Technology is developing at a mind-blowing pace, but we always have a choice on how we wish to engage with it. We can always “unplug” when we need to re-generate and get back in touch with our natural selves, or we can use technology to streamline our lives and focus on the important things in life like family and health. We can also engage technology to enhance our health and well-being. This pertains to such age-old “natural” technologies of meditation, yoga and mindfulness for example, as well as to emerging frequency-based technologies like neurofeedback. We are lucky to live in an age where we can choose how to target specific aspects of our physical and emotional health. Unplugging when we need to, and engaging in both time-honored and cutting-edge technology, can do wonders for our physical, mental, and spiritual health and happiness.

Dr. Chris Hammer, PhD.

www.valentusclinics.com

Were you dropped on the head as a baby? Maybe. And that may be why you are having trouble reading this. I have seen children with ADHD or dyslexia who suffered head injuries as infants and suddenly come out of the fog after treatment with homeopathy, only to become brilliant students after struggling for years. Dr. John Gray of Venus and Mars fame was cured with homeopathy in his fifties of life-long ADHD. He had fallen out of a tree as a child, suffering a concussion. Concussions can be a common cause of long-term health problems, including headaches, problems with focus and concentration, anxiety, depression, rage, sleeplessness, low energy and even digestive issues. Homeopathy offers about 50 remedies for consequences of concussion depending on the symptoms. The heavy lifter is Arnica, a great first remedy for concussions, but it is best to individualize treatment.

Dr. Anke Zimmermann BSc. ND. FCAH

www.drzimmerman.org

Matcha contains roughly 25mg of caffeine, which is approximately one-third the caffeine of a cup of brewed coffee. It is easily tolerated by many people for whom coffee makes them jittery and anxious! The caffeine in Matcha works in a synergistic manner with all the other great stuff it contains, including hefty quantities of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and amino acids. This special combination of ingredients produces an unusual effect: An uncanny ability to focus and be productive over an extended period of time. Because the caffeine molecules in Matcha bind to larger and more stable molecules, the caffeine is released over time, instead of all at once into the bloodstream. In contrast to coffee, this timed-release mechanism tends to inhibit any sudden insulin increases, so there is no ‘crash’ associated with quick drops in blood sugar that so many coffee drinkers feel an hour or so after drinking a cup.

Tiffanie & Kip Home, Just Match

www.justmatcha.com

We all have moments when we question ourselves. Sometimes that sense of uncertainty sticks around -and we don’t know why, but we feel bad about ourselves. We may blame ourselves for feeling inadequate and not knowing how to feel better. Where does this come from? Is it just us, or is it what’s happening to us? It can be both. For example, there’s no denying the reality of a bad job! Our core beliefs and expectations also play a part. these are deeply held ideas and feelings about ourselves and the world that colour our experience. Counselling can help you uncover these beliefs and find more helpful and supportive ways to be with yourself. Other skills supported in counselling include; positive self-talk and encouragement, forgiving yourself for not being perfect, handling difficult memories, changing your situation and asserting your needs empathically.

Mary Munro MA. MC. RCC.

www.marymunro.ca

In today’s marketplace there’s no end to the types and styles of sunglasses available. When choosing sunglasses, you need to focus on the quality of the lens. Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes, and proper sun protection occurs when your lenses block a certain range of UV light. Polarized sunglasses are the best as they filter glare from reflective surfaces such as snow or water, making you much more comfortable. Proper sunglasses also help to prevent the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. There are many different qualities of sun lenses, either prescription or non-prescription. If you’d like to know if your sunglasses are blocking the appropriate UV rays and that you’re getting proper sun protection, come in and speak to one of our Opticians at any of our five locations in Victoria. We can verify your glasses for you.

Roxy Beswetherick, Student Optician, IRIS

www.iris.ca

Are you having trouble getting motivated to do an activity? Here are some tips you should consider:

1) Identify something you want to change. For example, start a walking routine.

2) Ask yourself (or discuss with someone) the questions, ‘what is my desired outcome?’ and, ‘what is so important about that?’ Walking, for example, could be for weight loss, fitness, to be in nature, or to see new sights. Let’s say you want to walk to be closer to nature. Ask yourself, ‘What’s so important about that?’ Keep asking that question until the answer is very basic. ‘I want to walk in nature. It is important because it calms me. Being calm is important because I can clear my thoughts. Clarity is important for me to be my authentic self in conversation.’ Discover what is important about that and continue asking that question until you are motivated to achieve your goal! Okay, now get going!

Juhree Zimmerman R.N., B.Sc.N., M.Ed., C.P.C.C., O.R.S.C.C. Master Certified Coach, Strategy for Synergy

www.strategyforsynergy.ca

Recently, I listened to a call-in radio show featuring reactions to proposed amendments to assisted-dying legislation. An oft repeated view was that people should be able to decide when they’ve had enough suffering. While the focus was clearly on individuals diagnosed with terminal illness and in physical pain, one caller noted the unacknowledged ‘mental suffering’ which often accompanies severe illness. Mental suffering, related to illness or not, is often neglected or negated, and can elicit feelings of shame and self-blame. Buddhists believe in the ‘8 Sufferings’, four of which (birth, old age, sickness and death) cannot be avoided; the other four, getting what you don’t want, not getting what you want, getting what you want but not being able to hold on to it, and pervasive suffering, can be influenced by our state of mind. If you are experiencing mental suffering in any form, a Clinical Counsellor can help.

Sophia Sorensen, BBA, MA, RCC

www.sorensenproctor.com

Do you know what happens to the brain when you feel pain? In an effort to feel less pain the brain signals the body to stop moving the painful part/s. People respond by applying liniment, heat, ice or seeking professional therapy such as Registered Massage Therapy. While rehabilitating from the pain the individual will adapt by functioning differently in order to perform daily activities. We call this “compensating” by moving other parts and not including or reducing the movement of the painful part. When the person begins to be pain free again and rehabilitation has taken some time the brains image of itself will maintain the adapted pattern of functional movement without returning to the original more functional way. This neuroplasticity (ability to change) of the brain will require some specialized therapy to re-habit back to the more functional way of moving. A Feldenkrais Practitioner can help this process.

Roxanne Derkson RMT GCFP, VIVI Therapy
www.vivitherapy.com