May Newsletter

ESQUIMALT

CHASE RIVER

CUSTOMER APPRECIATION DAY

TEAM MEMBERS DRESSED WESTERN AT OUR ONE DAY SALE!

Create a planter for mom this Mother’s Day! Saturday may 7th, 2016 10am –12pm COBBLE HILL, LAKE COWICHAN & NANAIMO LOCATIONS ONE PLANTER PER CHILD | bbq by donation

WALK AND ROLL FOR MS

HEARTS SOLD

All around Vancouver Island, people will be walking May 15 in support of those living with multiple sclerosis. From Victoria and Duncan to Nanaimo and beyond. The 2016 Scotiabank MS walk welcomes everyone to come and support those living with this disease.

Brad, Dianne and Jodi (from heart and stroke) Dianne sold the most hearts chain wide $1060 worth WOW!

Funds raised will be split evenly between research and local programs and services assisting those living with MS. We will be providing the food for the walkers for this tremendous fundraiser! If you are interested in joining the walk for MS please contact Sheron Chrysler at 250.748.7010 or email chrysler@mssociety.ca

TIP A FOOL Stephen made the lovely bouquets for Tip a Fool which benefits Citizens Counseling Centre.

The Greater Victoria Citizens’ Counselling Centre offers affordable, accessible counselling to adult residents of Greater Victoria. All counselling is offered by volunteer counsellors trained and supervised by the Centre.

RIDE FOR HOSPICE 60 people +200km + 2 days = one big difference.

It’s the Cycle of Life Tour 2016 that supports Hospice on the Island! Registration is $100 with a commitment to also raise $500 in pledges. Sign up at http://vh.convio.net/cycleoflifetour under the Country Grocer Spinners or contact dave@iibg.ca or bill@iibg.ca.

STILL STANDING Johnny Harris, from CBC’s Still Standing stopped by our Lake Cowichan store last month. He is shooting an episode of Still Standing in Lake Cowichan.

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH PH? Maintaining a slightly alkaline pH is key to preventing disease. The pH (power of Hydrogen) scale runs from 0 to 14, with 0 being the most acidic, 14 being the most alkaline, and 7 being neutral. To survive, our bodies must maintain the pH very close to 7.4, which is just on the alkaline side of neutral. If your body’s pH varies too much from this ideal, it becomes difficult for various enzymes to function properly.

Overacidity has even been linked to the formation of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and osteoporosis. Symptoms of Over-Acidity include constant fatigue, easily running out of breath, frequent sighing, muscle pain or cramping after walking short distances, and often feeling like you can’t get enough air.

When people are very acidic, their tissue levels of oxygen are so low that they have difficulty holding their breath for more than 20 seconds. The length of time you can hold your breath is one technique you can use to document the difference that occurs after adapting a more alkaline-producing diet. If you can’t tell if you’re too acidic using these criteria, there’s a simple and fairly accurate way to test yourself. Just check the pH of your saliva using pH test strips. Saliva closely parallels the blood when it comes to pH. Compare your results to these benchmarks: Normal blood pH = 7.4; Normal saliva pH = 6.5 to 7.0 If your saliva pH consistently falls below 6.5, you are acidic.

If it consistently reads above 7.0, you could be too alkaline.

Eating a diet of 75–80 percent alkaline-forming foods— and minimal in acid-forming foods—is the best way to maintain a slightly alkaline pH in your body. See a list of alkaline- and acid-forming foods below. Making these changes can quickly improve your health. For even faster results, however, try juicing. Making and consuming fresh vegetable juices on a daily basis will jumpstart the process of alkalizing your body.

This is why many people feel so good after they begin a juicing program. (Note: Due to the problems associated with blood sugar, I would recommend using vegetable juices and not fruit juices. Eating whole fruit affects blood sugar less because the fiber in fruit slows the body’s processing of fructose.)

Although switching to a more alkaline diet will benefit most everyone, there is a small percentage of the population whose bodies are actually too alkaline. The few individuals who have this condition usually suffer from calcium deposits. Calcium forms when the surrounding environment is alkaline. This results in symptoms of migrating nerve and joint pain. Insomnia can also be a problem, and it is often associated with early morning stiffness. These individuals wake up stiff, but the stiffness quickly improves as muscle activity produces lactic acid.

