“I tumbled around in the dark; the car was hit three times. I was left with a severe concussion/brain injury. The consequences were; poor balance, anxiety, sleep problems, dizzy spells, double visions, poor memory, and pain in head, neck and back”.
As a holistic health practitioner I knew about possible effects of such an injury; constant pain, dementia, Parkinson`s, Alzheimer`s. I will be forever grateful for Reconnective Healing® and my special ‘GIFT of HEALING’ that a client called Brain-Rejuvenation. I can use it on my own body. Now all of my problems and the pain are gone and my memory is excellent.

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.

The Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is one of the most famous treks in the world. Its popularity is due to the amazing landscapes and Inca buildings built hundreds of years ago, and its final destination: Machu Picchu. Hiking the Inca Trail is an unforgettable experiences. To really enjoy the trek, make sure you are in good shape and acclimatize yourself to the altitude prior to starting out. The most effective and conventional method to eliminate the risk of altitude sickness is to gradually acclimatize to the high altitude. Plan to arrive in Cusco or any of the other high altitude cities at least three days prior to starting the trek.

The metabolism of an individual needs to be assessed to determined what areas can be assisted naturally to speed it up. The mitochondria or energy part of the body’s cell structure needs assistance to burn more fat. Natural herbs and medicines can be added to help the metabolism. Increased physical activity and an exercise routine tailored to your age, size and general health also helps. The most effective way to increase your body’s natural ability to burn fat and stay healthy is ozone therapy. The treatments effectively remove unwanted toxins, stimulates and drains your lymph system and kills unwanted bacteria and viruses.

Do you lack energy? Do you become anxious or tense easily? Suffer from depression? Never before have our bodies been exposed to so many chemicals. Our psychological environment is changing. There is more traffic and less nature to balance our needs. Many people are struggling just to survive; with very few thriving well into their elder years. Nutritional and lifestyle changes can help decrease the effects on our brain and other areas of our body that accumulate oxidative stress and age us prematurely. We need to ensure our blood sugars are balanced, eat complex carbohydrates like legumes, lentils and healthy grains and smart fats like olive oils, free range eggs, salmon and coconut oil.

Alzheimer’s causes changes in behaviour that many people find most distressing. The progressive deterioration of brain cells is the main cause of behavioural symptoms. In the early stages, these can be irritability, anxiety and depression; in later stages, anger and agitation, aggression, restlessness, pacing, physical or verbal outbursts, delusions, sleep disturbances and hallucinations. It is important to get supports in place while the disease is in the earlier stages. A medical evaluation can determine if changes in behaviour are due to other factors such as drug side effects, discomfort from infections and other conditions.

As the days shorten and the temperature drops, some of us suffer from SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder. A brisk walk, a diet rich in Vitamin D, fish oils, fresh fruits and vegetables and the use of an Ott light may improve our mood. However, some experience an insidious buildup of forces leading to a depression. The receipt of “bad” news, a stroke or other social, emotional or physical shock may trigger the onset of a depression. Common symptoms are emotional deterioration, lack of motivation and decrease of speech. Acupuncture has been used and proven to be effective in the treatment of subclinical depression be it with needles, lasers, moabustion or other techniques. Elaine Murphy, Reg. Acupuncturist, MA, RAc

If you are caring for someone with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias and you are preparing to move them in to a long term care community, here are some tips to help with the transition: – Be open with family members – talk about the decision; – Arrange for them to visit the community where they will be going; – Determine what you can do before moving day such as prepare their room with personal items and label clothing; –
Take moving day off and spend it with them; and – Introduce your loved one to the staff members. Following these tips will help make the move easier for everyone. Lianne Ketcheson, Nanaimo Memory and Complex Care, NanaimoMemoryCare.com