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2 Red Deer Express HEALTHY FAMILY LIVING, Wednesday, March 18, 2015

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Wednesday, March 18, 2015, HEALTHY FAMILY LIVING Red Deer Express 3

BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

Red Deerian Carmen

Tayles shares not only

helpful tips on achieving a

healthy weight in her new

book, but she also refl ects

on her own personal jour-

ney in getting there.

No ‘Stone’ Unturned –

Achieving a Healthy Weight

for Life was released last

year, and chapters cover a

wide spectrum of subjects

from exploring the impor-

tance of proper food choic-

es, the selection of supple-

ments, tips for exercise

and the psychology behind

weight gain and weight

loss. It’s all told in a very

accessible, and very well-

researched style.

From the start, Tayles

is also very open about

her own experiences – she

candidly refl ects on her

own struggles with weight

early on and her eventual

triumph over it. Those

moments are some of the

strongest in the book, be-

cause they really connect

the reader to Tayles – of-

ten those of us who have

weight issues have similar-

ities in our backgrounds.

Her insightful comments

are, in many ways, the

highlights of the material.

“I think that when you

are told over and over again

that you are fat, you start to

believe it and see no alter-

native there,” she said, re-

ferring to her memories of

her mother and grandma

always talking about being

and/or getting fat. Anxiety

over weight issues began to

surface early on. “It wasn’t

until I started writing the

book that I could actually

pinpoint when it fi rst be-

came an issue for me. It

took me way back to when

I was fi ve.”

For example, her grand-

mother felt that oatmeal

everyday was a mistake,

as she thought it was con-

tributing to Tayles’ weight

problem. “It was my favou-

rite breakfast – I would get

up looking forward to that.

One morning, there was a

piece of toast sitting there.

I said where’s my oatmeal,

and she said you guys

aren’t getting that any-

more – you’re getting fat.

I thought, what does that

mean?

“As I was growing up,

they were always on me

about my weight. I’m also

tall, so I was also always

bigger than the other kids

my age.

“So it made me more

self-conscious, to be always

reminded of that.” She re-

calls starting to sneak food

into her room as to bypass

the criticism, which includ-

ed raiding the freezer for

Christmas baking prior to

the holiday season.

There was of course teas-

ing at school, too. So on goes

the depletion of a healthy

sense of self-esteem, and

food becomes a source of

comfort, which in turn

leads to increased instances

of emotional eating.

“It’s a psychological is-

sue. We try to fi ll a void

with food – it’s just like self-

medicating.”

As the years passed, Tay-

les tried a number of diets

and did experience suc-

cess. But the pounds would

return. Ultimately, Tayles

realized she was obsessed

with her weight, but it

wasn’t helping her to slim

down.

She eventually went

for counseling, and began

to see that weight issues

were a part of her life, but

weren’t her whole life. She

also began to tackle issues

like negative self-talk and a

negative self-image. She be-

gan to utilize visualization

as a tool to alter her think-

ing about her body and the

body that she ultimately

wanted to have.

“It’s very powerful – it

works really well. It’s defi -

nitely one of the pieces

to the puzzle in achieving

your goal.”

It also speaks to the

power of the mind when

it comes to reaching one’s

goal with weight.

“Psychological issues

must be addressed to be-

come a life-time non-smok-

er and it’s no different as

it relates to becoming suc-

cessful at losing and keep-

ing weight off,” she writes.

“We fail to lose weight not

because of will power, but

because we have failed to

resolve our issues, inner

confl icts and thoughts.

When we think we have

failed, we give ourselves

permission to revert back

to our regular routines be-

cause these are easiest for

us.”

As mentioned earlier,

the book of course offers

plenty of practical advice

on choosing healthy, fresh

foods and eliminating as

much as possible boxed and

processed choices.

Drinking a proper

amount of water, getting

the right amount of rest,

adopting an active lifestyle

and watching portion sizes

are also keys to success, she

said. A sense of account-

ability can also do a world

of good, too. “A weight loss

group also provides the

support most people need

to be held accountable,

to know that you are not

alone, and that there are

many people in your posi-

tion that share your feel-

ings,” she writes.

Tayles is careful to con-

sistently recommend folks

that medical advice is es-

sential, as everyone’s situ-

ation is different. There’s

a great sense of balance

throughout as well. She

recognizes that there will

be days when you crave

something sweet, and that

completely depriving your-

self is never wise.

As for dealing with pain-

ful parts of her past, Tayles

opts to look at how even the

hardest circumstances can

ultimately bring some form

of good into our lives.

“It makes me grateful

and thankful everyday that

I’ve had the opportunity

to actually experience all

of these different things

because when I run into

someone who is maybe be-

ing tested or tried by some-

thing like this, I can maybe

empathize with them for a

moment.”

