Spring is finally here, and that means seasonal allergies will be on the rise. Seasonal allergies develop when the immune system overreacts to something in the environment, like mold spores or pollen. For people struggling with seasonal allergies, this is a difficult time of the year. Luckily, in the past few years, pharmacists have been granted the ability to prescribe a number of over-the-counter and prescription products to minimize the severity of your symptoms. Talk to a pharmacist today to learn about non-drug, and prescription products to help combat your seasonal allergies. Spring is meant to be enjoyed, so don’t let allergies bring you down.
Community News
Volunteer Opportunities
This edition Wellnessnews Choices for Healthy Living® edition is sponsored in support of The Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba.
Volunteer Opportunities
Are you interested in volunteering with MDAM? Volunteers are integral to the creation and ongoing maintenance of MDAM’s programming. MDAM offers several opportunities for anyone interested in providing support and education directly to our clients. How to apply? Please send an email with the title, your resume and region at [email protected]. Please note a criminal record check, vulnerable sector check and child abuse registry check will be required.
Barb’s Story
Twelve years ago, when I walked into MDAM I was looking for a reason not to end my life. A volunteer found a quiet space for us to talk, he let me talk, cry, say all the fears, past traumas all the things that I had been terrified to say out loud. He didn’t judge me or try to fix me, he just let me talk until I got it all out. Then he gave me a list of meetings they had going on and told me I was welcome to attend whenever I was ready or drop in just to talk one-on-one with someone. No pressure, no false promises, just a place to go. I started going to groups, made some friends, eventually started to volunteer. MDAM saved my life and changed my life.
Practicing Self-care
Practicing self-care is a simple way to support positive mental health. Bradley University explains, there is a direct connection between physical and emotional health, it should come as no surprise that many everyday self-care activities support both.
Sleep
A lack of sleep has been associated with memory impairment, irritability, mood swings, and an increased risk for developing anxiety or depression. That’s why it is so important to develop a nightly routine that helps encourage falling and staying asleep. Avoid technology and bright lights for an hour or so before you head to bed. Turn the thermostat in your bedroom down several degrees. It sends a signal to the body that it’s time to slow down.
Stress Reduction
Establishing a daily stress relief practice is a great way to feel better both physically and emotionally. Mindful meditation, which has been shown to reduce stress and relieve anxiety, has become a prevalent choice. There is also evidence that it can help moderate depressive symptoms and the effects of ADHD.
Time management is another part of stress relief. Think about it for a minute: If you are constantly running from one thing to the next, do you really have time to care for yourself?
Learn how to tactfully say no to requests on your time that will cause undue stress. You might be surprised at how empowering it can be.
Proper Nutrition
Food is the best way to get your nutrients, making eating a balanced diet is one of the most important self-care practices you can adopt.
Natural Remedies and Supplements
Many people turn to natural remedies to alleviate stress and anxiety, both crucial to maintaining mental health. For example, CBD is widely used to boost moods, melatonin encourages better sleep, and turmeric reduces inflammation. Remember that despite being natural, many of these products are also quite powerful. Be sure to talk with your health care provider about any possible interactions if you currently take medications.
Self-care is a critical component of maintaining mental health. By incorporating activities such as taking a supplement, eating a balanced diet, and getting enough sleep, you can help reduce the effects of stress on the body. These strategies can also help boost mental health by mitigating symptoms such as anxiety and depression for many people.
Ask Dr. Tyler Anderson OD
Q. Can I wear contacts if I have seasonal allergies?
A. Many contact lens wearers with allergies seem to encounter discomfort during certain times of the year, due largely to allergens in the air that become adhered to contact lenses. Here are a few tips to keep your eyes comfortable: Keep irritated eyes moist with artificial tears. The artificial tears will also dilute the irritants out of your eyes. Daily disposable contact lenses are generally recommended for contact lens wearers who suffer from eye allergies. These contact lenses are replaced each day and help to eliminate any concern of allergen accumulation on the surface of your contact lens.
