Most people think that concussions and whiplash occur separately from each other but when a person has one, they often have the other one too. The human head weighs on average 10 – 12 lbs and is mainly held in place by ligaments and tendons. When a force is exerted on the body, the head accelerates by 2.5 times that amount, meaning that when a body changes speed by 30 km/hr, the head and brain change speed by 75 km/hr. This is how whiplash and concussions can occur. To learn more, come to our next Health Night on 26 Feb 2018!

We are hearing a lot about concussions these days. Most often the talks center around athletes but did you know that anyone can get a concussion, and that you don’t need to suffer a direct blow to the head to get one? A bad fall or a car accident is enough to cause a concussion. Concussions are a form of traumatic brain injury that if not cared for properly, may have long term effects on a person. Want to know the signs to look for and how to recover properly? Come check out our next health night to learn more!
Dr. Amber Kenmuir, D.C., Long Lake Chiropractic, MySpine.ca

Gambling in the 21st Century has become a sophisticated, and in some cases, a more subtle wagering activity. The Responsible & Problem Gambling Program and the Centre for Addictions Research have partnered to create lesson plans for the BC’s new K-12 curriculum. Teachings include themes such as: 1 Every human society appears to have accepted gambling in some form; 2 Gambling can be fun but can also lead to significant harm; 3 As humans, we need to learn how to manage gambling and; 4 We can learn how to control gambling by examining the different ways people have thought about it, engaging in critical self-reflection and listening to each other.
Karen Hlady, Community Engagement & Prevention Service Provider, BCResponsibleGambling.ca

With the beginning of a new year, we may be asking ourselves things like; What were the highlights of the past year? What did we learn? How can we improve? Many people like to set goals for self-improvement in January. Here are some tips that may help get your own planning underway: Identify the “Why” – It’s often easy to know what healthy habits you want to incorporate into your life, but identifying the reason will often be the secret ingredient to success. Stick with it – A London study followed 96 subjects who were trying to make a change and found that on average it took participants 66 days to make a behaviour a habit. Incorporate the 3 R’s Pattern – REMIND ourselves why we are trying to create a healthy habit, establish a regular ROUTINE that develops that habit and REWARD ourselves along the way for our successes.
Tammy Toor, City of Nanaimo, Nanaimo.ca