Balanced Life Experience
October 13 & 14. Assiniboia Downs. Sat 10-8. Sun 10-6. Aligning Body, Mind and Spirit. Event Highlights: Top leaders, practitioners and businesses within the wellness or healthy living industry. Main stage offering free demos, talks, presentations and entertainment. Exciting workshops. Free fitness demos. Reader’s Corner – come see one of our talented intuitives/psychics. Creator’s Corner – Handmade Market. Natural Products. BalancedLifeWpg.ca.
Community News
Vitamin K2 Has Big Benefits
Vitamin K2 is a little-known vitamin essential for strong, healthy bones, and cardiovascular health. K2 stimulates production of bone-building protein osteocalcin and inhibits bone breakdown, maintaining bone density and decreasing fractures. It supports cardiovascular health by helping to move calcium into bones and away from the arteries. In the Rotterdam Heart Study, people with the highest (vs. lowest) dietary vitamin K2 intake had a 57% lower risk of death from heart disease. Vitamin K2 is available in a vegetarian-friendly, one-a-day, non-GMO supplement providing MK-7 to support strong bones and a healthy heart. Caution – If you are taking blood thinners, consult a health care practitioner prior to using products containing vitamin K. (Refences listed on Wellnessnews.ca)
In Your Neighbourhood
Are you 55+ and looking for fun and affordable fitness programs? Whether you’re a beginner or already physically active, Good Neighbours Active Living Centre has a fitness class for you. Examples are Beginner and Intermediate Barre Fitness, Functional Movement, Interval Training, PACE (People with Arthritis Can Exercise), Beginner and Intermediate Pilates, Tai Chi, Total Body Conditioning, a variety of Yoga classes (Beginner, Intermediate, Chair Yoga, Strength & Yoga, Relax & Restore Yin Yoga), Drums Alive, Let’s Move, Let’s Dance and more! All of our fitness instructors are certified and trained to work with older adults. For more information, call Good Neighbours at 204-669-1710 or visit our website at www.gnalc.ca.
Tips for Staying Hydrated
Even though summer is winding down, it’s still important to make sure you’re drinking enough water to avoid dehydration! Especially for older individuals, dehydration can result in: dizziness, fainting, low blood pressure, and irregular bowel movements.
Most adults should drink at least 8-12 glasses of water per day for adequate hydration. Here are a few tips to ensure you’re drinking enough:
-Drink water with your meals and keep a jug of water on the table for easy access.
-Carry a water bottle with you at school, at work, or when running errands.
-For flavour, try adding lime, cucumber slices, or lemon to your water.
Fighting Foot Pain
Have you ever wondered what causes sharp, shooting pain in your feet, especially first thing in the morning? You may have plantar fasciitis which is one of the most common causes of heel pain. It can be caused by ill-fitting footwear, general daily activity, age, foot mechanics and general weakness through out the lower body. If you have this type of pain a physiotherapist can help you, by assessing your movement and determining the cause of the pain. From there a treatment and exercise program can be prescribed based on your needs.
Strategies for Back Health
There are a few simple strategies to avoid back pain. One is to try to get up and walk around every 30 minutes. This avoids something called “tissue creep”, which occurs with prolonged sitting. For light lifting off the ground, consider a “golfer’s lift”. It is the same technique that golfers use to pick up the golf ball from the cup. Notice how they don’t round their back while both feet are on the ground? This may be useful for picking up clothes off the floor. For heavier lifting, the hip hinge (using your hips without flexing your back) is the most proven method for lifting weight off the ground.
Product Review: EMP Advanced
I recently discovered Truehope EMP Advanced and found this product works well to normalize brain function around mood and sleep issues. Although it’s not necessarily the complete answer for everyone, my wife and I both notice the difference. Many people are not functioning near their optimal levels due to sub-optimal nutrient levels in their diets. I think Truehope EMP Advanced is the most dopaminergic among all the multivitamins I’ve ever tried. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls the brain’s reward centers and a deficiency can result in addictive behavior and low brain energy in general (hard to get motivated to get out of bed in the morning), and at it’s severest, Parkinson’s Disease. Truehope EMP Advanced appears to help modulate dopamine levels in the brain.
The Eyes and Ears Connection
As we age, we’re more susceptible to hearing loss and vision changes. According to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), you’re at greater risk of social isolation and reduced community participation if you have vision loss. The same goes for hearing loss. Having both a vision and a hearing problem can affect your ability to lip-read, which is detrimental to communicating with co-workers, family, and friends. A decreased ability to socialize is linked to a greater risk of dementia. However, Statistics Canada reports that 90 percent of people with hearing loss can improve communication with a properly fitting hearing aid, counselling, or environmental changes.
Driving for the Future
Evidence of climate change is showing up everyday with higher temperatures across the country (and the globe). What many people don’t know is that Hybrid vehicles cut the amount of CO2 and your fuel bill by 25 – 50%. Let me say that again: 25 – 50%! Imagine your vehicle being powered partly by a feisty hamster running in his wheel – now your gas powered engine only does half the work. And when your engine doesn’t work as hard, it won’t need as much maintenance. We care and that’s why over 75% of Hybrids worldwide are made by Toyota. Making an impact globally starts with making good decisions at home.
Returning to Work After an Injury
Motor vehicle accidents (MPI) and workplace injuries (WCB) can be stressful, especially if you end up needing time off from work. It is important not to rush back and risk further injury. Physiotherapists will provide the appropriate hands-on treatments and exercises, while offering safe return-to-work plans with graduated hours and workplace restrictions, if needed. Soft tissue typically takes 3 to 6 weeks to heal, depending on severity, and so functional testing will be done routinely throughout your treatments to ensure that increases in job demands are appropriate and will not flare up symptoms or cause re-injury.
Back to School – The Right Way
Make sure to get the school year started off right in your home with multivitamins! There are many easy and tasty ways to make this a healthy daily habit for you and your family, and the benefits are outstanding. Multivitamins provide a rich balance of essential nutrients for growing bodies and minds, while supporting digestion and a healthy immune system. Why not include them in breakfasts or bag lunches to promote this healthy lifestyle with your children? Sometimes they even taste like candy! What better way to build a solid foundation for the coming school year.
