Choosing the right elder care for yourself or your aging parent is no easy task. Both at-home and senior center care options have their benefits, but it depends on what your needs are. Compare the pros and cons of each option before making any decision. The option to stay at home is the most appealing, but that is not always the best choice. However, the greatest benefit of at-home care is that the patient can live in their own home. A live-in nurse can be hired to provide 24 hour care or a caregiver may be hired for daily visits. Part time caregivers will not only administer medical aid and treatment, they can also drive the patient to and from doctor’s appointments or even to the grocery store. What is expected of the caregiver can be negotiated before choosing to hire one, so make sure to get exactly what you need for yourself or your loved one.
Lance Pace, www.omnicareforpeopleathome.com

West Coast winters provide a uniquely varied range of weather challenges for us and our pets. Arctic winds and snow one moment, replaced by torrential rains the next. Be prepared for all of Mother Nature’s whims. Be sure to have enough food, water and medications on hand for a minimum of 5 days. Younger and older animals are more susceptible to the cold. Extremes in temperature and humidity can adversely affect conditions such as arthritis, and pets with diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, or hormonal imbalances may have a harder time regulating their body temperature. It’s an unfortunate but common belief that dogs and cats are resistant to cold and wet weather because of their fur, however like people, cats and dogs are susceptible to frostbite and hypothermia and should be kept inside. No pet should be left outside for long periods of time in very wet and/or below-freezing weather.

Puntledge Veterinary Clinic, www.puntledgevet.ca

Q: I was watching the new Star Wars movie and shortly afterward I got some weird shimmering kaleidoscope-like images in my vision for half an hour. What’s up with that?

A: It sounds like you experienced an aura which are typical with a migraine. However, these auras are often painless events, perhaps for the majority of people who experience them. It’s not usually an eye problem. The effect occurs because of some subtle irritation in the visual part of the brain, which is actually near the back of the head. For instance, a sudden change in blood pressure or blood sugar may be enough to alter the circulation in that part of the brain. Other known causes would be food sensitivities or stress. Since these auras appear differently for everyone, it’s worth investigating with your eye doctor just to rule out the effect happening because of internal eye problems.

Dr. Alex Kennedy, www.mosaicvisioncare.com

BioSil® supports hair, skin and nail health, and helps in the formation of collagen. Collagen is the key protein for creating smooth skin, thick hair, and resilient nails. During youth, you have a rich abundance of collagen. This ideal collagen condition gives skin elasticity and helps create strong hair. But starting at age 21, collagen diminishes by 1% per year. By age 30, the signs of reduced collagen become visible. BioSil®’s patented formula is clinically proven to make genuine collagen regeneration a reality. BioSil® “turns on” the body’s actual collagen-generating cells. It has been tested in rigorous trials for both efficacy and safety. It is important to note that BioSil® is not made out of collagen, it generates collagen. There’s a big difference. When you ingest collagen, the human body breaks it down and uses it as food. By contrast, BioSil®’s patented formula helps your body generate its own for stronger, healthier hair, skin and nails!

Jeanie Bruenau, www.pno.ca

Anger is simply an emotion that occurs as a reaction, also called a trigger, in response to an uncomfortable situation. If we view it as simply a secondary emotion or physiological reaction, also called “fight or flight” response (faster heartbeat, adrenaline rush, feeling hot and tense) we can begin to think as to what the anger is about, in effect using it as information. In undertaking anger counselling the goal is to uncover the “primary” emotion. What is driving the anger? Is it fear? Is it frustration? Or sadness, guilt, jealousy, disappointment? Once the underlying emotion(s) are identified then we can begin to problem solve. This is done by identifying triggers (when does it happen? Where? Who is around?). It’s much like detective work and with the help of a qualified counsellor the “anger cycle” can be identified and healthy measures can be put in place to ensure your anger isn’t destructive, but rather a useful piece of information to solve internal conflicts.

Rod Chant, www.marriageandfamilytherapy.ca

From indigestion, bloating and belching to heartburn, acid reflux and ulcers, gastrointestinal issues affect many of us. Even occasional nausea, constipation, bad breath and food sensitivities can be symptoms of an irritated GI system.

