Wait for full fall before reaching for the rake

Kids love to jump in them. Others snap photos. And some just like to stare.

As the leaves turn from green to gold – many relish the kaleidoscope of colours upon them.

However, if crunchy, dried leave aren’t really your thing – grab a rake and check out these tips:

Wait for all leaves to touch ground. Rather than raise the risk of slips, trips and sore muscles – wait for full fall before doing one big rake. Asides a chance pathway clean, multiple rakes aren’t needed.

Dress for the occasion. Make sure to don some slip-proof shoes and well-made gloves before raking. To ensure more warmth and less sweat, outfit yourself in layers of lightweight apparel (t-shirts and zip ups). If you’re prone to allergies, grab a mask or cover your nose and mouth with a scarf. 

Choose the right rake. Your neighbor’s lightweight, plastic rake might look ideal – but know that lighter rakes require more energy when scooping. Instead shop for rakes that fit your height and weight. To maximize comfort/ease consider ergonomic rakes or rakes with handle grips. 

Get the blood flowing. Stretch or take a stroll around the block before setting out to rake. Muscle warm-ups can avert back, shoulder and neck strain. Leg lunges and side bends can also prepare your body for scooping/lifting action later.

Practice proper posture. Keep your neck and back feeling good by bending your knees when lifting leaves. To lower back strain, avoid twisting and turning as you toss leaves. Instead side step and let your whole body switch position, not just your upper torso.

Take H2O breaks. Raking is repetitive, and can be hard on the body. Stay energized by taking water breaks every 10 to 15 minutes. Water sips and stretches help relieve tension.

Meet Heart & Stroke Instructor Sarah Landgraf!

Sarah relishes in learning something new each day. So much so that she’ll often share whatever’s on her mind with zest. As she says: “It makes for an interesting class.”

Not only is it priority to keep her students engaged – Sarah keeps pro-active by checking out “the competition” (other instructor’s classes) as much as she can.

In fact, she’s usually the back-of-room note taker or ideas collaborator when it comes to making courses interactive and enjoyable.

Sarah is a certified Respiratory Fit Tester, Red Cross First Aid and Heart and Stroke Instructor!

Sleep wreckers, the surprising six

You wake up. Stretch, attempt to roll over and start your day. But for some reason you’re more tired than you were last night.

Though some sleep wreckers are obvious – disruptive neighbors, late-night caffeine, wailing newborns – other causes of sleep loss aren’t so evident. Check out these surprising six.

 

Cell phones.

Whether texting or surfing the web – staring at a bright screen before bed kicks up brain activity and makes it harder to doze off. Plus artificial blue light from electronic gadgets can suppress sleep hormone melatonin. Women's Health Mag

Alcohol.

But doesn’t drinking make you drowsy? 

Contrary to frat party etiquette – the body’s response to alcohol is more complicated than snoozing on the floor after one too many. 

Though one or two glasses of wine can act like a sedative, drinking in excess or too close to bedtime lessens time in REM sleep and leads to waking up throughout the night.

Ingestion.

Late night munchies and twilight dinners aren’t so great for great sleep. 

Come nighttime, the body’s metabolism slows down and your intestines become sluggish when digesting food. To avoid heartburn and stomach aches stay away from spicy, fatty and heavy eats at least four hours before lights out.

Medication.

Medicine cabinets are often the key to troubled sleep mysteries. 

Not only do drugs come with known side-effects – they also have veiled energy-zapping effects.
 

Common pills like steroids for asthma or beta-blockers for high blood pressure can keep you up till dawn. WebMD

 If you’ve started a new med but feel more lethargic than usual, check with your doctor and explore alternatives. 

Pets.

Though pets get spoiled with snuggles in bed – studies suggest animals make sleeping harder to do. WebMD

Dogs and cats just don’t have the same sleeping patterns as we do. While you’re in deep slumber at 4 a.m. – your kitty might deem that prime time for scratching and pouncing on the bed. 

If you’re waking up drained all the time, try having your cat sleep elsewhere in the room. 

Pain.

From headaches to back-aches and menstrual cramps – any form of pain can wreck your rest.

Nighttime discomfort signals sent throughout your body can fragment sleep and cut short needed restorative hours. 

Even if it’s just mild chronic pain, it’s worth letting your physician know.

Autumn: Five healthy edibles you can't help but fall for

The  switch to cold/flu season is never easy. Especially when you’ve spent the last four months basking under the green tree canopy of summer.

Though fall foretells dropping temperatures and back-to-school crunch time, tasty autumn foods can make the change warm and enjoyable.

Figs: Small yet luscious, these fruits are sweet in flavour and low in calorie. Plus they’re loaded with essential nutrients like: vitamin K and bone-building calcium. Figs make delectable jams or baked snacks, and help clear cholesterol, pimples and acne.

Figs and toasted almond brie recipe

Bell peppers: Bite in on the crunch and color of bell peppers by dicing them in stir fry or baking them in pizza. Abundant in antioxidants, vitamins A and B6, these veggies lower pre-menstrual symptoms like anxiety and prevent many types of cancers.

Bell pepper stir fry recipe

Beets: Raw, steamed, baked or pickled, these versatile veggies taste scrumptious in soup and salad. They also go beautifully with beef, pork, steak and even duck. Sweet and earthy, beets are loaded with vitamin B and betacyanin (heart-protective nutrient) benefits. 

Roasted beets with feta recipe

Pears: Juicy and buttery in texture, the pear makes an easy choice to chunk and eat with salad or hot cereal. Plentiful in copper and potassium, indulging in them often lowers cholesterol and harmonizes intestines. 

Brandied pears recipe

Pumpkins: The pumpkin’s healthy orange hue is a clue to hidden treasures from within. From fibre to beta-carotene, these fresh fruits improve vision and boost your immune system. Come Halloween why not try a pumpkin pie parfait?

What you’ll need: 
1/4 cup plain pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1/2 large frozen banana
1 to 1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Optional toppings:
Crumbled graham crackers
Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
Cinnamon

What to do:

Blend all ingredients in a blender, adding the almond milk as you go until reaching the desired consistency.

Pour into glass and top with desired toppings!

Recipe via: Greatlist.com

Resources: 
Canoe Health Canada
How Stuff Works