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.

The feeling of safety and security in your home is now available wherever you might be! Whether in your home, walking to your mailbox or going on vacation, there are devices available that give you 24/7 access to help. These on-the-go devices, can send an alert when you press a button, sense when you fall and send an automatic alert, and provide direct, two-way communication with a 24/7 Response Center. They are designed to help locate the user in a variety of situations – home or away, indoors and out. It really is possible to get out there and enjoy life with peace of mind.

With the New Year upon us, this is the time we reflect on the past year and look forward to what we hope for the new year. Amidst the cliché resolutions to ‘stop procrastinating’, ‘eat healthy’ and ‘wake up early’ many of our hopes boil down to three simple things; health, family and happiness. This may mean looking for help to keep your elderly family members healthy and happy. Keeping loved ones comfortably in their own homes as long as possible alleviates some of the stress off the family’s primary caregivers allowing for more quality family time.

A nutritious diet, exercise and stress management are part of developing a healthy relationship with yourself. It did not take you one day to become overweight and out of shape, so you can’t expect to change overnight! Many of us live as “subconscious beings” reverting to unhealthy habits such as binge TV watching, processed foods and drinking alcohol daily. To truly change your health, you need to set slow, manageable goals. The choices you make on a daily basis determine the long term outcome. Consult a Holistic Health Practitioner to find out how you can achieve lifelong change by making small changes today.

The GAM Info Rep is a new service offered by the BC Responsible & Problem Gambling Program. GAM Info Reps are part of your Gaming & Gambling support services. Like any advisor, the GAM Info Rep is there to support you with your distinct needs every step of the way. Whether you need to inquire about counselling services, legal services, housing, community health, debt management or any other support service, the GAM Info Rep is there to help. Your GAM Info Rep on Central Vancouver island is Tracy Tsui. 778-386-9955 or toll free 1-888-558-2857.

The holiday season often brings about the feeling of “home” and family traditions. Your loved ones can still be part of the celebration even when they may not cognitively be able to take part in the festivities. The holiday season provides an opportunity to reminisce about special ornaments or decorations that have been set out for the special occasion. These items can help you share holiday memories with your loved one. This is also the time to bring out old photo albums so that you may re-live holidays past through pictures.

Prolozone and Inhalation Ozonide Therapies are excellent for any acute upper respiratory infection, such as sinus infections, bronchitis, flu, colds, and viral pneumonias. Both asthmatics and patients with chronic lung disease can use inhalation ozonide therapy. It is completely safe and ozonides can last for weeks in the human body. They stimulate your immune systems use to control and eliminate infections. They also increase the delivery of oxygen to the cells, which is critical for lung conditions. Then they stimulate the cells to generate more energy and that is the key to the vitality we all want to feel, in each breath.

Long-term stress can have taxing effects on our health; our hearing health is no exception to this. Our hearing relies on tiny sensory hairs in the inner ear to translate sound frequencies into electrical pulses that can then be received and interpreted by our brains. These tiny hairs rely on oxygen from blood circulation to function. When our bodies experience stress, our adrenaline increases to prepare our bodies to act— we breathe faster to divert oxygen to our muscles. This isn’t harmful in the short term, but long-term stress can suppress our bodily systems and lead to a variety of illnesses. Taking deep breaths, exercising, and taking time out of your day to spend time with loved ones can help to reduce stress and guard against the illnesses that may result.

For more than 50 years, The SOS Caring for Community at Christmas program has been making life a little bit brighter for local residents in-need. The program provides a special gift for children and youth, and adults receive local grocery store gift cards. Find an SOS Angel Tree in one of dozens of local businesses, purchase the gift listed, and return your unwrapped gift to the store. A local child’s heart will fill with excitement when they find your gift on Christmas morning. The program also gratefully accepts monetary donations to ensure adults can purchase food that is important to them over the holidays.