The never-ending tasks that are involved in caring for a loved one can play havoc on the caregiver’s personal life, as well as their health. Many caregivers will die before the person with dementia that they are caring for does. It is vital that caregivers take care of their own health by attending their own doctor appointments, eating well, exercising, and spending quality time doing things that bring them joy. Caregivers should also reach out to other family members and professionals with experience caring for a person living with dementia for support, guidance, and help caring for their loved one.
Community News
Pilates—How it Works
These exercises are usually done in a specific order at various levels of difficulty. The moves may look simple but take a lot of precision and control. You can do Pilates on a mat in class, at home, or individually with an instructor. Areas that Pilates targets are core areas and legs with focus on stabilizing and strengthening your abdominals and back. It generates flexibility and strength using your own body weight but it is not a cardio workout.
N.E.A.T. Ways of Being Healthy
While you may be enjoying the summer weather by exercising outside (running, cycling, or playing sports), it is also important to consider a concept called N.E.A.T. (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis). N.E.A.T. focuses on any physical activity that does not necessarily have to be planned exercise. This may include gardening or mowing the lawn, going out for an evening stroll, or playing outdoors with your kids or grandchildren. Ultimately, the main goal is to be active and to continue moving, which will burn extra calories, and in turn, contribute to a healthier lifestyle.
Avoiding Heat Injury and Dehydration
Heat injury can happen with strenuous exercise and excessive sweating, ranging from heat cramps to heat stroke. Dehydration occurs when an individual does not take in enough water, resulting in signs such as dry mouth, dizziness, weakness, headaches, and less/darker urine. A great hydration guideline for exercise: 500ml of water 30 minutes to 2 hours before exercise, 250ml every 15 minutes during exercise, and 500ml after exercise for every pound lost in body weight. Remember to add an electrolyte/carbohydrate concentration of 6-8% during exercise and 10-12% after exercise. Adding 1/2 – 1 tsp of salt to your water is one way to replace electrolytes.
Wilderness Edge for Your Wellness Needs
Imagine taking a break from it all and focusing on how you feel, both physically and mentally. Letting go of the stresses, chaos, and noise of day-to-day life. Getting away and focusing on your personal wellness is important, and Wilderness Edge Retreat and Conference Centre offers an easy and affordable way to do just that.
Connecting with Nature
Located just one hour from Winnipeg in beautiful Pinawa, Manitoba inside Whiteshell Provincial Park, Wilderness Edge hosts a variety of retreats for people of all ages and specializes in hosting groups. Being located in a provincial park means that the centre is surrounded by nature. The sights, sounds, and smells of the great outdoors are waiting for you just outside Wilderness Edge’s doors.
Surrounding the centre are wetlands, forests, nature trails, and a local sandy beach. Experiencing the calming effects of immersing yourself in nature can help you feel more grounded and at peace. Observing local wildlife such as deer and a variety of species of birds can make you feel more connected to the natural world around you, also helping to calm your mind.
Moving Your Body
These natural spaces are also a great place to participate in physical activity, which is critical to improving your overall wellbeing. Hiking, biking, kayaking, rafting, tubing, and canoeing, are just some of the great activities that await you at Wilderness Edge. For winter guests, we offer ice fishing, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. You can choose to take advantage of expert-guided activities, or do some exploring on your own.
Other activities available include golfing at a nearby golf course, horse riding at a nearby ranch, beach volleyball, tetherball, horseshoes, pool, ping-pong, and tennis at the nearby courts.
Finding Inner Peace
Those who are seeking a more relaxed wellness retreat will be happy to know that Wilderness Edge can accommodate those experiences as well. The centre offers a 13-person outdoor hot tub that overlooks Winnipeg River, a newly renovated 10-person sauna, and three firepits in the courtyard that also overlook Winnipeg River.
Solitude and serenity can be found at Wilderness Edge, and for those who are focusing on their spiritual and/or mental wellness, the centre offers a place to recharge, disconnect from the outside world, and channel your energy inward. If you would prefer not to leave your room during your stay, arrangements can be made to have your meals delivered to you, ensuring you have minimal outside distractions.
Reuniting with Loved Ones
Socializing and connecting to those closest to you also contributes to your overall wellness. The daily stresses and fast pace of life can sometimes get in the way of truly communicating with and enjoying the presence of your close friends and family members. Sharing stories, laughing, crying, and supporting one another are things we don’t always have the time, or the energy, to do.
Wilderness Edge offers a perfect opportunity to focus on your relationships, whether with a spouse or significant other, your immediate family, your extended family, or a group of close friends. Unplugging from the demands of daily life and learning more about one another is an important step in building stronger relationships.
You can participate in team-building activities like kayaking or team sports, which allow you to learn how to work together and solve problems, while also having fun. Or you can take a walk in the woods and find a renewed sense of adventure that will give you shared memories for years to come. Sometimes, just relaxing together, whether around a firepit or in a hot tub enjoying the view, can be a meaningful experience, allowing a peaceful opportunity for deeper conversations.
Exploring Your Creativity
Getting in touch with your creative side can be a great stress reducer and mood booster. Wilderness Edge offers a variety of creative activities, including painting on canvas, rock painting, cake decorating, flower arranging, clay sculpting, and making wind chimes. These classes offer guided instruction, as well as all of the materials needed to create your masterpiece.
