Community News
4 Things You Should NEVER Feed Your Dog

All pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But have you heard of these ones? Suprisingly, only 30% of dog owners know these facts! Keep your pup away from the following: 1. Onions – Plants of this family, including chives and garlic, are not suitable for dogs. Eating these could cause your animal to develop anemia, weakness, rapid breathing and reddish or brown urine. 2. Grapes or Raisins – This fruit can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure. It’s been proven that even a few grapes can potentially be fatal for your pet. 3. Xylotol – Is found in gum, baked goods, and anything else that is sugar substituted. It is extremely toxic to dogs, and it can cause seizures, liver failure and possibly even death. 4. Salt – Eating salt will cause excessive thirst and urination. If they managed to eat a lot, it could cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperthermia, depression, tremors, seizures, and death.

Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Sitter

Caregiver Pharmacy Support

It can be difficult to be a caregiver and manage multiple or complex medications for a loved one. It is important to ensure medications are taken appropriately to help maintain good health. A visiting pharmacist provides personal support with regular medication delivery and home consultations. The pharmacist reviews a client’s prescription drugs and over the counter medications to advise if there are any drug interactions and makes adjustments as necessary. This level of support can reduce emergency room visits and hospital stays and results in strong, trusting relationships between clients, caregivers, and pharmacists. The visiting pharmacist also provides seamless care for hospital discharge patients and works closely with other health professionals to deliver a high level of care to the client. Care is tailored to specific individual needs such as assisting with blood pressure readings, adding medications as needed to adherence packaging and making changes in an efficient manner.

Care at Home Pharmacy, careathomepharmacy.ca

Boost Your Mental Health This Winter

Winter months can be difficult for those experiencing a mental health challenge or illness, especially during and following the holiday season. There are, however, a myriad of evidence-based ways to boost your physical and mental well-being. One important tool is vitamin D. Research clearly shows the benefits of this powerful vitamin for improving body and thereby brain health. Our bodies synthesize this nutrient through exposure to the sun. However, during reduced daylight months we are unable to get what we need from our solar source. Because low levels of vitamin D are associated with depression, it may be beneficial to add vitamin D through your diet, light therapy, or a supplement. If taking a supplement, choose the “D3”version and consume with a fatty meal. Be sure to speak with your doctor before starting a nutritional supplement program. If low mood persists, contact your healthcare provider or local CMHA for additional information and resources.

Sean Miller, Canadian Mental Health Association, mbwpg.cmha.ca

6 Toxic Chemicals in Your Laundry Detergent

The laundry detergent you’re using may contain a cocktail of potent chemicals. Not only can these chemicals wreak havoc on your health, but they also are contaminating our waterways and harming the environment. Because laundry-care product manufacturers are not required to list all laundry detergent ingredients on packaging, it can be difficult for consumers to make informed choices. There are 7 toxic chemicals likely found in your store-bought detergents, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep. Cosmetic Safety Reviews, research studies show that the chemicals in detergents link to allergies, irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, and biochemical or cellular changes. Do your research as you may find out that it’s your laundry detergent that is causing your skin irritations or allergies.

Kevin Shale, Low Environmental Impact Technologies, leit.ca

Travelling With Pets

When making travel decisions for the holidays, it’s a good idea to plan boarding or in-home pet-sitting for your pet. But if you have decided it’s best to bring him along, take a few things into consideration. Air travel can be particularly dangerous for animals with “pushed in” faces (the medical term is “brachycephalic”), such as bulldogs or pugs. Their short nasal passages leave them especially vulnerable to oxygen deprivation and heat stroke. If transporting your pet by air is the only option, find out whether they can travel in the cabin with you. Most airlines will allow you to take a cat or small dog in the cabin for an additional fee. But you must call the airline well in advance; there are limits to the number of animals allowed in the cabin. Travel is a stressful event for animals, so remember to plan ahead of time, and talk with your Veterinarian if you have other concerns.

Approaching a Stress Free Christmas

With the holidays just around the corner, plans are underway for getting together with friends and family for parties, dinners, and gift giving. With lists being compiled for groceries, gifts, libations and maybe household items needed for anticipated overnight guests. In 2015, the average adult planned to spend $766 on holiday gifts. About 27 percent spent over $800, while 23 percent spent $200 or less. Which category did you fall in last year? And what about this year? If you have not been in the habit of using lists for shopping, they can be a help in staying within your spending limits. Having a set limit is a great way not to overspend. As well, using cash is a great way to have Christmas paid for before the event. The holidays are for memory making with family and friends or just plain rest and relaxation, and that is more easily accomplished without any financial stress.

[email protected], www.abakhan.com

Have You Tried Hypnotherapy?

