the brain.

Barb Timmer, Certified Spring Forest Qigong Trainer, Co-CreationalSelf-Healing.com

9 Reasons to Take a Biometrics Assessment

1. A unique whole-person 240-point assessment.

2. Measure the your risks for Diabetes, Heart & Lung ailments.

3. Learn about your vital dimensions and your motivations.

4. Discover the areas of life you are most motivated to change.

5. Learn how to use small steps to create sustainable change.

6. Maximize your innate potentials as a whole person.

7. Create more balance in your personal and professional life.

8. Discover a higher level of personal health and wellbeing.

9. Free 20 Min Consultation – the results may surprise you!

Denise Ropp, Occupational Health & Safety Consultant, Specialist – Personal & Business Health & Wellness Services, DRHealthSolutions.com

If Not Diets, Then What?

We know from a growing body of literature that diets don’t work, meaning weight loss, and in the long run dieting is actually most likely to lead to weight gain. When we look at different factors, weight itself doesn’t seem to be the issue with poor health outcomes either. The lesser known fact is that you are much further ahead if you work with your body rather than against it. To do this we need to start listening to our bodies and taking care of them where they are right now, regardless of our weight. You can’t hate yourself to health.

Jenn Abele, BSc. RD, JennAbele-rd.ca

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy

Pelvic Health Physiotherapy is a specialized area of physiotherapy practice which aims to restore function to the muscles, ligaments, and connective tissue in the pelvis. Pelvic health concerns, including incontinence and pelvic girdle pain, are quite common but unfortunately not often talked about or treated. These concerns can arise in both men and women at anytime including during the pre- or post-partum period, after surgery, with weight training or peri-menopausally. Dysfunction in the pelvic floor can significantly impact individuals both physically and emotionally. Current literature supports pelvic floor physiotherapy as the first line of treatment for incontinence and pelvic pain. 

Lissa Fraser, Registered Physiotherapist, Fresh Tracks Physiotherapy, FreshTracksPhysio.ca

Fit for the Job?

Whatever physical activities are involved at your job, a physiotherapist will test your functional abilities to make sure you are able to carry out all of your work demands. Can you lift 50 lbs with proper mechanics? Are you safe to climb ladders? Do you have good balance? Do you have enough muscular endurance? Don’t guess, take the test! Physiotherapists can also measure spinal range of motion – a stiff spine is a predictor of possible injury. By testing your push/pull/lift and carry, a physiotherapist can help to PREVENT injuries and keep you working. Remember, “Work Shouldn’t Hurt!”

Richard Van, BMR-PT, GlenYoungPhysioTherapy.com

Imagination is a Gift of Healing

Imagine what you would do, where you would go or who you would be if you had the opportunity, for just a few hours, to make that happen? When we visualize our preferred-self we might discover many things. It could lead us to make an important decision to change something that’s been bothersome. It might help us solve a problem or create a new venture. Many of life’s simple and complex discoveries and innovations have come from the use of imagination. Emotional healing can also be accessed through the mind’s ability to envision a new beginning and make appropriate changes. What are you doing with your imagination these days?

Gerry Goertzen, MA Registered Psychotherapist, Riverbend Counselling & Wellness, RiverbendCounselling.ca

Springtime Renewal and Managing Risk

Tis the season of renewal for plants, animals and our hopefully, our energy levels as we emerge from a colder than average winter. Before the fun really begins it’s a good time to consider your risk management and in the world of finance, that can mean a number of things. Insurance is one of the greatest tools to manage the big risks we all face in life, such as an untimely demise, critical illness or disability. Do you have enough of the right type of insurance at the right cost? Consider working with a professional to evaluate your needs.

James Vasilyev – IG Wealth Management, [email protected]

See Better In Any Light

Every day our vision is affected but light in one way or another. Glare reduces visual acuity and is less aesthetically pleasing. Ultra violet rays assault eyes everywhere, 365 days a year. These UV A and UV B rays are invisible but accelerate eye aging, especially cataracts. Changing light conditions causes visual discomfort, squinting, and dark/ light adaptation stress. If your lenses are dirty or scratched this will increase light scatter and reduce your visual acuity. Poor contrast and indoor blue light in the visual environment cause eye fatigue. Your Optometrist can guide you and recommend protection for these everyday lighting quality concerns. Your solution may be personalized depending on your environment at work and play, to bring light under control.

Dr. Douglas Puttaert, Optometrist, East St. Paul EyeCare, EastStPaulEyeCare.ca