wellness
Summer 2015
Okanagan Health & OHW Magazine
MAGAZINE
Three Things Every Exhausted Woman Needs to Do for Herself P. 24
OSTEOARTHRITIS: A Perspective on Joint Degeneration P. 10
Incontinence Troubles? Regain Control! P. 19
Hearing Loop? What’s That?
Complimentary
P. 17
Are We Programming Our Children to Become Robots? P. 25
It’s time to focus and relax but… your mind is somewhere else.
Let us heLp you with that. Have you been feeling tired, irritable, sore, or having trouble sleeping? Stress can present in a variety of symptoms, and if left untreated can lead to more serious health issues. Come in and learn about natural ways to treat and cope with stress and anxiety so you can fully enjoy your life. Kamloops
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LocaL · organic · Bistro · Produce · grocery · Vitamins · suPPLements · Beauty · HouseHoLd
contents Summer 2015 Volume 3 Issue 3
Fitness, the Fountain of Youth Page 16
NATURAL HEALTH 8 Fat, Fatigued, and No Fun? Think Testosterone! Adequate levels of this hormone can improve almost every aspect of your health as well as your zest for life. 10 Osteoarthritis: A Perspective on Joint Degeneration To age well, we must move well. Here’s how to help our bones and joints cope with a lifetime of constant physical stress. 12 Make Your Bed a SafeZone for the Best Sleep of Your Life How wireless electromagnetic radiation may be negatively affecting your sleep quality. 13 Svadhistana: Journey into the Second Chakra Sanskrit for “one’s own abode,” Svadhistana governs our emotions. 14 A Pain in the Head Helpful advice for migraine sufferers.
FITNESS 16 Fitness, the Fountain of Youth If you think this is a bold claim, you may be in for a surprise.
WELLNESS
21 Small Changes Go a Long Way Incorporate these simple habits into your daily life and feel the difference! 22 Self Regulation Therapy in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety Experience hope, purpose, and joy with this gentle mind/body approach to therapy.
17 Hearing Loop? What’s That? Induction loop systems broadcast sound directly into hearing aids without background noise or echo.
24 Three Things Every Exhausted Woman Needs to Do for Herself Giving so much that you’ve nothing left in the tank? Here are some simple remedies to get your energy back.
19 Incontinence Troubles? Regain Control! Focus on strengthening and lengthening your pelvic floor muscles for better bladder control.
25 Are We Programming Our Children to Become Robots? With gadgets and gizmos all around us, how do we help our children to plan their own game of adventure?
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SENIORS HEALTH 27 At This Age The Creative Expression Activities Program in Vernon provides opportunities for planned and spontaneous activities.
NUTRITION 29 Easy, Fun Foods for Kids! Lemonade with stevia and popcorn popped with coconut oil: Mmm… good! 30 Delicious Homemade Fruit Leather A wonderful way to preserve all that Okanagan fruit. Do you have an idea for a story? Are you a health professional who’s interested in contributing to OHW Magazine? If so contact us at info@ohwmagazine. com
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From the OHW Team
OHW Magazine
Okanagan’s Own Health & Wellness Magazine
PUBLISHER LMR PUBLISHING Leanne Christie info@ohwmagazine.com EDITOR Dianne Fowlie editor@ohwmagazine.com PRODUCTION MANAGER Jessica Hamilton jessica@ohwmagazine.com ADVERTISING SALES Georgia Wilson 250.938.2314 georgia@ohwmagazine.com Leanne Christie 250.503.7472 info@ohwmagazine.com OHW Magazine published four times a year. All rights reserved. No part of OHW Magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising material. The views expressed in OHW Magazine are those of the respective contributors and not necessarily those of the publisher or staff. Although all reasonable attempts are made to ensure accuracy, the publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions anywhere in the publication or on the website. OHW Magazine reserves the rights to ads produced for advertisers. Publication Agreement #42490022 Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine is owned and operated by LMR Publishing. Return undeliverable to LMR Publishing, 5816 Tern Place, Vernon, BC V1H 1R2. Phone: 250.503.7472 Email: info@ohwmagazine.com Website: www.ohwmagazine.com Subscription: For your free copy send your mailing address to info@ ohwmagazine.com or visit the website at www.ohwmagazine.com Cover: A womens natural tendency is to put others’ needs before her own. To prevent burnout take the time to rest, enjoy life and relationships. See Jodi Scott’s article on Three Things Every Exhausted Women Needs to Do for Herself on page 24.
Leanne Christie Owner/Publisher Advertising Sales
H
Jessica Hamilton Production Manager
Dianne Fowlie Editor
ere in the Okanagan we appear to be experiencing a neverending summer, complete with record-breaking temperatures, very little rainfall and, unfortunately, an alarming number of wildfires. We hope that you are enjoying this traditional season of fun and relaxation, and that you have remained safe no matter where you are. Whatever the season, health and wellness should be an ongoing focus in our lives. We are therefore pleased to bring another lineup of topics generously provided by local experts, and feel sure you will find more than a few to pique your interest. See the Contents page for a complete list. Women especially are prone to putting their own needs after everyone else’s, often to their detriment, as “Three Things Every Exhausted Woman Needs to Do for Herself” explains. And looking out for one’s own needs shouldn’t stop during the later years: “At This Age” expounds on opportunities for seniors to engage in stimulating activities that improve their overall wellbeing. The articles “Incontinence Troubles? Regain Control!” and “Self Regulation Therapy in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety” address topics that many people may be embarrassed to admit to. If these titles resonate with you, know that there is help!
Georgia Wilson Distribution Advertising Sales
In this age of technology, where entertainment is right at our fingertips, it is important to encourage our children to engage in plenty of free, unstructured play. Check out suggestions in “Are We Programming Our Children to Become Robots?” Speaking of children, be sure to try the delicious recipes in “Easy, Fun Foods for Kids!” Our OHW Magazine team continues to evolve, as Megan Vadnais, who took care of distribution and advertising sales, married Austin Williams earlier this year and is now preparing to welcome a baby into their happy household. We are so excited for Megan, and while we will miss working with her, we are also very pleased to announce that Georgia Wilson will take over Megan’s role. Welcome to our team, Georgia! As always, we ask that you please remember to support our advertisers as well as our contributors, all of whom take time out of their own schedules to help make this magazine possible. And if you would like to add your own support by way of an article or ad, please contact us for details. We strive to make each issue the best it can be, and we always welcome feedback, so be sure to get in touch if you have any questions or suggestions. Enjoy the read, along with the rest of the summer!n
Welcome Okanagan Pet Health Magazine Our 2nd annual pet health issue can be found at Okanagan pet stores or online at: ohwmagazine.com Follow us on facebook
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Sharing information on keeping your pet healthy and well!
4 Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Contributors
Letters to the Editor Dear OHW Magazine, Several of your articles are written by naturopathic doctors. What exactly is a naturopathic doctor? Trish, Vernon, BC Good question, Trish, and to answer it we turned to the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND) website (www.cand.ca). Naturopathic medicine is a distinct primary health care system that blends modern scientific knowledge with traditional and natural forms of medicine. The naturopathic philosophy is to stimulate the healing power of the body and treat the underlying cause of disease. Symptoms of disease are seen as warning signals of improper functioning of the body and unfavourable lifestyle habits. Naturopathic medicine emphasizes disease as a process rather than as an entity. Like a conventional doctor, a naturopathic doctor first completes pre-medical studies at university. The naturopathic student then enters into a four-year, full-time medical program at an accredited school of naturopathic medicine. Training includes basic, medical, and clinical science; diagnostics; naturopathic principles and therapeutics; and extensive clinical experience under the supervision of qualified naturopathic doctors. Graduates receive the title “ND” or Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. Following the completion of an accredited program, NDs must write and pass standardized North American Board exams known as the Naturopathic Physicians Licensing Examinations (NPLEX) in order to qualify for regulation/licensing. The Council on Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME) is the only government-recognized accrediting body for naturopathic medical schools in Canada and the United States. You can see the list of accredited naturopathic medical programs on the CAND website. None of the CNME-accredited institutions offer any portion of the ND degree via correspondence or the Internet. Graduates of non-accredited institutions, correspondence and/or Internet programs are not eligible to sit for NPLEX, nor are graduates of correspondence programs allowed to take provincial or state licensing/regulatory exams. No graduate from these schools has ever been recognized or licensed by any provincial or state licensing board. No member of the CAND has received their naturopathic medical training through correspondence courses. To find out if a naturopathic doctor is qualified, check with the naturopathic regulatory board of your province or contact the CAND.
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Josh Alveberg joined the Snap Fitness Vernon team in 2015. He competes in competitive powerlifting and hopes to one day compete at the national level. Josh wants to use his passion for powerlifting and fitness to help others become a better, healthier version of themselves. He is a qualified personal trainer and looks forward to becoming certified. Josh is currently working toward his Bachelor of Commerce at UBC. Contact Josh at vernonbc@snapfitness.com or 778-4755668. Ross Andersen, DC, ND, practised chiropractic and naturopathic medicine in Ontario for 30 years. In the late 1980s he developed a keen interest in electromagnetic pollution and the effect it was having on his patients. He worked extensively in that field with hundreds of clients. He now operates SafeZone EMF Consulting in Kelowna. He lectures on and works with all aspects of electromagnetic pollution including radiofrequency, magnetic fields, electric fields, dirty electricity, body voltage, and light smog. Connect with Ross at ozonedoc@gmail.com or safezoneemf.com. Sarah Brown is qualified as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist. She has worked at Abaco Health for the past seven years. This has given her a broad knowledge of natural health. Abaco Health, located in Kelowna’s Mission area, carries an extensive range of quality vitamins and supplements, bulk organic herbs, natural beauty products and organic foods. Abaco Health’s knowledgeable team offer excellent customer service, guiding people into health with experienced and informed advice. Reanna Costa is a 500-hour E-RYT teaching yoga out of her studio, Breathe Yoga Studio, in Sorrento as well as other studios across BC. Committed to helping others “wake up” through the practice of yoga, Reanna has developed several programs, teacher trainings, retreats, and workshops for those wanting to learn more about chakras, the energy body, and yoga. Reiki, intuitive healing, and private sessions are also available. Learn more about Reanna at www.reannacostayoga.com. Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka, PhD, lives in Vernon. She conceived and developed the award-winning Creative Expression Activities Program for seniors with dementia. She continues to deliver presentations and workshops in the US, Canada, Israel, and Europe. Dalia founded the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care in British Columbia and is the moving force behind the annual international conferences and workshops on creative expression, communication, and dementia (CECD). Dalia can be reached at dr.daliagt@gmail.com.
