November 2022 Volume 5 Issue 4

Krista

Copyright 2022 ZX Media Corporation, Calgary Alberta Canada Community Now! Magazine.

INNOVATION & HEALTHCARE COLLIDE

Innovation & Healthcare Collide

Alethea Medical was founded by Dr. Devon Livingstone, an Otolaryngology Surgeon. Devon had the idea for Alethea when he started his ENT practice after graduating and immediately inherited a two-year waitlist. He felt there had to be a better way to help patients and prevent them from getting lost in long specialist waitlists. He had taken his Master of Translation Medicine through the University California San Francisco and Berkeley where he had started to play around with digital diagnostics and artificial intelligence. He thought that taking pictures of inner ear conditions (digital diagnostics) and training an AI would help family physician better diagnose and treat patients and reduce routine / mundane Specialist consults. After a pilot with the Revolution Medical clinic, we discovered that Family Physicians also really like having direct access to Specialists and we did a little pivot to include the eConsultspace. Also,Devon had spent part of his training working in Africa where there is significantly less access to specialist health care and believes that AI specialist advice in your pocket, on the spot, will be huge for rural and remote communities both here in Canada and around the world, which is our long term goal.

Creating opportunities for family physicians and specialists to work more efficiently to provide faster results for patients, while saving time and creating solutions for the healthcare system.

Better, faster diagnosis and easier access to specialized healthcare.

1. How will this benefit family doctors & specialists?

FamilyPhysicianscangetsignificantlyquicker specialist advice so they can help their patients better. Specialists get better information so they can diagnose and triage better, which allows them to give better adviceandmanagepatientsremotely.90%of the time a Specialists can diagnose based on just the consult, and 73% of consults can be managed remotely by the Specialist. Also, both MDs can bill for consults, which helps.

2. How will this benefit patients?

Patients get drastically reduced wait times. Referrals can take months or years (4+ years for Devon currently), but with Alethea they cangetspecialistadvicein1day.Thisiseither getting additional tests (X-rays, MRI’s etc) before going to the specialist, or trying medication, treatments, etc. 50% of the time a patient never needs to see a specialist, and on average patient wait times are reduced 51%

5. Whats next for Alethea?

Aletheahas been growing in AB, and wehave started pilots in BC and ON. Our next step as a company is to raise some venture capital so we can really push the expansion across Canada and begin tolookintotheUS markets and beyond. From a product perspective, we continue to add features, devices, and AIs to make MD’s lives easier, and help them provide better, faster, cheaper care to patients, as we move close to our vision of AI specialist diagnosis and treatment advice in your pocket, any time, any where.

4. Why is it important for the health care system to incorporate innovation?

When you have long wait times to see a specialist, patients will end up with more visits to Family Physicians or worse yet to the emergency rooms. This drives up ER wait times, and overall healthcare spend. AccordingtoAHStherewere1.5Mvisitsto the ER last year for a population of 4.4M, which is crazy high (theoretically 34% of population went to the ER). ER visits are some of the most expensive dollars you can spend in our health system. The ER costs about 2.5x of a Specialist. A Specialist costs about 2x of a FP, and a computer costs pennies. So, the more we can push health care down to cheaper resources, the better, faster, cheaper things will be. Healthcare was 11% of GDP and increasing quickly prior to covid, and it'sonlygottenworsesince.Currentspend is unsustainable,politicallyand financially, and according to many healthcare professionals, healthcare is on the verge of collapse, so we can’t continue to do things the same way we currently do. Health systems will have no choice but to look at new ways to innovate.

Healthcare has a lot of room for improvement (its like shooting fish in a barrel), but healthcare itselfisnotgoodatinnovating.Alotofwhatthey do is based on tradition which is both good and bad. I don’t need my MD to try a new treatment theyfound on TikTok,butatthesametime,they really need to get off fax, that’s been obsolete for years, but is still their main source of communication. So, healthcare needs to learn which areas are low risks for innovation, and which need more scrutiny. They also need to do a better job of activating their local innovation ecosystems, which have lots of really good ideas and could help given a chance.

So, our advice is: be prepared for a long uphill battle, and lead by showing the better future now. And unfortunately, things are usually easier to do in the US and then bring them back here.

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6. What advice would you give to someone who is looking to help create a more efficient and effective healthcare system?

“Health Innovation will benefit the entire society, industry and collaborating industries.”

-

Gene Bio Medical

Geno Bio Medical is an industry leader in the rapid diagnostics, moleculardiagnosticsanddiagnosticdevicesandinstruments. Focusing on developing, manufacturing and research. This allows Gene Bio Medical to bring new technologies to healthcare providers and consumers, help innovators manufacture and bring solutions to the community at large for various healthcare needs.

“Gene Bio Medical is dedicated to the research & development and manufacturing of high-precision, low-cost and rapid diagnostic technologies that improve human health and response capabilities towards a variety of diseases.” - Gene Bio Medical

Gene Bio Medical team consists of professionals from all the top Canadian institutions in the field of biomedical technology including UBC, Life Sciences British Columbia, Genome British Columbia, Pfizer and beyond.

Gene Bio Medical has rapidly developed into an industry leader in rapid diagnostics, molecular diagnostics, and diagnostic equipment. The company manufactures and markets its own products, develops new innovative products, and works with other teams to bring new technologies to the healthcare ecosystem.

