Community News
Compassionate Beauty Care

There are many thoughts that go through a person’s mind once a cancer diagnosis is received. What does the future look like and how will my life be changed. What common activities that I do now, will be affected by treatment and subsequent side-effects? However life changes, one thing is for sure, pampering yourself will make you feel better, and finding a spa that offers compassionate and safe treatments is key. Where the treatments are non-invasive, no cutting of cuticles, no razors used on feet, just simply therapeutic services that are focused on the individual going through any cancer. Having a facial with no extractions, just comforting and customized for your skin. Using all natural products that contain no carcinogens or any toxins. Products with ingredients listings you can pronounce and recognize. The best part – not having to explain what you are going through because a compassionate esthetician already understands.

www.theunexpectedgift.ca

Wigging It Right

Choosing the right length, colour, and style of wig can be a daunting task. Feeling comfortable, confident and natural in a wig is important. The more brands and styles you can choose from, the more natural your wig will look. To create a natural look, wigs are available in synthetic & human hair as well as a variety of colours including highlighted & rooted. Ensuring that your wig fits properly is paramount and helps alleviate skin issues that can be caused by an ill-fitting wig. In addition to fit, understanding a wig’s construction, proper trimming, thinning and shaping of your new wig is very important to make you comfortable and feeling as much like yourself as possible. Hair loss/ removal during chemotherapy can be emotional and uncomfortable, but with the right advice and products, you can regain some confidence and feel better at this time.

www.citylooks.ca 

New Business Showcase

It is often very difficult and overwhelming to effectively manage multiple medications. This can lead to improper use of medications, which can result in extra doctor visits, emergency room visits and hospital stays. The high cost of prescription medication is a major concern for many patients; therefore we prepare a customized monthly budget for each of our clients. This, along with our visiting pharmacist service, will give you and your care-givers peace of mind. Our ultimate goal is to ensure all medications are taken as prescribed and that you have a full understanding of each medication including its interactions and side-effects. As well, we want to ensure that cost does not become a stress factor and/or road-block. Better Health & Wellness may be achieved through medication management; talk to our pharmacist to arrange a home visit.

www.careathomepharmacy.ca

Smartphones and Health

Smartphones are incredibly powerful devices. Increasingly we rely on them to run our life. One of the latest trends is toward mobile health or mhealth. Many applications have been designed to help you live healthier and manage your chronic illnesses. Here are some our favorites: Misfit wearables is a great low price entry to fitness trackers starting at $25. Askthedoctor.com will get your health questions answered in a jiffy, and glooko.com has an amazing platform for people dealing with diabetes. One of the biggest issues faced by patients today surrounds management of medications. 55% of Canadians above 45-65 are on at least one prescription medication. Using a smartphone to manage and track your meds has been proven to improve adherence, keeping patients healthy. If you are on multiple medications this may be the best and quickest thing you can do for your health today.

www.poprx.ca

Control your Anxiety

Anxiety is considered a negative mood disturbance that results from failure to predict, control, and obtain desired goals and is associated with dysfunctional cognition, behavior, and physiologic over-activity. Anxiety further impairs health by motivating increased use of tobacco and alcohol and predisposes the individual to chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease. A new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found the Transcendental Meditation technique has a large effect on reducing trait anxiety for people with high anxiety. Trait anxiety is a measure of how anxious a person usually is, as opposed to state anxiety, which refers to how anxious we are at the moment. Studies on high stress groups, such as veterans suffering from PTSD and prison inmates, showed dramatic reductions in anxiety from TM practice, whereas studies of groups with only moderately elevated anxiety levels, such as normal adults and college students, showed more modest changes.

