In 2013, 3 million adult Canadians reported they had an anxiety disorder. Currently, 93% of them are taking or have taken prescription medication but only 20% have received psychological support to help manage the disorder. The good news is that you can reprogram your mind to stop triggering your natural alarm system in normal situations. Your mind can be programmed to help it deal with anxiety in a healthy way. You choose the program you want to keep in your mind the same way that you choose what software to upload into your computer.

Physical activity does so much more for you than just burn calories. It reduces stress and improves your mood and mental clarity. Once your body adjusts to increased strength you will have more energy all day long. Exercise slows aging and you feel younger. It strengthens muscles, increases flexibility and makes you more coordinated. Physical activity has a positive effect on heart disease, joint pain, diabetes, the common cold, hypertension, strokes, and osteoporosis by increasing your overall health. What more could you want? Make it a priority in your life. You deserve it and you WON’T REGRET IT!

Lone (pronounced Lo-na) Odgers is a Registered Acupuncturist, practicing Chinese medicine and Japanese-style acupuncture. She recently moved back to Nanaimo after 10 years in Edmonton and is restarting her family practice at Form Health Clinic Inc. She treats women, men and children of all ages and makes house calls. Her treatments include acupuncture, acupressure, moxibustion and cupping. Lone treats chronic conditions related to lifestyle, stress, illness and injury, supports pregnant and postpartum women and works with men, women and children living with pain, cancer and auto-immune conditions. Lone customizes each treatment plan to meet individual client’s needs and provides a safe, nurturing and confidential environment for healing and recovery.

Do you or your loved ones struggle with managing your medications or have challenges visiting the pharmacy? The Pharmacy at Home program can help. This is a complimentary, 100% patient-focused pharmacy service conducted in the comfort of your own home. The pharmacist comes to you and provides medication management, free prescription pickup and delivery and support for health and wellness. Other benefits include: personalized customer service, convenience and 25% off over-the-counter/non-prescription medications, supplements and home health products.

We have become a society of more is better, unfortunately there is often an accumulation of excess. Our screen time has grown over the years and excess weight strains our organs and body. To combat these excesses, we need to detox and declutter to improve health and wellbeing. Reduce or eliminate processed foods, wheat, sugar; increase hydration and consume more berries and greens. Replace screen time with fresh air, exercise or something creative. Pick one or two items and do them for a couple of weeks; notice the difference. Most people report feeling lighter and thinking clearer. These go a long way to making positive change.

Some of the less known benefits of exercise include: • Improved Muscle Tone and Bone Density – As we age, we tend to lose both muscle tone and bone density which can make us vulnerable to injuries. Hormones released when we exercise help our muscles absorb amino acids promoting muscle growth. • More Energy – the more we move, the more energy we will have. Feeling a bit sleepy? Go for a stroll. • Sleep Better – The energy we dispense during exercise leads to better, higher-quality sleep. Participating in 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week could lead to a significant improvement in sleep quality.

Participating in exercise is widely known to be beneficial to our health. Here are a couple less talked about benefits of exercise that may encourage all of us to get off the couch and dedicate ourselves to a regular workout routine: • Feel Happier – Exercise increases the production of endorphins that produce positive feelings. To feel happier, we just need to start moving! • Get More Brainpower – Exercise increases blood flow to the brain. This improves brain function and enhances memory. For information on Parks and Recreation programs to help you get moving, please visit our website.

There is a different way to dramatically improve your sleep. Introducing a body pillow into your sleep system can bring back a good night sleep. Many of us have been told that the mattress is the key to everything when it comes to sleeping well. We’re here to tell you that this is only one part of it. The three pillars to a good night sleep involve temperature, alignment and support. The biggest game changer of all of them is working on your alignment. A body pillow can stop your shoulders and hips from collapsing; your body has less pain and you get time to heal. Sweet dreams.

Foot Reflexology is the application of specific finger pressure techniques on feet, combined with acupressure with focus on reflex points and their connection to our body’s organs. It is a wonderful, natural, health therapy and analysis tool. It improves circulation of blood, encourages lymphatic drainage, rejuvenates life energy, and eases pain within other body parts. The body is fostered to detox and heal itself.