Our bodies are amazing, complex, and beautiful pieces of “bio-machinery.” Inside our body is a chemical factory and a delicate network of systems that work together to keep us healthy and living the life we want to live. Achieving optimal physical health varies by individual and involves listening to what your body and mind is telling you. The state of your physical being, both inside and out, is a key driver behind your confidence and mental wellness.

Appearance

No matter your age, appearance plays an important role in how you feel about yourself. Both men and women often forget that taking care of their appearance has a huge impact on confidence levels and social well-being. If you're feeling unhappy with some aspect of your appearance, it may be worth it to invest in treatments designed to address your areas of concern.

Shannon Lapointe, Founder of Bare Aesthetics & Painless Laser Hair Removal and Revitalize Your Health, urges individuals to bring their concerns forward to a professional. “Facials, exfoliation, teeth whitening, laser hair removal and even botox and filler treatments can all help a person feel vibrant and renewed. By openly discussing what may be bothersome to you. A professional can recommend the right treatment that meets your comfort level,” says Shannon.

Sexual Wellness

Another critical component of physical wellness lies with your sexual health. Feeling sensual and engaging in intimate activity can be a powerful tool for relieving stress. This promotes the release of hormones that can have beneficial effects on mood and general well-being.

Whether you’re looking for deeper or more frequent connections or improving performance, there are some simple ways you can take better care of your body.

Nutrition is essential in maintaining physical strength, but even small changes such as avoiding foods that cause heartburn or food allergies can make a difference when it comes to experiencing heightened arousal during intimate moments. Likewise, reducing caffeine intake and having adequate water intake will help promote excellent circulation while reducing blood pressure and keeping blood vessels dilated.

“From natural performance changes to more serious issues caused by disease or injury, there are a series of treatments available that do not require surgery or pharmaceutical remedies. Specialized, pain-free treatment plans can be applied that include pelvic muscle strengthening and improved blood flow.” Says Shannon.

Medical Health

It's important to be aware of your risk factors for certain diseases so you can take preventative measures, but also to acknowledge changes in your body that have created discomfort in your day to day living. Do not allow these ailments to go unaddressed and untreated. Common medical issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, or anxiety should all be monitored by a medical provider. There are also less commonly discussed medical issues that should be address, as Shannon states “Believe it or not, incontinence is also a highly common issue among both men and women. It can often go untreated, limiting the quality of day-to-day life and the resolution is likely within reach.”

Sometimes it feels easier to shy away from discussing or researching symptoms out of embarrassment or discomfort but seeking treatment to correct the burdens of your body almost immediately improves your quality of life.

Overall, we must acknowledge our bodies as the sacred vessel that they are, providing it the nurturing attention it requires. It can be difficult to identify what is plaguing your physical health. But, if you listen and then address the problem, you will feel better and be able to maintain a level of optimal health. If you have any questions about your health or how to improve it, please speak with your doctor or healthcare professional.

Expert Contributor:

Shannon Lapointe
Founder, Revitalize Your Health and Bare Aesthetics

Working in healthcare for over 20 years, Shannon is a Certified Continence Advisor (training), Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT), and Anesthesia Assistant (CCAA).

The holiday season is approaching, which means one thing for many: stress. Even people who love the holidays can get overwhelmed during this busy time of year, and if you’re not careful, it can lead to health problems like insomnia, stomach ulcers and even heart attacks. The key to avoiding these seasonal stresses? Preparation, of course. Make sure that you have a plan in place so that you can enjoy your holiday season without having to worry about everything that comes with it. Here are some of the key areas that most people find stressful surrounding the holidays and tips to consider that will help you break down those feelings of anxiousness.

Gift Giving

The most common stressors leading up to the holidays are related to gift giving. The number of gifts you feel you need to buy, the cost, and making sure everyone's gift is unique can be overwhelming. While giving gifts often brings us as much joy as receiving them, the expectation that a physical purchase is the only way to show our expression of love and appreciation for another is a false one. Not to mention, giving out of obligation or expectation can lead to negative outcomes like financial and relational burdens and stress.

