Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is more than a hormone imbalance. It’s a multifactorial condition shaped by genetics, insulin resistance, inflammation, and reproductive hormone shifts. That’s why symptoms can look so different, irregular cycles, acne, hair thinning, weight changes, fatigue, or mood fluctuations. The good news: each factor offers an entry point for healing. By supporting ovulation, balancing androgens, improving insulin sensitivity, and calming inflammation, women with PCOS can see real progress in energy, skin, cycles, and long-term health. At Uptown Integrative Health, we take the time to create individualized treatment plans that address the many layers of PCOS – helping women restore balance and feel empowered in their bodies.
Community News
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is a special month. It is a time to honour and remember those touched and to support all who are facing this journey. Healing often calls for many hands—and many approaches. Most often, there is a Healing Team involved. In Chinese medicine, several acupuncture points help ease nausea and discomfort, while channels that travel up to the breast area offer support via energy flow and healing. When combined with Western medicine, acupuncture and Chinese medicine can bring comfort, balance, and hope. They are standing together—body, mind, and spirit. Doreen offers free 15-minute consultations.
Fall Prevention Tips
Falls in the home are all too common. The good news is, you can make a few modifications in the home that can prevent potential hazards, such as slippery floors, poor lighting, loose rugs, electrical cords and clutter. Start by visiting each room in your home, looking at the space objectively. Ask yourself: Is this safe? Are there objects or items that present a risk? If so, think about the many ways to create a safer home: wear non slip socks or slippers, use night lights in dark hallways, remove throw rugs, keep electrical cords safely hidden behind furniture and organize your projects so they are off the floor and out of walkways.
What is Mobility Training?
Mobility training improves a joint’s range of motion and your body’s ability to move with control and efficiency through that range. Examples include: *Controlled movements through a joint’s full range of motion. *Building the muscle strength needed to control movements through the full range of motion. *Enhancing body awareness and stability. The benefits of mobility training include: *Enhances agility and movement quality for both sports and daily life. *Improves joint integrity and control – it minimizes strain and prevents accidents. *More efficient lifting, bending, and reaching. *Increases overall physical resilience. *Proper joint movement maintains the health of the surrounding muscles and tissues.
Community Profile: Comfort Keepers®
Comfort Keepers® helps clients maintain independence and quality of life with local, loving in-home care. Providing long-term care for a loved one can be very taxing and time-consuming for family members. Comfort Keepers reduce this stress by providing a wide range of in-home care services for seniors. The leading CK team is a Registered Nurse with 40 years of experience in the care of the elderly. The team writes care plans for each client and watches over them as the situation changes, adapting the care plan and the care as the needs change. In-home elder care provides family members with peace of mind.
Reduced Setup Fees in October
Are you a home owner with low or no mortgage debt but hardly any income beyond basic pensions to pay for living expenses? With a Reverse Mortgage, you can get up to 55% of the value of your home to travel, pay for home care or assist family. This October is a great time to apply for a reverse mortgage. I am offering 50% off the setup fees for successful new applications of over $250,000. This is a saving of $1,300 or more. Contact me today for a free, no-obligation consultation to determine if a reverse mortgage is right for you.
Time is Running Out for the SOS Bus!
SOS urgently needs the community’s help to replace its aging bus! For 57 years, SOS has been connecting people of all ages to programs that support their well-being. Thanks to community support, the SOS Connecting Community Campaign has raised $100,000 toward its $200,000 goal. The bus supports essential programs; taking seniors grocery shopping, children to our afterschool programs, and exciting outings for families and youth. We need your help to reach our fundraising goal! Businesses can have their logos displayed on the new bus by becoming sponsors. Contact Sharon at SOS for more information. To make a financial donation, please visit our website.
Are Your Vaccines Up to Date?
Fall boosters for COVID-19 will be available in October. This is also a great time to update vaccination schedules for travel, pneumonia, shingles, and more. Your pharmacist can help provide information and answer many of the questions that you may have regarding vaccines. Vaccines can help prevent disease and save lives. Individuals most at risk are: * people over 65 or under 5; * pregnant women; * residents of long-term care facilities; and * people with chronic diseases such as diabetes. Please book online to choose the day and time that will work for you to come in for your COVID-19 and additional important vaccines.
Profile: Counselling and Healing Collective
The CHC is a group of professionally trained practitioners whose mission is to assist you as you travel on your healing journey. Our offices are at Knox United Church in Parksville, and online services are also available. We take a non-religious approach to our service; we can refer you to spiritual counselling if that is what you request. We are here to help if you or your family are experiencing: Depression, Substance abuse, Trauma, Abuse, Grief and bereavement or Relationship issues. Please see our website for practitioners’ bios and contact them directly. *If finances are a barrier, limited subsidies may be available.
Gratitude is Very Powerful
Thanksgiving is a great time to practice gratitude, a high vibrational frequency. When you are grateful, you attract higher positive energies. Try writing in a gratitude journal every day to attract these energies. List all the things that happened during the day that you are grateful for. Gratitude is connected with greater happiness; it helps people feel positive emotions and improves health. As a Certified Body/Emotion Code Practitioner, Permelia can help you release unprocessed negative (trapped) emotions that will assist you in being grateful and will help you attract even more positive energy. Contact her for an appointment today.
Rolfing for Better Movement
There is voluntary movement like picking up an item and involuntary movement such as posture. Postural movement is a result of long-term patterns, emotion, and tissue health. It is hard to change your posture just from telling yourself to “stand up straight”. You can do exercises to strengthen weak areas and stretches but you can’t just think “stand up straight” and expect to be able to maintain that “better posture”. Rolfing helps to reset your body’s “neutral”. With Rolfing, finding good posture and efficient movement becomes easier and more natural which allows standing up straight to just happen naturally.
