HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Trails and Exploration

Fernie Alpine Resort

If you are keen for lift-access mountain biking and hiking, look no further. Fernie Alpine Resort offers alpine trails, ridgeline hikes, stunning views, events, guided tours, and more. skifernie.com

Island Lake

Perfectly situated within the Lizard Range, Island Lake is a beautiful “getaway” just minutes from Fernie, offering spectacular views, amazing dining, hikes for all levels including regular guided hikes, spa services and beautiful accommodations. islandlakelodge.com

Fernie Trails Pass

The Fernie Trails Alliance is the umbrella organization that builds, maintains and enhances Fernie’s trail network to ensure it is here for the long-term. Enjoying the trails? Consider getting your Fernie Trails Pass as a ‘thank you’ and to give back to the many volunteers who are passionate and dedicated to the trails. fernietrailsalliance.com/getinvolved/trails-pass/

Ghostrider Rentals

Ghostrider Rentals can set you up with the very latest in snowmobiles from Arctic Cat and Snowbikes from Yamaha or Honda. SxS and ATV rentals are available for commercial or recreational use. Helmets and backcountry safety gear is also available for rent, along with delivery and pick up options. ghostridermotorsports.ca

Excursions

3&93 Dairy Bar

On the way to or from your next summer adventure, savour the famous ice cream treats and hamburgers at 3 & 93 Dairy Bar. Generous portions and friendly service, see “Peanut the Train,” an original compressed air locomotive used for hauling coal in the early 1900’s. Open daily 11-8pm.

Sunshine Houseboats

Located on the beautiful Koocanusa Lake, with over 200km of pristine shoreline, Sunshine Houseboats and Marina rents houseboats, sport boats, provides camping, boat and RV services, a dockside Cantina and so much more! sunshinehouseboats.com

Fly Fishing

Elk River Guiding Co.

Located just off Hwy 3, Elk River Guiding is a fly fishing and fly shop offering trips on the Elk River, Wigwam River, St. Mary and tributaries with professional guides. They also offer a wide range of top name fly fishing gear for all levels. elkriver.ca

Fernie Wilderness Adventures

A beautiful lodge centrally located allowing easy access to some of the best fishing spots in the area. Customized fly fishing trips available, suited to your needs and just 20 minutes from Fernie, BC. fernieadventures.com

Golfing

Fernie Golf Club

An 18-hole championship course with some of the most scenic views available in Fernie. Playable for the beginner or average golfer, but also challenging for more experienced players. Cart and club rentals, driving range, practice green, pro shop and full-service restaurant. golffernie.com

Rafting

Canyon Raft

Offering white water rafting trips and tours in the Kootenays, on the Elk and Bull Rivers with professional, knowledgeable and fun river guides. Trips include amazing lunches and photography to commemorate your trip! canyonraft.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

After over a year of uncertainty, our health - both physical and mental, is paramount. Taking time for ourselves and looking out for others has never been more important. We are so fortunate in the Fernie region to have such a wealth and variety of professional support to help us do just that - focus on us. This summer, let’s collectively re-fill our cups! A challenge - try something new! Acupuncture… yoga… osteopathy… counselling. It’s all right here for you.

Cathy Howell

Lift Integrated Health, RMT.

I became interested in Massage Therapy because it offered an opportunity to work with people in a positive environment. It gave me the ability to be a part of helping improve someone’s physical and mental well-being, which has been a great career goal!

My mom was a physiotherapist so healthcare and rehabilitation were always around us growing up. Being in this environment made me conscious of human physiology and how to listen to its needs. I find all aspects of rehabilitation and manual therapy interesting, and there is always room to grow which makes my practice constantly evolve. Having the ability to change and alter my approach helps to find what works best for each patient.

There is continual growth and research of the effectiveness of massage therapy for tissue health and improving movement to coping with pain and stress. The collaboration of health practitioners and physicians for pre and post rehabilitation has increased and ensures the best results for all patients. I hope to see continued focus on overall health, and treating the cause, not just the symptoms. The benefits of strength and conditioning is a large part of the home-care model, and I hope to see continued support for this.

