Discover Wellness June Issue 39

ISSUE 39 | JUNE 2017

discover

WELLNESS Inspiring a Healthy You

QUESNEL | WILLIAMS LAKE

The Length of Pregnancy have we been

WRONG? SPERM HEALTH & FOOD HYPNOBIRTHING - TRUSTING IN OUR ABILITY TO BIRTH POSTPARTUM HEALTH WITH PLACENTA ENCAPSULATION THE DOULA

F R E E

From Daddy When you feel a hand rest upon your Mum, And you hear the sound of a low deep hum, I hope you know, and to yourself think gladly, This touch and voice is of my Daddy.

It's still early days but you've got my heart, And I know that this is just the start, Because from now on and forevermore, I will love you, cherish you, and always adore.

Every day my love for you grows, And I hope to you this already shows, I will do everything I can to make you see, That you will always mean the world to me.

And from today until the day you're born, I swear to keep the oath I've sworn, You and Mum will always be cared for, Protection is the oath I swore.

Not just to protect, but to always love, Because you were a gift from above, I never thought I would feel this way, But now I can't wait until next May.

DIRECT BILLING

ONLINE BOOKING

For when the day that you arrive, I would have never before felt so alive, You'll bring a tear straight to my eye, And you'll look at me and you'll know why.

Because you will be the greatest gift, And my heart and soul you will uplift, That feeling there will be hard to beat, From that moment on my life's complete.

But for now you sleep inside your Mummy, Keep warm and snug inside her tummy, And I'll look forward to the day you're here, To take my heart when you appear.

So when you feel that hand on Mum, And hear the sound of my low deep hum, I know you'll know and for that I'm glad, That here with Mum is your very proud Dad. - Kieran Dockerty

contents

June

issue 39 - 2017

4 The Length of Pregnancy - Have We Been Wrong?

Published by Jennifer Reed, R.H.N. Hello!

I’m a Registered Holistic Nutritionist residing in Quesnel, B.C. where I was born and raised. I’m passionate about living in a healthy community, which is what inspired me to create Discover Wellness Magazine and the annual Discover Wellness Health Fair & Market. Both are platforms to showcase and bring together our local health and wellness leaders, many of which have become dear friends to me and continue to inspire me every day. I thank you for taking the time to read on and treat yourself to a little TLC. Take care, Jennifer Discover Wellness is a monthly publication distributed in Quesnel, B.C. featuring various health and wellness articles from professionals and enthusiasts, delicious recipes from holistic nutritionists, a professional directory and local event and workshop listings.

FOUNDER & PUBLISHER Jennifer Reed - Spiral Health EDITOR Jennifer Reed Jenny Schweyer - Silver Bullet Text GRAPHICS & DESIGN Jennifer Reed Amy Mack - House of Hunts CONTACT US Discover Wellness Magazine 252 Gardner Street Quesnel, B.C. V2J 3G6 Telephone (250) 255-2449 Email info@discoverwellnessbc.ca ADVERTISING & ARTICLE SUBMISSION Contact Jennifer at 250-255-2449 or email info@discoverwellnessbc.ca SUBSCRIPTION To subscribe for free online please visit: www.discoverwellnessbc.ca Disclaimer The opinions expressed within are those of the writer and not necessarily those of Spiral Health. Those with health concerns should seek professional advice from a healthcare provider as all content found in Discover Wellness is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional healthcare advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

W: discoverwellnessbc.ca E: info@discoverwellnessbc.ca facebook.com/discoverwellnessquesnel instagram.com/discoverwellnessbc

Research suggests that our current method of determining a woman’s due date might be inaccurate.

7 The Doula - Supporting Women and Partners Through Labour and Birth

Considering a Doula? Lauren Abbott, CD explains the role of a Doula and how partnering with one can be the support you need throughout your journey.

8 Preparing for Pregnancy

If you’re thinking “baby” now is the time to start making healthy lifestyle changes. Our health prior to conception (even for Dad) is equally important as when we’re growing that little bundle.

12 HypnoBirthing Trusting in our Ability to Birth

HypnoBirthing is a practice that can prepare you for a birth that is relaxing and free of fear.

13 Sperm Health, Fertility & Food

Healthy sperm, healthy baby. What main food to stay away from and 3 top foods to consume to keep the swimmers in tip top shape!

14 Postpartum Health with Placenta Encapsulation

Learn the benefits of consuming the placenta after birth. Not only is it gaining in popularity but we have a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist right here in the Cariboo!

