Aging 101
Aging. We all do it. And we all do it differently. Let’s start with the very basics – you can spell it ‘aging’, or ‘ageing’ – either way it’s something you’re doing right this second! Every single reaction going off in every single cell in your body every micro second makes you a little wee bit older. Every single time you put food or beverage in your mouth, or every time you choose to be active or not, you’re making a choice about how you want to age. Let’s look at the major components of intelligent aging. In my mind the three primary pieces of...
Read MoreAre you Listening?
Hearing your Spirit Guides & Energy Beings. In these tumultuous times, many people are seeking answers to the bigger question – are you too? Are you feeling unsure and fearful of what the future holds, in the big picture of politics, economics, and other global events? Are big changes happening in your own life? For 10 years, I have been doing my work as a healer and now, more than ever, my clients are coming to me in fear of the unknown. Many of them are asking me to help them connect with and hear their Spirit Guides, in the hopes of receiving answers to their many questions. Over...
Read MoreIf Winter Comes …
January, the winter month with probably the most shivery feelings involved, this year being no exception, is a month with a dual personality. Even the harsh sound of the month’s name grates on one. But January took its name full of stern consonants from a two–faced god so it does have some redeeming features. The god Janus, supposedly adopted from the Greeks and given a Roman name, is sculpted, painted, and carved as a stern figure whose head looks in two opposite directions, backward and forward. He was known to preside over conflicts and wars; the gates of Roman cities were...
Read MoreRockin’ Risotto.
Nick Misura returned to his native Cowichan Valley a few years ago with a goal of settling down and enjoying his retirement. However, Nick’s love of cooking, good food and a restlessness to do something fun and creative soon took over. Rockin’ Risotto was born in 2015 and Nick has been converting customers to this delicious side-dish ever since! The idea to make packaged risotto came from Nick’s wife, an active member of the Duncan Farmers’ Market’s board of directors. Together, they started testing and tasting different ingredient mixes to come up with recipes which would later...
Read MoreCataracts
Cataracts are one of the most common problems affecting the eyes of the dog. There are many different forms and causes of cataract formation. They affect all breeds and ages of dogs, but certain types show up more commonly in certain breeds. Despite the fact that they are very common, there is still a lot that we do not know about canine cataracts. The only current treatment option is surgery, but with correct patient selection the outcome is very good. This article will explain some of the different forms of cataracts including their age of onset and their treatment options. What are...
Read MoreReflexology for Constipation
Constipation can be an embarrassing topic for some people to discuss, but so many of us can suffer from it, it’s an important conversation to have. How you are digesting and excreting food can also have a big impact on your energy levels and mood. Are you feeling lethargic and depressed? Constipation could be part of the problem. During the winter many of us do not intake the amount of fluids or fruit we need too. It’s natural not to feel the compulsion to intake these foods and fluids in the same way we do in the hot summer months. As a result however, this leads to reduced...
Read MoreCasual Style
The Art of Looking Put Together. Casual-cool is a style that’s been popping up all over the place, from Instagram to the runways of New York Fashion Week. It’s definitely one of my personal favourites, since I’m a lover of all things comfortable. The only problem with the style is it can go from cute to sloppy very quickly, so here are some tips on how to avoid that, and look carefree instead of careless. There are a few simple tricks that can really make all the difference when dressing casually. The t-shirt is a staple which is easy and fun to play up. One of my go-to...
Read MoreLiving In The Light
I have always had a burning desire to understand how the Universe works, what life is all about and the meaning and purpose for which I am here. This is a profound question I have often asked myself. I consider myself foremost a spiritual being. I have spent my life seeking my higher purpose. My faith has been tested many times. On my spiritual path I allow the mystical power of living with consciousness to help guide me through. I believe that each one of us has a true purpose and each one of us is a channel for the Universe. After we are born in the body we forget who we really are...
