“EVERY DAY WE LIVE AND EVERY MEAL WE EAT WE INFLUENCE THE GREAT MICROBIAL ORGAN INSIDE US - FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE.” — GIULIA ENDERS, ‘GUT: THE INSIDE STORY OF OUR BODY’S MOST UNDERRATED ORGAN’
“Foot pain is not something you have to live with. Most foot problems can be treated successfully. Happy feet allow you to enjoy an active and healthy life.”
Did you know?
G Plantar Fasciitis P lantar Fasciitis presents with these common symptoms: pain at the bottom of the heel and foot arch when taking your first few steps in the morning. The pain then subsides but returns with increased activity throughout the day, and after a bout of sitting, the pain is often severe with the first steps again. This condition is usually caused by excessive stretch of the plantar fascia. Rest, ice and shoe changes can sometimes resolve the condition. Orthotics can resolve this problem, too, by holding up the arch to reduce the plantar fascia stretch. Dr. Kent Butler, D.P.M., graduated with honours from the California College Of Podiatric Medicine. He then completed a one year surgical residency followed by a one year
biomechanics fellowship at the Pacific Coast Hospital in San Francisco. Specializing in biomechanics helps him to accurately asses a patient’s foot and leg function during a gait examination. As a student, he worked four years making prescription orthotics for podiatrists. Here, he learned various fabrication techniques and modification skills to facilitate orthotic function. Dr. Butler is the only podiatrist who personally handcrafts every step of each custom orthotic for his patients. “My mission is to treat every patient with respect and honesty. I love my job and would be glad to help you with your foot health.” Dr. Kent Butler is located in the Royal Oak Shopping Centre, #207-4480 West Saanich Rd. Phone: 250-704-1178.
ut biome, also called microbiome, gut microbiota or gastrointestinal microbiota, is a community of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses, and other microscopic things) that reside in the human stomach and intestines. Many of these microbes live in a portion of the large intestines called the cecum. In humans, the gut biome has the largest number of bacteria and the greatest number of species compared to other areas of the body. Medical News Today says tens of trillions of microorganisms live in the gut, with at least 1,000 species of bacteria. Two-thirds of the gut biome is unique to each individual. Many medical professionals believe that the gut biome is crucial to personal health. Healthline says the microorganisms living there can be extremely important to the immune system, heart health, weight, and many other aspects of healthy living. New research suggests that the gut microbiome may affect the central nervous system and affect brain function. It also controls how the immune system works, communicating with immune cells to fire up the body to respond to infection. Gut bacteria are known to aid in the production of certain vitamins, like vitamins B and K, which play a major role in immune function. Antibiotics can impact the diversity of gut flora and affect the microbiome. According to the American Society for Microbiology, only one week of antibiotics can change the makeup of the gut microbiota for up to a year. Therefore, they should be used sparingly and only when medically necessary. — MC
“TENS OF TRILLIONS OF MICROORGANISMS LIVE IN THE GUT, WITH AT LEAST 1,000 SPECIES OF BACTERIA.”
“ONLY ONE WEEK OF ANTIBIOTICS CAN CHANGE THE MAKEUP OF THE GUT MICROBIOTA FOR UP TO A YEAR.”
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ertified Medical Exercise Specialists (MES) are experts on improving health and fitness conditions for those who have chronic or acute medical concerns. They are trained to know how to prescribe safe and effective exercise programs for people with a variety of conditions such as hip and knee replacements, rotator cuff injuries, diabetes, hypertension and more. Personal trainers in Victoria focus their careers on becoming a Certified Medical Exercise Specialist so they can assist their clients return to their pre-injury physical condition. They help them achieve a level of fitness while accommodating an injury or other obstacle that might otherwise prevent them from exercising. Here are some reasons why people are choosing a Medical Exercise Specialist for training: 1. They will go to your home. Many patients report that they find it inconvenient to go to a gym or rehabilitation centre after their surgery. Certified Medical Exercise Specialists will go to your home and develop a comprehensive program to assist you with recovery. 2. Unique medical conditions. Your MES Trainer can assist you with specific exercises that will help you deal with chronic conditions or help strengthen weak areas. They develop safe and effective conditioning programs for clients with musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. 3. Reduce injury risk. When you work with an MES, you reduce risk of injury. At Fit for Life, the MES will design a program based on an in-depth medical intake to suit your for you! needs. They work right by your side. 4. Medical Exercise Specialists are
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trained to recognize red flags. They know what to do, and especially what not to do, with regards to prescribing correct exercise protocols. If a client exhibits problems during their program, they refer back to the medical professional for assessment and diagnosis prior to continuing their exercise program. Collaboration between MESs and other health professionals is essential. 5. Great results. “Strengthening prior to surgery with Fit for Life’s Certified Medical Exercise
Specialist, and learning all I could about the procedure, gave me great peace of mind. I was able to work through the post surgery exercise procedures and strengthen my legs prior to surgery. I was well prepared, both psychologically and physically, to enter into my knee replacement surgery. Also, both physio in Seattle and Rebalance commented on how they felt I had definitely benefited from doing physio before the operation. Now I wouldn’t even consider heading into an operation without doing physio first!” Learn more about medical exercise and how you can reach your fitness goals. Call 250-382-2328 or visit Fit For
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“IT IS A COMMON EXPERIENCE THAT A PROBLEM DIFFICULT AT NIGHT IS RESOLVED IN THE MORNING AFTER THE COMMITTEE OF SLEEP HAS WORKED ON IT.” ~ JOHN STEINBECK
For a healthy heart, follow the Goldilocks Principle of Healthy Habits
Find the sleep that’s JUST RIGHT for you By Your Friendly Neighbourhood Heart Pharmacist
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any of us are aware of some of the risk factors for heart disease. We know that major ones: lack of exercise, unhealthy diet, smoking, high blood pressure and more. Now there is a new risk factor for heart disease — lack of quality sleep. That is correct. If you don’t get enough sleep or sleep too much, you could be increasing your risk of heart disease. Let’s take a look at some of the evidence about getting the right about of sleep.
