Healthy Living by Times Colonist

HEALTHY

MARCh 2020

A guilt-free pizza with a fiery kick

LIVING

Try lawn bowling and live longer

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Are you getting enough Vitamin D?

10 x 28 Aging in Place Care + Co 0011802405

2 | HEALTHY LIVING | Times Colonist

Hockey Project promotes Healthy Weights for Men

aintaining a healthy lifestyle, including regular physical activity and healthy eating, plays an important role in your well-being and quality of life, and helps prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Excess weight is a top risk factor for developing chronic diseases and significantly compromises health. In Canada, men (particularly those who are middle-aged) are almost 35 per cent more likely than women to be overweight or obese. The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) invested up to $2.5 million over three and a half years to help expand Western University’s Hockey Fans in Training (Hockey FIT) program across the country. The program aims to motivate Canadian adult males to eat healthier foods and become more physically active, incorporating participants’ passion for hockey into the initiative. Hockey FIT is a three-month, off-ice, healthy lifestyle program for men who are overweight or obese, between 35 and 65 years of age, and fans of their local hockey team. The program is offered free-of-charge as part of a federally-funded research study. Hockey FIT recently moved to Western Canada after successfully launching in 16 communities across Ontario. In your community, Hockey FIT has partnered with

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the Victoria Royals and the YMCA/YWCA of Victoria to implement and deliver the program. The program curriculum includes an education component focusing on healthy eating and the importance of physical activity, as well as an exercise component involving aerobic, strength and flexibility exercise. Connecting to participants’ passion for hockey, the program incorporates activities like stick handling drills to promote being active, and includes the opportunity to go behind the scenes at the team’s home rink. “This program is encouraging men across Canada to take their love of hockey and turn it into an opportunity to improve their health by moving more and eating healthier foods.” — The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Health “Canadian men live an average of four years less than Canadian women, with an even greater gap for Indigenous men and men living in rural settings or with lower incomes. Finding innovative ways to encourage men to get more active, improve their diets and achieve and maintain healthy weights is important to help change this trend. ” — Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s Chief Public Health Officer Quotes and Quick Facts from Newswire Media Release, April 2019. SOURCE: Public Health Agency of Canada newswire.ca/news-releases/governmentof-canada-supports-hockey-projectaimed-at-promoting-healthy-weights-formen-825913645.html

In Victoria, Hockey FIT has partnered with the Victoria Royals and the YMCA/YWCA of Victoria to implement and deliver the program.

Quick Facts • Excess weight is one of the top risk factors for developing chronic disease. In 2014, almost 62 per cent of Canadian men were overweight or obese (versus 46 per cent of Canadian women). • Hockey FIT is supported through the Healthy Living and Chronic Disease Prevention, Multi-sectoral Partnerships (MSP) program, which supports projects across the country for a variety of populations including children and youth, women, Indigenous People and new Canadians. Past and current partnerships of the MSP program include ParticipACTION, Smart Moms, Farm to School and Walk or Run to Quit — all with the goal of lowering the

risks of developing chronic diseases by improving access to the information, resources and services all Canadians need to make healthier choices. • Hockey FIT will be eligible for incentive payments beyond the initial investment based on measurable improvements in the health of participants, including cardiorespiratory fitness, healthy weights and blood pressure. This innovative approach is a first for the Government of Canada in the area of public health. • The Canadian Institute of Health Research is providing funding to Western University for the Hockey FIT program through a separate grant agreement.

Times Colonist

Healthy Living March 10, 2020

Published by the Victoria Times Colonist 2621 Douglas St., Victoria, B.C., Canada V8T 4M2 Phone: 250-382-2255

timescolonist.com Contact: Margaret Long, Advertising Phone: 250-380-5246 mlong@timescolonist.com Editor: Jenus Friesen jfriesen@timescolonist.com

HEALTHY LIVING | March 10, 2020 | 3

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Adventures explore British Columbia’s spectacular coastal wilderness

othership Adventures has been exploring British Columbia’s spectacular coastal wilderness aboard the Columbia III since 1995, offering sea kayaking, natural history, cultural and special interest tours. Built in 1956 for the Columbia Coast Mission in Vancouver, Columbia III operated tirelessly for many years as a hospital ship serving the isolated communities on B.C.’s remote and rugged shores. Now luxuriously refurbished and updated with all the modern amenities and state-of theart navigational and safety systems, she carries small groups of guests to visit the magnificent coast — one of the richest and most diverse marine habitats on the planet. From the Great Bear Rain Forest in the north to Desolation Sound in the south, the Columbia III travels the Coast’s myriad of inlets, channels, ports and coves.