Before reaching for an over-the-counter medication, or even self-prescribing a natural medicine, let’s consider some possible underlying causes of your digestive issues.

GI disorders are commonly associated with mental stress over prolonged periods, like that work project that consumed you for weeks on end or the all-day cram sessions that were so intense you forget to eat. Even emotional stress, such as frustration or anxiety, can wreak havoc on your digestive system. Anything you can do to reduce stress will be beneficial.

What you eat and – just as importantly – what you don’t can also be a factor. Beware of fad diets and faux-healthy trends. People are depriving themselves of so much nutrition these days, reducing this and eliminating that, yet collectively we’re less healthy than ever. Eat whole, nutrient-rich foods, and try to balance your fat (30%), carbohydrates (40%) and proteins (40%). GI issues can be complex and are very seldom solved with a quick-fix diet.

On a broader level, I suggest we change our relationship with food. It seems we rarely turn off our electronic devices long enough to actually enjoy our food. To taste it. To make eating a fun, social experience. How we eat, and our mindset about food, affects our digestion.

Finally, look into herbal remedies. Western medicine typically involves pharmaceuticals, many of which have side effects over time. While often relieving symptoms, they do not provide a cure. Chinese herbal medicine can offer the same benefits while also restoring normal GI functions and promoting better digestion.

Any doctor of Traditional Chinese Medicine will be happy to chat with you about how you can improve your digestion and quality of life.

Dr. Brigitte Tetrault, www.courtenayhealingcentre.ca

Yerba mate (YERB-ah mah-TAY) is a South American tea packed full of amazing benefits. Rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, here are 4 reasons why you should be drinking Yerba Mate:

1. Enhances Your Ability to Focus Increase your mental energy without any side effects associated with caffeine. Yerba mate also helps reduce stress and insomnia.

2. Enhances Physical Endurance Yerba Mate boosts your metabolism to make your body use carbohydrates more efficiently. This means you’ll get more energy from the food you eat. You’ll also burn more of the calories your body has stored in fat cells when you drink yerba mate tea regularly.

3. Aids Digestion Yerba mate helps keep your colon clean for effective and efficient waste elimination.

4. Helps You Control Your Weight Yerba mate helps you feel fuller longer! Combining yerba mate with a healthy diet and regular exercise can help boost your metabolism to burn more calories.

Lance Pace, www.omnicareforpeopleathome.com

1) Define for you what is really necessary to get done. Make a priority list of 5 things every day. Add more as you cross off the list.  Add an activity daily wherever you need balance like exercise, family time, you time.

2) Find you own way of doing and delegating what is needed. Try new strategies that you haven’t implemented before. Be self focussed without being self absorbed.

3) Know you have done your best even if the result is less than perfect. Time is precious so consider how perfect things have to be. Take exercise for example, better to get the gear on and get on with it than waste time planning the perfect execution.

4) Take pride in knowing what you know and work with what you’ve got.

5) Hang out with people who care about you.

Roxanne Derkson, RMT GCFP
www.vivitherapy.com

If you are suffering from pain after sports, treatment options are endless. If your nervous system is not functioning properly then your body is not able to produce pain-free movement, even if the structures of the body are in working order. You experience painful movement with chronic injuries because the nervous system isn’t working properly, not necessarily because of physical damage. A dysfunction in the nervous system results in a disconnect between muscles and the central nervous system, causing not only pain but also weakness and the inability to move properly. One of the best, and most researched, therapies to treat chronic pain is contemporary electroacupuncture (also known as neurofunctional acupuncture) because of its multi-level effect in the central nervous system.  It resets your nervous system so that it stops overreacting to normal stimuli, which helps reduce pain more effectively.

Dr. Ross Ralph, Dr.TCM, RAc., DO(MP) Certified Advance Neurofunctional Acupuncture Sports Performance Specialist
Courtenay Healing Centre
www.courtenayhealingcentre.ca