Community News
Allergy Relief with NAET®

NAET® was discovered by Dr. Devi S. Nambudripad in November of 1983. Nambudripad’s Allergy Elimination Techniques, are non-invasive, drug-free, natural solutions to alleviate allergies of all types using a blend of selective energy balancing, testing, and treatment procedures. The variety of techniques applied includes acupuncture/acupressure, chiropractic, nutritional, and kinesiological disciplines of medicine. We know that many symptoms, such as headaches, backache, joint pain, indigestion, or cough, are often triggered by food and environmental sensitivities. If left untreated, these reactions might eventually cause illness. This therapy often alleviates adverse reactions to eggs, milk, peanuts, penicillin, aspirin, mushrooms, shellfish, latex, grass, ragweed, and flowers. In addition, people who suffer from allergens such as perfume, animal dander, animal epithelial, makeup, chemicals, cigarette smoke, pathogens, heat, cold, and other environmental substances also find relief. Reference: www.naet.com.

Dr. Maria Sabrina DiBernardo, D.C., Village Chiropractic Centre

Ditch the Fast Food

Is your weekday schedule so busy that stops at fast food joints are necessary? Having trouble sticking to a healthy diet? You might want to give meal prep a try! Make healthy food quickly and easily. Plan the meals for the week after getting everyone’s input. Shop accordingly. Pick one day a week as a cooking day. On cooking day, get out all the ingredients required. Elicit the help of your spouse and kids assembling, peeling, chopping, etc. Assemble, cook, and store in meal-size portions. Make double batches. Don’t like leftovers? No problem! Freeze half for a future week. Cook up a big batch of rice or quinoa, a savoury sauce, and chop veggies for a quick stir fry (add protein-rich canned beans, cashews, tofu, or sesame seeds later). Planning ahead can make homemade weekday meals faster than take-out.

Darlene Porter, Know Thyself as Soul Foundation, KnowThySelfAsSoul.org

Mary’s Story

“I don’t know who I am anymore, where I fit in, I just feel lost. I used to love my job, now I just feel detached. I can’t shut out thinking about my job after hours. Boundaries have become blurred, I’m having trouble sleeping, and I don’t feel safe anymore. Things I thought I dealt with in my own childhood are coming back. I am having a hard time watching the news or movies…I am an emotional wreck.” By becoming aware of the changes in her feelings and recognizing the signs of stress, and with help, Mary was able to engage in emotional self-care (counselling and balancing life), identify cognitive changes by paying attention to her thinking and knowing she is not alone, engage in healthy behaviours (boundaries and taking time off), and find ways to stay spiritually connected.

Patty Parsons, RSW, CCC, ParsonsTherapy.com

Why Athletes Should Float

Floating therapy involves lying in a dense epsom salt water solution in a tank to help reduce physical and mental stresses. Within each float cabin, 10 inches of water contains 1,000 pounds of dissolved epsom salts. The solution is heated to the same temperature as your skin – approximately 93.5 degrees Fahrenheit – which gives you the sensation of weightlessness. This helps ensure your body is relieved of the physical stress that gravity causes on a daily basis. Floating therapy is used by a number of world-renowned athletes to treat various sports related conditions and aid in their recovery. Benefits include: 1. Accelerates the recovery from injury. 2. Increases energy. 3. Creates an ideal space for visualization. 4. Boosts the immune system. 5. Reduces lactic acid levels in the body. 6. Aids in facilitated rest, improving athletes’ exposure to fatigue. 7. Improves sports performance. 8. Reduces risk of injury.

FluidFloat.com

New Treatment for Inflammation

Near Infrared Light Therapy is a new treatment for inflammation, wounds that don’t heal, and soft tissue injuries. People with arthritis, carpal tunnel, fibromyalgia, sports injuries, and even diabetic skin ulcers are experiencing incredible pain relief and healing with this technology. Different from standard laser therapy, this Health Canada licensed medical device can penetrate the skin 3-4 cm deep, stimulating healing at the cellular level. In doing so, it increases circulation, oxygenation, and tissue perfusion. These combined effects result in decreased inflammation and muscular pain, and increased wound healing, even for chronic conditions that do not respond well to other types of treatment. Near Infrared Tissue Stimulation, now available in Manitoba, is being used in Ontario to treat arthritis, shoulder injuries, back pain, tendonitis, knee pain, chronic foot wounds, and fungal infections. Improve your health and get some relief today with N.I.R. Therapy.