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Contributors Michale Hartte, BASc (Nutr), NNCP, CH, a Kelowna resident, spends her time raising her incredibly healthy boys, ages 12 and 9, while she runs a private nutritional practice and offers online, in-person and by-phone appointments. To find out more about Michale and how you can get Fit n Healthy, please visit www. fitnhealthynutrition.com.
Christine Hatfield, MD, a gynecologist and anti-aging specialist, is the medical director of NOWhealth (North Okanagan Women’s Health) in Vernon. She practices integrative medicine and specializes in hormone balancing for women of all ages. Visit www.nowhealth.ca or call 250542-4490 for an appointment.
Tosha R. Hodgson, BA, MClSc, Aud(C), Registered Audiologist and Hearing Instrument Practitioner, has more than 17 years of clinical experience testing hearing, prescribing and fitting hearing aids and assistive devices, and providing hearing protection. Tosha opened Rockwell Audiology in Vernon in 2011 to offer patients an unbiased, manufacturer-independent, medical model of hearing health care. She is registered under the College of Speech and Hearing Health Professionals of BC, is nationally certified in audiology by Speech-Language and Audiology Canada, and is authorized to assess and treat individuals of all ages and special needs populations. Call 250-545-2226 or visit www. rockwellaudiology.ca. Mary Kozicki, BScN, has been in the nursing and business world for many years. Before moving to Penticton in 2011, Mary owned and operated a home support business. She witnessed many aspects of poor nutrition while visiting her many clients. Besides spreading the word of whole food nutrition, Mary enjoys knitting, reading, and cheering on the Penticton Vees. Mary can be reached at 778-476-2469 or by emailing m.koz@shaw.ca. Raina Lutz, RHN, is doing nutrition the unconventional way: “Break the Rules - Find Freedom.” Specializing in tailoring nutrition for each of her clients, she has been practising as a holistic nutrition consultant in the Okanagan since 2011. Raina settled back into the valley’s sunshine after studying in Vancouver at the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. She created the Okanagan’s first line of locally brewed commercial organic kombucha. Raina loves to host workshops every spring and fall about digestion, nutrition, and fermentation. She co-hosts an Internet radio station every Monday, and you can find her online at www.lutznutrition. ca or on Facebook at Lutz Nutrition. Tara Miller, MC, RCC, is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with advanced level post-graduate training in Self Regulation Therapy (SRT®) from the Canadian Foundation for Trauma Research and Education. Tara operates her private psychotherapy practice in Kelowna and West Kelowna, providing individual counselling for children, youth, and adults for depression/anxiety, trauma, athletic performance, injury recovery, postpartum depression, teen issues, PTSD and more. Visit www.westkelownacounselling.com, email tara@westkelownacounselling.com or call 250-801-8272.
David Moore. Prior to emigrating with his family from London, England, to the Okanagan seven years ago, Dave owned and operated a sound company that installed thousands of hearing loop systems over a 17 year period. He is proud to represent the UK-made Signet range of hearing loop systems, bringing to Canada the benefits of hearing loop technology that all the other G7 countries have enjoyed for years. You can contact Dave by phone 250-540-1172 or email: david@aurislooops.com Please visit www.aurisloops.com for more information. Jodi Scott is a Relationship Coach and Life Strategist and the creator of online courses Relationship+ology and How to Live A Life That Feels Good. She specializes in coaching women who are quietly dissatisfied with love and life, feeling alone, confused and struggling with what to do. She works privately with clients via phone and Skype or in person at Vero Health Clinic. Jodi is a respected workshop leader, keynote speaker, retreat presenter, Martha Beck International® trained coach, licensed facilitator of The Desire Map and a recognized mentor for the Women’s Enterprise Centre of BC. Visit jodiscottcoaching.com. Deane Studer, DC, born and raised in Alberta and Saskatchewan, received his Doctorate of Chiropractic degree in 1993 from Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa, the home and the college of the founder of Chiropractic. Deane spent 13 years in Seattle before returning to Canada and completing his Canadian Chiropractic Examination Boards. He is certified in Active Release Technique (A.R.T.), a soft tissue protocol used very successfully to complement spinal adjustments, and is also a certified yoga instructor. Deane has studied Ayurvedic medicine and nutritional therapies.
Claire Volpatti, a Nature’s Fare Markets team member since 1999, handles a variety of tasks including researching and developing sustainability initiatives and employee training. She is a regular contributor to The Good Life magazine and the author of The Weekly Supplement blog. Read Claire’s blog at naturesfare.com/blog. In 2014 Nature’s Fare Markets became Canada’s first Certified B Corporation retail company, which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Cathy Watson is a registered physiotherapist and Stott certified Pilates instructor. Since moving to Vernon in 2014, Cathy has pursued further education in the field of pelvic floor physiotherapy. Having clients who reported various pelvic floor conditions or who weren’t responding to strengthening exercises for their pelvic floor muscles, Cathy found the blending of pelvic floor physiotherapy with Pilates seemed to be the missing link. In addition to offering workshops, Cathy is re-establishing her Pilates based physiotherapy business. In her spare time, she is enjoying the Okanagan lifestyle: Silver Star Mountain in the winter and Okanagan and Kalamalka lakes in the summer.
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Your Questions Answered
Local experts answer our readers’ questions...
Q
I recently heard that damage from a stroke can be minimized if treated quickly. What exactly is a stroke and how do I recognize the warning signs?
S
troke is a medical emergency and a leading cause of death. It is a sudden loss of brain function that occurs when blood flow to the brain is interrupted (ischemic stroke) or the blood vessels in the brain rupture (hemorrhagic stroke), causing brain cells in the affected area to die. When blood flow is interrupted for only a short time, a TIA (transient ischemic attack) or mini-stroke can happen. Stroke can occur at any age, even in babies and children. It is critical to recognize and respond immediately to the warning signs by calling 911 or local emergency number. According to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, 1.9 million brain cells die every minute after stroke, so of course every minute counts. Two-thirds of people who have a stroke fail to get to a hospital soon enough to receive time-sensitive
treatment that would reduce or prevent disability or death. Risk factors for stroke fall into two categories: those you can do something about and those you can’t: Factors you can control • High blood pressure (hypertension) • High cholesterol • Atrial fibrillation (irregular heart rhythm) • Being overweight • Diabetes • Excessive alcohol consumption • Physical inactivity • Smoking • Stress Factors you can’t control • Age • Gender • Family history
• •
Ethnicity History of stroke or TIA
The Heart and Stroke Foundation has adopted the FAST campaign that uses an easy-to-remember approach:
For a more detailed look at stroke and what you can do to prevent, recognize, and respond, go to www. heartandstroke.com.
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Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Natural Health
Fat, Fatigued, and No Fun? Think Testosterone! Most often thought of in connection with men, this hormone plays a key role in women’s health.
By Christine Hatfield, MD
T
he women who come to my physicians think to order this test, so Have ever noticed how men lose office have the same collection thousands of women remain untreated weight more easily than women? It’s of concerns: I cannot lose and suffer needlessly, despite medical because they have more testosterone. weight, no matter what I do! I feel research proving it is safe and As women lose testosterone, they can anxious for no reason! My sex drive is effective. no longer maintain an optimal muscle gone! My body is flabby even to fat ratio. The number though I am working out! I‘m on the scale may stay the exhausted! same, but they become soft Benefits of While there can be many and doughy as muscle is reasons for any one of replaced by fat. Working these symptoms, the most out will not help if you do not common is a deficiency of have enough testosterone testosterone. to build muscle. Correcting Yes, testosterone—it’s testosterone can help you not just for men. Women increase your metabolic rate make testosterone in the and lose weight. A leaner • fights depression ovaries and adrenal glands body will reduce your risk • builds bone and muscle • keeps you lean throughout their lifetime. It of weight-related health • boosts sex drive reaches its peak around age conditions, including heart • reduces anxiety 20 and then declines steadily disease and breast cancer. • makes you more confident as we age. The level drops Plus, your clothes will fit • supports cognition and memory slowly, so we don’t notice better! • improves hair and skin • protects the brain from dementia at first. But by the time we When testosterone drops, reach 40, the effects of low women lose their confidence. testosterone begin to show They may become sad and up. forgetful or have difficulty processing Symptoms of insufficient Testosterone: The Miracle Worker information. Testosterone gives us our testosterone are frequently confused Adequate levels of testosterone can drive and a sense of vitality. Women with other medical conditions, improve almost every aspect of your are more likely than men to suffer from especially depression. Testosterone health, your figure, and your zest for depression and anxiety, both of which can be measured in the blood, but few life. improve with restoration of optimal
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testosterone levels. Why use an antidepressant if a boost in testosterone is all you need? There is evidence that testosterone improves cognitive ability and may protect against dementia, too. I see women in the office every day who would rather do the laundry than have sex. They just have no interest. Testosterone is the hormone that gives us our sexual desire and without it, sex just becomes a chore. You do not need to give up your sex life just because your hormones are slipping away. Testosterone replacement can restore libido and put some spice back in the bedroom! Testosterone promotes protein synthesis in the body. This translates to shiny, thicker hair, better nails, and firm, elastic skin (bye-bye wrinkles). The bones benefit from testosterone, increasing density and strength, thereby preventing osteoporosis, fractures, and loss of height as we age. How Is Testosterone Corrected? Optimizing testosterone (and other hormones) can have a great impact on your health. You can help your body make its own testosterone by following a few basic principles:
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Lose weight: Women (and men) with more fat produce an enzyme called aromatase, which converts any testosterone you have into estrogen, which causes you to store more fat. Watch your diet: Eat more lean protein and vegetables. Eliminate sugar, alcohol, processed grains, and artificial sweeteners.
