Community News
70 is the New 50

Working into retirement, postponing having kids, living longer – the lifecycle of Canadians is changing. This has implications on personal finances and retirement savings. New research suggests that old age now starts at 74, with middle age lasting at least nine years longer than current estimates. What we think of as old has changed over time and it will need to continue changing in the future as people live longer, healthier lives. Two hundred years ago, a 60-year-old was a very old person. Someone who is 60 years old today could be argued as middle aged. In terms of health, longevity, and view of life, “baby boomers” in their sixties and seventies will be more like their parents and grandparents were at 50. This means people can work longer if they so desire. For many people, 70 is the new 50 and signifies the quiet revolution that has taken place in longevity.

Brett Scott, www.disabilitytaxcreditwinnipeg.com

Clean Eating: Sweet Potato Brownies

1 cup mashed sweet potato, ½ cup smooth nut butter of choice, 2 tbsp maple syrup, ¼ cup cocoa powder, handful of carob chips (optional). Preheat oven to 350 and grease a small cake/ loaf pan. On the stove, melt nut butter with maple syrup. In a large bowl add the mashed sweet potato, melted nut butter and maple syrup, and cocoa powder and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing and refrigerating. These brownies are best when cooled completely. Store in fridge or freezer and ENJOY!

Book Club:

Developing the Art of Health Finding Health, Happiness, Balance, and Strength by Arthur Rosenfeld. The host of PBS’s Longevity Tai Chi and leading Western Tai Chi master, Arthur Rosenfeld, offers a groundbreaking guide to the myriad of mental and physical benefits of this ancient martial art. In this book, Arthur Rosenfeld gives us incredible information about Tai Chi, how it can help us in our daily lives, benefits, and easy exercises to start practicing this art.

Submitted by: Dr. Eduardo Barreto, www.naturedoctors.ca

PTSD Recovery and Exercise

Post Traumatic Stress Disorders (PTSD) are attributed to the body’s coping with experiencing or witnessing traumatic stress. PTSD can be ignited by a variety of events including emotional, physical, sexual violence, war, a car accident, being a full time caregiver, and more. Symptoms may include: nightmares, avoidance/numbing, estrangement from others, flash backs, and fear of constant danger. In addition people may experience poor sleep, body pain, low mood, depression, and a loss of a sense of self. Exercise works well in conjunction with other cognitive therapies for treatment of PTSD, and assists people to be more connected to themselves, through movement and breath and to be in the present moment. Exercise also releases endorphins into your bloodstream that act as the body’s natural painkillers – they make you feel GOOD.
Don Smith, www.vitallife.ca

Best Cold Sore Remedies

Cold sores are downright embarrassing. The more we try to hide them, the more obvious they become. Here are some good home remedies in case you find yourself with an unsightly cold sore. 1. Licorice – Try choosing a licorice whip. Studies show that glycyrrhizic acid, an ingredient in licorice, stops the cold sore virus cells dead in their tracks. Be sure it’s made from real licorice. 2 – Pure Vanilla Extract. Yes, the kind you use for baking. Many people swear by this! Soak a cotton pad and apply directly to a cold sore for a few minutes (3 times daily). 3. Hydrogen Peroxide – It disinfects and speeds up healing time. Soak a cotton ball and apply to the sore. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before rinsing off. 4. Peppermint oil – When applied directly to a cold sore, people have found that the sore healed faster than usual.

Clean Eating: Easy Healthy Borscht

Use fresh and organic ingredients. 4 cups of beef broth. 2 cups water. 2T Apple Cider Vinegar. Juice of 1 lemon. 2 cloves garlic. 3 carrots. 2T Coconut Oil. ½ head red cabbage. 1 cup green beans. 3 potatoes. 3 beets with stems and leaves. 1 onion. 4 fresh sprigs of dill. 2 bay leaves. 2 T Italian seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Chop ingredients in tiny pieces. 1 can kidney beans. Combine in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Alternately, cook on top of the stove until the vegetables are soft enough to eat. Enjoy!

