Community News
3 Ways to Naturally Boost Your Immune System

It’s officially cold and flu season. Here are five simple things you can do to improve your body’s natural immunity: 1. Drink a TON of Water: Ensuring you are hydrated is an important part of keeping your immune system strong. Try to drink at least 1.5 to 2 litres of water each day to keep your body in tiptop shape and ready to fight cold and flu bugs. 2. Get a Good Night’s Sleep: The body regenerates and repairs itself while you sleep. Getting a proper night’s rest – between six and eight hours – is important for keeping your body’s natural defenses at optimum efficiency. 3. Take a Hot/Cold Shower: The next time you take a shower try alternating hot and cold water. Research shows the body’s immune system is stimulated when it tries to warm itself up in between the extreme temperature changes. White blood cell production is increased and endorphins are released that help you relax and relieve pain.

Brett Scott, www.disabilitytaxcredit.webs.com

Who Are You?

Poets and writers have said the same thing for centuries, “Know yourself, follow your dreams, and live your passions.” It is good advice. However, we live in an “instant” society where we have everything we need literally at our fingertips. Truly getting to know ourselves is not something that happens quickly, and we won’t experience a sense of fulfillment until we know what it is that brings meaning to our lives. Journaling is a good place to start in your quest for self-knowledge. It only requires a few minutes a day, but the important thing is the process (writing requires time because you must slow down and reflect). It’s this time that is largely missing for many of us. So what should you journal about? A good place to start is by looking at your self-concept. Who is the real you and does your life reflect your authentic self? Happy hunting!

Dr. Lori Doan, Ph.D., www.drloridoan.com

Designed Just for You

Functional Movement Screening (FMS) is an assessment protocol used to identify limitations or imbalances in your typical movement patterns. Based on the results of your assessment, corrective exercises are prescribed to address your deficiencies. If your deficiencies are left untreated, they’ll lead to decreased performance, discomfort, and pain. The first priority of corrective exercise is to ensure normal mobility exists. Without full range of motion, normal movement cannot be achieved. Stability is the next component to be addressed. Without stability, proper alignment cannot be achieved. The last aspect addressed is movement preference optimization. For example, if you typically use one side of your body, you are likely to develop repetitive strain injuries. This needs to be balanced. To achieve optimal movement quality, corrective exercises are designed for you. It’s important exercises are identified from the results of your FMS and you start at a skill/difficulty level that’s right for you to progress until optimal movement is achieved.

Joseph Dyck M.P.T., dougchristiephysiotherapy.co

Thai Foot Massage/Reflexology

Thai Foot Massage/Reflexology is a treatment for lower legs and feet that originated in Thailand about 2000 years ago. This therapy utilizes stretching, massage, thumb-walking, and the use of a wooden stick to stimulate reflex points. Thai foot massage restores balance to the body/mind through reflexes of the feet and lower legs that are linked to the body’s 72,000 energy meridians (sen). Reported benefits include: improved circulation in legs, lymphatic drainage, removal of toxins, elevated functioning of the immune system, and reduced stiffness. Additional outcomes are: improved flexibility, relief from stress, and improved sleep. Thai foot massage doesn’t cure illnesses, but it promotes good health. Thai Foot Massage is intended to stimulate reflex points of the feet, the internal organs, and encourage free flow of energy throughout the body. If you would like to balance and harmonize the flow of energy throughout your body and stimulate the internal organs, then Thai Foot Massage/Reflexology is for you!

Rositha Jeanson, www.rositha.ca

Healing with Crystals

Crystals and gemstones have amazing holistic healing abilities and can be used for many applications such as meditation, reiki, and chakra clearing and balancing. With a little practice and intuition, anyone can interpret the immediate characteristics of a stone. For example, red is the colour of action and red stones can invigorate and enliven in the same way that the blood in your body gives you life. Amethyst is a good crystal for protection against all sorts of negative energy. It expands the mind, encouraging creativity, intuition, and calm. Rose quartz is a beautiful crystal for love, compassion, tolerance, and radical self-love. Citrine is the prosperity crystal. It attracts abundance, as well as boosting your self-esteem! Hematite protects against negativity. Its mirrored surface deflects other people’s moods and bad vibes.

