Community News
Magnesium and Heart Health

Every cell in the body needs magnesium. It helps keep muscles strong and nerves alert. And a new study in the journal Circulation suggests that daily magnesium supplements can even help an ailing heart. Lead author C. Noel Bairey Merz, MD, director of the preventive and rehabilitative cardiac center at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says that magnesium supplements enabled heart disease patients to exercise for longer periods and appeared to protect their hearts from the stress of exercise. Magnesium also restored some of the blood vessels’ ability to open up when the body needs more blood. Merz said that at the end of the study, the patients who took magnesium had better blood vessel function and their hearts showed less stress during treadmill exercise compared to the placebo group. By taking a daily magnesium supplement, you could help improve your heart health and function.

www.scoopandsave.com

 

Oily Scalp?

A variety of causes and conditions may trigger oily scalp issues. Seborrhea, for example, is hereditary. The origin is usually found in the scalp. Sebaceous glands release too much sebum, an oily substance that protects hair. Hormonal changes, a diet that is too rich in fat, a lack of vitamins, toxins within the system or stress all may cause this hair disorder. It is also possible to develop oily hair and scalp with age. The build-up of sebum harms the development of new hair strands that will thin over time. It may also be associated with a more serious condition such as hair loss. The products from the Capilia Advanced Scalp Care line are made with 100% natural ingredients including camphor oil, eucalyptus oil and Chinese mint. Their soothing and cooling action has been specifically developed to calm sebaceous glands.

Sylvie Gautron
www.citylooks.ca

Book Club: The Highly Sensitive Person 

How to Thrive When the World Overwhelms You, by Elaine N. Aron.

Do you have a keen imagination and vivid dreams? Are you “too shy” or “too sensitive” according to others? Do noise and confusion quickly overwhelm you? Discover how to embrace your sensitivities in this international best-selling book.

www.hsperson.com 

Managing Medications

Seniors represent 12% of the Canadian population and account for 28 – 40% of all prescriptions. By 2036, the population of seniors will reach a staggering 9.8 million. It is estimated that approximately 50% of Canadians are not taking their prescriptions as prescribed. The barriers to adherence are varied – education, side effects, forgetfulness or limited access to transportation. One major barrier is the cost of medication. Whatever the cause, non-compliance can often result in a patient having to visit the emergency room or even a hospital stay. The estimated annual cost of medication non-adherence to the Canadian health care system is between $7 and $9 billion. Care At Home Pharmacy helps people manage their medications by providing a personalized service based on the concept of the visiting pharmacist. As well, a budget is set up for clients to help manage the costs. Call us for your in-home consultation.

Care At Home Pharmacy
www.careathomepharmacy.ca

Dragons’ Den Success

About a month ago, we received an email from one of the producers of CBC’s hit show Dragons’ Den. They were doing a new spin off show called NexGenDen focusing on hot Canadian startups. They had somehow heard of us and wanted us to come on the show! It was an amazing experience. We were in a group of 18 other startups pitching our proposal to the Dragons. Before going on, they told us there would only be a 50% chance that we would make it to air. One by one people came in and out of the den. Some crying, some obviously trying to maintain their excitement.  When it was your turn, you only got one take. We were asking for $100,000 for 2% of our company ($5 million valuation). Search PopRx on YouTube to see how we did!

Dr. Ali Esmail, PopRx
www.poprx.ca

Clean Eating: Pumpkin Chia Bars

Ingredients:

2 ¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup honey
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup chia seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Line a 8×8 pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium bowl, add pumpkin, honey and vanilla extract.
Mix until combined.
Fold oats and chia seeds into batter, mix until incorporated.
Press evenly into baking dish.
Bake for 20-30 minutes.
Let cool and cut into 8 bars and store in air tight container.

www.savynaturalista.com

Prevent Sports Injuries

Now is the time of year where many athletes will start their fall/winter sport. This often involves changing from summer to winter sports. However, did you know most injuries occur in the first and last third of a season? This is often due to the change of muscle requirements being used for each sport or sometimes the movement patterns involved. Going from baseball to hockey requires a significant increase in the use of your hip flexors – the muscles that bring your knees to your chest. This is a common “early season” injury for hockey players. Doing proper warm ups, stretches and slowly progressing the volume of skating may help in preventing these types of injuries. Also check your overall hip mobility; if you can lift your leg 10 degrees off the floor while on your stomach and at least 70 degrees when on your back, that’s a good sign that you have sufficient movement about the hip.

Jason Moniz, South Sherbrook Therapy
www.southsherbrook.com

Wigging It Right

Choosing the right length, colour, and style of wig can be a daunting task. Feeling comfortable, confident and natural in a wig is important. The more brands and styles you can choose from, the more natural your wig will look. To create a natural look, wigs are available in synthetic & human hair as well as a variety of colours including highlighted & rooted. Ensuring that your wig fits properly is paramount and helps alleviate skin issues that can be caused by an ill-fitting wig. In addition to fit, understanding a wig’s construction, proper trimming, thinning and shaping of your new wig is very important to make you comfortable and feeling as much like yourself as possible. Hair loss/ removal during chemotherapy can be emotional and uncomfortable, but with the right advice and products, you can regain some confidence and feel better at this time.

www.citylooks.ca 

Learning to Meditate

Meditation is the ancient practice of calming the mind, creating awareness, and finding inner peace. Meditation offers a mind-body connection and has many physical and mental benefits. It is a great way to relax, calm the mind and body, bring about awareness, and bring your life back into balance. Many people think meditation is hard, that it takes a lot of time, and that for some people it simply can’t be done. Not true! The trick is to start small, start easy, and gradually progress. Start with just 5 minutes a day. Find yourself a quiet space, lye down, listen to some relaxing music and try not to focus on any one thing, just be. If you have trouble focusing your thoughts, try focusing on your breath; be aware of each breath in and out. It will become easier with time.

www.nicholeguthrie.com

One Simple Change

Most of us strive to live a healthier lifestyle. We know that we should be eating right, exercising regularly, and still making time for family, friends, and our own needs, but this can seem like an overwhelming goal. Instead of attempting to conquer our health all at once, what if you started by setting more manageable goals? Making small changes today can lead to great health benefits down the road. You can start by lowering your stress levels by getting more sleep. When was the last time you felt you had great, quality sleep on a regular basis? Getting a good night’s sleep can greatly impact your outlook on life and, in turn, your health and wellness. Simple changes, such as getting a good night’s sleep or taking time for a relaxing hobby, are easy ways to help manage stress and improve your well-being in the long-term.

http://slefley.canada.juiceplus.com/

New Business Showcase

It is often very difficult and overwhelming to effectively manage multiple medications. This can lead to improper use of medications, which can result in extra doctor visits, emergency room visits and hospital stays. The high cost of prescription medication is a major concern for many patients; therefore we prepare a customized monthly budget for each of our clients. This, along with our visiting pharmacist service, will give you and your care-givers peace of mind. Our ultimate goal is to ensure all medications are taken as prescribed and that you have a full understanding of each medication including its interactions and side-effects. As well, we want to ensure that cost does not become a stress factor and/or road-block. Better Health & Wellness may be achieved through medication management; talk to our pharmacist to arrange a home visit.

www.careathomepharmacy.ca