Community News
Health Product Review: Opus Healthy Water Systems

Opus Healthy Water Systems produce crystal clear great tasting water. For pennies a litre, Opus systems remove harmful contaminants, pathogens, chlorine, fluoride, chloramines, heavy metals, odors and more, while retaining naturally occurring minerals. Reverse osmosis systems remove healthful minerals, creating acidic, corrosive water that can be harmful to your health and your home. Reverse Osmosis water leaches nickel from stainless steel which can trigger allergic reactions and contribute to joint pain. Opus systems produce pH-balanced or alkaline water and feature a minimum of .5 micron microfiltration, with options down to .001 micron nanofiltration. Available bioceramic infusers can add molecular hydrogen and boost alkalinity, transforming ordinary tap water into a powerful antioxidant. Designed for municipally treated water sources and drilled wells, Opus filtration solutions include point-of-use systems with an installed faucet for the kitchen, countertop units, and point-of-entry systems that filter all the water in your home, cottage, or business.

Aviva Natural Health Solutions, AvivaHealth.com

BACK to Class

The beginning of the school year is quickly approaching and it’s time to start preparing a number of things for the upcoming return. Let’s talk about backpacks. Proper backpack wear is extremely important to prevent issues such as muscle strains and poor posture, especially in children and teenagers who are growing and developing. The Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA) outlines many important tips for backpack wear. The backpack should rest comfortably on the shoulders with both padded straps on, and the bottom should sit in the curve of the lower back (about 2 inches above the waist). The weight of the bag with contents should not be more than 1015% of total body weight. There may be a problem if you notice red marks on the shoulders, tingling in the arms, or pain. If you have any other questions, your physiotherapist would be happy to answer them. Have a safe school year!

Physio First, PhysioFirstClinic.ca

Back to School!

Here are some tips to help you and your child stress less:

• Ease back into a healthy bedtime routine. Routines are key for children, especially when it comes to sleep. An hour of quiet time with no electronics is a great way to help them relax.

• Lay clothing out and pack lunches the night before. This allows more time for you and your child to prepare for the day.

• Help your child set goals, rather than focus on good grades alone.

• Teach your child breathing or relaxation techniques to help them when they are stressed or overwhelmed.

Wendy Omilanow, Access BARS

Pet Food for Thought

Choosing the right food for your pet is important. With so many choices, it’s hard to know which way to go! Here are a few fundamental facts about which choice to make: For ALL cats, food should be grain-free. Cats lack the digestive enzyme that metabolizes grains, which is why feline obesity, diabetes, and kidney failure are so common. Cats require wet food in their diet. Kibble is highly processed and does not come close to providing the necessary moisture an animal needs to live healthfully. Without this moisture, cats are prone to dehydration, urinary infections, and eventually kidney failure. Your pets deserve the best quality of life; they’re family!

The Lymphatic System

A previous article spoke about another system (lymphatic) and its functions, which are not related to either your blood or venous system. With swelling caused by an insufficient lymphatic system, it is necessary to re-route the lymph flow around blocked area(s) into more central and healthy lymph vessels. This goal is achieved by:

a) manual lymph drainage

b) compression therapy

c) decongestive and breathing exercise

d) skin and nail care

Together, these make up complete decongestive therapy (CDT)—the international “gold standard” of treatment for patients affected by lymphedema. This is a chronic condition that has no cure, and therefore must be managed throughout one’s lifespan. Talk to a trained and certified therapist who can assess you and provide any additional information.

Marita Dowsett, B.P.T. Physio4U, Physio4U.net

Listen to Your Body

Did you know our bodies are trying to send us messages all day, especially when we are not willing to pay attention to different aspects of our lives? If you are experiencing neck pain, it may be that your body and mind are trying to tell you something. When you have a sore neck, ask yourself who in your life is a pain in the neck. Can you bring more compassion to the situation to soften the tension? Are you sticking your neck out for someone else? Are you breaking your neck to get something done? Is someone breathing down your neck? Were you aware that waking up during the night is an indication that your body is unable to process an issue that could be affecting your life? If you are feeling overburdened, your shoulders will ache. Our bodies are letting us know what parts of our lives require attention.