“It’s exciting to be apart of the integration of innovation into healthcare.” - Dr. Brent A. Reynolds, PhD, “In 5 years imagine the possibilities! At Gene Bio Medical we get to help innovators research, design, manufacture and create the next solution to a more efficient healthcare system for everyone.”

Leading the Way in Innovative Healthcare Research, Development & Manufacturing.

Meet the CEO: Jessica Hu

Gene Biotechnology Enterprises ltd (Gene Bio Medical) is founded and led by women entrepreneur and industry expert, Jessica Hu. As the former vice president of a leading multinational company, Jessica directly contributed to driving over $130M in revenue. From 2007 2022, Jessica was the biochemistry and molecular biology strategic partner for UBC as well as a member of the Lide sciences BC Association and BC care. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Pharmacy & Molecular Biology and Certificated by Haward University law of business.

She is determined to make an impact in the healthcare industry by leading the way in Innovative Healthcare solutions in multiple areas, such as Manufacturing, Development, and Research.

Meet Dr. Brent A. Reynolds, PhD, CSO of Gene Bio Medical. He received his Ph.D. in 1994 from the University of Calgary during which timehe and Sam Weiss discovered the existence of a stem cellintheadultcentralnervoussystem,challengingacenturyold dogma that the adult brain was unable to produce new neurons.

He co founded NeuroSpheres Ltd. where he was Vice President of Research and in 1999 published the first report on the transdifferentiation of cells derived from one germ layer into functional cells of another germ layer. Professor Reynolds holds 16 US patents related to neural stem cells and his lab is currently focused on the development of stem cell specific assays, in situ manipulation of neural stem cells and understanding the role that solid tissue cancer stem cells play in tumor initiation and metastasis.

“Innovation. Advancement. Revolutionizing Healthcare.”

Gene Bio Medical participated as a VIP Sponsoratthe 22nd AnnualHealthcareSummit September 22 & 23, 2022 in Vancouver, BC. The summit attracted leaders, innovators & educators. The top tier national and international decision makers in healthcare policy and administration. The event brought people together to connect, educate and discuss new strategies that will drive innovation for future implementation of transformative healthcare. The theme around this year’s summit: The Future of Innovation, Personalized Medicine, and Genomics.

Gene Bio Medical sponsored the 22nd Annual Healthcare Summit because they understand the importance of creating space for discussions, education, and strategic planning for the transformation of the healthcare system into data, digital and Artificial Intelligence.

“Gene Bio Medical is proud to sponsor & support such an important event along side all the other sponsors who made this event possible. The Summit was full of remarkable industry leaders, great discussions, education and opportunities for the future of the whole health industry. Gene Bio Medical is excited to be a part of the changing healthcare system.”

Gene Bio Medical is the first medical manufacturer to produce and be approved to release the new SwiftSwab, Covid-19 Antigen self test that tests for Omicron and the Delta variant!

FACT OF THE MONTH:

with Samir Musayev, PhD, CITF

The Flip Side of Coffee Addiction:

Why your favorite drink threatens iron deficiency.

The habit of drinking coffee during breakfast or any other meal can result in iron deficiency anemia. Experts warn that an invigoratingdrink often prevents iron from being properly absorbed in the body.

People perceive coffee in different ways: for some it is a way to wake up in the morning, for others it is a good context for a pleasant conversation with a friend or during networking, for others it is a drink that they drink instead of water, juice and tea. The latter are the most at risk for iron deficiency anemia, warns Roxane Bakker, chief nutritionist at British supplement company Vitl.

The fact is that a cup of coffee during a meal can prevent iron from being properly absorbed in the body and the problem will be exacerbated if you already have a deficiency of this element.

“Coffeecontainsapolyphenol(chlorogenic acid) that blocks the absorption of iron,” the nutritionist said. “Studies show that drinking a cup of coffee immediately after a meal can reduce ironabsorption by40to 90 percent.”

Other caffeinated drinks (eg, Red bull, tea, matcha) may have a similar effect. The words of the nutritionist are supported by a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, which states that chlorogenic acid is a potent inhibitor of iron absorption.

TheUKNationalHealthServicealsoadvises against drinking coffee if a person has an iron deficiency.

An important nuance: the blacker the coffee in your mug, the less iron the body will absorb. So, lovers of espresso and americano should wait at least 30 60 minutes after eating to enjoy coffee without harm to the body. This should be enough time for the digestive system to extract the iron from your breakfast or lunch.

The data is supported by an article in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, which states that no reduction in iron absorption was observed when coffee was consumed one hour before meals.

How to recognize an iron deficiency

Iron is an essential mineral needed for the production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body. Its deficiency canleadtoirondeficiencyanemia.Amongits main symptoms are fatigue, shortness of breath, heart palpitations and pale skin. Less common are headaches, ringing in the head, itching, hair loss, trouble swallowing, tongue pain, and the urge to chew on something strange like paper or ice.

To prevent iron deficiency, doctors recommend eating iron rich foods more often: dark green vegetables, legumes, cereals and bread, meat, prunes and raisins.

And if there is already an “iron” deficiency, it is worth giving up tea, milk and dairy products. You should be careful with whole grain cereals that are high in phytic acid, whichpreventsthebodyfromabsorbingiron even from pills prescribed by a doctor.

“The inaugural Canadian Blockchain Consortium Summit was held at Contemporary Calgary with over 300 business and thought leaders from around the world, coming together to collaborate on how to move the industry forward. The Canadian Blockchain Consortium was able to raise over $30,000 for the Glenrose Hospital Foundation, bringing them close to their $100,000 goal.”- Koleya Karringten

The Canadian Blockchain Community: Innovating for the future while supporting health innovation that creates a better future for young people.