The season of gift giving, however, should be a mentally healthy experience for everyone when executed in a meaningful way. If done thoughtfully, it can even add to the quality of your holiday season instead of making it more draining.

Tip: Begin by making a list of everyone you would like to get a gift for. Set aside some time to evaluate a variety of gift giving options and add some creative research to the process. Think of each person individually and consider more unique offerings, such as hand-written letters, personalized tokens, or experiential outings that you can do together. By exploring a variety of new options for gifting without overextending your budget, you can focus on sharing what truly matters most.

Social Gatherings

Whether hosting or attending, seasonal gatherings with friends or family can be quite intimidating. During this time of year, it can be difficult to feel like yourself. Expectations from friends and family can lead to social anxieties and pressures, which in turn can trigger a whole host of mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, mood instability or hopelessness. It is important that you take care of yourself during this time of year and give yourself permission to experience your own emotions.

Tip:  The best way to manage these stresses is to plan ahead and avoid overcommitting. Although it may seem like preparation does not always go according to plan, it will reduce anxiousness and give you clarity to set healthy boundaries. For example, before heading into a party, consider what would make the evening enjoyable for you and set boundaries on how long you'll stay or topics that may be discussed at length with certain individuals. Knowing what is most important to you will allow you to limit any potential negative effects before they happen.

Weight Gain

The holidays are a time of year where many people overeat in a hectic atmosphere, indulging in festive, rich foods and cocktails at every turn. The ongoing social gatherings that take place between Thanksgiving and New Year’s combined with the pressures related to festive eating and drinking almost always lead to weight gain and holiday blues. As a result, feelings of shame or inadequacy can often surface, and we all deserve better than that. For those who have made conscious decisions to be healthier throughout the year, whether it be with diet and exercise or consuming less or no alcohol, this time of year can be exceptionally difficult.

Tip: Embrace the mindful eating and drinking practices you have set for yourself, whether its listening to your body's hunger signals or following an intuitive eating plan. When hosting parties at home, try to offer healthy alternatives such as fruit kebabs or appetizer platters with veggies instead of chips and dip. When it comes to alcohol, save those calories for festivities with friends or family on the weekend and focus on a more structured approach to nutritious meals and portion sizes throughout the usual work week.

Exploring the wellness traditions that, across cultures, have stood the test of time.

In the heart of Dish With One Spoon Treaty Territory, commonly known as Niagara, Kinnikinnick Trading Company owner Edd Scorpio sells a customer a small jar of Minigan salve, an ointment made from bear fat and pine resins that he calls “a bandaid in a bottle.”

Since time immemorial, Indigenous people have concocted and used Minigan salve to treat scrapes, burns, aches, and pains, says Scorpio, who is Lakota, Mi’kmaq, Anishinaabe, and Meskwaki. It is a long-standing healing tradition that, like others across various cultures and communities, has stood the test of time.

Traditional medicine, despite having often been portrayed as the antagonist of modern medicine, is an important and often underestimated part of health care around the world. Recent history has witnessed an increased demand for integrated systems of healthcare that draw on the wisdom passed down from ancestral generations.

Expert Contributors:

Edd Scorpio, Owner, Kinnikinnick Trading Company
Scorpio descends from Indigenous people on two continents and some of the first French settlers on Turtle Island.

“I had a woman once come in with what was basically full body psoriasis,” recalls Scorpio. “She used the Minigan on it, and obviously this was not something that her doctors were familiar with, but it worked, and they told her to keep using it. So, you know, some doctors are amenable to things that are alternative to what their knowledge is or what they've heard of.”

The demand for provincial care services that focus on healing the mind, body, and spirit is prevalent here in Ontario. This past spring, a new Indigenous-focused primary care clinic opened in Cambridge, Ont., offering both modern medical care and traditional care to its patients. Earlier this year, the Ford government reversed a move to dissolve Ontario’s regulatory body for traditional Chinese medicine.