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Exercise: Moderate exercise boosts testosterone, as does resistance training. Reduce stress: Adrenal fatigue is a common and real condition caused by excess stress. Since our adrenal glands make testosterone, help them by balancing cortisol with adrenal support (an integrative physician can diagnose and treat adrenal fatigue). Be kind to your liver: The liver is responsible for hormone activation. Do a cleanse at least once a year (each season is best) and limit alcohol consumption. Supplement: Ashwaganda, maca, stinging nettle, chrysin, zinc, B complex, and vitamin C all have evidence of boosting testosterone. If these measures alone do not give you the results you are looking for, or if you are over the age of 40, you may benefit from hormone replacement. Visit a physician with expertise in hormone balancing who will measure and prescribe bio-identical testosterone. Women (and their doctors) tend to be hesitant about using testosterone, fearing hair growth or a deepening of the voice. Replaced in the correct amount with attention to the balance of other hormones, bio-identical testosterone is safe and effective. Bio-identical testosterone will work in your body as if you made it yourself, with positive, antiaging effects. n www.ohwmagazine.com
Women are not one-size-fits-all. Each of us is on our own unique journey. With different questions. And concerns. NOWhealth offers • anti-aging and regenerative medicine • peri-menopause and menopause support • bio-identical hormone replacement • adrenal restoration • Clean Start hCG Weight Loss • IV Therapy Dr. Christine Hatfield, MD
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appointments@nowhealth.ca
North Okanagan Women’s Health Vernon, BC www.nowhealth.ca
THEY UNDERSTAND
women
Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Natural Health
Osteoarthritis: A Perspective on Joint Degeneration As our joints bear the brunt of a lifetime of physical stress, what can we do to prevent osteoarthritis? By Deane Studer, DC
A
healthy joint involves many vital elements to sustain equilibrium, guide and control movement, and maintain structural support over a lifetime. Internally, our skeletal system is dependent on the functional integrity of its joints. Continual wear and tear is a natural, gradual, and constant phenomenon happening to all of us. Inevitably, as we age, our joints will degenerate; however, for some people this degeneration may happen earlier and more severely than for others. Arthritis is strongly associated with major depression, which is believed to stem from its role in creating functional limitations. Many healthcare professionals currently believe that the best way
to prevent this condition is through functional movements and ergonomic enhancements. Current trends from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that around one in five adults (22.7 percent) will receive a diagnosis of arthritis. Between 2010 and 2012, 49.7 percent of adults 65 years or older reported an arthritis diagnosis. The Arthritis Society in Canada states that 25 percent of all medical doctor visits and 50 percent of the prescriptions for NSAIDs (NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) are for arthritis. From x-ray results, estimates of osteoarthritis (OA) occurrence are 25 to 30 percent in the population aged 45 to 64 and 60 percent in those aged 65 and
STAGES OF KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS
older. The early stages of OA are not always detectable on radiographs, indicating that a larger percentage of the population most likely has this condition. According to the Arthritis Society in Canada, there is currently no cure for osteoarthritis. Each joint consists of two bones coming together like two pieces of a puzzle but three-dimensionally. The end of each bone has a unique configuration or shape allowing for a perfect fit and specific movement. Engineered through evolution, our joints also need a lubricating fluid contained within a joint capsule, a blood supply for nutrients and maintenance, and nerves and muscles for guidance, support, and protection. Recognizing how complex and dynamic our joints are should give us more appreciation for their fragility when damaged through sprains and strains. Our bones and joints endure a lifetime of constant physical stress. Around the joints, ligaments and tendons absorb this stress through a process of micro-trauma. Include all those little and not-so-little injuries and the cumulative effects start to add up. Muscles and ligaments repair themselves with scar tissue which negatively impacts mobility, balance and symmetry, and joint stability and weakens our structural support system. An unhealthy diet will cause our blood to become acidic, thereby increasing the oxidative stress on our cells. Free radical damage to our cellular membranes alters their soft, fluid-like quality and causes them
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to stiffen. Cell membranes contain numerous complex structures which are vital to the many cellular functions. This stiffening or oxidation of the cellular membranes (a.k.a. lipid peroxidation) occurs in chronic inflammatory diseases like arthritis. This significantly weakens cellular processes that carry out life-sustaining chemical reactions. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, high-quality proteins, complex carbohydrates, and omega-3 fats provides the necessary nutrients for our cells to function properly. Vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and flavonoids from phytonutrients assist in optimizing the cellular environment, impacting the operations of the body as a whole. Moving our body pumps blood to those hard-to-reach areas and provides nutrients, oxygen, and water necessary to sustain an adequate and harmonious environment in which the cells can function at maximum capacity. If the environment and the vital elements needed for health are provided, the innate intelligence of the body operates to achieve maximum functional synergy. If we consider the numerous ways we move our bodies, it becomes obvious that we do not come close to meeting the needs of our joints and muscles. Our days become routine, and repetitive patterns of movements become habitual and etch themselves into our nervous system. Muscles get chronically tight from repeating the same movements and other muscles weaken or atrophy from disuse and neglect. This generates momentum toward an insidious process of degeneration, dysfunction, and disability. The best way to avoid and prevent osteoarthritis is to move your body through a variety of functional movements on a daily basis. By keeping the soft tissue structures supple and springy like a rubber band, you give the body a chance to absorb and minimize the negative forms of stress. Joint centration maximizes surface contact, distributing the forces symmetrically, and minimizes the tension on the soft tissues around our joints. Yoga, tai chi, and dancing are great ways to move your body through differing planes, maximizing movement at each joint. Playing a variety of sports incorporates different body parts with movements that optimize both sides of your body and full ranges of motion. Evidence of chronic poor spinal alignment is correlated with osteoarthritis. In the July 2015 edition of Spine, a highly respected research journal, a study of 723 spinal CT scans revealed that the shape of the spinal column can predict the risk of getting osteoarthritis. They found that poor alignment, imbalances, and uneven stress on spinal structures increase the risk of developing degenerative osteoarthritis. These findings indicate the importance of spinal health and maintenance in order to prevent or prolong the onset of osteoarthritis. There is no doubt that chiropractors are an expert on the spine. They are able to use tools, such as x-rays and highly attuned palpation skills, to analyze the curvature, mobility, and alignment of the spine and vertebrae. To optimize the longevity and mobility of a healthy spine, everyone’s health team should include a chiropractor. As a chiropractor, my responsibility is to assess, evaluate, and treat dysfunctional movement patterns in your spine and extremities. Together we can correct posture and chronic misalignments to enhance your wellbeing and spinal health. Maintenance and prevention is paramount in spinal mobility. In order to age well, we must move well. n www.ohwmagazine.com
Dr. Chris Spooner B.Sc. ND Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Kristen Read B.Sc. ND Naturopathic Doctor Dr. Marc Boutet B.Sc. ND Naturopathic Doctor Melissa Spooner B.Sc, Nutrition Naturopathic Cancer Care Lyme Literate Naturopathic Doctors Ultrasound Guided Prolotherapy & Platelet Rich Plasma Injections Bio Identical Hormones - Women’s Annual Exams - Children’s Health Care Nutrition Planning - Food Sensitivities
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778.475.3822 Learn more about us at paradigmnaturopathic.com
Disc bulge? Compressed disc? Back or neck pain? Want to avoid surgery? Our spinal decompression therapy tables are designed to help people with neck or back pain, especially when the pain is going down the arm or legs. The table helps take pressure off bulging or herniated discs and the pain of sciatica. They can even help mobilize severely arthritic joints, allowing a person to move better. Dr. Elliot Lysyk, DC
The decompression table is a powerful tool to help with pain relief, decrease nerve tension, and stretch out back and neck muscles that are in spasm. Listen to what our patients have to say:
•“The difference in my quality of life is incredible; it’s like I have my life back.” —Helen R.
Dr. James Mayne, DC
• “Decompression therapy has given my a new outlook towards life without pain.”—Patricia I.
• “I recommend treatment to anyone who has had back and neck issues.”—Sherry S.
Dr. Deane Studer, DC
NOW OPEN SATURDAY
Alpine Centre • #7-100 Kal Lake Rd. Vernon, BC 250.275.7616 • www.arisechiropractic.com Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Natural Health
Make Your Bed a SafeZone for the Best Sleep of Your Life Can’t remember the last time you had a good night’s sleep? Wireless devices make poor bedfellows. By Ross Andersen, DC, ND, DO (MP)
W
ireless electromagnetic radiation has now consumed virtually every square inch of our world. Electromagnetic radiation comes in many forms. Most people simply think of cell towers and WiFi, which emit radiofrequency (RF) radiation. It also consists of electric fields, magnetic fields, dirty electricity, and light vibration smog. All of these have been shown to be very detrimental to human health and can be devastating for those who are electromagnetically sensitive. Protecting oneself from wireless electromagnetic radiation is an entirely new concept for many people. Wireless technology is now the norm for most households in urban North America. Cordless phones, wireless
Internet, wireless baby monitors, smart televisions, smart meters, Bluetooth speakers and of course cell phones have become accepted as the way to communicate. It is sad to see four people sitting at a table in a restaurant texting each other. What has happened to looking into someone’s eyes and having a normal conversation? Quality sleep is one of the most important components of a healthy lifestyle. This has been established by the scientific and medical communities as absolutely essential. During sleep we regenerate and our brains rebalance and detoxify so that our nervous system can direct the functions of our body. None of this happens effectively without enough sleep or quality sleep. In this day and
Plagued by... dirty electricity wireless technologies smart meter radiation electro magnetic fields? Have your home inspected to ensure a safe living environment
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age our sleep is being disrupted by an invisible toxin. That toxin is wireless radiation technology. To get quality sleep, we must have the proper production of a hormone called melatonin by our pineal gland. The pineal gland operates on the normal daily circadian rhythms of the sun’s light. Recent research has shown that the pineal gland responds not only to light but also to radio frequency radiation. This means that the pineal gland interprets RF radiation as light. We get tired at night when the sun goes down because there is less light. It is extremely common for people to have difficulty getting to sleep if they use a cordless or cell phone in the evening. Wi-Fi routers operate 24/7. More and more people are finding that they are waking up at two, three or four in the morning and having difficulties getting back to sleep. Not only that, sleep quality has severely diminished. Cell phones give a burst of RF radiation every 15 seconds or so when they are on standby. With the phone in the bedroom the brain is getting radiated on a consistent basis all night long. Sleep quality suffers and so does the wireless user. Ultimately, this can lead to numerous debilitating challenges. The first signs are fatigue, lack of drive, memory challenges, and the general malaise that so many people suffer and cannot explain. Personality changes, bipolar disorder, schizophrenic tendencies, challenges with memory and concentration as well as anger and depression can eventually result. The incidence of brain cancer, tumours and other
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Natural Health neurological diseases has gone up dramatically following the increase in wireless technology. Just imagine the impact on society that this is having at present. Detaching from gadget screens is highly beneficial for quality sleep. It has now been determined that blue light diminishes sleep quality and red light improves sleep quality. Smart phone, computer, television and tablet screens emit large amounts of blue light. Most of them even go to what is called a “blue screen” when they are confused. It could be called the “blue screen of insomnia.” If you watch television late into the evening, you can improve your sleep quality by increasing the red tint and decreasing the blue tint of your picture. Reading a book by candlelight or by incandescent light might be a better idea for an evening activity to promote quality sleep. Removing the wireless in one’s home is much simpler than one might imagine. Wired phones are available at any electronics store. Having a cord on your telephone is a mild inconvenience compared to having one of the above health challenges. Hardwired Internet is incredibly simple. Simply get Ethernet cables connected to your computers. We are not going back to the Stone Age; we are only going back a decade or so. It is well worth protecting your brain. Going hardwired can be done for every single wireless technology available today except, of course, for the cell phone. Smart meters can be shielded so as to protect the dwelling and still communicate their necessary information. Cell towers and the cell phone itself are one of the most dangerous components of wireless technology. Extensive research has shown that long-term use is directly related to huge increases in brain cancer risk. The verdict is in. There is an additional thing that must be done if one lives relatively close to a cell tower. Shielding the bedroom from radio frequency radiation is necessary through various techniques. The simplest, most portable, and economical is to get a protective bed canopy. This looks like a mosquito net which would be used in the tropics but is also protective against radiofrequency energy. It is an absolute necessity for anyone living close to a cell tower. How close is to close? Studies show that anything closer than a kilometre is highly detrimental to human health. The only way to know how close is too close is to have a professional evaluation of the amount of cell tower radiation entering the bedroom. One other protection that is necessary for the bedroom is to turn off the electromagnetic fields that are being emitted from the wires in the walls and the devices on bedside tables. All house wiring emits electrical and magnetic fields and today these are far more toxic than they were 50 years ago. Our electricity is now filled with harmonic frequencies that are in dis-harmony with the frequencies of the human brain. Shutting off the electrical power to the bedroom at night has an amazing effect on sleep quality. It’s like camping at home. Those who are creating a safe bedroom invariably find that the quality of their sleep is truly amazing. The changes in people’s lives are astounding. Virtually every aspect of their health improves including mental, physical, and emotional. Create a SafeZone, get sleeping, get healthy, and do it now! n www.ohwmagazine.com
Svadhistana: Journey into the Second Chakra As the centre that moves our energy through the body and into the mind, this chakra is instrumental in building our emotional identity.