Canadian Blockchain Consortium Summit October 2022

Khurram Shroff, president & CEO of iMining Technologies with Olivia’s painting, Brain Storming 2 purchased for $10,000

Bilal Hammoud, founder and CEO of NDAX with Olivia’s painting, Brain Storming purchased for $10,000

“Canadian Blockchain Summit is an exciting multi day event that brings together leading organizations, companies, and thought leaders to showcase how this emerging technology is transforming the future.” CBC

The summit featured engaging panel discussions, top international speakers, and opportunities to connect and network.

Canadian Blockchain Consortium is building landmark roadmaps towards a strong digital economy.

“It takes a community to build a technology and in Canada, dozens of unique ecosystems are supporting the foundations for change through education, advocacy, and frameworksforcollaboration.”

Stay tuned for information on the next summit Apr.19/20 2022

Peter Lafontaine & Doug Schweitzer

The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation (GRHF) helps provide innovative equipment, programs, and technology in order to help patients at the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital (GRH) recover, relearn life skills and rediscover their full potential.

Their commitment to enriching and enhancing patient care drives their ongoing fundraising efforts.

“We work with the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital to identify what patients and staff need to enhance the rehabilitation journey through equipment, technology and research priorities.”

Together they determine what would have the biggest impact on patients and their recovery – both physically and emotionally and call upon their donors to help fund cutting edge equipment that will improve patient outcomes, spaces that aid in the rehabilitation journey and research grants to individuals and organizations pursuing research related to rehabilitation.

reimagine human ability

The Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation is the first healthcare foundation in Alberta to welcome cryptocurrency donations, for more information or to donate click here

Health Innovation in Tech

Al Del Degan, Founder & CTO New Idea Machine

If you, like me, are fascinated by technology, you can find incredible technological innovation in pretty much any industry. In health innovation there is no shortage of recent advancements in areas such as virtual reality, nerotech, AI, 3D printing, and wearable technologies.

Virtual Reality

When most people think of virtual reality, they think of video games and online worlds. Although there are many companies developing technologies in that area, virtual reality is greatly enhancing the educational aspects of medical science.

From something as simple as being able to visualize the different systems in the human body right up to performing virtual surgeries, this technology is only in its infancy. Any medical situation can be simulated in a virtual reality environment giving medical students the opportunity to have a realistic experience without the risk of causing accidental harm to live patients. Sessions can be reviewed by experienced professionals and educators and provide the students with feedback on how they can improve, or what to watch out for next time.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is growing by leaps and bounds in the healthcare field. Improving the diagnostic process is one area whereAI ishelpingtosavelives.Human errorsareunavoidable especially with doctors and hospital staff being pushed to the limits of their capabilities with overwhelming caseloads. AI is not affected by lack of sleep or fatigue and can predict and diagnose disease at a faster rate than most medical professionals.

AI systems can cross reference and investigate millions of data points in seconds, finding correlations that a human being may never be able to see due to biases and assumptions. AI is able to not only look at raw data but can even examine x rays and photographs from hospital systems like MRIs to determine abnormal or curious anomalies that a human may miss. It is important to note that AI is not a replacement for human beings, but rather it is supplementary, and it is a tool like any other technology that, if used correctly will make the job of medical staff more efficient and effective.

AI is also being used in combination with other technologies to predict the chemical and pharmaceutical properties of small molecule candidates for drug design and development. Drug research and discovery is one of the more recent applications for AI in life sciences.

Neurotech

Neurotechnology is the integration of technology with the body. Sensors and electrodes that read the electric signals directly from theneurons inside of the brain or otherparts of the body and can connect with physical computers or machines outside of the body.

One recent example is the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation in Edmonton and their Brain computer interface program (BCI). BCI allows people with significant movement difficulties to control devices, such as environmental controls, video games, robots, or power wheelchairs, using only their minds. A non-invasive headset worn by the user picks up brain signals, which are interpreted by a computer which learns to control a device directly, without needing to rely on the user’s physical movements. (https://youtu.be/ty8a3u_BVco)

Wearables

These days so many people are using wearable devices for fitness tracking. Being able to monitor your heart rate, breathing, and sleeping patterns can help manage conditions and even identify early onset of issues likeheart disease. For those living with diabetes, wearable technology can integrate sensors for blood glucose monitoring.

As this area of technology expands, smart clothes and jewelry can be used for collecting data for clinical research. Insidables and implantables are also being developed. Insidables, also called “smart pills” can be swallowed and with cameras or sensors can collect data from inside the body.

There is no doubt that if someone from the 1960’s was to suddenly appear in our time, they would think they were in a science fiction movie. Technology is advancing at an exponential rate, and for people like me, every day we learn of new developments that keep us dreaming of what might come next.

3D Printing

Additive manufacturing technologies, also known as 3D printing, have become one of the fastest growing technologies across many industries. This technology is capable of prototyping parts, producing homes, creating beautiful edible chocolates, and even producing complex three dimensional components out of metal or other materials that may not have otherwise been possible with traditional manufacturing methods.

In healthcare, 3D printing is being used to create custom implants and joints that can be used during surgery and are created specifically for the patient based on their measurements. The tech can also be used to print realistic replicas of actual patient’s anatomy to allow for presurgical planning. Human flesh, cartilage and even organscanalsobecreatedthatwillnotbe rejected by the body’s immune system.

