The “sober curious” or “sober sometimes” movement started as a challenge for those who felt they’d partied a little too hard over New Year’s weekend. A 2016 British study of about 850 men and women who volunteered to abstain from alcohol during Dry January found that participants reported a range of benefits. For instance, 82 percent said they felt a sense of achievement. “Better sleep” was cited by 62 percent, and 49 percent said they lost some weight. They had improvements in insulin sensitivity, their blood pressure numbers improved, and their livers looked a little healthier.
Community News
Acupuncture for Less Anxiety
Many studies involving hundreds of patients have shown evidence that acupuncture can help treat anxiety and can have similar effects as talk therapy. Acupuncture can help the body relax in a variety of ways, including 1) prompting the parasympathetic nervous system to release signals for relaxation; 2) improving the heart rate variability, which helps the body cope with stress; 3) calming the hypothalamus, which releases neurochemicals when we are under stress; and 4) helping with the flow of endorphins, the body’s own “feel good” chemicals. Acupuncture can be considered as an effective alternative to traditional pharmacological and psychological treatments.
Tuning Into Ourselves
The demands on each of us during this global pandemic continue to take their toll on our health and well-being. Intuitive Counselling can be an effective tool to support ourselves during this time of crisis. Everyone is intuitive and we all have the ability to tap into our own inner knowledge and wisdom. Intuitive Counselling provides support and guidance to help you: connect with your intuition; process emotions and blockages; and develop holistic practices to reduce stress, feel more grounded, and move forward with clarity and confidence. If this type of holistic support resonates with you, reach out to Safe Harbour Therapy.
Kickboxing Your Way to Weight Loss
Combining martial arts techniques and heart-pumping cardio, kickboxing is a high-energy workout that is guaranteed to burn calories and fat. The cardio-conditioning element of kickboxing is one of the most effective ways to burn fat-especially that stubborn belly fat that is associated with an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. A person who weighs 155 pounds can burn 400 calories during just 30 minutes of this high intensity workout! Our 13-bag smacking, skill building, core strengthening stations will get your heart pumping, clear your mind, and transform your body faster than you could ever imagine!
Treat Your Jaw Pain
Clenching and grinding your teeth, whether during the day or at night, is the most common cause of jaw pain. Over time, the heightened muscle activity can lead to trigger points within the chewing muscles that may cause pain, soreness, limited mouth opening, and even headaches. Physiotherapy can provide effective treatment for temporomandibular dysfunction. Your therapist may use a combination of manual therapy, intra-oral massage, dry needling, and home exercises to decrease muscle tone and encourage relaxation. Try to avoid the forward head posture, common when in front of a computer, as it negatively affects the biomechanics of the jaw.
Healthy Gut = Heathy Life
Did you know that there is a direct connection between the immune system and nutrition? The intestinal tract is the main route of contact with the external environment and is a pathway that contains microbiomes that aids digestion as well as the absorption of nutrients. This makes it critical for us to consume a balanced diet with the right nutrients while maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Make sure you consume an adequate amount of protein such a fish and lean meats. It’s also important to maintain a daily intake of vitamins and phytonutrients, especially Vitamin C. Increase your intake of probiotics and omega-3 fatty acids as they enhance the functions of immune cells.
Fight Colds & Flus & Viruses
Your immune system needs a strong thymus and spleen to produce antibodies and specialized white blood cells that help prevent disease. Do you know how yours are functioning? Nutritional testing is a great way to find out if there is a weakness or imbalance in these immune organs. If a weakness or imbalance is identified, specific nutrient formulations designed to naturally support and strengthen the thymus, spleen and immune system can be taken. This will help you to better fight against influenza, rhinovirus (common cold), pneumonia, and COVID. Remember the old saying, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”
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 coconut, chopped dried fruit. Preheat oven 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil. Combine in a large bowl. Let sit for 10 mins to let flax absorb some liquid. Add batter to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake 25 mins or until edges are crisp and center is cooked through. Enjoy!
Natural Product Spotlight:
Innotech Nutrition Fasting Days™ – Research shows some of the main benefits of intermittent fasting include: safe weight loss, more energy, improved cardio wellness, relief from aches and pains, rebuilding of liver, normalization of insulin sensitivity, and immune system optimization. Innotech Fasting Days™ is doctor-formulated to help support your goals with a balanced nutrient powder that’s very low in calories, keto-friendly, vegan, non-GMO, non-dairy, and free of sugar, gluten, artificial sweeteners/flavours and colours. It has 42 nutrients balanced for easy and SUCCESSFUL intermittent fasting, and helps with optimized energy, glucose metabolism, hydration and electrolyte balance, bone density and muscle mass, collagen formation, and hunger suppression. InnotechNutrition.com
Coldest Night of the Year
Samaritan House Ministries has been working to reach those in need in and around Brandon for nearly three decades. Thousands of people are assisted every month through our food bank and resource centre, safe and warm shelter, literacy and employment programs, second-stage housing, and food sustainability programs. We are grateful for the ongoing contributions of individuals, churches, government and non-government organizations, and for the businesses who support Samaritan House Ministries in its efforts, through donations of food, money and time. Samaritan House Programs: Manitoba’s 2nd largest Food Bank. Safe & Warm Shelter. Hoarding Support Program. Community Garden Network. Age as an Asset Employment Training. Literacy and GED Programs. Employment Resources. Mary’s House Second-stage Housing. Volunteering Opportunities. Winter is a tough time for homeless and hurting people in Brandon. Coldest Night of the Year is a terrific way for support Samaritan House and the community it serves.
Immune System & Your Gut
Your immune system works hard to protect you from injury, illness, and disease. This process usually involves inflammation, a natural response to stress, tissue damage, and harmful stimuli like viruses, bacteria, and toxins. Inflammation functions similarly to an engine warning light, alerting you to the presence of a problem through symptoms such as heat, pain, redness, swelling, and/or loss of function. 85% of the immune system is located in our gut. An anti-inflammatory diet rich in vitamins A, C, and E and the mineral selenium provides your gut with the ingredients it needs to bolster immunity and achieve optimal mental and physical health.
