Previously, men needed a lot of prodding when it came to self care or even necessary health care. Some like to ‘tough the symptoms out” however waiting until something is too far gone or symptoms are unbearable may result in a number of serious health problems including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, heart attack and cancer. Middle aged men tend to struggle with weight gain and fatigue and this is the start to some chronic health conditions that can be reversed or at least managed with some proactive lifestyle modifications.

In recent years, more men are focusing on health and self care and are understanding the importance for preventing chronic illness and promoting longevity. By experiencing results including more energy, weight management, less pain and reduced nagging symptoms, they understand that feeling better means enjoying life more often than not.

Lifestyle Tips for Men of all ages:

- Exercise is a must and can be as simple as a fast paced 30 min walk every day to manage blood sugar levels, weight gain, increased heart rate and better mental health.

- Focusing on whole foods (unprocessed/unpackaged) with reduced sugar and alcohol intake, vegetables and lean protein such as chicken and fish and neutral carbs including oats, quinoa and rice.

- Increase water intake – middle aged males of average height and weight should be drinking 8-10 glasses of water per day to flush the kidneys and liver and to support cellular renewal and waste removal.

- Manage Mental Health – this can be challenging if you have a high stress job, financial difficulty, suffered a loss or other life challenge. Resilience becomes reduced if our mental health is left unchecked. Seeking stress relief through massage or some form of deep relaxation can help take the edge off so you can rationalize what is happening in your life and make better decisions. If you find you are still struggling, you may want to consider seeking additional help from a coach or counsellor who can help you process the challenges or overwhelm in your life and who can offer resources and techniques that can assist you with better mental health management. Managing your stress levels will positively impact your heart health and help reduce the risk of heart disease.

- Protect yourself in the sun to avoid skin cancer – Men over the age of 50 are at more risk of developing Melanoma from harmful UV radiation from the sun. If you are working in full sun most of the day, consider using a natural zinc oxide sunblock for outdoor protection

- Get your prostate checked – this should be done periodically during regular medical checkups but especially if you experience any trouble urinating, pain or see blood in the urine.

These tips can help prevent illness and also help to ensure you feel your very best self! If you would like to learn more, book a complimentary discovery call to see if I can assist with your lifestyle changes.

Want to learn how Infrared Sauna can assist you in reaching your health goals? Visit our Salt Wellness Blog - ​https://healingsalts.ca/wellness-blog/f/men%E2%80%99s-health-care

Detoxification is a naturally occurring important function within our body When overloaded with toxins,the body’s organs are less effective as the pathways get blocked. We then begin to exhibit symptoms such as lethargy, weight gain, acne, pain, headaches, food sensitivities, hormone imbalances, poor sleep and stress.

​We can lessen the strain on our bodies by periodically doing a mild cleanse that includes:
- Eating whole foods, focusing on organic fruits and vegetables
-  Increasing water intake and herbal teas
- Resting more often for at least 1-2 weeks.

You can achieve even better results from infrared saunas which pull debris out of your tissues, dry brushing to move the lymph, and light exercise to circulate and clean the blood. If you choose to use herbal supplements, please seek advice from your health practitioner as these may not be suitable for everyone..

If you're looking to learn more about the ways that you can benefit from a detox to restore your health, book a free consultation with me to learn how I can assist you with guidance and coaching to better your body and mind. 

Sunday, April 13th, I Enjoyed a lovely morning of yoga led by Lynda Honing of The Urban Oasis Garden in White Rock for their Spring Garden Rejuvenation Retreat—a beautiful way to clear the heaviness of winter and make space for what you truly need this season.

We experienced, Detox Yoga, Liver & Lymphatic-Supporting Acupuncture in Savasana, Crystal Sound Healing, Guided Journaling & Intention Setting, Detox Medicinal Elixir while listening to a Soundbath followed by a homemade granola breakfast and matcha/mushroom elixir.

Thank you ladies for a great reset for my upcoming week - Learn more: https://www.theurbanoasis.ca/home

I attended the Wellness Forum last Sunday and had an amazing time connecting with other local wellness companies and vendors within the lower mainland. I had the opportunity to share my talk “Surviving the Mind and Body War” where I discussed how the mind can sometimes try and override the body’s limits causing distress at the nervous system level. I led a breathing technique and a visualization exercise focusing on finding presence within our bodies and expressing gratitude for all they do for us each and every day and reciprocating with self care and nurturing. We then enjoyed a soothing soundbath by Mindwaves led by Jenny Le. Thank you to Sydney and Taylor, the founders of
The Wellness Forum, for inviting me to participate. Looking forward to attending the next event!