Lactic acid helps neutralize the buildup of alkaline compounds and bring the body’s pH back into balance.

Acid-Forming Foods All meat (beef, pork, lamb, and chicken) and fish Rice (white, brown, or basmati) Cornmeal, oats, rye, spelt, wheat, bran Popcorn, Pastas, Breads and most other grain products, such as cereals (hot or cold), crackers, and pastries The following beans (unless sprouted, in which case they become

alkaline-producing): pinto, navy, mung, lentils, black, garbanzo, red, white, adzuki, and broad Cheese (Parmesan and sharper cheeses are the worst) Sunflower and pumpkin seeds Wheat germ The following nuts: walnuts, pecans, cashews, dried coconut (fresh coconut is alkaline-producing), pistachios, macadamias, filberts, Brazil nuts, and peanuts Alcoholic drinks Coffee and other caffeinated drinks, Colas Sweetened yogurt Most forms of sweeteners (artificial sweeteners, cane sugar, beet sugar, barley syrup, processed honey, maple syrup, molasses, fructose, lactose) Refined table salt Soy sauce Mustard (dried powder and processed) Ketchup (unless natural and homemade) Mayonnaise (unless natural and homemade) White vinegar (apple cider and sweet brown rice vinegar are less acid-producing and preferred) Nutmeg Tobacco & Practically all drugs Alkalinizing Foods Practically all vegetables Practically all fruits, except blueberries, plums, prunes, and cranberries. Even citrus fruits such as lemons, which we think of as being acidic, are alkaline-producing in the body. They are rich in organic salts, like citrates, which are converted into bicarbonates.

Potatoes Arrowroot flour Grains such as flax, millet, quinoa, and amaranth Nuts like almonds, fresh coconut, and chestnuts Sprouted seeds of alfalfa, radish, and chia Most herbs Miso Most vegetable and unprocessed sea salt Most all spices Vanilla extract Brewer’s yeast Most unprocessed, cold-pressed oils are neutral or alkaline-forming.

Unsprouted sesame Fresh unsalted butter Milk, cream, and goat’s milk Eggs Whey Plain yogurt Sweeteners like raw, unpasteurized honey, dried sugar cane juice (Sucanat), brown rice syrup Fruit juices All vegetable juices Most herbal teas Garlic Cayenne pepper Gelatin * This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

As with all supplements, it is important to consider where the product comes from and what the ingredients are. Please consult a healthcare professional for personalized care prior to starting any new supplement plan.

CONGRATULATIONS!

BIRTHDAYS ROYAL OAK Dan M Cynthia Tyler Ryan E Terry Kieran Andre Tommy Isaiah Mona

BOWEN ROAD 2nd 3rd 4th 11th 12th 15th 20th 31st 31st 31st

COBBLE HILL Kevin M 1 Vu 2nd Marc 3rd Sarah 7th BJ 13th Patrick 31st st

ESQUIMALT 6th Melissa 9th Jesse 16th Barb Kathleen V 30th

CHASE RIVER Brandon Maytawee Michaela Allan Mercedes Harman Trevor

Anniversaries and an upcoming wedding for one of our Salt Spring team members!

4 13th 14th 14th 23rd 27th 29th th

Terry Carlee Nadine Tania Nick H Eric Sandra Tim M Chelsea O Paul Katie Rachel

Jeff Zala Andrew Cavin 5 yrs Royal Oak Royal Oak, 10 year anniversary Mark Showers 10 yrs Royal Oak

Jennifer Neild Esquimalt, 5 year anniversary

Melinda Luthy & Matt Ullerick Esquimalt, 5 year anniversaries

LAKE COWICHAN Rita Denise Jenn Kathy Matt Jesse Amy

SALT SPRING Delaney S 10th Rob L.M 11th Helen T 18th 19th Sue B Callysta B 21st 27th Cole K 31st Pat W

Brock Wise 10 year anniversary Liz Leier will be marrying her with Royal Oak and Cobble Hill - FiancĂŠe, Julian Cronin on Sat, 12 yrs with company as a whole May 14th! Congrats!

NEW COMMERCIAL We are shooting a new Country Grocer commercial with CHEK TV! Stay tuned for a preview!