Fall is just around the corner With the change in seasons fast approaching, Health in Motion director Natan Gendelman talks about ways to stay well in the cooling weather. Good morning everyone! As the last few days of summer pass and the school year begins, it’s time to bid farewell to summer and prepare for the changes brought about by the fall season. So what kinds of changes should we be expecting? Here are a few things to keep in mind as our bodies prepare for the months to come. Like we've mentioned in previous issues, the phenomenon known as circadian rhythm regulates everything in our bodies including sleep, brain activity, hormone production, the immune system and other biological activities. Our circadian rhythm guides our bodies as the seasons shift, leading other natural bodily processes to begin. Along these lines, one thing that can be seen with the cooling weather is that our bodies start to conserve vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. Seeing as how this is the body's way to prepare for winter, make sure to consume fresh, organic and locally grown produce once it is in season. The good thing about autumn is that there is an abundance of freshly harvested foods that are readily available, meaning that it is easy to find good, wholesome foods containing the nutrients we need. It's important to stock up on and consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to help strengthen your immune system, as the change in seasons is also the time when your body is transitioning and is the most vulnerable to contracting viruses and the flu. To avoid this from happening, one of the best things you can do for your body is to eat well, then bundle up and spend as much time as possible enjoying the crisp autumn weather. Not only will you be exercising, you'll be improving the exchange of nutrients in your body which will help you stay well in the months to come. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]. Thanks, and have a great fall season! Good Health News FALL • 2012 Volume 5 Number 6 Fall is just around the corner ................................................... Page 1 Our top picks for the upcoming harvest season ................................................... Page 2 Developmental Delay Workshop — Oct 13th ................................................... Page 2 Improving your child's sleep-wake cycle ................................................... Page 3 Here's What People Have to Say About LIFE ................................................... Page 4 IN THIS ISSUE Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904 www.healthinmotionrehab.com 1 Good Health News • Fall • 2012
Transcript
Fall is just around the corner
With the change in seasons fast approaching, Health in Motion director Natan Gendelman talks about ways to stay well in the cooling weather.
Good morning everyone! As the last few days of summer pass and the school year begins, it’s time to bid farewell to summer and prepare for the changes brought about by the fall season. So what kinds of changes should we be expecting? Here are a few things to keep in mind as our bodies prepare for the months to come.
Like we've mentioned in previous issues, the phenomenon known as circadian rhythm regulates everything in our bodies including sleep, brain activity, hormone production, the immune system and other biological activities. Our circadian rhythm guides our bodies as the seasons shift, leading other natural bodily processes to begin. Along these lines, one thing that can be seen with the cooling weather is that our bodies start to conserve vitamins and minerals from the foods we eat. Seeing as how this is the body's way to prepare for winter, make sure to consume fresh, organic and locally grown produce once it is in season.
The good thing about autumn is that there is an abundance of freshly harvested foods that are readily available, meaning that it is easy to find good, wholesome foods containing the nutrients we need. It's important to stock up on and consume plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables to help strengthen your immune system, as the change in seasons is also the time when your body is transitioning and is the most vulnerable to contracting viruses and the flu.
To avoid this from happening, one of the best things you can do for your body is to eat well, then bundle up and spend as much time as possible enjoying the crisp autumn weather. Not only will you be exercising, you'll be improving the exchange of nutrients in your body which will help you stay well in the months to come.
If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected]. Thanks, and have a great fall season!
Good Health NewsFALL • 2012
Volume 5 Number 6
Fall is just around the corner ...................................................Page 1
Our top picks for the upcoming harvest season ...................................................Page 2
Developmental Delay Workshop — Oct 13th ...................................................Page 2
Improving your child's sleep-wake cycle ...................................................Page 3
Here's What People Have to Say About LIFE ...................................................Page 4
IN THIS ISSuE
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904 www.healthinmotionrehab.com 1
Good Health News • Fall • 2012
General Health Our top picks for the upcoming fall harvest season For more info, visit foodland.on.gov.ca.
With the crisp fall weather just around the corner, here are some of our top picks for the coming harvest season.
Brussel Sprouts. An excellent source of Vitamin C, folacin, Vitamin A, potassium and fibre, brussel sprouts are available fresh in local markets from September to November. They taste great steamed, boiled, stir fried or incorporated into a number of different casseroles, bakes and salads.
Corn. With folate, fibre, Vitamin C, niacin and thiamine, corn is a great addition to any meal and a welcome tribute to the start of the har-vest season. Before cooking, remove the husk and silk bits. It is often boiled, barbecued, or added to a number of different soups and dish-es.
Plums. A good source of Vitamin C, plums are delicious when eaten raw, added to salads, or incorporated into a variety of breakfast dishes. They are also great when dried, preserved or baked into a pie or tart.
Raspberries. Raspberries contain Vitamin C, Vitamin A and fibre. Being very delicate, they are most often eaten fresh, made into jam or incor-porated into numerous sauces, compotes and mousses.
DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY WORKSHOP
PLEASE JOIN uS ON:
Saturday October 13th
WHEN: 11:00-12:30pm
AT: Bathurst Medical Building� 4256 Bathurst Street #204 Toronto, ON M6H 5Y8
FOR: Parents of kids with CP, stroke, brain injury and developmental delay
COST: FREE
Join us for a great workshop where you can learn how to help your child attain developmental milestones. Please RSVP at (416) 250-1904 or at [email protected].
Thanks, and we hope to see you there!
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904 www.healthinmotionrehab.com 2
Good Health News • Fall • 2012
Sleep is a crucial factor in a child’s de-velopment, health, and lifestyle. It’s important to understand your child and notice how he functions through the day, what activities he engages in, and his daily sleep patterns. This becomes especially important when looking at a child that has a serious condition such as epilepsy. In doing so, you can help him eliminate activities which can affect his sleep, and thus decrease the likelihood of him experiencing seizures or other serious health problems.
A biolog�ical look into thing�s. In order to recog-nize why making these changes are necessary we first must look at how the body functions. All our bodily processes follow a certain schedule (circadian rhythm).The body’s circadian rhythm responds to the lightness and darkness of an individual’s environment. It affects our sleep-wake cycles, hormone release, body temperature and other bodily functions. If a child doesn’t get enough rest, it may disrupt his sleep-wake cycle and cause seizures to occur.
A bit of fresh air g�oes a long� way. To avoid this issue, a child should have a regimen that is set in stone, from his sleeping and eating habits to his playtime schedule. This should include exposure to sunlight and as much fresh air as possible. When a child is exposed to light the brain begins to perform functions such as increasing body tem-perature, releasing stimulating hormones, and other processes which cause him to feel sleepy or awake. It is for these reasons that a child should follow a routine that includes playtime outdoors and sleeping at a reasonable hour.
Avoid over-stimulating� the senses. As the day passes and the sun begins to set, it is also important to avoid anything that over-stimulates the senses before bedtime, such as lights that flash brightly, watch-ing television, playing video or computer games, or working on a computer. Playing interactive video games significantly increases a child’s heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate. These effects will hinder him from following his sleep schedule, as he will take longer to fall asleep and thus will disturb his sleep-wake cycle. If a child engages in activities
that over-stimulate the senses, it is best for it to oc-cur earlier in the day in order for his heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate to have enough time to return to normal.
Mealtime is key. Finally, another important aspect to pay attention to is a child’s mealtime. His eating hab-its and routine greatly impact sleep cycles. In order for a child to properly digest food, the largest meal of
the day should be consumed in the morn-ing and the lightest should occur 4 hours before going to sleep. Try to avoid heavy meals late at night and stayaway from junk foods. This will ensure that your child will not experience indigestion, restless-ness, and problems sleeping.
As we mentioned before, getting enough sleep is a big key point in any child’s life. For a child who has seizures, it is even more crucial; therefore, it’s important to
understand your child and explore what impacts his individual sleep-wake cycle. By understanding your child’s needs, you will be able to accommodate him whether by getting him into bed no later than 9 pm and getting him up in the normal hours of the morn-ing, reading a book to relax him, or even removing a dim nightlight that may be preventing him from sleeping. In this way, you will be able to improve his health, happiness and overall well-being.
If you have any questions, comments or experiences to share about your child and his sleep-wake cycle, leave me a comment down below or join our forum discussion. Thanks everyone!
www.enabledkids .caImproving your child's sleep-wake cycle
"If a child with epilepsy doesn’t get enough rest, it may disrupt his sleep-wake cycle and cause
seizures to occur."
Health in Motion Rehabilitation (416) 250-1904 www.healthinmotionrehab.com 3
Good Health News • Fall • 2012
Want to subscribe?Good Health News publishes articles about current health issues. The material in this newsletter is not copyrighted, and may be reproduced and shared with family and friends. Articles in GHN are for informational purposes only. If you have a health condition, please consult your physician or health care provid-er before following any advice. Good Health News is published by the Health in Motion Rehabilitation Clinic, Toronto, Ontario, (416) 250-1904, [email protected]. Previous issues of Good Health News are posted at: www.healthinmotionrehab.com. If you would like a subscription, or a copy of past issues, feel free to contact us. We hope you enjoyed this issue!
-The Health in Motion Team
www.twitter.com/EnabledKids
Health in Motion Rehabilitation
“Blake was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and global developmental
disability when he was 10 months old. At one year, we brought him
to Health in Motion. At this time he could not roll over, or sit, and had
very little neck movement and eye contact.
Within weeks we saw huge changes in Blake. His tone, eye contact
and range of movement had significantly improved, and he was
overall much happier and aware.
The staff are all very supportive and will take the time to explain any
questions or concerns. They have given us hope that he will be able
to sit up and walk one day. They have truly changed his life and we
are excited to continue on this journey with them!"
Kim Colwell, Alliston, ON
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