Community News
4 Things You Should NEVER Feed Your Dog

All pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But have you heard of these ones? Suprisingly, only 30% of dog owners know these facts! Keep your pup away from the following: 1. Onions – Plants of this family, including chives and garlic, are not suitable for dogs. Eating these could cause your animal to develop anemia, weakness, rapid breathing and reddish or brown urine. 2. Grapes or Raisins – This fruit can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure. It’s been proven that even a few grapes can potentially be fatal for your pet. 3. Xylotol – Is found in gum, baked goods, and anything else that is sugar substituted. It is extremely toxic to dogs, and it can cause seizures, liver failure and possibly even death. 4. Salt – Eating salt will cause excessive thirst and urination. If they managed to eat a lot, it could cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperthermia, depression, tremors, seizures, and death.

Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Sitter

Caregiver Pharmacy Support

It can be difficult to be a caregiver and manage multiple or complex medications for a loved one. It is important to ensure medications are taken appropriately to help maintain good health. A visiting pharmacist provides personal support with regular medication delivery and home consultations. The pharmacist reviews a client’s prescription drugs and over the counter medications to advise if there are any drug interactions and makes adjustments as necessary. This level of support can reduce emergency room visits and hospital stays and results in strong, trusting relationships between clients, caregivers, and pharmacists. The visiting pharmacist also provides seamless care for hospital discharge patients and works closely with other health professionals to deliver a high level of care to the client. Care is tailored to specific individual needs such as assisting with blood pressure readings, adding medications as needed to adherence packaging and making changes in an efficient manner.

Care at Home Pharmacy, careathomepharmacy.ca

Boost Your Mental Health This Winter

Winter months can be difficult for those experiencing a mental health challenge or illness, especially during and following the holiday season. There are, however, a myriad of evidence-based ways to boost your physical and mental well-being. One important tool is vitamin D. Research clearly shows the benefits of this powerful vitamin for improving body and thereby brain health. Our bodies synthesize this nutrient through exposure to the sun. However, during reduced daylight months we are unable to get what we need from our solar source. Because low levels of vitamin D are associated with depression, it may be beneficial to add vitamin D through your diet, light therapy, or a supplement. If taking a supplement, choose the “D3”version and consume with a fatty meal. Be sure to speak with your doctor before starting a nutritional supplement program. If low mood persists, contact your healthcare provider or local CMHA for additional information and resources.

Sean Miller, Canadian Mental Health Association, mbwpg.cmha.ca

6 Toxic Chemicals in Your Laundry Detergent

The laundry detergent you’re using may contain a cocktail of potent chemicals. Not only can these chemicals wreak havoc on your health, but they also are contaminating our waterways and harming the environment. Because laundry-care product manufacturers are not required to list all laundry detergent ingredients on packaging, it can be difficult for consumers to make informed choices. There are 7 toxic chemicals likely found in your store-bought detergents, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep. Cosmetic Safety Reviews, research studies show that the chemicals in detergents link to allergies, irritation of the skin and eyes, organ toxicity, developmental/reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, endocrine disruption, ecotoxicology, and biochemical or cellular changes. Do your research as you may find out that it’s your laundry detergent that is causing your skin irritations or allergies.

Kevin Shale, Low Environmental Impact Technologies, leit.ca

Clean Eating: Squash That Apple Pie!

Squash for dessert? This is how to eat your veggies! Fast, healthy, easy, low-calorie and gluten-free – perfect to round out holiday eating. Ingredients: 1 medium cooked spaghetti squash, 2 apples chopped or sliced, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar (or sweetener of choice), 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 Tbsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Spray an 8×8” baking dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and lemon juice. Chop cold squash into rice-size pieces. Add squash, apples, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Add mix and distribute evenly in dish. Bake on middle rack for 45-60 minutes. Drizzle with maple syrup, sprinkle with toasted nuts and serve with plain Greek yogurt. Adapted from Cara Lyon’s Sweet Spaghetti Squash Kugel with Apples and Raisins, carascravings.com.

Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca

The Link Between Depression & Hearing Loss

Research continues to prove a strong connection between hearing loss and depression. The two are referred to as invisible conditions, as you cannot see their effects at first glance. Because of this, their effects can often go unacknowledged, unrecognized, and untreated. Hearing loss affects one’s ability to communicate, which can cause stress, fatigue, social isolation, and, in turn, depression. Along with depression, clients with untreated hearing loss are known to experience anxiety, relationship problems, low self-esteem, stress, and other negative emotions. However, hearing aids have been found to help combat these issues. A study by the National Council on the Aging (NCOA) found that those with untreated hearing loss were more likely to report depression, anxiety, and paranoia, and they were less likely to participate in organized social activities compared to those who wear hearing aids. If you recognize some of these signs in yourself or a loved one, contact us today!