Read MoreTHC, CBD, and Cannabinoids
As we head towards full legalization, we are starting to see the views of society starting to change in regards to cannabis. Every day, new research is being developed and we are finding more and more uses for this extraordinary plant that has grown alongside human kind for a millennium. Current research has shown there are many different properties to cannabis, many of which are known as cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the active compounds within cannabis that result in both the psychoactive, as well as medicinal effects, of the plant. There are over 500 natural compounds within cannabis, and...
Read MoreWear a Pussyhat.
The day after Donald Trump’s inauguration.I have just learnt about this incredible gathering of women that is going to happen in Washington on January 21st. to reinforce the rights and freedoms of women, The Women’s March on Washington, from the newspaper article below. Please support the ongoing struggle for women’s rights, especially at this time, whilst the world holds its breath waiting to see what will happen when Donald Trump takes office. He has shown nothing but contempt for women. He has no social graces at all. He is a dangerous human being and will have the...
Read MoreAfter A Parkinson’s Diagnosis.
According to Parkinson Society Canada, there are nearly 100,000 Canadians living with Parkinson’s disease. If your elderly loved one has recently been diagnosed with the condition, he or she can continue to live a happy and healthy life with the right support. Here are a few tips to keep in mind. CONSIDER LONG-TERM CARE The rate at which Parkinson’s disease progresses can vary from person to person, and the uncertainty of what to expect can cause a great deal of worry for both seniors and their family caregivers. Sit down with your loved one as soon as possible after the diagnosis to...
Read MoreSigns that something is wrong
Headaches are a sign of the body that somewhere in the head the Chi-flow/energy-flow is impeded. We have to take this seriously. Taking a pill is no solution. Would you unscrew the light bulb in your car that is indicating your car needs oil? You wouldn’t, but many take regularly pills to eliminate their headache. Some headaches are caused by stress, others by injuries to the head, neck, back, and also to the legs. Two meridians run from the toes to the top of the head and go through these areas, Any injury of the areas can have an effect on the Chi-flow in the brain. Many years of an...
Read MoreWhere The Wild Pines Grow
Written in 20 minutes by Márta O’Reilly during a writing exercise we had in our writing group. The title topic was “The Place Where Wild Pines Grow”. I feel as if I’d been here before. I recognize the lay of the land, the shape of that hill on the horizon. I know as I walk this path what I will see when I turn that corner. This is not an ordinary déjà vu; this familiarity with every tree, every outcropping of rock down to every blade of grass. Yet my plane landed here only yesterday. I am an old man. I have travelled far and long on the many trails of my world. But my history...
Read MoreThank You So Much
2016 was a fantastic year for our 3 web sites. Collectively www.seniors101.ca , www.islandwomanmagazine.ca and www.vancouverislandnow.ca had 264,309 visitors who opened 865,916 pages which is just incredible!!!!! All 3 sites are focused solely on Vancouver Island which goes to show the interest people have on this island paradise of ours. In an age when web sites come and go in the blink of an eye we have stood the test of time. Google loves us, and the top quality of our content ensures that our readers return again and again. We owe a huge vote of thanks to our advertisers for their...
Read MoreWho Burnt the Toast?
My Gabriola Kitchen. Who Burnt the Toast in my Gabriola kitchen is really a lead in to the end of this article, however I think you might enjoy the journey sandwiched. Today my kitchen is quiet. December 27th. Cozy, warm, in hibernation mode. Simmering a pot of smoked sausage soup in a much too large a stock pot for one. So, I’ll share. Call up a few friends if they aren’t too full of the bird, put on the fireplace, candles for atmosphere. A simple repast. No kitchen is too small to create within. Elbows down, even in my family’s kitchen, 3 to 4 of us can harmonize,...
Read MoreManaging Disappointment
This morning when I awoke, my little girl, with such anticipation, looked out the window, wanting only for the view to be full of snow. The weather bureau had predicted a blizzard, a foot of snow, maybe more. She was so excited! It had been such a long time since we’d had any snow in Victoria and the excitement that had been building over the past couple of days as the first snow in many years fell has been wonderful! To connect again to that sense of transformation, of beauty and softness that comes when the snow falls. You see, my little girl, when she was growing up in Vancouver and...
Read More