Chronic stress is harmful to people of all ages, but its impact on older adults can be particularly severe, increasing the risk of age-related diseases, hastening cognitive decline, and even triggering falls. Stressors that are common amongst the elderly include loss of control, personal loss, declining health, financial worries, personal safety, and loss of independence. To reduce stress, get regular exercise, eat balanced meals to ensure the mind and body are properly fueled, and ask for help. Talking with a trusted family member, friend, or healthcare professional, at the very least, releases pent-up stress and may even lead to a solution.
Community News
Vivid Fun Run Fundraiser
The Roots School was founded last year by Amy Cojocar, whose dream is to help students satisfy all their needs at school — including developing resilience and healthy coping mechanisms, and becoming emotionally self-regulated. The Roots School needs community support for its first two years of operation before provincial funding kicks in, so a full-day fundraising event is scheduled for June 3 at Battle Creek Adventure Park. Come out and enjoy a barbecue, raffles, activities and games, a demo from Saskatchewan’s Strongest Man, and plenty of vivid, eco-friendly powders that will make a rainbow of colourful explosions during the racecourse!
Regaining Mobility & Independence
Our day-to-day lives often involve activities that require us to venture out into public, whether it’s going to the bank, attending medical appointments, shopping, or spending time with friends and family. For those who experience mobility challenges, simple errands can be more difficult and less convenient, especially when having to rely on others for transport. Mobility scooters can help you or your loved one regain a sense of independence and control as errands become easier and access to more destinations becomes possible again. Regaining mobility and independence can simplify our daily tasks and offer us more choices.
Naturopathic Medicine Week: May 14-20
This week looks to highlight what Naturopathic Medicine is and how it could be of benefit to you. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the natural healing properties of the body and treat the underlying cause of dysfunction. You can utilize naturopathic medicine along in conjunction with conventional medical therapies to achieve optimal health, as Naturopathic Medicine has a large priority on preventative medicine. This could include dietary and lifestyle advice, herbal medicine, acupuncture amongst other modalities. In these times of stress and uncertainty, check us out to see how we can help support your goals.
FARMaceutical First Aid
Last summer my dog nearly died after chasing a wasp, ingesting toxic venom and going into anaphylactic shock. Without my homeopathic first aid kit, she would no longer be here. From emergencies to bumps and bruises and even allergies, homeopathy comes to the rescue. This all-natural medicine needs to be in everyone’s homes; and we are here to teach you what you need to know in order to use it! Homeopathy is safe, can be used alongside over the counter or prescription medications, and is economical. An $8 tube of Arnica can ease the pain your child endures after falling off his bike this summer. Join us for a live class to learn how you can incorporate and create your own FARMaceutical first aid kit!
Product Review: Utrition
Utrition allows you to take action on your nutritional needs, based on your own DNA. This simple and affordable, personalized nutritional formula is made for you using your own SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms), which are DNA sequence variations that are unique to you. These are then used to analyze and build a nutritional formulation exclusively for you, by your unique genetic code, built into your DNA. Utrition takes the guesswork out of which vitamins and supplements to take by using your DNA, which can reveal your body’s precise nutritional requirements. Those nutritional requirements are then used to create your own precise nutritional formula.
Pedicures – Not Just for Looks
Are your feet ready for summer? Pedicures are the perfect way to help your feet look their best especially with sandal season now underway. It is not all about looks. Pedicures help your feet stay healthy. During a pedicure, calluses that can cause infection and pain are removed. Signs of nail disease can be detected and stopped before becoming problematic. A pedicure includes a foot and leg massage which can help relieve tension in your muscles and joints. Treat yourself to a pedicure, guilt-free, for your health and wellbeing.
Be Still…with Reiki!
Reiki is a gentle but powerful energy healing technique used for relaxation, stress reduction and balance that can promote healing on many levels. It is typically given by ‘laying on of hands’ as you lie on a massage table fully clothed. This higher frequency, positive energy flows through the hands of the practitioner into your energy field releasing ‘energy blockages’ by lifting and transforming lower frequency energies such as worry, fear, anger and anxiety. The deep relaxation experienced with Reiki can have many beneficial effects including more calm/stillness to the body & mind, better sleep, reduced stress & pain and reduction of overwhelm and anxiety.
Electro-magnetic Fields (EMFs)
Low-level radiation is one type of EMF exposure and is emitted from cell phones, Wi-Fi routers, Bluetooth devices, computers, and even power lines. Some scientists report that this type of EMF exposure can cause sleep disturbances, including insomnia; headache; depression and depressive symptoms; changes in memory; and lack of concentration. You can reduce the risk by using the speakerphone function on your cell phone instead of holding it to your ear. Charge your phone in a different room at night, or put it on airplane/flight mode while you sleep. Products are also available that counteract harmful frequencies using healthy ones.
Missing Teeth Affecting Your Life?
