Community News
Massage for Athletic Performance

How does Massage Therapy help with athletic performance?

The benefits of Massage Therapy have long been recognized by top-level athletes as well as “weekend warriors “. So what are the physiological effects?

  • Massage greatly affects the cardiovascular system. It helps with dilation (increase in diameter) of blood vessels which in turn work to move blood more efficiently and therefore promotes circulation
  • Massage encourages venous blood flow back to the heart which enhances blood flow to deliver fresh oxygen and nutrients to the tissues and help with removal of waste and toxins
  • Because of the relaxed state you are in after a massage treatment you will experience a drop in heart rate
  • Massage especially affects the muscular system. The increased and enhanced blood circulation relieves muscle tension, decreases soreness (DOMS), speeds up recovery time and helps to increase range of motion and flexibility
  • Massage aids to decrease inflammation after a strenuous workout and promotes growth of mitochondria (the energy center of our cells).

What about the psychological effects?

  • Massage helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system by increasing dopamine and serotonin levels and decreasing the stress hormone cortisol to help with stress and tension relief as well as managing pre-event anxiety

Sports Massage can be categorized into various types:

  1. a) a short, stimulating, fast paced treatment as a pre-work out or pre-race warm up to get you ready to function at your optimum
  2. b) a more relaxing treatment post- work out or post- race to assist in recovery

Benefits of Massage Therapy to the aspiring athlete are manifold as it will improve your performance and speed up recovery. Regular, weekly massage treatments will (just like exercise) have a cumulative effect and should be part of any serious training program.

 

Willie Muller RMT
CourtenayMassageTherapy.com

Scavenger Hunt Adventure Tours

There is an exciting new business in the Comox Valley! Scavenger Hunt Adventure Tours is all about solving clues, searching for hidden items, exploring under-appreciated places, and getting people outdoors for fun and healthy recreation. Activities range from single-day, themed scavenger hunts to private parties, corporate events, and multi-day getaways. Mother and son team, Jackie West and Tyler Meggitt, combine their talents and draw upon their respective career and life experiences to deliver a diverse selection of staged and themed adventure tours that put a new spin on the well-known scavenger hunt. Jackie looks forward to working alongside her youngest son, Tyler, as they get creative together to deliver some fresh fun and games to locals and visitors alike. From day tours promoting awareness of local businesses and landmarks to week-long road trips, there is plenty of fun and adventure in store for you.

Jackie West
scavenger-hunt-adventure-tours.ca

Considering a Pet Sitter?

If you’re a pet owner who travels, arranging for care for your pets while you’re away can feel like an overwhelming decision. It’s important to look for caregivers who will not only provide for basic needs like food and water, but also companionship, reassurance, and playtime while you’re away. If you can find someone to come to your home, your pet gets to stay in his familiar surroundings, which is less stressful than taking him to a new location! When finding a pet sitter, it’s also important that you’re both on the same page about what’s expected and the fees involved for things like the number and length of visits per day, grooming and walking, accident cleanup, and taking the pet to a vet in case of emergency. You and your pet should feel comfortable about the care arrangements, so you (and your pet) can enjoy your vacation without worry!

HappyPaws.ca

Book Club: Why Can’t I get Better?

Solving the Mystery of Lyme and Chronic Disease by Dr. Richard Horowitz. Looks at pain, fatigue, memory and concentration problems, sleep disorders, and much more. Lyme disease and its related conditions are incredibly complicated. You can take the questionnaire yourself, and start doing your own detective work with this book as your guide.

LymeDisease.org

Book Club: Whose Mind Is It Anyway?

Get Out of Your Head and Into Your Life by Lisa Esile & Franco Esile. Most of us spend our lives trailing after our minds, allowing our brains to take us in directions that are safe and secure, controlled and conformed. Whose Mind Is It Anyway? will help you learn how to separate what you want from what your brain wants and how to do less when your mind is trying to trick you into doing more. In a colorful, funny, and nonthreatening way, it answers the difficult question of how we can take control of our self-defeating behaviors.

