Have you ever found yourself horse-trading in your relationships? “I’ll give you what you want, if I get what I want.” Horse-trading is common and can cause relationships to suffer. People barter to meet their emotional, physical, or psychological needs, and relationships are often compromised. So how can you meet your needs and maintain a strong and healthy relationship? Working with a coach to learn about the different levels of relationships, and ways to engage at a higher level, can improve your relationship and address your needs, and help you leave those horse-trading days behind. John Harty, Insight Life Coach Services, MeetMe.so/JohnHarty

It’s surprising, but everyone can LEARN to be happier. Like mastering other skills, it takes practice and like other aspects of health, if you don’t use it, you lose it! Try this and see how you feel. People who completed 5 Acts of Kindness in 24 hours reported feeling happy for days afterwards. Stop to hold the door open for someone, or compliment a friend or a stranger, but do 5 deliberately nice things today. And then repeat, for practice makes perfect!

The Red Deer Primary Care Network, RedDeerPcn.com

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2/3 cup favourite Buffalo Sauce
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 6 tablespoons butter
• Salt and pepper
• 1 rotisserie style chicken, meat chopped
• 1/3-1/2 cup chopped celery
• Cilantro, as desired
• Ranch or bleu cheese dressing
• Shredded cheese, if desired
1. Combine stock, cream cheese, Buffalo Sauce, milk, cream, and butter in blender. Pulse until smooth.
2. Pour into stock pot and heat over medium low until simmering. Do not boil. Add seasonings, chicken, and celery. Allow to cool an additional 3-5 minutes. Top with cilantro, dressing, and cheese, if desired. Dawn Volmer, Big Bend Market, BigBendMarket.ca

Cranial Osteopathy is a safe, gentle restorative technique for everybody from infants to the elderly. It is used to assess and treat the mobility of the skull and its ligaments, the spine, sacrum and other parts of the body. The goal is to adjust the body’s physiology by restoring balance to the circulation of the blood and other body fluids, the body’s internal biorhythm. Manual Osteopaths can feel this biorhythm in the client’s head, spinal cord and sacrum and will use techniques to modify it during treatment, as needed. Dr. Dwayne Manary DC. DMO., Black Rock Therapies, BlackRockTherapies.com

Most commonly this occurs when a woman passes into menopause and also in women experiencing induced menopause. While many painful symptoms are experienced by as many as 50% of postmenopausal women, many women who experience these symptoms feel that it is just a normal part of the aging process and nothing can be done about it. These issues affect a women’s quality of life both physically and psychologically. There are new treatments available for this very common disorder such as the MonaLisa Touch® – a simple treatment that provides lasting results. Women Imaging Center, WomenImagingCenter.ca

When was the last time you did something for yourSELF? Self-care is the most selfLESS thing you can do. If you consistently put other things or people ahead of your needs, it can deplete you and your happiness. What you are actually giving is a burned-out version of you. Give 100% to yourself first, then you’ll have more to give to others. Try self-care on for size: go to bed earlier, play that guitar, go to that retreat. Do what FEELS good and others will see your light. Kendra Irvine, Certified Wellness Coach, Living Light, KendraIrvine.com

Various dates and times: Red Deer Primary Care Network offers FREE group Happiness Basics workshops for anyone wanting to learn these skills. Four and 7-week long options available. Call 403.343.9100 for more details. RedDeerPcn.com

The perfect balance of backcountry wilderness with the luxuries of modern life, Corner Mountain Inn and Wellness Centre not only offers spacious rooms and healthy, delicious breakfasts but also therapeutic-grade essential oils, spa treatments and wet cedar sauna, nutrition consulting, pesticide-free or organic foods, and the peace and quiet to help you reclaim your health. Plan a visit to the Inn, break the cycle of busyness and rediscover the value of simple things. Janet Casey, RN, Wellness Coach, Owner/Operator, Corner Mountain Inn & Wellness Centre, CornerMountainInn.ca

Please consider donating gloves (always needed), men’s socks and underwear (medium & large), women’s socks and underwear (small & medium), all toiletries, warm wear and gift cards. Granola bars, and bags of apples and oranges would also be welcomed. For more information call 403-347-0181 or visit SafeHarbourSociety.org.

Welcome to the first edition of the Wellnessnews Choices for Healthy Living® in Red Deer and Central AB! Healthy Living means making positive daily choices and taking personal ownership to enrich our life in areas such as our physical, emotion, social, occupational, financial and spiritual wellbeing. Mindfulness and the intention behind our daily habits, choices and actions all play a role on this journey. Fortunately, our wellness can always be enriched through education, awareness and practice. That’s great news, right? Wellnessnews Choices for Healthy Living® strives to be the community resource that showcases health tips, local opportunities and resources plus the variety of health practitioners and businesses that can help you achieve your goal of optimal health and wellness. When we are healthy, our entire community benefits! Pauline Mousseau, Wellbeing Marketing Solution Publisher, Wellnessnews Central Alberta. Wellnessnews.ca

Dr. Raymond Comeau is a highly trained physician who has been bringing new and innovation treatments to the people of Central Alberta for over 30 years. As founder of the Horizon Vein and Cosmetic Centre and the Horizon Joint Rejuvenation Centre he continues to offer cutting edge and effective treatments. Some of the most popular therapies include a myriad of cosmetic procedures, stem cell, PRP and other regenerative joint treatments, sclerotherapy for varicose and spider veins, Botox for medical and cosmetic issues and much more. He is committed to mastering the latest techniques and providing you with the great results you deserve. Dr. Raymond Comeau, BMSc, MD, CCFP, Horizon Medicine Centres, HorizonMedicine.ca