By Reanna Costa oving up from our tailbone into our pelvic region, we find our second chakra, Svadhistana. Here as we leave the physical world of form and embark into the formless, we find the element of water, representing the dynamic and ever changing nature of ourselves. Leaving behind solid matter, we step into the flowing essence of movement, of learning to relax, to go with the flow. This relates to the psychological part of us but also corresponds to the physical functions in the body related to liquid: blood flow, circulation, and reproduction. In Sanskrit, Svadhistana is translated as “one’s own abode.” Think of your root as being the point where you come into physical being and your second chakra as where you start to come into yourself. This centre governs our emotions, where we move our energy out of the unknown, through our body, and into our mind. The energy entering the mind creates feelings and emotions which in turn start to build our emotional identity. It is here in this energy centre, during childhood development, that the first divide begins to happen. We start to notice the difference between various feelings and emotional states within ourselves and with others. Duality becomes a part of our reality. From this we learn what we like, what we don’t like, and what does and does not feel good. Movement of energy helps to cleanse our body, which allows us achieve change, as without this movement we become stuck and stagnant. Energy can get stuck in many different ways, but usually it is the resistance of our feelings that keeps them static. By repressing feelings and restricting movement we hold tension, and thus emotions, in our bodies. In order to not repress, we need to give ourselves permission to feel what we feel. Do not mistake this with acting on our every emotion, taking our feelings
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Yoga Teacher Trainings 50hr Yin Teacher Training 200hr Yoga Teacher Training Location: Sorrento, BC @ Breathe Yoga Studio www.reannacostayoga.com 250-803-3699
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Natural Health out on others. Consider instead allowing yourself to sit with what you feel and observe your feelings. Let them flow and emote and eventually release. This is an important part of our spiritual evolution. It takes energy to keep our feelings pushed down, which is why it feels so good to let things go. Practise feeling, work on releasing, and whenever possible, get your body moving with yoga, dance, or any form of exercise you enjoy to help you with this emotional release. We cannot talk about this energy centre without touching on the important yet often taboo topic of sexuality. Sexuality is such a large part of our physical and spiritual existence that its energy is actually governed by both our first and second chakras. Harnessing sexual energy is thought to be one of the most powerful ways to connect to higher levels of consciousness. In fact, many spiritual modalities believe that enlightenment is only possible through fully embracing sexuality and its undeniable link to the Kund On the other hand, some schools of thought feel that rather than succumbing to one’s primal instincts and wasting this intense Kundalini prana (Sanskrit for “life force”), one should internalize this desire. By not allowing sexual energy to escape through orgasm, one can use intention to move this intense energy up through the chakras, clearing blockages and quickening the awakening process. To be celibate or not can only be a choice that each individual must make after thorough research and guidance. What is certain is that Kundalini energy is not something to experiment with without mindful intention and awareness. Whether it is sexual or not, the most important aspect to connect to regarding this chakra is pleasure. As humans, we have a natural instinct to move toward what makes us feel good and away from what makes us feel bad. Feeling pleasure invites us to open and expand to the experience; we let ourselves relax with what is and surrender to the moment. Too often we deny ourselves the sweetness of life, all the experiences; tastes, touches, sounds, and smells available to us in any and every moment. Why are we here if not to really experience life and feel good about it? Consider what you deny yourself and why, and you may be surprised what you learn about yourself. Of course, as with all things, one must come into pleasure with awareness. As we know, there are many pleasures that are not beneficial but can actually be extremely harmful. Movement through our chakras requires a constant balancing act. Balance can only come from within yourself and what you resonate with. There is no formula, no right or wrong. Follow your heart, listen to your body, and learn from your preferences. Your life and your balance are yours to create. n
A Pain in the Head For migraine sufferers, finding the triggers and ways to reduce both incidence and severity can be an ongoing battle. Here’s help. By Sarah Brown, RHN
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re you one of the 10 percent of the population that suffers from migraines? Migraine headaches are characterized as an intense throbbing, pulsating pain usually affecting one side of the head. They appear to run in families and affect three times more women than men. Lasting between four and 72 hours, they can be debilitating to a point that seriously affects one’s quality of life. Having suffered with migraine headaches myself for almost 20 years, I can tell you that identifying triggers is the best way to manage these disabling headaches. A migraine journal is the most effective means of doing this. Keep track of the foods you are eating to identify food sensitivities. Common food triggers include aged cheeses, chocolate, nuts, citrus fruits, and vinegar. These foods contain a compound called tyramine which has been shown to aggravate migraine frequency and severity. Be aware of eating leftovers, as tyramine content increases over time. Tannins and sulphites found in tea and red-skinned apples also seem to be a consistent trigger. Deli meats containing nitrites and additives such as monosodium glutamate (MSG) should also be avoided. The glutamate found in MSG widens blood vessels and acts as an excitatory neurotransmitter, triggering headaches. Where were you? Environmental factors such as working in an overheated office with strip lighting can trigger a migraine. Keep track of any exercise you do. For women, note where you are in your menstrual cycle. Studies show that the drop in estrogen before a woman’s menses can trigger a migraine attack. Routine is also important for migraine sufferers. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Eat smaller, more frequent meals to keep your blood glucose levels balanced and stay well hydrated. Consider getting tested for mineral deficiencies and possible heavy metal toxicity. New research has shown that migraine sufferers have significantly higher levels of some heavy metals as well as chronic mineral deficiencies. One study tested 50 people, 25 of whom had been previously diagnosed with migraines. The researchers found that the migraine patients had four times the cadmium, twice the lead, and four times the amount of manganese in their bloodstream. Certain minerals were also significantly lacking in the migraine patients. The researchers found that the healthy
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Natural Health individuals had twice the amount of copper, three and a half times the amount of magnesium, and a whopping 24 times the amount of zinc! For many, using pharmaceutical drugs both preventatively and abortively is necessary. However, there are many clinically studied holistic approaches that can help reduce migraine frequency and severity, without the side effects. Migraines occur due to a constriction of blood vessels surrounding the brain. Magnesium appears to dilate blood vessels and therefore has been shown to be successful in migraine prevention. Magnesium, taken in a chelated form (taurate, glycinate) at a minimum of 600mg daily, has been shown to reduce the frequency of migraine attacks. In a study published in Cephalagia, an international forum for original research papers, 81 migraine patients were given 600mg of magnesium or a placebo for 12 weeks. During the 9 to12 week period, migraine frequency was reduced by 41.6 percent in the magnesium group and 15.8 percent in the placebo group. A reduction in the duration and intensity of the attack was also noted.
