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Money doesn't grow on trees!

A reminder that might help you get a bigger tax refund

Have you ever wondered about how your mind thinks?  Certain patterns of thinking are linked to moods like anxiety and depression.  If you can relate to thought patterns such as constantly worrying about the future or body sensations, or you notice that your mind often goes to imagining the worst, these and other thought patterns are both symptoms of, but also contributing factors to, an anxious mood state.  Anxiety is a full system response that affects the nervous system, your body and how it feels to live inside yourself, as well as affecting your energy, moods, concentration, attention, and memory. 

Other mood states, like depression come with thought patterns of judging yourself negatively, being critical about yourself, only noticing your flaws and mistakes, not giving yourself credit nor noticing the positive aspects of oneself, and negative comparisons with others that  have you believe that you aren't good enough.  Some people with depression believe that this is "just the way they are."  Depression, like anxiety, is also a full system response, not only affecting your thinking, but also your beliefs about yourself, relationships, and the world we live in.  Depression can also affect your sleep, eating, interests, and metabolism.  Even hair and nails grow more slowly when we are depressed!  

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy is one approach to shifting our mood states.  CBT offers strategies and skills for challenging and working with negative thought patterns, as well as behavioural habits, that contribute to depression and anxiety.  CBT looks at the links between the interaction of thoughts-feelings-and behaviours as a system.  If there is change in any one of these areas, it affects the whole system, shifting our moods and sense of self.

If you are interested in CBT therapy as part of your mind-body health, please contact reception at Acacia.  Individual therapy and group therapy are available.

To find our more about Sarah, click here. 

The idea that we need to think about brain health like we think about heart health has begun to hit the mainstream as baby boomers begin to feel the effects of poor brain health.  Memory problems, mood disorders, lost words, forgetting facts once known well - many boomers are facing these problems and wondering if this is just the tip of the iceberg.

For some these are the beginning years of decline into dementia, but for others it is simply aging, which is not to say it cannot be avoided or at least limited.  And for those who are at the crest of clinical cognitive decline, evidence shows that early action can limit the severity of illness.

When we think of heart health, we think of things like aerobic exercise, less animal fats in our diet, controlling our blood sugar, and limiting stress.  Remarkably, or maybe not-so-remarkably, these same changes will benefit the brain.  As I write this, I am in the midst of finishing a two-part article for Naturopathic Doctors on evidence-based treatment and prevention of cognitive decline.  What I find most remarkable is that chronic inflammation, which a growing body of evidence indicates is a major player in heart and vascular disease, is one of the main contributing factors to the development of dementia and mild cognitive decline.  In fact, laboratory tests for inflammation are one of several factors we can use to estimate someone's relative risk for developing vascular or Alzheimer's dementia.

It won't surprise you that low-grade inflammation is going to have an impact beyond the heart and mind.  Our joints, muscles, liver, kidneys -- in fact every tissue is affected by inflammation.  Reducing inflammatory pressure in any person will pay dividends beyond whatever "dis-ease" initiated the interventions in the first place. The question is, how do we do this?

Here are three initial steps to reducing inflammation in a way that will meaningfully affect your brain health:

1.  Eat 3-4 servings of fruit every day.  Choose dark skinned fruits like blueberries, blackberries and plums over light coloured fruits like bananas.  These provide potent antioxidants that help quench the body of inflammation-causing free radicals.  They are also alkalinizing foods - and alkalinizing the body helps to reduce inflammation. 

2. Drink green tea or matcha green tea.  One to three cups a day will drastically increase the amount of inflammation fighting antioxidants in your system.

3. Limit land animal fats and increase fish oil, olive oil, flax seed oil, and hemp seed oil.  Land animal fats like those found in beef, chicken skin, butter, milk and other dairy products, contain fats that encourage the production of inflammatory mediators.  Shifting the balance of fats we consume away from land animal fats to the omega 3 and 6 fats found in fish and seed oils makes a big difference in the amount of inflammation your body can produce.  In addition, your brain needs these healthy fats to function properly.  They are used for insulating the nerve fibers and modulating nerve impulses.  

If you need some inspiration, watch this clip from the BBC series: The Human Mind.  Although it focuses on children and omega 3 fats, it shows how these oils are important for brain function, and this is significant regardless of age.    

BBC - Horizon - Omega-3 Fish Oil - Memory improvement, learning, concentration,

This spinach makes a great side. I can also imagine it on an open-faced veggie burger, in a taco, in a wrap, etc. Or make a meal of it with some grilled tofu, paneer, or fried egg. You can easily make this vegan by using oil instead of ghee/butter.

1 shallot
1 large clove of garlic
1/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon ghee, clarified butter, or sunflower oil
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 shallots, chopped
1 cup finely sliced asparagus - optional
7 oz / 200g spinach, well washed, and chopped
squeeze of lemon
1 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted

Place the shallot and garlic on a cutting board, sprinkle with the salt, and chop/mash everything into a paste.

Heat the oil in your largest skillet over medium heat. Add the seeds, cover with a lid, and let them toast a bit. Remove the lid, stir in the red pepper flakes and shallots, let cook for a minute. Stir in the asparagus if you're using it, let cook roughly another minute, then stir in all of the spinach. Keep stirring until the spinach starts collapsing a bit, and brightens up - barely any time at all - perhaps a minute. Finish with a bit of fresh lemon juice and the coconut.

Serves 2-3.

Massage for a Cause 

Support the Cycle of Life Tour.  Have a massage on the following Sundays and all proceeds go towards the Cycle of Life Tour -- Our own Graham Robertson (your massage therapist) is cycling from Victoria to Anchorage Alaska to raise funds for Victoria Hospice.  

The dates for the Sunday Massage are:

To find our more about the Cycle of Life Tour - click HERE 

To save your spot -email Graham at graham@acaciahealth.ca  

Sauna Saturdays:

Come in for a sauna on the following Saturdays for 25% off (that's 15 dollars instead of the regular 20).  Bring a towel, bathing suit, and water bottle.  We have a shower for freshening up afterward.   

Call ahead, space is limited - you need to book your spot!