Anger’s Purpose
Anger’s main purpose tells you your boundaries have been crossed! Something was said or happened that needs to shift, change or stop. Discovering the un-met need under the anger, helps you to feel more understood and allows the layers of grief, hurt, and loss to emerge. Once you discover your unmet need(s), you then have the power to do something about it. Sometimes that means withdrawing and pulling back, creating new boundaries, speaking your truth or expressing your desires and needs clearly. Finding a productive way to express and diffuse your anger by journaling, boxing, or dancing is essential. Holding onto anger is toxic on our bodies and creates havoc, ill-ness and a bitterness that pushes people away…so release and let go as a gift of kindness to yourself.
Is Food Affecting Your Mood?
Did you know the food you’ve been eating could be contributing to your anxiety, depression, or other mental health struggles? You probably already know that sugar, caffeine, and alcohol are highly likely to affect your mood and behaviour, but food sensitivities can also create imbalances in key chemicals in the brain and gut. If you’re eating foods that cause you digestive issues, low energy, increased cravings and sleep problems, it could be due to food sensitivities. This doesn’t mean you need to avoid these foods long term, but it’s an important piece of the puzzle when uncovering the root cause of your mental health struggles.
Your Annual Denture Check-up
Has it been a while since you’ve last had your dentures checked? Full dentures, partial dentures, and dental implants all need the same level of care as natural teeth. If you wear dentures or have implants, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for maintaining great oral health. Routine checkups help prevent any major oral problems from developing and allow for planning any changes your dentures require to ensure you’re never without your teeth. With yearly checkups, your dentures and implants will continue to perform properly and your maintained oral health will mean shorter and smoother visits!
Mood Disorders
If you have a mood disorder, your general emotional state or mood is distorted or inconsistent with your circumstances and interferes with your ability to function. You may be extremely sad, empty or irritable (depressed), or you may have periods of depression alternating with being excessively happy (mania). Anxiety disorders can also affect your mood and often occur along with depression. Mood disorders may increase your risk of suicide. Some examples of mood disorders include:
Major depressive disorder — prolonged and persistent periods of extreme sadness
Bipolar disorder — also called manic depression or bipolar affective disorder, depression that includes alternating times of depression and mania
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) — a form of depression most often associated with fewer hours of daylight in the far northern and southern latitudes from late fall to early spring
Cyclothymic disorder — a disorder that causes emotional ups and downs that are less extreme than bipolar disorder
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder — mood changes and irritability that occur during the premenstrual phase of a woman’s cycle and go away with the onset of menses
Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) — a long-term (chronic) form of depression
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder — a disorder of chronic, severe and persistent irritability in children that often includes frequent temper outbursts that are inconsistent with the child’s developmental age
Depression related to medical illness — a persistent depressed mood and a significant loss of pleasure in most or all activities that’s directly related to the physical effects of another medical condition
Depression induced by substance use or medication ― depression symptoms that develop during or soon after substance use or withdrawal or after exposure to a medication.
Source: Mayo Clinic
We Need Your Support
We strive to be a Centre of excellence for grassroots community mental health. We need your support to ensure our programs and services meet the needs of our community. Your generosity will allow us to continue delivering well established programs and services as well as develop new programming to support Manitobans with their mental wellness journey.
One in four Manitobans are impacted by poor mental health or mental illness in their lifetime. The impact of the pandemic is yet to be seen. Your support will allow us to meet the increase in demand for services and programs. If you have either lived or shared experience, know someone who might be struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation or any other mood disorder, co-occurring disorders or other mental health illnesses, please reach out to MDAM via phone, email, website, walk in or our other social media platforms.
Ask Dr. Tyler Anderson OD
Q. What causes cloudy vision?
A. When you have cloudy eyesight, it may seem like you’re looking at the world through a foggy window. Cataracts are the most common cause of clouded vision. Most cataracts develop slowly, but usually become worse over time. They can often develop more rapidly in one eye than the other. Indications that a cataract may be forming include haziness and blurred, distorted or even double vision; an increasing need for more light; and sensitivity to bright light, especially at night. During your eye examination, your optometrist will analyze for any opacity in the lens of your eye, to determine if you have a cataract.
