Movement-based learning is an adventure that fires up the brain! Did you know that simply adding physical activity to everyday school lessons can help your child be more focused, organized and relaxed? How great is that! Imagine your child learning multiplication tables while doing physical activities and enjoying the whole experience. Brain Gym exercises activate cognitive functions and flood the body with endorphins, while helping with depression and anxiety. Movement is a powerful experience and can make education stimulating and fun! Unlock your child’s full learning potential today and create a healthier future for tomorrow.
Community News
Happiness Runs
Making music with another person is like having a conversation without words. A conversation that goes deep. One day in the adolescent unit of the hospital where I worked as a music therapist I was playing guitar and singing softly in the corridor. In a room close by I knew that there was a young man who’d been admitted for attempting suicide. He quietly emerged from his room with a guitar and sat down opposite me. Soon he joined in the music. We made eye contact once. He smiled. Without speaking we had already shared so much.
World Suicide Prevention Day
World Suicide Prevention Day Sept 10th Who thinks about suicide? It is estimated that 5% of the Canadian population has thoughts of suicide at one time or another (ASIST BC Crisis Centre). Loss of people we love, relationships, jobs and money are all possible reasons to want to escape a problem that seems insurmountable. We are wired to find solutions to our problems. Most of us naturally reach out, talk to someone, and together find solutions other than death. September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. I urge you to seriously listen to someone that is talking about suicide, ending it all, or not having a choice. Help them discover their choices and reasons to live.
Teach Children Financial Literacy
The end of summer means kids are jumping back into their normal school routine of learning. This school year, add financial literacy into your family’s daily routine to help your children learn the importance of money management. You can do this by:
•Walking your kids through making smaller payments (e.g., paying for dinner).
•Using the opportunity to teach budgeting and saving skills when they receive money from chores or as gifts.
•Opening up a bank account for them to manage.
•Teaching your older kids about using cash versus credit, reinforcing the idea that “money doesn’t grow on trees” and credit is borrowing money you’re promising to pay back.
Snoring?
Snoring is a topic that is well known to many of us and our spouses. If you have tried all of the pillows, mouth guards and gadgets advertised, you may want to try these simple and effective suggestions so that you can get a really good night’s rest.
Here are our choices for the most effective essential oils for snoring. Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Lavender, and Cedarwood.
Diffusers are really a terrific way to use the following essential oils at night time.
Sage Oil
One of the best things about sage oil is the effect that it can have on the respiratory tracts. It can relieve inflammation, while also helping to quickly soothe sinus infections, making it an effective solution for acute snoring that is caused by a temporary illness.
How to Use – You can blend 5 drops of sage oil in 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and rub it on your chest or neck before going to sleep. This can help clear out your sinuses while you sleep and boost your immune system against the underlying infection. (Also, great for hot flashes 😊)
Another really great way to use this oil is to add 4-5 drops to your diffuser.
Thyme Oil
If your snoring often causes you to wake up multiple times per night, you may need to find a deeper level of sleep! Thyme oil is known to soothe the body and nervous system, leading to uninterrupted and deeper sleep, which is really important if you want to get rid of your snoring.
How to Use – Mix equal parts thyme oil with olive oil and apply it to the wrists and the bottom of the feet before you go to sleep.
You can also add thyme oil to your diffuser for use during the night.
Lavender Oil
This legendary essential oil can be used for everything from sleeplessness to cardiovascular problems and specifically addresses many of the causes of snoring. This oil is among the most popular natural remedies for snoring.
How to Use – Some people choose to place a few drops of this essential oil on their pillow at night to promote clear breathing and stress-free sleep.
Diffusing is one of the most effective ways to use this oil. Add 4-5 drops into your diffuser before bed time.
Cedarwood Oil
By stimulating both the immune and respiratory systems, this oil can quickly counter the factors that lead to snoring. It can reduce inflammation to keep the airways open and calm the mind to deliver higher-quality sleep.
How to Use – This underused oil can be blended with thyme oil, lavender oil and coconut oil then applied to the neck, chest, wrists or feet before bed.
Marjoram Oil
This sinus-clearing oil has been wildly popular in traditional medicine for its ability to stop snoring – often after only a few nights of regular use. Armed with antioxidants and stimulating active ingredients, this oil is closely linked with treatment for sleep apnea, which is one of the main causes of snoring.
How to Use – Mix 4-5 drops of marjoram oil with 1 teaspoon of a carrier oil and apply it to the outer rim of the nostrils, or directly above the top lip. If that is too intense of an aroma, simply apply it to the neck and chest before sleep.
