Dr. Oz's H1N1 Tips

Thanks to one of our "Just As I Am" participants for passing this along. A more qualified person is now sharing some suggestions.

The following advice, given by Dr. Oz, makes a lot of sense and is important for all to know:

The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible to avoid coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps, not fully highlighted in most official communications, can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat or bathe.)

3. *Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine or Hydrogen Peroxide if you don't trust salt). *H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, *clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water, or hydrogen peroxide. *Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but *blowing the nose softly once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.*

5. *Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). *If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. *Drink as much of warm liquids (tea, coffee, etc) as you can. *Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

Glee???

I’ve been hooked on a TV. show lately called Glee. Glee is a show about a musical group in a high school made up of some “cool kids” and some “looser kids”, it’s a place where in that group status really doesn’t matter until you walk out the door. This week it was revealed to the school that Quinn the head cheerleader was pregnant and she and her quarterback boyfriend Finn immediately went from cool to uncool.

Finn & Quinn tried everything they could think of to try to get cool again but all to no avail. I sat there thinking about how we all really just want to be cool or at least acceptable to those around us; I know that in high school I didn’t usually feel like I was in the “in” crowd.

Life is so much bigger than what people think of us, let’s all go out there and live life to the fullest; hug your kids, smell the fresh air and enjoy the many blessings that we have.

Rodney

Sonya's H1N1 tips

I know the government is really trying to help control the spread of the H1N1 virus and each of the basic things they say are really important; but don't you get a little tired of being told to cough into your elbow and wash your hands with soap?! There are so many other things you can do to help your body's immune system handle what comes its way. We are not completely at the mercy of germs like we would be conditioned to believe.

Here is my own list...(just keep in mind I am not a medical practioner of any kind)

• Eat more whole foods...reach for fruits and vegetables instead of packaged food
• Take time to prepare and enjoy your food. Consider ordering from somewhere like Food for Thought if time is a challenge (for the month of October, all web orders get you entered in a draw for $100 of frozen food)
• Use simple things like straight lemon juice for a sore throat, a teaspoon of honey for a cough, a hot lemon and honey drink with a sprinkle of cayenne for stuffiness and sore throat, garlic (you can even tuck a clove in your sock and benefit)
• Find some nourishing comfort foods like soup. Here are two you might like to try: garlic soup (it was actually creamy and delicious), and chicken noodle (from the old country)
• Go to a health food store like Aviva (my favorite...one on Adelaide near Notre Dame and one on Meadowood and online store as well) I picked up oil of oregano recently, which has a very spicy/burning sensation under the tongue, but very effective to nip colds in the bud. You can also rub it on your feet (better for kids). Of course, Vitamin C and zinc are great to have on hand.
• Take a couple minutes and wipe the high-use objects in your home with a damp micro-fibre cloth (lightswitches, doorknobs, phones etc.)
• Get lots of hugs. Our bodies and souls thrive on human touch. Hugs are probably the least contagious form of touch and the nicest! (Rodney is a good one for hugs...find people that are embracing or initiate it yourself!)
• Laugh! Pick a word for the week as your secret laugh word...whenever you hear it, it's your cue to laugh! My daughter and I had a great time with this. Pick up a laughter CD from Spa Drole or find a laughter yoga class (there's one that meets at Source Yoga on Osborne Mondays from 12:15-12:45. See here for details) Laughter boosts our body's natural ability to fend off illness.
• Find ways to relax deeply. Yoga (I love Moksha Yoga), or a spa experience (Tiber River and Rituals offer a mini-spa experience). I've heard good things from the Inn at the Forks' spa as well as the Fort Garry Hotel's spa)
• Go for a walk to wind down and connect with yourself.
• Find a way to move your body that feels good. Dance, run, stretch, whatever.
• Journal. Get a book...any kind of book...or take a little time and find one that you find beautiful and inspiring. But just do it. Try stream-of-consciousness writing: three pages of whatever comes to mind. Make a gratitude journal. Start a page with "What do I need?" Doing this writing gets us in touch with what we're thinking and helps us see both positive things we can focus on as well as actions we need to take in our lives. Very key for maintaining health.
• Talk to yourself! Tell yourself you will provide your body with what it needs in order for it to stay strong and healthy. Sing a phrase of health over yourself. Your body is not just a bunch of cells that are isolated from your emotions and your spirit. Words are powerful.
• Say no.
• Listen to your body.
• Take a sick day before you're all-out sick.

Must Reads for Women

I'm not quite through reading it yet, but I have to say that "Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom" by Christiane Northrup, M.D., is a book that every woman should read. I was fortunate to pick up my tattered copy at my library branch in the used book section. I don't even know if it's a popular book currently or not. But it should be.