Weight loss should be an

exciting jury, not one of

drudgery, as she alludes to

in the closing chapter.

“Celebrate your baby

steps to success and re-

ally love yourself; who you

were, who you are, and who

you will become on this

amazing journey.”

For more information

about the book, or to pur-

chase a copy, check out

www.carmentayles.com or

fi nd her on facebook under

‘Carmen Tayles – author’.

Copies can also be bought

at Only Women’s Fitness

and Nutter’s.

[email protected]

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The 40s, 50s & 60s

CARMEN TAYLES

Author details weight loss journey in new book


BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

Divorce and separation

can be a trying time for

anyone especially if there

are children involved.

Family Services of Cen-

tral Alberta (FSCA) is

available to help Central

Albertans navigate the

complex world of parent-

ing after separation while

helping to maintain emo-

tional and mental health of

a family.

On March 28th, FSCA is

offering a ‘Parenting After

Separation’ course.

Charlotte Dennehy, clini-

cal manager for FSCA ex-

plained the course aims to

help parents understand

the impacts their split may

have on their children as

well as help to understand

the legal realm of divorce

and separation.

“The purpose of the

program is to help parents

make the adjustment of di-

vorce or separation easier

on their children. Having

parents understand the full

emotional impact on their

children and on themselves

and how the legal process

works is very important.”

She explained one of

the biggest issues facing

parents going through a

divorce or separation is

understanding that you are

now in a co-parenting re-

lationship and no longer a

spousal relationship.

“It’s hard for some to un-

derstand that things like

what the other person does

is no longer of their con-

cern,” said Dennehy. “And

often times each parent has

very different ways of par-

enting and it can be hard to

develop a strategy.”

Parents will have to in-

form their children of the

separation, in which Den-

nehy explained will occa-

sionally lead to negative

choices made by parents in

which they may inadver-

tently affect their children

by confi ding in them their

feelings about their partner

and perhaps talking nega-

tively about the other par-

ent, which she said is not

healthy for the children.

“What family research

has shown is that divorce

itself doesn’t necessarily

hurt children, it’s the con-

fl ict between parents that

will really hurts them.

“If parents are con-

stantly fi ghting and in tur-

moil, it will have negative

impacts – kids intuitively

know they are part of both

of their parents, so if they

hear dad or mom speak-

ing negatively of the other

person then they think be-

cause they are a creation

of their parents, they are

the negative things they’ve

heard their parent speak.”

The free course delves

into the impacts a divorce

and separation will have

on children of varying ages

and what type of behaviour

to expect depending on a

child’s temperament and

age.

Dennehy explained from

a legal perspective there

are fi nancial benefi ts to

taking the course as well.

“Rather than phoning

your lawyer two to three

times a week, if you know

and understand how the

legal system works and pro-

mote mediation then it will

save you a lot of money,”

she stated. “If you can both

learn to work with the le-

gal system and understand

custody versus access, child

support and alimony and

the residences for the chil-

dren then the entire process

is going to be easier.”

Some feedback FSCA has

heard from past partici-

pants of the course is that

they wish they would’ve

taken the course earlier in

the divorce or separation.

“Central Alberta has a

very high divorce rate and

it’s important for parents to

watch and make sure their

actions aren’t negatively

affecting their children so

I often tell people that even

if they are thinking about

divorce or separation – go,”

said Dennehy. “Because it’s

going to show you divorce

isn’t easy, often times peo-

ple think divorce is an easy

way out but it isn’t.”

To register for the course,

visit www.fsca.ca.

[email protected]

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BY KALISHA MENDONSARed Deer Express

For some children, social interaction is

not an easy task. It can be diffi cult for them

to express thoughts, read body language

and communicate effectively. That’s where

the Think Social Winter Program comes

in. The program is presented by the Learn-

ing Disability Association of Red Deer, but

is not strictly for children who have been

diagnosed with a learning disability.

“The program is a social skills program

for kids who need help making friends or

keeping friends. It’s for kids who need help

with starting conversations, reading body

language and other diffi culties that chil-

dren with learning disabilities - or really

any child - can have making friends,” said

program director Jeanette Davis.

Registration for the program is best

done in person at the Association’s offi ce.

“Lots of children with learning disabili-

ties have low self esteem and have trouble

making connections with other children,

especially if they have associated behav-

ioral issues. ADHD is prevalent in a large

number of kids with learning disabilities,

and that’s the only kind of way it’s not in-

visible. These kids are acting out,” Davis

said.

“For some of these kids, the problem is

their peers don’t like the way they are be-

having and they’ve got certain personality

traits that make it hard to understand how

they are behaving. However, I think the

important thing is it is open to everyone,

not just kids who are identifi ed as having

a learning disability. If there are parents

who feel their child would benefi t and

could learn something from this program

to have more positive peer relationships,

then they are welcome.”

