Shea butter is a sustainable, hand-produced butter that is extracted from the kernel of the Shea fruit. It is primarily harvested and produced by women, and in Africa it is used in food, on babies, to protect skin and hair and as a skin healer and softener.  The natural fatty acids stimulate skin renewal.  The Vitamin E in shea butter makes it very stable and a reliable antioxidant to slow the signs of aging.  It providers an emollient barrier, so it is great as a diaper product, for healing bed sores, to stop chaffing, and for protecting hair and skin from chlorine, sun, salt and wind.  The cinnamic acid in it makes it sun protective, and the stearic acid in it makes it easy to mix with other ingredients. Eczema and psoriasis respond well to the healing powers of Shea Butter.  Organic, unrefined Shea Butter is the Superwoman of butters!

Karen Van Dyck, www.naturesfirstbeautybar.com

As a diabetic, it is very important to have an eye exam at least once a year, even if you’re not having any difficulty with your vision. Diabetes can cause damage to the small blood vessels to the back of your eye, causing them to bleed and distort vision.  It’s the leading cause of vision loss among working age adults. DME or Diabetic Macular Edema, is when the area of your central vision is involved and swelling occurs. Other ocular changes that can occur from being diabetic are cataracts, a clouding of the lens and glaucoma, a disease that damages the optic nerve. Diabetic Retinopathy can often go unnoticed until vision loss occurs, so all diabetics should have a dilated eye exam once a year as early detection by your optometrist can decrease the chances of having vision loss.

Dr. Nicholas Catchuk, IRIS Optometrist, www.iris.ca

Removable partial dentures can replace one or more missing teeth.  They are designed specifically to meet the needs of the patient.  Esthetic appearance and speech is restored along with the ability to eat confidently and efficiently.  Partial dentures can be constructed out of metal and acrylic (plastic) or completely out of acrylic.  Metal partials are considered stronger structurally, thinner and more hygienic than acrylic partials.  Acrylic partials are usually recommended as a transitional or temporary partial.  A properly designed partial denture may help preserve the natural tooth placement of your existing teeth.  Your Denturist will determine the appropriate treatment plan and appropriate partial for you.  Call your Denturist  to book a consultation.

Kent Roberts RD, www.burnsidedentureclinic.com

Lali Formaggia, PhD, H.N, B.Ed, (Arg) R.Ac, Dip. TCM, from Natura Medica is a fully qualified Registered Acupuncturist, board member of ARIIA-Acupoint and Regeneration Injection International Association in BC. Licensed by the College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, with clinical experience since 2003. Her practice combines eastern and western sciences for optimum results. She specializes in regeneration of tissues with integrated pain treatments. “Many conditions respond well to regenerative injection therapies, such as facet syndrome (back and neck arthritis), whiplash, joint sprains, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, tennis elbow, sprains, chronic tendonitis, and more. In my clinical practice, I have found injection therapy to be extremely effective for chronic and acute injuries recovery.” Testimonial: Sam Graci – health researcher, author, founder Greens Plus© “I had a traumatic injury on my knee. I was recommended surgery. I decided to try acupuncture and injection therapy in my ligament instead, and see what it could do first. After a series of injection treatments, I have no pain or tenderness at all. The results have been phenomenal!”

Lali Formaggia, Natura Medica

We all know that drinking water is vital for life. But what, exactly, is water’s function within our bodies?
Here are the top 17 Functions & Benefits of Drinking Water:

1) Water composes 75% of your brain.

2) Water regulates your body temperature.

3) Makes up 83% of your blood.

4) Makes up 75% of your muscles.

5) Composes 22% of your bones.

6) Helps convert food into energy.

7) Removes waste and toxins.

8) Enables your body to absorb nutrients.

9) Moistens oxygen for breathing.

10) Cushions your joints.

11) Helps carry nutrients and oxygen to your cells.

12) Improves your productivity at work.

13) Natural remedy for a headache.

14) Relieves fatigue and improves your mood.

15) Reduces your risk of getting cancer.

16) Improves your performance during exercise.

17) Makes you look younger and healthier.

The amount of water you consume every day plays a vital role in maintaining a healthy mind and body.

