Do you know the difference between a Power of Attorney (POA) and an Enduring POA? The distinction is important. A POA ends if you become declared mentally incompetent as may happen from an illness or head injury in an accident. An enduring POA carries on and allows your appointed person the authority to manage your financial affairs if such a tragedy occurs. Like your will, a POA should be reviewed and updated every 5 years or right away if you’ve moved from another province. No matter your age, everyone should consider having an enduring POA in place.

Human beings are hardwired to be well. Our brains interact with our surroundings, sending signals to our bodies, which are intended to alert us to adapt, promoting survival. However sometimes we get stuck with our survival switch left on, which creates many problems within us physically and mentally. Once this happens, it can be difficult to turn off the switch, without these 5 important things: safety; family (or community); purpose; meaning; and challenge. When these are present, our brain can process the signals enough to relax our distress and returning us to healthy functioning.

Q: My friend said she got a sunburn on her eyes. Is this really possible?

a: Yes indeed, and she probably meant she suffered some acute discomfort. You most likely know that prolonged sun exposure puts you at risk for eye problems like cataracts, but ultra-violet rays from the sun can also irritate the cornea and conjunctiva – resulting in pain, blurry vision, grittiness, light sensitivity and watering, much like a welding flash or snow blindness. Like a sunburn, the discomfort occurs a few hours after the burn itself. One more reason to protect your eyes against the sun!

Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties. For some, this means bouncing back after sport, while for others, it’s getting off the floor after a fall. Resiliency also looks like keeping a positive outlook and overcoming the nervous system’s overprotective tendencies. No matter your relationship with the word, you have the power to create resiliency for yourself. You CAN feel better, recover faster, get stronger, change your outlook, harness your mind and, overall, enjoy your life and body to its fullest. Massage and mobility work can help calm your nervous system, reconnect body, breath, and mind, and discover potential.

“Elder orphans” is a term used for seniors who live alone in the community, with no partner, children or other people to support or care for them. Elder orphans may also be socially or physically isolated, adding to their vulnerability. They are at higher risk of depression, loneliness, social isolation and losing their ability to make decisions. Older adults can prepare for the future by thinking about what support and resources they have, what they need and where they might live (including factors such as cost and proximity to family and medical care). Make your wishes known to family and friends.

It is hard to imagine that summer is now behind us, but it’s true. As we head into the fall and winter, we will encounter shorter daylight hours and more grey skies. As a result, we sometimes find that winter will trigger Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). How do we treat SAD? In severe cases, medications may be needed, and as adjunctive treatment, light therapy may be added. Effective light therapy is achieved by exposure to 10,000 lux cool-white light. Optimal exposure is for 30 to 45 minutes early in the morning upon awakening.

What makes us healthy and invulnerable to disease? Discover this for yourself right now. Hold your breath for 60 seconds. What happened? Clearly there is absolutely nothing as critical to our health as oxygen metabolism. Oxygen utilization is the single most important predictor of your risk for degenerative disease and premature aging. As we get older our cells become less able to efficiently use the oxygen we breathe, some as much as 50%! Ozone therapy activates the immune system, prevents free radical damage and helps the body detoxify, the ultimate preventative tool to stay healthy and happy into old age.

With cold and flu season on the way, you may be looking for ways to stay healthy. Acupuncture is a great way to help you recover from colds and flu viruses more quickly, and can even help prevent them in the first place! Getting acupuncture treatment can help elevate immune-boosting hormones for several days after treatment, helping to prevent and fight colds and flu viruses. It can also help to reduce body aches, fever, and chills, as well as relieve congestion and sore throats. Consider acupuncture treatment as part of your toolkit to stay well during cold and flu season!