Back Pain
Back pain has to be taken as a serious warning sign. The body is always giving warning signs long before a serious health problem will show up. Too many are taking for their back pain from time to time painkillers. When one has pain in the back then this can be caused by an impingement of the chi flow in the spine. This can be caused by constant wrong posture when standing, walking, or sitting. Another reason can be caused by specific strong emotions we have, like anger, fear, worry. These emotions have a connection to specific areas beside the spine. This is also the reason why many have...
Read MoreLong Term care of Seniors
For those of us that have worked in and around the Long-term care system here on the Island have known since day one that contracting out the care and food services was wrong. The quality of medical, personal and nutritional care has suffered greatly. In fact there is very little effort or time spent on the individual personal needs of those in care or the families. The following report and overview of this chronic scenario is long overdue and I congratulate Isobel Mackenzie for having the courage to tackle it head on. Thank you. Trish Summerhayes. Owner/Publisher Island Woman Magazine....
Read MoreCommunity Paramedics
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Georgia Nelson the Community Paramedic for Chemainus. Whilst I had heard of the position and seen their vehicles I really had no idea as to the purpose and scope of their role in communities. I felt it would be useful if she could let Island Woman’s readers know exactly what services and support does a Community Paramedic provide. Thank you Georgia. Trish Summerhayes. Publisher. ********************************** I was asked by Trish Summerhayes to write a blurb about my role as a community paramedic. I have been a paramedic for 5 years,...
Read MoreVaping.
I cannot understand for the life of me why vaping been allowed and legitimised into Canada by our federal, provincial and municipal governments. What were they thinking about? oh silly me, more taxes of course; no matter what the costs. I think vaping is incredibly stupid and dangerous on 2 fronts. !. Why should I have to walk through the huge, obnoxious clouds that these things generate when I am out walking. What am I forced to breath in? 2. What chemicals are the users breathing in and passing on to me? We have spent 20 years or more actively, and successfully, encouraging...
Read MoreMayan Magic Natural Skincare
Now, we’ve carried this little Gem for several years now,and it sits quietly and unasuming on the shelf, yet enjoys great sales. Both customers and fellow employees have been singing it’s praises for years and so I have finally taken the time to do a little research on it’s active ingredient. This star ingredient is called “Tepezcohuite”, extracted from Mexico’s “skin tree” and used by Mayan healers in their holistic practices. This ingredient, has proven to offer healing, restoration and protection for the skin. Now, I don’t believe every miracle claim I read, but...
Read MoreSpreading my Wings, Standing Still
Sometimes the best action you can take, is to take none at all. There is strength is standing still. We’re such an action-oriented culture that we can miss out on the wisdom that comes to us only in the silence and stillness of non-action. Many well-meaning people have suggested over the years that I slow down; that I put too much on my plate; that just watching me do all the things I do, leaves them feeling tired. “I don’t know how you do it all!” is something I often hear. I enjoy being busy. I enjoy the challenge of sitting down in the morning and putting my Can-Do List on...
Read MoreFighting Cold and Flu
Vitamins and Other Supplements to Strengthen Your Immune System When we’re not feeling well, getting enough sleep, drinking enough fluids, and getting plenty of rest is what we need to get better. But what about our diet? How can we change what we eat to get better? And, can what we eat help prevent us from getting sick? In this post I’m joined by University of British Columbia student Alyssa Chai to share what the scientific literature has to say about what supplements to strengthen and maintain a healthy immune system. Fighting Cold and Flu with Supplements Vitamin C Vitamin C...
Read MoreMother and Healer
We build bridges every day, between opposing sides of the same thing. One of my goals as a Healer, is to build bridges between alternative and conventional medicine, so people can benefit from both. These days I’m building a different bridge, one between being a Healer and being a Mother. I believe that as a Mother, I’m inherently a Healer. Every Mother is. The cough syrup company, Robitussin, capitalized on this with their Dr. Mom commercials in the 1990’s. Dr. Mom knows best, right? My experiences recently with conventional medicine would say otherwise. My oldest daughter is in a...
