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Why Green Tea?

Green tea has been used as a medicine for thousands of years, originating in China but widely used throughout Asia this beverage has a multitude of uses from lowering blood pressure to preventing cancer. The reason that green tea has more health benefits attached to it than black tea is (apparently) due to the processing. Black tea is processed in a way that allows for fermentation whereas green tea’s processing avoids the fermentation process. As a result, green tea retains maximum amount of antioxidants and poly-phenols the substances that give green tea its many benefits.

Here’s a list of some of its amazing benefits — benefits that you may not have been aware of. Some of these benefits are still being debated, so please do your own research if you want to use green tea for medicinal purposes.

  1. Weight Loss. Green tea increases the metabolism. The polyphenol found in green tea works to intensify levels of fat oxidation and the rate at which your body turns food into calories.
  2. Diabetes. Green tea apparently helps regulate glucose levels slowing the rise of blood sugar after eating. This can prevent high insulin spikes and resulting fat storage.
  3. Heart Disease. Scientists think, green tea works on the lining of blood vessels, helping keep them stay relaxed and better able to withstand changes in blood pressure. It may also protect against the formation of clots, which are the primary cause of heart attacks.
  4. Esophageal Cancer. It can reduce the risk of esophageal cancer, but it is also widely thought to kill cancer cells in general without damaging the healthy tissue around them.
  5. Cholesterol. Green tea reduces bad cholesterol in the blood and improves the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol.
  6. Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It is said to delay the deterioration caused by Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. Studies carried out on mice showed that green tea protected brain cells from dying and restored damaged brain cells.
  7. Tooth Decay. Studies suggests that the chemical antioxidant “catechin” in tea can destroy bacteria and viruses that cause throat infections, dental caries and other dental conditions
  8. Blood Pressure. Regular consumption of green tea is thought to reduce the risk of high blood pressure.
  9. Depression. Theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea leaves. It is this substance that is thought to provide a relaxing and tranquilizing effect and be a great benefit to tea drinkers.
  10. Anti-viral and Anti-bacterial. Tea catechins are strong antibacterial and antiviral agents which make them effective for treating everything from influenza to cancer. In some studies green tea has been shown to inhibit the spread of many diseases.
  11. Skincare. Green tea can apparently also help with wrinkles and the signs of aging, This is because of their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Both animal and human studies have demonstrated that green tea applied topically can reduce sun damage.

How Much?

These are some of the many benefits but the reality is one cup of tea a day will not give you all the abundant gains. The jury is out on how many cups are necessary; some say as little as two cups a day while others five cups — and more still say you can drink up to ten cups a day. If you are thinking of going down this route, you may want to consider taking a green tea supplement instead (it would keep you out of the bathroom).

Another thing to point out is that there is caffeine in green tea — so if you are sensitive to caffeine then one cup should be your limit. Green tea also contains tannins (which can decrease the absorption of iron and folic acid), so if you are pregnant or trying to conceive then green tea may not be ideal for you. You can try mixing green tea with other healthy ingredients such as ginger.

For the rest of us with all these abundant benefits…it’s a wonder we drink anything else.

Written by: Ciara Conlon is author of “Chaos to Control,

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How to Avoid Aches and Pains When Traveling

How to Avoid Aches and Pains When Traveling How to avoid aches and pains when traveling starts with making sure that you plan ahead, make a to-do list and don’t wait till the last minute, this can lead to stress, which will lead to tension in the spine and shoulders, causing back pain and headaches.

When packing:

  • Choose luggage that fits you (sturdy case with wheels) and the  type of transport you will be using.
  • Select luggage that is not too heavy, as you will need to be able to lift it from the airport carousel, cars, buses, or trains
  • Place the luggage on a counter or bed, this will save you bending.
  • Pack light, and distribute your items between cases.

When Traveling:

  • Wear comfortable, supportive shoes for walking.
  • When carrying bags, don’t over-fill them, or separate into smaller bags and carry an even weight in each hand. If you have a backpack, even better as it will distribute the weight of your purchases.
  • Stop often to rest and exercise the shoulders by rolling them backwards and forwards.

During your travel:

  • Try not to sit for too long, and move around whenever you can to stretch your legs, back and shoulders
  • Stretches are extremely important and a lack of movement can lead to deep vein thrombosis, swollen legs and sore joints
  • Keep hydrated
  • Bring a cushion if you will be sleeping and try not to arch your neck to the left or right

When sitting down try these exercise:

  • Move your head in a circle, nice and slowly.
  • Roll your shoulders, forwards and backwards.
  • Stretch out your arms in front of you and circle your wrists gently, left then right.
  • Stretch out your legs and circle your ankles gently, left then right.
  • Place your hands on your armrests and raise your knees slowly towards your chin.