How much sleep do you need every night? The sleep experts are not really sure, but they have a general range. For adults, the range is between seven to nine hours a night. Teenagers are recommended to get about eight to ten hours of sleep each night. Our body does so many things while we are asleep. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol drop while you are asleep. Your immune system releases anti-inflammatory hormones during slumber. This is why health care professionals recommend lots of
rest during periods of recovery. It is also thought that your brain sorts out the events of the day and forms long-term memories. Getting enough sleep is great habit for improving your health. Sadly, sleep is often overlooked because we think of sleep as a lack of productivity. But really, do we need to stay up late looking at our phones and watching the late news? It is thought that around 30 per cent of people get less than six hours of sleep a day. This is a risk factor for heart disease. In a recent study, it was found that people who slept less than six hours each night had a 27 per cent increased risk of developing atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the narrowing of the arteries due to fatty
deposit build-up, and is a major risk factor for heart disease. In case you were wondering, other studies have shown sleep deprivation to be a risk factor for stroke, cancer and overall mortality. Again, get enough sleep.
misleading, as people who slept more also had an underlying medical conditions that caused them to sleep more. People who suffer from depression or sleep apnea tend to sleep more. Both depression and sleep apnea are risk factors for the development of heart disease, but they are further down the list. This is the “Goldilocks” principle of healthy habits. Too little is not good; too much is also not good. You need to find what is “just right” for you. It looks like about seven to nine
Too much sleep On the flip side, getting too much sleep can also be a risk factor for heart disease. Studies have shown that people who slept between nine to ten hours are at a 17 per cent increased risk of heart disease. Those that slept more than 10 hours a night had a 41 per cent increased risk of heart disease. These results are a little
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hours is a good target for most adults. And no, you cannot catch up on sleep later. This is a lifestyle choice. What if this tomorrow for better sleep gets deferred to the next day or the next day? Now you know another way to help improve your heart health — get better sleep. Getting enough sleep is good for your heart and overall health in so many ways. Perhaps my next column should be about tips for getting better sleep. Let me sleep on it and get back to you. heartpharmacy.com
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A Valentines Dinner Dance A Va 0021657179 nce lentiAFRICA r Da ONELOVE nes DinneFOUNDASaturday February 16 TION Leonardo DaVinci Centre - 195 Bay Street DOORSAfrica OPEN 6:30 Valen OneLove Champagne Cocktail • 3-Course Dinner • African Drumming xRaffle 76 • Silent & Live Auctions Bear Door Prizes • Valentines5 Recording artist, Kemal Evans • Gettin’ Higher Choirr CMYK, Dancing & Live,Music AND ALL FOR A GREAT CAUSE!
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on’t know what to buy for your special Valentine? Don’t have time for shopping, but want to make it more than a Hallmark moment? Purchase tickets to the “OneLove Gala”— to be held on Saturday, Feb. 16 at the Leonardo DaVinci Centre. You will enjoy a spectacular evening out and bring hope and support to remote village women and their children in East Africa. The Gala promises to be a ton of fun, with champagne cocktails, a three-course dinner, African drumming, an uplifting musical celebration with singers from the Gettin’ Higher Choir, performances from singer/ songwriter/recording artist Kemal Evans, and then rock-it-out dancing into the wee hours with live music! With your ticket purchase, you will receive an adorable plush Valentine’s bear and elegant gift card in an organza-bowed envelope — to give to your loved one on the 14th. The card will share the true story of your gift, and showcase the village woman you will be
sponsoring in the OneLove Africa entrepreneurial training program. OneLove Africa is a Victoria-based, registered Canadian charity that brings hope and support to remote village women in East Africa — through entrepreneurial training, micro lending and ongoing mentoring. Since inception in 2010, OneLove Africa has been responsible for the start-up of close to 2,500 businesses and empowered 120 trainers. In the fall of 2018, they moved into a new region in Tanzania and we were able to provide entrepreneurial training to three new groups of village women (100 mamas), providing them with the supplies and seed funding to start their own peer lending circles. There are another seven groups who have been approved through their tribal chiefs and they are desperately waiting their turn. With your support, this fundraising event will make it a reality! Fun for you — a future for them! Eventbrite: 778-677-7959. onelovegala.com.
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