She said she creates each program to

target the needs of individual children so

parents can feel assured their child is re-

ceiving the maximum benefi t.

“What we usually do is the facilitators

will role-play things in front of the kids,

and we will have a de-briefi ng and discus-

sion about what is right and wrong with

the situation. We get the kids to look at

what might have been weird or awkward

and why that behaviour isn’t going to work.

We look at the unappealing behaviours and

then show the kids how they can change

those behaviours into something positive.

“We then work on the skills through role-

playing and games. We have games where

we have to have meaningful questions and

conversations to continue.

“Within two or three weeks of the pro-

gram, people will start noticing the chang-

es, either parents or teachers. We get feed-

back from the parents to make sure they

are happy with the program and see if they

are noticing a difference in their child.”

Davis said the program has even brought

in yoga instructors to teach deep relaxing

breathing techniques for the kids. She said

they also discuss why different people get

upset over different things, and things that

are realistic to be upset about and what

things are not. She said the kids also learn

how to recognize the difference between

anger and disappointment.

The program will run two groups, start-

ing with ages seven to nine on April 8th

and April 14th for the older age group. The

registration deadline for the sessions is

April 2nd.

For more information, call the LDA at

403-340-3885.

[email protected]

Course offers help for families affected by divorce

‘Think Social Winter Program’ engages social skills

FUN WITH FITNESS – Sammie Pupetz leads a fi tness class at Only Women’s Fitness – the gym hosts child minding as well as a variety of fi tness classes. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express


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BY JENNA HANGERRed Deer Express

It’s not uncommon to see

a group of people hanging

out together, each holding

a cell phone which is fre-

quently checked for texts,

social media alerts or other

notifi cations.

It’s also not unusual to

walk into a family home

and see dad on the laptop,

mom watching TV and all

the kids streaming videos

or playing games on the

iPad.

Some health offi cials are

saying what has become a

normal way of life is hav-

ing consequences, especial-

ly on the younger genera-

tion who are being raised

in a society that’s growing

increasingly dependent on

and accustomed to technol-

ogy.

Cris Rowan, a pediat-

ric occupational thera-

pist from B.C. and CEO of

Zone’in Programs Inc. has

been all over the world edu-

cating the masses about the

physical and mental health

issues associated with tech-

nology overuse.

According to a research

review by Rowan, found

on www.zonein.ca, excess

technology has been re-

lated to the rise in children

with mental health and be-

havioural issues.

These include Attention

Defi cit Hyperactivity Dis-

order (ADHD), autism, ag-

gression, increased impul-

sivity, depression and an

inability to self-regulate.

The Canadian Mental

Health Association reports

almost 20% of children

suffer from mental health

issues, two-thirds of these

suffer from multiple disor-

ders.

The American Academy

of Pediatrics and the Cana-

dian Society of Pediatrics

have laid out guidelines

that say infants between

zero to two years shouldn’t

be exposed to any technol-

ogy, three to fi ve years

should be limited to one

hour a day, and six to 18

years only two hours a day.

Rowan’s research report

says children are using an

average of four to fi ve times

the recommended amount.

According to the Bristol

University study in 2010,

children who use more

than the suggested hours

have a 60% increase in psy-

chological disorders.

Studies have also shown

radiation from wireless de-

vices can do more damage

to children then to adults.

“The problem with chil-

dren that is most worri-

some is that children have

thinner skulls and more

water in their bodies which

causes them to absorb

more radiation, and they

have higher cell turnover,”

Rowan said.

Obesity is another is-

sue arising from overusing

technology.

The Canadian Commu-

nity Health Survey in 2013

found one in fi ve youths

from 12-17 were overweight

or obese.

Recent studies have also

shown excessive time play-

ing video games not only

affects children’s weight,

but also the way their brain

is forming.

Rowan said research has

shown the frontal lobe of

children who spend an ex-

cessive amount of time on

video games is noticeably

deteriorating because of

the lack of healthy stimu-

lus.

But it’s not just in

younger kids where there

is concern about technol-

ogy overuse, it’s happening

with the older age groups

as well, experts have said.

It’s an important stage of

life when teenagers sepa-

rate from their parents

and form their own social

group.

But when they turn to

varieties of social media to

try and connect with their

friends it’s not meeting

their needs.

“(They) want to have this

meaningful conversation

with somebody but instead

they just do facebooking or

texting.

“They never get what

they are really seeking,

which is meaningful con-

nection,” Rowan said.

“All their parents are

thinking they are connect-

ing socially, but there is

a poverty of connection

and it’s not meaningful for

them.”

Rowan said parents need

to take the initiative to get

themselves off of technol-

ogy and spend time with

their children, which is

very important for their

early developments.