Lisa Reid Audiology, www.lisareid.ca

Water After a Massage

First off, kneading and working the muscles gets fluid pumping out of soft tissue and into your circulatory system, where it is directed towards the kidneys. You need to replenish all that water, by drinking more water! Secondly, when muscles are tight, the circulation in that area is compromised. When massage releases that tension, and allows for nitrogenous metabolic waste to dump into the system (toxins), drinking water provides your kidneys with fluid to effectively eliminate that waste. Water plays a vital role in nearly every bodily function. Lack of water can cause fatigue, an increase in appetite, mental fogginess, and much more. Water makes up the majority of our body composition. If we want our body to run properly, we need to feed it the essentials, and proper nutrition. Drink water. Take care of your body, it’s the only place you have to live in.

Chelsea Nault, Soulful Instinct Massage Therapy

Rethink Your Drink

Just because it isn’t soda, doesn’t mean it’s not packed full of sugar! The following are drinks commonly considered to be healthy options but really aren’t: 1. Fruit Juice – If you’re trying to cut your sugar intake, stay far away! 1 cup of fruit punch, for example, can have up to 38 grams of sugar!! Try adding pieces of fruit into your water for a subtle flavor, such as lemon or berries. 2. Energy Drinks – Even though they usually don’t contain a ton of calories, an 8-ounce serving can run you more than 25 grams of sugar—and no, they aren’t healthy just because they’re fortified with B vitamins. If you need a boost, stick to coffee with a natural sweetener. 3. Tonic Water – If you think a “gin and tonic” is a healthy option, you’ve been misguided. Twelve ounces of tonic water adds a whopping 32 grams of sugar to your glass (that’s eight teaspoons). Try soda water instead!

Dr. Tom Swanlund, aquadentalwellness.com

Bowenwork for Back Pain

Bowenwork is a very gentle, holistic, hands-on form of bodywork that essentially resets the body to heal itself. Bowen Therapy can be extremely effective with issues related to lower back pain, even when other therapies were unsuccessful. The Bowenwork Practitioner never forcefully manipulates the body into correction. On the contrary, the body is gently signalled through the nervous system by the practitioner’s moves, and then left to heal itself, with minimal intervention. Bowenwork restores balance of the entire body through the nervous system. Once muscles become balanced, blood flow, oxygen, and nutrients are increased, and toxins are released. Additionally, bones move back to where they should be, and pinched nerves are set free. Often there is pain relief in multiple areas of the body, resulting in a profound sense of well-being. Don’t give up! Talk to a Certified Bowenwork Practitioner about starting your healing journey today.

Bernadette Kozak, Certified Bowenwork Practitioner, www.WinnipegPainRelief.ca

Brace Yourself

When you have knee osteoarthritis, the space between the bones in your knee becomes narrower as you lose cartilage. As your condition worsens, and without the protective layer of cartilage, the bones begin to come in direct contact with one another. The result – pain, inflammation, and reduced function of the knee. One solution to resolve these symptoms is to wear an offloading knee brace. The function of these braces is to increase the space between the bones of the knee and to off-load the bone on bone contact. The outcome – decreased pain, decreased inflammation, and increased function of the knee. Talk to your doctor to see if an off-loading knee brace is right for you. The variety of braces that we are able to provide ensures that we will find one you can comfortably wear throughout your day.

Innovative Medical Supplies, innovativemedicalsupplies.com

Re-Think Omega Fatty Acids!

Fat could be your biggest ally in health maintenance and cardiovascular disease prevention. But we need to think about the RIGHT fats. Omega fatty acids are crucial for helping to lower bad cholesterol and triglycerides. They are essential to maintaining our nervous system and act as an anti-inflammatory to fight diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Some forms of omega-3 can also reduce fat while improving lean body mass. But which omega fatty acids do we REALLY need?   The ones most North Americans need is omega-3 from FISH OIL, as the typical Western diet does not give enough of it. When you are looking for an omega-3 product from the pharmacy, keep in mind a few tips: 1. Look for omega-3s from fish oil instead of krill oil. This is because krill oil contains very little omega-3. 2. Look for ingredients of EPA/DHA as opposed to alpha-linolenic acid as EPA/DHA is the form of omega-3 that the body can use most efficiently.

Teresa Giesbrecht, www.careathomepharmacy.ca