Community News
Who Should You Know Better Than Anyone Else?

Have you ever met a celebrity? How many family and friends do you know on a personal level? Whose advice do you take over anyone else’s? Now here’s a good one for you – do you know yourself? Often, we are so focused on work, family, friends and daily distractions that we have never taken the time to get to know ourselves. As an example, I was so busy trying to be the best at everything and become an all-star at life, that for years I ignored myself and the aspects of me that needed TLC, growth, and attention – until my health and happiness reached an all-time low. Then I got to know myself in a hurry! In order to prevent problems from arising OR to dig yourself out of them – I highly recommend that you connect and listen to… You. It may be surprising what you can resolve for yourself.

Shannon Russell, BodyMind Freedom Solutions, www.thedashmethod.com

Float Your Way to Happiness

People generally have heard about floating by the terms “pods” or “tanks,” and start to feel claustrophobic. Float “Cabins” are different. Float Cabins come as large as four feet wide, eight feet long, and nearly seven feet high, and they are easily accessible easy to come out of with standard swing or sliding doors. Within each float cabin, 10 inches of water is infused with up with 1,000 pounds of dissolved Epsom salts, this makes the water extremely buoyant. With the option to remove light and sound, you experience the sensation of floating through space. Other options include the ability to play your own music and enjoy colour therapy as well. Floating regularly helps reduce physical and mental stresses on the body. The brain gives out alpha waves associated with meditation that allows the body to recover from stress and relax. Floatation therapy is a simple way to invest in your own health and happiness.

Fluid Float Studio, www.fluidfloat.com

Have You Tried Kefir?

Kefir is a unique cultured dairy product and one of the most probiotic-rich foods on the planet. Drinking Kefir has incredible medicinal benefits for your digestion and gut health. It’s tart and refreshing flavor is similar to a drinking-style yogurt, but it contains beneficial yeast as well as friendly probiotic bacteria found in yogurt. The naturally occurring bacteria and yeast in combine symbiotically to give superior health benefits when consumed regularly. It is loaded with valuable vitamins and minerals and contains easily digestible complete proteins. For the lactose intolerant, kefir’s abundance of beneficial yeast and bacteria provide lactase, an enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process. Drink up for benefits to your immune system, your bowels (see you later, IBS symptoms!), and your bones. It helps fight allergies, improves lactose digestion, supports detoxification, and even kills candida.

Disability Tax Credit, www.disabilitytaxcreditwinnipeg.com

Positive Mental Health is a Laughing Matter

While living with mental illness is no joke, laughing for positive mental and physical health seriously works. In fact, evidence supports the claim that a joyful heart provides a similar benefit to that of medicine. Although not considered a replacement for medical treatment, some doctors are using laughter as an adjunctive therapy. In the short and long term, laughter has been shown to, 1. Stimulate/boost the immune system; 2. Alleviate pain; 3. Reduce anxiety and stress; 4. Reduce depression; and, 5. Promote a sense of hopefulness. What if you don’t feel like laughing? No problem, fake it until you make it. Physiologically speaking, for the most part, your body doesn’t know the difference. And, faking it often leads to the real thing which may be exactly the health supplement you need to get to the positive side of negative circumstances.

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

Book Club: Big Magic Creative Living Beyond Fear!

Empowering author Elizabeth Gilbert asks us to embrace our curiosity and let go of needless suffering. She shows us how to tackle what we most love, and how to face down what we most fear. She discusses the attitudes, approaches, and habits we need in order to live our most creative lives. Whether we are looking to write a book, make art, find new ways to address challenges in our work, Big Magic cracks open a world of wonder and joy.

Did You Know?

Blue corn has been popping up as an ingredient everywhere from tortilla chips to breakfast cereal. New research suggests that anthocyanins, the nutrients that give the corn its blue color, may help protect against metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer!

www.newhope.com

Clean Eating: Spaghetti Squash “Mac ‘n’ Cheese”

Ingredients:

1 large spaghetti squash

3 tbsp coconut oil

3 tbsp spelt flour

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp onion or garlic powder

pinch ground black pepper

1 cup (4 oz) any hard cheese, shredded.

