It’s important for people of all ages to keep their brains healthy with regular workouts, but especially so for seniors. Here are five ways you can keep your mind sharp as you age: 1) Play a game. Try a sudoku, crossword, or jigsaw puzzle, or play a game of cards with friends. 2) Get moving. Regular exercise increases blood flow to your brain and increases neurons. 3) Listen to or play music. Science shows that music is a great brain booster. 4) Eat right. A healthy diet is crucial for cognitive health. 5) Learn something new. Keep your mind engaged!
Community News
Calm Your Nerves with Aromatherapy
Pure Joy Naturals’ Ang.zi.e.dee (ANXIETY) Essential Oil Blend helps evoke peace and calm with a mix of Sweet Orange, Clary Sage, Vetiver, Grapefruit, Ylang Ylang, and Blue Chamomile essential oils. Add 4-5 drops to your aromatherapy diffuser and breathe deeply or add a drop to your aromatherapy necklace or bracelet and have it with you wherever you go. You can also make a ready-to-use roll-on by using 3 ml (60 drops) of Ang.zi.e.dee and topping up the roll-on bottle with fractionated coconut oil. Roll it onto your wrists and enjoy instant peace and calm anytime and anywhere!
Is Your Indoor Air Healthy?
We all care about our family’s health, but have you considered the quality of the air inside of our homes? Allergies, illness, and long-term health can all be affected either in a positive or negative fashion depending on the quality of the air inside your home. According to the Environmental Protection Agency the air inside your home can be 2 to 10 times more polluted than the outside air. It is difficult for our immune system to keep up with the abundance of pollen, dander, smoke, mold, bacteria, and chemical gases that are locked inside. Consider investing in an air purifier to keep your home, and your family, healthy.
Ask The Pharmacist
Q. What is the best diet strategy for weight loss?
A. The answer depends on your weight loss goals. Unfortunately, the evidence is conflicting about what strategies work best. At the end of the day, the best diet for you is the one that you can faithfully follow for a lifetime to help you to reach your optimal weight and allows you to not feel hungry or deprived. Medications can also contribute to weight gain, so have a pharmacist review your medications to ensure a medication is not contributing to unwanted weight.
4 Actions for Mental Wellbeing
There are some surprisingly simple things we can do each day to improve our mental wellbeing. Some great examples include: 1) Practice gratitude: Make a list of everything you are grateful for, and tell those closest to you how much you appreciate them. 2) Be organized: Tidiness and organization can help you feel in control of your life and your wellbeing. Why not start by making your bed each day? 3) Get active. Physical activity can help improve your mood and focus. 4) Strive for mindfulness. Immerse yourself in each moment and let go of past and/or future concerns.
Boost Mental Health & Performance at Work
During this global pandemic, the need for mental health support has increased fourfold. As an employee, the best thing you can do for your mental health is to be vocal. If you are struggling, speak up or use the Wellness Together Canada free resources. Waiting causes longer term damage impacting productivity and quality of life. If you are an employer, ask how you can support your team every day. Then, make or get a Mental Health First Aid kit and put it somewhere visible to demonstrate mental health is just as important as physical health. Include things like motivational cards, mindfulness colouring sheets, stress balls, breathing exercises and general resilience tips.
Product Review: RELEAF Stick
ACTIVE RELEAF aims to encourage active wellness through the use of nature’s most powerful ingredients. With a synergistic blend of coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, and broad spectrum cannabinoid-rich hemp plant extract, ACTIVE RELEAF’s topicals offer a natural alternative for pain relief. Try the Original Formula RELEAF Stick as a reliable remedy to soothe everyday aches and pains. For extra stubborn discomfort associated with joint stiffness, and inflammation, the Extra Strength RELEAF+ Stick is specially formulated to soothe quickly and be long lasting. Apply liberally to affected areas 3 – 4 times a day or as needed.
Stress Handling With Biofeedback
Everyday we have an estimated 60,000 to 80,000 thoughts running through our minds. Considering that our minds can only handle 7-10 bits of information at a time, no wonder we start to feel overwhelmed, especially with what is going on in the world today. Unmanaged stress contributes to many health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, insomnia, depression, and a weak immune system. Alternative approaches such as Biofeedback testing and treatment are highly effective in handling stress. It detects imbalances, or weaknesses, in the stress handling areas of the body, and in turn, stimulates the affected areas to help the mind and body process and handle stress better.
Book Club: Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both a memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It offers a piercing, electrifying examination of the restrictive expectations women are issued from birth; shows how hustling to meet those expectations leaves women feeling dissatisfied and lost; and reveals that when we quit abandoning ourselves and instead abandon the world’s expectations of us, we become women who can finally look at ourselves and recognize: There She Is.
Effects of Social Isolation
Several studies have shown social isolation can negatively affect your health. This National Institute on Aging primer notes that loneliness can lead to high blood pressure, depression, and put you at greater risk of illness. That could mean more doctor’s visits and higher health care costs. And what if you or your loved one takes a fall with no one around? Beyond the physical pain, the financial implications could be high. And then there’s the emotional toll of social isolation, which can be even more devastating. These are all things to consider when deciding whether you or your loved one spend the next chapter of life at home or in a senior living community.
Dementia-Friendly Technology
Dementia affects parts of the brain responsible for language, learning, and memory. Those living with dementia can find it scary and overwhelming, but there are some devices that can help make them feel safe and secure. An easy-to-read clock placed in clear view can help with daily routines and reduce anxiety. A wearable GPS tracker device can help locate someone with dementia in cases of emergency. Automated pill dispensers open automatically with an alert sound when it’s time to take medication. Finally, a wearable monitoring device can detect falls and alert medical responders to ensure those with dementia are safe.
