How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person, by Shonda Rhimes. Shonda was an expert at declining invitations others would leap to accept. With 3 children at home and 3 hit shows on TV, it was easy to say that she was too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. Shonda’s introvert life revolved around burying herself in work, snuggling her children, and comforting herself with food. Shonda’s sister muttered something that was both a wake-up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything! The comment sat like a grenade until it detonated. Then Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.
Community News
Clean Eating: 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 like chocolate chips, coconut, chopped dried fruit.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil. In a large bowl combine oats, quinoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add in bananas, flax, peanut butter, coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir until well-combined. Sprinkle with optional add-ins. Let batter sit for 10 mins to let flax absorb some liquid. Add batter to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 25 mins or until edges are crisp and center is cooked through. Let sit for 20 mins before cutting into 9-12 squares and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
4 Things You Should NEVER Feed Your Dog
All pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But have you heard of these ones? Suprisingly, only 30% of dog owners know these facts! Keep your pup away from the following: 1. Onions – Plants of this family, including chives and garlic, are not suitable for dogs. Eating these could cause your animal to develop anemia, weakness, rapid breathing and reddish or brown urine. 2. Grapes or Raisins – This fruit can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure. It’s been proven that even a few grapes can potentially be fatal for your pet. 3. Xylotol – Is found in gum, baked goods, and anything else that is sugar substituted. It is extremely toxic to dogs, and it can cause seizures, liver failure and possibly even death. 4. Salt – Eating salt will cause excessive thirst and urination. If they managed to eat a lot, it could cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperthermia, depression, tremors, seizures, and death.
Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Sitter
Caregiver Pharmacy Support
It can be difficult to be a caregiver and manage multiple or complex medications for a loved one. It is important to ensure medications are taken appropriately to help maintain good health. A visiting pharmacist provides personal support with regular medication delivery and home consultations. The pharmacist reviews a client’s prescription drugs and over the counter medications to advise if there are any drug interactions and makes adjustments as necessary. This level of support can reduce emergency room visits and hospital stays and results in strong, trusting relationships between clients, caregivers, and pharmacists. The visiting pharmacist also provides seamless care for hospital discharge patients and works closely with other health professionals to deliver a high level of care to the client. Care is tailored to specific individual needs such as assisting with blood pressure readings, adding medications as needed to adherence packaging and making changes in an efficient manner.
Care at Home Pharmacy, careathomepharmacy.ca
Boost Your Mental Health This Winter
Winter months can be difficult for those experiencing a mental health challenge or illness, especially during and following the holiday season. There are, however, a myriad of evidence-based ways to boost your physical and mental well-being. One important tool is vitamin D. Research clearly shows the benefits of this powerful vitamin for improving body and thereby brain health. Our bodies synthesize this nutrient through exposure to the sun. However, during reduced daylight months we are unable to get what we need from our solar source. Because low levels of vitamin D are associated with depression, it may be beneficial to add vitamin D through your diet, light therapy, or a supplement. If taking a supplement, choose the “D3”version and consume with a fatty meal. Be sure to speak with your doctor before starting a nutritional supplement program. If low mood persists, contact your healthcare provider or local CMHA for additional information and resources.
Sean Miller, Canadian Mental Health Association, mbwpg.cmha.ca
6 Toxic Chemicals in Your Laundry Detergent
The laundry detergent you’re using may contain a cocktail of potent chemicals. Not only can these chemicals wreak havoc on your health, but they also are contaminating our waterways and harming the environment. Because laundry-care product manufacturers are not required to list all laundry detergent ingredients on packaging, it can be difficult for consumers to make informed choices. There are 7 toxic chemicals likely found in your store-bought detergents, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep. Cosmetic Safety Reviews, research studies show that the chemicals in detergents link to allergies, irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, and biochemical or cellular changes. Do your research as you may find out that it’s your laundry detergent that is causing your skin irritations or allergies.
