Community News
Stay Active This Winter

As the days get shorter, temperatures begin to drop, and the snow flies it becomes increasingly challenging to stay active. There are numerous strategies a person can implement to combat inactivity through the winter months. The first choice is to bundle up and get outside. Snowshoeing, skiing, skating, snowball fights, and snowman making are all great activities that can only be enjoyed at this time of year. There are also many ways to stay active indoors. Recreational sports leagues and gyms are available throughout the city. However, workouts can be performed in the comfort of your own home with little to no equipment. They can be self -guided or you can follow along with a workout video. If doing a formal workout isn’t for you, then try doing some housework or walking the malls. It’s important to develop a workout program and stay active this winter!

Kristi Hunter, prairietrailphysio.ca

10 Ways to Cultivate Self-Acceptance

Be intentional. Articulate your goal of self-acceptance and dedicate yourself to it each day. Celebrate your strengths. Name one of your strengths each day. Create a support system. Surround yourself with people who accept and believe in you. Forgive yourself. Accept past mistakes, learn from them, and move on. Shush your inner critic. Be gentle to yourself and treat yourself the way you would a loved one. Grieve the loss of unrealized dreams. Acknowledge the loss and then move forward. Perform acts of kindness. Giving to others enriches your life. Be kind to yourself. It is not selfish to love yourself. You are worthy of self-compassion. Understand that acceptance is not resignation. Letting go of the things you cannot control allows you to grow. Speak to your highest self. Visualize your best self in times of stress. Tap into the wisdom that lies within you.

Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba, www.winnipeg.cmha.ca

Disappointment: What Really Matters?

Disappointment is a natural and inevitable part of life that we can’t avoid when we allow ourselves to dream, hope, love, connect, and envision our lives going in a certain direction. When we are engaged in relationships, not everything always goes as planned. We can’t help but bump into both the known and hidden expectations as to how our life should be, wish it could be, or want it to be. Whether we become disappointed with ourselves, with others, or life circumstances it lets us know what’s important, what we need and an amazing opportunity to clearly assess if this specific person, situation, or circumstances can meet our needs at this time. Welcoming the reality of what really is and grieving the disappointment of what can’t be, helps us make room for a new acceptance of what is actually possible!

D’Arcy Bruning-Haid, www.souls-journey.com

Grow Your Mo’

Movember is the month formerly known as November, where men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men. One in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. Prostate cancer can be slow-growing and some men who develop it may live many years without ever having the cancer detected. It is important to get screened regularly so that if you do develop prostate cancer, the appropriate action can be taken. The moustache is our ribbon. This Movember, grow your Mo and use it to raise funds for men’s health.

Care At Home Pharmacy, www.careathomepharmacy.ca

Community Event

As part of Manitoba Addictions Awareness Week, St. Raphael Wellness Centre is hosting the “SEX AND ADDICTIONS Conference” on November 15-17th at the Norwood Hotel.

The conference begins on November 15th from 7-9 pm with a public forum, entitled, “ Porn Crisis? The Porn Dilemma in Today’s Culture.” Discovering that someone close to you is secretly watching porn is usually met with a range of emotions and most of us do not feel prepared to navigate a conversation about it. This community presentation will describe six principles of sexual health that can be a foundation for talking with someone about their use of pornography.

This will be followed by a day and a half discussion on sex/drug-linked behaviour.  Family members, counsellors, therapists, mental health professionals and others who want to help individuals talk about and address issues of sexual health and substance addiction will want to attend.

www.straphaelcentre.ca

 http://straphaelcentre.ca/srwc-conference-2016-2/

 

10 Ways to Cultivate Self-Acceptance

Be intentional. Articulate your goal of self-acceptance and dedicate yourself to it each day. Celebrate your strengths. Name one of your strengths each day. Create a support system. Surround yourself with people who accept and believe in you. Forgive yourself. Accept past mistakes, learn from them, and move on. Shush your inner critic. Be gentle to yourself and treat yourself the way you would a loved one. Grieve the loss of unrealized dreams. Acknowledge the loss and then move forward. Perform acts of kindness. Giving to others enriches your life. Be kind to yourself. It is not selfish to love yourself. You are worthy of self-compassion. Understand that acceptance is not resignation. Letting go of the things you cannot control allows you to grow. Speak to your highest self. Visualize your best self in times of stress. Tap into the wisdom that lies within you.

Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba, www.winnipeg.cmha.ca

Book Club: Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit

A 52-Week Journey of Self-Discovery with the Lost Fables Paperback by Tori Hartman. Let this book guide you in opening up your intuition, removing blockages from your life, improving your relationships, and realizing your highest potential. Have you ever wondered about chakras? You may wonder how to open your chakra channels or just understand what they are. Maybe you just wish to make your life more colorful and become something more. Become a successful, interesting person, a witty talker, a person who knows more and is determined to continue developing. This book is for you.

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