Did you know that more than half of all bottled water comes from a tap? It costs up to $5.99 per litre compared to less than a penny for four litres of tap water. People buy bottled water believing that it is safer than tap water. This is mostly untrue. The best water you can drink is ionized water from a water ionizer. It is filtered by 16 stages of filtration to remove virtually all of the contaminants from the water. The water is then sent to a water electrolysis chamber where it is ionized, meaning the antioxidants are restored to the water. This recreates the natural alkaline water chemical structure and provides your body with alkalinity and detoxification.
Community News
Burn Fat Not Muscle: The Ketonic Diet
The body has three sources of energy from which it draws to meet its metabolic needs: carbohydrates, muscle and fat. Chronologically the body will first draw on its carbohydrate reserve before turning to muscle and fat. On a ketogenic diet, your entire body switches its fuel supply to run almost entirely on fat. Insulin levels become low and fat burning increases. This is great for weight loss. The fastest way into Ketosis is by fasting but it is not possible to fast forever. A low-carb, or “keto” diet, can be eaten indefinitely as you are accessing your stored fat for fuel. Ketosis has the benefits of fasting – including weight loss – without having to starve yourself!
Live Theatre: KEY FOR TWO
Nanaimo Theatre Group opens their season October 12 with a British farce! In this wickedly amusing play, by two master craftsmen of comedy, Harriet, a divorcee living in an elegant flat in Brighton, solves her financial problems by entertaining Gordon and Alec, two married gentlemen callers, on different days of the week. The show runs Wednesdays to Sundays October 12-28 at the Bailey Studio, 2373 Rosstown Road in Nanaimo. Evening shows are 8 PM, matinees are 2 PM. All tickets are $20 and can be booked online or by calling 250-758-7224.
Dealing with Stress
Imagine a bucket slowly filling with water, one drop at a time. Eventually the bucket overflows. That is what stress is like. Chronic stress attacks our weaknesses, whether it’s physical; high blood pressure, heart disease; or emotional; depression, anxiety. Speaking with a trained professional can help deal with the debilitating effects of too much stress. Through a meaningful conversation with a counsellor, your stressors can be identified and a way to manage them determined. A caring, non-judgemental approach with a compassionate ear and a kind heart will help you develop confidence with your inherent goodness so you can move forward feeling happier.
The Power of Touch
Touch may well be one of the most unappreciated of the five senses.
Seniors in particular often miss the simple acts of touch and the many benefits that go along with them. There is the physical benefit but just as important, are the mental and emotional ones. Touch enhances the quality of your life. Research shows that touch triggers the hypothalamus which produces oxytocin. This has a number of different physiological effects including, reducing stress, lowering blood pressure, pain management, improving sleep and promoting relaxation. The human touch can especially benefit those with Alzheimer’s. It can benefit the caregiver as well.
Wellness – One Step at a time!
Wellness is an active, lifelong process of making decisions to help you live a more balanced and fulfilled life. Healthier, happier people tend to live longer and have higher energy levels. A sense of wellness helps improve mood and can improve depression. A simple thing that can easily be incorporated into our day that will improve wellness is walking! It doesn’t matter if you can only make it halfway down the street. Make a commitment to walk every day and before you know it, you will have made it right around the block. Invest in proper walking shoes and socks for added support and comfort.
Dangers of Social Isolation
Did you know that social isolation is the “new smoking” with respect to negative impact on health? Recent research confirms that individuals with adequate social relationships have a 50% greater likelihood of survival compared to those with poor or insufficient social relationships. Clearly, this is worth paying attention to! If you are a senior looking to try out some new activities, be sure to check out the many FREE special events happening from October 1 – November 1 during “Seniors Celebrate” month. Call 250-591-2924 or visit our website for details.
Does Your Jaw Crack?
Ever opened your jaw wide and heard it crack? Do you sometimes feel like when you bite your teeth together that one side touches before the other? These can indicate a misalignment of the jaw. Over time, a jaw misalignment can lead to degeneration of the jaw joint. A jaw misalignment can be due to injury, uneven fillings or crowns, or it can be due to bone misalignment in the neck. The top bone in the neck, called the Atlas or C1, sits right beside the jaw joint, or TMJ. Studies have shown that when the Atlas misaligns, it can affect how the TMJ moves. Studies have also shown that an Atlas adjustment can correct some TMJ issues. Visit a chiropractor to learn more.
