Beyond the Label offers a unique perspective on mental health: it shares the author’s own recovery from four major mental health conditions: anxiety, depression (attempted suicide), bulimia, and bipolar disorder type 1. The book outlines a detailed, step-by-step plan for how others can achieve optimal mental health. A combination of practical clinical experience and years of lived experience, the book shares insight into how diet, exercise, and sleep can be optimized for improved mental wellbeing, as well as strategies for coping with negative thoughts and emotions, and building self-love and compassion, among other skills.
Community News
Words to Live By
Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.” Anne Wilson Schaef
Dry January? Try Solbrü
The “sober curious” or “sober sometimes” movement started as a challenge for those who felt they’d partied a little too hard over New Year’s weekend. A 2016 British study of about 850 men and women who volunteered to abstain from alcohol during Dry January found that participants reported a range of benefits. For instance, 82 percent said they felt a sense of achievement. “Better sleep” was cited by 62 percent, and 49 percent said they lost some weight. They had improvements in insulin sensitivity, their blood pressure numbers improved, and their livers looked a little healthier.
Natural Product Spotlight:
Innotech Nutrition Fasting Days™ – Research shows some of the main benefits of intermittent fasting include: safe weight loss, more energy, improved cardio wellness, relief from aches and pains, rebuilding of liver, normalization of insulin sensitivity, and immune system optimization. Innotech Fasting Days™ is doctor-formulated to help support your goals with a balanced nutrient powder that’s very low in calories, keto-friendly, vegan, non-GMO, non-dairy, and free of sugar, gluten, artificial sweeteners/flavours and colours. It has 42 nutrients balanced for easy and SUCCESSFUL intermittent fasting, and helps with optimized energy, glucose metabolism, hydration and electrolyte balance, bone density and muscle mass, collagen formation, and hunger suppression. InnotechNutrition.com
With a New Year Comes New Energy
A new year brings new energy and possibility. Releasing the old that no longer works, makes room for the new. A story comes to mind about a monk who goes out on the lake to meditate in his boat. He cherishes his solitude and quiet. While deep in meditation, eyes closed he feels a sudden smash. He flies into a rage and begins to blame. How could anybody be so insensitive and careless. When he opened his eyes, he saw the boat was empty and had drifted off from shore. It was then he realized all feelings and reactions came from within. The “boats and people” are just who we project them on. This freed him to own and choose his thoughts and ways of being.
Coldest Night of the Year
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.
Immune System & Your Gut
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.
Cannabis for Arthritis Pain
Did you know that cannabis is gaining popularity as a treatment for arthritis? Cannabis can be used to ease pain and reduce swelling related to arthritis. It can also be a far less harmful and less addictive way to treat those suffering from chronic pain associated with arthritis. This can be done without getting “stoned” or feeling “high”. Products that are CBD-based (cannabidiol) can help manage pain and relieve symptoms without any “high”, while THC-based products (tetrahydrocannabinol) can cause a more intoxicated feeling. Some products offer a balance of both CBD and THC for another effective option for pain relief.
Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
1 cup steel cut oats, 1 cup quinoa, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt, 3 large ripe bananas, mashed, 2 Tbsp ground flaxseed, 3 Tbsp natural nut butter, 1 Tbsp coconut oil, 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup. Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup add-ins coconut, chopped dried fruit. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil. Combine in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 mins to let flax absorb some liquid. Add batter to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 mins or until edges are crisp and center is cooked through. Enjoy!
The Secret to a Successful Resolution
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.
Inactivity
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.
