Did you know that the Canadian Mental Health Association has information online regarding different mental health issues? As well, your local Canadian Mental Health Association branch can answer any questions you may have and provide services to the public. Workshops and courses are another great way to learn about these issues. The Canadian Mental Health Association along with other organizations in your community offer this service. Research what organizations are around you and call them to find out times, dates and whether courses are available for free at a cost. Visit your local library to take advantage of free resources or head to a bookstore or shop online to purchase.
Community News
5 Reasons to Eat Flaxseed
Flaxseeds are the richest sources of Plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) in the world! 5 Benefits of consuming this super food are 1. High in Fibre – Fibre aids in digestion, prevents constipation and suppresses hunger. 2. Women’s Health – The lignans present in them help in battling high levels of estrogen and assist in balancing hormonal levels. 3. Healthy Hair & Skin – The ALA fats in flax seeds benefits the skin and hair by providing essential fats as well as b-vitamins which can help reduce dryness and flakiness. It can also improve symptoms of acne, rosacea, and eczema. 4. Lower Cholesterol – The soluble fiber content of flax seeds trap fat and cholesterol in the digestive system so that it unable to be absorbed. 5. Weight Loss – Since flax is full of healthy fats and fiber, it will help you feel satisfied longer so you will eat fewer calories overall which may lead to weight loss.
Book Club: Is Your Child’s Brain Starving?
By Michael R. Lyon MD and Christine Laurell, PhD
Michael Lyon went from overweight academic underachiever to graduating as the top male student in his high school a year later, thanks to a total change of diet and lifestyle. He ultimately became a medical doctor involved in research on nutrition. This book is an inspiring guide to better brain function through diet and lifestyle changes. The minor downfall is the promotion of supplements he has helped to develop, but it is still a valuable book for parents and has a good recipe section.
IQ and Nutrition
What if you could increase your child’s IQ with nutrition? Inhabitants of a tiny island off the coast of Japan have the highest IQ scores in the world and produce seven times as many geniuses as any other place in the world. Seniors living there don’t seem to struggle with cognitive decline either. The secret: DHA, an essential fatty acid found in fish, krill, squid and some algae. The brain is made mostly of fat, 60% of which is DHA. DHA is found in mother’s milk and has long been recognized as aiding IQ scores in children. Almost everyone nowadays is deficient in DHA. This may be one of the reasons for the increased rates of ADHD, learning disabilities and autism as well as increasing rates of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive problems.
Standing Core Exercises – DOWN
Put your mat away and give your neck a rest. Standing core exercises work more muscles than crunches—and the more muscles we use, the more calories we burn. Your core includes any musculature about your central skeleton that may balance your trunk. Try including more standing postures in your work day to avoid back pain and other health concerns. Now apply some of those abdominal exercises you did on your back; the standing knee-cross crunch, the cross-body chop (with or without a medicine ball, use any easy weight really) and the overhead-dumbbell side bend; all of these can be found on our website. The great thing about these exercises, is that they can be done anywhere and will greatly improve your postural core. Give yourself more reasons to stand today!
Chris Bisignano, Concourse Physiotherapy, www.yourphysio.com
Bowen Therapy
Bowen therapy works to alleviate acute and chronic skeletal muscle injury or disorders and nervous system disruptions. Tom Bowen, an Australian who developed this technique in the 1950’s, asserted that everything in the body is interrelated so damage at one site restricts the function of the entire system. Furthermore, the body is self-healing; however, injuries or disruptions can limit this healing response. It is this healing response that Bowen therapy works toward activating, with the goal of allowing the body to heal itself. Studies have shown that in addition to restoring muscle and nervous system integrity, Bowen treatments can shift the central nervous system from the sympathetic (flight and fight) response to the parasympathetic (rest and restoration) response. As a result, it can positively affect physiological functions such as circulation, arterial pressure and heart rate, digestion, sleep, lymphatic circulation, and the endocrine system.