This 3D printing technology can also be used to create pills that contain multiple different drugs in exactly the right doses.

Do you know how much it will cost to restore your data in the event of a cyber incident?

Can you afford to pay ransomware?

Does your business strategy include Cybersecurity?

Business Strategy for Cybersecurity

As a business owner it can be overwhelming trying to answer these questions. Ammolite’s experts will equip you with the knowledge and skills to be cyber resilient.

Ammolite Analytx specializes in supporting companies to put the safeguards in place to prevent an attack on your business or respond to a cyber related incident. Ammolite Analytx has developed a systemized approach to develop and implement your cybersecurity strategy. We use the Life Cycle Security Management model to develop and implement your cybersecurity strategy.

Without a cybersecurity strategy and implementation plan your business risk will increase in the following areas:

Reputational damage

Business Strategy for Cybersecurity

67% of all small businesses that are cyber attacked do not recover. Many go bankrupt. 80% of all hacked businesses are hacked again.

RISK MANAGEMENT

Protecting your business, employees, information, and assets is becoming more and more important in todays online and in-person world. Most businesses and people don’t know how to be proactive in risk management, in fact most people don’t know what to consider when setting up their risk management plan. Risk Control Canada shares more about what a Risk Management company does, and how you can be proactive instead of reactive.

Risk Control Canada has roots in the risk management sector dating back to 1996, originally founded as TIG Consulting by Aziz Khadem. Over the years, TIG evolved into the Risk Control Group growing and expanding its service offerings from a local provider of security to an international risk management consultancy with a roster of over 60 professionals locally and abroad.

In 2018, Anthony Kimakowich founded AK Security & Consulting which had been operating in the security consulting and investigation fields with a broad range of clientele. AK Security built a strong base of client relationships, providing a professional and impartial risk management lens to clients and projects across Alberta and Western Canada.

In 2022, having worked closely together on various projects, the two organizations quickly noticed synergies in their operations, business ideologies, and a shared vision for the risk management industry. The existing businesses offered complementary services to each other, and it was recognized that when partnered under a joint banner, could offer greater opportunities to their team members, and offer more cost-effective solutions to clients. As a result, Risk Control Group and AK Security merged, effectively establishing Risk Control Canada (RCC) as a "one stop shop" to better meet our clients’ needs, allowing RCC to offer a comprehensive suite of risk management & consulting services to a broader client base, and across multiple regions and territories. In 2022, in addition to this merger, Risk Control Canada established a partnership with Mr. Tyler Argue, founder of Fyrewall Group Inc. who joined the firm as partner and Vice President of Business

“Our Goal is Clear: to deliver modern practical risk management solutions to safeguard our clients, their personnel, assets, and reputation.”

Operations. Tyler brought considerable experience in risk management to the Risk Control team, formerly holding senior positions in large corporations with oversight of investigation and corporate security operations.

Risk Control Canada remains proud to be able to continue offering the superior services our clients have come to expect from our history in delivering on our promise of responsive, comprehensive, and professional services to our clients, industry partners, and to the public we serve. Integrity has been the cornerstone of our firm since day one, and professional standards remain the foundation of our quality service.

Q & A with Tyler Argue, Vice President Risk Control Canada Inc.

1.) Why is it important to be proactive?

When you consider the overall cost multiplied by impact that an incident has on an organization, you'll quickly realize the return on investment (ROI) of taking a proactive approach. Proactive risk management strategies include:

• Conducting periodic risk assessments, a thorough analysis of those results

• Identifying existing risks

• Developing a risk response to either Accept, Avoid, Transfer or Reduce the client’s risk

• Prioritizingidentifiedrisksaccording to the magnitude of their threat

• Analyzing risks to determine the best treatment

• Implementing necessary controls needed to prevent risks from becoming threats or incidents

• Monitoring the threat environment continuously

2.) What is a typical proactive risk management plan for a company look like?

Risk Management has four pillars to effective mitigation:

• Accept the risk

• Avoid the risk

• Transfer the risk

• Reduce the risk

Proactive risk mitigation is the most critical element of a Risk Management Plan as it preventatively identifies threats and aims to prevent those events from ever happening in the first place. Each strategy within the full cycle of risk management has its own activities, metrics, and behaviors that are useful in risk analysis. Proactive risk management means that you identify risks before they happen and figure out ways to avoid or alleviate the risk.

3.) What advice would you give to a new business owner?

The advice I would give to a new business owner is to safeguard your enterprise with every tool available to you in the realm of risk mitigation. Many of these steps are inexpensive and easy to implement at the start of any business. Also, I would encourage due diligence on every business venture they seek to engage in. Whether that's supplier/vendor agreements, consultants, or partnerships. Due diligence should be at the forefront of every business owner's mind.

Strong Brains Beat Bullying

No Such Thing as a Bully is a system that prevents bullying and reverses the effects of bullying on those who have already had the experience of bullying. All people use both bully actions and victim responses, one set of skills solves both.

www.PeerGuidance.ca

This Issue of Telling It Like It Is Features:

Prasad

YR Plans - The Smart Benefit

1. Please share why young people need to pay off their debt.

Because they’re young and want to enjoy their life and not be saddled with crushing debt!

The presence of debt early on can have several negativeimpactson youngemployees,includinglittle or no saving for retirement or for emergencies. We also know student loans delay life goals, and debt causes financial stress.