The Zone’in report said

Canadian parents spend

an average of 3.5 minutes

per week having meaning-

ful conversation with their

children and 20% don’t

know how to play with

them.

Ultimately, technology is

one of those things the say-

ing ‘everything in modera-

tion’ is key, experts say.

“The most important

thing really, it’s the second

step in my 10-step plan,

is for the parents to pull

themselves off tech and

make themselves available

to the child. Because I have

never seen a child with a

problem that didn’t have

parents with a bigger prob-

lem.”

Experts point out downsides to technology overuse in kids

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BY ERIN FAWCETTRed Deer Express

Red Deer schools are be-

ing proactive about the is-

sues of cyber-bullying.

Both Red Deer Public and

Red Deer Catholic divisions

have programs and re-

sources put in place to help

combat cyber-bullying.

“When it comes to pro-

viding safe and caring envi-

ronments for our students,

this is a primary concern

for us,” said Paul Mason,

superintendent with the

Red Deer Catholic School

division.

“With the developments

of social media and stu-

dents having access to each

other 24-7, this has added

another element to con-

tinue to provide a safe and

caring environment.

“The ways we look to

address this are along the

lines of prevention and

being proactive in our ap-

proach.”

He added a number of

Red Deer Catholic School

offi cials recently attended

a cyber-bullying workshop.

“They looked at topics and

themes and how to recog-

nize cyber-bullying. We

want to ensure that our

staff are trained to be able

to recognize and deal with

as it does occur.”

According to the survey

‘Protecting Canadian Fam-

ilies Online’, conducted by

Leger on behalf of Primus

Telecommunications, par-

ents are more concerned

about cyber-bullying (48%)

than they are about teen

pregnancy (44%), drug use

(40%) or alcohol use (38%).

As well, one in fi ve par-

ents admit to knowing their

‘underage’ children have

facebook accounts.

Nearly one in fi ve par-

ents (16%) reported know-

ing their children between

the ages of eight and 10

have a facebook account,

despite a 13-year age mini-

mum in place for having an

account.

The survey also found

the majority of parents

(81%) feel that they are

most responsible for pro-

tecting their children from

cyber-bullying. And when

parents were asked who

else should be responsible

for protecting their child

they responded schools

(54%), social media compa-

nies (41%), the government

(31%) and friends (30%).

The survey showed that

one in 10 parents admit to

being aware their child, or

one of their child’s friends,

has received images or

messages online intended

to hurt someone.

For parents who learn

that their child is being

cyber-bullied, education

remains the primary form

of defense, the survey con-

cluded.

Jeremy Horlings, vice

principal at Gateway Chris-

tian School said students

need to remember there

are severe consequences to

any kind of bullying.

“Digital actions have real

world consequences,” he

said.

“We will deal with cy-

ber-bullying issues in the

school regularly and in dif-

ferent variations. It’s about

educating kids and making

them aware.

“One of the things that

we have to mindful of is

that the idea of sending

anonymous notes that are

hurtful is not new. You

think of when we went

through school the ‘bully’

was a bigger person, a phys-

ically stronger person and

now we have different cat-

egories of cyber-bullies,”

he said. “You have cyber-

bullies that everyone would

see as an angel in class – a

really well mannered per-

son – but they are a passive

aggressive person.

“They are quiet and peo-

ple might have said or done

things to them and they

don’t say or do anything –

they are very compliant.

All of a sudden, they get on

their computer and it gives

them that access to be the

bully.

“If they are technologi-

cally-savvy, then that be-

comes their muscle – it be-

comes their chance to get

back.

“They can create false

profi les of other students

or they can create a fake

profi le and make terrible

comments.”

Horlings added part of

the problem is that youth

have great access to one

another, cyber-bullying can

happen day or night.

“Bullying used to take

place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

within the confi nes of the

school. It was horrible but

you could also generally es-

cape it and go home and it

didn’t follow you.

“With cyber-bullying it

follows you – your phone

buzzes when you are get-

ting on the bus, your phone

buzzes when you are sitting

at the supper table, you go

to your desktop or laptop

and it’s there. They call it

24/7 bullying. It doesn’t

leave you. That is some-

thing that is concerning

because they don’t feel like

they can escape it.”

Horlings added the type

of technology also plays a

role in the accessibility to

cyber-bullying.

“What I have seen more

and more are different

apps and different types of

social networking sites that

allow it to become easier to

fall into the temptation of

cyber-bullying.

“For example, things like

anonymous social network-

ing sites. Because these are

anonymous, kids are get-

ting extremely negative

and we are seeing attacks.”

Ron Eberts, associate

superintendent – technol-

ogy services for Red Deer

Public Schools said cyber-

bullying has been around

for a long time.

