Q: I have issues with depression and anxiety. Can acupuncture help with this?

A: Stress can result in several symptoms, such as insomnia, constant worry, weakened digestive system, and others. Acupuncture treatment can adjust and balance our meridians to reduce emotional and physical stress. During treatment, the patient will feel more relaxed and joyful, and some will fall asleep. They will also sleep more soundly when they go home. After a few treatments, they will feel stronger and can better resist the stress.

Wedding season is at its peak, and with so many couples tying the knot, it’s important to address how to combine your finances successfully. When merging your finances, think about your money as being separately yours, but also jointly yours. Deal with debt as a couple to help with stress and debt management. Take a united approach to keeping spending in check, rather than resorting to blame. Work together to make investment decisions. Avoid keeping secrets from your spouse when it comes to money. Finally, agree to plan for emergencies and stick to that plan.

It’s hard to focus on serious things like learning and exercising your brain when there’s so much summer fun to be had, but it’s important for students with learning difficulties to keep up with training their brain. This can be done by participating in many fun, yet important, activities, such as playing board games, building things with Lego, socializing, and taking on new challenges that are just above a student’s capacity. Focusing on wellness can also keep the brain healthy, so exercising, getting enough sleep, finding quiet time, eating healthy foods, and drinking enough water are equally important.

During pregnancy, you need a nervous system that responds immediately and accurately to changing requirements in all parts of your body — you need a healthy spine! Adjusting women throughout pregnancy is one of the most rewarding parts of our work, because a healthier pregnancy means an easier labour and delivery, and a better transition for the baby into this life. But before you even get pregnant, chiropractic adjustments can help your body prepare for the amazing journey ahead. Chiropractic care prior to conception promotes a more regular menstrual cycle and optimal uterine function, preparing the body to be strong, supple, and as balanced as possible to carry the pregnancy. Restoring proper nerve supply to reproductive organs has helped many couples who thought they were infertile.

Q: What is a stress fracture? A: Stress fractures are partial breaks, or cracks in a bone. Walking or running will be painful, whereas generally there will not be pain during rest periods. They are usually considered an overuse injury, which can result from overtraining, switching running surfaces (soft to hard), or wearing shoes that provide inadequate support. If you suspect a stress fracture, see your family doctor or a sports-oriented podiatrist. Do not run at all for six weeks. Often crutches, and sometimes casting, are needed. The good news is that stress fractures usually heal without complications, provided diagnosis and treatment are done early.

Are you travelling with your pet to the US this summer? Remember that legally you are obliged to have a current rabies vaccination status for your pet. If official status has lapsed, the booster is meant to be given 30 days prior to travel to the US. This helps protect your pet against the rabies virus, should it come into contact with any infected animals, and also ensures your pet isn’t going to transfer rabies to other animals or humans. Depending on where you travel, you should also think about the risk of disease from ticks, fleas, and mosquitoes, as they are more common in many US locations than they are here.

Enhanced Microcurrent Facial Treatment acts like an electronic syringe, which enables the therapist to fill lines, reduce wrinkles, pigmentation, and stretch marks. It can provide the results offered by traditional mesotherapy and/or micro-needling, but without the painful injections, bruising, or downtime. The active compounds we use during the treatment have no unnecessary chemical ingredients, just effective, natural formulations to help improve the skin. The treatment time is short, at only 45 minutes, and there is no healing time needed or any risk of scarring. Six weekly sessions can provide optimal results for issues such as acne, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, dehydration, and signs of aging.

It’s golfing season! Apply the same strategies to investing that you do to being out on the course. When golfing, you have to choose the right club for the stroke. It’s the same when choosing an appropriate investment for your portfolio, which should be based on your financial goals and risk profile. In golfing and in investing, success comes not from comparing yourself to others, but from focusing on your own game. Patience and practice are important when golfing, just like in investing – think about the long-term. Finally, rely on your advisor/partner for guidance, just like during a round!

Q: Sometimes I have ongoing heel pain. Can acupuncture treat this? A: Yes. In the views of traditional Chinese medicine, it’s not simply a heel spur. We believe the lower calf is also damaged by the cold chi (energy flow). When we treat heel pain, we aim to remove the pain radiating from the heel and adjust the lower calf meridians accordingly.

The terms core training and core strengthening have been used interchangeably in both the physiotherapy and fitness industries, yet there is a significant difference between the two. Your core is the area between your breathing diaphragm and your pelvic floor. Core training exercises focus on restoring the timing and sequencing of your deep muscles to reinforce an optimal pattern of muscle activation (motor learning). Core training helps to make the right connections between your brain and your core. Once core training has restored deep muscle function, core strengthening exercises can be added to further improve function and performance. There is a difference, come and see for yourself.