Lilian Lontra – Certified Teacher, Transcendental Meditation
[email protected]

Book Club: Healing and Transformation

Healing and Transformation through Transcendental Meditation (TM) by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal. Learn the basics about this ancient technique, and for seasoned meditators, broaden your knowledge and deepen your understanding. Rosenthal’s central point emphasis on TM changes the brain, and can help a vast array of different people to live longer and better lives, and achieve lifelong success.

www.normanrosenthal.com

Clean Eating: Thai Carrot Coconut Soup

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups water
1 ½ cups carrots cut into 1” pieces
1 green onion
5 tbsp. shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. sea salt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 date
2 tbsp. fresh lemongrass (finely chop the heart of 2 stalks)
1 tbsp. freshly chopped ginger
1 avocado –half to blend and half cut into ½” – ¾” pieces for topping
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro (to mince for topping)

Directions:

Blend all ingredients, except avocado and cilantro, until smooth.
Add half avocado and blend.
Pour into bowls.
Sprinkle top with avocado pieces and minced cilantro.

From Uncooking with RawRose by Rose Vasile
www.rawrose.com

Compassionate Beauty Care

There are many thoughts that go through a person’s mind once a cancer diagnosis is received. What does the future look like and how will my life be changed. What common activities that I do now, will be affected by treatment and subsequent side-effects?

One thing that does not need to change is pampering yourself.  You may think that a trip to the spa is not something you want to experience while being in treatment. Not only is there the possibility of increased infection because your immune system is low, there is the discussion that you will need to have with the esthetician, that may make you uncomfortable.

Perhaps, going to a place that provides safe and hygienic manicures and pedicures is something you would consider. Where the treatments are non-invasive, no cutting of cuticles, no razors used on feet, just simply therapeutic services that are focused on the individual going through any cancer. Having a facial with no extractions, just comforting and customized for your skin. Using all natural products that contain no carcinogens or any toxins. Products with ingredients listings you can pronounce and recognize. The best part – not having to explain what you are going through because we know.

The Unexpected Gift
www.theunexpectedgift.ca 

Train for Your Sport

Depending on the sport/activity of your choice, the demands of that sport should influence on how you train. Factors that should be considered in training programs are the energy systems being used. For example, anaerobic/alactic exercise includes short powerful bursts of activity typically lasting 30 seconds or less. Activity at higher intensity levels performed greater than 30-45 seconds start to stress the anaerobic system which often produces lactic acid as a bi-product. This is known as “the burn” in the legs. Other factors to be considered are the work/rest ratios and movement patterns performed in your activity. This may influence your exercise program to include parallel stance (squats), split stance (lunges), or single leg stance (step ups) based on what activities you love to do. Remember, move well so you can move often.

Jason Moniz, South Sherbrook Therapy
www.southsherbrook.com

Block Therapy

Word is spreading! People all over the world are finding their way to Block Therapy and they love it. The best part is that the benefits are so varied. It doesn’t matter what your issue is, by using Block Therapy, it improves oxygen and blood flow and overall tissue health. We as a population need to take control of our health; we can’t expect the system to help us when we aren’t consciously aware of our own body. But it also isn’t our fault. We have been told to sit up straight but the force pulling us down is overpowering. Gravity is relentless and the resultant compression is what causes suffering. The solution is to de-compress; this is what Block Therapy does. This will open the gates for health and healing and create the space necessary for a fulfilling and creative life. Don’t wait any longer to feel great. Do Block Therapy!

Deanna Hanson, Fluid Isometrics
www.fluidIsometrics.com

Extension is the Key

As we hunch over our computers and phones, or lean forward to cook and wash dishes, ever think we pretty much do everything ‘in front’. Evolution has prepared us for some side reaches and some combination twisting movements, but hardly ever do we reach or work behind our bodies. Now that the majority of the population may sit for greater than 4 hours per day, we develop this forward head look that’s not only unattractive but possibly damaging to our health. Extension is the key. Working to strengthen those muscles on the back of our spine, legs, neck and arms that support these ‘forward activities’. Biomechanically, most of these muscles stabilize, and even decelerate the movement to maintain safety. Exercise to build stability; work the ‘back’ muscles twice as much as the ‘front’ muscles, ie; seated rows versus chest press. Exercise for function.

Concourse Physiotherapy
www.yourphysio.com