Arthritis includes over 100 diseases that cause inflammation in joints or other areas of the body. These diseases are grouped into two different categories: osteoarthritis (most common, causes a breakdown in cartilage) and inflammatory arthritis (autoimmune disorder). Arthritis can involve almost any part of the body, though it most often affects hips, knees, the spine, and fingers. It’s a chronic condition, affecting people on a constant or recurring basis over months, years, or even a lifetime. Symptoms can range from mild to severe, and can lead to disability over time. Talk to your pharmacist about how they can help!
Community News
Book Club
Living Well with Arthritis: A Sourcebook for Understanding and Managing Your Arthritis Living Well with Arthritis is written by Canadian doctors for Canadians. Its authors, all respected experts in the field, focus not only on medications and complementary treatments, but also on management of the many aspects of life that arthritis can affect. Topics such as dealing with chronic pain and fatigue, developing emotional and social coping strategies, and managing relationships are all explored, taking readers through the steps of how the body is affected, and ways to manage the disease.
Palliative Care Conference
Join Palliative Manitoba at its 30th Annual Provincial Palliative Care Conference, at Canad Inns Destination Center Polo Park. Experience our unique blend of keynotes, educational sessions, and workshops grounded in palliative care. Learn new approaches, successful models and innovations advancing your professional skill set, helping strengthen your organization. Keynotes include, Award-Winning Medical Educator, Writer, Musician and Podcaster, Dr. Jillian Horton. Erin Davis, Author of the book Mourning Has Broken: Love, Loss and Reclaiming Joy. The Waiting Room Revolution Podcasters, Dr. Hsien Seow, and Dr. Samantha Winemaker. Canadian Virtual Hospice will host a multicultural panel sharing stories and wisdom about grief.
Increasing Bathroom Safety
Bathrooms can be tricky areas to navigate when it comes to safety. Some handy products that can help with bathroom safety include: 1) Shower/bath chair – sitting while showering can help those with balance or strength issues. 2) Shower transfer bench – helps you sit and slide out of the bathtub. 3) Grab bar – helps you support yourself around the room. 4) Bathtub lift – to get in and out of the bathtub safely. 5) Walk-in tub or shower – easy to get in and out of. 6) Handheld showerhead – allows you to move the showerhead instead of yourself while showering.
How’s Your Sleep Posture?
You spend nearly 1/3 of our lifetime sleeping, making your sleep posture extremely important to your daily wellbeing. Ideally, your head should remain in a neutral position. When side sleeping, if the pillow is too thick or thin, the neck becomes side flexed with one side being compressed while the other side is stretched; this can lead to compressed nerves. “Head forward posture” which is a jutting forward of the chin, is becoming more prominent with increased cell phone usage. Add to that a back sleeper with more than one pillow, the neck muscles are in a constant state of contraction trying to return to their normal length. Being pro-active could save you from a real “pain in the neck” later.
A Powerful Wellness Combo
A holistic approach to whole-body health is made up of interdependent parts – body, mind, and soul. If one of these parts is not working properly, all the other parts are affected. If you have imbalances (physical, emotional, or spiritual) in your life, it can negatively affect your overall health. Holistic healing involves multiple complementary medicines and alternative healthcare practices that can overlap with modern-day Western medicine. During a unique Nutri-Aroma consultation, which combines nutrition, aromatherapy, and Reiki, you learn how to achieve the best results for healthier living in the shortest amount of time.
What’s Your Path to Wellness?
Most of us face health challenges at some point in our lives. As we experience these challenges, we strive to return to wellness but often get overwhelmed with health options or frustrated with advice and approaches that simply don’t work. An Integrative Health Coach helps to sift through wellness options to guide you to the most meaningful health strategies that make sense to you. As your Integrative Health Coach, I draw on a wide knowledge base of diverse healing practices to find the most helpful options that align with your goals and life experiences. What’s your path to wellness?
The Do’s and Don’ts of Dentures
To get the most out of your dentures, it’s important to take proper care of them. Here are some do’s and don’ts when it comes to denture care. DO: 1) Handle your dentures carefully. 2) Remove and rinse after eating. 3) Remove before bed and soak overnight. 4) Rinse before putting them back in your mouth. 5) Brush dentures daily. 6) See your denturist regularly. DON’T: 1) Use whitening toothpaste, abrasive cleaners, bleach products, sharp objects, or hot water to clean your dentures. 2) Use tugging motions when eating. 3) Neglect your dentures. 4) Wear ill-fitting dentures.
Balance Your Hormones Naturally
What does hormonal imbalance look like? Hot flashes, night sweats, bloating, irritability, brain fog, irregular cycle, and fatigue are just some of the symptoms. If you suffer from any of these symptoms and haven’t been able to find relief, why not try balancing your hormones naturally. Biofeedback testing and treatment help to detect imbalances and stimulate hormone-producing organs to balance the body. Another effective option is to get your body tested to see if it is lacking specific hormone-related nutrients. If you are, natural nutritional formulations can be taken to correct the hormonal imbalance and relieve your symptoms.
Acupuncture for Post-Partum Depression
Post-partum depression involves depressive symptoms or episodes after giving birth, affecting up to 30% of new mothers. The rates of suicide linked to post-partum depression continue to increase, so it’s important to address any symptoms of the condition as soon as they become apparent. Along with psychological intervention, acupuncture may help with the symptoms of post-partum depression, and some studies have shown that this combination can be as useful as certain anti-depressants. It’s thought that acupuncture helps to stimulate the nervous and immune systems and balance various neurotransmitters, reducing the brain’s reaction to stress and therefore the depressive state.
Enriching the Life of Your Pet
Keeping your pet in good physical shape is an important part of their wellness, but it’s crucial to provide mental stimulation and enrichment for them as well. Depending on the breed and personality of your dog, a walk doesn’t always provide enough stimulation. Drop-in visits from a pet sitter give your dog the opportunity for an extra play session during the day. For high energy dogs, or those needing more socialization, daycare is a great option. Even if it’s not every day, it gives your dog something to look forward to during the week. There are also many cognitive enrichment toys and puzzles you can purchase for your dogs, cats and birds to keep their minds sharp.
