Summer at last! Days get longer and temps get hotter! While we all love the sun, it’s time to be mindful of the damage it could do. When choosing a sunscreen, go for the “broad spectrum” protection. Sunscreens with this label protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Make sure your sunscreen has a sun protection factor of 30 or higher. The SPF number is the level of protection the sunscreen provides against harmful rays. Higher SPF numbers do mean more protection, but the higher you go, the smaller the difference becomes. For example, a bottle labeled SPF 85 has no better protection than a bottle of SPF 50. Always be wary of dangerous ingredients in your sunscreen. These include parabens, phthalates, propylene glycol, and sodium laurel sulphates. Retinyl palminate, a form of vitamin A, has been linked to skin tumours and lesions on sun-exposed skin. Also, use creams not sprays or powders, as creams offer more sun protection without the nanoparticles.
Clean Eating: Vanilla Chia Breakfast Pudding
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup chia seeds
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or raw honey
Seasonal fruit for topping, Almonds or other nuts for topping.
Directions:
Combine almond milk, chia seeds, vanilla and sweetener in a bowl. Mix well until combined and the mixture begins to thicken. Store covered in the refrigerator overnight or for at least an hour (the longer the better)! Stir well before serving and add a bit of water to the pudding if it becomes too thick. Top with fresh fruit and nuts of your choice. (Yields 2 servings)
Book Club: Aim True by Kathryn Budig
Love Your Body, Eat Without Fear, Nourish Your Spirit, Discover True Balance! Yogi and motivational speaker Kathryn Budig is known for her ability to encourage others to set their intentions and goals, no matter how lofty, and work toward them while staying true to themselves. Whether your goal is to love who you are right now, reshape the way you view food, develop a meditation practice, or discover new ways to embrace the great balancing act that is life, this holistic approach to yoga, diet, and mindfulness has something for you. Filled with vibrant photographs and whimsical illustrations, this guide is as beautiful as it is life-changing. Available at a book store near you!
Benefits of Chlorogenic Acid
Chlorogenic Acid is the main active ingredient in the Green Coffee Bean. It is a powerful thermogenic fat burner and has been found to aid in weight loss and help slow down the body’s absorption of fat from our regular food intake. It increases metabolism which also helps in the weight loss process. It holds promise in many aspects of health and cognition similar to bioflavonoids and shares some effects similar to caffeine, but less potent. Studies show that Chlorogenic Acid may also decrease the absorption of dietary carbohydrate, as well as provide anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. This may have benefits for people who are at high risk of diabetes and heart disease. It also helps regulate the flow of bile from the liver thereby reducing liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver. The Healthiest Coffee on the Planet!
Brett Griffin
Technology’s Role in Wellness
Technology is developing at a mind-blowing pace, but we always have a choice on how we wish to engage with it. We can always “unplug” when we need to re-generate and get back in touch with our natural selves, or we can use technology to streamline our lives and focus on the important things in life like family and health. We can also engage technology to enhance our health and well-being. This pertains to such age-old “natural” technologies of meditation, yoga and mindfulness for example, as well as to emerging frequency-based technologies like neurofeedback. We are lucky to live in an age where we can choose how to target specific aspects of our physical and emotional health. Unplugging when we need to, and engaging in both time-honored and cutting-edge technology, can do wonders for our physical, mental, and spiritual health and happiness.
Dr. Chris Hammer, PhD.
www.valentusclinics.com
Homeopathic Treatment of Concussions
Were you dropped on the head as a baby? Maybe. And that may be why you are having trouble reading this. I have seen children with ADHD or dyslexia who suffered head injuries as infants and suddenly come out of the fog after treatment with homeopathy, only to become brilliant students after struggling for years. Dr. John Gray of Venus and Mars fame was cured with homeopathy in his fifties of life-long ADHD. He had fallen out of a tree as a child, suffering a concussion. Concussions can be a common cause of long-term health problems, including headaches, problems with focus and concentration, anxiety, depression, rage, sleeplessness, low energy and even digestive issues. Homeopathy offers about 50 remedies for consequences of concussion depending on the symptoms. The heavy lifter is Arnica, a great first remedy for concussions, but it is best to individualize treatment.
