When we are young, we view the world with wonder, curiosity and are excited to play. We also experience regular challenge, helping us grow and evolve. As we age, we lose this ability to explore the world with the curiosity a child has. However, play is integral to our psychological growth at every age. The idea of play allows us to practice new learning. It is about giving ourselves permission to go and face new challenges, using our creative facilities to figure out how to problem solve and integrate new learning. It is an essential part of growing up at any age.
Community News
WELLness – Thank you, Live Life Alarms
My husband is in the early stages of Alzheimers. He continues to enjoy riding his bike and I used to get very worried as he would sometimes have difficulty finding his way home. Getting him a Live Life mobile alert was the best thing we have done as now I can readily find out quickly where he is. He recently went out cycling and was gone for some time so I called him on his alert pendant. Not only could I talk with him but the Mobile Alert sent me an automatic return text showing his exact location on Google Maps. This has given me so much confidence now and allows him to continue doing what he loves. Vicki Ogston. LiveLifeAlarms.ca
Understanding Yoga Therapy
The core principle of Classical Yoga Therapy is that people have an enormous natural capacity for healing and transformation in which Yoga can play an invaluable role. Whether the desire for healing stems from an illness, injury or from an urge to overcome inner struggle and into a deeper exploration of oneself, a more individual, therapeutic approach to yoga is essential.
Many people associate Yoga with group classes practicing physical postures requiring strength and flexibility whereas Yoga Therapy is taught 1:1 and can assist most people, even someone laying in a hospital bed. Yoga Therapy addresses your whole Being; Body, Mind and Spirit and is a discipline of identifying and refining the correct practices for you, AS YOU ARE.
During our sessions I observe, listen and question to discover your particular confluence of issues, needs and capabilities such as physiological condition(s,) muscular-skeletal patterns and injuries, age and energy level, daily activities, unique personality and thought patterns, current life situation (we all go through times of engagement, despondency, joy, confusion etc.) Even your particular aspirations and connection to that which gives your life meaning are considered. I then choose the correct practices that will be appropriate for your particular journey into healing and well-being.
As a Yoga Therapist I implement profound tools often overlooked in public classes such as breathing/energy regulation, contemplations, visualizations, meditations, interactive relational practices, lifestyle recommendations and dietary recommendations (based in Ayurveda,) and more. This is a modality that is specific to you and is comprehensive in its scope.
Yoga Therapy requires your diligence in engaging your practice (which may be only 20min/day) as you are the primary impetus in your own healing and well-being. My role as your teacher is to support your healing and recovery by teaching you the correct practices and the accurate undertaking of them. As transformation occurs you notify me so that further modifications and adjustments to your healing practice can be made to suit your evolved state.
I have observed that many people start off with good intentions but over time find it difficult to keep up a practice, I offer additional support in these instances.
As well as private sessions I also run public programs and professional training.
To find out more about an upcoming program to support health care professionals email me at: [email protected]
UPCOMING PUBLIC PROGRAM: Deep Self Care Retreat; Sunday afternoon March 22nd, 1 – 4 pm (see website for details and to register.)
To find out more go to: YogaAndHealing.ca
Hemp-Derived Wellness Product Review
ACTIVE RELEAF is about the movement to embrace mother nature and the powerful healing ingredients she provides us with. We explore options to help both physical and mental well-being. ACTIVE RELEAF is about being good to ourselves. Providing unique and innovative products made from plants which can provide life changing benefits. These hemp-derived products are made for all lifestyles whether you are in need of everyday wellness products to support various ailments, or you are a competitive athlete, their high quality broad spectrum hemp-derived products, that are rich in cannabinoids, are made for you.
Tea and Toast Syndrome
“Tea and toast syndrome” refers to malnutrition in seniors when a lack of desire or inability to prepare and/or eat proper meals results in them relying on simpler meals like tea and toast. Seniors who skip meals almost daily, have gained/lost more than 10 pounds in the past six months, take medications, have dental issues, or have a disability can be at risk for malnutrition. Some common signs to watch for include unexplained weight loss, fatigue, memory issues, digestive issues, a weak immune system, muscle weakness, and anemia. There are support services available to help seniors eat well and regularly!
Community Announcement
Did you know that Health Canada now requires providers offering stem cell procedures to obtain formal approval through submitting a clinical trial application? Pagdin Health is the first clinic in Canada to submit a clinical trial application to Health Canada for using stem cells in osteoarthritis. If you are considering a stem cell treatment for osteoarthritis to a major joint (excluding neck and spine), we’ll give you a no obligation second opinion! Book your call with Dr. Pagdin by calling 250-717-3200.
Gaining the Mental Edge
Athletes are always looking to get into “the zone” – a balance of attention, concentration, and confidence. Quick thinking is crucial to making decisions that can be the difference between winning and losing a game. Neurofeedback is a tool that allows for identifying the areas of an athlete’s brain that are responsible for mental flexibility, task switching, and rapid decision-making. This allows an athlete to control how their brain reacts to stress, which in turn can help achieve peak performance. Neurofeedback training can help an athlete increase their cognitive abilities, while reducing the white noise of distractions around them.
TFSAs vs. RRSPs
With the February 29th RRSP contributions deadline fast approaching, many Canadians will be hoping for a tax refund and then wondering what to do with it. This is where discipline comes in. Forgo that instant gratification and put it into your TFSA, which is a 100% tax exempt account. If you don’t do RRSP contributions or have no room, then concentrate on a TFSA. Dismiss the thought that a TFSA is for short-term savings and instead think of it as a retirement wealth-building tool on par with the RRSP. The current cumulative maximum allowable contribution for TFSAs stands at $69,500.
Mental Health Resources
Did you know that the Canadian Mental Health Association has information online regarding different mental health issues? As well, your local Canadian Mental Health Association branch can answer any questions you may have and provide services to the public. Workshops and courses are another great way to learn about these issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association along with other organizations in your community offer this service. Research what organizations are around you and call them to find out times, dates and whether courses are available for free at a cost. Visit your local library to take advantage of free resources or head to a bookstore or shop online to purchase.
Take Charge of Your Health
Over 500 peer-reviewed research studies confirm that yoga therapy can help relieve some of the symptoms associated with many health conditions, including chronic pain, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, anxiety, and depression. Yoga therapy teaches you safe and gentle practical methods to decrease your pain or immobility by relaxing, breathing better, aligning your body, and increasing balance, mobility, and strength. Using yoga therapy, you can calm your mind and refocus to help manage stress and improve sleep, which can lead to feeling better physically overall. Consider using the healing properties of yoga therapy to take charge of your health!
Tackling Bladder Issues
Childbirth, normal aging, and menopause can all create bladder issues for women that cause them to curtail exercise, work, and social commitments. Weakened bladder muscles and other issues can cause bladder problems like pain, incontinence, or urinary frequency that many may feel embarrassed about. If you are tired of planning your life around your bladder and want to take more control, a visit to a gynecologist can help you get your life back. They may prescribe pelvic floor exercise and/or medications, or they may suggest laser therapy or offer surgery to help alleviate the symptoms.