Kevin Shale, Low Environmental Impact Technologies, leit.ca
Clean Eating: Squash That Apple Pie!
Squash for dessert? This is how to eat your veggies! Fast, healthy, easy, low-calorie and gluten-free – perfect to round out holiday eating. Ingredients: 1 medium cooked spaghetti squash, 2 apples chopped or sliced, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar (or sweetener of choice), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8×8” baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Chop cold squash into rice-size pieces. Add squash, apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Add mix and distribute evenly in dish. Bake on middle rack for 45-60 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with toasted nuts and serve with plain Greek yogurt. Adapted from Cara Lyon’s Sweet Spaghetti Squash Kugel with Apples and Raisins, carascravings.com.
Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca
Step Into New Insoles
If we lead active lifestyles with sports and jobs, foot pain can begin to present itself out of nowhere. We all have a unique foot shape and sometimes adding a new insole orthotic to our existing shoes can provide a more tailored fit for our feet. Some of us may have high arches, while others may have flat feet. An orthotic can provide more support and contact while distributing force, while we are on our feet for several hours a day. We have 3 arches in our feet that work together to create a solid dome-like structure that supports the force applied by our body weight. A weakness or drop in any one or combination of these arches can compromise the integrity of the dome, and elicit pain. Replacing the standard insoles that come with new shoes, can help support the arches and decrease the risk of pain developing.
Heath Vermette, CAT(C), southsherbrook.com
The Gift of Relaxation
With all the expectations that come with the holiday season, the best gift you can give yourself or others is that of relaxation. Unfortunately, stress (acute or chronic) may cause people’s brains to become “stuck” in an over- or under-aroused state. When a person is stuck, they often will find it much more difficult (or nearly impossible) to reach a deeply relaxed state. This is where Brainwave Optimization can help. As the brain is mirrored back to itself, it facilitates a state of deep relaxation in the brain so that it can unlock its inner resources for healing and self-optimization. Brainwave Optimization is a holistic, non-invasive process that restores the brain to its natural highfunctioning state. With its state-of-the-art neurotechnology and software, Brainwave Optimization balances the brain. Since the brain controls every cell, every organ, every tissue and the entire autonomic nervous system, this has a direct effect on the entire body.
Joanne Couture, RMFT, RSW, www.lalobatraumarelease.com
Know Your Ergonomics!
The equipment you use on a daily basis should adjust to you, not vice versa. Adjust the seat in your car. Make sure your hips are higher than your knees. Get your computer monitor off your desk. It needs to be placed higher because on the desk, it’s way too low. Get in the habit of standing, not reaching for the printer. You should also stand when you answer the telephone (otherwise know as that “5 lbs. file”). Standing desks are becoming popular. However if you stand at work all day, make sure to shift and move. It’s also important to get a box to put one foot up on. Repetitive strain injuries are mostly “habitual.” Equipment and tools are only as good as the user’s technique. Know your ergonomics at work, home, and play and enjoy a much healthier and happier life!
Chris Bisignano, www.yourphysio.com
Bowenwork for Back Pain
Bowenwork is a very gentle, holistic, hands-on form of bodywork that essentially resets the body to heal itself. Bowen Therapy can be extremely effective with issues related to lower back pain, even when other therapies were unsuccessful. The Bowenwork Practitioner never forcefully manipulates the body into correction. On the contrary, the body is gently signalled through the nervous system by the practitioner’s moves, and then left to heal itself, with minimal intervention. Bowenwork restores balance of the entire body through the nervous system. Once muscles become balanced, blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients are increased, and toxins are released. Additionally, bones move back to where they should be, and pinched nerves are set free. Often there is pain relief in multiple areas of the body, resulting in a profound sense of well-being. Don’t give up! Talk to a Certified Bowenwork Practitioner about starting your healing journey today.
Bernadette Kozak, Certified Bowenwork Practitioner, www.WinnipegPainRelief.ca
