Being diagnosed with dementia raises uncertainty, fears, and unknowns. The Alzheimer Society is a place to turn for a community of services, support and experts that can help ease some of these concerns. One way to feel connected is through our weekly virtual support groups both for people living with dementia and for their care partners. It’s a great way to connect, interact with and learn from others in a safe environment where you can share, laugh, and help each other through mutual understanding. Learn more about our support groups and other programs on our website at Alzheimer.mb.ca.
Community News
Surrounding Yourself With Love
There comes a time in our lives when it’s important to evaluate our relationships, to see if they are having a positive effect on us rather than dragging us down and draining our energy. Without realizing it, we may be spending precious time and energy engaging in relationships that let us down. Our wellbeing is directly connected to those around us and their energetic effect on us. Important to assess the people, we spend time with and reflect how we feel around them. Do they make us feel good and enrich our lives or do they drain and detract from our lives? When we surround ourselves with people, who fill us up, we clear away the negativity and create more room to feel loved.
Food to Never Feed Your Dog
All pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But have you heard of these ones? 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 even death. 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. Xylitol – Is found in gum, baked goods, and anything else that is sugar substituted. It is extremely toxic to dogs. Even small amounts can cause seizures, liver failure or even death.
Local WellnessBOX Winner!
Congratulations to Gayle Erlendson the winner of our January Local WellnessBox. A prize package worth over $700 filled by Local Businesses from Hashtag Balance, Yourstyle Financial, San Vito Coffee House, Christina Norris Salon and Soy Harvest Candles. Subscribe to WellnessNEWS.ca & ManitobaWellnessHUB.ca for your chance to win! Thank you for supporting LOCAL.
Prevent and Treat Iron Deficiency
1.85 million Canadians suffer from iron deficiency*.
To ensure that you aren’t one of those, speak to your healthcare provider to ensure that you are meeting your iron needs. Iron is found in specific food sources, however if you are not meeting your iron requirements, iron supplements are available. There’s a once daily dosing option with the highest amount of elemental heme iron, and better gastrointestinal tolerability available. You no longer have to suffer from the well-known side effects of iron supplements or take 2-3 capsules a day. Cheers to the Power of One.
HEMAFORTE 1™ can be purchased at www.hemaforte.ca
or your local pharmacy. Please give your pharmacist the product codes McKesson #146492 and #146497.
*5% of Canadians have iron deficiency, as per Statistics Canada reports. Statistics Canada. Iron Sufficiency of Canadians. Catalogue no. 82-003-XPE Health Reports, Vol. 23, no. 4. December 2012.
HEMAFORTE 1, Seaford Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Let’s Talk About It
January 26 was this year’s annual Bell Let’s Talk Day in support of Mental Health. Even though it is February, I feel it is important to keep this conversation going year-round. There is still much work to do in the areas of mental health and how we speak about it and how we act around those who suffer from mental health issues. Visit Bell Let’s Talk 2022 for many great resources for anyone to use to help continue the conversation and become more accepting and comfortable talking about it. Theresa Collins-Nelson
February is Heart & Stroke Awareness Month
Did you know that heart disease remains the leading causes of death in Canada? The good news is that 80 per cent of cardiovascular diseases are preventable through healthy lifestyle and diet. By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can delay the onset of heart disease or stroke by as much as 14 years! You can further reduce your risk by considering these heart-healthy steps: • Be smoke-free • Be physically active • Control your blood pressure • Keep your blood cholesterol levels in check • Eat a healthy diet • Achieve and maintain a healthy weight • Manage your diabetes • Limit alcohol use • Reduce stress.
Bathing Comfortably and Safely
Many seniors prefer to age in place in the comfort of their own home, which allows them to maintain dignity and independence. Having a safe home is crucial to ensuring that aging in place is successful, and that can often involve making some adjustments to the home environment. Safety in the bathroom is especially important, as getting in and out of a regular tub can be difficult. Luckily, there are many affordable adjustments and products that can help with bathroom safety, including fold-up bath seats and hand-held showers, bathtub conversions to reduce height, and grab bars for added stability.
Avoiding Cheilitis from Dentures
People who wear dentures can sometimes experience an infection of the mouth called cheilitis, which can cause painful inflammation and cracks at the corners of the mouth. This is often due to an overgrowth of yeast from dentures that fit improperly. Yeast is always present in our mouths, but certain issues can cause it to accumulate and cause infections like cheilitis. It’s important to visit your denturist regularly (at least once a year) so they can make any necessary adjustments to refit your dentures. Be sure to clean your dentures daily and chew on both sides to maintain proper fit.
Bathing Comfortably and Safely
Many seniors prefer to age in place in the comfort of their own home, which allows them to maintain dignity and independence. Having a safe home is crucial to ensuring that aging in place is successful, and that can often involve making some adjustments to the home environment. Safety in the bathroom is especially important, as getting in and out of a regular tub can be difficult. Luckily, there are many affordable adjustments and products that can help with bathroom safety, including fold-up bath seats and hand-held showers, bathtub conversions to reduce height, and grab bars for added stability.
Kickboxing Your Way to Weight Loss
Combining martial arts techniques and heart-pumping cardio, kickboxing is a high-energy workout that is guaranteed to burn calories and fat. The cardio-conditioning element of kickboxing is one of the most effective ways to burn fat-especially that stubborn belly fat that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. A person who weighs 155 pounds can burn 400 calories during just 30 minutes of this high intensity workout! Our 13-bag smacking, skill building, core strengthening stations will get your heart pumping, clear your mind, and transform your body faster than you could ever imagine!