Riboflavin, more commonly referred to as vitamin B2, has also been clinically studied, yielding positive results. Cephalagia published an open study by Belgian scientists who used
riboflavin on 49 migraine patients over a three-month period, with a daily dosage of 400mg. The results? The participants reported a 68 percent reduction in monthly migraines! The scientists were so excited by these results that they went on to conduct a placebo-controlled study, published in the journal Neurology. Of the 55
patients, half took the daily 400mg of B2, and the other half a placebo. This time, 59 percent of the B2 group reported a 50 percent reduction. Butterbur, derived from a common weed in Europe, has also been shown to be helpful for migraine prevention. Butterbur extracts may contain harmful alkaloids and thus it is recommended to use a patented product known as Petadolex, where these potentially damaging alkaloids have been removed. One 2004 study found that butterbur worked better at relieving migraines than an inactive placebo treatment. During the four-month study, the Petadolex group reported a 48 percent reduction in migraine frequency at 75mg daily compared with the placebo group who reported only a 26 percent reduction. It is often the right combination for the individual that will yield the most success, but be persistent. I have fought with migraines for a long time and although they are much less frequent, it is still an ongoing battle. For more information I invite you to visit me at Abaco Health on Gordon Drive in Kelowna. n
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Fitness
The dynamic duo of cardio and resistance training team up to deliver significant health benefits as well as combat risks associated with an unhealthy, sedentary lifestyle. By Josh Alveberg
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aying that fitness is the fountain of youth may sound like a bold claim. However, a massive number of benefits can be reaped by incorporating a simple and moderate workout a few times a week. Fitness is an often overlooked factor in people’s minds when they think about longevity. This is a huge mistake, as a balanced workout program which includes both cardiovascular and resistance training can create immensely positive changes to the body. The benefits gained from regularly working out range from more energy in your daily life to reduced risk of diseases, as well as the large confidence boost when your body changes into a more fit and healthy form. The most important part about exercising for health and longevity may not even be the benefits, but avoiding the many health risks and consequences associated with a sedentary lifestyle. An integral part of any fitness regimen is cardiovascular training. Cardiovascular exercise, or “cardio,” is anything including a rhythmic, continuous activity that involves multiple large muscle groups. Common examples of cardio are activities such as running, cycling, walking, and swimming. These activities use our body’s aerobic system. By exercising the aerobic system, one is able to enhance the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscles. This process ultimately increases the ability of the body to efficiently use oxygen as fuel. As a result of this increase of oxygen to the muscles, one can expect to have more energy throughout the day
Fitness, the Fountain of Youth!
along with the ability to do with ease tasks which were previously difficult. If that is not enough to get you off the couch and onto the treadmill, there are even more benefits associated with cardiovascular fitness. Studies have shown that cardio may increase immune function, allowing for less time being sick and more time doing the
The most important part about exercising for health and longevity may not even be the benefits, but avoiding the many health risks and consequences associated with a sedentary lifestyle. things you love! The increased caloric expenditure from cardiovascular exercise will also assist fat loss and improved body composition. The second integral part of any fitness program—some experts might say the most important—is resistance training. Now, when we talk about resistance training we are not only talking about the huge, bulky guys bench pressing 400 pounds. Resistance training includes all types of anaerobic activity; this can mean doing light weight at a comfortable pace, and the important part is that you
are doing it! Resistance exercise has many benefits for men and women. No, ladies, throwing some weight training into your routine will not make you big and bulky! Men have significantly higher levels of testosterone in their bodies, which allows them to gain muscle faster and easier than women. Those large, muscular women you see on the magazines are most likely boosting their testosterone through the use of drugs. Besides the fact that weight training will make both men and women look better, it also has extremely positive effects on the body health-wise. This style of training has a profound effect on the body’s musculoskeletal system, which contributes to the preservation of functional abilities. Some other benefits include the prevention of osteoporosis, sarcopenia (loss of muscle tissue due to the aging process), and decreased lower back pain, all due to increasing muscle and greater flexibility, along with more blood flow to the area. Additional benefits include reduced risk of diabetes, lowered risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering of high blood pressure, reduced stress and anxiety, improved flexibility, decreased likelihood of injury, and better posture. The combination of both cardiovascular exercise and resistance training creates an unbeatable duo. There is no substitute that will replicate all the benefits of exercise. Fitness may be the best form of medicine we have available. It is natural, safe, and relatively cheap compared to the costs of dealing with a preventable medical condition. n
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Wellness
Hearing Loop? What’s That? Imagine if sound could be broadcast directly into hearing aids without background noise or echo. It can be! By Tosha R. Hodgson, BA, MClSc, Registered Audiologist and David Moore, induction loop consultant
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eople with hearing loss miss out, and it happens every day. Even with highly sophisticated hearing aids, people with hearing loss struggle to hear concerts, performing arts, seminars, religious services, public address announcements, even television. People with hearing loss need more volume, and their brains need more time, to process sound correctly. Hearing aids help but they cannot fix a damaged auditory system. Distance, noise, and echo reduce sound strength and clarity, which can pummel hearing aid wearers into an abyss of confusion, frustration, and isolation. Imagine not hearing the vows at your loved one’s wedding or the eulogy at your best friend’s funeral. Imagine purchasing season tickets for a theatre only to find out by the
second show that you cannot hear the stage actors so you give your tickets away. Imagine not hearing at religious services so you stop attending. Now, imagine if sound could be broadcast directly into hearing aids without background noise or echo. It can be! Induction loop systems can do just
that: broadcast sound directly into hearing aids. Also called hearing loops, these systems consist of a wire that is looped around a room. The ends of the wire are attached to a special audio amplifier which can be connected to a microphone, TV, tablet, music player, computer, stereo, public address system—just about
Have You Heard? First-Ever Canadian Hearing Loss Statistics Just Released! By Tosha R. Hodgson, BA, MClSc, Registered Audiologist n the past, estimates of hearing loss Ireported in Canada have been based on selfdata, suggesting 4 percent
to 5 percent of Canadians have some degree of hearing difficulty. This selfreported data has long been suspected of underestimating the true prevalence of hearing loss in Canada. New evidence reveals that suspicion was warranted. In July 2015, Statistics Canada released their first population-based study of measured hearing threshold data outlining the prevalence of hearing
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loss. The study tested 2,972 Canadian adults aged 20 to 79 for hearing loss and found: • Over 19 percent of tested adults had measured hearing loss affecting speech understanding. • Only 3.7 percent self-reported difficulty hearing. • Over 35 percent had highfrequency hearing loss (known to affect perceived clarity of speech). • Only 12 percent of hearingimpaired adults used hearing aids.
“Overall, the study estimates over 4.6 million adults (one in five) have some degree of measurable hearing loss, and highlights a marked disparity between self-reported and actual hearing loss. They also suggest that a significant number of adults who could benefit from using amplification are not using hearing aids. No one chooses to have hearing loss. Hearing loss does not age discriminate. Overcome it. Talk to your audiologist today. n
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Wellness Right: Locations with the hearing loop will display this sign
“After having personally benefited from the hearing loop, I am convinced it should be in every public building that facilitates the gathering of people.” ~ Duane Harder, author and teacher.
“It has been a simple and extraordinarily effective hearingaccessibility solution for our church. People who had not heard the service properly in years were now able to hear every word.” ~ Rev. Canon Chris Harwood-Jones, All Saints Anglican Church in Vernon.
any sound source. The looped area can be as small as a teller window at a bank or as large as a stadium and can be installed inside or outdoors. Hearing devices—hearing aids, cochlear implants, boneanchored hearing aids—must be equipped with a telecoil to work with a hearing loop system. A telecoil is a tiny spindle of wire that picks up sound electromagnetically. Telecoils work with landline telephones, some cell phones, and hearing loop systems. Many hearing aids, and some hearing aid remote controls, come pre-equipped with telecoils, but not all. Many hearing aids have automatic telecoils to work with telephones but the automatic version does not work with hearing loop systems. Telecoils must
“The amazement displayed on my patients’ faces when I demonstrate how their hearing aids can be turned into wireless speakers in a hearing loop is remarkable, especially when I ask them to step in and out of the loop.” ~ Tosha Hodgson, Audiologist.
be programmed so they can be activated manually by the hearing device wearer, usually by simply pressing a button on their hearing device or remote control. Audiologists and hearing instrument practitioners can do this programming. Why are hearing loop systems so hard to find in Canada? It’s a good question, and one without a very good answer. Hearing loops are routinely found in Europe and Australasia. Recent changes to the disabilities act in the US have prompted more installations. Despite hearing loop technology being successfully used since the early 1970s [1], Canada has been slow to adopt the systems. The good news is that the situation is improving. Ontario has recently made changes to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), which requires businesses with more than 20 employees to improve services for clients with disabilities, and British Columbia has committed to increasing accessibility and decreasing barriers. Statistics Canada recently found over 19 percent of adult Canadians have hearing loss [2]. Facility managers often do not realize how often hearing aid wearers struggle to hear and stop attending events because of their hearing challenges. Managers often have no idea hearing loop systems even exist, let alone how helpful they are to hearing device wearers. It is vital that hearing device wearers voice their concerns and raise awareness about hearing loop technology. Businesses and venue managers are often quite willing to support hearing loop initiatives once they know the technology exists, how it works, and how cost effective it can be. Hearing device wearers are their own best advocates. Hear and be heard! Talk to facility managers. Write to decision-makers. Ask hearing care professionals who advocate for hearing loops in the community for their help. Cost-effective assistive technology does exist for hearing device wearers but awareness needs to be raised. Get involved and ask the venues you attend to Get in the Loop! References:
1. Ampetronic. The History of Hearing Loops. http://www.ampetronic.com/ History-of-Hearing-Loops. Accessed online August 17, 2015. 2. Health Reports, Vol. 26, no. 7, pp. 18-25, July 2015 - Statistics Canada, Catalogue no. 82-003-X. Prevalence of hearing loss among Canadians aged 20 to 79: Audiometric results from the 2012/2013 Canadian Health Measures Survey - Research Article. n
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Wellness
Incontinence Troubles? Regain Control! When working your core, don’t forget about your pelvic floor! By Cathy Watson
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ave you been working your core for a long time now, only to find that you still might leak a little if you sneeze or lift something heavy? Or perhaps you are experiencing a really strong and uncontrollable urge to go every time you put your key in the door? You are not alone! Approximately 3.3 million Canadians suffer with incontinence issues, believing this to be a normal and expected part of the aging process. This belief is simply not true! Normal implies everything is functioning as it should be. Not having complete control over one’s bladder and/or bowel function is common and dysfunctional, but definitely not normal. Firstly, let’s talk about what incontinence is, why there is so much of it around, and who is most at risk. The most common types of incontinence are stress and urge or a combination of these two. Stress incontinence is the leakage of urine with coughing, sneezing, laughing, running, or exerting oneself. This happens because the intra-abdominal pressure that is built up with these activities is greater than the pelvic floor muscles can handle. Urge incontinence occurs when you have a strong, sudden need to urinate. The bladder may spasm, causing leakage. Hearing water running or putting your key in the door may trigger a strong urge to urinate. What is happening to our bodies to make us unable to control our bladders? Over time, our pelvic floor muscles tend to weaken and/or become too tight, so they are not able to do their job. Think of the pelvic floor muscles
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just like other muscles in our body. If our hip flexors are too tight, it will be hard for those muscles to work efficiently and help support us. If our leg muscles are weak, they won’t be able to take us very far. The pelvic floor muscles are no different; they need to be both flexible and strong! What exactly is our pelvic floor? Look at the picture of the inside of our pelvic floor, primarily the levator ani muscles. These muscles are very important to support our bladder, rectum, and, in females, uterus, to help with sexual function and keep us dry. Because many of our pelvic floor muscles actually connect to parts of our pelvis, tailbone, and pubic bone,
directions as well. When you don’t pay attention to your posture, these muscles may become weak and lengthened or tight and shortened. This makes it more difficult for them to properly do their job of keeping you dry and your organs nicely supported. Is having a weak pelvic floor a serious problem? Unless there is another pathology related to it, being incontinent would not be seen as a serious problem. But if you are experiencing any level of stress or urge incontinence, your body is telling you that your muscles are not properly supporting your organs. This annoying problem will only become more apparent over time. So, why does this happen? Women are still more susceptible for developing this problem than men. One in three women and one in eight men may experience incontinence. Risk factors for developing incontinence are:
Pelvic Floor they will be affected if our body isn’t in good alignment. So, once again, posture is important, even for these muscles. Everyone has probably heard someone say that their back is “out” or their pelvis is rotated. Well, considering your pelvic floor muscles also attach to these bones, they will be pulled and pushed in different
• pregnancies – more than one pregnancy will increase the risk • abdominal surgeries • hysterectomies • menopause, hormonal changes • obesity • prostate issues • chronic straining (lung infections, constipation) • smoking and alcohol
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Wellness Below: For pelvic floor strengthening, work other muscle groups such as the adductors (inner thighs) to aid the firing of the pelvic floor muscles.