Robin Chant, Inspire You Studio, RobinChant.com

Chronic Cough?

Did you know that regular reflexology treatments can help with chronic cough/respiratory and sinus issues? Who would think that massaging the feet could do that? One of my clients, whom I’ve been working with since the beginning of the year, has been coming to see me for just this. She has had a chronic cough for many years and has had no relief, but after a few treatments she found her cough mostly resolved and now she just gives me a shout when she starts to feel the tickle coming back. She is now seeing me only every 6 to 8 weeks.

Janice’s Feet First Reflexology, Facebook.com/FFReflexology

Clean Ducts for Clean Air

When cleaning your home, don’t forget about your ductwork. Just because you don’t see inside your ducts doesn’t mean you don’t breathe what comes out of them. Each time your heating or air conditioning system comes on, debris in your ducts become airborne, resulting in poor indoor air quality. What are the benefits of duct cleaning?

Having your ducts cleaned helps:

• Improve the air quality in your home.

• Ensure your furnace and air conditioner operate at maximum efficiency. Dirty ventilation systems can lead to clogged air conditioner coils and furnace filters, as well as contaminated blower wheels that could result in a breakdown.

Dora Air Duct Cleaning, Dora-Cleaning.ca

Lose Weight With MINDBAND

MINDBAND isn’t just about losing weight, it seems to have a side effect: it helps diabetes, just as Lap-Band does, only it comes without the stress and danger of surgery, the recovery time, and the strict diet. MINDBAND is simple and easy. You get to relax, and the results are that it makes it easier to stick to sensible eating habits. Why? Your mind actually wants you to eat sensible, healthy food and it is not fighting you to eat that dessert and bag of chips. Real results. One client had a blood sugar level of 19.6. We did MINDBAND and she made a couple of easy changes to her eating habits. Four days later, her blood sugar level was 7.4. This program can also help those who do not wish to lose weight, but are having problems controlling their blood sugar, or for those who wish to lose weight only.

Sherry Wilkinson, WinnipegHypnotherapy.com

Why Children Struggle to Read

We’ve all met them. The children who can’t stop fidgeting in their seats, who hold their heads way too close to their paper when copying, or who really struggle to learn to read, even though they are bright. Sadly, these children are likely the 1 in 4 who suffer from learning-related vision disorders. It is important that parents and teachers recognize the signs and symptoms that indicate a vision problem (unrelated to glasses) is interfering with a child’s ability to read and learn. Although a regular eye exam will determine the physical health of the eyes and any need for glasses, it does not evaluate the 16 other visual skills required for learning. To ensure a child is not suffering from a hidden visual dysfunction, a developmental visual evaluation is required. The good news is that through vision therapy, these vision problems can be fixed.

Grand Developmental Vision Institute, GrandVisionInstitute.ca

Avoiding Falls

As we age, the body begins to slow down, which greatly increases the risk of falling. There are many contributing factors to why we fall, including medication, nutrition, eyesight, strength, balance, and proprioception. Muscular strength is the amount of force a muscle can produce in a single maximum effort. Muscles pull from their tendinous insertions on bone to create movement. Proprioception is the body’s awareness of itself in space; this term directly relates to the body’s ability to maintain a balanced upright position while walking, standing, and sitting. It is important to perform exercises that challenge the body, as the body will only adapt to the loads placed upon it. This means that if you are sedentary, your body will not maintain strength or balance, so you must consistently challenge yourself. Talk to your athletic therapist or physiotherapist for exercises to strengthen your body and improve your balance.

Ashley Lund, Certified Athletic Therapist, InnovativeMedicalSupplies.com