Jen McCarthy
www.newerawellness.ca

We are nearing the Holiday season; which can bring very mixed feelings for some people. The speed of life can seem daunting this time of year; and it is easy to get caught up in the busyness, and the impact and pace of so much change. One very helpful thing in times of stress is to simply take some breaks in Nature. Go for a walk, do some yard work, breathe the clean and fresh air outside – raining or not. We tend to spend more time than we need to sitting in front of a computer. Even just getting up to get a glass of water, or stretch your legs for a moment or two brings good health dividends. There is nothing I know that is better for the brain than to listen to music you enjoy – or, even better, play some music, by yourself or with others.

Howard V. Dieno DO (UK)
www.dieno.ca

We are all “creatures of habit.” This means we have developed ways of thinking and behaving that establish our identity in the world. Habits also influence the results we get. We often label habits as “good” or “bad,” which is not helpful as these labels are judgemental. It is more beneficial to think about them as “supportive” or “non-supportive.” Supportive habits help us make efficient use of our energy and resources. Non- supportive habits provide short term rewards with potential long term negative consequences. Ideally, we want to develop more supportive habits and fewer non-supportive ones. Research has shown there are 6 stages in changing habits. These are: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance and Termination. Each of these stages will be broken down in more detail in future columns. It takes time and planning to change habits. And it is possible!

Juhree Zimmerman R.N., B.Sc.N., M.Ed., C.P.C.C., O.R.S.C.C.
www.strategyforsynergy.ca

Skin care brands market patented molecules as feature ingredients in skincare lines.  This means big money for them with an ingredient no one can copy. They may have been inspired by nature (thus the picture of grapes or melons), but they are synthetic chemical ingredients. What do these synthetic cosmeceutical ingredients do to your skin when you use them every day?  Like pharmaceuticals – these patented ingredients target symptoms with some effect.  But over time they can seriously weaken the immune system, and cause allergic reactions.  By stressing the skin they can accelerate the effects of aging (oxidation). Cosmeceutical ingredients can include words like alpha hydroxy, peptides, acrylates, polymers, hydroquinone, paraben, retinol, matrixyl, phenoxyethanol, triclosan, salicylate, hyaluronic, allantoin, squalene, benzones, palmitates, benzoates, sulfates, PEG.  Some cosmeceuticals are epigenetic ingredients; this means they alter DNA with unknown long-term effects.

Karen Van Dyck
www.naturesfirstbeautybar.com

Our habits help reduce cognitive effort and allow us to focus our attention on other things. Take driving for example, one focuses on the road, while braking and steering becomes habitual. Movement habits that have developed in response to pain, injury, tension and stress can be counterproductive. These habits often inhibit movement, breathing, and create tension in parts of the body needed for optimal mobility and stability. The Feldenkrais Method offers solutions to better functioning by fine-tuning your senses to pay attention to your body while you are moving, working, exercising and resting. Workshops and individual lessons taught by a skilled Feldenkrais Practitioner clarify key areas where habitual movement is hindering function and performance, creating tension and pain. Feldenkrais helps develop sensory acuity, enlisting full body movement connections that can spring board us to easier and better functional movement.

Roxanne Derkson, Registered Massage Therapist, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner
www.vivitherapy.com

Sometimes we know when a migraine is coming, and sometimes we don’t. Often there are specific triggers that start a migraine that may include physical movement or even weather changes. When it starts at the base of the skull, then the cause of the migraine is likely structural. The human body is built to be STRUCTURALLY BALANCED with the head centered over the shoulders, which in turn is centered over the pelvis, which ideally, is level with the ground. When the head and the neck shift out of proper alignment, this may result in decreased blood flow INTO the head, and decreased flow OUT. In fact, it’s the latter that often describes what people feel with migraines – a feeling of built up pressure inside their head. Chiropractors are able to correct and unlock these structural shifts in the head and neck, allowing the body to return to its normal, balanced state.

Dr. Matthew Kittleson
www.uclife.ca

Each weekend, about 56 million North Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Garden equipment engines, (mowers, trimmers, edger’s, blowers) which have had unregulated emissions until very recently, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation’s air pollution and a good deal more in metropolitan areas. Assuming that a typical car travels 18,000 km per year, 33 gasoline lawn mowers would produce as much pollution a car produces all year. The 56 million gasoline-powered lawn mowers generate as much pollution as 1.7 million cars. Traditional landscaping gasoline engines create Ozone, O3, a colourless, odourless gas at ambient concentrations which is a major component of smog.

Richard Larkin
www.SuccessBizCoach.com