Six in ten post secondary grads enter the workforce with student loans, and on average, the loans are slightly over $26,000 – this is more than any prior generation!

Another reason we focus on debt is that for 8 years running, CIBC found that ‘debt repayment’ has been Canadians' Top Financial Priority.

Today’s economic environment of high inflation and soaring interest rates continues to elevate YR’s value proposition. As Canadians look for solutions to address their highest priority financial concerns, they will increasingly look to their employer for help.

Halle Andrews

Sangita

Co-founder

2. How does you plan work, and what companiescanuseit?

We create benefit solutions that address companyand employeeneeds at thesame time.

The Smart Benefit is a platform to manage, administer, and record employer assisted debt relief programs for employees. Our student loan repayment assistance programs are gaining traction with employers in Alberta and across Canada.

Oneof thebestthings aboutTSB is itsversatility. One platform and, so far, 4 different ways companiessupportemployeeswhoarerepaying student loans.

1. Accelerate student loan repayment by repurposing savings plan contributions

2. Contribute to retirement savings during period(s) of student loan repayment

3. Add ‘Student Loan Repayment’ as an option in flexible benefit models either from a benefits platform or with inhouse flex benefit dollars

4. Or as a singular benefit offering: payments continue to an annual/lifetime maximum

Any company with employees who have Canadian government student loans can have it.

3. What benefits do the employers see from thisplan,andhowmuchtimedoesthissavethe employee on their loan?

We help organizations attract & retain talent, increase financial flexibility for employees while reducing their financial stress, and our plans can help reduce turnover costs as well as improve productivity levels.

On average, participation in TSB will reduce student loan repayment time by 48% and save employees 52% of loan costs. In our first year, we have seen loans repaid, loans taken out of collections and now, one client has expanded eligibility to allow employees to help repay the student loan of a member of their household –this one move almost doubled engagement!

4. What is next for YR Plans?

Building up our value proposition, we are takingourdebtreliefbenefitsto thenextlevel. In Q2 2023, we will release our Mortgage Help Benefit, truly a first of its kind benefit in the Canadian workplace. Based on the same principles as student loan repayment assistance, employers will help employees by providing extra monthly mortgage payments.

5. If you had one piece of advice for a start-up or entrepreneur, what would that be?

I am still on my path in my start up journey. One thing I can share is believe in yourself, your team, and the vision. There will be so many ups and downs and those who doubt; its easy to get in a mind frame where you start questioning yourself.

I strongly believe in the purpose of YR Plans and its vision to create better financial outcomes for today’s workforce and know whatweofferisamuch neededsolution. Stick to your convictions.

Telling It Like It Is: https://www.youtube.com/channe

INNOVATING HEALTH with EVERY BREATH

Here at The Real yOGi you will find real yOGi Warriors practicing yoga in its entirety. Each element of the practice of yoga will be incorporated here, not just the postures. Yoga is far more than just another fitness class

Today, I am a forty two year old mother, wife, grandmother, friend and yOGi Warrior. I have lived through a lot of emotional pain and trauma in my life, and I have seen first hand what the effects of hanging onto emotional toxins can do to a person. I have seen it effect my mental and physical health, happiness and relationship with myself and with others. I have seen it effect my ability to be the mom, wife, friend and member of my community that I really want to be.

Q & A with Shalyn Madigan, Founder The Real yOGi

1. Why did you open a yoga and wellness studio?

My primary driver for opening a yoga and wellness studio is to introduce people to what yoga reallyis,toget peopleontoayoga matso that they can discover the power of yoga. I wantpeopletoseethehealingpowersofyoga. Yoga is therapy. Practicing yoga is where you find yourself and it’s where you

“I chose to live my life and create my own destiny”

“

Yoga has changed and, quite frankly, saved my life and I wanted to be able to impact someone else’s life too. ”

heal yourself. Self-discovery and self-healing are two extremely important things that everyone can benefit from. I had lost my voice and my power; I had lost myself. I had gained a lot of weight, I could barely get out of bed, and I was extremely depressed, but then I found yoga and I began my own self discovery and self healing journey and I have never looked back. I took myself from the lowest point in my life to the highest point and I want everyone to be able to do the same.

2. Why is yoga good for people’swellness?

Yoga unites your mind, body and spirit. Yoga is where you discover yourself, heal yourself and love yourself. Yoga empowers you to take back control of yourself, be a master of Self and live your life with a positive attitude, mindset and a grateful heart. The practice of yoga supports stress management, mental health, mindfulness, healthy eating and quality sleep; therefore, the practice of yoga improves your overall quality of life and increases your overall health, wellness and happiness. Your mat is your safe place. It is where you can go to just be, to relax, to explore and to let it all go. Yoga is your lifelong companion.

3. You said, “our breath is our most important tool!”explainthat

Breath is an important part of yoga. Yoga shows you how to breathe to maximize your breath, how to use your breath to connect your mind, bodyandspiritandhowtouseyourbreathtoget you through any situation. Breathing and breath work is a huge part of yoga.

Wetakeourbreathforgrantedbecausewewake up and just expect to breath, but our breath is such a powerful tool. My twelve

year old son gets easily overwhelmed and suffers from anxiety, teaching him how to breathe through challenging episodes has been life changing. Now, he is able better control himself and calm himself down with his breath. Using your breath to calm yourself down and lower your stress level is something everyone needs to know. Sometimes you just need to breathe, quiet your mind, gain your composure and just breathe. Let it all go with your breath.