LisaEsile.com

Kundalini Yoga for Vitality

Through kundalini yoga, energy increases! With increased awareness, we make the right choices for ourselves on a consistent basis and less energy is used for worry and fear. This alone gives us much-needed vitality. You begin to feel revitalized, as the poses, breath work, and mantras bring prana (life energy) to your body, activating and balancing the glandular system. This impacts our brain chemistry, improving our moods, hormones, and reaction to stress. Through consistent practice, your body/mind retains a memory of what you have learned and you are able to access this neutral energy when needed. Your mind becomes calm and you feel focused and clear. Vitality and focus bring self-confidence, and the ability to see things in perspective and not get easily stressed. We may face the daily challenges in life and be joyful about whatever comes our way.

Wendy Anderson RYT, Yoga-10 Studio
CourtenayMassageTherapy.com

Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Low energy and weakness; confusion; sleep, digestive, hearing, and memory problems; irritability and mood swings; dizziness or light-headedness; weak immune function; and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet can indicate a B12 deficiency. It’s one super vitamin that will boost energy and speed up metabolism. B12 is found in many foods and is easily taken orally. Since it is water-soluble, B12 acts quickly in the body and is considered safe for almost anyone. Oral B12 supplements should be dissolved under the tongue. The vast network of blood vessels under the tongue allows B12 to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream and bypass the stomach. Many B12 supplements are made with inexpensive cyanocobalamin, which must first be converted into its active counterpart methylcobalamin to be utilized. Those supplementing with B12 should use 100% methylcobalamin. Tree for Life’s Vitamin B12, which we distribute, meets the above recommendations.

Stephen Dalley
ComoxValleyHCG.com

The Cancer Journey

When patients with cancer are treated in an integrative approach with Chinese and conventional medicine, several factors are taken in account such as the patient’s conditional environment and lifestyle factors that played a role in the evolution of the cancer. The treatment interventions from the conventional medicine view are generally cytotoxic and carry predictable side effects, depending on the specific intervention. There are several treatment principles that Chinese medicine uses to interact with conventional medicine cancer treatments: Fu zheng Qu xie, to strengthen the constitution, improve the immune system, and eliminate pathogenic factors to allow the body to heal from within; Huo xue Qu Yu, which refers to the activation of blood circulation, which may prevents metastasis; Qing Re Jie Du, to describe the clearing of heat, and toxins; and Ruan Jian san Jie, which refers to the softening and dissolving of cancer masses.

Dr. Ross Ralph, Courtenay Healing Centre
CourtenayHealing.ca

Ringing in the Ears

Do you hear noise in your ears that other people can’t hear? Annoying sounds, like ringing, buzzing, whistling, whooshing, or hissing? If so, you are not alone. Over 3 million Canadians suffer from tinnitus – a condition characterized by sounds that originate from within, rather than from outside of, your ears. Tinnitus takes on many forms. The most common “garden-variety” type produces soft-to-loud ringing, humming or rushing water sounds. Tonal tinnitus causes a constant chiming sound, like a musical note played over and over again. Pulsatile tinnitus produces sound that pulsates in time with one’s heartbeat. Mixed tinnitus causes multiple noises to be heard simultaneously. Objective tinnitus is extremely rare, and produces noise heard not only by the affected individual, but by others as well!

Jeff Germain
Islandbeltone.com

Have CRA Debt?

Owing money to Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is stressful. Manage it by following these guidelines: Request a payment plan – CRA will split what you owe into smaller, more manageable amounts. However, this balance will accrue interest until it’s paid off, and defaulting on your payment plan also means collections attempts from CRA. Consult a Licensed Insolvency Trustee – discuss a consumer proposal if a payment plan won’t work. With this option, you can settle your debts for less than you owe; the Trustee will negotiate a settlement with the CRA on your behalf, and you will then make affordable payments to the Trustee. A consumer proposal or bankruptcy will stop collection activity from CRA. Act quickly – never ignore a notice or call from CRA. They are willing to work with you, but only if you communicate with them first.

Derek L. Chase, CPA, CA, CIRP Licenced Insolvency Trustee
ChaseSekulich.com

Can Exercise be Fun?

Are you getting enough fun with your exercise? Would you like to do a 4-hour walking tour in the Comox Valley where you can not only learn more about the Comox Valley, but also get some light exercise while doing so? We strive to create a fun way to learn and exercise at the same time, therefore working on your overall health and wellness. It is important to not only exercise your body, but to also exercise your mind. It is also important that you enjoy life, as life is an adventure. Exercise your body and your mind as you work on your overall health and wellness, all while enjoying life.

Jackie West
Scavenger-hunt-adventure-tours.ca