Pulled muscles and strains are very common and can happen easily. A pulled or strained muscle occurs when your muscle is overstretched or torn. They are usually the result of fatigue, overuse or improper use of the muscle. Pulled muscles or strains can happen anywhere in the body and can be treated for 15-20 minute with ice/heat packs and anti-inflammatory medications. Resting the muscle for a couple days and continuing to use ice/heat packs is the best way to quick healing. Stretching properly before walking or running allows the muscles to become less tight which may lead to less injuries.

If you hear people say there’s nothing to do here in Nanaimo, they may not be aware of the many events that take place in our beautiful city in the summer. Between the playground program for kids at various parks, to family fun nights to concerts in the park at Bowen and Maffeo Sutton Park, there is so much to do for every member of the family. For all the details on the many events and program happening in your city this summer, go to our website. Have a happy and active summer!

Companion planting harnesses the properties of one plant to enhance the growth and health of another. Essential Oils are the communication and immune system of a plant. Being able to use the essential oil of a companion plant can have benefits in some cases. Mix 6 drops of essential oil to 2 gallons of warm water, stir and let it cool. When watering use one half essential oil water and half cold water. Use Basil essential oil for tomatoes, peas, broccoli, asparagus and roses. Use Peppermint & Lemon Essential Oil-for plants suffering from aphids, spiders or mold. Check out our essential oil gardening classes.

With the sunny weather, more of our skin is on display and exposed to the elements. We want our skin to look smooth and healthy; healthy skin is vital to our survival. Our skin is an organ that we wear on the outside to protect what is inside. The products that we put on our skin and on our faces are just as important as what we put into our body. To avoid harmful chemicals and allergens, use skin products made with pure organic essential oils and natural ingredients to hydrate, nourish, pamper and repair your skin – naturally. Make sure to read the label. Look for skincare products with no nasty chemicals, preservatives or artificial fragrances.

Being responsible for your parent’s wellbeing is hard. Many family caregivers struggle to cope with chores, challenges, life, health and work. The Family Caregiver Symposium is for YOU if *You are overwhelmed with caregiving * Want help but don’t know where to turn, *Face tough decisions *Mourn the relationship you once had. You will learn * How to cope during your caregiving years *Ways to ease your emotional rollercoaster * Ideas to make life better. The Family Caregiver Symposium offers support, educates & empowers caregivers who are responsible for their parents’ wellbeing. Learn from Expert Speakers and Resources, meet our Caregiver Panel and enjoy the Caregiver Appreciation Hour.

What do you think of when you hear the word funeral? The word is defined and interpreted differently based on what you have been told or have experienced. Funerals are for the living. The process of planning a funeral is the beginning of the grieving process. It’s an opportunity to celebrate our loved one and how they lived their life. When we include our family and closest friends in this process, we can have a fitting tribute that will not be forgotten. Funerals or memorial services don’t have to be elaborate or expensive to be meaningful to those in attendance.

The human body has many parts; the physical, energetic and the spiritual body, the peripheral and the central nervous system, the right and the left side of the brain and Chakras. All of the parts are guided and operated approximately 5% within YOUR Conscious and 95% within Your Subconscious MIND. All these parts of YOU are essential to YOUR health! Thoughts, emotions and energies vibrate inside of you constantly. Using a 3-D Healing Approach, we are able to open the gates and unblock stored negative emotions so their ripple effect can be removed and REAL healing can take place.

Low back pain is a common issue that many pregnant women have. As the baby grows, the women’s center of mass shifts more forward, putting more stress on the low back and lower back muscles. In addition, in preparation for the birth, hormones cause loosening of the ligaments. A pelvis that is not moving properly can also contribute to low back pain. A chiropractor trained in the Webster Technique knows how to specifically, and gently, correct pelvis misalignments in pregnant women, helping reduce low back pain and making pregnancy a little easier. Call for a free consultation on how we can help you.

High frequency consonants are responsible for the clarity of speech. When people hear the low and medium pitches well, they hear that someone is speaking, but if they have high frequency hearing loss, they miss the high pitches. Deprivation can happen when people wait a long time before addressing their hearing loss auditory. When the auditory centers of the brain and the auditory nerves are not stimulate properly they can weaken over time. This results in a decline in a person’s speech processing ability. Contact a Hearing Care Professional for a FREE hearing test and take your first steps towards better hearing.

Gambling “responsibly” means different things to different people. Everyone has their own idea of what “responsible”, “safe” or “fun” looks like. Regardless of what responsible gambling means to you or to someone else, some common themes of Responsible Gambling include: 1) always make informed decisions about gambling 2) only gamble with money that isn’t needed for something else; 3) have an awareness of how gambling works and the common false beliefs that can get people into trouble & 4) be aware of your own feelings to avoid being frustrated, anxious or depressed when gambling.