When walking your dog, keep in mind that if it feels hot enough to fry an egg outside, it probably is. When the air temperature is 30 degrees, the asphalt can reach a sizzling 60 degrees Celsius—hot enough to cause blistering, burns, permanent damage and scarring after just one minute of contact. Hot pavement can not only burn paws, they also reflect heat onto dogs’ bodies, increasing their risk of deadly heatstroke. To reduce the risk of blistered paws, test the surface with the back of your hand. If you can’t keep it there for five seconds, it’s too hot. Stay on grass and in shaded areas.
Community News
Treating Stress with Acupuncture
Stress can be managed through several traditional therapies. Did you know that Acupuncture will stimulate your brain with several chemical reactions to reduce stress? Stress activates the sympathetic nervous system, while acupuncture can activate the opposing parasympathetic nervous system, which initiates the relaxation response. Research has shown that acupuncture may specifically benefit symptoms of stress by deactivating the ‘analytical’ brain, which is responsible for anxiety and worry. This therapy regulates levels of neurotransmitters and hormones such as serotonin, noradrenaline, and dopamine, thus altering the brain’s mood chemistry to help to combat negative affective states.
Eye Coordination Problems and Learning Difficulties
When children continue to struggle with reading and learning despite all best efforts to help them, it can be very difficult to figure out what is needed. When an eye coordination problem is at the root of a child’s struggles, the signs are very easy to see – when you know what to look for. Unfortunately, the signs can easily be mistaken for behavior and attention problems. One of the signs that an eye coordination problem may be contributing to one’s learning challenges is a short attention span when it comes to reading and near work. A developmental vision evaluation could open the door to your child’s success.
June is Thyroid Disease Awareness Month
Thyroid health affects all aspects of wellbeing, both genders, all ages. It is estimated that 200 million people in the world have some form of thyroid disease. In Canada there is a staggering number of people affected. Recent studies indicate that 1 in 10 Canadians suffer from a thyroid condition of one type or another! Of those, as many as 50% are undiagnosed! The thyroid plays a key role maintaining healthy weight, energy, and mood. If you are experiencing weight gain (or loss), hair loss, abnormal menstrual cycles or changes in energy and mood, consider having your thyroid evaluated.
Words to Live By
“If not now, when?” – Hillel
Words to Live By
“Every ceiling, when reached, becomes a floor, upon which one walks as a matter of course and prescriptive right.” Aldous Huxley
Addressing Perfectionistic Behaviours
Perfectionism, or striving to achieve excessively high standards of excellence, can contribute to higher levels of motivation, goal-achievement, and performance. But it can also contribute to self-judgment, comparison, and other self-defeating behaviours, as well as more anxiety and stress. Questions to ask yourself related to perfectionism include: 1) Is this goal something that brings me joy and satisfaction? 2) What is the underlying motivation for my goal? If it’s not that it will bring you personal joy and satisfaction, reconsider the goal. If it is, think of ways you can break this goal up into smaller, more manageable tasks.
Keeping Your Immune System Strong
The good news about Covid-19 is that we’re getting through it day by day. The bad news is that we will be exposed to more viruses in the future, whether it’s a second wave of Covid-19 this fall, or another viral threat all together. The issue isn’t how strong is the virus, it’s how strong is your immune system? Now is the time to focus on strengthening your immune system so your body is ready, willing and able to deal with the next viral exposure. Experts such as Dr. Alex Vasquez DO, DC, ND, FACN recommends anti-viral formulas that contain a combination of hesperidin, zinc, vitamin D, C, A, curcumin and rutin, to name a few. Strengthening your immune system not only helps to protect you, it helps to protect your loved ones and the community.
Travelling Boosts Mental Health
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, travel is not an option, but don’t let that stop you from dreaming big. Travel is beneficial to our mental health, helping to enhance creativity, improve mental stability, provide stress relief, broaden perspective, strengthen relationships, and boost mood. Some ways you can continue to incorporate travel into your life while social distancing include planning your next trip, taking virtual tours online of various destinations and attractions, researching festivals and other events you’d like to attend, and watching travel videos online. After the pandemic ends, the world will be yours to explore once again! Megan Reimer, Cruise Vacations.
Dehydration: A Serious Health Risk for Seniors
As you age, your sense of thirst diminishes. So even when your body needs to be replenished with water, you might not realize it. Because of that, many seniors do not drink enough liquids. By the time they are thirsty, it is already an indication of early dehydration. The consequences of dehydration are well known. Dehydration is a common cause of hospitalization among elderly people that can have serious health consequences. Water can get boring but don’t limit yourself – supplement with juices, milk, fruits and vegetables that contain high water content!
Preventing Screen-Related Eye Strain
Most of us spend a lot of time on computers and other digital devices, and this can take a toll on our eyesight in the form of computer vision syndrome. This is a temporary vision condition that results from staring at a screen too long. Although you may wear regular glasses to correct vision problems, they are not the same as computer glasses, which can help with computer vision syndrome. Wearing prescription or non-prescription computer glasses, along with taking frequent breaks from looking at a screen, can help reduce eye strain and prevent related problems like headaches and dry eyes.
