Do a Google search on special days in February and there is a long list.
Two to note is it is Friendship month and Random Acts of Kindness Week-third week. During this COVID pandemic period, and personal mental health being noted as low, there is opportunity to make February a wonderful month by reaching out to family, friends, or total strangers in a gesture of kindness and friendship. Don’t forget Valentine’s day-14th to remember your special someone. You might just find that your special acts do your heart and spirit a world of good and boost your mental health.
Community News
Better Water, Better Health
How’s the water quality in your home? Do you find you have calcium buildup on any plumbing fixtures? Smelly water? High iron content? Improving your home’s water quality can result in a number of benefits, including: 1) Improved health for you and your loved ones. 2) Improved skin health. 3) Reduction of hard water buildup in your pipes and on your fixtures. 4) Longer service life for your dishwasher, water heater, softener humidifier and any other fixtures or equipment. Professional water testing can help you determine what impurities may be present in your home water system, and what products may help to remove those impurities, resulting in better water quality for both you and your home’s plumbing and fixtures.
Stay Young at Heart
CardioFlex Q10™ is a proprietary collagen precursor formula designed to promote the body’s natural ability to produce collagen and repair connective tissues to support cardiovascular health. Each serving contains 2000 mg Vitamin C, amino acids and other nutrients that help build structural elastin and structural collagen, maintain cardiovascular health, reduce the recurrence of herpes simplex virus/shingles, maintain proper muscle function and generally maintain good health. Excellent for supplementing vegan diets and made in Canada by Innotech Nutrition, a family company.
Clean Eating Recipe
Healthy Breakfast Egg Muffins: INGREDIENTS: 12 large eggs, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup chopped spinach, 3/4 cup quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/2 cup diced onions. INSTRUCTIONS: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir in the spinach, tomatoes, and onions. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Add sliced avocado, salsa and crumbled feta or a shredded cheese before serving. This recipe freezes well for future easy healthy breakfasts.
Words to Live By
Good health is not something we can buy. However, it can be an extremely valuable savings account.” Anne Wilson Schaef
Book Club: Beyond the Label
Beyond the Label offers a unique perspective on mental health: it shares the author’s own recovery from four major mental health conditions: anxiety, depression (attempted suicide), bulimia, and bipolar disorder type 1. The book outlines a detailed, step-by-step plan for how others can achieve optimal mental health. A combination of practical clinical experience and years of lived experience, the book shares insight into how diet, exercise, and sleep can be optimized for improved mental wellbeing, as well as strategies for coping with negative thoughts and emotions, and building self-love and compassion, among other skills.
Dry January? Try Solbrü
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.
With a New Year Comes New Energy
A new year brings new energy and possibility. Releasing the old that no longer works, makes room for the new. A story comes to mind about a monk who goes out on the lake to meditate in his boat. He cherishes his solitude and quiet. While deep in meditation, eyes closed he feels a sudden smash. He flies into a rage and begins to blame. How could anybody be so insensitive and careless. When he opened his eyes, he saw the boat was empty and had drifted off from shore. It was then he realized all feelings and reactions came from within. The “boats and people” are just who we project them on. This freed him to own and choose his thoughts and ways of being.
4 Tips to Ease Stress
Learn to say no – both on a professional and personal level. You should never take on more than you can handle. Cut down your to-do list – Analyse your schedule and prioritise your tasks by level of urgency. Limit the time you spend with people who stress you out – If someone causes stress in your life, limit the amount of time you spend with them and be more aware of your reaction to them.
Take control of the situation – Identify how you can limit stress in a particular situation e.g., if shopping makes you stressed do your shopping at a less busy time or make a list.
Signs of Too Much Screen Time
Our eyes are not designed to focus on digital devices that are 1 to 3 feet away for extended periods of time. The most common reported symptoms of too much screen time include: Eyes feel tired, sore, uncomfortable and/or hurt, have headaches, feel sleepy, lose concentration and/or have trouble remembering what was read. If it is possible, reduce your screen time and apply the 20-20-20 rule: take a break every 20 minutes and look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. If you or a family member have any of these signs, schedule an appointment with a Developmental Optometrist.
Make a Resolution to Get Active
Individuals who are physically active have a lower risk of obtaining health conditions including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Physical activity has been shown to improve mental health by having a positive impact on depression, anxiety, and stress. Kinesiologists are experts in the field of human movement, exercise prescription, fitness training and conditioning. A Kinesiologist uses evidence-based research to develop exercise programs for individuals looking to increase their physical activity levels. At our Henderson location we have a clinic (Innovative Therapy Solutions), with multiple certified Kinesiologists and physiotherapists who can guide and provide you with the tools to become healthier and more physically active.
