Heat and cold therapy can be an effective and inexpensive way to relieve pain from a variety of conditions such as arthritis, pulled muscles, inflammation and swelling. Cold therapy is best for bruised or swollen joints and tendons; it improves nerve activity and blood flow. Use ice packs and a bag of ice cubes with a little cool water for acute injuries/pain, inflammation and swelling. Heat therapy improves blood flow, circulation and soothes muscles and joints and increases their flexibility. Use heat packs and pads for muscle pain, tension and stiffness. Take care, your body will thank you!

Dressing for a funeral can be tricky, especially in a time when traditional funerals are evolving to celebrations. What is important is to ensure you remain respectful to the family. Unless there is a specific dress code, lean toward dark shades or neutrals. Consider any cultural traditions to avoid wearing anything offensive. When in doubt about what to wear, ask someone. Dressing for any occasion can be stressful to some, especially for a somber event. When deciding what to wear, remember that funerals and memorial services are not about the attendees, but about the individual who has left us.

Ozone Therapy has been utilized and heavily studied for more than a century. It uses ozone to boost the body’s system. Its effects are proven and consistent. Ozone therapies can be applied to the body in a variety of ways to accelerate healing, eliminate pain, inflammation, and induce detoxification while rejuvenating tissues and rebuilding healthy cells. Asthma, COPD, chronic and acute infections, Rheumatoid Diseases, Arthritis, and Inflammation to name a few, can all be helped with Ozone Therapy. By reducing inflammation and increasing the immune system’s performance, Ozone Therapy assists to restore function, cell renewal and health.

The City of Nanaimo’s Spring and Summer Activity Guide is here! Within its pages you will discover over 1,000 programs that are sure to keep you and your family active this spring and summer. We have courses in arts, crafts, dance, fitness, first aid, music, language, wellness, outdoors, sports, swimming and skating, and we have community event details. Studies continually show the benefits of being active and socializing as an important part of being healthy – both physically and emotionally. This spring and summer, take a moment and move with us! Need some ideas to keep you active? Contact the recreation experts at 250.756.5200 or visit recreation.nanaimo.ca.

Confused about the different ways to use essential oils? * Aromatically: Whether in a diffuser or just drops on a pillow or cotton ball this is the method for infusing the air around you. Great method for changing the mood in a room and for purifying the air. * Topically: Massaging essential oils (diluted) into target spots on the skin for pain or skin irritations. * Ingesting: Great for gut issues or systemic use. Only use doTerra CPTG oils (non-synthetic without contaminant.) * Cleaning: Citrus oils are all generally great cleaners. Your home will be cleaner, smell better and you are going to get rid of toxins. Want to learn more? Join a Thursday evening classes in Nanaimo.

When injuries to the body are as a result of impact, muscles around the site reflexively contract to protect you from the trauma. If the trauma is physically or emotionally significant, the shock to the body may result in the protective muscular contraction becoming habituated. Our brain behaves as if the injury is still happening and we develop what is known in Somatics as Sensory Motor Amnesia. This body–brain disconnect causes us to forget how to sense and move our muscles. Somatics Gentle Body Movement Classes re-educate the brain to release muscular tension and relax muscles back to their correct resting length without discomfort or painful stretching.