Christmas magic is silent. You don’t hear it — you feel it. You know it. You believe it. Kevin Alan Milne

Q: How much magnification does one get with +2.00 reading glasses? I can’t find any that actually make things look twice as big.
A: The strength of reading glasses actually corresponds to how far they allow the user to focus on close objects. In general, low powered reading glasses allow the user to focus out a bit further (like when using a computer). Higher powered lenses will entail much closer focusing (e.g. for threading a needle). The necessary strengths vary from person to person.

Massage therapy is undeniably effective at getting people tapped in to their parasympathetic nervous system, which is more commonly called ‘rest and digest’. Unfortunately, many spend most of their days in ‘fight or flight’! When the parasympathetic nervous system is in charge, blood pressure and heart rate lower, breathing is fuller, oxygen and blood make it deeper into the body, tissues repair themselves, organs do their jobs better, and overall, mental health is much more relaxed and content. It’s not hard to understand why being in ‘rest and digest’ is more conducive to recovery, management and being better prepared to handle what life throws at us!

Safety is one of the most important pieces in our overall health and well-being. When we think of being safe, we often think of avoiding physical dangers. However, our complex minds also filter information to promote our emotional and psychological safety. When our brain perceives a threat, it will signal feelings in our bodies to defend against it. Sometimes if we are not paying attention, we miss these signals, leaving us feeling unwell. To help overcome this, the next time you notice feeling scared, try observing the problem, while building awareness for how your body is responding.

Chronic anxiety is unpredictable and overpowering. Did you know that caffeine has been associated with anxiety? Caffeine increases alertness by blocking a brain chemical (adenosine) that makes you feel tired, and overuse can cause anxiety. The essential oils suggested to help with anxiety are Basil, Bergamot, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Melissa, Marjoram, and Patchouli. Inhaling a couple of deep breaths of your chosen essential oil will help calm down that feeling of being overwhelmed. Better still is having a diffuser in your home, car or workplace. This will diffuse the essential oils into the air. Now all you have to do is breathe and relax.

Fall is my favourite time of year, I know many of you feel the same way. It’s a season both of reflection and of action, as the change of season often brings a change of activities. It’s also a time of ‘getting back to business’ for many and a good time to turn ones attention to financial planning matters. Given the state of global affairs, it would also be a good time to do a detailed review of your investments. This year has (until recently) seen spectacular returns across many asset classes, what comes next is never certain.

Does your child complain of achiness in their legs at night? Pain in the upper or lower legs or behind the knees can occur during periods of rapid growth in kids, usually between the ages of 3-5 or 8-12. Recent studies have found a high incidence of these ‘growing pains’ in children with flat feet. As your child’s body weight increases with the rapid growth, their foot arches may not be strong enough to maintain that extra weight. Correcting the arches with custom foot orthotics can help ease some of the muscle soreness. When combined with warm massage, increased fluid intake, stretching, and ensuring that stable, supportive footwear is worn throughout the day, you can greatly ease your child’s discomfort.

To eliminate the pain of any form of musculo-skeletal injury and to regenerate any joint, especially with osteo-arthritic elements; acupuncture and Prolozone injection therapy are my treatment protocols. Each component of Prolozone therapy has a specific biological purpose. Procaine acts to re-establish cellular membrane potentials. Anti-inflammatory agents decrease edema and swelling. The inclusion of vitamins and minerals provides necessary substrates of oxygen utilization that in damaged tissues are often deficient. And finally, oxygen utilization is directly stimulated by ozone. 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.

Is the thought of long corridors at the airport or the cruise terminal putting you off from travelling? Travelling with a mobility scooter on a plane may seem daunting to organize, but today you can have the independence and freedom to travel wherever you like. Today’s portable light weight electric mobility scooters make it a breeze to reach your gate or cabin on the ship. Folding mobility scooters are great options as they can easily be brought with you everywhere. When travelling by air, inform the airline that you are travelling with a scooter and provide weight/dimensions and battery type. Don’t forget the charger cord!

The evidence is conflicting about what nutrition strategy works best for weight loss. The best diet for you is the one that you can follow faithfully for a lifetime. You should not feel deprived or hungry, and the plan should be one you can incorporate into your lifestyle. You should also know that some medications can contribute to weight gain. Your pharmacist can help you determine which drugs may be a problem and if there are alternatives. It is worthwhile now to plan ahead before December so you can navigate through the holiday season with minimal damage to your waistline.