It is great to be seeing an emphasis on information and education for pre and post-partum women. We all understand the significance of exercise to maintain weight and to have healthier easier deliveries. There are now many opportunities to join fitness or yoga classes. However, what do we know and understand about the function of the pelvic floor muscles? Remember, these are the muscles that support our organs and assist with labour and delivery. How is this vast and dynamic muscle affected after traumatic deliveries? What is the recovery time? When can the muscle accept the loads demanded of it with regular routines? Can you prepare yourself in advance? Are Kegel exercises just a simple exercise? Or is the muscle part of a very integrated and complex muscle movement pattern? These questions are important, and a physiotherapist knowledgeable and trained in pelvic floor health can guide you.

Marita Dowsett, B.P.T., Physio 4 U, www.physio4u.net

In looking for safe, natural ways to help reduce the effects of inflammation, one particular culinary spice is gaining much attention. Curcumin has a long tradition of anti-inflammatory use and a present and future as one of the most research-backed nutraceuticals on the market. Although curcumin, naturally occurring in turmeric root, has tremendous potential for overall health due to its anti-inflammatory properties, its poor absorbability has been a challenge. It’s estimated that as much as 75% of curcumin is directly excreted after ingestion. New research suggests that a patented complex of curcumin with phosphatidylcholine improved blood levels 29 times over standard turmeric extracts and even higher levels in the liver. More absorption means better anti-inflammatory effectiveness. Whether you’re suffering from the common inflammatory disease of osteoarthritis, or want help in preventing some of today’s other major health conditions, curcumin can be helpful in putting out the inflammatory fire.

Hedley’s Heath Hut, www.healthfirstnetwork.ca/hedleyshealthhut