“With the proliferation

of the various media, when

it was just facebook, or just

Twitter, or just Instagram

– it wasn’t as much. But

now with Snapchat and the

ability to say something

and have your tracks clean

behind you – it gave people

who were bullies already a

safer place from their point

of view to do their bully-

ing.”

He added if any student

is being cyber-bullied, he

urges them to seek support.

“What we want to make

sure our kids know is that

if they are being cyber-

bullied, they need to tell

someone – their parents,

a teacher, a counselor at

school. Trying to deal with

it on your own is not the

way to go. Building a sup-

port system is key.

“The more people you

can tell and you can get in-

volved the better.”

Meanwhile, Primus is

joining forces with PRE-

VNet, the country’s lead-

ing authority on bullying

prevention, to develop an e-

learning program designed

for Canadian parents and

adults to use with children

and youth.

With the goal of reducing

the incidence of cyber-bul-

lying across the country,

the program is scheduled

to launch later this year

and will be the fi rst interac-

tive resource of its kind.

“Our research shows on-

line safety has become a top

concern for parents across

the country and our aim,

as one of Canada’s leading

ISPs, is to help them un-

derstand how to deal with

it - even before it becomes a

problem,” said Brad Fisher,

Primus executive and on-

line safety advocate.

“By partnering with

PREVNet, we can provide

parents and adults working

with youth a much-needed

resource so they can turn

their concerns into positive

action.

“This program will arm

them with the knowledge,

skills, support and confi -

dence they need to tackle

this important issue and,

most importantly, protect

their kids.

According to PREVNet,

though, youth and adults

may not be speaking the

same language when it per-

tains to online communi-

cations and cyber-bullying

prevention.

“The rate of digital inter-

actions will only increase

as technology continues

to evolve,” said Dr. Wendy

Craig, scientifi c co-director

at PREVNet.

[email protected]

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BY MARK WEBERRed Deer Express

Coordinators with momstown Central Alberta aim to

provide all kinds of programs and ways of connecting

for moms in the community.

momstown.ca is described as a, “Unique blend of

early education programming and mama support deliv-

ered both online and in-person.

“With a momstown program pass, Canadian moms

can choose from an extensive range of programs for

children ages 0-6 years old.

“Each month your local chapter runs 20-plus events

- all created by early childhood educators and includ-

ing developmental areas of art, literacy, music and sci-

ence,” according to the web site.

“All our programming is themed around eight educa-

tional program pillars - art, music, literacy, nutrition,

science and discovery, fi tness and adventure, play and

social and prenatal.”

Tanya Kitchen Johnson is the owner of momstown

Central Alberta, and a busy mother in her own right to

four daughters.

Ultimately, it’s all about providing fun and educa-

tional activities for families, where children can learn

new skills and moms can build friendships with other

mothers in the community, she said.

As Kitchen Johnson pointed out, it’s also particularly

helpful for mothers who are new to a given community

as well.

momstown was fi rst launched in Burlington, Ontario

in 2007, and was later started in Alberta in 2009.

“You know the saying it takes a village to raise a

child? Well, people don’t really know their neighbours

anymore,” she explained.

“So sometimes these moms are having babies, but

they don’t know anyone. Maybe their friends aren’t in

the same life stage as them, or they haven’t had kids

yet, or their kids are older.

“So that’s how it started – to get these moms out of

the house and meeting people,” she said, adding that it

helps to ensure new moms aren’t just surviving moth-

erhood, but thriving.

Also, sometimes support systems wane a bit when

baby number two or three comes along. This can some-

times lead to cases of postpartum depression – a wom-

an may not fi nd the robust support that she did with her

fi rstborn, for example.

“Our programs are very sibling-friendly, so it allows

them to get out of the house, it allows moms some con-

versation with other moms while they are doing these

amazing programs with their kids – so everyone is win-

ning.”

Programs run the gamut from ‘Art & Play’, ‘Tales

for Tots’, ‘Baby Basics’ and ‘Alphabet Play’ to ‘Toddler

Time’, ‘Junior Chef’, ‘Music & Movement’ and ‘Rhyme,

Rhythm & Read.’

According to the web site, momstown’s ‘Active Ma-

mas’ program, “Lets you get fi t and stay active at your

own pace.

“You’ll have a chance to try new fi tness classes and

programs, get professional nutrition advice, learn

about wellness options, and connect with moms in your

community.”

There is also ‘Mom’s Night Out’ – which features a

range of events from supper clubs to craft nights, all

based on the interests of a particular momstown chap-

ter.

Kitchen Johnson said there are more than 20 events

planned each month, which can also bolster a child’s

overall socialization.

Currently, there are about 250 members who take

part in various momstown activities and programs.

Check out www.central-alberta.momstown.ca for

more information.

[email protected]

LEARN THROUGH PLAY – Crystal-Gayle Hallet enjoys some quality time with son Blake, 8 months, during a weekly momstown meet-up.

