The holidays are a perfect opportunity to nurture yourself while giving and receiving. Amid all the hustle and bustle, give yourself the gift of time to relax and be calm. Is this difficult for you? Gift yourself a Body Code session that can help you release any unprocessed negative (trapped) emotions to make this season easier for you. A Certified Body Code/Emotion Code Practitioner can assist you in taking time to relax and enjoy the beauty of this season. Call today for a complimentary information session and discover how to release negative emotions that no longer serve you.
Community News
Neck and Shoulder Pain: A Common Affliction
Neck and shoulder pain affects millions of people worldwide, ranging from dull aches to sharp, mobility-limiting sensations. Common causes include poor posture, repetitive motions, stress, and injuries. Sufferers often experience tension headaches, reduced range of motion, and numbness in the arms. The pain can be debilitating, decreasing productivity and quality of life. While painkillers may offer temporary relief, many seek long-term solutions. Therapies like acupuncture and cupping address root causes, offering more comprehensive relief. These techniques may provide lasting results for those struggling with persistent neck and shoulder discomfort. Don’t let neck and shoulder pain control your life. Call today.
Blue Christmas Service – Dec 21, 2024
It has been and is our pleasure to reach out with this Blue Christmas Service. All Welcome! The service takes place on Saturday, December 21, 2024, at 2:00 pm at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, located at 4235 Departure Bay Road, Nanaimo. “Perhaps you are grieving the loss of a loved one; feeling sad, sick, lonely, and anxious about the holiday season or future while others are celebrating. We want you to know you aren’t alone. When you leave the service and God’s house, our prayer is that you will feel uplifted, peaceful, comforted, and experience God’s love for you.”
Making Christmas Magic for Residents in Need
The SOS Caring for Community at Christmas program has been spreading the joy of Christmas to local residents in need for over 50 years. With community support, we can ensure that children and youth in the area find a special gift under their tree on Christmas morning. Additionally, families and individuals will receive grocery store gift cards, allowing them to choose food that is meaningful to them during the holidays. You can support the program through a financial donation. Help us fill the SOS Toy Shop by donating a new, unwrapped gift. For more information or to register, please visit the SOS website.
Wishing You Health
As we settle into the busy holiday season, we like to honour our relationship with our customers. Thank you for trusting our team to take care of your overall health and well-being and for choosing a locally-owned pharmacy for your healthcare needs. We will continue to provide personalized pharmacy services, including free local delivery, medication reviews, compounding, vaccinations, and so much more! Your pharmacist can help to make sure your medication is the right fit and introduce you to tools that make day-to-day medication management easier. We care about your health!
Words to Live By
“This is a time of peace and great joy. Among the rush of worldly coming and going, choose to remain calm and peaceful in your heart.” – Keith Macpherson
Reducing Your Dementia Risk
Dementia prevention focuses on reducing risk factors that contribute to cognitive decline. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a key role, including regular physical activity, a balanced diet (like the Mediterranean or DASH diet), and staying mentally active through learning and social engagement. Managing health conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol is crucial, as they increase the risk of dementia. Avoiding smoking and excessive alcohol consumption also helps. While there’s no guaranteed way to prevent dementia, research suggests that staying physically, mentally, and socially engaged may delay or reduce the likelihood of developing cognitive impairments.
Staying Social with Hearing Loss
For someone with hearing loss, social situations are challenging. Help improve communication with them by following these simple tips: • Gain their attention before you begin talking. • Speak naturally and don’t shout. Speak distinctly, at a normal rate, using pauses to give the person time to process speech. • Keep your hands away from your face while talking. • Avoid sudden changes of topic. And if the subject changes, tell them what you are talking about now. • Seat them where they can see as many faces as possible. • Check in. If your listener is not following, convey the information again in shorter, clearer sentences.
Eat for the Season
Welcome to Autumn, a season of transition and reflection in Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). This time of year corresponds to the Lung and Large Intestine, calling for nourishment through warming, digestible foods that support immunity. Soups are ideal, stoking digestion with ginger, garlic, onions, and seasonal vegetables such as squash, carrots, and sweet potatoes. These foods warm the body and support lung health. Adding warming spices like cinnamon enhances digestion and fortifies the body. Pairing this with digestion-supporting acupuncture creates a holistic approach to staying balanced and healthy during the seasonal change.
Caring for Community at Christmas
As some residents eagerly anticipate the holiday season, others are anxious about how they will manage. Questions about where the meals will come from and how to provide gifts for their children and grandchildren are weighing on their minds. For 56 years, the SOS Caring for Community at Christmas program has been ensuring local children and youth have something special under the Christmas tree and that families and individuals can choose food that is meaningful to them over the holidays. Registration begins November 19. For information on how to participate in or support the program, visit our website or call us.
Take Care of Your Heart
Every year, more than 60,000 Canadians suffer a heart attack. A healthy diet and regular exercise can reduce the risk. If you have cardiovascular disease, follow your treatment carefully and take medicine as prescribed. Common signs of a heart attack include *chest pain; *discomfort or pain in the neck, jaw, shoulder, back, or arm; *shortness of breath; and *dizziness. If you are having a heart attack, call 911 immediately, follow operator instructions, stop all activity, stay calm, and rest in a comfortable position while waiting for help. Ask our pharmacist for more information about heart health.