“We found that the average time from ovulation to birth was 268 days: 38 weeks and two days,” said Dr. Anne Marie Jukic, a postdoctoral fellow in the Epidemiology Branch at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (Durham, USA), part of the National Institutes for Health. She continues:

“However, even after we had excluded six pre-term births, we found that the length of the pregnancies varied by as much as 37 days. We were a bit surprised by this finding. We know that length of gestation varies among women, but some part of that variation has always been attributed to errors in the assignment of gestational age. Our measure of length of gestation does not include these sources of error, and yet there is still five weeks of variability. It’s fascinating.”

The possibility that the length of pregnancies can vary naturally has been little researched, as it is impossible to tell the difference between errors in calculations and natural variability without being able to measure correctly the gestational age of a developing fetus. Previous studies conducted as long ago as the 1970s and 1980s had used the slight rise in a woman’s body temperature at waking as a way of detecting when ovulation occurred. This is an inexact measurement and cannot be used to detect when the embryo actually implants in the womb.

The Length of

Pregnancy

have we been wrong?

- Dr. Spence Pentland The length of a human pregnancy can vary naturally by as much as five weeks, according to research published online August 7, 2012 in the Journal of Human Reproduction. Normally, women are given a date for the likely delivery of their baby that is calculated as 280 days after the onset of their last menstrual period. Yet only 4% of women deliver at 280 days, and only 70% deliver within 10 days of their estimated due date, even when the date is calculated with

4

discoverwellnessbc.ca

the help of ultrasound.

Now, for the first time, researchers in the USA have been able to pinpoint the precise point at which a woman ovulates and a fertilised embryo implants in the womb during a naturally conceived pregnancy, and follow the pregnancy through to delivery. Using this information, they have been able to calculate the length of 125 pregnancies.

In the current study, the researchers took information from daily urine samples collected by women taking part in an earlier study, the North Carolina Early Pregnancy Study, which took place between 1982-1985 and followed 130 singleton pregnancies from unassisted conception through to birth. The women had discontinued contraception in order to become pregnant, they were healthy with no known fertility problems and they were also less likely to smoke or be obese. The women completed daily diaries and collected daily first-morning urine samples for six months or until the end of the eighth week if they became pregnant.

The urine samples were analysed for three hormones connected with the onset of pregnancy: hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin), estrone-3-glu-

coronide and pregnanediol-3-glucoronide. The day of ovulation was identified by the drop in the ratio between the hormones oestrogen and progesterone. Embryo implantation was identified as the first day of a sustained rise in levels of hCG. “Since the embryo secretes hCG, and mothers generally have little to no hCG in their urine when they are not pregnant, we used the earliest increase in hCG to indicate implantation,” explained Dr. Jukic.

In 2010, the researchers contacted the women for the current study to obtain information about their labour and whether induction or Caesarean section had been required. Full information was available on 125 pregnancies after excluding those that had been affected by exposure to diethylstilbestrol, an endocrine disrupter that is known to shorten pregnancies.

In addition to the variation in the length of gestation, the study found that embryos that took longer to implant also took longer from implantation to delivery, and that pregnancies that showed a late progesterone rise were significantly shorter by an average of 12 days than pregnancies with an early rise.

Dr. Jukic said, “I am intrigued by the observation that events that occur very early in pregnancy, weeks before a woman even knows she is pregnant, are related to the timing of birth, which occurs months later. I think this suggests that events in early pregnancy may provide a novel pathway for investigating birth outcomes.”

Other factors that appeared to influence pregnancy duration included: older women delivered later on average, with each year of age adding roughly one day to their pregnancy; women who had themselves been heavier at birth had longer gestations, with each 100g in the mother’s own birthweight corresponding roughly to a one-day longer pregnancy, and if a woman had longer pregnancies previously or subsequently to the pregnancy being investigated in the study, then the study pregnancy was likely to be longer, with a one-week increase in the average length, corresponding to about a 2.5-day longer pregnancy in the study. “This last finding suggests that individual women tend to be consistent about when they deliver,” said Dr. Jukic.

In their paper, the authors conclude: “The length of human gestation varies considerably among healthy pregnancies, even when ovulation is accurately measured. This variability is greater than suggested by the clinical assignment of a single “due date.” The duration of previous pregnancies may provide a useful measure of a woman’s “natural” length of pregnancy and may help in predicting an individual woman’s due date. We also found that events in the first two weeks after conception were strongly predictive of the total length of pregnancy, suggesting that the trajectory for the timing of delivery may be set in early pregnancy.” Nevertheless, they warn that it is too early to make clinical recommendations based on their study and that further research needs to be carried out.

Dr. Jukic concluded: “I think the best that can be said is that natural variability may be greater than we have previously thought, and if that is true, clinicians may want to keep that in mind when trying to decide whether to intervene on a pregnancy.”