At Kinnikinnick, Scorpio carries on the cultural torch of his ancestors by creating products that draw on the power of the four sacred medicines in Indigenous culture: tobacco, sage, cedar, and sweetgrass. One of his most popular health and wellness products is his smokeless smudge spray, which combines the four sacred medicines into a liquid that provides his customers with all the benefits of a smudging ceremony without the smoke.  

“A lot of times, [our customers] use it as a general purpose medicinal,” says Scorpio.  “It keeps the air clean in their home or place of work and it gives them a lightness of spirit.”

Smudging is a practice whereby one or more of the four sacred medicines are burned to cleanse the mind, spirit, and environment of the burner. For customers who want a more traditional smudging experience, Scorpio sells loose leaf White Buffalo Sage. The leaves of this perennial are not only useful for clearing the air, he says, but can be consumed as a tea to promote circulation and general health and even used as a calming agent in baths.

Scorpio’s line of medicinal products derived from the traditions of Indigenous cultures across Turtle Island—the continent we know as North America—creates opportunities for his customers to heal more than just their bodies.

“I think it's all part and parcel,” says Scorpio. “When you're healing your body, a lot of that has to do with your mindset. In the healing process, you have to have a good mind as we say to help your body heal.”

At Circle of Health, a wellness centre in Niagara Falls, natural health practitioner Joanne Garrison also offers her customers opportunities for achieving holistic wellness. Since 2001, Garrison has provided residents of and visitors to the Niagara region with a range of wellness solutions that help heal the mind, body, and soul. These include reflexology, Indian head massage—or champissage—and meridian stress testing, the latter of which is one of Circle of Health’s most sought-after services, says Garrison.

Expert Contributors:

Joanne Garrison, Owner, Circle of Health

Garrison of Niagara Falls provides quality, alternative health service for area residents.

“Stress is the number one reason why people come,” she says. “Some people’s stress goes to their gut, for some people it goes to migraines. Stress affects every system of the body, and sometimes it’s not a disease or pathology that can be fixed by prescription medication.”

Meridian stress testing is a modern technology that is grounded in the centuries-old wisdom of Chinese medicine. It uses a device similar to an electrocardiogram to measure the body’s meridians, or pathways through which practitioners of Chinese medicine say a person’s life energy flows. Garrison says that by determining where stress blockages occur throughout the body, she can help the patient restore their energy flow through homeopathy and nutrition.

“Wellness, it encompasses not only the physical, but the mental and emotional as well,” says Garrison. “It's looking at the person as a whole, as opposed to individual parts of them.”

Sources: 
i: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/92455/9789241506090_eng.pdf
ii: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/indigenous-primary-care-clinic-is-open-in-cambridge-and-accepting-patients-1.6452553
iii: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ford-government-deregulates-traditional-chinese-medicine-1.6375505

As another Niagara summer season ramps up and the weather gets warmer, it is so important to continue to take great care of your skin – even when there aren’t any dry spots to worry about anymore. There are some important skincare products to keep up with during the summer so that you can protect your skin, and keep it looking and feeling its best!

What skincare products should you prioritize in the summer?

Sunscreen

Experts have known for years that wearing sunscreen daily, year-round is the best way to ensure slower visible aging of the skin. Despite the presence of sunlight throughout the entire year, our Canadian Summer seasons bring in more light than ever, making sunscreen most essential in this time of year. Ultra-violet (UV) Rays are the largest concern in sun exposure, as they have been proven to cause an overproduction of melanin, a natural skin pigment, in cells that receive more sun exposure¹. This results in dark spots, sometimes called age spots, as well as early appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. In more frequent, prolonged exposure to UV rays over many years, it is also common to become more susceptible to skin cancer². 

It’s important to remember though, that not all sunscreens are exactly alike. Local skincare specialist, owner of Aegis MD in St. Catharine’s and Canada’s only Integrative Aesthetic Medical Practitioner, Dr. Christina Plaskos recommends different types of sunscreens according to skin type.