Mothership Adventures’ captains and crew are B.C. Ministry of Transportcertified, committed to passenger safety and possess a wealth of local knowledge gained from years of maritime experience. Mothership’s professional sea kayak guides have guided commercially for many years and are always attentive to guests’ well-being on the water. Beginner and experienced kayakers are welcome. Gourmet meals including seafood, fresh produce and home baked desserts are prepared in our well-equipped galley. On the Desolation Sound cruise, well known author and historian Jeanette Taylor, will lead this coastal history tour. Her vast and wonderful store of knowledge brings to life this coast’s fascinating history. Shore excursions by zodiac are included in each day’s itinerary. mothershipadventures.com

Mothership Adventures Columbia III History Cruise:

Desolation Sound & Bute Inlet – May 25 to 29 –

Campbell River to Port McNeil via Loughborough Inlet

Kayak

Broughton Archipelago & Great Bear Rain Forest

– Call for availability –

– June 4 to 9 –

Some Spots Still Available!

4 | HEALTHY LIVING | Times Colonist

on’t settle for everyday marinara when saucing your next pizza. Here, we’ve topped a gluten-free cauliflower crust with a fiery curry sauce and tandoori-spiced chicken for an Indian-inspired pie. “Cut into bite-size portions to serve as a finger food,” suggests Michelle Pennock, executive chef for the PC test kitchen. “And garnish with fresh cilantro leaves for a restaurant-worthy finish.”

Chicken Tikka Masala Pizza Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Serves: 6

Ingredients: 1 pkg (300 g) PC cauliflower pizza crust (or make your own from scratch) 2 boneless skinless chicken thighs 1 tsp (5 mL) tandoori spice blend 2 tsp (10 mL) olive oil 1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed baby spinach ½ cup (83 mL) tikka masala cooking sauce ¼ cup (60 mL) thinly sliced red onion 1 cup (250 mL) shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions : 1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230C). Place crust, bottom (flat) side up, on wire rack set over baking sheet. Bake, flipping crust halfway through, until edges are golden, 20 to 24 minutes. 2. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with tandoori spice. Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook chicken, turning once, until golden and no longer pink inside; about 8 minutes. Transfer to cutting board; let cool enough to handle. Thinly slice into bite-size pieces. 3. Wipe skillet clean; heat over medium heat. Cook spinach, stirring, until wilted and liquid has evaporated; about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. 4. Spread sauce onto crust, leaving ¼ inch (1 cm) edge uncovered. Arrange chicken, spinach, onion and cheese over top in even layers. Bake until bubbling and browned; 7 to 8 minutes. Let stand 2 minutes. Chef’s tip: Baking the crust on a rack allows for maximum air circulation while also supporting the weight of the toppings and avoiding any messy spills in the oven. Nutritional information per serving: calories 210, fat 10 g (4.5 g of which is saturated), sodium 390 mg, carbohydrates 16 g, fibre 0 g, sugars 2 g, protein 11 g.

newscanada.com

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A guilt-free pizza with a fiery kick

HEALTHY LIVING | March 10, 2020 | 5

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Want to live longer?

