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

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

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

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

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

Do you experience an increase in aches and pains at night? Repetitive strain and overuse injuries affect tendons, muscles, nerves and joints in the arms, hands, shoulders, neck, upper and lower back, and the legs and can range from being mild discomfort to excruciating pain. If your symptoms persist more than 3 months, or are not responding to physiotherapy or other conservative treatments, your problem may have become chronic and would benefit from regenerative treatments such as injections with platelet rich plasma, prolotherapy or stem cells. Dr. Comeau, BMSc, MC, CCFP, Horizon Medicine Centres, HorizonMedicine.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.

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

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

Gain peace of mind by having your pet microchipped. Microchipping is a permanent and safe way to identify your pet in case he or she gets lost. A microchip is a tiny device roughly the size and shape of a grain of rice. It’s placed just under the loose skin at the back of the neck. When a lost cat or dog without a collar tag is found, a veterinarian or veterinary technician will use a handheld microchip scanner to check for a chip. If a pet has one, it will transmit the ID number to the scanner using a low-frequency radio wave. Once they’ve obtained the ID number they’ll contact the chip manufacturer to retrieve the pet owner’s contact information. Dr. Dagmar Schouten, Cedarwood Veterinary Hospital, CedarwoodVet.ca