This book is thorough (it's fatter than a Bible). I've found it helpful on so many levels. It goes through a lot of medical stuff relating to the female reproductive system. That is useful. It talks about the experience of pregnancy, labour/delivery, and motherhood, of miscarriage and infertility, of abortion, and of sexual abuse...all with women's stories. It talks about the many kinds of cancers and other diseases unique to women. Tons of information.

What I especially liked in this book though, was the unique perspective Northrup has as a medical doctor with all the traditional knowledge and experience, but who also has a very wholistic perspective: treating the whole woman because she recognizes that mind, body, spirit, emotions are all inter-related. She gives story after story of women who have experienced healing of cysts, fibroids, bleeding etc. after they have listened to their bodies, processed their emotions from past pain/trauma, begun to make changes in their lives and relationships, turned to a higher power, and/or begun to gather the support that they need around them. I was astounded.

Another favorite thing I took away from this book was greater understanding about the energy systems of the body. Our bodies have a number of different energy pathways (chakras) that are related to different areas/organs in our bodies. They ways we process our emotions, approach life, feed our bodies and so on can block these energy pathways so that different areas are more susceptible to illness. She has a chart that shows the correlation between different chakras, the mental/emotional issues, and examples of related illnesses. Discovering this information is actually helping give me direction for my life in order to help bring healing to my thyroid.

The third section I particularly enjoyed was all about a woman's menstrual cycle and the significance of the ebb and flow of energy, creativity, and wisdom. I think we've all been ripped off when it comes to learning about this in grade four. There is so much more to this than tampons, pads, making babies, and birth control. A woman's uterus is much more than a place where an egg can grow if fertilized. It is her space for creativity. It is her "low heart". And our fine balance of hormones which regulates our cycle allows us to be intuitive and reflective at times, more open to receiving others at other times, and more energetic at others. But we need to learn to listen to our bodies rather than pushing ourselves to the limit.

The other book I'd recommend (from a different perspective), is "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. It is actually the major inspiration for Eve Studios. But I've done enough writing for tonight.

Just a reminder that FemFest 2009 is coming up soon, starting September 25th. FemFest is theatre and workshops "by women for everyone" put on by Sarasvati Productions. The theme this year is "Herstory". One of the shows I am interested in is "Pitch Blond": the story of Judy Holliday, the 170-IQ genius who specialized in playing dumb blondes. Tickets are $10 for a single show. We'll be giving away some tickets for FemFest, as well as some gift certificates at FemFest. More details to come...

The beauty of nature

A few weeks ago we were in Saskatchewan to spend some time with family; I like to take these opportunities to capture beauty of another sort, so I try to never be without my camera. Here is some of what we saw. Have a great long weekend.

Rodney

So long, so sorry!

So long no blog. I’m sorry about the wait, life has been crazy and I need a vacation that will not come for a long time, I did however take the time to gather evidence that summer did drive by us here in the peg as I went to the beach yesterday with my family and enjoyed an amazing sunburn (I’m very, very thankful that we didn’t go to a nude beach, that would have really hurt!!!)

One of the things I want to learn this year is how to be a more thankful person, it seams that I all too seldom take the time to be grateful for what I am blessed with, and as I have been thinking about this I have been overcome by a sense of wonder at how we have been blessed with such good clients. If you are one of our clients, I want you to know that you are really really appreciated; and in case we haven’t expressed it to you lately, thank you for allowing us to be a part of your lived, it’s an honour we don’t take lightly.

Since we have another few weeks of summer left, here’s a look at a recent session with a long time friend and client, if you are interested in an outdoor session just let me know and we can arrange something that you will love.

Rodney

Stories to Share

I was just going through my file of testimonials while updating the look of our gift certificates, and I thought I would share a couple. Reading these just makes me so proud of my husband and what we do as a studio.

"I had an amazing experience with Eve Studios! Something I will never forget! I was getting married last July and decided it would be a neat wedding gift to have some photos taken for my husband, but it turned out to be so much more than that! Rodney made me feel so good about myself and who I am. From the instant I walked into Eve Studios I felt comfortable, respected and excited! While my husband and I picked a great picture to hang on our wall, the experience left me feeling confident, strong and empowered. I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of shape or size; a photo shoot with Rodney is an amazing way to appreciate yourself for who you are, inside and out!" - C.L.

"I enjoyed every minute of our session together and could have stayed all day. Everything about your studio and your professionalism was very comforting which brought out my inner beauty. My boyfriend and my very close friends have always told me that I was beautiful and sexy, but to be honest I never truly believed them. Through your pictures I now see what they see and am more confident. Thank you, thank you. I wish every woman could share the experience." - T.S.