Sherri Versluis, www.thepreferredperch.ca

Grow Your Mo’

Movember is the month formerly known as November, where men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer to affect Canadian men. One in eight men will be diagnosed with the disease in their lifetime. Prostate cancer can be slow-growing and some men who develop it may live many years without ever having the cancer detected. It is important to get screened regularly so that if you do develop prostate cancer, the appropriate action can be taken. The moustache is our ribbon. This Movember, grow your Mo and use it to raise funds for men’s health.

Care At Home Pharmacy, www.careathomepharmacy.ca

Community Event

As part of Manitoba Addictions Awareness Week, St. Raphael Wellness Centre is hosting the “SEX AND ADDICTIONS Conference” on November 15-17th at the Norwood Hotel.

The conference begins on November 15th from 7-9 pm with a public forum, entitled, “ Porn Crisis? The Porn Dilemma in Today’s Culture.” Discovering that someone close to you is secretly watching porn is usually met with a range of emotions and most of us do not feel prepared to navigate a conversation about it. This community presentation will describe six principles of sexual health that can be a foundation for talking with someone about their use of pornography.

This will be followed by a day and a half discussion on sex/drug-linked behaviour.  Family members, counsellors, therapists, mental health professionals and others who want to help individuals talk about and address issues of sexual health and substance addiction will want to attend.

www.straphaelcentre.ca

 http://straphaelcentre.ca/srwc-conference-2016-2/

 

10 Ways to Cultivate Self-Acceptance

Be intentional. Articulate your goal of self-acceptance and dedicate yourself to it each day. Celebrate your strengths. Name one of your strengths each day. Create a support system. Surround yourself with people who accept and believe in you. Forgive yourself. Accept past mistakes, learn from them, and move on. Shush your inner critic. Be gentle to yourself and treat yourself the way you would a loved one. Grieve the loss of unrealized dreams. Acknowledge the loss and then move forward. Perform acts of kindness. Giving to others enriches your life. Be kind to yourself. It is not selfish to love yourself. You are worthy of self-compassion. Understand that acceptance is not resignation. Letting go of the things you cannot control allows you to grow. Speak to your highest self. Visualize your best self in times of stress. Tap into the wisdom that lies within you.

Canadian Mental Health Association Manitoba, www.winnipeg.cmha.ca

Book Club: Chakra Wisdom Oracle Toolkit

A 52-Week Journey of Self-Discovery with the Lost Fables Paperback by Tori Hartman. Let this book guide you in opening up your intuition, removing blockages from your life, improving your relationships, and realizing your highest potential. Have you ever wondered about chakras? You may wonder how to open your chakra channels or just understand what they are. Maybe you just wish to make your life more colorful and become something more. Become a successful, interesting person, a witty talker, a person who knows more and is determined to continue developing. This book is for you.

70 is the New 50

Working into retirement, postponing having kids, living longer – the lifecycle of Canadians is changing. This has implications on personal finances and retirement savings. New research suggests that old age now starts at 74, with middle age lasting at least nine years longer than current estimates. What we think of as old has changed over time and it will need to continue changing in the future as people live longer, healthier lives. Two hundred years ago, a 60-year-old was a very old person. Someone who is 60 years old today could be argued as middle aged. In terms of health, longevity, and view of life, “baby boomers” in their sixties and seventies will be more like their parents and grandparents were at 50. This means people can work longer if they so desire. For many people, 70 is the new 50 and signifies the quiet revolution that has taken place in longevity.

Brett Scott, www.disabilitytaxcreditwinnipeg.com

Clean Eating: Sweet Potato Brownies

1 cup mashed sweet potato, ½ cup smooth nut butter of choice, 2 tbsp maple syrup, ¼ cup cocoa powder, handful of carob chips (optional). Preheat oven to 350 and grease a small cake/ loaf pan. On the stove, melt nut butter with maple syrup. In a large bowl add the mashed sweet potato, melted nut butter and maple syrup, and cocoa powder and mix well. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour mixture into greased pan and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before slicing and refrigerating. These brownies are best when cooled completely. Store in fridge or freezer and ENJOY!