People tend to soak up more sun in summer, but that doesn’t always mean they’re getting enough vitamin D. Everyone is different, and we all have a number of factors in our lives that affect our ability to produce vitamin D, including things like where we live, what our skin tone is, and how old we are. Our skin doesn’t always reliably convert the sun’s rays into vitamin D, especially if we’re trying to be sun-safe and we cover up with clothing and sunscreen. So, it’s important to keep taking a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement, even in the summer!
Community News
How’s Your Sleep Posture?
You spend nearly 1/3 of our lifetime sleeping, making your sleep posture extremely important to your daily wellbeing. Ideally, your head should remain in a neutral position. When side sleeping, if the pillow is too thick or thin, the neck becomes side flexed with one side being compressed while the other side is stretched; this can lead to compressed nerves. “Head forward posture” which is a jutting forward of the chin, is becoming more prominent with increased cell phone usage. Add to that a back sleeper with more than one pillow, the neck muscles are in a constant state of contraction trying to return to their normal length. Being pro-active could save you from a real “pain in the neck” later.
Increasing Bathroom Safety
Bathrooms can be tricky areas to navigate when it comes to safety. Some handy products that can help with bathroom safety include: 1) Shower/bath chair – sitting while showering can help those with balance or strength issues. 2) Shower transfer bench – helps you sit and slide out of the bathtub. 3) Grab bar – helps you support yourself around the room. 4) Bathtub lift – to get in and out of the bathtub safely. 5) Walk-in tub or shower – easy to get in and out of. 6) Handheld showerhead – allows you to move the showerhead instead of yourself while showering.
Palliative Care Conference
Join Palliative Manitoba at its 30th Annual Provincial Palliative Care Conference, at Canad Inns Destination Center Polo Park. Experience our unique blend of keynotes, educational sessions, and workshops grounded in palliative care. Learn new approaches, successful models and innovations advancing your professional skill set, helping strengthen your organization. Keynotes include, Award-Winning Medical Educator, Writer, Musician and Podcaster, Dr. Jillian Horton. Erin Davis, Author of the book Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss and Reclaiming Joy. The Waiting Room Revolution Podcasters, Dr. Hsien Seow, and Dr. Samantha Winemaker. Canadian Virtual Hospice will host a multicultural panel sharing stories and wisdom about grief.
Don’t Let Dentures Scare You!
Because dentures have been around for such a long time, they have had centuries to generate stories and myths. These fables and warning stories are sometimes used to scare children into taking better care of their teeth. While some concerns may have been valid in the past, they don’t hold anymore. The quality of modern dentures is continuously improving. After an adjustment period, you can enjoy the benefits of white, straight, and attractive teeth. Also, you can eat, drink, and speak normally, without embarrassment. Dentures are lighter, more natural-looking, and much easier to manage than ever before, giving you confidence and a beautiful smile!
Meet Your Practitioner
Barbara Balshaw-Dow is a clinical social worker/therapist who received her Master of Social Work in 2007 and has been practicing since 2015. She has a passion for highlighting mental wellness and works with clients who are experiencing anxiety, depression, or trauma, as well as other life challenges. She helps her clients develop strategies to do things differently and move forward by using tools such as: solution-focused questions, strategies from cognitive behavioural therapy, and basic eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. Barbara is also a registered yoga teacher and is working towards certification in equine-assisted counselling.
8 Pillars of Holistic Health
For holistic wellness, #Balance incorporates 8 dimensions that should work in harmony. These include: Financial – overall financial health; Spiritual – connected to something greater than yourself; Intellectual – refers to active participation in scholastic, cultural, and community activities; Emotional – inspires self-care, relaxation, stress reduction and the development of inner strength; Physical – promotes proper care of our bodies; Social – refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others; Occupational – is the ability to achieve a balance between work and leisure; and Environmental – is an awareness of the effects of your daily habits on the physical environment.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dentures
To get the most out of your dentures, it’s important to take proper care of them. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to denture care. DO: 1) Handle your dentures carefully. 2) Remove and rinse after eating. 3) Remove before bed and soak overnight. 4) Rinse before putting them back in your mouth. 5) Brush dentures daily. 6) See your denturist regularly. DON’T: 1) Use whitening toothpaste, abrasive cleaners, bleach products, sharp objects, or hot water to clean your dentures. 2) Use tugging motions when eating. 3) Neglect your dentures. 4) Wear ill-fitting dentures.
Heat Exhaustion & Heat Stroke
Heat exhaustion can occur if the body loses an excess amount of fluid through sweating and does not have it replenished. As your body becomes dehydrated, it begins to overheat and you may start to feel faint, dizzy, and lightheaded. If left untreated, heat exhaustion may progress to heat stroke, a life-threatening condition. At this stage, your temperature rises to a dangerous level and you may no longer sweat due to extreme dehydration. A person suffering from heat stroke may be in a state of confusion and disorientation. If you suspect someone is experiencing a heat stroke, call 911, get them out of the heat, and apply cold compresses on the body to lower body temperature quickly.
Balance Your Hormones Naturally
What does hormonal imbalance look like? Hot flashes, night sweats, bloating, irritability, brain fog, irregular cycle, and fatigue are just some of the symptoms. If you suffer from any of these symptoms and haven’t been able to find relief, why not try balancing your hormones naturally. Biofeedback testing and treatment help to detect imbalances and stimulate hormone-producing organs to balance the body. Another effective option is to get your body tested to see if it is lacking specific hormone-related nutrients. If you are, natural nutritional formulations can be taken to correct the hormonal imbalance and relieve your symptoms.
Acupuncture for Post-Partum Depression
Post-partum depression involves depressive symptoms or episodes after giving birth, affecting up to 30% of new mothers. The rates of suicide linked to post-partum depression continue to increase, so it’s important to address any symptoms of the condition as soon as they become apparent. Along with psychological intervention, acupuncture may help with the symptoms of post-partum depression, and some studies have shown that this combination can be as useful as certain anti-depressants. It’s thought that acupuncture helps to stimulate the nervous and immune systems and balance various neurotransmitters, reducing the brain’s reaction to stress and therefore the depressive state.