The Superpower Project Innovating Our Own Health

Blaise Hunter | Human Rights Consultant | Communications Expert

Now more than ever, we need to take intentional time, forge space, and engage inclusively to be healthy and lead effectively in civic life today. The healthcare industry thrives on revolutionary ideas. Creative concepts, modern programs, and ground breaking technological advancements save lives and are the lifeblood of sustaining our health and wellness. Innovation influences how people act, think, and engage in this world. It involves out of the box thinking, risk taking, adapting from failures, and investing in ideas, people, and culture. Innovation requires leaders to be actively envisioning a new future for our health, but many don’t realize the best hope for our well being depends on our own healthy mindset.

The Superpower Project is about highlighting various challenges or “kryptonites” facing people and helping us neutralize their effect on us. A deadly kyrptonite facing us these days is we spend billions on healthcare and the outward fixes when the most mighty and sustainable answer lies within our own minds. Wouldn’t it be the ultimate revolutionary idea if we could just diagnose inner truth? If we can heal diseases, mental health struggles, and reverse destructive paths all by transforming our thoughts, shouldn’t we be celebrating the power of the mind more than medications, magnetic fields, and technology? Don’t get me wrong, I can appreciate the vital part the healthcare system plays in our lives, but true innovation would transcend the very meaning of health. I believe we can turn any unhealthy or negative thing around just by changing the narrative surrounding it. We need a fertile mind to birth new ways to look at our circumstances and lives. If we as a society could expand the definition of fertility and truly embody a fertile mindset, we would birth the ability to regenerate our health and our world. This is only done by radical methods based on profound ideals from the past. Julius Cesar’s poignant words say it best, “Divide and Conquer.” If we could divide our innovative approaches into manageable tasks, we would see an innovation eruption in our health. I’ve divided these tactics into four categories:

1. Mindfulness

Name It, Tame It. When you notice a challenging emotion, simply name it, like “triggered”, “fear,” “anxiety”, “overwhelm,” “anger,” “frustration,” or “sadness.” Effective labeling drastically reduces amygdala activity, the brain’s fight flight freeze fawn-fire-up centre. This lowers stress signals and creates space from the negative thoughts and feelings.

.

Do a 180. Get a paper. Write down what has charged you. Now, turn the paper over and doa180.Whatisthe180 degreeoppositeof your present state? What would it be like if your day looked more like your 180? From your 180, write one simple step you can take to move in that direction and then take action. Doing a 180 helps shift you out of old toxic coping patterns into a growth mindset, which builds discipline and improves overall health

2. Self-Respect

Love Slack. We need to get in the habit of giving ourselves a break. When in a moment of struggle, put your hand on your heart and close your eyes. Say to yourself, “This is hard. This is really difficult. I give myself permission to co exist with this feeling and be happy. I am healthy. I can live with ease amongst the pain.” Include any additional statements you need to hear. Compassion is the desire to alleviate suffering both our own and that of others. When we acknowledge that something is hard (rather than avoiding or projecting), it actually improves our motivation and healing progress, in addition to our sense of peace. This is self love and this is the ultimate act of self respect.

Ground Yourself. Breathe from your belly and feel your feeton the ground. Placefocus on how your neck feels and wiggle your fingers and toes. This centres you and brings awareness to your body and how you feel rather than just the emotion itself. Consciously move your body for twenty minutes each day. Mix it up between workouts, yoga, walks, runs, or weights. Movement not only improves physical health, but it also improves mental wellness, creativity, and a sense of purpose. This contributes to being grounded and demonstrating self-respect.

Focus on the wins. Write down three things that are good about your life: What made you happy? What are you proud of? What challengesdidyouovercome?Bymakingthis a daily habit, you display deep respect for your life.

3. Community

Me4We.Close your eyes. As you inhale, think of a word or phrase that describes you as a local government leader. As you exhale, think of how your advocacy is helping society. Selecting words that describe who you are and what you want to advance connects you toapurposegreaterthanyourself,generating awe and calm. This brings you from a place of overwhelm and feeling insignificant to a concept of a contributor of the greater good.

Be of Service. Giving to others often makes us feel good! So, how about doing something kind or generous for someone. Volunteer. Donate. Send a loving text message or call a friend.Theselittleactsofkindnesscanbenefit others and our wellbeing.

4. Communication

Know Thyself. True health comes from the foundation of fully knowing our bodies, minds, and souls. This shapes the intelligence of what we need to achieve healing. Communication begins with actively listening. When we get still and listen, we learn. When we learn, we identify where to concentrate our efforts.

Connection. After we grow our intelligence with effective communication, we can make incredible connections that drive radical health. When we connect to ourselves, we make revolutionary connections everywhere else. This provokes immense healing in all areas of our lives. We must connect to communicate. Our life experiences, environment, and genetics contribute to our comms systems becoming vastly disconnected. .

The connection within determines how our internal and external transmitters will operate.

Once we re establish healthy lines with ourselves, we can learn how to communicate like a superhero and be a universal translator. This is innovative health.

