Community News
Tune-Up Your Brain!

Your brain is the engine that drives you – so it’s important to keep it well-tuned. Fat – or lipid – consumption is essential for the healthy growth, development, and function of your brain. In fact, 60% of your brain’s dry weight is fat. Several types of plant and animal fats are used for brain-building material, though one lipid reigns supreme: omega-3 fatty acids derived from salmon, sardines, krill oil, and plant-based Ahiflower oil. There are many benefits of omega-3: it increases cognitive functioning and decreases symptoms of depression, anxiety and aggression. It is also shown to be a protective factor against cognitive decline and dementia in older adults; and it is an essential component of a healthy diet for pregnant women, leading to better health outcomes in newborns. Consider adding omega-3s to your diet as an evidence-based way to tune-up your brain for optimal mental health.

Sean Miller, CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg

mbwpg.cmha.ca

Book Club: Why Can’t I get Better?

Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease by Dr. Richard Horowitz. Looks at pain, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, sleep disorders, and much more. Lyme disease and its related conditions are incredibly complicated. You can take the questionnaire yourself, and start doing your own detective work with this book as your guide.

LymeDisease.org

Focus on Bettering Health

Focus can play an important role in success or victory. This principle applies to all areas, including exams, businesses, and athletics. How can we improve focus? First, by improving the quality of sleep. Without sound sleep, you cannot focus enough. Getting less sleep to study longer does not mean you will get better grades. Secondly, by taking nutrients for better focus. About two years ago, the Jets were defeated by the Ducks by 4-0 in the playoff first round. I thought the Jets could have won at least a game with nutritional supplements. Californians tend to take more nutritional supplements than Winnipeggers do. It may just be a wild guess, but a scientifically feasible one. The change caused by a nutritional supplement is small, but the small change can make a big difference. It can be a game changer or a life changer.

Yong Han Lee, Re-Vitamins of Charleswood, Facebook.com/revitamins

Primal Health Coaching

A Primal Health Coach is a wellness expert who uses an integrated approach to educate, motivate, and guide clients towards maximum vitality using scientifically validated ancestral health principles. The aim of the Primal Health Coach is to help clients extract the most joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment from their lives by focusing on their values, needs, visions, and goals in an extremely personalized way. Aligning your diet and lifestyle closer to what nature intended allows your body and mind to heal to the best of its ability. Eat like your life depends on it, because it does!

Tom White, EndDiabetesManitoba.ca, becomeHEALTHY.ca

Avoiding Recurrent Ankle Sprains

You might often hear that if you sprain your ankle once, you are more likely to injure it again. Every time you sprain your ankle, the ligaments are overstretched and micro tearing of the ligaments might even occur. This disrupts the receptors in the ligaments that send information to your nervous system about ankle positioning. Proprioception, your body’s awareness of joint and limb position in space, is crucial in preventing injuries. With a decrease in proprioception, your nervous system receives less input from your ankle about its position on the ground, particularly when stepping on an unstable surface. The reduced input your nervous system receives about your ankle is what leads to those recurrent sprains. Focusing on exercises that improve balance and stability is key to regaining proprioception. Working on balancing exercises and adding progressions (eyes closed, unstable surfaces) is a great way to prevent recurrent ankle sprains.

Albert Amante, Certified Athletic Therapist, InnovativeMedicalSupplies.com

Fireworks Safety and Dogs

Fireworks can be fun for humans, and with all of the coming summer weekends, they are inevitable. Dogs don’t always hold the same enthusiasm, however. Here are some tips for helping your dog cope with fireworks season. Make sure your dog is wearing identification or has a microchip in case they run away. Keep your dog indoors during the fireworks, as far away as possible from the noise. Place a thick blanket over their kennel to help muffle the sounds. Make sure the kennel is in an area where they will not overheat. Make sure your dog is tired by nighttime when the fireworks begin. Lots of exercise may be necessary during the day. Give your dog something yummy to chew on in their kennel, such as a Kong toy filled with goodies.

Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Services

Product Spotlight: Garden of Life

In today’s fast-paced world, even with the best intentions, having a nutritious meal is sometimes simply impossible. Instead of settling for a quick fix such as fast food, consider a whole-food nutritional shake. Garden of Life’s RAW All-In-One Nutritional Shake provides a convenient way to achieve optimal nutrition! When it comes to whole-food nutritional shakes, USDA Certified Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified sources are of utmost importance to limit unnecessary exposure to toxic chemicals such as fertilizers, pesticides, and GMO products. Garden of Life’s RAW All-In-One Nutritional Shake is currently the only plant-based nutritional shake in Canada to have the dual certification. This delicious shake comes packed with 44 superfoods; 20 grams of plant-based, Certified USDA Organic and Non-GMO Project Verified protein; 21 whole-food vitamins and minerals; and less than 1 gram of sugar. It is also Certified Vegan, Certified Gluten Free, Informed-Choice Clean for Sport Certified, and Kosher.

Nathan Zassman, Aviva Health, AvivaHealth.com

Product Spotlight: Pure Anada

Summer is the perfect time to change up your beauty routine! Often, our skin improves as the humidity increases. For that reason, it’s best to keep things simple with a lightweight foundation. Pure Anada Tinted Moisturizer is great for normal to dry skin types. Its nourishing formula includes pomegranate and rosehip oil, and provides a sheer, radiant finish to give you a natural summer glow. If you struggle with oily skin, Pure Anada pressed mineral foundation is best, since it includes oil-absorbing minerals. A cheek colour is always beautiful in summer. Don’t neglect it! With shades named after flowers – Dahlia, Sweet Pea, Lotus, and Zinnia – you are bound to find a Pure Anada blush to love. A touch of sheer lip gloss, like the Pure Anada Berry Bliss Lip shines, will top off your carefree summer look.

Nathan Zassman, Aviva Health, AvivaHealth.com

Family Summer Camp

I Am Events, the not-for-profit organization responsible for the I Am Festival, brings a full weekend experience to families this summer on August 11-13th! I Am Family Camp brings together an impressive group of experts, ranging from family health practitioners, musicians, business leaders, and coaches.  Highlights include Canadian icon Fred Penner, who will open the event with a fireside chat and acoustic performance; Kellie Johnsen, a certified family and youth coach from Hawaii, who will host sessions that include a discovery workshop for family values and an improv workshop on communication; and Winnipeg mindfulness expert, musician, and yoga instructor, Keith Macpherson, who will join the group leading meditation and a youth session on creative expression. If you’re looking for a new way to create connections and memories with your family this summer, register for I Am Family Camp. There is a limit of 50 spots and registration is now open.

I Am Festival, Iamfesitval.net/familycamp

Ride Don’t Hide!

Spring is finally here and it’s the perfect time to get outside after a long, cold winter! Outdoor exercise is a great way to soak up the sun’s vitamin D, get your blood pumping, and reconnect with your community – all proven ways to boost your mental health. Need some motivation? Think about joining the Ride Don’t Hide movement, a Canada-wide community bike ride to build awareness for mental health. This year’s ride will be held at the Vimy Ridge Park, and its 21 km route will take you and our 300 riders through Winnipeg’s beautiful downtown. Ride Don’t Hide is for riders of all skill levels; it is not a race, but, rather, an opportunity to celebrate mental health and honour the recovery journeys of people who live with mental illness. Join the Ride Don’t Hide movement and celebrate mental health!

For details, visit: www.ridedonthide.com/mb/ride/winnipeg. Sean Miller, mbwpg.cmha.ca

Love Keeps You Healthy

Being in love not only gives you a bounce in your step, but it also has several proven health benefits. When you are in love, your brain produces a hormone, which is its own natural form of amphetamine called dopamine that contributes to feelings of elation, pleasure, optimism, energy, and a sense of well-being. Physical touch, such as hugging, handholding, and lovemaking, releases a hormone called oxytocin, which lowers stress hormones. Studies have demonstrated that people releasing these hormones have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure, greater resistance to colds and flus, and decreased stress and depression. It has been documented that happily coupled people also tend to live longer. We have always known eating healthy foods help maintain a healthy body. Now there is no disputing that healthy relationships foster a long and healthy life. Finding your life partner has more benefits than we once realized.

Lianne Tregobov, Intuitive Matchmaker, CamelotIntroductions.com