Above: For pelvic floor lengthening, relax with your legs up the wall and breathe into your pelvic floor area to help signal a feeling of release.
Even women who have had Caesareans or never had children may be susceptible. What can I do about it? Pelvic Floor Strengthening: Most people are familiar with Kegel exercises, and these are important. You need to increase both the strength and the endurance of these muscles. It is best to learn how to fire these muscles all on their own, but there are other options if the pelvic floor is struggling. Pulling in other muscle groups such as the adductors (inner thighs), gluteals (your seat muscles) or the abdominals can sometimes aid the firing of the pelvic floor muscles. Pfilates (pelvic floor Pilates) is a helpful system of exercises for strengthening the pelvic floor muscles. For people who need a little more help, there are gadgets such as electrical stimulation (to help the pelvic floor muscles contract) and beads and balls (to place internally for feedback when contracting the pelvic floor muscles). Pelvic Floor Lengthening: I’m sure you’re wondering how in the heck you are going to stretch a muscle you can’t even see. We use lengthening exercises with breath to bring awareness and openness to this area. Relaxing with your legs up the wall and breathing into your pelvic floor area will help signal a feeling of release. Biofeedback units may also help to quiet the overactive muscles.
Cathy Watson Physiotherapy 3704 32 Street, Vernon, BC
An integrated approach using Pilates to help improve: • Incontinence • Prolapse • Pelvic pain
Bladder/bowel retraining: This helps teach your bladder and bowel to store and release properly. Believe it or not, there are normal values for how often you should be going to the bathroom during the day and even how long your bathroom session should take! Diet: A review of your diet will help highlight any potential bladder or bowel irritants that you may be consuming. Can I do this on my own or do I need to get help? If you notice that you may have a pelvic floor issue, you certainly can try some strengthening and release exercises on your own. If you find that you aren’t making any progress, then that would be a great time to seek out some help. Many people have been doing their core exercises for years, but are still leaking. So what is going on? Likely, they are not properly firing their pelvic floor muscles. Seeing a women’s health, or pelvic floor, physiotherapist will help ensure you are firing the muscles properly. n You may wish to visit the following websites for further information: www.bcphysio.org www.canadiancontinence.ca www.pfilates.com www.cathywatsonphysio.ca
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Wellness
Small Changes Go a Long Way Eight great tips for incorporating simple—but highly beneficial— habits into your day. By Claire Volpatti
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here are times when making a big change can just be too much to handle. The level of commitment required and the perseverance needed to stick it out is just not reasonable at that moment. And while the knowledge of that may make you feel even less motivated, fret not, because there are a number of small changes you can make that have very little impact on your daily life but that will show great rewards in your physical and mental health! 1. Drink Lemon Water Every Morning Mix the juice of half a lemon, or a full lemon if you are over 150 pounds, in a cup of room temperature water. Stay away from cold water because it will shock your system and may stop the nutrients from being absorbed. Not only will the taste of the lemon jazz up that boring glass of water, it can also help keep you regular! Lemon water can be a great treatment for constipation. It is also a good preventative measure for avoiding urinary tract infections (UTIs). Lemon water improves bad breath, may aid in weight loss, and contains a tonne of vitamin C which is awesome for building collagen in skin and boosting immunity. 2. Get More Vitamin D Adding vitamin D to your supplement list is a no-brainer! It is recommended by almost all doctors and naturopaths for its role in assisting with calcium absorption in our bodies. Additionally, many studies have concluded that vitamin D can help to prevent certain forms of cancer as well as other diseases like multiple sclerosis. On top of all that, vitamin D is great for muscles, nerves, and the immune system. The best part is, vitamin D is extremely affordable—a year’s supply can be found for less than $20.
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3. Eat with Awareness As hard as it can be, try to pay attention to not only what you eat, but how you eat it! Take the time to chew your food as much as possible, as this will help with digestion and will reduce the chances of bloating and gas. For the same reason, avoid eating too quickly or taking in too much air with your food.
4. Mind Your Gut If you find that you have eaten too quickly, or that your gut didn’t appreciate all those chips and that bean dip you had for lunch, remember to compensate with probiotics. These beneficial bacteria help to maintain smooth digestion and will reduce the feelings of indigestion and bloating. Probiotics are also just excellent helpers and keep the level of friendly flora high, which in turn lessens the chances of Candida or any other bacterial infection taking up residence in your intestinal tract. 5. Take Walks on Your Breaks Instead of sitting in your workplace staff room during lunch, dedicate 10 minutes to getting outside for a quick walk. The fresh air will invigorate your mind and will help you focus your concentration for the second half of the day. The exercise will reboot your internal systems and keep your digestion and circulation running steadily. 6. Stretch People tend to carry their tension in their hips, jaws, and shoulders. Make an effort to take a few minutes each day to stretch out these muscles and release the tension that a long day
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Wellness can bring. Creating a small stretching routine will keep muscles loose and improve flexibility. 7. Take a Multivitamin Many people will benefit from taking a daily multivitamin. Most of the vitamins and minerals that we need are sourced from food. It can be difficult to get enough variety and quantity of certain foods to gain the recommended amount of nutrients we require. Multivitamins may help to prevent or recover from illness, are helpful for improving cognitive function as we age, and because of the inclusion of vitamins B complex and C, are able to boost energy and vitality.
Self Regulation Therapy in the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety This gentle, strength-based counselling approach allows clients to move beyond negative states to experience hope, purpose, and joy. By Tara Miller, MC, RCC
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8. Meditate Lying down to sleep at night with the events of the day on your mind can make it difficult to drift off. Meditation is an excellent exercise to slow the mind and prepare your body for rest. It helps to release stress and anxiety and relaxes tension found in your muscles. Before bed, try turning down the lights and turning off all televisions, computers, and other electronic devices. Sit in a comfortable position and focus on the natural inhale and exhale of your breath. As you breathe, bring attention to each muscle group in your body and allow it to release. As you progress through your body’s muscles you should feel increased relaxation and decreased anxiety and stress. This will prepare your body and mind for a good night’s sleep. n
elf Regulation Therapy, or SRT®, is a mind/body approach to therapy designed to reduce excess activation and provide balance to our nervous system. Grounded in the latest neuroscience research, this approach works with the way the brain holds overwhelming events including trauma, and creates new neural pathways in the brain designed to support a state of health. Different from traditional talk therapy, SRT® works with a person’s nervous system, reducing symptoms by helping a person self regulate rather than focusing on symptom presentation alone. The brain is not fixed; it can change and grow over the course of our lifetime, which means how we feel today is not how we will feel in the future with the right tools. Our healing potential is often beyond what we can imagine, given the capacity of our brain for change. Think of our nervous system like a container—one that fills over time (as one might with water) with experiences, genetics, environment, and traumas. As the container fills up, our ability to manage stress and flexibly respond to events in our lives is diminished. We call this dysregulation: when a nervous system becomes overwhelmed or when the container is full or overflowing. This is when we can see symptoms of depression, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, decreased immune system, decreased motivation, increased irritability, chronic pain, intrusive thoughts, migraine, irritable bowel syndrome
(IBS), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more. By working with the nervous system to create more room in the container, the system becomes more regulated and the symptoms often dissipate, if not disappear entirely. We know that people cannot heal when they are in a state of high activation or overwhelm. Because SRT® is a gentle approach that allows clients to feel a sense of self-control, they never have to re-live or re-tell the painful events of their lives in the way they experienced them, and so the activation they experience in session is kept within a manageable range. This is often reassuring to clients who feel reluctant to begin therapy because of the sense they are going to open a huge, painful load of history. What we know about the brain is that re-telling a painful experience lights up the brain in the exact same ways, releasing the same chemicals, and sending the same responses through your body, while eliciting the same emotions, that it did when you first lived it. You get to the end of the story, experiencing all of the same emotions and pain, but you are not healed and your brain remains unchanged. No matter how your thinking brain has made sense of it or understood the events, which is still valuable and necessary, what the process of re-living does is actually strengthen the neural pathways in your brain around that event, driving the trauma deeper into your system
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Wellness with stronger roots. While this can work for healthy neural connections, emotions, and behaviours, in these cases it can also reinforce unhealthy ones, causing even further dysregulation in the nervous system. SRT® is a strength-based approach that works with where the person is in this moment—what has helped them survive and get through the events of their life so far. We use these resources along with specific therapeutic methods to increase resiliency, decrease symptoms, and ultimately bring a person into a regulated state where they experience hope, purpose, and joy. In working with depression and anxiety, it is apparent these two states often hold hands and appear in tandem. Feeling low or anxious is uncomfortable but not abnormal. It is normal and healthy to experience sadness when something emotionally painful happens, just as it is normal to sometimes experience anxiety. Where we want to start work is when a person is unable to return to a neutral baseline after a reasonable period of recovery. Often with depression, we might begin with looking back at a time when they weren’t depressed or imagining a time in the future when they aren’t any longer. As with retelling our painful experience, when we remember positive ones, or imagine future ones, our brain lights up in those areas, releases those chemicals that make us feel soothed, and starts to build new neural pathways around those when we connect it with sensation in the body. With anxiety, we are working with a brain that’s lit up in the areas prepared for a fight, flight, or freeze response, even when we aren’t in a life-or-death situation. The brain has lost its ability to differentiate something new or benign from a true threat to survival. In working with anxiety, we are looking for places in the body that are regulated, relaxed, connected, and supported. As we bring awareness to the areas where breath moves easily or the sense of connection with the chair we are sitting in, there is often a settling that occurs and those fired-up areas in the brain start to be quenched. When we find resource within the body, the mind follows. We can work through significant events or trauma that occurred prior to feeling depressed or anxious; SRT® even allows us to work simultaneously to help repair developmental ruptures. For both depression and anxiety, we are always bringing the content they are working on back to the felt sense. If a trauma like a surgery, major illness, car accident, or relationship incident preceded their depression or anxiety, we work through those to uncouple those experiences, often seeing symptoms improve. My practice philosophy is designed to support the whole person in a holistic and collaborative way. I recommend my clients have a recent check up with bloodwork to rule www.ohwmagazine.com
