Samaritan House Ministries has been working to reach those in need in and around Brandon for nearly three decades. Thousands of people are assisted every month through our food bank and resource centre, safe and warm shelter, literacy and employment programs, second-stage housing, and food sustainability programs. We are grateful for the ongoing contributions of individuals, churches, government and non-government organizations, and for the businesses who support Samaritan House Ministries in its efforts, through donations of food, money and time. Samaritan House Programs: Manitoba’s 2nd largest Food Bank. Safe & Warm Shelter. Hoarding Support Program. Community Garden Network. Age as an Asset Employment Training. Literacy and GED Programs. Employment Resources. Mary’s House Second-stage Housing. Volunteering Opportunities. Winter is a tough time for homeless and hurting people in Brandon. Coldest Night of the Year is a terrific way for support Samaritan House and the community it serves.

Your immune system works hard to protect you from injury, illness, and disease. This process usually involves inflammation, a natural response to stress, tissue damage, and harmful stimuli like viruses, bacteria, and toxins. Inflammation functions similarly to an engine warning light, alerting you to the presence of a problem through symptoms such as heat, pain, redness, swelling, and/or loss of function. 85% of the immune system is located in our gut. An anti-inflammatory diet rich in vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium provides your gut with the ingredients it needs to bolster immunity and achieve optimal mental and physical health.

Change is hard. But creating deep, lasting change is less about willpower and more about designing smart, effective goals. Instead of making a statement, such as I’m going to lose weight, try asking a question instead. “What would it take for me to lose weight?” By posing your resolution in the form of a question rather than a statement, you begin to engage with it. Your brain goes to work, breaking down the problem, sequencing next steps, and creating a path to success. Questions offer greater possibilities, whereas statements keep energy stuck.

There may not be a lot going on right now, and under a lockdown it’s never been easier to be a couch potato. However, it’s still as important as ever to keep moving. Health experts say “sitting is the new smoking” and health guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise every week to stay in good physical condition, add years to your lifespan, and ensure good quality of life in those later years. Any movement is better than no movement, even if it just means walking around your own home, climbing your stairs, or doing exercise with just your own bodyweight.

Two major health conditions that can affect women after menopause are osteoporosis and heart disease. To protect yourself against osteoporosis, take 1,200 mg of calcium per day, along with 800 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily if you are over 50 years old (be sure to talk to your doctor). Stay active, specifically with weight-bearing exercises, stop smoking, avoid caffeine, and eat a well-balanced diet. Smoking cessation, healthy eating, and exercise can all help to protect you against heart disease as well. Monitoring your blood pressure, reducing stress, and watching your weight are also important.

The Art of Choosing You: Tools to Radically Shift Your Life argues that judgment is a trap, putting us on a hamster wheel as we repeatedly strive to meet inauthentic expectations rather than finding freedom and peace through a practice the author calls “living in allowance” of ourselves and others. Judging ourselves and others by external standards can feel empowering, as if we are sorting out the world and escaping whatever fails to measure up—whether we are looking at people, situations, or activities. But judgment can hold us hostage and leave us dissatisfied with life.