The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie Kondō. Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles? Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes tidying to a whole new level, promising that if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you’ll never have to do it again. The KonMari Method, with its revolutionary category-by-category system, leads to lasting results. www.goodreads.com
Community News
Home Remedies for a Cough
Did you know that onions can be used to cleanse airways and reduce congestion? Try a poultice of roasted onion to the chest every few hours. They can also be drunk as a warm broth. Cabbage also works well, as it has an extraordinary ability to draw out toxin. Crush the leaves with a rolling pin until the juice starts to appear. Place 3 or 4 leaves over the chest and cover with gauze. You can also drink the juice of a cabbage sweetened with a little bit of honey. Adapted from the book “The New Guide to Remedies” by Paragon Staff
6 Ways to Alkalize Your Body
Did you know that your immunity is based on how alkaline your diet is? Having an overly acidic diet eventually leads to a weakened state, and our bodies become susceptible to disease. Here are six ways to alkalize – and healthify – your body! 1. Drink plenty of water. Drink half your body weight in ounces every day to keep your body systems regulated. For an extra boost in alkalinity – add lemon! 2. Trade coffee for tea. Green tea is highly alkaline. Try jasmine, Sencha or Matcha. 3. Kick that sugar habit. Use stevia, coconut sugar or small amounts of honey in place of sugar. 4. Eat more greens. Vegetables are highly alkaline and oxygen rich. Consume fresh green vegetables often as possible. 5. Move. Exercise to create more oxygen and qi flow in the body and to avoid stagnation. 6. Reduce stress. Meditate as often as possible, practice deep breathing, do yoga, and get plenty of sleep
Meditate Your Stress Away
The stress and tension we normally experience come from our minds, and many of the problems we experience, including ill health, are caused or aggravated by this stress. Just by doing simple breathing meditation for ten or fifteen minutes each day, we can reduce this stress. The first stage of meditation is to stop distractions and make our mind clearer and more lucid. Find a comfortable meditation position with our eyes partially closed. The most important thing is to keep your back straight to prevent our mind from becoming sluggish or sleepy. Breathe naturally, preferably through the nostrils, without attempting to control our breath as it enters and leaves the nostrils. We should try to concentrate on it to the exclusion of everything else. If we practice patiently in this way, gradually our distracting thoughts will subside, and we shall experience a sense of inner peace and relaxation.
Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, Kadampa Meditation Centre, www.meditateinwinnipeg.org
Nutrition for Injury Recovery
The moment we sustain an injury, our body’s inflammatory response kicks in. This inflammation phase of injury lasts between 3-5 days. The first line of defense is to follow the RICES principle during this time period: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation, Stabilize. For those who want to be proactive, there are certain foods and nutrients you can incorporate into your diet to help reduce inflammation. Some good examples include fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines), oils (olive, fish, flax), avocados, mixed nuts and seeds. Other ingredients that are beneficial include curcumin (from turmeric or curry powder), garlic, bromelain (from pineapple), cocoa, tea, and berries. There are also some foods that you should avoid during this early stage of injury. This includes processed foods, and foods high in saturated or trans fats. These are only a few of the many things you can try to help with inflammation following an injury.
Heath Vermette, CAT(C), www.southsherbook.com
4 Ways to Cope with SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder is more than just what people refer to as the “winter blues.” Those who have it find it difficult to function in daily life. So, what can you if you find yourself experiencing seasonal sadness? Here’s what you should do: 1. Increase sunlight exposure. Exposure to more sunlight (even if it is a scare amount) can help. Consider getting an artificial sunlight lamp for your home. 2. Exercise. Like other mood disorders, exercise can also help you cope by relieving stress, building energy levels, and improving physical well-being. 3. Take a supplement. Using high-quality, broad-spectrum nutritional supplements can help your body have these needed nutrients. Vitamin D3, specifically, has positive effects on mood and seasonal affective disorder. 4. Sleep. Getting enough rest can help reduce stress and can prepare you with the energy you need to get through the day. Get to bed early enough to ensure you receive the rest you need.
