Health
Fernie Visits
The other day, our buddy Jamie came over to our house. Jamie is part of our Fernie family and is a Fernie-uncle to our son. Jamie did not call ahead. He did not text. He had no reason or excuse to come over. He just stopped by. He visited. In our technological world, the random visit is becoming rare. He knocked on the door and our dog jumped up, her tail revealing the excitement of having a visitor. We chatted with Jamie, had a drink, and caught up with each other. He helped us move some furniture before biking home.
What Does Going Green Mean to You?
As a kid, saving the planet meant trading in pop bottles for money. As a teenager, it was keeping the blue box under the sink and teaching my dad how to compost.
Challenge 22
April 22 is Earth Day. However, I tend to agree with an infamous purple dinosaur who sings that, “Every day is Earth day.” There are many things individuals can do to reduce their environmental impact on the Earth. This month, in honour of Earth Day 2014, I will list 22 steps for improvement. I challenge readers to choose three items to focus on for improvement in their household. Many of the items provide the added benefit of saving money too; be green to save some green.
1. Lower your hot water temperature a couple of degrees.
2. Commit to using reusable grocery bags.
Finding Manna
Over 2000km from the nearest inhabited island and 3000km from the nearest continental landfall lies the mysterious and ancient Rapa Nui, also known as Isla de Pascua or Easter Island. Inhabited by Polynesians as early as 700CE, the island has endured through the ages despite slave raiders, famine, overpopulation, deforestation and many other challenges. Through all this, the imposing Moai, or Easter Island “Heads,” have stood guard around the island attracting, intriguing and fascinating visitors for centuries.
Get Skipping
Do you remember Jump rope for heart? It is a Heart and Stroke Foundation fundraiser that encourages children to collect pledges and participate in a jump-a-thon at their school. To my surprise, 30 years later, it is still going on right here in Fernie and at approximately 4,000 schools across Canada! This has inspired me to help you get your skipping ropes out and get jumping this month!
Benefits of skipping:
Travel, It’s Good For Your Health!
While my last two columns have featured the type of trip that will take a substantial amount of planning and funds, getting away for a couple of days can often be just as beneficial as a two-week holiday.
Living Your Yoga
I was extremely fortunate to grow up in a house where coming home at the end of the school day was something to look forward to. There was no feeling quite like home. Warm greetings, home cooking, and a safe space always awaited me. As I grew older, I had similar experiences of “coming home” when I had the opportunities to travel from my prairie suburbia into the Alberta foothills and Rocky Mountains. Hiking, camping, climbing and just being in nature, always made me feel complete. That life was exactly the way it should be regardless of what adversities I had been dealing with.
A National Pastime
The other day, someone asked me if my son, Jack, would grow up to be a hockey player. My answer was, “I don’t know.” Jack will learn to skate; he will be exposed to the sport of hockey (along with many others). Then, it is up to him what he chooses to do. I want him to find the things he is passionate about.
10 Changes You Can Make To Improve Your Health
Prevention is key. We as a medical community know that preventing most of the chronic and life-threatening diseases of our time is easier (and cheaper) than treating those same diseases. Unfortunately, lifestyle changes are challenging, particularly if you attempt to change everything all at once and in a way that isn’t lasting. True changes need to be lifetime changes, with room for occasional modifications. This month’s article is simply a list of changes you can make to your life that can have a positive impact on you health immediately.
March Madness Workout Game
You need: one marker per player and a die. Rules: Roll and do the exercise you land on until exhaustion (but at least ten)! To win: Must roll exact number to land on winning square.
START
1 - Griz Days Jumping Jacks with your best Griz impersonation
2 - Push ups
3 - Alternate lunges
4 - Plank
5 - Wall sits with elbows on wall
6 - Back extensions
7 - Dips
8 - Kneeling Superman
9 - Push ups
A Family Trip to Brittany and Normandy
The north coast of France has a storied past from the days of William the Conqueror and Joan d’Arc, to the historic D-Day landings of World War II. As a family of four travelling together, Randal, Lisa, Mira and Kieran were looking for many things to make their holiday perfect and the magical, pastoral coastline of this western corner of Europe didn’t disappoint with its many enchanting, entertaining and educational charms.
BFF
“There are good ships and wood ships, ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, may they always be!” - Irish Proverb
I am not an exciting person. I don’t mean to call myself boring… okay, yes I do. I am introverted; I am content to spend quiet evenings at home with a good book. Anyone reading this article who knows my wife, knows Annie and I are opposites in several ways. Annie is way more fun. She gets her energy from other people; she loves big crowds of fun people.
Carrying Your Resolutions Into February
So many of us start the year with the best of intentions to make positive, lasting changes in our lives with the goal in mind of improving our health, our relationships, our financial status, and our overall well-being. Unfortunately, the vast majority of changes we begin on New Year’s Day peter out before January is over and it seems that for many people, it takes another year end to get motivated to make another attempt at changing their habits.
16 Active Dates
Yet another benefit of exercise is improving relationships! When you exercise, you improve your mood and self-confidence, which in turn helps build positive relationships. This month, we have brainstormed some fun active dates, which will increase quality time as well as fitness! Bring a picnic or finish your date with sushi, a smoothie or a home cooked meal to complete your healthy vibe!
1. Skiing. Chairlift chats and fresh air make this a Fernie must!
Children in the Yoga Studio
As I sat in the back of the studio readying for the teacher to guide a yoga class, a woman and her young daughter softly rolled their mats out in front of me. My task was to take notes of the instructor’s words, poses and movements and use them as a training tool for when I taught my own classes. For the next hour my page remained blank and to this day I can’t recall anything she taught. It wasn’t that the level of instruction was weak or uninteresting but rather something more meaningful gathered my attention.