Community News
December Book Club

Lighter: Let Go of the Past, Connect With the Present, and Expand the Future. #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER: An empathetic and wise book that will guide you on a journey toward a deeper understanding of self. In Lighter, Yung Pueblo demonstrates how we can all move forward in our healing, from learning self-compassion to letting go to becoming emotionally mature.

Giving Accessibility This Christmas

This Christmas, consider giving the gift of safety, comfort, and independence with an accessible bathtub or shower conversion. Total Tub, a Manitoba-based company, specializes in high-quality Canadian-made bathroom accessibility solutions, including Quick Tub® shower conversions, grab bars, railings, and wall-mounted benches. These upgrades promote independent living and help reduce the risk of slips and falls as 80% of which occur in the bathroom. As licensed installers and authorized dealers, Total Tub provides OBC/AODA-compliant products for both homes and businesses. Locally owned and operated, they’re small enough to listen, big enough to deliver – making accessibility the perfect gift that truly lasts.

Find Your Balance This Festive Season

The holidays can leave many of us feeling tired, sluggish, and overwhelmed. Simple habits like starting the day with a protein-rich breakfast and staying hydrated can help keep energy and hormones more stable. Adding small bursts of movement can support your mood, digestion and stress levels. Prioritizing sleep is key too, and regular chiropractic care can further support your nervous system, so your body adapts better to holiday stress. When it comes to festive treats, try enjoying a bite or two, then pausing before going back for more, you may find you don’t need it. With mindful routines and a well-regulated nervous system, you can move through the season feeling more balanced and resilient.

Handling Holiday Stress

Whatever holiday you celebrate this season, even if you’re surrounded by family and friends, it can be stressful. Making sure that your body and mind can handle stress is the best gift that you can give yourself. One of the best ways to improve your overall health and stress-handling ability is through Bioenergetics. Bioenergetics uses computerized testing and treatment to effectively determine and treat any imbalance or weakness in the body that is preventing you from achieving both optimal stress management and improved health. This holiday season, make sure that stress isn’t an unwanted gift that you can’t give back.

Nutrient Therapy for Mental Wellness

At Uptown Integrative Health, we take an individualized approach to mental wellness that recognizes the strong connection between nutrient biochemistry and brain function. The Walsh Protocol, developed by Dr. William Walsh, is one evidence-informed framework we may use to identify biochemical imbalances contributing to anxiety, depression, ADHD, and mood dysregulation. This method includes targeted nutrient testing to assess methylation, zinc–copper balance, B6 levels, and oxidative stress—key factors influencing neurotransmitters. Treatment is personalized and may include specific vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Combined with counseling, lifestyle support, and mind-body therapies, this integrative approach aims to promote stable mood, focus, and long-term resilience.

Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

Christmas is a time of joy and indulgence, but it can also be an opportunity to focus on health and well-being. Start by choosing nutritious versions of festive favorites—add more fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins to meals while reducing sugar and salt. Stay active by taking winter walks or dancing to holiday music. Manage stress by planning ahead and setting realistic expectations. Remember to get enough sleep and drink plenty of water, even amid celebrations. Most importantly, enjoy treats in moderation. A balanced approach allows you to savor the season while keeping your body and mind healthy.

What Causes Sleep Apnea?

Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles in the back of your throat relax too much to allow normal breathing. When the muscles relax, your airway narrows as you inhale, and breathing may be inadequate for 10 seconds or longer. Your brain senses this impaired breathing and briefly rouses you from sleep so that you can reopen your airway. You may make a snorting, choking or gasping sound. You are more at risk for developing sleep apnea if you are overweight, an adult male, use drugs or alcohol, are a smoker, have a family history of sleep apnea, or if you have a certain medical condition such as Type 2 Diabetes.

NEW Local Business Spotlight

UROSPOT Brings Its Pelvic Floor Revolution to Winnipeg. UROSPOT is a Canadian-owned pelvic health clinic helping women and men overcome bladder leaks, urgency, frequency, night waking, prolapse and sexual dysfunction – without surgery, pain, or downtime. Clients remain fully clothed while sitting on a specialized chair that uses Health Canada and FDA-approved technology to strengthen the pelvic floor – delivering a year’s worth of Kegels in a single, 30-minute session. No doctor referral is required. Join thousands of Canadians who have regained their freedom at UROSPOT. Visit UROSPOT.com or call (204) 318-8866 to book your complimentary consultation.

Clean Eating Recipe

Cranberry-Cashew Energy Cups. 1⅔ c rolled oats; ¾ c unsalted cashew butter; ½ c unsweetened almond milk; ½ c 50% dried cranberries, chopped. 2 tbsp chia seeds; 1 tsp vanilla extract; ¼ tsp salt; ½ c dark chocolate chips; 1 tbsp coconut oil. Combine ingredients (leave chocolate & coconut oil aside). Divide mixture among prepared muffin cups (about 1½ tablespoons each); firmly press the mixture into the cup bottoms. Melt chocolate & coconut oil together until smooth and spoon mixture over the oat mixture in each cup. Refrigerate, uncovered, until chilled.

Avoid the Winter Blues

The Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines suggest adults should perform at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week, as well as two sessions of muscle and bone strengthening activities, to achieve physical AND mental health benefits. With winter coming, and the challenges of leaving home, this can seem daunting! Your physiotherapist can tailor an exercise program designed specifically for you to do inside with minimal space (to help avoid the cold weather!), and with equipment everyone has around their home. At 30 minutes per day, the benefits of exercise are countless, while the side effects are minimal.

Honouring Loved Ones at Christmas

Christmas can be bittersweet when remembering loved ones who have passed. It’s a time to cherish their memory while embracing the joy of the season. Light a candle or hang a special ornament in their honor. Share stories, photos, or favorite traditions that keep their spirit alive. You might prepare their favorite dish or play a song they loved. Creating a small memorial space or donating to a cause they cared about can bring comfort and meaning. Remembering them allows love to live on, reminding us that those we’ve lost remain part of our hearts and holiday celebrations forever.