1) start the day with a large glass of room temperature or warm water with a big squeeze of lemon
2) before showering, skin dry brush-using a body brush, begin at the feet and using upward strokes towards the heart gently brush the skin, the bottoms of feet, legs and arms, counter clockwise circular motion around abdomen to stimulate digestion and liver, bottom of back upwards to stimulate kidneys. BONUS; exfoliates skin for smoother and healthier skin AND more efficient detox via sweat pores.
•⁠  ⁠⁠focus on Whole Foods including lean proteins, a large salad with any type of dark leafy green every day, cold pressed extra virgin organic olive oil and raw apple cider vinegar for a homemade vinaigrette, limited fresh fruits, limit or avoid dairy, gluten and sugar to see if energy levels improve within a week
•⁠  ⁠⁠focus on”homemade” food as much as possible and avoid heavily processed or premade foods containing preservatives and additives 
•⁠  ⁠⁠bath soaks at home with Epsom salts and baking soda
•⁠  ⁠⁠essential oil of grapefruit (if not allergic) rubbed into lymph areas and high fatty areas such as behind the thighs and lower buttocks (also helps to reduce cellulite)
•⁠  ⁠⁠use quality detox foot pads without fillers (sold at Salt Wellness) overnight to remove toxicity while you sleep when you are already in natural detox mode.  For more info book a discovery call with Lehla

Eating homemade and unprocessed Whole Foods most of the time can contribute to less pain, clearer skin, more energy, better sleep and more mental clarity. You don’t need to deprive yourself; just manage and limit the intake of processed foods, especially those containing excess sugar, gluten and dairy. If you remove these foods for a short period of time with successful results and then have a reaction or symptom after reintroducing these foods, it might be time to investigate further as to what the real cause might be. It may not be the food itself but rather a reaction to an additive such as artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, a preservative to keep the item fresh or shelf stable and/or pesticides on produce.

Do you need help understanding which foods to focus on or how and where to buy good food and ideas for healthy food prep? I can help! Especially today with rising food costs, we need to get creative on how and what we buy to keep healthy food affordable.

Processed food ends up costing more just for packaging so packing your own snacks of homemade muffins or cookies, nourishing smoothies for breakfast, leftover dinner taken in a thermos (to avoid microwaving your food) or a home made salad with chicken for lunch can help make week day breakfast, snacks and lunch healthy and efficient. There are also so many dinner variations to choose from including pastas, soups and stews, baked chicken, curries and vegetable stir fries that can be made easily and quickly. Make extra for a second meal or leftovers for lunch next day!

Comment below if you're looking for support and guidance, I'm here to help!
​

 She transitioned everyone into restorative postures while Jeina performed mini vibroacoustic massages on each participant to bring the nervous system into rest. Jeina then proceeded with her amazing singing bowl skills by ending with a nurturing and deeply relaxing sound bath. I am so grateful to these amazing women who helped make this event a true success and to show others some of the types of emotional support you can seek beyond conventional counselling to assist with more inner body awareness.

I am currently planning upcoming monthly free info sessions at Salt Wellness, featuring various professional guests/practitioners, who will join me in discussing a variety of health topics including disease prevention. I love providing resources and information that empower people to learn how to manage their own health and have less reliance on, sometimes unreliable, conventional medicine.

Stay tuned for updates on these upcoming monthly info sessions, featuring Community and Connection guest speakers on various topics of health. Next month, Salt Wellness is hosting our Heart Felt Workshop facilitated by myself, Salt’s Owner and Health Director with one of Salt's practitioners, Sara Jaswal, Registered Therapeutic Counsellor.

​We look forward to seeing you soon!
​

I had the pleasure of being part of this International Women's Day event last month and I would like recognize the others who participated with me and contributed to this event.

This was a wonderful event held at Urban Oasis organized by our Light Up Member Group Leader, Adera Angelucci (Business and Marketing Coach) and hosted by Lynda Honing (Massage Therapist and Reiki Master – thank you Lynda!) to celebrate International Women’s Day. 

Our Light Up Members met with other local women in business to celebrate not just our achievements, but being ourselves just as we are. As Adera explains, “We live in a world that often tells us to be more, do more, and say more.” This event was all about pausing to simply honour each others' presence and business and to celebrate us all being more than enough!

Attendees also had professional portrait photos taken by Anita Alberto Photography (thank you Anita!) and enjoyed gifts from a few of our other members including Christianne Zurowski (Emotional Intelligence Coach) and Emily Verde (Financial Planner). 

We ended the evening with a
dance party DJ’d by Spencer Honing (Xesense) and wrapped up our evening in a fun and
celebratory way. 

Looking forward to our next event ladies!