For many Canadian seniors, home health care is a key part of aging safely at home. Whether seniors need medical services, personal care, meal preparation, transportation, housekeeping or companionship, home care can help them live independently at home, for as long as possible. Caregivers help family members by delivering expert care that gives everyone peace-of-mind and relieves any feelings of caregiving being “burdensome.” A professional caregiver also will enjoy socializing by chatting, engaging in activities like puzzles or crafts and listening to music. Talk to your family about aging in place safely, with the supports you need.

We should become more active, not less active, as we get older. But what often happens is that exercise for women decreases with life changes, and women’s fitness levels decline. And then even simple things like going upstairs become harder, so we take the elevator, we become even less active, and fitness declines further. It can become a downward spiral. But with the help of your Curves coach and new, fresh fitness relationship goals, you can break free. You should include exercise in your daily routine – even if it’s just for 30 minutes. After all, exercise can help prevent diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, heart disease and other issues associated with aging.

Q: I’m studying units of measurement in my science class. Do eye exams use the metric system?
A: For the most part worldwide, yes. We use millimeters for most eyeglasses measurements, and for some biometric measurements. Lens powers are noted in diopters, which are derived from focal length measurements in meters. But the imperial system is still often referenced for visual acuity. For example, 20/40 means that the resolution at 20 feet is comparable to 40 feet in someone with normal human acuity.

On your first appointment, we gather information by testing all of the organs to see if there are any imbalances throughout your body. Imbalances can be described as inflammation, digestive issues, sensitivities to food and environment, infection, fatigue, constant headaches and more. I then test for food sensitivities and together with the results from the organ testing we have a clearer picture of what is happening in your body. Using a combination of supplements, herbal remedies, nutrition, diet & lifestyle changes to ensure your success, you can use my recommendations to start your healing journey. I am here to support you.

This pandemic has demonstrated that your choices in day-to-day life affect your health outcomes. Health and wellness are now the ultimate wealth commodity. Everything from what, how, and when you eat, sleep, work, and exercise, as well as relationship choices and self-care practices all pay positive or negative dividends in your health outcomes. For the most part, these things are within your control. How badly do you want to improve your quality of life? And are you able to delay gratification and look to the outcome versus the cookie/ice cream? Choose your lifestyle wisely!

Willow Medical Aesthetics is pleased to welcome Dr. Kimberly Cameron to their team! Kimberly is a licensed Family Physician and started her Aesthetic Medical training in 2019. Throughout her practice as a Family Physician, she developed an interest in procedural work and translated that into the field of aesthetic medicine. She finds satisfaction in providing patients with treatments that deliver tangible results. She specializes in Neuromodulator injectables. When not at Willow Medical Aesthetics, the clinic or hospital, she can be found walking her pup Winnie, skiing, hiking, kayaking, or taking in all that the Comox Valley has to offer with her partner Richard.

People often tell me that I’m asking them to do something they’ve done before. Then they realize what I’m having them do is actually a little different – more finessed and deconstructed… And it’s a game changer. A woman with shoulder pain was working on reaching her upper back. I pointed out that while her hand did move pretty far, her torso was shifting all over to wedge the hand higher up. As we broke the movement down using her shoulder properly, her range started to improve. There are lots of exercises, and none are specifically ‘wrong’ or ‘bad’, but which ones truly serve YOU?

Cupping therapy is when a vacuum is created using special cups and placed on the skin to promote healing. They often leave dark red or purple marks on the skin that people mistake for bruises. Cupping does not do any damage to the tissue, therefore doesn’t cause actual bruising. When the vacuum is created and tissue is drawn up into the cup, space is created for stagnant, non-circulating blood and fluid to be diffused into the tissue spaces to be eliminated by the body. When that old, non-circulating blood is cleansed from the capillaries, cupping marks are created. This restores healthy circulation, releases, and oxygenates muscles and eliminates pain.