Dr. Spence Pentland is a Doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Founder of Yinstill Reproductive Wellness in Vancouver, BC and the Author of ‘Being Fertile’. www.yinstill.com

ASK

an expert Q:

“I’ve been doing Kegel exercises for months now after giving birth to our first child but I’m still experiencing bladder leakage. Is there anything else recommended to regain muscle tone and control? Please help!”

A:

Why Does Pelvic Dysfunction Even Occur?

Fifteen years ago when I first took my training with nine other Physiotherapists on a bursary to help bring Women’s Health Care to Central and Northern British Columbia, there was research to suggest that, in 90% of women at one year post partum, any pelvic floor dysfunction had resolved. A follow up study out of Alberta in 2015 shows this is simply no longer the case. Mannion, et al’s results showed that, out of 1574 women with singleton pregnancies, 773 of them (49%) still experienced urinary incontinence and 620 (40%) of women experienced both low back pain and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Although Lawrence, et all in 2008 reported that 50% to 80% of women who give birth experience tearing of the pelvic skin and muscles and 1 in 3 suffer from pelvic floor disorders, it is not just post partum women who experience pelvic floor dysfunction. Laycock in 2002 reported that the second major group who suffer from pelvic floor symptoms is perimenopausal women. A decrease in estrogen in this time frame causes the connective tissue matrix in the abdominal cavity to be more reactive to intra-abdominal stresses. If there is no “floor” supporting the organs, then these fascial connections start to snap, causing some of the organs to begin to drop and put pressure on surrounding tissues. This is defined as a prolapse, and can occur to the rectum, bladder and the uterus.

However it occurs, pain causes muscle inhibition. This means that after trauma, the brain can bring the pelvic floor “off line.” I think of it as yellow caution tape that renders the healing pelvic floor off limits for the days following birth. The problem is, the brain doesn’t remember to remove the yellow tape! The muscles that support all of your organs do not automatically come “online” again after the pain disappears.

We have to actively reactivate the pelvic floor to bring those muscles “online” again. We call this “remapping.”

6

discoverwellnessbc.ca

Wendy Marchlewitz Registered Physiotherapist Orthopaedics and Pelvic Floor Phoenix Physiotherapy Clinic, PG

So What Are Kegels (and why aren’t they working for me)?

For years women have been given the Kegels instructions to “pull up, up, up!” Then to hold (sometimes being reminded to breathe during the hold) and then to let go “quickly and completely.” This quick release actually causes a spinal voiding reflex that triggers the Detrusor muscle surrounding the bladder to contract. They are like opposite muscle groups.

When the pelvic floor is taut, the Detrusor has to relax. When the pelvic floor relaxes to void, the Detrusor muscles squeeze to ensure complete emptying of the bladder. So when you are trying to recondition your pelvic floor to stop leaking, this is not a reflex that you want to stimulate!

So, If Kegel’s Are NOT The Answer…Then What Do I Do? In the past ten years, pelvic floor rehab has been transformed.

With remapping, women’s pelvic floor activity increases 50% in just one session. The next step in pelvic floor rehab: your physiotherapist helps you re-establish your tone or “bench marks.” Under-active muscles have an “all-or-nothing” tendency. The brain works so hard to re-establish a connection with these forgotten muscles that it not only contracts the target muscle, but all of the muscles surrounding it. These are called compensatory muscles. Eventually, as the body gets more efficient at activating the target muscles, the brain refines down the amount of compensatory activity. It’s just not an effective use of resources. So eventually muscles like the abdominals, the thigh adductors and the bum will stop trying to do the work of the pelvic floor as your muscles get stronger. Imagine, no more crossing your legs when you sneeze!

In short, doing exercises to reactivate and to strengthen your pelvic floor is exactly the right thing to do. It’s just that largely, if all that one is doing is Kegel’s, you only have one small piece of the puzzle. Yes, there is more you can and should do. To learn how to do pelvic floor exercises effectively, there is a Pelvic Floor Core class run monthly (except for summers) out of the Phoenix Medical Centre in Prince George. This is the most cost-efficient way of getting all the information you need. If your dysfunction is more acute or complicated (4th degree tears, moderate to large prolapses) then you may need to schedule a one-on-one appointment to tailor a program to your individual needs. There are tools like biofeedback and electrical stimulation to help troubleshoot if necessary.

The Doula-

Supporting Women and Their Partners Through Labour and Birth - Lauren Abbott, CD (DONA)

I’m often asked what the word “doula” means. Simply put, it’s from the ancient Greek meaning “a woman who serves.” It is now used to describe a trained, experienced professional who provides continuous emotional support, physical comfort, information and encouragement to women and their partners before, during and after birth.

