We are all “creatures of habit.” This means we have developed ways of thinking and behaving that establish our identity in the world. Habits also influence the results we get. We often label habits as “good” or “bad,” which is not helpful as these labels are judgemental. It is more beneficial to think about them as “supportive” or “non-supportive.” Supportive habits help us make efficient use of our energy and resources. Non- supportive habits provide short term rewards with potential long term negative consequences. Ideally, we want to develop more supportive habits and fewer non-supportive ones. Research has shown there are 6 stages in changing habits. These are: Pre-contemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance and Termination. Each of these stages will be broken down in more detail in future columns. It takes time and planning to change habits. And it is possible!

Juhree Zimmerman R.N., B.Sc.N., M.Ed., C.P.C.C., O.R.S.C.C.
www.strategyforsynergy.ca

Skin care brands market patented molecules as feature ingredients in skincare lines.  This means big money for them with an ingredient no one can copy. They may have been inspired by nature (thus the picture of grapes or melons), but they are synthetic chemical ingredients. What do these synthetic cosmeceutical ingredients do to your skin when you use them every day?  Like pharmaceuticals – these patented ingredients target symptoms with some effect.  But over time they can seriously weaken the immune system, and cause allergic reactions.  By stressing the skin they can accelerate the effects of aging (oxidation). Cosmeceutical ingredients can include words like alpha hydroxy, peptides, acrylates, polymers, hydroquinone, paraben, retinol, matrixyl, phenoxyethanol, triclosan, salicylate, hyaluronic, allantoin, squalene, benzones, palmitates, benzoates, sulfates, PEG.  Some cosmeceuticals are epigenetic ingredients; this means they alter DNA with unknown long-term effects.

Karen Van Dyck
www.naturesfirstbeautybar.com

Our habits help reduce cognitive effort and allow us to focus our attention on other things. Take driving for example, one focuses on the road, while braking and steering becomes habitual. Movement habits that have developed in response to pain, injury, tension and stress can be counterproductive. These habits often inhibit movement, breathing, and create tension in parts of the body needed for optimal mobility and stability. The Feldenkrais Method offers solutions to better functioning by fine-tuning your senses to pay attention to your body while you are moving, working, exercising and resting. Workshops and individual lessons taught by a skilled Feldenkrais Practitioner clarify key areas where habitual movement is hindering function and performance, creating tension and pain. Feldenkrais helps develop sensory acuity, enlisting full body movement connections that can spring board us to easier and better functional movement.

Roxanne Derkson, Registered Massage Therapist, Guild Certified Feldenkrais Practitioner
www.vivitherapy.com

Sometimes we know when a migraine is coming, and sometimes we don’t. Often there are specific triggers that start a migraine that may include physical movement or even weather changes. When it starts at the base of the skull, then the cause of the migraine is likely structural. The human body is built to be STRUCTURALLY BALANCED with the head centered over the shoulders, which in turn is centered over the pelvis, which ideally, is level with the ground. When the head and the neck shift out of proper alignment, this may result in decreased blood flow INTO the head, and decreased flow OUT. In fact, it’s the latter that often describes what people feel with migraines – a feeling of built up pressure inside their head. Chiropractors are able to correct and unlock these structural shifts in the head and neck, allowing the body to return to its normal, balanced state.

Dr. Matthew Kittleson
www.uclife.ca

Each weekend, about 56 million North Americans mow their lawns, using 800 million gallons of gas per year and producing tons of air pollutants. Garden equipment engines, (mowers, trimmers, edger’s, blowers) which have had unregulated emissions until very recently, emit high levels of carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides, producing up to 5% of the nation’s air pollution and a good deal more in metropolitan areas. Assuming that a typical car travels 18,000 km per year, 33 gasoline lawn mowers would produce as much pollution a car produces all year. The 56 million gasoline-powered lawn mowers generate as much pollution as 1.7 million cars. Traditional landscaping gasoline engines create Ozone, O3, a colourless, odourless gas at ambient concentrations which is a major component of smog.

Richard Larkin
www.SuccessBizCoach.com

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is difficult in the face of modern pressures and the many available conveniences that make it easy to rely on highly processed instant foods.  Thankfully, Jenni Muir has written a book full of pragmatic advice for busy people, using dry Australian humour to present healthy, tantalizing recipes incorporating whole grains into a contemporary diet.  Muir’s focus is on easy to achieve steps in the path to whole foods health.  The book includes helpful hints, a multitude of recipe variations that will suit even the pickiest eater, and a profoundly useful table that describes the cooking time, texture, and yield of each grain.

Jenni Muir
www.russellbooks.com

Adequate sleep is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and benefits your heart, weight, mind, and more. The cost of poor sleep is much greater than many people think; it can have profound consequences for our long-term health. People who consistently fail to get enough sleep are at an increased risk of chronic disease.  One potential cause of inadequate sleep is Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Multiple arousals each night are a result of the closing of their airway when asleep. This causes decreased oxygen levels and increased blood pressure. Over time, this leads to the chronic elevation of blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke. Fortunately, when sleep apnea is treated, sleep quality improves, blood pressure may decrease and so do the associated risks. Testing for sleep apnea is done in the comfort of your own home.

Shelley McCulloch, RRT
www.medprorespiratory.com

For years people have suffered with uncomfortable, loose, and awkward lower dentures but you don’t have to anymore.  Dental implant technology has come a long way over the years and many people are now comfortable with and enjoying their lower dentures.  It is a very affordable procedure these days as well as being more painless than most people realize.  Call your Denturist today and book a consultation with them about dental implants.  Isn’t it time to enjoy the meals you deserve to eat without the frustration of your bottom denture?

Kent Roberts RD
www.burnsidedentureclinic.com

The holidays are a stressful time of year for many of us and it’s easy to over indulge in all the goodies this season offers. Our overindulgence and stress can lead to fatigue and many of us turn to caffeine as a way to lift our energy levels. Unfortunately, the caffeine in coffee and energy drinks creates an acidic environmental the body which contributes to fatigue, creating a vicious, ultimately unfulfilling cycle. Drinking Matcha, with its mix of L-theanine and caffeine does two things to help with fatigue and overindulgence. 1. It creates a feeling of energized calmness and 2. It creates an alkalizing effect in the body which both settles the stomach and reduces fatigue. Drinking matcha may just be the best gift you can give to yourself this holiday season.

Tiffanie and Kip Home
www.justmatcha.com

You may have heard that fluorescent lighting can be bad for our eyes, but did you know why? Studies have shown that blue-violet light can be damaging to the retina, and therefor has the potential to cause Macular Degeneration (AMD), which is a disease of the eye that causes vision loss centrally. So what does this have to do with fluorescent lighting? Higher amounts of blue light are emitted with the use of fluorescent lights, but that’s not the only source. Also, through the use of LEDs which are found in electronic devices including computer monitors, TV’s, and personal devices like tablets and smart phones. So what can we do? Lens coatings can block out a large portion of the harmful blue light, which can reduce the risk of AMD. If you spend large amounts of time in fluorescent lighting or using computers/tablets, ask your optometrist about the protective coatings!

Nicholas Catchuk
www.iris.ca