Try lawn bowling! A

ccording to ParticipACTION, “the best way to remain healthy, strong and independent is to get active”. The research is clear that physically active adults have better health and live longer. Yet based on a recent study, the number of adults in Canada meeting national physical activity guidelines continues to drop. How can you get active and remain healthy, strong, and independent? Try lawn bowls. Lawn bowling, more commonly referred to as “bowls”, is a low-impact sport that can help keep adults active well into their golden years. The sport is easy to learn, and the only equipment new participants need is flat-soled shoes. With adaptive equipment available, anybody can play bowls, regardless of their ability. From competitive leagues to relaxed, social games, bowls offers something for everyone. Not only does bowls improve your physical health, but it improves your cognitive and mental health as well. Participants who try bowls make new friends, become part of a community and increase brain activity by developing strategy and tactics. So, do you want to live longer and increase your physical, cognitive and mental health? Come out to one of the Victoria open houses and try bowls — it’s brilliant! victorialbc.com/links

BOWLS BC

Bowls South Island - Lawn Bowling

OPEN HOUSE SCHEDULES Burnside Lawn Bowling Club 274 Hampton Rd. 250-727-0954 email: barb.mackenzie@shaw.ca OPEN HOUSE: April 25 1-4 pm Canadian Pacific Lawn Bowling Club 720 Belleview St. 250-385-3577 email: executive@cplawnbowling.org OPEN HOUSE: Bowling & Croquet April 25 11-3 pm

Gordon Head Lawn Bowling Club 4105 Lambrick Way (Lambrick Park) 778-401-9828 email: info@ghlbc.ca OPEN HOUSE: April 19 1-4 pm

Sidney Lawn Bowling Club 9580 Fifth St. 250-516-2229 email: SLBCWeeklyBulletin@gmail.com OPEN HOUSE: Garage Sale & Bowling Demos May 2 9-1 pm

Juan De Fuca Lawn Bowling Club 1767 Island Highway (beside Bear Mt Arena) 250-478-8384 ext 2264 OPEN HOUSE: April 18-19 & April 25-26 1-3 pm

Victoria Lawn Bowling Club Beacon Hill Park Cook St. 250-383-5851 email: vlbclub@gmail.com OPEN HOUSE: Bowling & Croquet April 18 & 19 1-3 pm OPEN HOUSE: Bowls Day 2020 Event June 6

Oak Bay Lawn Bowling Club 2190 Harlow Dr. 250-592-1823 email: bowlsoakbay@gmail.com OPEN HOUSE: April 19 1-4 pm

Victoria West Lawn Bowling Club 95 Bay St. 250-382-0751 email: members@vicwestbowls.ca OPEN HOUSE: April 5 10-3 pm

Central Saanich Lawn Bowling Club Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club 1800 Harvey Rd. 250-652-4774 email: csaanichlawnbowls@hotmail.com 3930 LaSalle St. 250-590-8125 OPEN HOUSE: April 25 1-3:30 pm OPEN HOUSE: May 3 12:30-3 pm Cowichan Lawn Bowling Club 1st St. at Centennial Park, Duncan 250-748-6542 email: cowichanclub3y1@gmail.com OPEN HOUSE: April 28 10-1 pm

Join us at any of the Open Houses above to discover the joy of Bowls on Lower Vancouver Island!

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Are you getting enough D? Adequate intake of vitamin D is associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes.

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s there anything Vitamin D cannot help? Apparently not. This hormone, yes vitamin D is a hormone, seems to be in the news quite often. We know it can help maintain strong bones and teeth. Adequate intake of vitamin D is also associated with reduced risks of cardiovascular disease, depression and diabetes. So what is this about vitamin D helping to treat the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)? A recent review of clinical studies showed that children who received vitamin D demonstrated improvements with inattention, hyperactivity and behaviour associated with ADHD. The doses ranged from 1000IU per day to 50,000IU weekly. Improvements were noticed after 6 to12 weeks of treatment. No significant side effects were noted at any dose. The higher 50,000IU per week dose should only be done after medication advice. All children in these studies were also taking the prescription medication methylphenidate. The reason why vitamin D helps ADHD and brain function is not exactly known. Regular readers of my articles will remember that vitamin D was associated with improvement in symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamin D does work in the brain and is needed for neurotransmitter production and brain cell growth. Not too shabby for a vitamin usually thought of for help to build stronger bones. In fact, vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with an increased

