Community News
Feeling Connections in Relationships

How do you recover from conflict? When we are stressed in a relationship, that stress can leak out in unhelpful ways. Maybe it shows up as scorn for our partner. Or maybe we put up a wall and withdraw so as not to deal with a concern. We can also get defensive, or maybe start making critical personal comments. Most relationships will have a bit of disconnection in the bad moments, but happier relationships know how to repair the damage done. You can learn more effective ways to deal with your differences and act in more helpful ways and good communication can help you work out different layers of meaning. Counselling can help you in places where you’re stuck, maximize good times together, and build the core friendship of your relationship. When your connection feels solid and calm, everyone feels better.

Mary Munro
MaryMunro.ca

Financial Fitness

Have you ever heard of Einstein’s Rule of 72? Let’s say you have a credit card debt of $5,000. If you divide the interest rate on your loan into 72, the result will be the length of time it takes for the loan to double (paying only minimum monthly payments). If the rate is 24%, your loan would double in 3 years to $10,000, and in another 3 years, the debt would be $20,000. Often, people feel like they are paying and paying and getting nowhere, and it will feel like that if one is only paying the minimum monthly payment. Purchasing furniture at $2,000 with a deferred payment is costly if you do not pay within the deadline amount. You would then be paying interest on the original amount – at 28% interest and a minimum payment of $70, it will take 4 years and interest would be $1,415.

Doris Minervini, Abakhan & Associates Inc.
Abakhan.com

Polyvagal Theory for Treating Trauma 

Stephen Porges’ Polyvagal Theory significantly reworks our understanding of how the nervous system responds to threat and trauma. This relatively new understanding of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) – called Polyvagal Theory – can allow us to assist children, patients, and ourselves, toward greater wellness. ANS is a continuum between two ‘poles’: the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS) at one end; and the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) at the other. In that earlier understanding of the ANS, there was the common assumption that the SNS referred to the person’s “Fight or Flight” response, while the “Rest and Rebuild” response occurred as a result of PNS function.

Howard V. Dieno, British-trained Osteopathic Practitioner
Dieno.ca

Importance of Water Filters

Disinfecting our drinking water for more than a century with chlorine ensured it was free of the microorganisms that can cause serious diseases, such as typhoid fever. To this day, chlorine remains the most commonly used drinking water disinfectant. However, drinking tap water has been linked to bladder, breast, and bowel cancer; and long-term drinking, bathing, and swimming in chlorinated water has been shown to cause malignant melanoma. According to Dr. Rona, M.D., chlorinated water destroys most of the intestinal flora – friendly bacteria that help not only with the digestion of food, but with the production of vitamins B12 and K. Chlorinated water can destroy vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids. All of these factors have been shown to result in skin irritations, including eczema, acne, and rashes. A total water whole-home filter removes 92-95% of the chemicals in our tap water, leaving all the essential minerals.

Total Water Cleaners
TotalWaterCleaners.com

Reverse Aging, Eliminate Illness

Did you know that we can reverse our aging process by 10 years or more? We can defend our brains and bodies against mental decline and aging. A groundbreaking discovery at Princeton University has led to anti-aging and enhanced wellness, enhancing brain health and our quality of life. Coupled with powerful plant enzymes, proteolytic probiotics, life-enhancing whole food supplements, and a healthy lifestyle, we can prevent and eliminate many illnesses. Many have eliminated and improved illnesses such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, deathbed cancer, MS, ALS, lupus, diabetes, etc. Coupled with a healthy lifestyle, we can increase our brain performance and stay in ideal health way into our ‘golden’ years! Health is NOT a matter of CHANCE; it’s just a matter of CHOICE! Reclaim your health today!

Louis Hoolaeff HR HC ACS
ProvenHealth.info

Book Club: Whose Mind Is It Anyway?

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life by Lisa Esile & Franco Esile. Most of us spend our lives trailing after our minds, allowing our brains to take us in directions that are safe and secure, controlled and conformed. Whose Mind Is It Anyway? will help you learn how to separate what you want from what your brain wants and how to do less when your mind is trying to trick you into doing more. In a colorful, funny, and nonthreatening way, it answers the difficult question of how we can take control of our self-defeating behaviors.