Kalisha Mendonsa/Red Deer Express

momstown Central Alberta offers a range of programs


BY JENNA SWANRed Deer Express

In a society dominated

by media images of thin

women and buff men, body

image can cause immense

amounts of stress for some.

Recently a six-week pro-

gram titled ‘Letting Go’

was conducted by Marnel

Hesterman of Incite Inspi-

rations, which employed

the use of the emotional

freedom technique and

the process of ‘tapping’ to

address the issue of body

weight and self acceptance.

“As human beings we

put ourselves under stress

all day long, every day and

for a lot of us if we are car-

rying extra weight then

we are constantly beating

ourselves up over it,” ex-

plained Hesterman.

“So we’re not making

proper food choices be-

cause we are reacting to the

stress we are under.”

Hesterman explained by

helping participants of the

program diffuse some of

that stress and beliefs they

have around weight and

weight issues, they no lon-

ger reach for those foods

to calm themselves when

they are feeling the stress

and instead replace it with

self love so they can make

better choices.

“We use the Emotional

Freedom Technique to not

only work on the issue of

craving but the whole issue

of eating and the food we

are putting into our bod-

ies,” she explained.

“I found many of the

participants had been on

so many different diets and

weight plans and programs

and had very mixed results

which often ended in them

rebounding and gaining

back the weight they had

lost if any – which left them

feeling stressed out and

frustrated.”

She explains the science

behind EFT and tapping

as a way of decreasing the

stress hormone cortisol

and increasing the happy

hormone serotonin.

“Tapping can change our

thought pattern by creating

new neural pathways and

creating different perspec-

tives and life choices,” said

Hesterman. “We are able to

see things from a different

perspective when we can

relieve the emotion that

is around it.” Hesterman

stated some of the biggest

changes she saw in par-

ticipants was in their food

and drink consumption in

which she saw participants

making better food choices,

as well as being more ex-

cited over the movement of

their bodies.

“We focus on movement

as being fun rather than be-

ing dreaded exercise,” said

Hesterman. “I also found

that a lot of the participants

talked about how much bet-

ter they were getting along

with family members and

their children thanks to

different practices they

were putting in place from

the sessions such as includ-

ing more family time and

having lighter and brighter

outlooks on life.”

Local business owner

and entrepreneur Susan

Walker said she experi-

enced a number of ‘Aha’

moments throughout her

‘Letting Go’ sessions stat-

ing she has experienced

much release from the

stresses of life following

the program.

“Understanding why I ate

at certain times was a huge

realization for me to under-

stand why,” said Walker.

“It allowed me to get over

the asphyxiation with my

weight and it’s allowed me

to be able to have my photo

taken again which was an

issue for me and feel better

about myself.”

Understanding stress

and the kind of stress you

are under is a big part of

the program, explained

Walker, who added that

while she thought the only

stress she was experienc-

ing was coming from her

work, however she has

since realized that many

things including driving

and her personal life can

also add to her stress level.

She has since, under the

mentorship of Hesterman

and the program, begun a

practice of self-love.

“Just having to say that

you love yourself and say

to yourself that you’re go-

ing to take the time to show

that you love yourself even

once a week can make

a huge difference,” said

Walker. “At the beginning

of the sessions I wasn’t able

to say that I loved myself

but now I can.”

Hesterman invites Cen-

tral Albertans to try the

techniques for themselves

during next sessions.

The next Letting Go pro-

grams are April 7-9th.

For more, visit www.in-

citeinspirations.com.

[email protected]

403.346.3356

TodayWOMEN

Emotional Freedom Technique used with weight loss

MOTHER DAUGHTER MOMENT – Reading to your children is a great way to spend time with them while helping them to develop their cognitive skills. Victoria Thomas reads a book to 15-month-old daughter Olivia. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express


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Earl Dreeshen, MP4315 - 55th Avenue, Suite 100A403-347-7426 • www.earldreeshen.ca

A Voice for A Voice for Families in our Families in our

CommunityCommunity

It’s completely normal for babies to cry

when they’re hungry, tired, wet or even

scared.

But some babies cry for no apparent rea-

son. They’re fed, rested, clean and in your

arms - and yet they still cry.

You’ve tried everything and nothing

seems to soothe them.

This can be a frustrating thing for par-

ents and caretakers.

The good thing, you’re not alone and this

is normal.

While some babies are just fussy and dif-

fi cult to soothe, others have what is called

colic, meaning they cry longer than three

hours a day three days a week for at least

three weeks.

Here’s some advice for parents with a

colicky baby.

Colic is common and will someday end.

Many babies go through a colicky stage

starting when they’re a few weeks old and

ending by four or fi ve months.

They’ll cry for long periods of time often

at the same time each day, usually in the

afternoon or evening.