Do you hide your mouth because you feel embarrassed about missing teeth? Missing teeth not only affects your general health and appearance, it may also contribute to depression and low self-esteem. Social embarrassment as a result of missing teeth and poorly fitting dentures may result in people avoiding social interactions. Don’t let tooth loss or improperly fitting dentures affect the quality of your life. Your denturist can explain the best ways to restore the function and appearance of your smile. Properly fitting dentures can help restore your self-esteem and bring back your smile
5 Steps to Going Gluten-Free
Bloating. Gut issues. Body pain. Skin problems. Poor sleep. Anxiety. Moodiness and irritability.
Any of that sound familiar?
If you experience any of these issues on a regular basis, it might be time to ditch gluten. Gluten proteins most commonly affect the gut, damaging the gut lining and impacting virtually all other body systems. Fortunately, embracing a simple, healthy, gluten-free lifestyle doesn’t have to be a struggle. Working with a dedicated Nutrition Coach can help you cut through the noise and provide you with a customized gluten-free nutrition plan that supports your health and allows your body to heal naturally.
Here are the 5 essential steps you need to take to start your gluten-free journey off on the right path.
Step 1: Understanding the Basics of Gluten
Gluten is a type of protein found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye (these are the “official” sources, but some amount of gluten is found in all grains, which is why we teach our clients that a grain-free diet is the safest way to go gluten-free).
Gluten-containing ingredients are included in most of the foods that make up our modern diet. In sensitive people, this protein damages the gut lining and creates the bloating and digestive upsets that we’re all-too familiar with. But gluten can impact all body systems and unleash a myriad of other unpleasant or downright miserable symptoms, including skin problems like eczema, psoriasis, or dermatitis herpetiformis, sleep disorders or insomnia, mood swings and anxiety, body aches or headaches, and inflammation (just to name a few).
While the gluten-free diet is certainly popular, it might not be right for everyone. Before deciding to break up with gluten, it’s important to understand your symptoms, check in with your healthcare professional, and make an informed decision about your health.
Step 2: Creating a Safe Kitchen
Having a gluten-safe kitchen is essential for your health and mental wellbeing. Getting rid of the gluten in your home creates a safe space where you don’t have to think about protecting yourself from accidental ingestion or cross-contact.
If you live alone (or have a supportive partner), then gluten-proofing your home is pretty easy:
- Step 1: Get rid of all gluten-containing foods and kitchen items that cannot be properly cleaned.
- Step 2: Restock your kitchen with gluten-free foods and a few new kitchenware items.
For those who cohabitate with gluten-eaters, keeping a safe kitchen requires more effort. It’s not fair to demand that everyone around you stop eating gluten, but it is important to talk to the people you live with and let them know what you need. Work together to create safe kitchen routines and procedures for cleaning up. Most importantly, organize your kitchen so that there is a designated space for gluten-free foods and purchase multiples of any kitchen items that can’t be properly cleaned.
Step 3: Understanding What to Eat
It’s important to remember that some versions of a gluten-free diet are healthier than others. While there are hundreds of gluten-free alternatives to the breads, pasta, cereal, snacks, and baked items we’re used to, these alternative versions contain added starch, sugar, fat, and salt to make them taste and feel like the gluten-containing originals they’re meant to replace. As a result, these products lack nutrients and are harmful to your body (and your waistline) if they’re consumed in excess.
It’s best to avoid relying on the gluten-free alternatives to modern convenience foods. Instead, opt for healthy whole foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts and seeds, legumes, organic oils, honey, vinegar, and herbs/spices. These foods are naturally gluten-free and provide the nutrients essential for healing your body.
When in doubt, remember that foods should be:
- Real – if you can’t pronounce the ingredients, put it back on the shelf
- Non-GMO (always) and organic (when possible)
- Minimally processed or not processed at all
- Free from chemicals, hormones, and steroids
- Low in calories, high in nutrients
Step 4: Dealing with Detox
Within the first ten days of going gluten-free, many people report experiencing withdrawal or flu-like symptoms, such as headaches, body pain, fatigue, brain fog, sleep disturbances, or mood changes. Your risk of gluten detox, and the severity of your symptoms, depends on several factors, including how gluten proteins affect you and the symptoms of your gluten sensitivity.
Step 5: Supporting Gut Health
Gluten most commonly attacks the gut, so it’s important to support your gut and digestive tract with healing nutrients and gut-healthy foods.
Damage to the gut lining can disrupt the gut microbiome and destroy populations of “good” bacteria in the gut. In addition to a good probiotic formula you can support healthy gut bacteria with fermented foods, such as sauerkraut, kimchi, brined pickles, kombucha, and apple cider vinegar. These foods provide essential probiotics to help support your gut but should be accompanied by prebiotic-containing foods like garlic, onions, leek, asparagus, apples, and flaxseeds. These foods contain prebiotic fiber to feed the good bacteria and help them thrive.
Other ways to support gut health include drinking lots of water, eating a fiber-rich diet, avoiding hard to digest foods (like dairy, starchy foods, and legumes), practicing daily movement, reducing stress, and getting adequate sleep.
It’s also recommended that you work with a Holistic Nutritionist or Nutrition Coach who can help you determine which nutrients are most beneficial for your specific situation. Ideally, your coach will customize a nutrition and supplement program for you that can support your body where you need it most.
For more information, visit www.practicalwellnessteam.com/blog