"Following the session, I was feeling a noticeable sparkle, and my yoga practice that night felt better than it has in a long time. Instead of feeling stiff and closed-in, I felt free and expressive. The session has helped to rejuvenate my practice, and I am so grateful for that. Now I want to do another session all over again! ☺ As you said, I think it's quite addicting.

I think every woman should experience a session, as it really can be quite therapeutic in so many ways." - T.M.

Thank you to each of our clients for sharing their stories. I hope they can inspire you, too!

Studio Update

Rodney just sent me this image of our lobby after he put up this gorgeous 30 x 48" print to update our look. He is loving the classic feel it gives our lobby. What do you think?

In other news, we will be away for a portion of this month visiting family and doing our "Saskatchewan Family Portrait Tour"...allowing rural families near my home town the opportunity to do family portrait sessions in the beauty of where they live. If you are interested in a similar kind of session for your family, feel free to give Rodney a call. August to October will be fabulous times to photograph family outdoors. Rodney also just completed an incredibly beautiful session at Patricia Beach at sunset for one of our Eve clients. I hope he'll be able to post an image or two soon.

We have just started advertising with Winnipeg Women, a local magazine that we love. We have a couple of extra copies in the studio if you want to stop by and pick one up.

Hope you are having an excellent summer: soaking up the sun, getting active, getting into nature, being rejuvenated...even if it's just in your backyard. When we get back, we're planning lots of BBQ's with friends! (which reminds me...there's this great little shop on Academy Rd. called the Garden Room...you've gotta go there!)

Enjoy life! I've got some packing to do!

Service

I have experienced some amazing service in the last two weeks or so from a couple of businesses. I thought I'd share them with you here, as they all could be very helpful busy women.

1. GemStar Insurance - Rodney just did some work for them, and so naturally, when our Autopac premium installment was due, he paid it there and dropped of the CD at the same time. Here's what I love about Ken Bull and his team at GemStar. First, he went out of his way to pay us on the spot for our work, even though the person who normally prints out the cheques was gone that day. Then, after we paid our Autopac, he asked us when he could quote on our home insurance. Well, it so happened that we were trying with little luck to shop it around as it was renewing the next day. He got us a quote and saved us $110 while giving us more coverage than we had before. But what is really amazing is that he was willing to do an installment plan for us on our terms and with no administration fee. AND, he was willing to pick up a payment when he was out and about if we needed that, since he couldn't provide online banking through his business. Now, I realize he knows us and trusts us and could offer that kind of service because we have a relationship...but this is the heartbeat of his business. A while back, he saved us because we had forgotten to renew our Autopac and he phoned it in for us while at a business meeting. They do renewals by fax and delivery if you want. They're located at 3034 Portage Ave. (but that's nearly irrelevant) and you can reach them at 889-1880.
2. Bye Insurance - We have had our life insurance with them for quite awhile now. Recently, we received a call from them to see if we wanted to review our coverage. Well, we had been thinking of increasing coverage, and when we found out that they can do RESP's, we were psyched. We'd been procrastinating on that for too many years. (We had the kids' SIN numbers, but just hadn't finished the job). It turns out that the broker Rodney had seen before had a son who was just starting the business. Bryan, is a soft-spoken 22-year-old who just got married last year. He is great with kids (he read my daughter a book while I filled out paperwork) and is still able to be very flexible with appointments, coming out to our home either in the morning before Rodney went to work, or after the kids were in bed. He's a patient, no-pressure kind of guy. We both ended up increasing our coverage, and now we finally have an RESP in place as well. Good stuff! Bye Insurance is on Provencher and you can call 943-6367.
3. The Green Cleaning Ladies - this is a brand new business comprised of a mother and daughter who want to use environmentally responsible products. I just had them clean my house and will be keeping them on weekly. It was a big decision to hire someone to clean for me, so I'm very happy to have found this new company. I love their friendliness and warmth. And they're experienced cleaners, too! I'm looking forward to this energy injection every week! Check out their ad and maybe you can enjoy a little peace and beauty, too...(but make sure you tell them who sent you, so I can get a free hour of cleaning, ok?) The number to call is 334-8176.

I know these descriptions were a bit lengthy (sorry), but I know in these busy times, it is SO helpful to use referrals instead of having to do your own research. Let me know your experience with these businesses if you use them.

Celebration time

It’s been a crazy week and I know about half of you are waiting for me to respond to emails…..it’s coming. First things first, I want to wish a happy 13th anniversary to my beautiful bride Sonya. Wew wew!! Thant’s right folks, Sonya and I spent Monday celebrating 13 years of wedded bliss and I still can’t figure out why she loves me.

It’s hot outside and summer is here so why are you reading my writing; grab someone you love and go outside and enjoy the young mosquito population-I’ll write again soon.

Rodney