A birth doula recognizes that childbirth is an experience that a mother will always remember. The doula’s role is to support the woman and her partner to have the best birth experience possible. I believe that every woman deserves to feel safe, supported and involved in decision- making during her labour and delivery.

The journey through labour and delivery can be unpredictable, and the support of an experienced guide can greatly enhance the experience. In no way does the doula take the place of the special love and emotional closeness that a partner can provide.

The Doula: * Models patience and calm during labour. * Helps parents choose and use comfort measures. * Encourages women to find comfort in their own positioning. * Stays with the woman throughout the labour and delivery and helps with the initiation of breastfeeding. * Helps the woman get the information she needs to make informed decisions. * Allows the woman’s partner to participate to his/her comfort level.

Studies have shown that the support of a doula can greatly increase maternal satisfaction, decrease the need for interventions, including caesarean sections, and contribute to successful breastfeeding and better bonding experiences.

I encourage all expectant parents to consider having a doula, and to interview a few to find the best fit for your family. If you choose to have a doula, you will meet with her a few times before the birth to discuss your plans and preferences when it comes to the big day (or night)! Together you will work as a team to ensure the best birth experience for you and your baby.

Trust Birth!

Lauren Abbott, CD (DONA) has been a Certified Childbirth Doula since 2005. She is also a childbirth educator for Northern Health.

Lauren has a passion for yoga and is RYT 200 certified, with plans to continue studies in prenatal yoga. She has two daughters, four granddaughters and a very supportive partner.

Preparing for

Pregnancy

Consider limiting your intake of fish. In January 2013, the Biodiversity Research Institute found that 84% of fish was found to have unsafe mercury levels. I’ve also grown increasingly concerned, as the levels of radiation rise in the pacific ocean.

While the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish are a crucial part of a balanced diet, other excellent sources include: chia seeds, walnuts, chlorella, spirulina, hemp seeds and flax seed meal.

Add toxin binding and removing chlorella powder to your smoothies and water. A little goes a long way. Start with 1/2 teaspoon, every other day and see how that goes. You can certainly increase your dose from there.

- Jennifer Keirstead, RHN

Build up Healthy Bacteria Levels

Prepping your body for pregnancy is a very important time indeed. It’s an opportunity to detoxify by eliminating any toxins that may have collected in your cells, organs and wonderful reproductive system. Just remember, we’re all different – we all have different toxic loads, experiences, ages, fitness levels and environments.

You may want to look into taking a full spectrum probiotic supplement to support your digestion; this helps with the release of built-up toxins and increases vitamin C absorption for energy and essential fatty acids for brain and cellular support.

The health of the papa-to-be is just as important and an equal part of the conception equation. After all, the men carry the sperm and the goal is to get those little swimmers as healthy as possible. Antioxidant-rich foods will help kill any free radicals and get the sperm swimming freely.

“Above all, detoxification in preparation for pregnancy should be gentle! Long juice fasts and the Master Cleanse are for the most part, totally unnecessary. There’s no need to stress and strain the body with fasting or highly restrictive diets to get highly effective results.” — The Healthy Home Economist

Cut Back on Pasteurized Dairy, Caffeine, Alcohol and Sugar.

Everyone will likely have a thing or two they would like to minimize during their pre-baby prep. Avoiding stimulating substances like caffeine, alcohol and sugar would be a great start.

Avoid the most pesticide-laden fruits and vegetables such as: leafy greens, peaches, strawberries, apples, peppers and celery. Eat organic ones instead. Stick with a healthy, wholefoods diet. Choose organic fruits & vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins at every meal. Amino acids, which are found in proteins, are essential for tissue repair and heavy-metal detoxification. Do your very best to avoid sweets, soda, fast foods, additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners.

Eat organically raised meat and eggs to limit exposure to hormones and antibiotics. The hormones given to the animals we consume, enter our beautiful bodies too and these can alter both fetal and child development. To put it simply, “You are what your meat eats.” — Micheal Pollan

8

discoverwellnessbc.ca

Enjoy fermented foods. Try adding raw sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi and raw apple cider vinegar to your diet. Lacto-fermented foods are rich in enzymes, as well as beneficial bacteria. Think of lacto-fermented foods as “super-raw” foods that will help prepare your body for the “building” phase of pregnancy.

Hit the Sauna

Use saunas to release toxins through your largest organ – the skin! Sweating in dry saunas is a great way to release deeply stored toxins. I love to dry brush before I sweat-it-out in the sauna – giving even more detox benefit. *Please note, pregnant women are not advised to use the sauna.

Drink lots of water before, during and after a sauna with a dash of Himalayan or Celtic sea salt for mineral balance.