Mineral sunscreens employ ingredients like Zinc Oxide that work to physically block UV rays from penetrating the skin, deflecting them entirely, while physical sunscreens absorb the UV rays³. She believes that “…for reactive skin that’s sensitive, mineral sunscreens are better.” Whereas “someone with a darker skin type can actually do better with a chemical sunscreen because they often help prevent the pigmentation better.”

However, there is no reason to complicate your choice of sunscreen, as it is most important to wear it properly. Dr. Plaskos says that “The best sunscreen is the one you’ll wear.” As long as the SPF (Sun- Protection Factor) is above 30 in the winter and 50 in the summer and reapplied every two hours, she recommends simply wearing whichever sunscreen works for you!

Vitamin C

On the opposite end of the summer-skin-protection spectrum, Vitamin C is believed to be a very beneficial ingredient to incorporate into a summer skin routine. While sunscreen creates protection from UV rays, Dr. Plasko says that Vitamin C “…provides an antioxidant, so when you do have some UV damage penetrate through, you can fend off resulting damage.”  These antioxidant properties of Vitamin C allow it to topically reduce harmful effects from free radicals in UV rays, which are unstable molecules that commonly reduce collagen production and cause damage to the skin’s cells⁴.

The combination of sunscreen and Vitamin C create what Dr. Plaskos calls “the perfect pair.” When properly used together throughout the summer, you prevent damage from UV rays throughout the day while fending off any leftover damage through the night! Most importantly, Dr. Plaskos encourages people to see a specialist to see what can work best for them and any potential skin conditions.

Expert Contribution:

Dr. Christina Plaskos, Founder, AEGIS MD
Dr. Plaskos is an experienced and trusted practitioner determined to ignite change within her community and the wellness industry.

Sources:

Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, February 11). Age spots (liver spots). Mayo Clinic. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/age-spots/symptoms-causes/syc-20355859

S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Sun's effect on skin - health video: Medlineplus medical encyclopedia. MedlinePlus. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/anatomyvideos/000125.htm

Franciscan Health. (2019, June 24). Is mineral sunblock better than chemical sunblock? Franciscan Health. Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://www.franciscanhealth.org/community/blog/is-mineral-sunblock-better-than-chemical-sunblock

Vitamin C and skin health. Linus Pauling Institute. (2022, January 3). Retrieved June 16, 2022, from https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/skin-health/vitamin-C

Our brains do a lot for us. They help us focus, solve problems, remember important information and make tough choices. Yet when mental fog rolls in, being productive can feel like an impossible task.

Canadians know they can train their bodies through healthy eating and regular exercise. But can we train our pandemic-affected brains, too?

Naturopathic doctor Marc Conteduca, who runs a brain training program at Niagara Health and Rehab Centre (NHRC), says that with hard work, it’s possible.[i]

“For many years, we didn't think that it was possible to improve brain function or regrow nerve cells or have this thing called neuroplasticity,” he says. “But now, we’re seeing that we can do those things.”

It’s welcome news for those dealing with what researchers are calling pandemic brain — brain inflammation caused by the chronic stress of living through a pandemic. Pandemic brain manifests as fatigue, brain fog and even mood changes in non-COVID-infected people.[ii]

Last year, more than 50 per cent of Canadians reported that COVID-19 had increased their stress or anxiety levels.[iii]Chronic stress can affect the parts of the brain that manage concentration, decision-making and even memory. It can make learning more difficult, and the people who experience it more anxious.[iv]

Want to get your pre-pandemic brain back? Here are three things you can do to boost brain function. 

Get Some Sleep (Without Your Phone)

Sleep helps keep your brain sharp — but most of us don’t get enough of it. According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, 1 in 2 adults have trouble going to sleep or staying asleep.[v]

“You need to prioritize sleep in the same way that you prioritize your exercise and nutrition plan,” says Conteduca.

