Did you know that heart disease Is the second leading causes of death in Canada? The good news is that 80 per cent of cardiovascular diseases are preventable through healthy lifestyle and diet. By adopting a healthier lifestyle, you can delay the onset of heart disease or stroke by as much as 14 years! You can further reduce your risk by considering these heart-healthy steps: • Be smoke-free • Be physically active • Control your blood pressure • Keep your blood cholesterol levels in check • Eat a healthy diet • Achieve and maintain a healthy weight • Limit alcohol use and look for healthy ways to reduce your stress. Talk to your health practitioner how they can help you make positive changes in your life.
Community News
AJ Pedal Wheelchair
Whether your mobility has been impacted by Parkinson’s, MS, a stroke, or knee or hip trouble, the AJ Pedal Wheelchair is designed to get you moving again. Like a bike, it’s powered by you – so you can reconnect with your body, rebuild muscle tone and improve your cardiovascular system. Designed to maneuver in tight spaces like narrow halls and doorways, the AJ rides easily into elevators, buildings and shopping centres. More robust than a wheelchair, the AJ allows you to pedal through parks, along sidewalks and even ride public transit. One-handed, dual hydraulic brakes allow you to stop quickly with just a gentle squeeze of the brake handle. The comfort-ride shock and pneumatic tires keep you comfortable and confidently in control. Each AJ is hand built in Victoria, BC, using the highest grade aluminum and other durable materials for a safe and sturdy ride.
Acceptance & Adaptability
The Yoga tradition supports us in life by teaching us how to stop fighting with circumstance and to become adaptable. The many and varied practices of Yoga not only support us through difficult times but also offer a practical way to infuse our lives with greater ease, clarity and presence. Numerous practices of Yoga teach us to hone our inner life as well as our relationships with others and with the world at large. Such practices teach us how to cling less, resist less, observe our fears in order to be less reactive and to not buy into our ego-driven thoughts. They also encourage us to live with greater acceptance, compassion and gratitude, no matter the external circumstance. For some FREE Practices for Difficult Times and upcoming Deep Self Care online program go to YogaAndHealing.ca
What’s in Your Smoothie?
Move over, goji berries: there’s a new superfood in town. Meet the Aronia berry! Aronia berries have outstanding nutritional and pharmacological properties which have been well documented. They contain high levels of antioxidants which research has shown helps in fighting cancer, reduces inflammation, and helps to reduce blood glucose in diabetics. In the spectrum of nutrition, berries rank near the top, and among berries, none are more nutritious than the Aronia berry. Aronia berries contain five times the antioxidant level of goji berries with no bitter aftertaste.
Online Gaming Player Health
What does player health on online gaming and gambling platforms look like? Playnow, BCLC’s online platform continues to offer player support via their Game Sense Advisor program, including an active chatbox staffed by one of your GSA’s. Players are encouraged to *Stick to their time and financial limits *Take physical breaks from the screens *Walk around and to do something else for a while *Remain sober while playing *Use App-blockers if needed. Feel free to reach out to our outreach team for support. This pandemic is taking a toll on us all. We’re always here to help!
Preserving the Human-Canine Bond
Community volunteers at ElderDog Canada Victoria provide no-cost services such as dog walking, transportation to and from a vet or groomer, foster care when a senior is temporarily hospitalized, and rehoming when keeping the senior and dog together is no longer feasible. Eligible seniors include those who have ongoing health and/or mobility challenges, require temporary support while they undergo and recover from surgery, or must move to a care facility and cannot bring their dog with them. If you are a senior who needs help caring for your dog, you can email ElderDog Canada Victoria at [email protected].
Reiki Really Works
Reiki is an energy healing treatment that works holistically; on the whole body, mind and spirit. Natural healing vibrations are transmitted through the hands of a Reiki practitioner to the body of the recipient. Reiki treatment can relieve stress and pain, induce relaxation, release emotional blockages, accelerate natural healing, balance subtle energies, and support other medical modalities, including traditional therapies. Reputable medical facilities are now offering patients alternative healing programs such as Reiki, and are analyzing the benefits and submitting them for review and compilation. Look at your options on how you can learn Reiki to experience personal healing and also to help others.
Stay Young at Heart
CardioFlex Q10™ is a proprietary collagen precursor formula designed to promote the body’s natural ability to produce collagen and repair connective tissues to support cardiovascular health. Each serving contains 2000 mg Vitamin C, amino acids and other nutrients that help build structural elastin and structural collagen, maintain cardiovascular health, reduce the recurrence of herpes simplex virus/shingles, maintain proper muscle function and generally maintain good health. Excellent for supplementing vegan diets and made in Canada by Innotech Nutrition, a family company.
Insomnia? Try Essential Oils
Using essential oils to relax, reduce stress, and alleviate snoring can help increase the likelihood of a good night’s sleep. Did you know Green Valley essential oil blends are made right here in the Comox Valley? Try our Tranquility or Insomnia blends. Chamomile has a soothing effect on the nervous system, helping to reduce stress, depression, and aggravation. Lavender relaxes, soothes, and restores peace to mind and body. At nighttime, diffuse essential oils in the bedroom, add to your bath, shake onto a cotton ball tucked into your pillow, or rub onto the soles of your feet with a carrier oil. Cover with some fuzzy bed socks for a cozy feel.
Quit Smoking Using Acupuncture
Smoking cigarettes is the single most preventable cause of premature death in Canada. Acupuncture is an evidence-based approach shown to reduce cravings and withdrawal
symptoms associated with smoking. By regulating the nervous system and disengaging the physiological stress response, it provides the person with a feeling of calm and
increased ability to cope. Studies show that people who use acupuncture in addition to education and counselling are more likely to succeed in becoming a non-smoker. Patients who used acupuncture also reported significant improvement in pain management, concentration, sleep, and energy compared to those who did not receive needles. Acupuncture is recognized as a best practice in the treatment of smoking cessation.
Ask The Expert
Q: Could you come up with a good new year’s resolution for one’s eyes this year? A: Sure, but this would be a “hard ask” for many: cut back on the use of screens as the pandemic winds down. Not really because they’re directly harmful to your eyes, but users tend to do a couple of things that become really problematic over time. The first is habitually staring at a screen, which reduces blinking, which inhibits proper lubrication of the eyes, and a cascade of irritation. The second is poor posture or tension from trying to get a screen in focus, either by improperly focused glasses, squinting, screen position, or inadequate lighting.