Of course, if we are dealing with major illnesses and diseases, we require more than just the above steps but it’s a start. The decision to be thehealth activator isatthecrux of itall. Do we want to take control of our wellbeing or be the passive passenger? We have the power to calm our minds, heal our bodies, bridge communication lines, and act with purpose. This concept heals our internal and external worlds. When we start with baby steps, we get familiar and comfortable with change. When we discover safety in the new, we ignite a growth mindset. A fertile and open mind creates pathways to heal traumas and reverse the dis ease. Willingness is the key to innovation. Check out December’s issue where I explore deeper and transformative perspectives on health and communication. To join the Heroine Movement visit www.blaisehunter.com.

“Communication isn’t about dominance, it’s about learning, appreciating, empathizing, and sharing a human experience.”

Blaise Hunter

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The Workplace Wellness Collective presents Data Driven Wellness

DATA is a fundamental way to recognize, acknowledge, and target workplace pain points! Experts in data and information technology share effective and innovative ways to assess staff, evaluate workflow, and eliminate inefficiencies (ahem, unnecessary meetings). All to minimize distraction and demands and support appropriate resources for all employees and leaders.

The Workplace Wellness Collective

“Data will help people see the impact of wellness within the workplace, evaluate what needs to change and help employers provide a better work environment. cuely and 8 Bit Cortex are amazing resources for employees, employers, and individuals.”

Welcome

“The Workplace Wellness Collective has displayed strong collaboration, commitment, and passion toward addressing workplace wellness challenges through the lens of DEIB.

With every event we host, we are using data from the communities we serve to refine how we share workplace wellness research, technologies, and burnout prevention solutions.

The success of the Workplace Wellness Micro Summit: Data Driven Wellness (which was our fourth event) brings us one step closer to helping communities and we are even more amped up to spotlight more content creators, founders, innovators, authors, researchers, HR leaders, and DEI experts!

I am grateful for the international community members who support our mission. Our team will continue to learn and grow to scale the impact of The Workplace Wellness Collective worldwide. We invite you to join or partner with us by visiting TheWorkplaceWellnessCollective.com or our LinkedIn home page today!” Sumana Jeddy

Photos provided by Fred Smith of Kallos Studio

Motivating for Success, Innovating for Employee Health

- Sharyl Madigan

Not everyone can articulate what they need to be happy, even at the top level of leadership. By working with your team members, you empower them to work with you to ensure their needs as well as yours, are being met. This then becomes a bottom up environment that engages your workforce to be all in with their efforts and commitment.

When our motivational drivers are being met, we become happy, productive, and engaged. We are excited to get to work. We have the feeling that we are contributing. We feel part of the team. We feel heard. We feel seen. We feel recognized.

The greatest investment corporations can make is helping their people.

If we want to retain our people, we need to look to them for guidanceon what their needs and ambitions are and how we help them develop those? We, as leaders, need to encourage our team members to set strong goalsthatalignwiththeirdriversandnotours. Retaining our people does not necessarily mean within our team but within the organization. Fosteringthatcareermovement within the organization by providing encouragement and developing new skillsets is oneof themostrewardingskills aleadercan exhibit. Get to know your team and their motivations.

Photo Credit: Jill Drader

I am sure you are asking why this matters when they havebeen hired to be part of the team from the start. Our role as leaders is to bring this group together and create an environment where your team members are interdependent not dependent. Teamwork produces better decisions. They have better ideas, make an impact, deliver results and, most importantly, are happier and are more engaged when they are truly a team, supporting each other, highly motivated and driven. Listen toyourpeople,help themsetgoals thatstretch them to achieve the best and encourage them to perform at their optimum.

At Motivating for Success, we will work with you to:

• Harness the motivation of your team – help team members increase self awareness.

• Improve employee experience understand what is driving team performance

• Develop leadership throughout your team –understandhowbesttoencourageandharness this

• Build teams fit for a hybrid world learn how to trust your people so they trust you. Bring the best from the inside, out. Help create purpose within your team, help your team find their purpose through their motivational drivers.

Motivating for Success will create a stronger, healthierenvironmentintheworkplaceandbeyond.

“Clients do not come first. Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”

– Richard Branson

INNOVATING IN THE WORKPLACE: SAVVY KNOWLEDGE

With Andrea Oh

Savvy Knowledge is a technology company developing enterprise software for corporate training. We support organizations by helping their employees upskill and reskill faster … closing talent gaps and boosting productivity.

With over 40 years of collective experience designing and developing learning experiences for organizations around the world, our company is on a mission to help people believe they can with confidence. The focus of our work is skill mastery and competency-based learning. MOVE Improve® is our flagship digital platform.

As a compliment to existing training programs, we produce training simulations to motivate the practice of new workplace skills and assess employee competency over time. Unlike traditional learning management systems, designed to create ease for managers and

trainers, our digital platform is designed for learners, their experience, and faster learning outcomes. The data we collect is focused on the learner, what they think, what they believe, and how they feel about their performance. With repeated practice, we measure behaviour change, skill acquisition, and resulting mastery over time.

Organizations use our digital platform to pinpoint:

1. Where employees struggle when learning to apply new skills

2. Where a training program can be improved for better learning outcomes

3. Whether (or not) employee behaviour has changed over time

With our powerful reports, performance is measured and can be managed more effectively for better business results.

A company’s employees are their most valuablerenewableresource.Attractingand retaining the best talent is their top priority, which is why companies invest over $1,000 per employee each year in training and development. This includes orientation and onboarding, leadership training, and mentorship programs. Unfortunately, despite a company’s investment in their people, 44 percent of employees are actively “job seeking”. This is because they feel overworked, unsupported, dissatisfied with their job, and believe they have limited opportunities for career advancement. Employers typically find this out after employees leave … when it’s too late. As a result, employee turnovercosts between 30 and 50 percent of one’s annual salary to replace, not including the detriment to productivity and overall business performance.