We have a growing culture of collaboration between many modalities of therapists in Fernie. Patients are able to receive the best care when a group can access and share information in a team-based approach. The growth of programs that are offered in Fernie is also growing, from one-to-one therapy

KRISTA TURCASSO PHOTO

to group activities, which all assists in motivating people in finding what works best for them to stay active and healthy.

Each patient presents a puzzle to solve and it’s important to look at the body as a whole, see how they move, feel for muscle tone differences, assess tension or weakness, and then explain it in a way that better helps people understand what they need.

Q. In my opinion, the Elk Valley stands apart because…

A. The diversity of the community.

Q. My favourite way to start a Fernie day is…

A. Coffee and taking in the view of the Lizard Range - it never gets old!

Q. The best way to end a Fernie day is...

A. A bike ride or run in the Cedar forest.

Q. One summer secret I’m willing to share is...

A. A 5:30am Hike up Mount Fernie.

Summer Safety Tips

BY TAINA TURCASSO, ND, RM

V. CROOME PHOTO

As we head towards another beautiful summer in our part of the world, we are venturing outside more with our families and friends to take advantage of the mountain biking, fishing, camping, or even to just go for a walk in the woods.

Unfortunately, that also means thinking about sun exposure, mosquitos, ticks, and bee stings. It can be overwhelming trying to be prepared so here are some ways to keep your family safe during these warmer months.

Sun Safety

The warm sun is so welcome after a long winter, but it can be dangerous for little ones with their delicate skin. The key is to avoid the sun when it’s at its peak (10-2), utilize protective clothing (including a sunhat), apply sunscreen to any exposed skin (reapply after sweating/swimming), and keep everyone hydrated. You should limit/avoid using sunscreen on babies 0-6 months so it’s best to keep them covered and in the shade, and have some shade available for everyone. Some safe sunscreen options include physical sunscreens containing zinc oxide or titanium oxide.

Mosquitoes/Ticks

Mosquitos and ticks act as disease vectors for West Nile virus, Lyme disease and malaria. Though the risk of illness or serious health effects may be low, you still want to protect your family from these little critters. Most bug sprays on the market work for biting insects like mosquitos and ticks. The most common ingredient is DEET, which is a neurotoxin. Due to the potential harm in using DEET, particularly in kids, you should not use sprays with more than 30% DEET. Picardinbased sprays have fewer toxicity concerns but have not been as thoroughly studied in humans. It is the most popular form of bug spray used for kids in Australia and Europe. Natural bug sprays like eucalyptus and soybean may work as well as DEET but others with citronella, clove, lemongrass, and cedar may work well against mosquitos but less so against ticks. When applying, spray into your hands and then onto your child’s skin, avoiding eyes, mouth, and hands. Only apply to outside of clothes and exposed skin. Consider using a natural spray on their skin but then DEET or Picardin on their clothes. Keep their skin covered, use mosquito nets over strollers or baby carriers when in heavily infested areas, and avoid bright colours or flowery printed clothes. Check daily for ticks around the hair/scalp, ears, armpits, belly button, waist, groin/legs, and on the backs of the knees. If you find a tick, remove it as soon as possible with clean, fine-tipped tweezers, straight up to keep it intact, and clean the area and your hands with soap and water or 70% isopropyl alcohol. If you find an enlarged lymph node on you or your child, especially in the head and neck area, immediately search for ticks.

Bee stings

Bee stings can be so scary, especially when we don’t know whether someone will be allergic or not. To avoid stings, keep shoes on outside, cover food/drink when eating outside, and stay away from garbage cans. Avoid brightly coloured clothing, using scented products, and of course disturbing obvious hives or nests. If your child gets a bee sting, try to remove the stinger, wash the area with soap and water, keep them comfortable with a cool compress and pain relief as needed. Watch for signs of anaphylaxis including widespread hives, redness or swelling, swollen lip/tongue or difficulty swallowing, coughing/wheezing/ difficulty breathing, vomiting or diarrhea, and changes in colour/dizziness/fainting. Call 911 if you see any of these signs and speak to your doctor about when and how to administer benadryl and/or epinephrine with a suspected or known allergy.

This may be a lot to consider but being prepared in advance will reduce stress and help you to prevent most of these situations before they occur. Have a great summer!

Taina Turcasso is a Naturopathic Doctor and midwife who recently opened a practice in Fernie - SISU Midwifery and Family Wellness, sisufamilywellness.com