A cold shower in between sauna sessions is a great way to detox through a practice called hydro-therapy. The result is invigorating and extremely healthful. When the body is subjected to cold external temperatures, the flow of circulation is directed inward toward the internal organs. As the outside temperature gets hot, the flow of circulation goes outward toward the skin. Alternating hot and cold makes the circulation move in and out – like and accordion! This has the effect of increasing the rate of detoxification and moving nutrients more readily to various parts of the body. How cool is that?

Keep Stress Low

The stress response triggers the release of stress-regulating hormones and neurotransmitters. However, if you’re living with ongoing, incessant stress, then the body can never return to a state of non-stress. It continuously releases high levels of these hormones. When the body is exposed to high levels of neurotransmitters on a continuous basis, it eventually leads to malfunctioning in the brain, endocrine system, nervous system and metabolic system. Over time these hormones and neurotransmitters become over worked – aka. depleted. Keeping stress levels to a minimum is one of the best things we can do to prepare our body for a baby:

“Sleep is not a luxury.” Get lots of it!

Get a massage. Or two. Or three.

Take an epsom salts bath.

Turn off the phone. Close the laptop.

Take a BIG deep breath and EXHALE – honestly, this can do wonders.

Enjoy gentle, nervine herbs;

1 part each of spearmint & chamomile 1/4 part each of catnip & lemon balm Steep for 10 minutes & enjoy.

Use Plant Based & Natural Cleaning Products

When preparing for a baby, we want to be cleansing both the body and the home. Try natural alternatives to everyday, chemical cleaners, such as: • • • • • •

Baking soda Apple cider vinegar Essential oils – tea tree & clove are excellent disinfectants Lemon juice Castile soap All-natural, DIY Home Cleaner

Limit Cosmetics & Beauty Products

Try and reduce the use of the ingredients found in most make-up and everyday drug store products. We use virgin coconut oil for anything and everything: face wash, moisturizer, shaving oil, sun screen and as our primary cooking oil. Minimize and/or avoid all together, things like: • Nail polish & polish remover • Hair dye! Go oh natural.

• Toothpaste with fluoride and Sodium Lauryl Sulfate – make your own!

• Body lotions & moisturizers • Lipstick, blush & eye shadow • Dryer sheets • Bubble bath • Fragrant household air fresheners • Scented candles – beeswax is a great alternative • Hair spray & mousse These are simply suggestions and everyone is encouraged to follow their own intuition in the incredible process of preparing for a baby.

Jennifer Keirstead is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist residing in Crescent Valley, B.C. To learn more about Jennifer please visit her website www.jenniferkeirstead.com

Julie Johnston Colon Hydrotherapist

1985 Fox Mountain Rd Williams Lake

250-267-1960 jjohnston1@telus.net

professional DIRECTORY AROMATHERAPY Essence of Nature - offers 100% therapeutic grade essential oils and blends to help improve health and well being.

Aromatherapy consultations are available to customize a blend or incorporate oils for certain ailments. Katie also offers Reflexology, Reiki, & Sports & Relaxation Massage.

Contact Katie 250-255-0563.

BODY THERAPIES & HEALING Eternal Essence Healing - Carmen Blackier 250-991-1696 “Touch for Health” and “Body Management” provide gentle, whole body balancing using acupressure and muscle testing to promote healing. I work with structural alignment, pain relief, acid reflux, sleep problems, circulation and more! Body balancing is for everyone from children to seniors!

Rent & Re Lax - If you experience tension, sore muscles, back or feet, or have poor circulation, we’re here to help. We have an inversion table, muscle relax pads, reflexology vibrator and a circulation promoter. Introductory rate until June.

To book an appointment or for more info call 250-747-2410.

331 A St. Laurent Ave., Quesnel

ESSENTIAL OILS When it comes to our essential oils, Young Living sets the standard for purity and authenticity. We carefully monitor the production of our oils through our unique Seed to Seal process, ensuring purity and protecting nature’s living energy in every bottle. Visit www.houseofhunts.com/essentialoils

FITNESS / GYMS Q Fitness We have circuit / interval classes: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12pm Saturdays at 10am 250-992-9711 www.quesnelfitness.ca

HEALTHY FOOD / FARMS GRASS FED-FINISHED BEEF Happy, healthy beef! NO grain, NO GMO’S, NO hormones, NO growth implants, NO antibiotics. Raised on pasture with kindness and respect. Individual cuts or by the side. Springhouse area of Williams Lake. Visitors and enquiries are welcomed. Please contact Debbie Irvine B. Sc. (Agr).

Ph: 250-392-9418 or e-mail: springhousedebbie@thelakebc.ca.