LisaEsile.com

Kundalini Yoga for Vitality

Through kundalini yoga, energy increases! With increased awareness, we make the right choices for ourselves on a consistent basis and less energy is used for worry and fear. This alone gives us much-needed vitality. You begin to feel revitalized, as the poses, breath work, and mantras bring prana (life energy) to your body, activating and balancing the glandular system. This impacts our brain chemistry, improving our moods, hormones, and reaction to stress. Through consistent practice, your body/mind retains a memory of what you have learned and you are able to access this neutral energy when needed. Your mind becomes calm and you feel focused and clear. Vitality and focus bring self-confidence, and the ability to see things in perspective and not get easily stressed. We may face the daily challenges in life and be joyful about whatever comes our way.

Wendy Anderson RYT, Yoga-10 Studio
CourtenayMassageTherapy.com

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Low energy and weakness; confusion; sleep, digestive, hearing, and memory problems; irritability and mood swings; dizziness or light-headedness; weak immune function; and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet can indicate a B12 deficiency. It’s one super vitamin that will boost energy and speed up metabolism. B12 is found in many foods and is easily taken orally. Since it is water-soluble, B12 acts quickly in the body and is considered safe for almost anyone. Oral B12 supplements should be dissolved under the tongue. The vast network of blood vessels under the tongue allows B12 to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream and bypass the stomach. Many B12 supplements are made with inexpensive cyanocobalamin, which must first be converted into its active counterpart methylcobalamin to be utilized. Those supplementing with B12 should use 100% methylcobalamin. Tree for Life’s Vitamin B12, which we distribute, meets the above recommendations.

Stephen Dalley
ComoxValleyHCG.com

The Cancer Journey

When patients with cancer are treated in an integrative approach with Chinese and conventional medicine, several factors are taken in account such as the patient’s conditional environment and lifestyle factors that played a role in the evolution of the cancer. The treatment interventions from the conventional medicine view are generally cytotoxic and carry predictable side effects, depending on the specific intervention. There are several treatment principles that Chinese medicine uses to interact with conventional medicine cancer treatments: Fu zheng Qu xie, to strengthen the constitution, improve the immune system, and eliminate pathogenic factors to allow the body to heal from within; Huo xue Qu Yu, which refers to the activation of blood circulation, which may prevents metastasis; Qing Re Jie Du, to describe the clearing of heat, and toxins; and Ruan Jian san Jie, which refers to the softening and dissolving of cancer masses.

Dr. Ross Ralph, Courtenay Healing Centre
CourtenayHealing.ca

Ringing in the Ears

Do you hear noise in your ears that other people can’t hear? Annoying sounds, like ringing, buzzing, whistling, whooshing, or hissing? If so, you are not alone. Over 3 million Canadians suffer from tinnitus – a condition characterized by sounds that originate from within, rather than from outside of, your ears. Tinnitus takes on many forms. The most common “garden-variety” type produces soft-to-loud ringing, humming or rushing water sounds. Tonal tinnitus causes a constant chiming sound, like a musical note played over and over again. Pulsatile tinnitus produces sound that pulsates in time with one’s heartbeat. Mixed tinnitus causes multiple noises to be heard simultaneously. Objective tinnitus is extremely rare, and produces noise heard not only by the affected individual, but by others as well!

Jeff Germain
Islandbeltone.com

Have CRA Debt?

Owing money to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is stressful. Manage it by following these guidelines: Request a payment plan – CRA will split what you owe into smaller, more manageable amounts. However, this balance will accrue interest until it’s paid off, and defaulting on your payment plan also means collections attempts from CRA. Consult a Licensed Insolvency Trustee – discuss a consumer proposal if a payment plan won’t work. With this option, you can settle your debts for less than you owe; the Trustee will negotiate a settlement with the CRA on your behalf, and you will then make affordable payments to the Trustee. A consumer proposal or bankruptcy will stop collection activity from CRA. Act quickly – never ignore a notice or call from CRA. They are willing to work with you, but only if you communicate with them first.

Derek L. Chase, CPA, CA, CIRP Licenced Insolvency Trustee
ChaseSekulich.com