We are living WAY longer than we used to. Did you know that the average age of death in 1900 was 47? Today it is 87. This means that we really need to take care of ourselves, not only physically, but mentally as well. Being on the planet longer also means that we will go through many more transitions throughout our lifetime: births, deaths, jobs, house moves; the list goes on. Transitions can cause us stress, so make sure you have good outlets and sounding boards as you move through life. A safe, trusting relationship gives us support and perspective in times of change.

People are living longer these days, and sometimes retirement requires supplemental income. Retiring early can mean that what you have saved isn’t enough to cover your costs long-term. Before making the decision to retire early, it’s important that you think carefully about your finances. Having an in-depth conversation about your finances with your advisor can ensure you make the best decision possible about retiring. Semi-retirement could be an option, giving you time to save more money or cover costs while on the road to full retirement. Working with your advisor to understand your situation can ensure you retire successfully.

Q: What are ingrown toenails? A: These almost always occur on the big toe, and can cause significant pain, as well have the potential for infection. Causes can include tight shoes, poor or improper nail care, and genetic predisposition. Treating ingrown toenails involves clearing up any infection that might be present and removing the part of the nail that is growing into the toe. Having a podiatrist do it, under local anesthesia, if necessary, is the best way. To avoid ingrown toenails, cut your toenails regularly straight across instead of rounding the corners or edges, and wear shoes that have adequate width and depth, and are not too tight.

Does your child seem to be putting forth more energy at school than their peers are? Is it starting to affect their self-esteem, grades, and social connections? There are programs that can help to strengthen your child’s ability by aiding their brain to change and grow through the principle of neuroplasticity. After-school options can help you and your child to boost their brain power and set them on a path of academic success. If you’re willing to put them in after-school sports programs to help exercise their bodies, why not place them in after-school programs that can help stimulate their minds?

Warmest welcome to our newest addition to the veterinary team – Dr. Hebe Lin of Crescent Beach, BC. Dr. Lin brings years of experience breeding border collies to our team, and has special interest in ophthalmology as well. We have been fortunate enough to have her intern with us and get special training with our specialist referral team. For those of you wanting to communicate in Mandarin, that is Dr. Lin’s native tongue. Please help us welcome her to the practice as we build more relationships with you and your pets.

The human body is an electrical being and the health of it depends on the energy currents that run through it. When the body suffers a trauma (sprain, fatigue, infection, etc.), it encapsulates itself in some manner for healing purposes (inflammation, swelling, spasm, etc.). Normally free-flowing currents are disrupted and will circumvent the area of trauma and travel around it. This happens because electrical currents always take the path of least resistance (best conduction), so the flow of electricity in the traumatized area is significantly reduced. Enhanced micro-current treatment applied appropriately to the involved tissues or organ pathways can restore and recover optimal self-regulation functions.

In Traditional Chinese Medical terms, we often describe body types as hot and cold. For example, catching a cold means a coldness has infiltrated the body. Food is also classified as hot or cold, so when you catch a cold, you can remedy it with hot foods. An example of a hot food would be ginger, which can be added to cooking or taken in capsule form for convenience. Eating too many hot foods or too many cold foods can result in an imbalance in the body. If symptoms aren’t alleviated, check in with a health practitioner.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is commonly seen in sports such as soccer, rugby, and skiing. Although many individuals initially recover well, the ongoing instability often prevents return to sports and leads to further knee injury, and the risk of developing future osteoarthritis becomes increased. Bracing is rarely sufficient. Surgical reconstruction performed early, within 3-6 weeks, helps to minimize the risk of further injury. ACL surgery should be treated as an urgent matter: assessment, diagnosis, and surgery can usually be completed within a few weeks. The athlete, elite, or weekend-warrior can then start early rehabilitation to maximize the benefits of the knee reconstruction.

Research in the last decade has shown that low back pain and stress urinary incontinence have components in common. The goal of restoring motor control for the low back and pelvis is to ensure you are using movement patterns that optimize the transference of loads through all your joints and organs. Your physiotherapist can give you a very thorough examination of the joints and muscles of your low back and pelvis, as well as an assessment using ultrasound imaging, to see what strategy you are using to transfer loads through your pelvis. An individual treatment program can be developed that is specific to your needs. Urinary incontinence is about more than the pelvic floor, come see for yourself.