If you would like to share your success story with us please email us at purejoynaturals@gmail.com
Please do not use this information as a substitute for medial care.
Who thinks about suicide?
How common is it to think about suicide? About a plan to stop your life; to die and leave all of this? Do you suddenly find yourself thinking about suicide and wonder how you got there? Well, you’re not alone. Many people report they think about suicide and possible plans. It is estimated that 5% of the Canadian population has thoughts of suicide at one time or another (ASIST BC Crisis Centre). Does that mean we’re all depressed? Or doing such a bad job of managing of our lives that we need to escape?
No. We are certainly not all depressed and most people with depression do not die by suicide or think about it all the time….and no, most of us may have one or two things in our lives we are struggling with, but our life overall is normal and acceptable. Thinking about suicide may start with thinking of a way to escape difficulty, sorrow, shame or guilt. Loss of people we love, relationships, jobs and money are all possible reasons to want to escape the feeling and the problem. We are wired to find solutions to our problems and for most of we naturally reach out, talk to someone, and together we have the ability to find solutions other than death. Some people, however, do not have someone that will listen to them when they mention their thoughts of suicide as a way to end the problem.
September 10th is World Suicide Prevention Day. I urge you to become aware of the commonness of thinking about suicide and seriously listen to someone that is hinting or talking about suicide, ending it all, or not having a choice. We absolutely cannot make someone suicide by asking them if they are thinking about killing themselves. Think about yourself. If you have had thoughts of suicide, it started long before someone asked about it. It was your idea – not theirs. Let’s try to prevent a suicide by LISTENING to someone’s story, and trying to find a solution other than death.
Barbara Gilmore is a registered counsellor in Victoria BC region that discusses suicide in your life. Why did someone die? Why do I want to die?
Barbara Gilmore
Clinical Counselling CPCA#3625
Gut Feeling
Poor gut health has been linked to fatigue, mood disorders like depression and anxiety, and a variety of conditions associated with nutrient deficiencies, such as anemia. Fibre is a great way to keep things regular and increase the elimination of toxins and waste from your digestive tract. Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains and grasses. If reaching the recommended 10 servings of vegetables per day seems unattainable, consider adding a greens powder to your daily routine to make things easier. Look for a product that is gluten-free, contains probiotics, and is juiced, as this maintains enzymes that improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients. By optimizing your gut, you can nourish your cells and boost your energy so you can fully dive into your favourite summertime activities!
Cassie Erwin, Enerex Botanicals Ltd. enerex.ca
Gut Feeling
Did you know that you can fight fatigue and depression by adding leafy greens, colorful fruits, and whole grains to your diet? Foods that are rich in natural nutrients will boost your gut health and eliminate toxins from your digestive tract. Another way to add leafy nutrients to your diet is through a greens powder. Look for a product that is gluten-free, contains probiotics, and is juiced, as this maintains enzymes that improve the digestion and absorption of nutrients. By optimizing your gut, you can nourish your cells and boost your energy so you can fully dive into your favourite summertime activities!
Benefits of Aromatherapy Jewelry
Aromatherapy can be so effective at helping you feel better that people have come up with enormously creative ways to take advantage of its benefits. Aromatherapy diffuser bracelets and necklaces enable you to inhale the essential oil molecules on the go. This can help you be stimulated and energized, or focused and calm throughout the day. Add a drop of your favourite essential oil or blend to your bracelet or necklace before you leave home, and you are ready to enjoy the benefits. Feeling your jewelry around your wrist or neck will remind you to take a relaxing breath throughout the day. Enjoy!
Travel Tip : Cindy Knows Travel
Most of us tend to stray from our normal healthy routine when on a trip, and personally, I’m okay with that. But when I’m en route to my destination, that’s a different story. On travel days, whenever possible, I try to avoid eating foods that make me feel lethargic and bloated. It can be difficult to fight the temptation to stop at fast food restaurants in the airport, load up on unhealthy treats to snack on mid-flight, or over-caffeinate to prepare for your trip. But all it takes is a little planning to avoid these common pitfalls so that you step off the plane feeling refreshed, healthy, and ready to start your adventure!
Happier Relationships
Summertime is usually holiday time, and we have more ‘face time’ with the people we love. How do your relationships with people you care about feel when you are not pressured by busy work days and agendas? Hopefully, they feel enjoyable and enhanced. However, a noticeable paradox within communication is that we can talk and not be heard; and listen, yet miss the message. What is happening? Probably an overwhelming emotional attachment to some part of the communication that suddenly demands a reaction – often a defensive response. Relationship counselling can address this problem. Connect with a counsellor to help identify and resolve communication difficulties.
