The Wellnessnews Women’s Expo is the place to Explore, Indulge, Escape & Shop. It will be a day of fun and new approaches to nutrition, fitness and overall wellbeing. Bring your girlfriends, mom and neighbours to visit over 80 exhibits, indulge in pampering in the Diva Oasis, participate in the activity area and attend sessions on Nutrition/Healthy Aging. The Expo is FREE. VIP tickets can be found where you get your Wellnessnews, from an exhibitors or off our website. While not required to attend, tickets redeemed raise funds to help women in our communities. See you on February 10th at the VI Conference Centre in Nanaimo.

Laying on a sunny beach in February means you had to travel to get there. Travel frequently involves air travel, time zone changes, and disrupted eating and sleeping patterns. These can lead to irregularity or uncomfortable digestive issues, which in turn affect our immune system. Our body will also likely be exposed to unfamiliar germs and bacteria that we do not normally encounter. Taking probiotics before and during your trip helps keep your gut and digestive system normal and happy so that you can really enjoy your holiday. Your local health food store can help you choose the best ones for you.

In the 1830s Presbyterian minister Sylvester Graham touted a vegetarian diet that excluded spices, condiments and alcohol. There was the grapefruit diet of the 1930s, the cabbage-soup diet of the 1950s and at the turn of the 20th century, American President William Howard Taft adopted a diet of low fat, low calorie, after he got stuck in a White House bathtub! It also became fashionable to chew food until liquefied, sometimes up to 722 times before swallowing! In the 1960s housewife, and ‘Weight Watchers’ originator Jean Nidetch, began weekly support meetings after struggling with her cookie addiction. What most of these diets had in common was the idea that to lose weight you should eat fewer calories. However, this doesn’t account for the specific dietary needs of the dieter. Your best bet is to find a diet that works for you, not the diet that works for your neighbour!
Light the Weigh Wellness Centre, LightWeighWellness.com

We recently received a phone call at the office. The conversation went like this:
Caller: Do you have a service where you call seniors everyday?
Reply: Yes, we do it is called “Friendly Phones”.
Caller: What is the cost for this program?
Reply: It is a Free Service.
Caller: Can anyone get on the list?
Reply: Yes, you just have to come into our office.
Caller: I have an elderly neighbour, who lives alone and would benefit from having a Friendly Phone Call.
Reply: Great please come into the office. It is such a thoughtful and kind act to ensure that your elderly neighbour is safe and cared for.
Shortly thereafter, two men walked in to sign up. Do you know someone?
Sarah Davidge, SouthCowichanCommunityPolicing.ca

Falls in the home are all too common. By making a few modifications to slippery floors, poor lighting, loose rugs, electrical cords and clutter, you can prevent dangerous situations. Visit each room in your home. Then look at the space objectively and ask: Is this safe? Are there objects or items that present a fall risk? If so, think about the many ways to create a safer home: wear non slip socks or slippers, use night lights in dark hallways, remove throw rugs, keep electrical cords safely hidden behind furniture and organize your projects so they are off the floor and out of walkways.
Denise Metcalfe, ED, ComoxValleyLifeline.com

The Christmas season can be hard on our resolve to maintain a healthy lifestyle. We tend to overeat, indulge in sweets and drink a little more alcohol than normal. Let’s face it, the holidays puts a strain on us and our body’s natural ability to fight toxins. To help your body recover from the holidays, eat healthy foods loaded with antioxidants, phytochemicals and valuable nutrients. These will detox your system and help you feel refreshed for the start of a new year. You may also want to consider adding supplements. Your local health food store can help you chose the best ones for you.
Sherry Andrews, Owner, Essential Remedies, EssentialRemedies.ca

Gambling in the 21st Century has become a sophisticated, and in some cases, a more subtle wagering activity. The Responsible & Problem Gambling Program and the Centre for Addictions Research have partnered to create lesson plans for the BC’s new K-12 curriculum. Teachings include themes such as: 1 Every human society appears to have accepted gambling in some form; 2 Gambling can be fun but can also lead to significant harm; 3 As humans, we need to learn how to manage gambling and; 4 We can learn how to control gambling by examining the different ways people have thought about it, engaging in critical self-reflection and listening to each other.
Karen Hlady, Community Engagement & Prevention Service Provider, BCResponsibleGambling.ca