I have been contemplating whether or not I should put a link to this youtube video I saw for a couple of weeks. Well, I have decided to share with you “The Double Rainbow” When I first saw it I both laughed like crazy, and felt inspired by “Hungry Bear” and his appreciation of the simple things in life. While diet, exercise, sleep, and stress reduction are all crucial to our health and well being, we need to truly enjoy life and what we are doing. Doing something you like and having a positive emotional response to it releases endorphins, reduces cortisol, reduces blood pressure, and heart rate, and makes you smile which relaxes the muscles in your face and promotes a smooth flow of qi. Make a point today to do something just purely for the enjoyment of it! ~Think...
I hope you have been enjoying the magnificent Victoria weather over the last few days but also protecting yourself from the sun. Why is it that we have to protect our skin from the sun, isn’t it a ‘natural’ source of vitamin D? It is, but because of changes in the ozone layer, we are exposed to more UVA and UVB radiation than ever before and we have not evolved to be able to handle it… yet! Did you know that there is a difference between sunscreen and sunblock? Most of us use the terms interchangeably but they are different. Firstly, sun has Ultraviolet A and Ultraviolet B rays. UVA rays penetrate deeper into the skin and lead to oxidative damage, skin cancer, and the visible signs of aging. UVB rays don’t penetrate as deeply but are primarily what causes sunburn and mutation of DNA leading to skin cancer. Depending on the ingredients, sunscreen deflects and absorbs UVB radiation with a chemical reaction. Some of the chemicals may include oxybenzone, octisalate, and avobenzone. The downside of sunscreen is that it does not protect against UVA radiation and the chemicals used may be potentially harmful if used on a regular basis. Sunblock creates a physical barrier between your skin and the sun and is much more effective in protecting you from both UVA and UVB. The ingredients found in sunblock are titanium dioxide and zinc oxide. When advertising SPF protection, manufacturers are only referring to protection from UVB sunburns as it does not include protection from skin cancer and oxidative damage. The best option is mineral sunblock because it offers...
Well, I think it’s fair to say that summer has finally arrived in Victoria! With the sunshine and longer days, a lot of people are wanting to get out and get active. We should remember that whether it is having a game of basketball, tennis, or even throwing the frisbee around we can injure ourselves without proper stretching and warming up. In my practice I have seen all sorts of injuries from summertime activity, most of which could be easily avoided by stretching beforehand. The main areas of injury are the shoulders, neck, and back. Spend a couple minutes limbering up and stretching before that game of bacchi ball and enjoy the free Vitamin D while we have it! ~Think Vitality!~ Photo...
In the spirit of World Cup Soccer, here is a little tid bit of information; Did you know that in an average soccer game players will cover between 10 to 15 km, and burn approximately 1400 calories per game? Soccer is a good game to play to help build your overall health and wellness because it is ‘interval training.’ You can get more results with less time and less damage to the body with interval training versus the ‘long and slow’ type of exercise. Pick up a ball, put on your sunglasses and challenge the neighborhood kids to a game of soccer- your body will thank you! ~Think Vitality!~ Source: The Globe and Mail Image Japan...
I watched an off beat documentary this weekend called “10 Miles Per Hour” which chronicled a journey from Seattle to Boston on a Segway- you know those odd 2 wheeled scooters that were supposed to take over the world? It was about a group of people from “corporate America” who decided that life was moving too quickly and time was passing them by, so they decided to go coast to coast across America at the rate a horse would walk at; 10 miles per hour. It took them over 100 days and they generated some media buzz but I had never heard about them until just recently. While the movie wasn’t amazing it did bring up a good idea- slow down. For all the hustle and hurry we have in our modern day living, has it really made us healthier, happier, or more connected with ourselves or others? As part of your regular health regime you should include something that makes time go by slowly- walk in nature, look out a window, enjoy tea in silence, go to the beach and simply observe the water, listen to music. You only need a few minutes of ‘slow time’ to reap the benefits, so try something simple today! ~Think...
