Community News
Book Club: The Natural Makeover Diet

We all want to look our best, feel attractive and be healthy. Energy and appearance are important at any age. And now achieving these results is possible without unsafe quick-fix diets, risky surgical procedures or other invasive measures. Whether you want to increase your energy levels; improve your skin, hair or nails; or lose weight, your true beauty will shine through when you achieve optimal wellness from the inside out. By following Dr. Joey’s four steps to inner health and outer beauty, you will quickly see and feel long-lasting results.

REALLY Clean Away Allergens

Don’t get caught in a vicious circle of allergy flare-ups! Did you know that using the wrong cleaning products to minimize allergens like dust mites, pet dander, and mold can actually make your allergy symptoms worse? Here are the 10 most common toxic chemicals found in cleaning products that might be worsening your allergy symptoms: • Phthalates • Parabens • Lead • BPA/BPS • 14 Dioxane • SLS • PVC • Triclosan • Oxybenzone • Diazolidinyl or Imidazolidinyl Urea
Make sure you always read the labels of your cleaning products. With the right products, some elbow grease, and a regular cleaning regimen, you can find allergy relief in your home.

Clean Eating Recipe: Hot Chocolate

Store bought hot chocolate “packets” contain massive amounts of sugar and even hydrogenated oils (an unexpected, undesirable ingredient). You can serve this with whipped cream made of organic heavy cream with a little bit of stevia.
1/3 c full fat coconut milk (unsweetened)
2/3 c boiling water
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
15 drops liquid stevia
(optional) 1-2 drops peppermint oil, whipped cream, or cocoa nibs
Boil water on the stove. Add in all remaining ingredients. Stir well. Let cool a little bit, serve and enjoy!

Soup up Your Gut

Our intestines are responsible for the breakdown and absorption of nutrients from the food and liquids we consume. In order to accomplish this, the gut lining must be semi-permeable. Sometimes this lining is more porous than it should be – a condition called leaky gut – which allows undigested food to enter the bloodstream. This causes inflammation, a potential root cause of most illness and disease including mental illness. One effective way to repair the gut lining (and warm up on a cold winter day) is to drink mineral and nutrient rich bone broth made from organic beef, chicken, or fish bones.

Product Review: Avena Original’s E-Fusion

This powerful Vitamin E and amino acid complex is formulated to promote energy, health, healing and longevity complete with perfectly-balanced ratios of protein, carbohydrates and fat. This great-tasting, plant-based, 100% RAW whole food provides a variety of naturally-occurring essential nutrients including antioxidants, vitamins, pro-oxidant nutrients, phytonutrients, and tocotrienols. E-Fusion helps your body heal muscles after intense workouts, injury, trauma, and boosts the vitality of your internal organs.
Avena Originals, AvenaOriginals.com

Tips for a Wealthier Year

Everyone wants to be a little richer, and here are a few habits that can be adopted to achieve this: First, save a little from each paycheque. Second, avoid credit card debt and the high interest rates, which can cost a lot over the year. Third, feast at home, not in restaurants. While it is fun to go out, make it a very special occasion, not an everyday habit. Fourth, grocery shop with a list and use coupons. Fifth, watch out for automatic renewals. These simple habits can help you become wealthier in 2018.

Set the Stage for Your Child’s Future

Struggling with a child who is acting out? Or frustrated with school? Overly anxious or shutting down? Begin to bring some ease into your life together by finding a safe outlet for your child’s inner world through creative play and the arts. Imagine your child engaging with paint, puppets, or drums; the healing begins. Acquire tools that will support your child developmentally, strengthen your relationship, and help create a sense of peace and centeredness in your world at home. Rearranging your child’s stage now will deeply impact their coming years.

Balanced Love

February brings love to mind, and that’s a good thing! Love creates, nourishes, rewards, and defines us. It affects how we communicate, both outwardly and inwardly. Influences from the parental, nurturing love of childhood; sexual intimate love of adulthood; demanding love of family and friends; and especially self-love might be out of balance and causing difficulties. Avoiding or suppressing old love issues clearly affects the present – your ‘baggage’.
Fortunately, even a small amount of awareness and acceptance about these love relationships can change the energy of a relationship. Don’t wait to connect with a counsellor.

Singing to Your Baby

New parents often wonder how they can use music at home for their newborns, even if the parents don’t have any musical skills. Regardless of culture or place of birth, some aspects of childhood are universal. Lullabies were sung to us and all children sing, dance, and play rhyming games. That part of our lives may seem distant by the time we have children of our own, but there is a warehouse of songs, games, and music in our memories. Reconnect with the songs you once loved as a child and share them with your newborn. Your singing doesn’t have to be professional; it just has to come from your heart.

Keeping Your Cool

Under stress, our sense of wellbeing can suffer – we get overwhelmed and just don’t feel like we’re bouncing back. It doesn’t take much: a fight with a family member, an overbearing boss or sneaky coworker, an aging parent, unsatisfying work, money troubles – the list goes on. We can go from feeling able to cope, to feeling undermined, unsupported, misunderstood, unjustly set up, bullied, or just plain sad. It can be hard to figure out what to do to when you have many expectations to meet, from both others and yourself. Counselling provides a safe, soothing, and non-judgemental place to talk about your situation, explore your options, and develop new habits.

Get Your Mouth Checked!

An oral health exam is critical to the maintenance of your overall wellbeing. You should have your mouth checked at least once a year for prevention and treatment of any ailments. Even if you don’t have any live teeth, it’s important to make sure there are no signs of infections or early signs of cancer, growths, or cysts, and that your dentures are fitting you well. Leaving problems untreated usually leads to pain, periodontal disease, or tooth loss, and could make treatment more difficult, so it’s best to deal with problems early, or, if possible, prevent them.