Julia Rempel, PhD (Immunology), Certified Bowen Therapist, www.sagewaterhealth.com
Did You Know?
Did you know that aging changes our bodies and how medications work? Some areas of the body become more sensitive to certain medications or less susceptible to others that may result in symptoms that appear like new problems- often treated with new medications and reason for too many medications. In most cases additional medications are avoidable: fewer medications means more quality of life. Senior Care Practitioners are medical professionals, medication experts, and patient advocates with expertise and knowledge to identify these kinds of issues and suggest safe solutions. They advocate for patients at other health care providers and pursues desired outcomes. Experts in the area of geriatrics agree that seniors should be assessed and treated differently compared to other population groups and that not all health professionals are equally trained to identify how aging and medications affect seniors. Everyone agrees that optimal functionality and quality of life make older adults thrive and lower caregiver burden.
Mathilda Prinsloo BPharm CGP CDE, Senior Care Pharmacy Practice, www.seniorcarepractice.com
Dogs for Mental Health
Pets for Mental Health My advice for the very best in mental and physical wellness: get a dog! Dogs in particular can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, ease loneliness, encourage exercise and improve your cardiovascular health. Caring for a dog can help children grow up to be more secure and active, or can provide valuable companionship for seniors. Studies have found that dog owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets. Pet owners also have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels than those without pets. One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that dogs fulfill the basic human need to touch. Even hardened criminals in prison have shown long-term changes in their behavior after interacting with dogs, many of them experiencing mutual affection for the first time. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and most dogs are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost your mood and ease depression.
Amy Buehler, 12th Street Studio/Gallery/B&B
The Effects of Stress on Your Hair
It has been said that stress can make you go gray, or cause you to lose your hair. But can it? Hair loss due to stress can occur after a traumatic life event such as divorce, death or severe financial worries. This temporary hair loss, called ‘telogen effluvium,’ can also be caused by factors such as hormonal changes (think menopause or post-pregnancy), illness or poor diet. The significant stress of some sort may spark a change in your body’s routine physiological functions. Hair evolves in a cycle of growth (anagen); transition (catagen); and resting (telogen). Prolonged or extreme stress can cause hair to prematurely enter telogen and break off more easily. When you have a really stressful event, it can shock the hair cycle, pushing more hair into the shedding phase.
Jenna Wilcox, www.jennawilcox.monat.com
Pharmacy Budget
We know that the cost of prescriptions is often difficult to manage for patients. We want everyone to have access to good care and safe medication use – to accomplish this, a customized budget plan for clients. This allows you to remain on your medications and manage the expense throughout the year. Along with the budget, a visiting pharmacist will counsel you or your loved ones in the comfort of your own home on a regular basis. They will help you manage multiple or complex medications and collaborate with other members of your health care team to ensure your health needs are met. This gives you and your family peace of mind with the knowledge that this aspect of your life is taken care of and contributes to a positive quality of life. Better Health and Wellness can be achieved through medication management – call a visiting pharmacist to arrange a home visit.
Care at Home Pharmacy, www.careathomepharmacy.ca
Clean Eating: Almond Date Energy Bites
1 cup Medjool Dates (de-pitted).
1 cup raw almonds.
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut or rolled oats.
1/4 cup raw cacao.
¼ tsp cinnamon. Pinch of sea salt.
1/2 tbsp vanilla. 1/2 tbsp maple syrup.
1 – 2 tbsp almond milk.
1. Place dates in food processor and pulse until it forms a ball. Break up the date ball with a spatula and add almonds, raw cacao, coconut and salt. 2. Process for 3-4 minutes 3. Add vanilla, almond milk and maple syrup 4. Process until mixture forms a ball. Add more almond milk if the mixture is not forming. 5. Roll mixture into balls and dip in shredded coconut if desired 6. Can be stored in an airtight container or frozen.
Stacie Rasmussen RNCP, Blossom Nutrition, www.winnipegnutritionist.com