If you prefer a less structured approach to finding your inner creativity, why not bring some art supplies with you and spend time during your retreat creating whatever you’d like? With plenty of inspiration in the form of plants, animals, trees, and water, drawing, painting, and photography should be a breeze. Or get a group together to work on a fun craft project.
Eating for Health
Another important aspect of wellness is eating right, and Wilderness Edge offers tasty, nutritious meals for all of our guests. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a night snack are all offered during your stay. A variety of foods are provided, all made fresh and served buffet-style so you can try a bit of everything. Our chefs are able to accommodate food allergies and dietary restrictions, provided these are mentioned ahead of time.
One reason many of us tend to overeat or not eat properly is because we’re so pressed for time or stressed that we turn to food as a source of comfort or see it as something that “has” to be taken care of. By getting away from our usual stressors, we have the opportunity to truly enjoy food and consider what we’re putting into our bodies. Wilderness Edge provides the time and space for you to remember how good healthy eating can actually make you feel.
Those who are looking to fast for spiritual or personal reasons can find a peaceful, supportive environment at Wilderness Edge. The serene environment is perfect for focusing on your fasting journey and taking the time that you need to rest.
If you’ve been looking for a chance to leave the daily grind behind and take some time to focus on your mind, body, and soul, consider booking a retreat at our centre. Gather a group of your closest friends who could also use a break, and come experience what Wilderness Edge has to offer. Visit https://www.wildernessedge.com/ and https://www.wildernessedge.com/retreats/, or contact us at 877-753-2535 or info@wildernessedge.com for more information.
Wilderness Edge for Wellness
Getting away from your daily stresses and focusing on your personal wellness is important, and Wilderness Edge Retreat and Conference Centre offers an easy and affordable way to do just that. Located just one hour from Winnipeg in beautiful Pinawa, Manitoba inside Whiteshell Provincial Park, Wilderness Edge hosts a variety of retreats for people of all ages and specializes in hosting groups. Experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the great outdoors as you reconnect with nature, get active with our many recreational offerings, and explore your inner world through quiet time and creative pursuits.
Tea Tree or Melaleuca?
It’s both! Tea tree, also known by its Latin name melaleuca, was once used to make medicinal tea. Now, it’s frequently used for its essential oil, of which there are three common types. Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree essential oil) has antibacterial and medicinal properties and is used for a variety of conditions such as lice, body odour, cold sores, and foot fungus. Melaleuca quinquenervia (niaouli essential oil) has similar disinfecting properties to tea tree essential oil, but is gentler on the skin. Melaleuca cajuputi (cajuput essential oil) actually has similar properties to eucalyptus and lemon oils.
Travel Tip: Cindy Knows Travel
Traveling, for most, is an exciting and enlightening activity filled with rich experiences and a plethora of surprises. But it can also present challenges, especially in the context of maintaining one’s wellness routine. I recently had the opportunity to travel to Marrakesh, Morocco—a totally outside-the-box trip that I was equal parts excited and nervous about. Morocco, as a whole, has never been at the top of my bucket list. Keeping up with my healthy habits is relatively easy when I’m in, say, Costa Rica or the Virgin Islands, but Morocco presented new challenges. Here are five things you should know when travelling to a country like Morocco: 1. Pack healthy snacks. 2. Download a few meditations. 3. Indulge in a spa treatment. 4. Hydrate all the time. 5. Be flexible and kind to yourself.
Disability Tax Credit for Type 1 Diabetes
The Disability Tax Credit is a program designed to help those with disabilities or their caregivers reduce the amount of income tax they pay, offsetting some of the significant medical and treatment expenses. What diabetes-related activities are covered? According to CRA, the following activities qualify in the 14-hour-per-week calculation:
• Checking blood glucose levels
• Preparing and administering the insulin
• Calibrating necessary equipment
• Testing ketones
• Keeping a log book of blood glucose levels
With children, the 14-hour-per-week eligibility criteria can usually be met by combining the parent and child’s time.
T1D is an expensive disease and the disability tax credit can provide some financial relief for those who qualify.
More to Life
Do you remember the last moment in your life when you were totally relaxed and nurtured and cared for? Life may seem overwhelming, but what if your choices have created this current reality? How do you even begin to make a change? Let’s start by resetting our brain. The Access Bars are 32 points on your head, when gently touched, release the electromagnetic charge of your thoughts, feelings, emotions and points of views that keep you stuck in this reality. This modality has assisted thousands of people to change many aspects of their lives. People report better health, ease of sleep, weight loss, better sex and relationships, relief from anxiety, less stress and so much more!
Stay Healthy with Real Food
Many of us eat on the go, but most of the time we don’t think about what we eat! What are we putting in our bodies? Is it real food? Or food full of preservatives that our bodies can’t digest? Start eating real food, before any resulting body pain, fatigue, and illness occur. Eating healthy, real food can also save you money in the long run, helping to keep diseases and conditions at bay. Rather than rely on advertising for convenience foods, do your own research and try to buy fresh, local food whenever possible.