Stay Golden Nutrition is a nutritionist-run catering and lunch-delivery company. Using fresh, whole foods ingredients we create personalized, seasonal menus that will please your taste buds while supporting your health & wellness goals! Contact Jessica for more information jessicagolden.rhn@gmail.com

10

discoverwellnessbc.ca

LIFE COACHING reNEWyu - Life Coaching

What’s keeping you from achieving your goals and dreams? What if you could achieve more than you thought possible? I can help you! Together we can uncover what you ultimately would like to do or be and ensure you continue forward down an empowering path. Contact Karen Hawkridge at karen@renewyucoaching.com or 250-983-2295

MASSAGE, REGISTERED Hands on Health Massage Therapy provides personalized injury prevention and rehabilitation, Pain and Chronic Disease Management, as well as Self Care tools to help you live life to your fullest potential. Christa Pooley is a Registered Massage Therapist with the College of Massage Therapists since 2004. 250-983-2362

REFLEXOLOGY Pür Zen Reflexology - Reflexology promotes relaxation, improves circulation, reduces pain, soothes tired feet, and encourages overall healing. It can be used as a complimentary therapy for cancer patients. Tammy McHugh is a certified Foot Reflexologist.

Contact Tammy at 1-604-316-7768 or purzenreflexology@gmail.com or find her on Facebook.

SKINCARE / BEAUTY We are excited to share we now carry Naturopathica, an organic skincare line with botanical extracts, probiotics & seed oils to nourish the skin barrier, reduce inflammation & help restore collagen loss. Naturopathica is a simple regimen for everyday use. Visit naturopathica.com for product details.

Available at Essential Balance 250-992-5615.

VISION CARE Three Opticians on staff to serve you. We have Quesnel’s best pricing, highest quality lens, excellent service. Large choice of frames, choice of lenses, progressive, bifocal, transitions, sunwear, safety.

One hour on instock single vision. Direct billing. See us!

Lensmasters Optical West Park Mall 250-992-5240.

WOMEN’S HEALTH Women’s Health @ phoenixphysiotherapyclinic.ca phone: (250) 562- 8248 • Post surgical breast care • Pelvic Floor rehabilitation • Affordable group Pelvic Floor – Core classes cover pelvic floor remapping, effective kegels, and the basics of core activation • 1:1 consults available

JUNE 2017

move your body Q UESNEL CLASS DIRECTORY MONDAY 5:30-7pm Mixed Level Flow

MONDAY 10:30am FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness 12:10pm Warm Yoga (40min) 4:45pm FLYSURF Blend Surfing (40min) 5:30pm FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness

TUESDAY 10-11am Hatha 4:15-5:15pm Yin 5:45-6:45pm Gentle & Beginner

TUESDAY 10:30am FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness 3:45pm YOUTH FLYFIT (Series) 4:45pm FLYSURF Balance Surfing (40min) 5:30pm FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness WEDNESDAY 10:30am FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness 12:10pm Warm Yoga (40min) 4:45pm FLYSURF Blend Surfing (40min) 5:30pm FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness THURSDAY 10:30am FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness 3:45pm YOUTH FLYFIT (Series) 4:45pm FLYSURF Balance Surfing (40min) 5:30pm FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness FRIDAY 10:30am FLYFIT Movement Arts Fitness 11:50am Parent Yoga - Bring child (40min) 4:45pm FLYSURF Blend Surfing (40min) 7:30pm Hot Yoga (90min)

WEDNESDAY 5:30-7pm Hatha Flow

Run. do yoga. dance. walk. bike. skip. jump. sprint. swim. ski. kickbox. jog. get active. get moving. you’re worth it!

SATURDAY 10:40am MMA - Mixed Martial Arts 11:45am FLYFIT Inversions Workshop 12:50pm Warm Vinyasa Yoga (60min)

I FLY STUDIOS Downtown 419 Reid Street 250-999-4051 www.IFlyStudios.ca

Classes are subject to change. Please visit business websites to stay up to date.

THURSDAY 9-10am Sun Salutations 4:15-5:15pm Yin 5:45-6:45pm Gentle & Beginner SATURDAY 11am-12pm Gentle & Beginner

SUN & SAGE YOGA 654 Reid Street 250-983-5077 www.sunandsage.com

ADVERTISE YOUR FITNESS & CLASS SCHEDULE IN OUR CLASS DIRECTORY. CONTACT JENNIFER @ 250-255-2449 info@discoverwellnessbc.ca

HypnoBirthing Trusting in Our Ability to Birth - Heather Day

HypnoBirthing may have a strange sound to it, but when you simplify the word, it breaks down to “hypnosis and birthing.”