Lifestyle Recommendations Exercise: Thirty minutes of exercise every day (particularly in nature) has been shown to be one of the single best things you can do for overall brain health, but particularly for overall mental health including depression and anxiety. This is in part because exercise promotes neurogenesis (the growth of new neural cells in the brain). Where areas of the brain shrink with depression, exercise provides a counter effect. Probiotics: Most of our serotonin is made in our gut, which is referred to as our second brain. Our gut is connected via the vagus nerve to the brain in our head and the health of our gut impacts the health of our brain through the gut-brain axis. In a recent study, women who consumed probiotics every day for two weeks showed over 50 percent improvement in their depression. Omega 3s: Quality omega 3 supplementation has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and support overall brain health. I have clients see significant improvements from probiotics, omega 3s and exercise alone in addition to the work we do in session. Diet: Reducing sugar, refined carbohydrates, and gluten can reduce inflammation in the body and brain. Ensuring regular meals that include a protein, carbohydrate, and healthy fat can help control blood sugar and the HPA (hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal) axis in the brain and reduce symptoms of anxiety, making it easier to regulate. out deficiencies that can give symptoms of depression and anxiety including anemia, low B12 (which often occurs with low iron), and problematic thyroid levels. From there we look at creating healthy, sustainable lifestyle practices including self-care, adequate sleep, good nutrition, and sometimes supplementation and referral to other, complementary health professionals when beneficial. With SRT® the goal is not to keep someone in therapy forever, nor do we need to work with every overwhelming event of their lives. The goal is to create enough room in their container for them to be able to experience life, with its ups and downs, and return to a regulated state on their own. We want to work beyond just symptom reduction and really help clients begin to experience joy in their lives. n
Counselling & Psychotherapy Self Regulation Therapy (SRT®) | Accepting New Clients
www.westkelownacounselling.com tara@westkelownacounselling.com voicemail 250-801-8272 Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Wellness
Three Things Every Exhausted Woman Needs to Do for Herself Our natural tendency to put others’ needs before our own can leave us running on empty. By Jodi Scott
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ummer is the time for fun and relaxation. A time to break out of the normal routine, have some adventure, try something new, enjoy the weather, or kick back with a great book and cool drink. But what if you don’t have the energy to enjoy summer? What if the responsibilities of family, your career, and making 200 lunches from September to June have you plum exhausted, tanked, running on empty with nothing more to give? It is time to give back to yourself! It is time to recharge. And I know that is hard to do when you feel there aren’t enough hours in the day and you don’t have enough energy to get through what you need to do already. Adding “recharge” to the ever-growing list just feels like another have-to. I promise you it is not. These three simple remedies are the breadcrumbs that will lead you out of Exhaustionville right back to the land of the living and functioning—with even a laugh or two. Breadcrumb #1: Say No Obligation is an energy suck. Don’t do it. And I can hear you saying, “But it’s not that easy.” And I’m going to say, “What part of yourself are you compromising to fill that obligation? An arm, a leg, a spleen, a vertebra? Because that is what you are doing. You are giving away a piece of yourself–your life force energy—when you do something you really don’t want to do just to appease someone else or avoid their disappointment or judgement or to keep up appearances. Ask yourself, “Is it true I really have to do this?” And what you will find is there is really very little in life we have to do. There are things we choose to do because we want the outcome of doing that particular thing. And if that is the case then own that. You don’t have to do it. You are choosing to do it. You keep your power and your energy and your arm—oh so useful an appendage for lifting that mocha latte which you’ll actually have the time to enjoy now that you said “No!” to doing things out of obligation!
JODI SCOTT COM
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Breadcrumb #2: Give Yourself Permission to Rest Driving yourself harder is NOT the answer. Oftentimes when we become exhausted we continue to push ourselves like that overtired toddler who keeps fighting sleep and stumbling determinedly in circles. Take a nap already! When you’re exhausted you’re not being effective or even thinking clearly, so continuing to push yourself is actually counter-productive. You will be much more efficient once you are rested. It is called “slowing down to speed up” and it makes total sense. After a good nap, or several of them spread out in between episodes of Mad Men, you will be so much more effective, creative, and efficient you will make up for any time you spent napping. I promise. Until you’ve rested you should not operate heavy equipment, your life, or your relationships—all are recipes for disaster. We aren’t our best selves and we tend not to make our best decisions when we are exhausted. This can compromise the quality of our life and our relationships. As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Rest and recharge and everything will be a little bit clearer and feel much more manageable, and you will have the gusto to direct your life rather than just react to it. The amount of rest you need is your call. Sometimes fifteen minutes is enough to recharge and at other times serious down time is necessary—because that extra layer of cover-up under your eyes isn’t fooling anyone—and without intervention the exhaustion is only guaranteed to get worse. Don’t do that to yourself. Make rest a priority and you will take back your power and your energy along with the quality of your life and relationships. Drooling is optional but highly recommended!
Details & Resources at jodiscottcoaching.com
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Wellness Breadcrumb #3: Give Yourself Permission to Play If you observe children, you will see that they play until they are ready to rest. Then rest until they are ready to play. It’s the natural cycle we were all born with. But as we became “serious adults” we somehow decided that play was the forbidden fruit. We all want to get naked with it in the garden but we’re afraid of the judgement, or somehow we don’t think we’re deserving of fun. We haven’t “earned” it or “we shouldn’t be having so much fun when there are people suffering all over the world.” Here’s the reality slap on that— your suffering only adds to the suffering in the world. It does absolutely nothing to abate the suffering in the world. But your joy sure makes a difference in the people’s lives around you. When you allow yourself to play, you fill up your own tank. And what spills over gets shared with the people closest to you. And there is nothing selfish about that! So like your mother used to say, “Get outside and play!” or stay inside and do whatever you want that makes you happy. Play is anything that you do that gives you more energy back than it takes to do it. It’s often those things you do where you lose track of time. This is what neuroscientists call “being in the state of flow”—where you lose all self-consciousness and track of time and are just completely immersed in what you are doing. These types of activities are regenerative and actually make you feel rejuvenated from doing them rather than depleted. Play on! When you’re exhausted it means you have given out too much of yourself—too much of your life force energy. Get your energy and your quality of life back by starting with just one of these breadcrumbs—whichever one calls to you the most—and when that has rejuvenated you somewhat and you are ready, choose the next breadcrumb until you start to feel like your new-old self again! n
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Are We Programming Our Children to Become Robots?
In a society where entertainment is right at our fingertips, it’s especially important to encourage our children to stay active with free, unstructured play. By Mary Kozicki, BscN
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s our online world expands, are our children losing the ability to be spontaneous, creative, and passionate? Are our children encouraged to think for themselves, to wonder, to query, to make or create new ideas? Are we encouraging our children to discover, to go out on a limb without someone else’s rule, to think outside the box? Are they enjoying free, unstructured play or a s e d e n t a r y, i n d o o r childhood? A study by the Entertainment S o f t w a r e Association shows that 90 percent of children aged 8 to 18 play video or online games. In 1999, kids spent an average of 26 minutes per day gaming; this number rose to 110 minutes (almost two
hours) in 2009. Imagine what that number is today. Twenty-five percent of boys play for more than four hours per day! In addition, 74 percent of kindergarten through grade 8 teachers use digital games in their classrooms. Studies have also shown that violent games promote feelings of hostility and aggression, desensitizing players to violence and skewing their perception of what violence is. In addition, the more players have these feelings, the more they want to play. All of this promotes isolation. There is a constant battle for schools to increase physical education. The World Health Organization recommends that 60
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Wellness minutes of daily physical activity is optimal for kids aged 5 to 17. We need to encourage our children to keep moving. The health benefits of being active are many, including improved mood, increased self-esteem, and rediscovery. Children are not as bored staying indoors with the advent of digital gaming, social networking, and other electronic distractions. During daylight hours, the average child’s bedroom has become an entertainment hub that limits their desire to venture outdoors. Engaged families value active outdoor recreation very highly. They are drawn to places and communities where many outdoor activities are prevalent, both because they enjoy these activities and because their presence is seen as a signal that the place is amenable to the broader creative lifestyle. Our bodies were made to be active. Children should be urged to plan their own game of adventure, be it throwing a ball, skipping over cracks in the sidewalks, or even going on a hike. What about bird watching, stargazing and building sand or snow castles? T-ball. Bike rides. Ballet classes. These tend to be the things we grown-ups think of as healthy doses of exercise for our kids. But it turns out that simply setting them loose on the playground or even just in the backyard may be even better for them. There they can enjoy spur-of-themoment ball games, walking with their friends without cords hanging out of their ears, playing street hockey with big garbage cans as goal posts, playing flag football, going on scavenger hunts in the park looking for special trees and flowers, or having unplanned picnics. Spending a night in a tent on the front lawn and observing the wondrous night sky. Building forts out of cardboard boxes, building and flying a kite, or just taking a quiet walk in the park or forest can be spontaneous and so full of spectacular discoveries. Are we teaching our children to take part in, appreciate, and value the beauty and many wonders of nature? Researchers in Wales recently found that the way kids naturally play—with quick bursts of energy, like chasing a friend across the park, interspersed with regular old goofing around—is more beneficial for heart health and weight control than moderate, sustained exercise (like that bike ride). Alternating intense intervals with easier ones also gets kids fitter, faster. Not only are our children not getting enough physical activity and fresh air, but they are losing family values by not
eating as a family, around the dinner table. Over the last 20 years, dozens of studies have confirmed what parents have known intuitively for a long time: sitting down for a nightly dinner is good for the spirit, the brain, and the body. The Journal of Adolescent Health reports that the average family dinner now lasts a mere 12 minutes. Yet is has been proven that kids and teens who share a family dinner three or more times per week are less likely to be overweight, more likely to eat healthy foods, more likely to perform better academically, less likely to engage in risky behaviour, and more likely to have better relationships with their parents. Other statistics from their study include that only 30 percent of the grocery budget is spent on fresh food, while on average 41 percent is spent on eating out. Sadly, 97 percent of children’s restaurant meals do not meet nutrition standards. So, are we turning our children into robots, allowing them to have a sedentary indoor childhood while we don’t meet their nutritional requirements? Big change takes baby steps. What one simple change can you make today to better your child’s overall health—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual? Make that one simple change; then make another. If enough families take up this flag, soon we can change the world. n
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Seniors Health
At This Age Launching a Creative Activities Program for Older Adults in Vernon—Successfully. By Dalia Gottlieb-Tanaka, PhD
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n the Summer 2014 issue of Okanagan Health & Wellness, I wrote about the importance of engaging in creative activities to fend off boredom, increase a sense of purpose, and improve overall wellbeing. I spoke about a group of Vernon seniors that named themselves At This Age. This article focuses on the journey I’ve taken with this group since July 2013. My intent is to inspire others to replicate this model in their own communities. Bringing together a group of older people to join in visual and performing arts activities served not only the
At This Age group as they rehearse for their play The Zen of Aging
participants of At This Age but also my own interests in research on creativity and aging and in dementia care. It also filled a more personal need to stay engaged in the arts: It was time to walk the talk. As I encouraged others to stimulate their brains, what could be any better than becoming a member of this group myself? When the original group was formed, the intent was to attract seniors with early symptoms of dementia and their caregivers. But difficulties in obtaining an appropriate location for people with memory impairment shifted the focus to healthy seniors who took the initiative to become involved in stimulating activities that might: • Bring joy, satisfaction and fulfillment • Create new friendships and feelings of belonging • Improve memory, increase confidence and selfimage • Reduce depression • Lessen the visits to doctors • Reduce the use of prescription medicines, and most importantly • Postpone the onset of dementia And so, the present group was born.