The crying may sound high-pitched like

they’re distressed, but there’s no clear rea-

son why.

Their face may be red from exertion,

with their legs curled up and fi sts clenched.

It’s really hard for parents not to assume

the worst when their baby cries for no rea-

son.

If your baby seems distressed and has

been injured, is ill or you notice any chang-

es in your baby’s normal behaviour, it is

important to make an appointment with

the pediatrician.

It may be helpful to keep record of your

baby’s crying spells, sleeping patterns and

feeding schedule.

The doctor can help rule out possible

medical reasons for fussiness, but if none

are found, then colic may be what is diag-

nosed.

And sadly, there’s no clear cause for

colic.

Allergies, food intolerance, refl ux, gas,

an undeveloped digestive or nervous sys-

tem, parental anxiety, overstimulation and

differences in the methods of soothing and

feeding a baby have all been considered as

possible causes.

Since the baby can’t tell you what’s

wrong, it’s often a guessing game.

Why one baby is colicky and another is

calm and content is another mystery pedi-

atricians and parents have struggled with

since the dawn of time.

Though you may never forget these

days, the good news is your baby will. A

baby with colic will develop just like a nor-

mal baby.

When a baby cries for long periods, he

or she will swallow air that gets trapped as

gas and cause more distress. Keep gas-re-

lief medicine on hand for when your baby

seems gassy.

To prevent refl ux and gas, hold your

baby upright during feedings and burp

your baby often.

If the baby is bottle-fed, try changing the

kind of bottle or nipple you use. Some al-

low less air to be swallowed than others.

Also, switch to a hypoallergenic formula

for a few days to see if the baby’s symp-

toms decrease.

Moms who breastfeed their babies may

want to avoid certain foods that could up-

set a baby’s sensitive stomach. Some of the

most common foods that cause discomfort

include dairy, soy, wheat, eggs, nuts, and

fi sh.

If the baby’s symptoms go away, you can

fi nd the cause by slowly adding these foods

back into your diet.

Typically, if a food upsets your belly it

will more often than not upset their belly

too.

You can also try new ways of soothing

your baby.

A simple pacifi er can work wonders.

Many babies love the comfort of swad-

dling, rocking, white noise, being walked,

quiet music, or a warm bath. Some babies

just need a few minutes of alone time af-

ter a stimulating day. When nothing else

seems to work, lay your baby on his or her

back in the crib.

Studies show that symptoms of colic

may be due to an imbalance of good bacte-

ria in a baby’s intestines. Treatment with

probiotics may help.

Talk to your pediatrician for a recom-

mendation.

Caring for a baby with colic can be ex-

hausting and stressful. It’s important to

take care of yourself so you can be the best

parent possible.

When colic won’t go away, let a friend or

your spouse take over so you can get out

of the house for a break. Talk to a trusted

friend about your feelings and frustra-

tions.

Also, remember that you’re not a bad

parent because your baby cries or because

you have feelings of resentment. Know

your limits and seek professional help if

you’re at your wit’s end.

This, too, shall pass, and in a few short

weeks or months your baby will be cooing

and smiling and your world will be happy

again.

Jack Wheeler is a personal trainer and owner of 360 Fitness in Red Deer.

When lullabies just simply won’t work Jack

W H E E L E R

AFTERNOON WALK – Trevor and Gyongi Powell enjoy a walk at Kerry Wood Nature Centre with children Laina, 9, Dalton, 7 and Elliot, 4. Jenna Swan/Red Deer Express



Socialization and communication are

building blocks to our society, necessary

for people to connect with one another. For

those living with aphasia, these skills are

stolen are the results can be devastating.

Luckily, those with aphasia in Central

Alberta do not have to suffer alone, thanks

to Coffee Chat. Coffee Chat is a program for

those who are living with aphasia – an ac-

quired language disorder that typically af-

fects people who have suffered brain damage.

“Coffee Chat was developed to be a pro-

gram for people who have suffered a stroke

and who now have aphasia, to be able to

participate in an active communication

group where they get the confi dence, abil-

ity, and support to be able to actually con-

verse,” said speech language pathologist

and program facilitator Karrie Paige.

Aphasia can take several forms, and is

most commonly caused by strokes. A per-

son living with this condition would have

symptoms ranging from diffi culty remem-

bering words to the loss of the ability to

speak, read and write. It does not impact

intelligence, only language skills.

The group is an unstructured socializa-

tion program that can be accessed by speak-

ing to local speech pathologists and PCN

doctors. It is designed to be a comfortable

place for people who may struggle with con-

versation to work through topics of their

interest and to engage with others who also

have aphasia.

“Before people have a stroke, socializa-

tion is an essence of what we do – speaking.