Not getting enough sleep can affect your ability to learn, create new memories and concentrate. A lack of sleep doesn’t just affect your brain — poor sleep, or no sleep, can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, obesity and depression. [vi]

While every person has different requirements when it comes to sleep, experts suggest aiming for seven to nine hours per night. If you have trouble sleeping, try exercising regularly, quitting caffeine in the afternoon, and sticking to a routine bedtime.

Keeping your cell phone out of the bedroom can also improve sleep. In a 2020 study, researchers found that keeping cell phones near the pillow and scrolling for at least 30 minutes before bed with the lights off was associated with poor sleep quality.[vii] Other studies have shown phone use could affect working memory.[viii]  Consider banning blue-light emitting screens an hour before bed and charging your phone outside the bedroom.

Get Outside and Exercise

Exercising and spending time outside doesn’t just feel good — it can also help your brain function better. Research suggests that even short trips outside can change brain structure to improve concentration, mood and working memory.[ix]

While mindless exercise — day-to-day physical activity like walking up stairs — can build better health in the long run, nothing beats mindful physical exercise when it comes to boosting cognition.

“That neuromuscular, or brain to muscle connection, is very important,” says Conteduca. “What we’re finding is that intentional and purposeful exercise matters.”

Try setting aside a time to walk or run outdoors, join a yoga class, or engage in exercise you truly enjoy. Make outdoor morning or lunchtime walks a part of your daily routine. Cognitive learning also depends on repetition, so commit to lifestyle changes for at least one month if you want to see improvement.

Eat Healthy Fats

Food is fuel for the brain, which is why scientists say failing to fuel up can negatively affect brain function.

Understanding how food affects the brain is a different beast because it’s a relationship that scientists didn’t begin exploring until recently, says nutritional scientist and University of Toronto Associate Professor Richard Bazinet, who researches the link between the two.[x]

“Your brain only makes up about two per cent of your body weight, depending on how much you weigh, but it's using 10 to 20 per cent of your brain energy,” says Bazinet. “So, you’ve got to feed that thing.”

Bazinet says the brain is about 50 per cent fat, and that two fats — docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and arachidonic acid (ARA) — are especially important for cognition. The brain can’t make these fats on its own, so eating foods high in DHA and ARA can provide it with these essential fatty acids. Sources of these fats include seafood, fish oil, dairy and eggs.

As for the rest of your diet, Bazinet says that “largely, the foods that people think are good for their heart seem to be good for their brain.”

Incorporate whole, or non-processed, foods into your diet and give plant-based foods a try. Research also suggests that adding berries, such as blueberries and raspberries, to your diet can improve memory and boost brain function.[xi]

[i] https://nhrcentre.com/team/marc-conteduca/

[ii] https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210929/Research-finds-increases-in-pandemic-brain-after-COVID-19-lockdowns.aspx#:~:text=According%20to%20new%20research%20from,known%20as%20%22pandemic%20brain.%22

[iii] https://www.ipsos.com/en-ca/covid-continues-take-heavy-toll-canadians-mental-health

[iv] https://www.uottawa.ca/gazette/en/news/understanding-and-countering-effects-stress-your-brain-and-your-mental-health#:~:text=Under%20prolonged%20stress%2C%20this%20region,problem%20solving%2C%20concentration%20and%20planning.

[v] https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/healthy-living/canadian-adults-getting-enough-sleep-infographic.html

[vi] https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Understanding-Sleep#:~:text=Sleep%20is%20important%20to%20a,up%20while%20you%20are%20awake.

[vii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7320888/

[viii] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7425970/

[ix] https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/07/210715103025.htm

[x] https://nutrisci.med.utoronto.ca/faculty/richard-bazinet

[xi] https://njaes.rutgers.edu/sshw/message/message.php?p=Health&m=350

Health may be wealth — but a Canadian health system that many consider underfunded and underperforming can make it hard to feel rich.

Staffing shortages and long wait times were problems long before the COVID-19 pandemic made system shortfalls more visible, experts say.