4 Toxic Foods to Eliminate

Processed Meats: Can have up to 400 percent more sodium and 50 percent more preservatives than unprocessed meats. The worst part: Some contain nitrites and nitrates, chemical additives that have been linked to various cancers, but are still used to enhance color and promote taste. 2. Margarine: Is marketed as a cholesterol-free, healthy alternative to butter, but it’s the ultimate source of trans fats, which actually elevate cholesterol and damage blood vessel walls. Stick to real foods and eat real butter instead. 3. Artificial Sweeteners: Anything with the word “artificial” in it is chalked FULL of chemicals. These fake sweeteners cause symptoms that range from migraines to weight gain and even more serious conditions like cardiovascular disease. Unless you are diabetic, please stop using these sugar substitites immediately! 4. Microwave Popcorn: Bags, in particular, are often lined with a chemical called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been shown to affect fertility, cancer risk, and kidney functioning.
www.disabilitytaxcreditwinnipeg.com

Fall Raking Tips

Fall brings so many changing colours, but once those beautiful leaves are on the ground, cleaning them up can be a chore. Keeping these tips in mind may help reduce injury while raking: Make sure to wear proper shoes with good grip to minimize the risk of slipping, as well as proper fitting gloves to avoid having to grip the rake too hard. Use proper yard tools and keep from over-reaching and leaning too far forward to help your back out. Switching sides with the rake allows you to share the work between both shoulder and sides of your back. Make sure to bend with your knees when picking up the leaves and bags. Breaks are also helpful, so take a rest when you need it. Don’t try to do too much at once. Divide your yard into sections and work on them over a period of days. Happy raking!
Sarah Bleichert, Physiotherapist, www.prairietrailphysio.ca

Going Bananas

Have you ever had someone tell you to eat bananas for potassium to help with leg cramps? Bananas give potassium its fame. However, there are many foods that can provide you with potassium and most likely you aren’t getting enough. Try adding the following to your diet: potatoes, squash, leafy greens, apricots, and salmon. This isn’t an exhaustive list, so continue to explore more options. This mineral is more impacting on our health than one might expect. It’s an electrolyte vital for cell and blood vessel health, as well as bone health. Potassium works together with sodium and magnesium. It’s mostly absorbed through the small intestine and, therefore, those with Crohn’s or IBD, may not absorb potassium into the body as needed. Your physician may recommend a supplement. Consult your doctor before starting a supplement to make sure it does not interfere with any current medications you are already taking.
Trenna Reid, RCRT, www.discoverreflexology.ca

How Much Vitamin D Do We Really Need?

Vitamin D ensures our body absorbs sufficient calcium. Calcium is required for metabolism, heart and muscle function, and, along with phosphorous, is a key component of bone structure. If your body does not get enough Vitamin D, you are at risk for developing bone abnormalities such as soft bones (osteomalacia) or fragile bones (osteoporosis). Although it has not been proven, Vitamin D may help to prevent falls, boost weight loss, fight infections (colds and flus) and reduce your risk for diseases such as multiple sclerosis. To obtain these potential benefits, most adults need to take 1000 I.U per day. You should never exceed more than 4000 I.U per day unless you are severely deficient, as diagnosed by your doctor. Your body also limits the amount of Vitamin D it gets from the sun, so it is safe to continue with supplementation well into the summer months.
Care At Home Pharmacy, careathomepharmacy.ca

Urgent Need for Plasma

Protein Therapies Did you know that a large number of patients depend on protein therapies derived from human plasma and blood donors in Canada? Donors are required because large volumes of plasma, the liquid portion of blood are needed to treat a wide variety of diseases. For example: 1200 plasma donations are required to treat one patient with hemophilia, a bleeding disorder. 130 donations to treat one patient with primary immunodeficiency, a condition where people cannot make functional antibodies to fight infections. 900 donations are required to treat one alpha-1 patient, a disorder that affects the lungs. These therapies replace missing or defective proteins in patients with rare disorders so they can lead healthier and otherwise normal lives. They typically require on-going infusions throughout their lives as they are chronic diseases so plasma is always required.
Bill Bees, Vice- President, Plasma Technology, www.plasma.prometic.com