Did you know that onions can be used to cleanse airways and reduce congestion? Try a poultice of roasted onion to the chest every few hours. They can also be drunk as a warm broth. Cabbage also works well, as it has an extraordinary ability to draw out toxin. Crush the leaves with a rolling pin until the juice starts to appear. Place 3 or 4 leaves over the chest and cover with gauze. You can also drink the juice of a cabbage sweetened with a little bit of honey. Adapted from the book “The New Guide to Remedies” by Paragon Staff
Community News
6 Ways to Alkalize Your Body
Did you know that your immunity is based on how alkaline your diet is? Having an overly acidic diet eventually leads to a weakened state, and our bodies become susceptible to disease. Here are six ways to alkalize – and healthify – your body! 1. Drink plenty of water. Drink half your body weight in ounces every day to keep your body systems regulated. For an extra boost in alkalinity – add lemon! 2. Trade coffee for tea. Green tea is highly alkaline. Try jasmine, Sencha or Matcha. 3. Kick that sugar habit. Use stevia, coconut sugar or small amounts of honey in place of sugar. 4. Eat more greens. Vegetables are highly alkaline and oxygen rich. Consume fresh green vegetables often as possible. 5. Move. Exercise to create more oxygen and qi flow in the body and to avoid stagnation. 6. Reduce stress. Meditate as often as possible, practice deep breathing, do yoga, and get plenty of sleep
Head off the Pain
Headaches and migraines can be caused by a number of factors, including hormones, lack of water, illness, etc. In many cases tension build-up within the neck and shoulder muscles can cause and trigger headaches. By kneading and working those muscles, we can, over time, diminish, help manage, and relieve the tension causing those headaches to occur. Your massage therapist can also show you some stretches targeting those specific muscles to help lengthen them out to decrease pulling and strain at the base of skull and more. As well as a little mint oil and lavender oil can go a long way. Just blend a couple drops of the oils with coconut oil or another oil base and rub on your temples, forehead, neck, and shoulders for some relief.
Chelsea Nault, RMT, Soulful Instinct Massage Therapy
5 Ways to Detoxify Your Body
Did you know that performing regular body cleanses and detoxes are an easy route to health and healing? We are in constant contact with harmful organisms and pollutants. They’re in our water, in our food, in the air we breathe… it’s very difficult to get away from them. The source of many health issues is the toxins that have built up in our bodies over the years. Fortunately, there are ways to counteract some toxins and pollutants. You can help your body perform these processes with the help of regular cleansing. Here are 5 ways to detoxify your body: 1. Exercise – you can literally sweat your toxins away! 2. Try tongue scraping – tongue coating reflects metabolic debris. 3. Drink water – Just not from the tap! 4. Add detoxifying foods to your diet – think garlic, raw veggies, and fruits 5. Dry skin brushing – the skin is known to be responsible for 15% of total body elimination. Use a natural bristle brush to gently exfoliate and stimulate your skin.
Dean Dalman, Valhalla Automated Spa, www.valhallaautomatedspa.com
The Balancing Act
Bowenwork is a very gentle, hands-on form of bodywork. It works holistically via the nervous system to balance, and align the body. Bowenwork uniquely initiates your body’s own innate healing mechanism, and can dramatically help people with their muscle, joint or nerve pain. People with frozen shoulder are amazed when they find their recurring headaches are also gone, and the pain they felt in their back, neck, and their carpal tunnel, have disappeared as well. Treating the body as a whole is imperative in being able to achieve long lasting results. In addition to physical pain relief, Bowenwork can effectively help with cognitive issues as well, such as stress, PTSD, depression, concussion or traumatic brain injury, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, energy blockages, and many others. Talk to a Bowenwork practitioner to learn more about balancing your body, and starting your healing journey today.
Bernadette Kozak, WinnipegPainRelief.ca
Goals Difficult to Achieve?