Dr. Asim Ashique, Central Chiropractic Centre, www.centralchiro.ca
The Balancing Act
Bowenwork is a very gentle, hands-on form of bodywork. It works holistically via the nervous system to balance, and align the body. Bowenwork uniquely initiates your body’s own innate healing mechanism, and can dramatically help people with their muscle, joint or nerve pain. People with frozen shoulder are amazed when they find their recurring headaches are also gone, and the pain they felt in their back, neck, and their carpal tunnel, have disappeared as well. Treating the body as a whole is imperative in being able to achieve long lasting results. In addition to physical pain relief, Bowenwork can effectively help with cognitive issues as well, such as stress, PTSD, depression, concussion or traumatic brain injury, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, energy blockages, and many others. Talk to a Bowenwork practitioner to learn more about balancing your body, and starting your healing journey today.
Bernadette Kozak, WinnipegPainRelief.ca
Marijuana & Alzheimer Connection?
A recent study showed significantly lower levels of blood flow in the brain for marijuana users than nonusers. It was found that the right hippocampus was the most affected, damaging regions of the brain important for memory and learning. These are the same areas affected by Alzheimer’s. Often used for regulating relaxation and controlling excitability, marijuana is more than a “feel good” aid; it brings well documented beneficial calming effects to the whole system. All in good measure, however! When overused or abused, marijuana can lead to dependency and mess with your memory and emotions. There are other non-invasive strategies for those who seek that sweet spot. Brainwave Optimization helps the brain function better by relaxing its frequencies. Once the frequencies between the brain lobes are balanced and harmony is established so the back to front thought process flows, that inner potential in all of us has a chance to blossom.
Joanne Couture, RMFT, RSW, La Loba, www.lalobatraumarelease.com
What Is Your Mouth Telling You?
The state of your mouth can offer valuable insights into your dental, oral and overall health. Any bleeding when you brush your gums is a sign that you should see your dentist. Unhealthy gums can affect your overall health. Atherosclerosis, clogging of the arteries, has a strong link to gum disease. Pain on biting might mean a cracked tooth. Sugar sensitivity usually indicates a cavity. Tenderness to cold might just need a change of toothpaste. Tenderness to hot is likely to be more serious. The pulp of your tooth can become inflamed for many reasons. The only way to find out, for sure, what’s going on is to see your dentist. Bad breath can be caused by poor oral hygiene. A good electric toothbrush, flossing and scraping your tongue all help. Throat infections also cause bad breath. Don’t assume that problems will resolve by themselves. See a dentist at least once a year. Remember: “You don’t have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep!”
Dr. George Cadigan, Exclusively Dentures, www.exclusvielydentures.ca
Clean Eating: Gingerbread Coffee
2 Tbs Cinnamon, ground
1 Tbs Ginger, ground
1 Tbs Cloves, ground
1/2 Tbs Nutmeg, ground
1/8 tsp Salt
Instructions:
1. Add spices and salt to a jar and shake well.
2. Add about 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) of the gingerbread mix to your regular or decaf coffee grounds before brewing.
This recipe is adapted from Kristine’s Kitchen. These spices are among the richest in wrinkle and disease-fighting antioxidants. Coffee cheers to that!
Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca
Dare NOT To Diet!
Make 2017 the year you jump off your plate and into your life! Dare not to diet. Make a radical shift from being “good” (dieting) to feeling good (living vibrantly)! It’s natural to want to have more energy and vitality! And want to move with ease and feel good in your body. But a diet won’t deliver. Not long term. Simple, enjoyable mindful eating, plus a shift from “have to be good” to “want to feel good,” CAN deliver a good thing! Here are a few shifts to consider for January 1: “I have to go on a diet, I feel gross” to “I have more energy and feel better in my body when I eat the foods I love with balance on my plate.” “I have to work out every day” to “I feel better, sleep better and move better when I’m active. I’m going to find an activity I enjoy.”
Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca
