Community News
DIY–Knot Massage

A trigger point (TrP), AKA a “knot” is a hyper-irritable spot in a taut band of skeletal muscle. TrP’s can produce local and referred pain, and sometimes reduce the range of motion of the affected muscle. Your RMT uses a variety of techniques during a massage therapy treatment to reduce TrP’s. How can you treat TrP’s at home? Before treating yourself, it’s a good idea to warm up the tissue before following these steps. 1.Find the tender point in the muscle   2. Using a ball (tennis balls work great) compress the tender point until its between a 5-7 on the pain scale (1= no pain, 10= intolerable).   3.Hold the pressure here until the pain begins to decrease.   4.Repeat steps 2 & 3.   This “pain” should feel good- not intolerable. Begin on the lighter side and follow this treatment with a gentle stretch or flushing of the tissue with self -massage.

Sydney Reaburn RMT, www.courtenaymassagetherapy.com

The Greatest Gain From Grain

Despite different views on the subject, bread has remained one of the most consumed carbohydrates by Canadians. How do you make the healthiest choice? You do have a few options: bake your own, buy fresh from a reputable bakery, or read nutrition labels and ingredient lists. One hundred percent whole and/or sprouted organic grains are absolutely key because both provide nutrients needed for the body in the most wholesome form. Preservative free is important and can be tough to locate since preservatives are common in pre-bagged grocery store loaves. Low sodium is important. Sodium is used to stabilize yeast and pump up the flavour, it can be especially high in ‘diet’ breads. Additionally, the absorption for re-introduced vitamins and minerals is not nearly as high as in their naturally occurring state, so stay away from ‘enriched’ breads. Regardless of how you choose to source your bread, always remember the most natural state provides the greatest gain from the grain.
Cakebread Artisan Bakery, www.cakebread.ca

Best Cold Sore Remedies

Cold sores are downright embarrassing. The more we try to hide them, the more obvious they become. Here are some good home remedies in case you find yourself with an unsightly cold sore. 1. Licorice – Try choosing a licorice whip. Studies show that glycyrrhizic acid, an ingredient in licorice, stops the cold sore virus cells dead in their tracks. Be sure it’s made from real licorice. 2 – Pure Vanilla Extract. Yes, the kind you use for baking. Many people swear by this! Soak a cotton pad and apply directly to a cold sore for a few minutes (3 times daily). 3. Hydrogen Peroxide – It disinfects and speeds up healing time. Soak a cotton ball and apply to the sore. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before rinsing off. 4. Peppermint oil – When applied directly to a cold sore, people have found that the sore healed faster than usual.

Clean Eating: Easy Healthy Borscht

Use fresh and organic ingredients. 4 cups of beef broth. 2 cups water. 2T Apple Cider Vinegar. Juice of 1 lemon. 2 cloves garlic. 3 carrots. 2T Coconut Oil. ½ head red cabbage. 1 cup green beans. 3 potatoes. 3 beets with stems and leaves. 1 onion. 4 fresh sprigs of dill. 2 bay leaves. 2 T Italian seasoning. Salt and pepper to taste. Chop ingredients in tiny pieces. 1 can kidney beans. Combine in a crockpot and cook on high for 4 hours. Alternately, cook on top of the stove until the vegetables are soft enough to eat. Enjoy!

4 Toxic Foods to Eliminate

Processed Meats: Can have up to 400 percent more sodium and 50 percent more preservatives than unprocessed meats. The worst part: Some contain nitrites and nitrates, chemical additives that have been linked to various cancers, but are still used to enhance color and promote taste. 2. Margarine: Is marketed as a cholesterol-free, healthy alternative to butter, but it’s the ultimate source of trans fats, which actually elevate cholesterol and damage blood vessel walls. Stick to real foods and eat real butter instead. 3. Artificial Sweeteners: Anything with the word “artificial” in it is chalked FULL of chemicals. These fake sweeteners cause symptoms that range from migraines to weight gain and even more serious conditions like cardiovascular disease. Unless you are diabetic, please stop using these sugar substitites immediately! 4. Microwave Popcorn: Bags, in particular, are often lined with a chemical called perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), which has been shown to affect fertility, cancer risk, and kidney functioning.
www.disabilitytaxcreditwinnipeg.com

Clean Eating – Banana Lemon Pie

This is one of my favourite desserts. It’s also very quick (10 minutes!) and easy to prepare.

Quantity:

9” x 9” plate = 9 slices (3″ x 3″).

Ingredients:

3 cups pecans or walnuts (not soaked);
1 1/2 cups raisins;
zest from 1 lemon + 2 tablespoons lemon juice;
4 medium bananas;
poppy seeds, blueberries, raspberries, slices of colourful fruit, or sprigs of mint (optional).

Directions:

Process nuts in food processor until small bits. Add raisins to nuts in food processor and process until the mixture starts to clump together. Gently distribute mixture on a 9”x9” plate, then press firmly to form crust. Grate lemon zest on top of crust. Juice lemon into a bowl. Slice bananas 1/4″ – 1/2″ thick and put into lemon juice; stir gently to coat bananas with juice. Spread banana slices/lemon juice on crust. Optional: Decorate with poppy seeds, blueberries, raspberries, slices of colourful fruit, or sprigs of mint.

Uncooking with RawRose – rawrose.com. Your guide to Raw Foods, book available at Rawthentic Eatery.

Is Your Relationship Financially Healthy?

Studies have shown that financial infidelity is on the rise, and can range from lying about small purchases, an amount of debt, or even hiding entire bank accounts. Many people put aside money for seemingly good intentions, but a lack of transparency can cause tension in a relationship, leading to mistrust, arguments and even divorce. When combining finances with a significant other, you form an agreement to manage financial issues together. It is important to open up, start a conversation, and form a financial plan. This does not mean you have to constantly monitor each dime you both spend, but you must agree upon a budgeting and money management system that works for both of you. A threshold amount must also be set, outlining how much you are allowed to spend without each others approval. If you fail to plan, then your financial plans will fail.

Joint & Spinal Alignment

Balancing space in the joints between the bones of the limbs and between the vertebra of the spinal column happens during a Biodynamic treatment. The Biodynamic practitioner understands the form of every bone in your body and how they function together in movement. There is a particular rhythm that occurs between each bone when it is unhampered by injury or stress. The practitioner is seeking coherence in these rhythms of the bones and the relative movement of the bones to all other internal rhythms of the body as a whole. By studying the coherence of the movements, the skilled practitioner knows how these rhythms form and how they produce an even distribution of energy. By listening for the dynamics of movement, the practitioner waits for this intelligence to get re-established if it has been disturbed. Therefore alignment has to do with optimal efficiency for movement so that there is both stability and freedom of motion.

The Movement of Healing

Some of you have heard already about Tai Qi or Qi Gong Ancient Chinese movement and postures designed for healing. It is somewhat similar philosophy as Yoga from India. Qi Gong means practicing and directing the Qi (vital force). It is attained by focused attention, breathing, and specific movement to enhance health and longevity. Tai Qi utilizes the same focus as Qi gong. However, it is more dynamic. The Qi Gong practice focuses on moving the Qi internally within the organs and meridians, and the Tai Qi focuses on external movement and directing of the vital energy though the external body. There is another “healing via movement” modality that I will be introducing this September in Thursday morning class at Vic. West C.C. SoTaiHo [natural exercise] developed by Dr. Keizo Hashimoto, MD. It is a wonderful system that encompasses movement to free blocked energy in the body. It is a wonderful method for any chronic pain.