Community News
Back to School Blues

Back to school signifies many things for kids. It is a return to friendships, learning and routines. For others, it may be daunting, riddled with nervousness or fear. Here are some tips to watch for that may suggest your child is struggling with a return to school. They may report nausea, headaches or stomach upset, possibly without a fever. Some may have increased jitters, difficulties falling asleep, or settling down. If your notice changes, we suggest checking in with them. You know your child best and sometimes the simple check-in can be the most effective treatment to the back to school blues.

Product Review: RELEAF Stick

ACTIVE RELEAF aims to encourage active wellness through the use of nature’s most powerful ingredients. With a synergistic blend of coconut oil, shea butter, essential oils, and broad spectrum cannabinoid-rich hemp plant extract, ACTIVE RELEAF’s topicals offer a natural alternative for pain relief. Try the Original Formula RELEAF Stick as a reliable remedy to soothe everyday aches and pains. For extra stubborn discomfort associated with joint stiffness, and inflammation, the Extra Strength RELEAF+ Stick is specially formulated to soothe quickly and be long lasting. Apply liberally to affected areas 3 – 4 times a day or as needed.

Dementia-Friendly Technology

Dementia affects parts of the brain responsible for language, learning, and memory. Those living with dementia can find it scary and overwhelming, but there are some devices that can help make them feel safe and secure. An easy-to-read clock placed in clear view can help with daily routines and reduce anxiety. A wearable GPS tracker device can help locate someone with dementia in cases of emergency. Automated pill dispensers open automatically with an alert sound when it’s time to take medication. Finally, a wearable monitoring device can detect falls and alert medical responders to ensure those with dementia are safe.

Improve Workplace Wellness with Gratitude

At work, it is easy to feel stressed, overwhelmed or confused during times of uncertainty. However, research has shown that when meetings start with intentional gratitude and a short debrief at the end, collective intelligence and productivity increase substantially. How does it work? Put a standing item of reflection/gratitude/quick win in the agenda template and assign someone to share a positive note. When the meeting is over, check-in to ensure you met your objectives, everyone was heard, and everyone is ready to move upwards and onwards. For resources to support workplace health and performance visit WellnessWorksCanada.ca.

Are You Having Fun?

As an older adult, you know that you need to stay active for optimal mental and physical health. But are you having FUN? Fun and joy are what make us feel truly alive, engaged, and connected to others. The world becomes more vibrant and inviting when we give ourselves permission to laugh and play. Every senior deserves to pursue enjoyable pastimes that make him or her lose track of time or feel like a goofy kid at heart. Plus, many of the best activities for senior citizens cost little or no money. Explore activities that spark the kid in you!

We Are Here For You

The BC Responsible and Problem Gambling Program continues to provide free services to citizens of British Columbia through this period. We are working to provide virtual options (telephone and videoconferencing) for the delivery of our services, including counselling and outreach support. For more information, please contact the Gambling Support Line at 1.888.795.6111 or email Problem.Gambling@gov.bc.ca. If you need to renew your VSE agreement, please contact BCLC’s Customer Support Centre at 1-866-815-0222. A BCLC Investigator will set new ‘temporary’ agreement renewal and contact you when venues are set to open to obtain your documentation.

New Superberry: an Antioxidant Powerhouse

In the spectrum of nutrition, berries rank near the top, and among berries, none are more nutritious than the Aronia berry. That’s because powerful antioxidants (proanthocyanidins) in Aronia berries remove harmful free oxygen radicals from cells. Research shows that in diabetics, Aronia berry juice reduced blood glucose, and its extracts reduced inflammation and improved immunity. An extract of Aronia berries injected into highly malignant brain tumor cells killed malignant cells within 24 hours without harming healthy cells. And in hard-to-treat cancers, combining Aronia with chemotherapy improved the effectiveness of conventional drugs.

Music of the Plants: Interspecies Communication

Since the 1970s, Damanhur—a Federation of Communities with its own constitution, culture, music, currency, school and uses of science and technology has researched communication with the plant world. They created an instrument that perceives the electromagnetic variations from the surface of plant leaves to the root system and translates them into sound. Each variation is given a different musical note value. When connected, the musical instrument digital interface turns the value into an audible note of music. Plants can create 4 to 5 octaves of music and upward of 120 different sounds. Music of the Plants allows people around the world to connect with plants’ innate intelligence to expand their awareness.

What’s the Human Body-Field?

While traditional healthcare has primarily focused on physiology, we are now seeing that energy and information control biology. In fact, frontier science proves that there is a regulating field of energy and information that operates in the physical body at the subcellular level. At NES Health, they call this the Human Body-Field (HBF), and they have researched its functions and structures for more than 30 years. In that time, they have discovered that the root causes of physical problems are distortions and blockages in the body-field, which serves as a master control system for all physiological function.

Compassion through Crisis

As the world takes a breath in the midst of chaos, it can be hard to imagine taking time to be compassionate. But here is the thing, self-compassion is a gift we can give ourselves in precisely the most difficult times of crisis. As the world changes around us we may become angry and hurt, which is our brain’s way of signaling that something is wrong, encouraging change. This is where compassion comes in. Being aware of our own suffering can help us identify what our needs are, help us navigate the uncertainty and create space for healing.

Consider Coaching

Our personalities are like boats we sail without much freeboard. We trade wisdom and depth for speed and security, but rough times can swamp us. While we aim for strength, immunity, vitality, meaning, and purpose, the unexpected stresses create uncertainty, doubt, and weakness. Consider counseling, coaching, mentoring, time-management, psychology, and hypnosis as one-time, short-term corrections. Having someone skilled at listening without judgment can go a long way toward righting and redirecting yourself. Read an online chronicle about counseling and COVID-19 here: bit.ly/COVID19chronicle