with Carol Belanger, BA, RM, BHS
10am to 11:15am, at KIHC
$65 for the 6 week series
6 Mondays: May 13th to June 24th (no class Victoria Day), and/or
6 Fridays: May 24th to June 28th
“I will be teaching a series of seemingly gentle flowing exercises, that in fact through Qigong provide many health benefits for our bodies and also for our mental, emotional, and spirit health. Classes provide an active and dynamic forum for strengthening your physical healing capacity. You will learn about the body, breath, energy and meditative mind. You are welcome to sign up for Mondays, Fridays or both days.”
In 2011 a provocative new study from Sweden was released that made headlines. The study followed over 3000 women from 1985 to 2001, examining for rates of breast cancer, periodontal disease and missing molars. They found a higher rate of breast cancer in those with periodontal disease and even higher rates in those women with missing molars! While the exact link is not yet known, there are a few suspected causes.
Periodontal disease is a condition where chronic gum inflammation causes receding gums, which can lead to loss of teeth. We know that this condition causes chronic inflammation due to toxins produced by the bacteria living in inflamed gums or in infected teeth. A 2010 study in China found that chronic periodontal disease led to genetic changes to the DNA
Anyone who has had, or been around someone experiencing jaw discomfort, knows that it is no laughing matter. It is a class of pain unto itself, and it makes perfect sense, since we use our mouths more or less constantly throughout our day. Talking, biting and chewing our food, yawning, and most of our facial expressions all involve significant work by our mouth and jaw muscles. Not surprisingly, some of these muscles are among the strongest muscles in our body. So what happens when these muscles get sore?
You may be surprised to hear that massage therapy is a VERY effective way to deal with sore jaw muscles. Often referred to as TMJ pain (much easier to say than ‘Temporomandibular Joint’), TMJ dysfunction is fairly common, and can arise for a variety of reasons. Your TMJ is just in front of your ear, and where your lower jaw articulates with your skull. Teeth grinding, trauma (like a blow to the jaw, especially with the mouth open), improper positioning of the teeth, postural issues, and even prolonged dental work can all cause TMJ dysfunction. Interestingly though, apart from some serious dental work (i.e. having your mouth open for an hour or more at a time!), or some stress-related teeth grinding, the most common contributing factor to TMJ pain is tight neck muscles! When our necks our tight,
with Carol Belanger, BA, RM, BHS
10am to 11:15am, at KIHC
$65 for the 6 week series
From Hibernation to Rejuvenation:
6 Mondays: March 25th to May 6th (no class Easter Monday), and/or
6 Fridays: April 5th to May 10th
The liver is a wedge shaped organ found in the upper right side of the abdominal cavity. It is essential for the digestion and metabolism of food, breakdown of toxins, drugs, production of blood clotting factors and storage of blood.
The health of our organs influences our emotional health and vice versa. When our bodies are functioning with good health, we feel more in balance, and a relaxed internal environment is created. When organs are in disharmony, our energy and circulation becomes sluggish, the balance of our health is tipped, body systems become compromised and emotional disturbances can also result. Depression and anger are two emotions specifically associated with the liver.
The liver’s functioning also influences the health of the other organs. For example, if the liver is not performing optimally, our digestive system is compromised, our kidneys must perform a greater detoxification role, and the work of the spleen is not smooth. Uncomfortable symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, belching, diarrhea, and others may be present, at which point a visit with a naturopath may be indicated to support regaining liver health.
To strengthen the health of your liver and other organs,
By Megan Edgelow, BSc(OT), MSc(RHBS), OT Reg.(Ont.), Occupational Therapist
Memory and aging can be a source of worry for many people. Common questions include: What memory changes should I expect as I grow older? What is normal and when should I seek health expertise? If I sometimes forget, is something wrong with my brain? Can I improve my memory?
These are excellent questions to ask, and an interest in your memory shows that you are invested in your health and well-being as you age. The good news is, there are many things you can do to improve your memory and daily function. Difficulties with memory are not an inevitable outcome of aging.
When someone’s memory or daily function is obviously impaired, seeking medical assistance is a natural step; the healthcare system is equipped to manage conditions such as dementia. However, for people who notice their memory is changing with age, but don’t have a serious memory impairment, a gap is left. They are often too well to need typical medical treatment, but can be left concerned about their memory, and frustrated by changes they notice.