By better understanding what an employee wants and needs to feel competent in their job, a company can effectively support their growth, close inherent skills gaps, and improve overall employee retention.

2. Why is it important to build confidence in our employees?

When employees are self confident, they possess a feeling of trust in their abilities, qualities, and judgment. They are more likely to have a healthy self esteem (i.e., a positive opinion of themselves) and

higher self efficacy (i.e., a strong belief in their ability to complete tasks and produce desired outcomes). In the end, companies want their people to produce desired outcomes.

Unfortunately, many employees struggle with low self confidence (at some point in their career) and let self doubt hold them back from reaching their full potential at work. This can lead to unproductive work behaviours, including anxiety, stress, loneliness, and increased likelihood of depression.

3. What advice would you give to start-ups?

If I could “go back in time”, to when I started my first company, and have coffee with my younger self, this is what I would say (what I needed someone to tell me):

● Ask for the help that you know you need.

● Failing is inevitable … and a good thing.

● It will take longer than you think.

● It’s not about winning the race. It’s about building something sustainable that will last.

● Surround yourself with people who have the courage to give you harsh feedback … because they truly care about you.

1. How does understanding our employees benefit revenue?

YOUTH, HOUSING & THE FUTURE: Combining Resources

By Sophia Fairweather, Key Angels

Over the past year, inflation and interest rates have grown steadily, and this is a concern for many families, including my own. These are the type of conditions in which coming together, sharing, and being a real community is even more important. Staying on topic with my section this includes finances and resources, but also advice, time, housing,andaback-and-forthwiththose around you. However, as you can imagine COVID put a rather big mountain in front of connections, but the sooner you start connecting and having a working back and forth community, it makeseveryone'slivesalittleeasierand happier.

Financially sharing and combining resources in order to afford something or help someone has been around for a while, at least since the great depression. Where people lacked resources, interest was all over, and jobs were insecure and low paying. My grandparents often recollect this and comment on how it showed them that being a part of a community was necessary and people recognizeditwaswhattheyneededtodo. Waysfinanciallyitispossibleforpeopleto come together can be through agreementslikeAFS,VTB,oraverybasic one likesplittingthecost of housingwith a roommate or partner. Agreements for combining resources and benefits are something Key-Angels shines a light on and uses to help those lacking in resources and understanding of money. However, it is important for every individual and family to be aware of these to contribute to being financially literate, whichmeanssimplyknowingyouroptions and ways to have your basic needs met. Key-Angels.com

A Simple Football Practice Turns into a Combined Effort to Save Lives and Bring Awareness to Mental Health.

- Sheila Willis

Middleagedmenare70%morelikelytocommit suicide than any other segment of the population. It is an alarming statistic that many are unaware of.

In 2015 Ian Hill broke the world record for continuous public speaking. He raised $25,000 to support the Girls of CPAC Soccer in Carson City, Nevada. When faced with this statistic he asked himself what he could do; the answer attempt to be the oldest man to play college football.

Ian is 57. He is a humanitarian, business leader, awardwinningsocialinnovatorandprofessional pioneer.

Ian was recently in Alberta where he visited 5 northern communities as part of the You Make THE Difference Campaign; the purpose of which is to teach those closest to the problems faced in their community, to take action and to equip them with the tools to do that.

Oneof Ian's needs while traveling is someone to catch his football as he practices for his world record attempt.

Enter Sheila Willis, Canadian Community Coordinator for Global Merit Essence Awards Network (GMEAN), a not-for-profit organization withsimilargoalsinbringingattentiontomental health.

Sheila is also the creator of Travel ING On AlbertaEdition&HistoryCheckAppthatincludes attractions, amenities, and services across Alberta with a focus on rural communities.

Sheila was scheduled to meet with Ian in EdmontononSaturday,November5th.Sheknew he would need someone to catch the ball while in Edmonton. Through her contacts she started reaching out to find a suitable person.

Enter Krista Malden of Community Now Magazine. Krista and Sheila work in partnership with the Canadian Motorcycle Tourism Association (CMTA) on the Rumble Alberta Touring Challenges project. Krista had just the person one of her speakers for the 5th Annual CN! Magazine Mental Health Summit in Calgary on December 14th.

Enter Ethan Nicolas. Ethan plays for the Edmonton Elite semi pro football league, a mental health advocate, speaker, entrepreneur, and owner of Fight Me on This. When presented with this opportunity he jumped at the chance.

These two dynamos got together to practice at the Commonwealth Stadium Fieldhouse.

The practice was terrific, each learning from the other. The long reaching effects of the meeting of these two are yet to be seen, but having heard the conversation, I am excited!

This simple practice will have a long snapping effect on mental health awareness.

TAKE THE DAY & LET’S CHANGE THE NARRATIVE AROUND MENTAL HEALTH TOGETHER!

What the day will look like:

Morning: Networking & Coffee

Vendors: local organizations, businesses, authors Live Pod Cast: telling It Like It Is Opening speakers, Drumming, Performances

Lunch: Networking & Lunch

Draws *Money raised will go to the Terminator Foundation

Afternoon:

Panel Discussions: Creating Space, Community, Actions Closing speakers

Networking

Get your tickets today: Mental Health 2022 | Community Now! Magazine (communitynowmagazi ne.com)