Red pepper flakes, to taste. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Wash squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seeds with a spoon. Place cut side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 40-50 minutes. Let cool and separate into strands with a fork. Preheat medium pot on low-medium heat and melt oil. Whisk in flour and milk until smooth. Add salt, onion powder and pepper; whisk and let simmer for about 4 minutes or until sauce has slightly thickened. Add cheese and whisk again until smooth. Add squash and mix gently with a spoon to combine. Cover and let squash warm through for about 5 minutes. Enjoy!

www.ifoodreal.com

Let’s do More “Firsts” this Valentine’s Day

Let this be your “First” Valentine’s Day where you celebrate you! Buy yourself flowers or treat yourself to a fancy meal. Do whatever it is that brings you joy! Firsts and/or exciting experiences create a new neural pathway and releases dopamine in the brain. As these pathways develop, it creates a new map of how we think. Many rewards like chocolate increase the level of dopamine. This sounds like a win-win – chocolates and new things to try! While experiencing things for the first time can be fun, there are a few more things that you can do to increase dopamine. Even things like accomplishing a to-do list; listening to music you really like; eating certain foods. Exercise is another large one, along with being creative, and no surprise – meditation. Recording your achievements toward a goal, like drawing a big heart on your calendar, releases dopamine. Here is to more “Firsts” in your life this year!

Patty Parsons, www.parsonstherapy.com

The Power of Touch

Studies from the Touch Research Institute have looked at people of all ages with a variety of health conditions and complaints. The range of benefits is remarkable. Here are some highlights from a few of the many published studies. Migraine headaches: Massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches along with sleep disturbances and distress symptoms. Asthma: Children with mild to severe asthma who received regular massage were better able to exhale (a problem with asthma because the air passages constrict). In addition, the children suffered less stress and anxiety. Premenstrual symptoms: After massage therapy there was improved mood and a decrease in anxiety. Pain and symptoms of water retention were also reduced. Pregnancy: Women who had massage through pregnancy showed decreased levels of stress hormones and experienced less anxiety. There were fewer complications before and after birth including fewer premature births.

Chelsea Nault, RMT, Soulful Instinct Massage Therapy

Need Help Getting Physically Active?

Individuals who are physically active have a lower risk of obtaining various health conditions including cardiovascular disease, various types of cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. Physical activity and exercise have been shown to improve mental health by having a positive impact on depression, anxiety, and stress. In Canada, Kinesiologists are heavily involved in facilitating and improving physical activity levels of individuals of varying goals and capabilities. 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. Many fitness and wellness centers in the city employ Kinesiologists as personal trainers who can guide and provide you with the tools to become healthier and more physically active. With the new year ahead of us, let’s use this fresh start to get moving and become more active individuals!

Albert Amante, Certified Athletic Therapist, Innovative Therapy Solutions, www.innovativemedicalsupplies.com

Migraine, or Something Else?

Splenius Capitis Muscle Syndrome typically mimics the patterns of temporal tendinitis and migraine headache. Usually, the pain is described as being in the back of the head, with noticeable pressure behind the eye, sensitivity to light, pain radiating to the neck, shoulder, and arm at times, and/or nausea and vomiting when pain is intense. Splenius Capitis Muscle Syndrome is often caused by motor vehicular trauma, blunt trauma, falls, and in particular, postural situations where superior and inferior lateral oblique movements of the head on the neck occur. The most effective way to confirm the diagnosis of Splenius Capitis Muscle Syndrome is to put pressure on the back of the head by the hair line where the head and the neck attaches. If the area is painful, it’s best to get it looked at. At an early stage, massage may be helpful. Anti-inflammatory injections may be required in case of chronic inflammation and severe pain.

Perla Lopez RMT., www.nateramassage.com