Hypnosis is a form of relaxation, and most people go into hypnosis whether they know it or not. Think about when you drive long distances: the task of driving shifts from the conscious to the subconscious mind. In HypnoBirthing, moms learn how to deliberately use self-hypnosis to become aware of their subconscious mind. When moms are in the depths of self-hypnosis, their minds are open to changing their birthing perceptions. The philosophy of HypnoBirthing is that every woman knows how to instinctually give birth joyfully and comfortably.

Western culture creates a fearful, negative and painful image of birthing. Marie Mongan created the HypnoBirthing program in the 1980s. When Mongan was pregnant, she came across a book written by Dr. Grantly Dick-Read called Childbirth without Fear. From reading that book and other works

by Dick-Read, she became convinced that she could have a calm, peaceful birth instead of an orchestrated and painful medical birth. She proceeded to labour all four of her babies in a calm, peaceful manner by using self-hypnosis and, henceforth, created HypnoBirthing.

“ When the mind is free from negative and fearful perceptions, the body follows the mind and learns to relax, and the body can follow its birthing purpose..”

The fear ingrained in the minds of mothers for decades is the foundation of painful childbirth. When labour starts, that fear leads to tension in the body, the tension leads to labour pain, and a cycle of fear-tension-pain persists throughout labour.

When you think of a labour contraction, the automatic response is pain. But if you contract other muscles in your body,

12

discoverwellnessbc.ca

such as flexing your biceps, there is no fear or pain. The uterus is also a muscle, and reducing the tension of contractions makes them less painful.

This is where self-hypnosis comes in. During self-hypnosis, moms utilize techniques such as deep relaxation, positive birth affirmations and visualization to change their negative perceptions, and they learn to trust their body’s ability to give birth. When the mind is free from negative and fearful perceptions, the body follows the mind and learns to relax, and the body can follow its birthing purpose. Studies published in The Journal of Perinatal Education (2015) show that mothers who prepare for labour and delivery with hypnosis experience less pain, decreased time in labour and fewer days in hospital. Studies also show that moms who utilize hypnosis are less likely to have birthing interventions such as labour induction and epidurals.

The best time for parents to do HypnoBirthing classes is around the 20-week mark of pregnancy, although there are special classes that parents can attend later on in pregnancy.

There are five classes in total for parents to learn HypnoBirthing techniques. Dads are encouraged to attend in order to learn how to actively support their partner’s labour.

Your birth story is unique to you, and you will have to tell your birth story for the rest of your life, so you may as well invest in your birth story by looking at the best childbirth education program for you. Birthing is and should be as intimate as the love you made to conceive that baby. I’m pretty sure you didn’t have an audience for that!

Heather Day is a Hypnobirthing Instructor in Quesnel, BC. For more info contact Heather at (250) 255-7524 or heatherday2288@gmail.com

Sperm Health,

Fertility & Food

- Dr. Spence Pentland

The respected journal Fertility and Sterility published a significant study in 2015 about meat intake and how it is related to sperm quality and male fertility in conjunction with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The study was focused on couples undergoing infertility treatment with the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART), but I believe that these results are important for all men to consider as they move forward on their journey to grow/build their family. It turns out that there are some very simple ways to improve our sperm quality with some minor adjustments in dietary habits and the types of meat we are consuming.

Here is the big warning to men: avoid processed meats.

Bacon, sausages, processed lunch meats and similar types of meats had a negative effect on fertility using ART. The fertilization rates for men ranged from 82% (least amount of processed meat) to 54% (most amount of processed meat) in conventional IVF cycles.

Some foods that are beneficial to sperm health and male fertility are listed below. By making some simple changes to their dietary habits, men can greatly improve their fertility and sperm health.

Garlic

Garlic is a good choice for encouraging sperm production. It contains selenium, an antioxidant necessary for sperm motility, and allicin, a compound that protects the male swimmers from damage and improves circulation to the sexual organs.

First of all, have no fear. For the meat eaters out there, there was no significant indication that total meat intake in general has a positive or negative effect on our sperm quality/quantity and fertility or IVF success rates. What is significant is the type of meat we are eating.

Walnuts

There was a positive association between poultry intake and fertilization rates, with a 13% higher rate among men doing IVF who consumed the most poultry compared to those who consumed the least. We recommend eating organic eggs and chicken to avoid any excess toxin intake, but, all in all, good news for poultry eaters.

Dark Chocolate

Walnuts are abundant in essential omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, and aid semen motility and viability by improving blood flow to the sexual organs. They are also known to lower cholesterol and boost brain function.

Dark chocolate has antioxidants, which fight harmful free radicals and promote heart health. This is important for anyone experiencing fertility issues as free radical damage is thought to be a major factor in male infertility.