When you reach your final destination, that’s the perfect time to schedule a massage session to give you maximum mobility for your vacation and avoid the aches and pains from traveling.

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Clinic Manager

 

Diversified Health Clinic is a multi-disciplinary, collaborative health and wellness center that combines a wide range of services including chiropractic, physiotherapy, massage therapy, and acupuncture.  The Company is currently recruiting a Clinic Manager to join its growing team.

ROLE and RESPONSIBILITIES:

Operational

  • Works with practitioners and staff to implement clinic goals and objectives in support of strategic plan.
  • Monitors activities and operations to ensure that the practice successfully meets its objectives.
  • Acts as a liaison between the clinic and its practitioners by handling practitioner questions, complaints, scheduling conflicts, etc…
  • Oversees operational systems and processes to ensure effective and efficient management of workloads and workflow.
  • Standardizes clinic procedures and initiates change where necessary; constantly reviews procedures to strive for more efficient ways to conduct business and improve patient relations.

 Financial Management

  • Prepares operational budgets for the clinic and monitors actual results to budget on a monthly basis.
  • Oversees patient claims-processing and accounts receivable policies and systems to ensure timely cash flow.
  • Supervises patient appointment coding and billing to ensure consistent and accurate.

 HR

  • Develops/ revises personnel policies and procedures, job specifications, staff performance evaluation methods and other personnel related forms and records.
  • Responsible for front office staff scheduling.
  • Makes hiring, performance and disciplinary determinations.
  • Creates a work environment that encourages growth and development of employees.

 Marketing

  • Directs marketing and promotional activities for the practice.
  • Participates in the planning and execution of strategies centered on continuing to grow the clinic’s patient base.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related field strongly recommended
  • Knowledge of accounting, data and administrative processes and principles
  • Knowledge of human resource management principles and practices
  • Strong computer skills and prior experience with health clinic software an asset

 KEY COMPETENCIES

  • Minimum 2 years of experience managing a multi-disciplinary health clinic
  • Strong time management and organizational skills
  • Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
  • Strong customer services and conflict resolutions skills
  • Excellent problem solving skills

Applicants should send their resume and salary expectations to hr@gustavsoncapital.com

We thank all interested applicants, however only those under consideration will be contacted.

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Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Programs | victoria health services

Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Programs have been shown to improve:

Fitness & Flexibility / Heart Rate / Blood Pressure Levels /Cholesterol Levels  / Blood Sugar Levels / Weight & Body Composition / Quality & Enjoyment of Life & reduce hospitalization / Stress Tolerance

Learn to exercise and monitor your own progress. Increase your confidence by working with staff who are trained as cardiac exercise specialists as well as your health care practitioners at Diversified Health Clinic.

 Program—12 weeks: with twice weekly supervised exercise sessions in a safe environment with an individual assessment & exercise prescription, aerobic and strength training, and informal risk factor information. You will be encouraged to do additional exercises on your own.

Is This Program For Me?

This program is of benefit to people who have had a heart event or who have risk factors such as:

High blood pressure / Abnormal cholesterol / Overweight / Diabetes /Smoking history / Inactivity / Stress / Lung & kidney disease

How Do I Start?

You need a referral or approval by your family doctor or specialist to attend. NOTE: a prior medical assessment by a physician will assist to develop an individualized exercise program. Contact one of the programs to help you start.

 Locations: For more information call

Henderson Recreation Centre 2291 Cedar Hill X Rd., Victoria P: 250–370-7200;

Panorama Recreation Centre 1885 Forest Park Dr., N. Saanich P: 250-655-2184;

Saanich Commonwealth Place 4636 Elk Lake Dr., Victoria P: 250-475-7619;

West Shore Parks 1767 Island Hwy., Victoria P: 250-474-8694;

YMCA-YWCA of Greater Victoria 851 Broughton St., Victoria P: 250-418-1843;

The program is recognized and recommended by physicians and follows the guidelines of the Canadian Association of Cardiac Rehabilitation, American Association of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation, as well as the American College of Sports Medicine which is recognized world-wide as being the “gold standard ” in heart and lung exercise rehabilitation.

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