With cold and flu season on the way, you may be looking for ways to stay healthy. Acupuncture is a great way to help you recover from colds and flu viruses more quickly, and can even help prevent them in the first place! Getting acupuncture treatment can help elevate immune-boosting hormones for several days after treatment, helping to prevent and fight colds and flu viruses. It can also help to reduce body aches, fever, and chills, as well as relieve congestion and sore throats. Consider acupuncture treatment as part of your toolkit to stay well during cold and flu season!
Community News
Keeping Cold and Flu Bugs at Bay
We know to get rest, eat a healthy diet, and exercise to keep our immune system functioning at its optimum level. Life however, gets busy and the next thing we know, we’re under the weather with a cold or flu bug. For these moments a little help to fight those bugs can provide much welcome relief. Invest in a high-quality cold-pressed oregano oil combined with black seed oil. Look for this synergistic blend with vitamins A & D added to give the immune system the best tools to beat the bugs and jumpstart your immune system!
Getting Online
About 71% of seniors are online every day. Of those who are online, their main reason is to stay connected with family and friends. Whether it’s joining forums or sharing photos and stories with loved ones, social media and email allows seniors with limited mobility the opportunity to interact with others. If you’re interested in getting online but don’t know where to start, community centres and local senior groups often have programs to teach seniors about the internet and how to participate in online communities. It is important as we age to continue to stay socially connected to friends and loved ones.
Aging Alone
“Elder orphans” is a term used for seniors who live alone in the community, with no partner, children or other people to support or care for them. Elder orphans may also be socially or physically isolated, adding to their vulnerability. They are at higher risk of depression, loneliness, social isolation and losing their ability to make decisions. Older adults can prepare for the future by thinking about what support and resources they have, what they need and where they might live (including factors such as cost and proximity to family and medical care). Make your wishes known to family and friends.
Ozone Therapy Increases Oxygen Utilization
What makes us healthy and invulnerable to disease? Discover this for yourself right now. Hold your breath for 60 seconds. What happened? Clearly there is absolutely nothing as critical to our health as oxygen metabolism. Oxygen utilization is the single most important predictor of your risk for degenerative disease and premature aging. As we get older our cells become less able to efficiently use the oxygen we breathe, some as much as 50%! Ozone therapy activates the immune system, prevents free radical damage and helps the body detoxify, the ultimate preventative tool to stay healthy and happy into old age.
Do Kids Need Orthotics?
Many children have flat feet but have no joint pain, but there are others who develop knee and/or arch pain that limits their ability to enjoy activities. If there is pain, and an obvious fallen arch, foot orthotics may be warranted considering family history and degree of severity. If there is no pain, yet there is an obvious fallen arch then the question is whether to correct or not. Many medical professionals believe that fallen arches will adversely affect the knees and hips and lead to early arthritic pain. Correcting the foot posture early on is then seen as a preventative measure for future knee and hip joint health.
Powers of Attorney in BC
Do you know the difference between a Power of Attorney (POA) and an Enduring POA? The distinction is important. A POA ends if you become declared mentally incompetent as may happen from an illness or head injury in an accident. An enduring POA carries on and allows your appointed person the authority to manage your financial affairs if such a tragedy occurs. Like your will, a POA should be reviewed and updated every 5 years or right away if you’ve moved from another province. No matter your age, everyone should consider having an enduring POA in place.
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.
Find an Experienced Pain Practitioner
We have all experienced pain at some point during our life. But there are some people for whom pain is a daily burden that doesn’t seem to go away. For those people, it is important to find a practitioner who has extensive experience in assessing and treating acute and chronic pain conditions. It doesn’t matter if your pain is from joints, muscles, nerves, organs, emotional trauma, or even an unknown origin, there is almost always something that can be done to decrease or remove the pain. Get a thorough assessment that can uncover previously overlooked or misunderstood aspects contributing to your problem.
Knee Replacements Outside of Hospitals
Total knee replacement is the most definitive treatment for advanced osteoarthritis. This procedure is typically done in a hospital setting, with 3-5 days of hospital stay. In recent years, it has become clear that healthy individuals can be discharged from the hospital on the day of their surgery, to safely and conveniently recover at home. Having surgery done at a medical centre provides a welcome alternative to hospitals. This can help reduce complications associated with hospitalization, and for many patients, the convenience and comfort of being at home with family is much preferred over the rustle and bustle of a busy surgical ward.
Cold Laser Therapy Process
State-of-the-art cold laser therapy is a three-step process, each using a different wavelength of light. The first step uses a red light pad, which gets absorbed by the skin cells and underlying superficial layers of muscle. The second step uses an infrared light pad, reaching deeper into the muscle layers, as well as the tendons and ligaments. The third step includes an infrared laser wand that is placed specifically on the affected areas by a trained laser therapist. It’s very concentrated and targets the deepest affected structures, stimulating healing in and around affected ligaments, cartilage, joints, and even bone.
