Summer at last! Days get longer and temps get hotter! While we all love the sun, it’s time to be mindful of the damage it could do. When choosing a sunscreen, go for the “broad spectrum” protection. Sunscreens with this label protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure your sunscreen has a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. The SPF number is the level of protection the sunscreen provides against harmful rays. Higher SPF numbers do mean more protection, but the higher you go, the smaller the difference becomes. For example, a bottle labeled SPF 85 has no better protection than a bottle of SPF 50. Always be wary of dangerous ingredients in your sunscreen. These include parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, and sodium laurel sulphates. Retinyl palminate, a form of vitamin A, has been linked to skin tumours and lesions on sun-exposed skin. Also, use creams not sprays or powders, as creams offer more sun protection without the nanoparticles.
Community News
Clean Eating: Vanilla Chia Breakfast Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
Seasonal fruit for topping, Almonds or other nuts for topping.
Directions:
Combine almond milk, chia seeds, vanilla and sweetener in a bowl. Mix well until combined and the mixture begins to thicken. Store covered in the refrigerator overnight or for at least an hour (the longer the better)! Stir well before serving and add a bit of water to the pudding if it becomes too thick. Top with fresh fruit and nuts of your choice. (Yields 2 servings)
Book Club: Aim True by Kathryn Budig
Love Your Body, Eat Without Fear, Nourish Your Spirit, Discover True Balance! Yogi and motivational speaker Kathryn Budig is known for her ability to encourage others to set their intentions and goals, no matter how lofty, and work toward them while staying true to themselves. Whether your goal is to love who you are right now, reshape the way you view food, develop a meditation practice, or discover new ways to embrace the great balancing act that is life, this holistic approach to yoga, diet, and mindfulness has something for you. Filled with vibrant photographs and whimsical illustrations, this guide is as beautiful as it is life-changing. Available at a book store near you!
You Deserve A Mobile Spa
Let the spa come to you! Imagine your very own mobile spa service. You deserve to be pampered in the comfort of your own home. Bask in the luxury of a day just for YOU and treat yourself to a complete make-over! At the end of the day, you can emerge with your hair coloured & styled, glowing skin from an organic Sea Flora facial and impeccable nails after a professional manicure and pedicure. Therapeutic treatments are available for those who suffer with disabilities or problems with their feet, back, neck, shoulders and face. No travel, no spectators, no parking. Be Queen for the day with a nice relaxing spa just for you – because you deserve it.
Dianne Duquette, Fully Licensed Esthetician & CMT
Technology’s Role in Wellness
Technology is developing at a mind-blowing pace, but we always have a choice about how we wish to engage with technology. We can ‘unplug’ when we need to re-generate and get back in touch with our natural selves, or we can use technology to streamline our lives and focus on the important things like family and health. We can also engage technology to enhance our health and well-being. This pertains to age-old ‘natural’ technologies such as meditation, yoga and mindfulness, as well as to emerging frequency-based technologies like neurofeedback. We are lucky to live in an age where we can choose how to target specific aspects of our physical and emotional health. Unplugging when we need to and engaging in both time-honored and cutting-edge technology can do wonders for our physical, mental and spiritual health and happiness.
Dr. Chris Hammer, PhD
Balancing Space & Alignment
Balancing space in the joints between the bones of the limbs and between the vertebra of the spinal column happens during a Biodynamic treatment because the practitioner understands the shapes of every bone in the body and how they function together in movement. There is a particular rhythm that occurs between each bone shape when it’s unhampered by injury or stress. The practitioner seeks coherence in these rhythms of the bones and the relative movement of the bones to all other motilities (internal rhythms) of the body as a whole. By studying the coherence of the movements of our developmental movement patterns, the practitioner knows the feeling of how these rhythms were formed and how they produce an even distribution of work/effort/energy. By listening for the dynamics of movement the practitioner waits for this intelligence to get re-established if it’s been disturbed. Therefore, alignment really has to do with optimal efficiency for movement so that there’s both stability and freedom of motion.