We go for coffee, we go for drinks, and we

talk. At the end of the night, sometimes we

don’t even know what we talked about but

we were socializing and engaging with oth-

er people. Having aphasia means that that

part of being human is stolen from you.

Their voice is stolen in that they often have

so much they want to say, but their brain is

holding it hostage and they just aren’t able

to get the words out,” Paige said.

“A lot of our clients who have aphasia

become socially isolated and are afraid

to talk because often when they try the

words don’t come out right, or they fi nd

that they can’t participate in the kinds of

coffee groups, or beers with the friends or

whatever.”

Paige’s role as a facilitator and speech

pathologist is to help the clients under-

stand and follow conversation, and then in

turn provide assistance in participation.

Some of the tools she uses to help people

communicate are boards with various an-

swers and phrases on them and even iPad

programs.

“We know that people with strokes need

more opportunities to communicate and

use their skills. Unfortunately, there aren’t

many opportunities in the community. A

lot of people don’t even know what aphasia

is or how to work with someone who has

it,” Paige said.

“We’re doing training all the time to

teach what’s called supportive conversa-

tion for people with aphasia. It teaches

people to interact with people affected by

aphasia so that the person affected can un-

derstand what is being said to them and so

that they have a way to respond.”

Paige said there are similar programs

across the country that aim to educate and

rehabilitate those living with aphasia and

the people in their lives. The programs are

monitored by speech pathologists so that

they can help people understand how to

interact with a person living with aphasia,

and to help those affected to take their turn

in conversation.

The cost is $2 to $4 per session. For more

information, contact 403-342-8678.

[email protected]

‘Coffee Chat’ a program for those living with aphasia


For those who have lost a

loved one to suicide there is

a support group within the

City that provides a safe

place to grieve and com-

pare experiences.

Suicide Information and

Education Services hosts

the Living Beyond Suicide

Loss support group once a

week. It is a closed group

meaning that those wishing

to access the service must

contact the organization pri-

or to appearing at a meeting.

“This really came about

through a need in the com-

munity. We get a lot of calls

from people asking if there

is support for this kind of

loss, and so we’ve had the

group going for a few years

now. It is unfortunately

well-attended – I say un-

fortunately because of the

content of the group – but

those who attend certainly

are appreciative that this

group exists,” said Program

Facilitator Dawne Adkins.

“The support group

meets weekly and it is an

opportunity for all those

who are grieving specifi -

cally a suicide loss – as

opposed to other kinds of

grief – to get together and

share in their journeys and

support each other and

learn from each other and

work though the process.”

The group is meant for

survivors of suicide. Ad-

kins said that the term

survivor carries a lot of

misconceptions in this con-

text and that what it really

refers to are the people who

are left behind after a per-

son commits suicide.

The program is run in

an open discussion style

where attendees can speak

to others who are dealing

with the same kind of loss.

Adkins said that some of

the things the group dis-

cusses are how to answer

questions from friends and

family surrounding de-

tails of an incident, where

to fi nd other supports for

grieving and how a person

might learn from another

person’s experience deal-

ing with their grief.

“We have talked about re-

sponding to questions such

as, ‘How many kids do you

have’ after a person has lost

a child to suicide and other

sensitive questions that sur-

vivors face. We are about

supporting and giving sug-

gestions on how to respond

to such questions and situa-

tions,” Adkins said.

“We like it to be a very

safe place for people where

they can share and say

things that are on their

minds that they may not

be able to share elsewhere.

They are in a room of peo-

ple who really get what

they’re going through.”

Adkins said that the

group has a wide variety

of age and demographics

and that there are many

types of relationships rep-

resented in the group, such

as parents grieving the loss

of a child, friends grieving

for a friend, grandparents,

siblings and more.

Part of the focus of the

group is to talk about how

survivors can take care of

themselves as they work

through their journey. The

group discusses the many

ways that people deal with

stress, loss and grief and

aims to let everyone feel

comfortable dealing in

their own way.

“Everyone processes

things differently and so

communication becomes a

big issue. For example, if

a person is lost in a fam-

ily, all family members ex-

perience that loss and are

grieving but grieve in a

different way because they

would all have a different

relationship to that per-

son,” she said.

“We communicate to see

how one person is feeling,

how their experience com-

pares to someone else and

then to allow people to real-

ize that all of those varieties

of feelings are okay.

“We let people know to

be kind and gentle, not only

to themselves, but to each

other.”

Anyone wishing to be-

come a part of the group

must fi rst contact Suicide

Information and Education

Services to take part in an

intake process before they

are admitted to the group.

Adkins said that the intake

is done to assess where a

person is at as they move

through their grief, and

also to become acquaint-

ed with her so that when

someone comes in, they

have a friendly face in the

group.

[email protected]

‘Living Beyond Loss’ helpsfamilies in the wake of suicide


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