Read MoreHome Visits for Optimum Health
Why get a home visit? Have you ever finished getting a massage and felt so “floaty” you wondered how you are going to get yourself home? Have you just had surgery and been given instructions to increase activity for healing and not known where to begin? Do you have an knee, leg, hip or back injury that makes it difficult to get to clinics for therapies? Have you experienced a stroke that makes it difficult to get around? Do you have a chronic condition like diabetes or M.S. – or are you on dialysis and find you are short on energy? How Reflexology home visits help... A home...
Read MoreWhat is Collagen?
The ever-present buzzword that invades the minds of beauty gurus, health experts, and all who pursue the path of attaining soft and supple skin. Collagen is a protein that is key in skin’s support structure. Therefore, it plays a crucial role in skin’s integrity, firmness, elasticity, and overall functioning. Despite its vital role, the aging process triggers the progressive decline of collagen in the body which leads to the weakening of skin and the development of wrinkles. As today’s beauty standards value younger-looking skin, it is no wonder that this protein is sought after by so...
Read MoreOne Reflex at a Time
Ask anyone whose tried reflexology and they will tell you – It feels GOOD! Not many realize however, that this type of applied reflex massage also increases your circulation, lowers blood pressure and triggers relaxation throughout a stressed body. In my goal to help people feel better, my company Centerline Reflexology has expanded. There are; on-line self-help videos on YouTube, Facebook offers, plus informational talks given in multiple communities. We also provide home visits and in-clinic appointments. Still, somehow this didn’t feel like reflexology was reaching all the people...
Read MoreDo I need to Soak Nuts
Recently I was asked: “Is there any truth to the idea that we should be soaking our nuts and grains to make these foods more digestible, more nutritious or to avoid so called ‘anti nutrients’?” Ah, the Internet, such a double-edged sword. I love it – after all, it’s how I’m communicating with you today. And, I hate it. In my 23+ years of experience in nutrition, I’ve never seen people so confused about nutrition. This question is yet another example of how people are confused about nutrition. What’s the source of this confusion? I commonly see two sources. One source is the...
Read MoreNo Energy – No Interest in Sex
There is some truth to it when women say“I am too tired”. To have a fulfilling sex life we need to have energy. It seems since we have WiFi/EMF more and more people are tired, experience extreme fatigue and have sleeping problems. Many other health problems may be also related to the constant exposure to electro-magnetic frequencies. Studying JinShinDo® Acupressure my instructor said: “When the Kidney Meridian of somebody is weak do not try to pull the energy over from another meridian that is strong. The person has to change their eating and living habits.” This made a lot of...
Read MoreSeniors Advocate’s latest report.
Contracted Residential Care Facilities Responsible for Substantially More Hospital Visits and More than Double the Rate of Deaths in Hospital when Compared to Publicly Operated Care Facilities B.C Seniors Advocate, Isobel Mackenzie, today released a report that compared hospitalization rates for residents of contracted long term care facilities (both not- for- profits and private companies) with residents from publicly operated care facilities. “After careful review of multi-year data, a consistent pattern emerges that shows a demonstrably greater use of the emergency department and...
Read MoreReduce Care Giver Stress
Being a caregiver to a senior often leads to stress and may also weaken physical health. It also increases financial responsibility and pressure. Many caregivers report feeling tired, worried, anxious, overwhelmed, or isolated. Specifically, meal preparation, cleaning and lack of support are the leading causes of stress among caregivers of seniors. In 2009, it was reported that 34% of Canadians aged 65 or older are at nutrition risk. This emphasizes the need to better support family care givers to provide nutrition care to senior parents. Why isn’t it obvious? Many seniors experience poor...
Read MoreTo Touch, Or Not To Touch
Touching – Essential to the human condition. Today, I was listening to Senior Rabbi,Baroness Julia Neuberger on the radio. She spoke for a few minutes as part of the regular program that accompanies me through my days at home. I find her jolly sensible, down-to-earth and invariably a message in her words that ring true. Her subject today was touch…simply that, the touch of a hand. Its power to be used for the good, or in these days of mis-conduct and inappropriate-ness, if that’s a word, for worse. She spoke about how so many of us today, live with loneliness, and that’s...
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