Research supports the statement that ‘people who own dogs live longer’, and pet owners have some great advantages in balancing daily living. Your dog gets your day started with a much-needed walk, and possibly a couple more throughout the day. You are loved unconditionally by your furry friend. You take time to groom, train, talk to, and play with your dog – social interaction that can offset hours spent on the computer and phone. A dog can change your life, add to your life, give you a life, and extend your life! Not a bad thing to consider. Barbara Guidetti, Happy Paws Pet Food, HappyPaws.ca
Community News
Lose Weight & Still Enjoy Wine!
Research suggests people who follow a Mediterranean diet lose 52% more weight than the standard low-fat diet because it isn’t just a fad or limited list of foods. It’s a lifestyle based on a balanced approach to your meals, which focuses on produce, healthy fats, whole grains, legumes, fish, and even some red wine. Committing to losing weight for three months using the Mediterranean diet as a base, along with three booster products and three lifestyle changes, guarantees results. And there is no meal skipping! Look and feel great for all of your holiday parties and events!
Lisa – Modere, LiveClean.Market
Giving Back: Longing for Belonging
Most of us take for granted the community that surrounds us. We have family, friends, co-workers, neighbours – people who help us celebrate life’s milestones, look out for us, and connect us to the broader life of our community. These circles of belonging are essential to our quality of life and studies show that they strongly affect our mental and physical wellbeing. But what if your circumstances exclude you from the life of your community? Having a developmental disability can do just that and the folks at L’Arche Comox Valley are passionate about creating community that includes everyone – with and without developmental disabilities. The I Belong! Campaign is about creating a space where that can happen. Our goal is the construction of a Centre for belonging that also includes residences for those able to live independently. Join us – support us! L’Arche Comox Valley
Book Club:
The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact
by Chip Heath, Dan Heath
Many of the defining moments in our lives are the result of accident or luck—but why would we leave our most meaningful, memorable moments to chance when we can create them? The Power of Moments shows us how to be the author of richer experiences.
3-Ingredient Almond Butter Cookies
These flour-less almond butter cookies are SO good, and made with only 3 ingredients (1 cup almond butter, 6 Tbsp raw sugar, and 1 large egg)! Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray two nonstick baking sheets lightly with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix the almond butter, sugar, and egg until well combined. Spoon 1 level tablespoon of the mixture about 1 inch apart onto baking sheets. Flatten the mounds with the tines of a fork, making a crosshatch pattern on the cookies. Bake until golden around the edges, about 10 minutes.
SkinnyTaste.com
A Puppy for Christmas!
A new pet can be a wonderful holiday gift, but it can also be a challenging surprise. There’s no denying the comfort and joy of a puppy in the house, but a new pet means a whole lot of responsibility that one should always consider beforehand. Also, remember that these little ones have just left their ‘mommy’, so try to keep the Christmas excitement on the quieter side, with lots of time for extra cuddles with puppy! It is important to be prepared for the financial and personal commitments of raising a puppy to become a happy and healthy member of your family, and the rewards are endless!
Happy Paws Pet Food, HappyPaws.ca
Happy Paws Pet Food, www.happypaws.ca
Gifts to Give Yourself
Christmas is the season of giving, of not only gifts, but also our time and energy. If we are not careful, we can quickly find ourselves overwhelmed by all the hustle and bustle of the season. To help you stay grounded and grateful, and truly make the most of each day, consider giving yourself the following gifts: presence, silence, and self-compassion. Presence will help you focus on the moment and keep your mind from wandering. Silence is essential for recharging your batteries and reflecting on all for which you are grateful. Self-compassion will help comfort you when the reality of the season does not match the idealized version you wish to be true.
Healing Power of Cannabis
Today, there is a worldwide empowerment movement to educate humankind on the foods to stop eating, and on how to heal ourselves. CEO Manny Goldman of “The Sacred Plant” documentary series reveals the extraordinary healing power of cannabis. This plant has been used for healing for thousands of years, but recent decades of research and a change in attitude have exposed cannabis as a powerful ingredient in relieving symptoms of numerous diseases, and in some cases, eradicating disease altogether.
Gord Weber, Spirit Gardens, SpiritGardens.ca
Got Shoulder Pain?
Shoulder pain is very common and can be caused by injury, repetitive motion, poor posture or underlying health problems. The shoulder joint has more mobility than stability which makes it more susceptible to dysfunction and pain.
Conditions related to shoulder pain are frozen shoulder, rotator cuff disorders (strains, tears), bursitis, tendonitis, joint instability and acromioclavicular joint disorders. Most shoulder injuries are 40-50% pain persistent for many months after the initial injury.
Treatment with Regenerative Injection Therapy (RIT) also known as Prolotherapy, Plasma Rich Platelet and Prolozone will encourage new cell growth to damaged and weak tissue. It is also recommended that RIT be integrated with Osteopathic manual therapy and Neurofunctional acupuncture to re-establish proper neuromuscular control.
Shoulder pain is the third most common, complex musculoskeletal complaint therefore an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan need to be established. Dr. Ross Ralph, Dr. TCM, R.Ac., DOMP., Courtenay Healing Centre, CourtenayHealing.ca
Relieve Emotional Stress with Yoga
A fundamental principle of yoga is that your body and mind are one and connected. Stress in one domain will affect the other and vice versa. Yoga can help you cope with stress and improve overall health and satisfaction with life. While all exercise is good for stress, yoga is different because it powerfully combines both physical fitness with an underlying philosophy of self-compassion and awareness. We actually release emotional energy effectively throughout our yoga practice, even if you’re not aware of it!
Wendy Anderson, RYT-200, Yoga 10 Studio, Yoga10Studio.com, CourtenayMassageTherapy.com
Reducing Elderly Falls
Inappropriate footwear can increase an elderly person’s chance of a fall. Many people purchase the wrong footwear because they want to help their aging parent by finding something that is easy to put on, and they think that softer is better. Not true. As we age, our motor and sensory skills decline. Our loss of proprioception skills (one’s ability to sense where our limbs are in space) makes us feel less sure of our footing and therefore less balanced. Loose-fitting, soft-soled footwear does not provide appropriate signals to the feet to inform them of where they are in relation to the ground. Properly fitting, sturdy shoes with non-skid soles provide more direct contact between the ground and the foot, sending sharper signals to the brain. Choosing lace-up or velcro closure shoes instead of slip-ons ensures the best stabilization of the foot within the shoe. B.D. Mitchell Prosthetics & Orthotics, MitchellPandO.com
