Community News
Healthy Communication for Couples

Do you want to communicate better with someone? When we are clear with ourselves and others, our relationships can thrive. But clear communication is not always easy! We can feel attacked, defensive, hurt, overwhelmed, enraged, or shut down. We don’t always feel heard, or know what we want. So much happens when we try to talk. Couples often find some discussions tricky. And it’s not always clear what the issue is. Is it the dirty kitchen or is it about getting respect? Is it sex or is it about making an emotional connection? Or both? The different interpretations can create friction. Is your communication working for you? Counselling can help you say what you want and feel heard. Good communication can improve your trust in yourself and in your relationship. Counselling provides a safe and non-judgmental place to find ways to communicate more effectively.

Mary Munro, MaryMunro.ca

 

Feeding Tips for Cats

Many of the most common feline diseases diagnosed these days are linked to how and what we feed our cats. In the wild, cats will eat multiple small meals throughout the day that are high in protein and fat, and low in carbohydrates. But that’s not all. These cats have to work to get their food. This is quite unlike a typical house cat’s diet and exercise regime. Many cats that eat dry food have access to it all day long, setting them up for obesity. Your indoor kitty is probably profoundly bored and unchallenged by its bottomless food bowl. A new study shows that making cats work for food helps to keep them mentally stimulated, as well as in good physical shape. Food puzzles can be purchased at pet supply stores, or try making one yourself! Cut a few holes in an empty bottle, place some kibble in it, and watch them get to work!

Happy Paws Pet Food, HappyPaws.ca

Clean Eating: Lemon Tahini Dressing

This delicious dressing can be used for salad greens or as a sauce over rice, steamed vegetables, and baked potatoes.

2/3 cup plain almond or rice milk

5 tbsp lemon juice

1 clove garlic

½ tsp salt

½ cup tahini

1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil

Place all the ingredients in a blender and puree for 1 minute at high speed. Herbal D-TOX Cookbook for Cleansing by Dr. Terry Willard, CI.H.,Ph.D. AvivaHealth.com/WildRose

Book Club: Herbal D-Tox Cook Book for Cleansing by Dr. Terry Willard, PH.D.

Out with the old and in with the new. Detoxification is one of the central concepts of natural healing because it is impossible to build healthy new tissue without eliminating old cells and their by-products. This D-Tox program is designed for both meat eaters and vegetarians. The recipes in this book are designed to stimulate your own creativity and to show you that a delicious Meal Plan can accompany a detoxification diet.

Nathan Zassman, Aviva Natural Health Solutions, AvivaHealth.com/WildRose

Acupuncture For My Pet?

The goal of acupuncture is to promote the body to heal itself. From a Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) perspective, veterinary acupuncture encourages healing by correcting energy imbalances in the body. Acupuncture enhances blood circulation, oxygenation, nervous system stimulation, and the release of anti-inflammatory and pain relieving hormones. Acupuncture also aids in the removal of metabolic wastes and toxins. Unlike prescription and over-the-counter pain medications, veterinary acupuncture lacks potential adverse side effects for your pet’s internal organs. Your pet’s medications or supplements will not adversely interact with veterinary acupuncture treatment; therefore, it can safely be used in conjunction with traditional health care.

Life & Space Re-Design

Spring is the perfect time to get rid of the old and embrace the new. Find clarity about your wants and needs and action plans for your dreams and goals. Turn your inner vision of your ideal space into specific design features. Create the space that reflects your style and personality, values and beliefs. A space that supports your goals and the life you want to enjoy. It is the time to get rid of clutter – literally and virtually – and of what keeps you stuck. Time to get out of overwhelm and procrastination and break down the mountain into manageable parts. Create a space that you will love, one that will offer optimal function and comfort, nurture and support your soul and your life.

Emmanuelle Stathopoulos MAC-MSC. InnerDreamToOuterForm.com

The Inner Conflict

There are many beliefs and experiences stored in our subconscious mind. Whatever is stored there affects how we feel and act. Issues evolve when the conscious mind wants or believes one thing, but the subconscious mind wants or believes something else. If the conscious mind (5-10% of our potential mind power) and subconscious mind (90-95% of our potential mind power) are in conflict, the subconscious always wins. It is simply larger and stronger. It doesn’t matter how irrational the behavior is, we continue to engage in it because the subconscious feels it is serving a purpose of some kind. For example, someone who smokes cigarettes knows logically that smoking is harmful and wants to quit. However, there are messages stored in the subconscious that smoking is cool, or it helps manage stress, or that quitting is too hard. These messages override the logical desire to stop smoking.