We have two parts to our mind, the conscious mind, and the subconscious mind. The conscious part of our mind makes up 5-10% of our potential mind power. Our subconscious makes up 90 to 95% of our potential mind power, where our core values and belief systems stem from, where creativity and emotions are generated, and where long term memories are stored. Hypnotherapy is a therapeutic tool that uses hypnosis and allows the conscious mind and the subconscious mind to work together to use all the potential power of your mind to achieve goals, change unwanted behaviors and beliefs, and resolve inner conflicts. Hypnosis allows direct access to the subconscious and can alter unwanted or outdated beliefs which results in positive changes physically, mentally and emotionally. It is imperative to change or alter what is in our subconscious mind, or understand it in order to facilitate positive, lasting change.

Scott Metcalf, C.H.t, RCCH, abeautifulmindhypnotherapy.com

What is Homeoprophylaxis?

Every parent wants to ensure the best health for his or her child. Vaccines are a wonderful way to prevent certain infectious diseases but may come with a heavy price tag in the form of chronic disease, including auto-immune and neurological disorders. Aluminum adjuvants, used in most vaccines, are potent neurotoxins and immune stimulants. Children are sicker than ever before with chronic allergies, asthma and a plethora of behavioural and developmental disorders. Homeoprophylaxis, the use of homeopathic remedies for the prevention of infectious diseases, has a 200-year history of safety and efficacy. Countries like India, Brazil and Cuba have used homeoprophylaxis on a large scale to prevent serious disease. India recently treated 20 million people to prevent Japanese Encephalitis. Death rates went from more than 1500 per year to zero. Homeoprophylaxis also has great potential to protect children’s health and every parent would be well-advised to investigate it.

Dr. Anke Zimmermann, ND, FCAH, www.drzimmermann.org

Ringing In The Ears: How to get Tinnitus Relief

Do you hear noise in your ears that other people can’t hear? Annoying sounds, like ringing, buzzing, whistling, whooshing or hissing? If so, you are not alone. Over 3 million Canadians suffer from tinnitus – a condition characterized by sounds that originate from within, rather than from without, your ears.

Tinnitus takes on many forms:

The most common “garden-variety” type produces soft-to-loud ringing, humming or rushing-water sounds
Tonal Tinnitus causes a constant chiming sound like a musical note played over and over again
Pulsatile Tinnitus produces sound that pulsates in time with one’s heartbeat
Mixed Tinnitus causes multiple noises to be heard simultaneously
Objective Tinnitus is extremely rare, and produces noise heard not only by the affected individual but by others as well!

Although frustrating, Tinnitus is rarely serious and often resolves on its own. But, if you are experiencing constant, unexplained noise, it’s important to see a hearing care practitioner for a comprehensive hearing test screening, including an audiogram, medical history, physical ear examination, and tests designed to pinpoint the origin of your tinnitus.

Tinnitus has no cure, but can be relieved through a few simple steps. Try to avoid loud noise. Control your blood pressure, and decrease salt and nerve stimulants, including coffee, cola, tobacco, and aspirin. Monitor your stress level, and make sure to get ample rest and exercise.

Try experimenting with masking noise. Use a competing sound, such as a radio, white noise maker, or fan, to “cancel out” the noise you hear in your ears. Ask your hearing aid practitioner about small hearing aid devices that generate sounds to “offset” the sound your tinnitus makes. Some tinnitus patients swear by biofeedback! And, many “habituate” to their condition, meaning they get used to it and notice it less over time.

Try keeping track of what triggers your tinnitus, and give remedies a chance to work. It can take longer than you expect to experience tinnitus relief.

Finally, seek out a tinnitus support group for coping methods, compassion and the latest information on tinnitus relief. Educate your family members and friends if necessary, and ask for their support. And, stay abreast of ongoing research – successful treatments for tinnitus are right around the corner.

Jeff Germain, www.islandbeltone.com

Feeling Good in Your Relationship

Being in love is the best. But people don’t always get along easily. It can be hard to be clear and stand up for what we want in a calm way when we feel unhappy. Sometimes we give up too much to keep the peace. That can work in the short term, but in the long term you might feel resentful. Other people get angry really quickly – again, it can work in the short term, but may not work forever. Sometimes we need help figuring out how to ask for change. It helps to know about love languages — this is the way you like to have love shown to you. Everyone is different – some people prefer touch, or quality time, or acts of service. What are your hopes for your relationship? Counselling provides a safe and non-judgemental place to consider what else you can do to keep your relationship healthy and happy. Mary Munro, www.marymunro.ca

In The Zone

BELIEVING is the most important part of the mental game of any sport or leisure activity. If you want to change your experience, change your beliefs – at the subconscious level. Learn to hit the ball, SEE THE BALL, be AWARE of the game set around you and play with confidence. BELIEVE in your ability and watch your game improve daily! Hypnotherapies for sports and leisure activity performance treats anxieties and blocks at the subconscious level, improving your underlying beliefs in your abilities. Remember how good you felt when you first hit a ball cleanly, made a wonderful putt, sank a shot, made a fabulous pass to a teammate, returned an impossible serve, got your first strikeout or made it to the podium? Hypnosis works with your subconscious beliefs to eliminate anxieties, release old blocks, and bring those wonderful feelings of being in the moment.

Pete Flagg, www.relax2playwell.ca