Many of us have goals we desire to achieve in health, relationships, and our career. What would you like to work on and improve in this new year? So often we struggle to actually accomplish our goals – we get part way and give up, or we have too many other things interfering with our efforts. In theory, desire + effort = achieving goals….. right? So why in reality is that so often very difficult to do? One very important thing I have learned is that any time we have a desire to achieve something but struggle to accomplish it, it means that we have hidden factors between our desires and accomplishing our goals. Many times these hidden factors are fear, doubt or beliefs based on past experiences. Success is so sweet and so much easier to achieve when you have cleared out these hidden factors that are making success difficult.
Shannon Russell, BodyMind Freedom Solutions, thedashmethod.com
Clean Eating: Gingerbread Coffee
2 Tbs Cinnamon, ground
1 Tbs Ginger, ground
1 Tbs Cloves, ground
1/2 Tbs Nutmeg, ground
1/8 tsp Salt
Instructions:
1. Add spices and salt to a jar and shake well.
2. Add about 1/2 teaspoon (or to taste) of the gingerbread mix to your regular or decaf coffee grounds before brewing.
This recipe is adapted from Kristine’s Kitchen. These spices are among the richest in wrinkle and disease-fighting antioxidants. Coffee cheers to that!
Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca
Dare NOT To Diet!
Make 2017 the year you jump off your plate and into your life! Dare not to diet. Make a radical shift from being “good” (dieting) to feeling good (living vibrantly)! It’s natural to want to have more energy and vitality! And want to move with ease and feel good in your body. But a diet won’t deliver. Not long term. Simple, enjoyable mindful eating, plus a shift from “have to be good” to “want to feel good,” CAN deliver a good thing! Here are a few shifts to consider for January 1: “I have to go on a diet, I feel gross” to “I have more energy and feel better in my body when I eat the foods I love with balance on my plate.” “I have to work out every day” to “I feel better, sleep better and move better when I’m active. I’m going to find an activity I enjoy.”
Lisa Kehler, www.offyourplatenutrition.ca
Book Club: Year of Yes!
How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person, by Shonda Rhimes. Shonda was an expert at declining invitations others would leap to accept. With 3 children at home and 3 hit shows on TV, it was easy to say that she was too busy. But in truth, she was also afraid. Shonda’s introvert life revolved around burying herself in work, snuggling her children, and comforting herself with food. Shonda’s sister muttered something that was both a wake-up and a call to arms: You never say yes to anything! The comment sat like a grenade until it detonated. Then Shonda knew she had to embrace the challenge: for one year, she would say YES to everything that scared her.
Clean Eating: Banana Quinoa Breakfast Bars
1 cup steel cut oats
1 cup quinoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon, a pinch of sea salt
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
3 tbsp natural nut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
Optional: 1/4-1/2 cup add-ins like chocolate chips, coconut, chopped dried fruit.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray or grease a 9 x 9 baking dish with coconut oil. In a large bowl combine oats, quinoa, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Add in bananas, flax, peanut butter, coconut oil and maple syrup. Stir until well-combined. Sprinkle with optional add-ins. Let batter sit for 10 mins to let flax absorb some liquid. Add batter to baking dish and spread out evenly. Bake for 25 mins or until edges are crisp and center is cooked through. Let sit for 20 mins before cutting into 9-12 squares and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.
4 Things You Should NEVER Feed Your Dog
All pet owners are aware of the dangers of chocolate. But have you heard of these ones? Suprisingly, only 30% of dog owners know these facts! Keep your pup away from the following: 1. Onions – Plants of this family, including chives and garlic, are not suitable for dogs. Eating these could cause your animal to develop anemia, weakness, rapid breathing and reddish or brown urine. 2. Grapes or Raisins – This fruit can cause severe liver damage and kidney failure. It’s been proven that even a few grapes can potentially be fatal for your pet. 3. Xylotol – Is found in gum, baked goods, and anything else that is sugar substituted. It is extremely toxic to dogs, and it can cause seizures, liver failure and possibly even death. 4. Salt – Eating salt will cause excessive thirst and urination. If they managed to eat a lot, it could cause vomiting and diarrhea, hyperthermia, depression, tremors, seizures, and death.
Lisa Tustin, Professional Pet Sitter
