Did you know that your unique genetic profile can determine how your body processes certain medications? For some people, they may metabolise drugs too quickly and as a result, get little or no benefit from a particular medication. For other people, they may metabolise medications too slowly and as a result, have an increased risk of side effects. Genetic testing can help to personalise your treatment by using genetic information to customise drug therapy and the doses that work best for you. As your DNA does not change, the testing only needs to be performed one time.

There are many approaches to investing. The more popular stories in the media revolve around the next big thing company going public, or making big money fast in pot stocks. And sometimes it works well, you may even know of people who boasted their big pot stock wins. What you rarely hear about is how often a concentrated bet doesn’t work out, people don’t like to mention that. With a number of high profile IPO’s (initial public offering) happening this year, don’t believe the hype. There will be more losers than winners. When it comes to long term financial health and wealth, the Tortoise always wins.

Game theory is the mathematical study of games that goes beyond the theory of probability to include the behaviour of other players. But most of the time, gamblers do not pay strict attention to probability let alone other more complex mathematical considerations. Despite knowing that the odds are stacked against us, and our money likely lost, we continue to gamble for our own individual reasons. Michael Jordan once said, “I want people to understand, gambling is not a bad thing if you do it within the framework of what it’s meant to be, which is fun and entertaining.”

To eliminate the pain of frozen shoulder or rotator cuff injuries and to regenerate the joint, especially with osteo-arthritic elements; acupuncture and Prolozone injection therapy are my treatment protocols. Hypoxia or the inadequacy of cellular oxygen reaching the body’s tissues causes degeneration in the ligaments. Prolozone is excellent for all forms of musculo-skeletal and joint pain including chronic neck & back pain, rotator cuff injuries, degenerative & arthritic hips & knees, degenerated discs, & shoulder & elbow pain. Because in many cases Prolozone actually corrects the pathology of the disorder, there is a 75% chance for the chronic pain sufferer to becoming permanently pain free.

No matter what style of yoga you choose to do, you will likely see improvements in many areas of your health. The benefits of yoga go far beyond improving flexibility. By practicing yoga regularly, you can: increase your flexibility, muscle tone and strength and improve your circulatory and cardio health. Practicing yoga renews your energy levels, improves athletic performance, reduces injuries, detoxifies your organs, increases your blood flow, drains your lymphatic system, improves your posture, helps with chronic pain, helps you sleep better, improves your mood and SO MUCH MORE! What’s holding you back from achieving your wellness goals?

Climate change is real, and Nature is sending us a clear message through fires, drought, floods and more intense storms because of our disconnection from Nature. World strife, urban sprawl, less education in our schools about Nature and our own disregard of our surroundings have put us on notice. Reconnecting with Nature leads to unlimited health benefits, less war, more respect for people and animals and a higher regard for our environment.

A former alpine ski racer, physiotherapist Dustin Fraser has worked in sports therapy and orthopaedics for most of his career, most notably as the Canadian Men’s Alpine Ski Team physiotherapist from 2013-2016. His clinical interests include injury prevention and the assessment and treatment of knee injuries. Dustin is certified in IMS (dry needling), professional bike fitting and functional movement screening. As an avid mountain biker, skier and outdoorsy dad, Dustin and his wife Lissa felt that the Comox Valley was the perfect home for their family and business, Fresh Tracks Physiotherapy.

Q: My elderly father says he has macular degeneration but he’s still driving. Is that legal?

A: It’s certainly possible that he has plenty of functional vision; macular degeneration does not necessarily mean severe vision loss. In BC, vision requirements include good visual acuity, good peripheral vision, and no double vision. Perhaps he’ll allow you to be present during these tests – it would be re-assuring to talk to his examiner about these measurements.

Did you know there are three types of custom foot orthotics? Dynamic rehab orthotics work dynamically through gait and challenge target muscle groups in order to retrain the foot. They help achieve sustainable comfort and improve the body’s ability to balance. Accommodative orthotics are made from thermo-moldable foams and redistribute heavily pressurized plantar areas to reduce pain, which is helpful for the diabetic and high-arched arthritic foot. Rigid/semi-rigid orthotics have ¾ length stiffer thermo-plastic that supports the arches of the foot and corrects gait deficiencies. These are designed to compensate for muscle and joint dysfunctions.