At This Age group working on an interpretation of Chihuly’s glass blown artwork into paper collages. www.ohwmagazine.com
Our activities usually take place at the Schubert Centre every Monday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. After the sessions, the participants meet at the centre’s cafeteria for a quick lunch and continue socializing. Approximately 70 people visited our sessions over the last two years. Today, we have a core group of about 10 people and a few others who come and go on a drop-in basis. The participants are active older adults ages 65 to 87. As time passed, the group decided to join the Society for the Arts in Dementia Care, an umbrella organization that originated in Vancouver in 2005, which promotes the arts in the general healthy population of older adults as well as those in dementia care. The group is self-led and participants share their life stories, experiences, talents and skills, visions, desires, and hopes, as well as disappointments and failures. They engage in poem writing, storytelling, and play writing. Last Summer ‘15 - Okanagan Health & Wellness Magazine
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Seniors Health
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September the group presented a play called The Zen of Aging, based on their creative writings. It was aired on Shaw Cable TV and included stories of new immigrants to Vernon and school children; later the group At This Age met at a school and performed the play for the children who contributed to the production of the play. How does the Creative Expression Activities Program appeal to older adults of healthy cognition and people living with dementia? Originally developed by myself in 1999, the program continues to evolve. It provides opportunities for planned and spontaneous activities with healthy seniors as well as people living with mild to moderate dementia. It is based on solid academic research and years of practical experience. Participants take leading roles in running the sessions. They are encouraged to express their creative abilities whether for their own use, for their families and friends, or as volunteers in their community. Topics include health and family matters, fears, anxieties, achievements, life and death issues, food, arts, pets, seasonal celebrations and holidays. The program emphasizes the use of present abilities and encourages past and present life histories. Drawings, writing poems, storytelling, music, singing, reminiscing, dancing, and theatremaking are some of the activities we enjoy. A good source of information on the group can be found on the Society’s Facebook Page www.facebook.com/ TheSocietyForTheArtsInDementiaCare. The reputation of the At This Age group travels beyond the town of Vernon. I use social media as a source of information and as an educational tool by posting projects we have produced, with the group’s consent. Most of the participants understand the importance of sharing and take pride in our work. In July 2015, members of the group presented their artwork for three weeks at the Ferry Building Gallery, a prestigious art gallery in West Vancouver. More than 2,500 people visited the exhibit. My greatest satisfaction comes from seeing members of the group develop friendships and plan activities even when I’m not there. At times, a member may arrive upset, but fellow group members offer support, advice, and help. There are no guarantees about how long this group will continue to function but some of the friendships can remain for a long time. Participants told me that each week they looked forward to our sessions and discovered they were enjoying the variety of activities they didn’t have time for when younger. Selfdiscovery is exciting and can be stressful, too, if an effort fails. The idea is to establish a safe environment free of critical feedback. Failing to produce the desired effect is considered a stepping stone to the next experiment. I believe the process is more important than the product. However, I do offer a variety of artistic techniques which participants can then take home and continue to explore on their own. To start a group like At This Age, all you need is a place to meet. You may start very small but soon the word gets out. Drop leaflets at your doctor’s office, local library, grocery store, and use community bulletin boards and postings in the park. Announce the group in a local newspaper and don’t forget to give leaflets to your friends. All you need are three people and each can take a turn in facilitating a session. Use the skills and talents the members bring. Give the group time to develop and the rest will happen. n
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Nutrition
Easy, Fun Foods for Kids! Looking for ways to get nutrition into your kids, with their cooperation? By Michale Hartte BASc (Nutr), NNCP, CH Try these healthy versions of lemonade and popcorn.
Lemonade with Stevia Using lemons as part of any meal or beverage is an easy way to improve digestion and elimination, stay alkaline, and keep hydrated. It’s a fun way to stay healthy, focused, cool, and calm. In fact, lemon juice acts as a blood purifier and cleansing agent. Its naturally occurring citrate actually enhances the body’s ability to release unwanted toxins (this includes kidney stones). Great for our kids’ liver, kidneys, and digestive system—which, when carefully taken care of, is critical for their overall, growing bodies! Stevia is a natural herb that is 250 times sweeter than sugar WITHOUT the blood sugar swings that sugar creates!
This is why we use it in our house and I recommend it to my clients. Look for stevia that is green (instead of white) for the extra minerals that are already present. Ingredients • 1 litre filtered water • ½ cup ice cubes • 2-4 freshly squeezed organic lemons • 2 tsp stevia Directions Just mix and serve. You can also add in some mint leaves, cucumber slices, cut up limes or even replace filtered water with sparking mineral water for fun!
Be sure to check out our website for video versions of these two recipes. Go to www.fitnhealthynutrition.com and look under the Children’s Health section.
Popcorn Popped with Coconut Oil Directions In a wok or fry pan (with a lid), melt coconut oil on medium/ high heat. Add about ¼ tsp of salt. Place a few kernels of popcorn in pan and cover with lid. Wait for popping sound, then add remainder of popcorn. Shake with lid slightly open to allow some heat to escape (important). Be careful not to burn. Place in a bowl and add butter. Top with Red Star nutritional yeast or ground flax seeds for a nutty flavour. Add in more salt too (great for improving digestion). Coconut oil, in my opinion, is one of the healthiest oils for our kids’ bodies. For starters, coconut oil balances blood sugar levels, clears up any unwanted pathogens, creates the environment for focused learning, and keeps them at a good body weight. Ingredients • ¼ to ½ cup coconut oil • ½ cup popcorn (make sure it’s organic to avoid GMO corn) • Himalayan or Celtic salt (provides extra trace minerals) • Butter (organic, grass-fed butter is your best choice)
• Customized Diet, Supplement, and Exercise Plans • Safe and Easy Detox • Natural Remedies for Common Ailments • 14 Years of Clinical Experience • Fast Results!
Michale Hartte, BASc (Nutr), NNCP, CH
Specializing in women and children’s health, anti-aging, and fat loss.
“Pulling all the pieces together for your complete plan.” P: 250.718.1653 E: michale@fitnhealthynutrition.com www.fitnhealthynutrition.com NOW TAKING NEW CLIENTS!
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Nutrition
Delicious Homemade Fruit Leather Have a heaping amount of one fruit that’s in season? I had too many apricots! By Raina Lutz, RNH
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veryone decided to give me apricots this weekend, and I knew we couldn’t eat them all in time, so I decided that I’d dry them to preserve. But dry them whole or blend them down for fruit leather? I’d wanted to try fruit leather for quite some time, and now was the perfect opportunity. We have a great dry climate here in the Okanagan, perfect for drying fruit, as it Apricot Fruit Leather is not ideal to dry on a rainy or humid day. Apricots are rich in vitamin A, an antioxidant that may help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. They are fresh in June and July in BC and don’t keep long—one reason why preserving is a great idea! Keep in mind that, according to Traditional Chinese Medicine, large quantities of fresh apricots can stress the spleen and stomach, so moderation is key. I found lots of recipes online that told me that I needed to add sugar, lemon, and other flavours. Holistic nutritionists love all-natural foods, so I thought the sweetness of the fruit was enough for me. I simply blended it down and spread it in the dehydrator.
Making fruit leather is easy. Simply blend whole fruit until smooth, then dry in thin, even layers in a dehydrator.
Here are my directions for the most simple, basic whole-fruit leather you can create: • Measure and cut 3 cups of fruit (your choice). Fresh is best.
• Spread thin layers of the blended fruit on the wrap or liner.
• Carefully peel fruit leather off sheet and rip or cut into strips.
• Add the fruit (and water if needed) to a blender or food processor. Cover with a lid. Blend until smooth.
• Use a spatula to get a nice even surface, as we want it to dry evenly!
• Roll in parchment paper strips or store in a used yogurt container.
• Dehydrate at 135° F – 140° F. Takes 6-11 hours depending on method, thickness, and fruit.
Enjoy your crispy, tasty fruit leather! n
• If you don’t have liners on your dehydrator, you can line it with plastic wrap.
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