Centre For Alternative Healing, AltHealing.ca

Heed the Gut-Brain Connection

More and more evidence is showing that your gut health has an enormous effect on your brain, your body’s immune system, and hormonal secretion. Food sensitivities can cause ill effects beyond the physical symptoms of inflammation, allergies, and asthma. Anxiety, depression, irritability, and mood swings can also appear, because they create imbalances in key chemicals in the brain. Dietary changes that include probiotics, fermented foods, and natural fats help your microbiome and gut-brain signaling. Stress and cortisol equip you with energy to attend to tasks at hand; however, excess or chronic stress has a negative effect on brain chemistry, causing thyroid dysfunction and/ or adrenal fatigue, which leads to compromised mental and physical health. Know that Brainwave Optimization brings relaxation to the master regulator of the nervous system – the brain – so it can help your gut. In a “both-and” world, it’s all connected.

Joanne Couture, LalobaTraumaRelease.com

Game, Set, & TENNIS ELBOW!

Spring has arrived and people are heading outside to play the sports they’ve missed throughout the winter, including tennis and golf. It’s easy to spend hours playing these sports. Sometimes we tend to overdo it, and the repetitive stress on the body can cause aches and pains. One common area where one might experience problems is the elbow. Both golf and tennis put stress on your forearm extensor and flexor muscles. It is important to pay attention to the SHARP signs of inflammation (swelling, heat, altered function, redness, and pain). The best ways to treat these conditions include rest, stretches, massage, and ice. Giving the affected area enough time to go through the inflammatory process will allow it to heal. Eccentric exercise can then be added to strengthen the muscles. Another option is putting an elbow strap on the muscle belly to alter where the repetitive stress is pulling.

Heath Vermette, CAT(C), SouthSherbrook.com

Calm the Mind & the Body Will Follow

When was the last time you did something for the first time? Have you ever let your own apprehension stop you from trying something new? Some of the most amazing things wait for us on the other side of our comfort zone. As we get older, our comfort zones tend to get in the way and start to stunt our growth. With age comes wisdom and our belief is that these walls we build are movable. Expanding them to include new experiences adds long lasting value to our lives. Floating is one such experience for many people. Any trepidation of stepping into a floatation tank soon passes when you find yourself in a very comfortable warm environment, weightless with nothing but peace and quiet surrounding you. The mental and physical relief this environment provides allows for a full system reset and those once-tall-walls begin to crumble under their own weight. Calm the mind, and the body will follow.

Brad Dauk, FloatCalm.com

Do the Twist

This spring, be sure to consider the mobility and strength required to do yard work and play sports like baseball or golf. The mid-back, or thoracic spine, is designed to twist, allowing for smooth motion while doing these activities. If your thoracic spine lacks the ability to twist, or has strength deficits, other areas may compensate for this, potentially resulting in injury to the low back, or lumbar spine. If you find these spring twisting activities are irritating your low back, consider addressing the strength and mobility of your thoracic spine. A strong and healthy thoracic spine can help take the load off of the already stressed lumbar spine. As physiotherapists, we can fully assess your movement and strength to determine the underlying cause of your low back pain. Treatment options, including manual therapy and exercise, have proven to be effective in relieving pain and increasing function.

Dan Girardin, MPT, BESS, Prairie Trail Physiotherapy, PrairieTrailPhysio.ca

Grilled Corn and Avocado Succotash Recipe

2tbsp veg oil

kosher salt

Pepper, 2 tbsp

fresh lime juice

4 ears fresh corn

½ pint cherry tomatoes

halved

1 bell pepper

¼ inch diced

½ medium Red Onion

finely chopped

1 avocado chopped into ½ inch cubes, ¼ c

torn fresh basil leaves

While your steaks are cooking, shuck the corn, toss it in the veg oil and let it cook on another side of your grill. Once you’ve got some nice grill marks on the corn, take it off and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. Mix with the rest of your ingredients, and serve with the steak. Prairie Box, PrairieBox.com

Business Spotlight: Prairie Box

Prairie Box is Winnipeg’s first meal prep subscription company aimed at families, and busy professionals who want to get a healthy meal, but don’t have the time or inclination to cook fresh every day. Each week chefs Lewis Glassey and Brandon Schofield create a fresh and healthy menu delivered right to your door. Customers sign up for 6, 8, 10 or 12 meals a week, and can choose between a different meat or vegetarian options. Each meal costs $9.99 and is designed to be hearty, healthy and delicious. Most of the ingredients are sourced from local farmers. An example menu; Pork loin with roasted carrots and Yukon gold mash; sautéed chicken fillet with creamed leeks, mushrooms, and brown rice; beef lasagna or spaghetti squash “pasta” with basil pesto. The meals keep well in the fridge until you’re ready to eat them, or can be frozen for longer-term storage. Prairie Box, PrairieBox.com