Mon - Fri 9:00 am - 5:30 pm Sat 9:30 am - 4:30 pm Sun & Holidays - Closed

“Helping you Build a Healthy Body & Mind...Naturally!”

Marilyn K. Allin

•Vitamins & Supplements •Grains & Whole Foods •Sports Nutrition •Personal Care

Registered Holistic Nutritionist Certified Reflexologist

Quesnel’s Exclusive Distributor

250.991.0298 • 355 Reid St (In the Heart of Downtown Quesnel)

www.greentreehealth.ca

Postpartum Health with

Placenta Encapsulation - Trisha Nairn

Placenta encapsulation is becoming a topic that more women are talking about. If you haven’t heard of it, placenta encapsulation is the process of preparing the placenta for ingestion by dehydrating, grinding and filling capsules with powdered placenta.

Benefits of Placenta Encapsulation There are many reported benefits, some backed by research, including: • replenishing depleted iron resulting in more energy • helping return the uterus to pre-pregnancy state; which can improve postpartum bleeding and healing time • increasing milk production • replacing depleted hormones for a happier postpartum • providing natural pain relief from the labor and birthing process.

Many women that I have talked to have wonderful stories about the benefits they noticed after consuming placenta capsules. Most mothers that encapsulated with the second child, and not their first, are the ones that really noticed the differences. The capsules are fondly known to a few mothers as their “happy pills” as they can instantly provide an increase in energy. There are some women who report no benefits, but also don’t feel they were struggling with their postpartum experience.

The placenta is created when a baby starts to develop in-utero. It is the barrier between mother and baby which transfers nutrients and hormones through the bloodstreams without

14

discoverwellnessbc.ca

the mixing of blood. The placenta is genetically identical to the baby, and is necessary for the baby’s survival. It is the only organ that is transient, created at conception and released at birth. The majority of mammals consume their placenta directly after birth and there are many thoughts as to why this happens. However, humans have not been reported to have followed this practice in recent history, until the 1970’s.

Typically considered medical waste by hospitals, the placenta can actually be used in many ways. It can be planted with a tree or buried in a respectful way to recognize its importance in the creation process. It can also be consumed by ingesting pieces raw, cooked in foods, encapsulated or in tincture form. The capsules contain dehydrated placenta, allowing the mother to benefit from it for weeks instead of just the first few days postpartum. Placenta tinctures submerge raw placenta in high grade alcohol for at least 6 weeks. Tinctures are then used successfully for years and can be beneficial for when your cycle returns and in menopause.

The draw to placenta consumption postpartum is using what is naturally made by mother for baby during the first three trimesters, to support the mother in the fourth trimester. It is full of hormones and nutrients synthesized in a form that the mother’s body already recognizes. The placenta can offer support postpartum during a time that a mother needs it most.

Trisha Nairn is a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist based out of Williams Lake. Trisha was trained by the International Placenta and Postpartum Association. More information can be found at www.cariboomamacare.ca and questions can be directed to her at trisha@cariboomamacare.ca.

health & wellness

EVENTS

3rd Annual 5km Foam Fun Run 2017 North Cariboo Christian School Fundraiser Where: Old Dragon Lake Golf Course 1692 Flint St. When: Saturday, June 3rd, 2017 @ 1pm Ages 5+ Welcome Early Registration until May 31st $40 Ages 18+ $25 Ages 5-17 Tickets on sale through Eventbrite nccsfoamfunrun2017.eventbrite.ca

5th Annual MS Walk

Quesnel MS Self Help group is organizing the 5th annual MS Walk to raise money for the MS Society of Canada.

The walk takes place from Spirit Square downtown Quesnel on Saturday, June 3 from 11am till 1pm.

Mr Mikes will be there selling Mike burgers for a minimum donation of $5.

At

Black to Basics

We Have...

Quesnel Pride 2017

Support the Diversity in our Community!

Be Proud!

June 17th, 2017 Pride Parade starts at 1pm at City Hall Vendors in LaBourdais Park 1:30-4pm Everyone Welcome Pride After Party at The Occidental Closed Event from 6pm until closing Tickets $20 Sold at The Occidental & Barkerville Brewing Co. Contact us at quesnel.pride@gmail.com for more info.

Reusable Nursing Pads A Nursing Station Complete with a Change Table Nursing Tanks and Bras Laundry Care for their Most Sensitive Parts A Toy Room For Your Little Ones to Keep Busy While You Get The Right Fit 250-255-6050 www.blacktobasics.me 391 Reid Street (Below Granville's)

pride Quesnel

2017

JuneÂ

17

2017

For more info contact us at quesnel.pride@gmail.com