Archwood 55 Plus is a community-based non-profit, charitable organization offering lunches, art and fitness classes, social activities, bus trips and other services to adults ages 55 and older living in the Winnipeg area. Our goal is to encourage graceful aging and empower older adults to lead healthy and active lives while socializing with their peers.
Spring Nutrition for Seniors
Spring brings with it a crop of nutrient-rich super foods that are especially beneficial for older adults. As you age, its vital to eat healthy foods to maintain weight, manage and prevent diabetes, and boost brain health. Spring is a great time to swap out processed foods that lack nutritional value – for fresh fruits and vegetables. Some spring super-foods that are perfect for seniors to enjoy include artichokes, leaks, asparagus, green peas, watercress, strawberries and spinach. These springtime favorites are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants needed to live a healthy lifestyle.
Local Product Spotlight
Go Chair® by Pride Mobility. Enjoy greater independence and mobility! The Go Chair® by Pride Mobility is a portable electric wheelchair that provides a high level of maneuverability with a 25.5-inch turning radius, so you can easily navigate tight corners indoors. It has a battery capacity that can go up to 13.2 miles on a single charge with speeds up to 3.8 mph, and has a weight capacity of 300 lbs. With fully adjustable armrests and a five-point swivel seat with latch release, the Go Chair® offers plenty of comfort along with incredible convenience thanks to its one-hand feather-touch disassembly and under-seat storage.
Enriching Your Pet’s Life
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.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
Did you know…Laughter can activate and relieve your stress response. A rollicking laugh fires up and then cools down your stress response, and it can increase and then decrease your heart rate and blood pressure. The result? A good, relaxed feeling. Subscribe to Wellnessnews.ca for a chance to Win 2 Tickets to Rumors Comedy Club. Check out our Featured Upcoming Events. RumorsComedyClub.com
Avoid Injury This Spring
Spring means two things: yard work and stiff, sore muscles. Stretching to prepare muscles for strenuous activities that have not been done since fall is very important. Simple things like doing arm circles, shrugging your shoulders, and touching your toes should be done before and after activity. If you do overexert and your neck, shoulder, arm, or back pain is not going away within a week, there are natural alternatives that can help. Options such as designed nutritional formulations, Biofeedback, or NIR Therapy will reduce inflammation and stimulate muscle repair to help you recover quickly and get back to enjoying spring.
Blooms to Celebrate Easter
Beautiful flowers are always an important part of Easter, as they represent the renewal and rebirth that happens in the spring. Some of the most-loved flowers associated with Easter include: 1) Tulips – colourful and egg-shaped, these fun blooms also represent rebirth. 2) Easter Lily – beautiful white blooms that signify purity and resurrection. 3) Daffodils – often some of the first flowers blooming in spring, they signify the change in season. 4) Easter Cactus – comes in many colours and blooms right around Easter. 5) Crocus – another early bloomer, crocuses are great for joyful celebrations since they symbolize happiness and youth.
Book Club: The Dental Diet
The Surprising Link Between Your Teeth, Real Food, and Life-Changing Natural Health by Dr. Steven Lin. A unique exploration of how dental health connects to holistic health, with a 40-day meal plan and long-lasting dietary guidelines that are easily integrable into everyday life. Dr. Steven Lin, an experienced dentist and the world’s first dental nutritionist, has analyzed our ancestral traditions, epigenetics, gut health, and the microbiome in order to develop food-based principles for a literal top-down holistic health approach. Pick up at your local book store.
Can Dentures Affect Nutrition?
Wearing dentures can have an impact on nutrition if the dentures are ill-fitting and cause patients to have trouble chewing. Ill-fitting dentures can also decrease saliva, which may make chewing food difficult and may cause patients to avoid certain foods. It’s important for people who wear dentures to follow their physician’s or denturist’s dietary recommendations after they have been fitted with their dentures, and to keep in mind that many foods can still be eaten if prepared in ways that make chewing easier. Ensuring dentures fit well is also important, so see your denturist regularly to get them checked.
Laughter is the Best Medicine
When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it actually induces physical changes in your body. Laughter can: Stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain. Subscribe to Wellnessnews.ca for a chance to Win 2 Tickets to Rumors Comedy Club. Check out our Featured Upcoming Events. RumorsComedyClub.com
Travelling? Consider a Pet Sitter
Now that the world is opening up to travel, it’s time to get planning for a holiday! Arranging for pet care while you’re away can feel like an overwhelming decision. It’s important to look for caregivers who will not only provide for basic needs like food and water, but also companionship, reassurance, and playtime while you’re away. If you can find someone to come to your home, your pet gets to stay in his familiar surroundings, which is less stressful than taking him to a new location. You and your pet should feel comfortable about the care arrangements, so you can enjoy your vacation without worry!