Dr. Anke Zimmermann BSc. ND. FCAH
www.drzimmerman.org
How Much Caffeine Does Matcha Have?
Matcha contains roughly 25mg of caffeine, which is approximately one-third the caffeine of a cup of brewed coffee. It is easily tolerated by many people for whom coffee makes them jittery and anxious! The caffeine in Matcha works in a synergistic manner with all the other great stuff it contains, including hefty quantities of phytonutrients, antioxidants, and amino acids. This special combination of ingredients produces an unusual effect: An uncanny ability to focus and be productive over an extended period of time. Because the caffeine molecules in Matcha bind to larger and more stable molecules, the caffeine is released over time, instead of all at once into the bloodstream. In contrast to coffee, this timed-release mechanism tends to inhibit any sudden insulin increases, so there is no ‘crash’ associated with quick drops in blood sugar that so many coffee drinkers feel an hour or so after drinking a cup.
Tiffanie & Kip Home, Just Match
www.justmatcha.com
Building Confidence & Self-esteem
We all have moments when we question ourselves. Sometimes that sense of uncertainty sticks around -and we don’t know why, but we feel bad about ourselves. We may blame ourselves for feeling inadequate and not knowing how to feel better. Where does this come from? Is it just us, or is it what’s happening to us? It can be both. For example, there’s no denying the reality of a bad job! Our core beliefs and expectations also play a part. these are deeply held ideas and feelings about ourselves and the world that colour our experience. Counselling can help you uncover these beliefs and find more helpful and supportive ways to be with yourself. Other skills supported in counselling include; positive self-talk and encouragement, forgiving yourself for not being perfect, handling difficult memories, changing your situation and asserting your needs empathically.
Mary Munro MA. MC. RCC.
Sunglasses – Are You Protected?
In today’s marketplace there’s no end to the types and styles of sunglasses available. When choosing sunglasses, you need to focus on the quality of the lens. Sunglasses are like sunscreen for your eyes, and proper sun protection occurs when your lenses block a certain range of UV light. Polarized sunglasses are the best as they filter glare from reflective surfaces such as snow or water, making you much more comfortable. Proper sunglasses also help to prevent the development of cataracts and macular degeneration. There are many different qualities of sun lenses, either prescription or non-prescription. If you’d like to know if your sunglasses are blocking the appropriate UV rays and that you’re getting proper sun protection, come in and speak to one of our Opticians at any of our five locations in Victoria. We can verify your glasses for you.
Roxy Beswetherick, Student Optician, IRIS
Can’t Get Motivated?
Are you having trouble getting motivated to do an activity? Here are some tips you should consider:
1) Identify something you want to change. For example, start a walking routine.
2) Ask yourself (or discuss with someone) the questions, ‘what is my desired outcome?’ and, ‘what is so important about that?’ Walking, for example, could be for weight loss, fitness, to be in nature, or to see new sights. Let’s say you want to walk to be closer to nature. Ask yourself, ‘What’s so important about that?’ Keep asking that question until the answer is very basic. ‘I want to walk in nature. It is important because it calms me. Being calm is important because I can clear my thoughts. Clarity is important for me to be my authentic self in conversation.’ Discover what is important about that and continue asking that question until you are motivated to achieve your goal! Okay, now get going!
Juhree Zimmerman R.N., B.Sc.N., M.Ed., C.P.C.C., O.R.S.C.C. Master Certified Coach, Strategy for Synergy
Another Kind of Suffering
Recently, I listened to a call-in radio show featuring reactions to proposed amendments to assisted-dying legislation. An oft repeated view was that people should be able to decide when they’ve had enough suffering. While the focus was clearly on individuals diagnosed with terminal illness and in physical pain, one caller noted the unacknowledged ‘mental suffering’ which often accompanies severe illness. Mental suffering, related to illness or not, is often neglected or negated, and can elicit feelings of shame and self-blame. Buddhists believe in the ‘8 Sufferings’, four of which (birth, old age, sickness and death) cannot be avoided; the other four, getting what you don’t want, not getting what you want, getting what you want but not being able to hold on to it, and pervasive suffering, can be influenced by our state of mind. If you are experiencing mental suffering in any form, a Clinical Counsellor can help.
Sophia Sorensen, BBA, MA, RCC
www.sorensenproctor.com