Laurie Pryce, Biodynamic Body
Technology’s Role in Wellness
Technology is developing at a mind-blowing pace, but we always have a choice on how we wish to engage with it. We can always “unplug” when we need to re-generate and get back in touch with our natural selves, or we can use technology to streamline our lives and focus on the important things in life like family and health. We can also engage technology to enhance our health and well-being. This pertains to such age-old “natural” technologies of meditation, yoga and mindfulness for example, as well as to emerging frequency-based technologies like neurofeedback. We are lucky to live in an age where we can choose how to target specific aspects of our physical and emotional health. Unplugging when we need to, and engaging in both time-honored and cutting-edge technology, can do wonders for our physical, mental, and spiritual health and happiness.
Dr. Chris Hammer, PhD.
www.valentusclinics.com
Homeopathic Treatment of Concussions
Were you dropped on the head as a baby? Maybe. And that may be why you are having trouble reading this. I have seen children with ADHD or dyslexia who suffered head injuries as infants and suddenly come out of the fog after treatment with homeopathy, only to become brilliant students after struggling for years. Dr. John Gray of Venus and Mars fame was cured with homeopathy in his fifties of life-long ADHD. He had fallen out of a tree as a child, suffering a concussion. Concussions can be a common cause of long-term health problems, including headaches, problems with focus and concentration, anxiety, depression, rage, sleeplessness, low energy and even digestive issues. Homeopathy offers about 50 remedies for consequences of concussion depending on the symptoms. The heavy lifter is Arnica, a great first remedy for concussions, but it is best to individualize treatment.
Dr. Anke Zimmermann BSc. ND. FCAH
www.drzimmerman.org
How Much Caffeine Does Matcha Have?
Matcha contains roughly 25mg of caffeine, which is approximately one-third the caffeine of a cup of brewed coffee. It is easily tolerated by many people for whom coffee makes them jittery and anxious! The caffeine in Matcha works in a synergistic manner with all the other great stuff it contains, including hefty quantities of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and amino acids. This special combination of ingredients produces an unusual effect: An uncanny ability to focus and be productive over an extended period of time. Because the caffeine molecules in Matcha bind to larger and more stable molecules, the caffeine is released over time, instead of all at once into the bloodstream. In contrast to coffee, this timed-release mechanism tends to inhibit any sudden insulin increases, so there is no ‘crash’ associated with quick drops in blood sugar that so many coffee drinkers feel an hour or so after drinking a cup.
Tiffanie & Kip Home, Just Match
www.justmatcha.com
Building Confidence & Self-esteem
We all have moments when we question ourselves. Sometimes that sense of uncertainty sticks around -and we don’t know why, but we feel bad about ourselves. We may blame ourselves for feeling inadequate and not knowing how to feel better. Where does this come from? Is it just us, or is it what’s happening to us? It can be both. For example, there’s no denying the reality of a bad job! Our core beliefs and expectations also play a part. these are deeply held ideas and feelings about ourselves and the world that colour our experience. Counselling can help you uncover these beliefs and find more helpful and supportive ways to be with yourself. Other skills supported in counselling include; positive self-talk and encouragement, forgiving yourself for not being perfect, handling difficult memories, changing your situation and asserting your needs empathically.
Mary Munro MA. MC. RCC.
Sunglasses – Are You Protected?
In today’s marketplace there’s no end to the types and styles of sunglasses available. When choosing sunglasses, you need to focus on the quality of the lens. Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes, and proper sun protection occurs when your lenses block a certain range of UV light. Polarized sunglasses are the best as they filter glare from reflective surfaces such as snow or water, making you much more comfortable. Proper sunglasses also help to prevent the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. There are many different qualities of sun lenses, either prescription or non-prescription. If you’d like to know if your sunglasses are blocking the appropriate UV rays and that you’re getting proper sun protection, come in and speak to one of our Opticians at any of our five locations in Victoria. We can verify your glasses for you.
Roxy Beswetherick, Student Optician, IRIS