According to the Ontario Medical Association (OMA), nearly 20 million health care services were postponed or cancelled during the pandemic. That backlog includes surgeries and treatments as well as testing and doctors’ visits.[i]

“It will take months, if not years, to get through all of the backlog,” says OMA President Dr. Adam Kassam.

Canadians are optimistically beginning to consider life after the pandemic, and the future of the health system is top of mind. Here are five ways Canadian health care could be revitalized.

Boost Telehealth

Telehealth is a method of remotely delivering health care — one that Health Economist Erin Strumpf says saves physician resources while getting people the care they need.

Using technology in the form of online doctor visits and apps that monitor patient health, for example, can make care more accessible for remote communities and people with limited mobility while easing strain on the system.

“[Telehealth] requires less time, no travel, and no waiting in a room,” says Strumpf. “No, it can’t be used for everything, but why not use it for what it’s good for?”

Increase the Number of Acute Care Beds

According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Canada ranks among the lowest of OECD countries for acute care beds per capita.[ii]

Kassam says that number is far too low, adding that increasing the number of these beds in Canadian hospitals is just one piece of the puzzle. Hospitals also need to staff them.[iii]

“It's not just about beds, it’s also about having the human resources to provide the services to those individuals,” says Kassam.

Expand Mental Health Services

Pre-pandemic, one in five people in Canada were experiencing a mental health problem or illness in any given year, according to the Mental Health Commission of Canada.[iv] That number is expected to increase post-pandemic.[v]

Making mental health care more financially and physically accessible for Canadians of all ages and professions, including health care professionals, could ease strain on the system by reducing hospitalizations and increasing quality of care.

Strengthen Pandemic Preparedness

“We had a situation during the pandemic where we put lots of social restrictions in place [to] protect a health care system that is more fragile than other […] countries,” says Strumpf.

In response to the pandemic, the federal government established the Centre for Research on Pandemic Preparedness to help Canada prepare for, prevent, respond to and recover from health emergencies.[vi] Canada can better prepare for pandemics by addressing staffing shortages in public health, hospitals, and long-term care and funding domestic production of drugs and medical equipment.

Reduce Wait Times and Backlog

Ontario is Canada’s most populous province but the second-lowest spender on health care per capita, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information.[vii] But simply throwing more money at the problem isn’t enough, say Strumpf and Kassam. 

By investing to leverage telemedicine, revamp referral systems to cut down on wait times, and offload hospitals by allowing certain procedures and surgeries to be performed outside of hospitals, governments could make a huge difference in reducing wait times and addressing backlog.

“It's simply not good enough anymore to say doctors should work longer hours after 20 months of having been worked to the bone to get through the pandemic,” says Kassam.

Contributors:

Dr. Adam Kassam, Physician and President, OMA

Dr. Adam Kassam is a board-certified physician in physical medicine and rehabilitation. He’s also a clinical associate at Sinai Health and Runnymede Healthcare Centre in Toronto.

Erin Strumpf, Associate Professor at McGill University

Erin Strumpf teaches in the Department of Economics and the Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health at McGill University. Her research looks at outcomes of health care spending.

Sources

[i] https://www.oma.org/uploadedfiles/oma/media/public/prescription-for-ontario-doctors-5-point-plan-for-better-health-care.pdf

[ii] https://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/en/data-insights/hospital-beds-acute-care

[iii] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-icus-adding-beds-but-will-it-help-1.5985771

[iv] https://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/wp-content/uploads/drupal/2016-06/Investing_in_Mental_Health_FINAL_Version_ENG.pdf

[v] https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/ca/Documents/about-deloitte/ca-covid19-human-impact-pov-en-aoda.pdf

[vi] https://www.canada.ca/en/institutes-health-research/news/2022/01/centre-for-research-on-pandemic-preparedness-and-health-emergencies.html

[vii] https://rnao.ca/news/media-releases/cihi-report-indicates-ontario-spends-less-than-necessary-to-benefit-its-people