With spring just around the corner it means we will start opening windows to let the fresh air in. It is also a very damp time of year with a lot of rain – for those who suffer from mould allergies, it can be challenging. There is a lot of strong evidence suggesting that dampness outside can change indoor air quality. But how does moisture make us sick? Unfortunately it is not the water and rain that make us sick, but rather they create the perfect environment and conditions for mould to grow.
Mould spores can be found everywhere – from food to drywall to leaf litter and the soil on the ground. In fact, mould and the enzymes they secrete, are needed for the normal breakdown and decay of organic material. But the problem begins when there are higher concentrations of mould indoors than outdoors. The problem gets worse when the perfect conditions are met for it to grow. All mould needs is increased moisture or water accumulation and/or the indoor relative humidity level to be above 60% – the higher the moisture content, the faster the mould growth. The greater the mould growth, the higher the risk for poor indoor air quality and the greater the chance of breathing problems or other respiratory illnesses.
A: Nowadays someone who is dealing with depression has a growing number of treatment paths available to them. One option that research is showing to be more and more effective is Registered Massage Therapy. There is growing evidence that Massage is an effective part of a holistic approach to treating depression and other mood disorders. Massage Therapists are now educated about depression just like any other condition such as epilepsy or hypertension. Let’s examine the role that Massage Therapy can play as part of an integrated approach to dealing with depression.
The most well known benefits of Massage Therapy are stress reduction and relaxation. Stress arises from, and contributes to all illnesses. Massage Therapy helps combat stress by calming your nervous system and putting your body in a more relaxed state. In fact, Massage Therapy has been shown to reduce cortisol levels in your body by up to 40 percent after even a single massage!
So you’ve been told that you have a deficiency of the “happy” brain chemical serotonin, and that a drug will help you feel better by increasing your body’s response to serotonin. But what caused that serotonin deficiency in the first place? And what will happen if you neglect to address this underlying cause by relying solely on the medication?
Research clearly demonstrates that chronic stress can cause serotonin deficiencies and depression. Many of us would agree that spiritual or emotional stress incurred during childhood or in our jobs and relationships, can lead to depression. But chronic ‘stress’ also applies to physiological (body) stress. Stress from chronic illness can stimulate biochemical processes (e.g. inflammation), in the body that “steal” nutrients otherwise used for serotonin production, thereby contributing to depression symptoms. This stress biochemistry is a survival strategy that our bodies have used theoretically since the caveman age, and we haven’t adapted yet to our fast-paced North American culture.
Our bodies are built to manage short bouts of high stress, such as what you might feel if suddenly attacked by a wild animal. Our bodies are not biochemically equipped to manage any amount of chronic stress, no matter how low grade, and no matter whether emotional, environmental, or physical. When “healthy” biochemical processes are put on hold in favour of those that support our stress response, nutrients are depleted, normal wear and tear on our bodies is not repaired, our bodies switch to inefficient energy production processes (i.e. we feel tired and ‘old’), and chronic disease progresses.
What common health conditions can cause this shift in our body’s biochemistry and drop in serotonin?
There are many contributing factors of low back pain. Among them, lifting, bending, turning or in combination, seem to be the most common causes of low back pain. I want to discuss a factor that not many would consider. Yet, it is a factor that can affect us all. I want to describe for you, the influence of low energy levels on back pain.
How many of us say things like, “Ah, I have no energy today.” Or, “I’m spent.” Or, “I’m pooped.”? Yes, we can recognize when our energy levels get low.
But have you stopped to consider your energy level, where it comes from and where it goes? Those are easy questions on the surface to answer when we do start to consider them, and some of the answers are pretty common too.
Introduction to increasing & applying conscious presence when relating with clients.
Hosted by KIHC
Created and facilitated by Lise Gillis
Self-awareness is the starting point for emotional and social intelligence. The Mindful Therapist, Daniel J. Seigel
Comfort and awareness of one’s own inner landscape are powerful attributes that contribute to compassion and effectiveness as a helping professional. This introductory workshop will immerse you in a powerful relating process designed to support each other as colleagues, and significantly improve your ability to:
• Listen more deeply and be more present with others/clients
• Decrease mental chatter while listening
• Gain clarity and broader understanding of underlying life/client issues
• Be more alert, focused, accepting, non- judgemental and non-reactionary
We respectfully acknowledge that Kingston Integrated Healthcare is situated on ancestral Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee Territory. Since time immemorial they have cared for these lands and waters, and we are grateful. We recognize that a healthy environment is essential to the wellbeing of all people and all life.