risk of offspring developing ADHD. A study in Finland found that mothers with lower blood levels of vitamin D had children with a higher risk of developing ADHD. This was compared to children of mothers with normal levels of this important vitamin. While this is not evidence that low vitamin D causes ADHD in children, it is a reminder that nutrition is important in all stages of life. Association is not causation. It is a good reason to make sure that one takes extra vitamin D and gets regular exercise in the sun. The two big questions I get asked about vitamin D are how much is enough and should it be D or D3? Vitamin D3 stays in the body longer and is slightly better utilized. Most vitamin brands list Vitamin D3 on their labels, so this form is easier to find. Perhaps the hardest question to answer is, “How much?” This reason for this is that medical science is not exactly sure and the recommended amount to take has been changing over the years. At this moment, Health Canada recommends that infants receive 400 IU and adults over 70 take 800 IU daily. The recommended amount is 600IU during pregnancy. I think this is a bit low. I feel that most people over the age of nine should take 2000 IU daily. Don’t worry, this is still well below that safety limit that Health Canada pegged at 4000 IU daily. heartpharmacy.com References https://tinyurl.com/utzpype https://tinyurl.com/wpsclox https://tinyurl.com/wrt88gm ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5822841 https://tinyurl.com/vevw5dg

HEALTHY LIVING | March 10, 2020 | 7

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Essential activities of daily living

How you can help yourself or a senior you love stay independent for as long as possible. By Johanna Booy Care & Company Ltd.

id you know that there are many extra benefits when a senior gets involved in exercise? As a person ages, the ability to perform ‘instrumental activities of daily living’ (ADLs) diminishes. These activities are important for independent living. They include using the telephone, preparing meals, shopping and handling finances. There are six basic ADLs which are often used to assess whether the senior is able to live at home independently – or ‘age in place’. These are: • Transferring: moving a person in or out of a chair, bed or wheelchair • Ambulation: walking or moving from point A to B in a safe and balanced manner • Toileting and continence: getting to and from the toilet, getting on and off the toilet, controlling bowel or bladder function, and performing associated personal hygiene • Dressing: being able to put on and remove articles of clothing, and any needed braces, orthotics, fasteners or artificial limbs • Eating: the process of putting food into the body from a receptacle such as a cup or plate, by means of a feeding tube, and intravenously • Bathing: the ability to consistently perform personal care such as washing, showering, bathing, dental care, hair care, hand and foot care, and nail care If a senior cannot perform these activities, they’ll usually require some home support. Transferring When the senior experiences difficulty with these activities, it is highly likely they are lacking the functional strength of their arms and legs to push off from a seated

or reclined position. A balanced exercise program that incorporates strength exercises for biceps, triceps, and quadriceps will assist in keeping your senior moving. Ambulating You’ve probably seen seniors with balance issues. Balance is often severely compromised for a person with back, knee or hip pain. In addition, seniors with dementia find their movement further compromised due to both slowness and uneven gait patterns. Toileting and Continence If your senior is no longer able to perform this function, their dignity is severely compromised. Care workers are usually engaged at this point to assist with home support and a care aid can assist your senior in purchasing the necessary personal hygiene products. Dressing Often seniors with arthritic hands or debilitating back pain will have trouble putting on articles of clothing or using zippers and buttons. A program incorporating flexibility exercises and stretching will be useful. Eating Seniors need fewer calories as they age. As a result, they need to eat more wisely to make sure they have sufficient nutrients. Unfortunately, most studies show that most seniors are not getting the nutrients they need. A care worker can help with planning menus, cooking food that’s more nutritious, and purchasing frozen meals that have maximum nutritional value. Bathing A lot of seniors, especially those with dementia, do not want to bathe as often as they should. Often, it can be because they’re scared of falling. Or they think they’ve bathed recently when it was actually two weeks ago. Additionally, they may forget how to wash themselves. Or they

may shampoo their hair but not rinse the shampoo out, causing scalp problems. Unfortunately, not bathing enough can result in infections and potentially hospital stays. Home care workers can set up a schedule and make sure the senior is clean. We often take these basic activities for granted, however, they’re very important to ensure a senior stays independent as long as possible. The goal is to arrange care to help seniors ‘age in place’ for as long as possible and enjoy their independence and freedom. SeniorCareVictoria.ca

Mobile Computer Technician Service

Phone: 250-652-7989 seniorscs@gmail.com

Computer and tech help, right to your door Flexible scheduling allows us to come at your convenience Tutoring or instruction at your location or ours

8 | HEALTHY LIVING | Times Colonist

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