Scott Metcalf, RCCH, A Beautiful Mind Hypnotherapy, ABeautifulMindHypnotherapy.com

How Important Are Enzymes?
  1. Enzymes build, orchestrate and unify the physical expression we call “life.” They seem to know precisely what to do and when to do it.
  2. They “assemble” molecules during their formative growth and they take molecules apart when individual cells are fractured.
  3. Enzymes create and modulate every system in the body.
  4. Enzymes help assemble a human body from a one-cell organism into a 50 to 70 trillion-cell life form
  5. Enzymes are involved in repairing the body when it is damaged; they transport, use, and transform oxygen molecules and every other nutrient the body needs; they break down metabolic waste and the by-products of cells; they quench free radicals, and they split off unwanted molecules from nutrients, adding necessary ones. The physical existence of every human being and the existence of all other living organisms is totally dependent upon the ability of enzymes to do their job. People get sick and diseased because they lack enzymes. People focus on vitamin and mineral supplements, but we need enzymes in our body before vitamins and minerals are effective. We have many that eliminated their most challenging illnesses. From death-bed cancer to cancer-free in 60 days. Cancerous tumors were expelled from the body with the use of our powerful proteolytic enzymes and patented proteolytic probiotics. People have taken up to five hundred (500) caps with no deleterious effects. And there is a huge difference between pancreatic and plant enzymes.

www.LeadingEdgeHealth.org

Financial Fitness

Spring’s officially sprung, and April brings us thoughts of Easter. Remember the baskets with the coloured cellophane nest filled with chocolate Easter eggs and other goodies. We approached this time with anticipation. How satisfying now when we look at our ‘nest egg’ of savings that we have set aside for emergencies, a special trip or our retirement. How much should we have set aside? The answer to that question varies greatly among financial advisors. Commonly, people think of setting aside one month’s salary, but it is best to determine how much you need to meet all your basic obligations for one month and start saving with that amount in mind. After that, you can save to have two months of expenses set aside and more after that. Saving for retirement should be just that, not a nest egg that we keep dipping into but set aside for the ‘golden years.’

Doris Minervini, Abakhan & Associates Inc., Abakhan.com

Worried about the Trumpocalypse?

How are you feeling about Donald Trump? Are you checking the news for updates on American politics? You are not alone! Sudden large shifts in our world can be very anxietyprovoking. Values and expectations about what’s normal are being fundamentally challenged and argued over. At the same time, at a personal level we can sometimes start to catastrophize, worry, start thinking in unhelpful ways about the what-ifs. Questions may arise – how can this be happening? Why can’t I let this go? What does this mean for me? How can I make a difference? Maybe you know your response is understandable and legitimate, but you disagree with someone close to you. Counselling can provide a safe place to figure it out – whether you want to vent, find a new way to direct your energy, change some habits of mind, or just feel heard.

Mary Munro, MA, MC, MaryMunro.ca

Clean Eating: Blueberry Cottage Cheese Pancakes

Start your day (although nothing wrong with pancakes for supper!) with this protein boosted treat with blueberries to pack an antioxidant punch. Maximize nutrition by topping with a lightly sweetened greek yogurt and chopped nuts for more protein, fiber and omega-3 healthy fat:

1⅓ cup wholewheat flour

⅓ cup sugar

1½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 cup cottage cheese

¾ cup milk

2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 cup blueberries

Whisk together dry ingredients. In a separate bowl whisk eggs, cottage cheese, milk, lemon zest and vanilla until well blended. Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in blueberries. Cook 1/4 cup at a time in a lightly oiled skillet at medium heat until bottom is golden brown (3-4 minutes). Flip, cook the other side and enjoy! Adapted from EatingWell (Best Blueberry Pancakes eatingwell.com/recipe/248514/best-blueberry-pancakes).

Lisa Kehler, OffYourPlateNutrition.ca