Helping Seniors Live at Home
Where do you want to live out your senior years? Chances are you’d want to keep living in your own home. It never hurts to think ahead. Often, homes can be made safer and more accessible with minor or major home modifications. Small, inexpensive changes that can make a big difference to a senior’s comfort and safety include installing railings and grab bars; improving lighting for hallways, staircases and rooms; eliminating tripping hazards (rugs, power cords, uneven surfaces); changing doorknobs and cabinet pulls to lever handles; adding higher toilet seats; and widening doorways to accommodate walkers and wheelchairs.
Sleep Hygiene – Ending Insomnia
When insomnia is ongoing, try altering your sleep habits. There is ample clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of a concept called Sleep Hygiene – recommendations that help with the specific aim of improving sleep quality. Even a few slight adjustments can mean the difference between sound sleep and a restless night. Have a bedtime routine, let your body know it’s time to sleep. Don’t go to bed hungry or stuffed and avoid nicotine, caffeine and alcohol. Create a restful bedroom environment that is cool, dark and quiet. Schedule ‘worry’ time for the next day and go to bed worry-free!
On Meaning and Love
This time of year shifts our focus to romantic love and relationships. It symbolizes new beginnings, as we discover new meaning. Finding meaning helps us reflects how we want to be remembered. It encourages something that we can be positive about, helps us be strong and promotes our well-being. Much like love, when we feel our relationships have meaning, we are more engaged and determined to face life stressors. To help you connect with your meaning, challenge yourself to re-define what your love means to you, be fearless in the process and let your heart grow.
Regenerate Your Knees
When your knees chronically hurt you are told it’s a sign of aging and degeneration, which is very true. However, did you know there is a method of treatment to regenerate your knees? Prolozone therapy results in about 75% of chronic pain sufferers to become permanently pain free. Chronic pain occurs in areas of the body that are especially vulnerable to the effects of decreased oxygen utilization and aging. Prolozone therapy with procaine, natural anti-inflammatory medications, vitamins & minerals and ozone gives the tissues what they need to heal. And as they heal, the circulation to the knees is re-established.
Small Steps, Big Rewards
Small changes when you’re working to better your overall health and wellbeing can really add up! This year, consider some simple habit shifts like these: If you find yourself reaching for junk foods frequently, make healthy snacks like fruit and nuts available at all times to curb your cravings. Practice simple deep breathing exercises throughout the day. Count to five as you breathe in, hold your breath while you count to five again, and slowly breathe out while counting to five once more. Take a break from sitting throughout the day by taking brisk walks inside or outdoors!
Words to Live By
“We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up, seeing it is not as dreadful as it appeared, discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” –Eleanor Roosevelt
Words to Live By
“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent van Gogh
Loneliness May Lead to Bad Health
Several studies have shown social isolation can negatively affect your health. This National Institute on Aging primer notes that loneliness can lead to high blood pressure, depression, and put you at greater risk of illness. That could mean more doctor’s visits and higher health care costs. And what if you or your loved one takes a fall with no one around? Beyond the physical pain, the financial implications could be high. And then there’s the emotional toll of social isolation, which can be even more devastating. These are all things to consider when deciding whether you or your loved one spend the next chapter of life at home or in a senior living community.
Eliminating the Winter Blues
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a seasonal depression affecting 18% of Canadians, but there’s a lot you can do to get back to your healthy self again. Start by taking Truehope EMP, a micronutrient supplement that goes well beyond supporting your mental and physical wellbeing. Scientifically backed by 34 medical journal publications and researched at 14 universities worldwide. For even greater results, combine EMP with healthy fats, regular exercise, social time with your friends and a balanced diet. Empower yourself with this holistic approach and say goodbye to winter blues!
Ask The Expert
Q: How bad is it for your eyes to open them under water?
A: In short, prolonged exposure to water can be irritating or dangerous in many ways. Contact lenses can be easily lost. Chlorine from pools can inflame the ocular surfaces. Freshwater itself can cause edema in the eye just from the lack of salinity. Water from hot tubs, outdoor freshwater and sea water can carry all sorts of infectious microorganisms. The human eye doesn’t focus well under water, so the vision is blurry. Try to use swim goggles or masks when you know you’ll be needing to see underwater.
Made in the Valley: Brian’s Arthritis Cream
Arthritis can be quite a debilitating affliction. This had been known especially by one of the ladies who works at Green Valley Aromatherapy, as her father Brian was dealing with a severe case. Her father’s arthritis had gotten so severe that he was unable to fully enjoy his life. We decided it was time to make a blend specifically for arthritis. It contains Eucalyptus, Sweet Birch, Clove Bud, Rosemary, and Camphor essential oils; all mixed into an emu oil base. All of these have analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties, which help ease the pain of arthritis. Now, Brian can fully enjoy life without the hindrance of arthritis to hold him back.