Classes for Improved Health
The City of Nanaimo and Island Health have partnered to offer classes to improve your health. Programs are taught by Dr. Derek Poteryko who is a family physician and the Medical Director of Community Health in Nanaimo. Dr. Poteryko is passionate and committed to helping people live healthier and more fulfilling lives. Class topics include “The Skinny on Weight Loss”, “Don’t Worry Be Happy”, “Men’s Health”, “How to Make Nanaimo Health Care Better”, “Quit Smoking for Good” or Advanced Care Planning”. The cost to attend these programs is only $2. Please see page 60 of the Fall and Winter Activity Guide for details, call us at 250.756.5200 or visit our website.
Meet Your Practitioner – Ahmed Omar, R.D.
Ahmed is one of a few denturist in the central Vancouver Island region who brings a full denture service to the comfort of his clients’ homes. Ahmed studied Oral and Dental Medicine at George Brown College and after graduating in 2013, he opened his clinic on Legion street in Chemainus. Tooth loss can cause a host of physical and emotional issues. If you are suffering with missing teeth, Ahmed will take the time to evaluate your condition and recommend the ideal solution for you. Whether you need partial dentures or full dentures, Ahmed Omar will present you with options and help you make the best decision for your mouth.
Live a Clutter-Free Life!
What is clutter? The accumulation of things you bought at some point which no longer serve their original purpose and have now become a burden that fills up space in your home that you could find a better use for.
Clutter is the superfluous, the surplus, the non useful. At best it can turn into the disposable, the garbage, at worst it can turn into a nightmare you cannot sort out.
How does that translate into more general terms in your reality? What could you define as ‘clutter’ in your emotional, social, personal or work life? What burdens you that you could do without? What weighs you down? What keeps you from moving forward? What gets in your way? What causes you confusion?
How could you simplify your life at every level? From wardrobe, to home items, to belongings, to relationships, way of thinking and philosophy of life?
How could you reach the very core of what is meaningful for you to be happy and content?
One strategy I find useful is to strip down things to their basic core, by asking ‘why’ for everything you think you need in your life. Be that a pair of shoes, or a relationship, the main concept is the same: to dig down deep enough until you are left with the very essence. Quite often we may discover that the reason for which we thought we wanted or needed something is quite different or even irrelevant to the actual thing. Usually it is related to deeper needs of feeling happy, connected, feeling loved, secure, content, at peace.
Another strategy is to ask yourself: ‘Can I do without this?’ Whatever that ‘this’ may be and see what you are left with. An exercise in minimalism if you like or simply seeing how much you can ‘lighten’ your space and/or life.
It is amazing how delightful of a feeling of freedom one may experience after ‘decluttering’ one’s life and space. Realizing how little we really need to feel content and how connecting to our deeper and more essential needs may render all the ‘clutter’ superfluous.
It is mind blowing how much ‘clutter’ we carry with us in the form of negative emotions, our past experiences, unresolved inner conflicts, lack of self-esteem and self-acceptance. How many of our beliefs and values may be actually obsolete or outdated and no longer serve us.
Yet we carry all that weight all that ‘clutter’ with us into our present, every day, without realizing how it is weighing us down, making us feel exhausted, tired, fed up. How this ‘clutter’ keeps us from having access to the energy of the present moment, from moving forward, feeling inspired and being creative.
Clutter of any form keeps us stuck. Stuck in our space, stuck in our lives. Burdened by superfluous, unnecessary weight, unnecessary struggle. Yet for some strange reason we get attached to it. Attached to our ‘stuff’, attached to our pain or anger, attached to our fears. We are basically attached to the security of the ‘known’ of our comfort zone and have difficulty moving past it into the uncertainty and discomfort of the unknown and its possible risks or gifts.
So why do you need what you think you need? What can you do without? What is it your soul really needs to be happy and content?
Narrowing it down to the basic core needs and wants, will set you free to enjoy the present moment lighter than ever, more present than you ever thought possible and full of energy to embrace the new.
