Strøm Magazine – Fall / Winter 2022

ISSUE FIFTEEN FALL–WINTER 2022–2023 CENTRED ON BALANCE ARCHITECTURE N AT U R E H O L I S T I C H E A LT H

SÉRIE D’EAU 1A21, 48” X 60”

Artiste peintre mature, Michel LeRoux épouse la nature.

Il s’y intègre pour mieux la comprendre, il l’écoute pour saisir l’intangible.

Ses tableaux portent les vibrations d’un univers puissant.

A mature artist painter, Michel LeRoux embraces nature.

He integrates it to better understand it. He listens to it to grasp the intangible.

His paintings carry the vibrations of a powerful universe.

MICHEL LEROUX

www.michelleroux-art.ca

1.450.449.9514

elementdebase.com

In this issue ARCHITECTURE

Urban Cohousing: Live Better, by Paola Duchaine

10 — 13 I N S P I R AT I O N

Second Nature: An Interview with Dominic Arpin

14 — 17 WORLD

(Re)thinking Winter, by Franck Laboue

22 — 25 SOCIETY

Winter and City Life: An Interview with Olivier Legault

26 — 33

Ecoanxiety, Solastalgia, and Other Climate Fears, by Dr. Valérie Courchesne

H O L I S T I C H E A LT H

Hypersensitivity in Children, by Dr. Lory Zephyr

36 — 43

Toward a Collective Well-Being, by Jacinthe Roy Rioux

C U LT U R E

Five Books to Take Care..., by Nicolas Gendron

46 — 51

Listen and Unfold: Five Podcasts for Total Well-Being, by Eve Laliberté

À TA B L E

From Field to Factory – The Impact of the Industrialization of Food on Our Health: An Interview with Michaël Bensoussan and Jean-François Lemoine

56 — 77

Recipes: Gingerbread Cake and Hot Cider, by Raphaël Podlasiewicz 17 Tips for Reducing the Cost of Your Grocery Cart, by Isabelle Huot Winter as Identity, by Stéphanie Dupuy

Guillaume Lemoine

Sarah-Maude Dalcourt

Printing

President

Photo Director

TC Imprimeries Transcontinental

Emilie Lefebvre-Morasse

Bianca Des Jardins

Vice-President of Marketing and Sales, Editor in Chief

Photographer

Advertising sales Christine Mailloux, cmailloux@stromspa.com 514-761-7900, ext. 4304

Caroline Croteau

Gaëlle Meslin

To collaborate on content Arianne Filion, afilion@stromspa.com

Senior Director of Marketing and Sales

Linguistic Reviser

Myriam Dumont

Pierrette Brousseau

Marketing Director

Proofreader

Arianne Filion

Sarah Lamarche

Project Manager, Editor, and Linguistic Reviser

Artistic Director

Jacinthe Roy Rioux

SLRR Translation Firm

Content Creator

Translation

Publisher Strøm Nordic Spa 1001, boul. de la Forêt Nuns’ Island, Quebec H3E 1X9 Legal deposit — ISSN 2369-5897 National Library of Canada and Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec. The opinions expressed in the articles of Strøm Magazine are the sole responsibility of the authors.

The availabilities, vintages, and prices mentioned in the magazine are subject to change without notice.

Any reproduction, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the permission of Strøm Nordic Spa. All rights reserved.

Publication mail — 42293512

T H E M E D F E AT U R E S

STRØM MAGAZINE

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O u r C ont r ibut or s

Since the beginning, Strøm Magazine has had the immense privilege of working with experts in a wide variety of fields to write the articles that comprise it. With great generosity, they offer us their knowledge and share their perspective—some from one season to the next, others more occasionally.

It is with great pride that we invite you to discover them right here.

Valérie Courchesne

Valérie is a clinical psychologist and postdoctoral researcher. It was her keen interest in popularizing science that led her to become a Strøm Magazine contributor several years ago.

Stéphanie Dupuy

Landing her first job at the SAQ really got her hooked! Several courses and 18 years in the wine industry later, Stéphanie loves drinking, sharing, and—above all—talking about wine! The sommelière has written for Strøm Magazine since 2008.

Franck Laboue

A Brittany native, Franck is eternally curious. A specialist advisor at Voyageurs du Monde, he ended up settling down in Quebec. He has written for the magazine for over four years.

Raphaël Podlasiewicz

Raphaël is the Executive Chef of Strøm Nordic Spa restaurants. Since 2017, he has offered creative, responsible culinary offerings inspired by Nordicity and highlighting fresh, local products. In each issue, he is responsible for the recipes in the “À Table” section.

Bianca Des Jardins

Bianca, a photographer and author, stands out through her mastery of light and the lightness of the world that she reinvents. Since 2008, she has published, exhibited in Quebec and internationally, and led photography workshops. She has collaborated with Strøm since its creation.

Nicolas Gendron

A cultural journalist for Ciné-Bulles magazine, among others, Nicolas has written for Strøm Magazine since 2015. He is also—and above all—an actor, director, author, and artistic director.

Eve Laliberté

Eve likes to tell stories and create universes conducive to contemplation. Navigating various creative spheres, she contributes to several editorial projects and is the founder of premier quartier. She has been a cultural contributor to Strøm since 2021.

Jacinthe Roy Rioux

An artist of words and images, Jacinthe explores the bond that connects people through history, nature, culture, and holistic and spiritual life. Having participated in the founding of Strøm Nordic Spa, she has written for the magazine since the very beginning.

Paola Duchaine

A certified writer and a specialist in sustainable development and the env ironment, Paola is a communications specialist at Écohabitation and has contributed to the organization’s outreach for 12 years.

Isabelle Huot

Holding a doctorate in nutrition, Isabelle is also a columnist, an author of 16 books about food, and an entrepreneur, having launched her ready-to-eat line in 2011. She has written for Strøm Magazine since the beginning.

Sarah Lamarche

An artistic director, Sarah has worked in the graphic design universe for over 10 years. Her creativity, rigour, and love of beauty have shaped this issue of Strøm Magazine, which she is producing for the very first time.

Lory Zephyr

Lory is a psychologist specializing in parental mental health, attachment, and perinatality. She practises at a private clinic. She is also an author and the co-founder of the Ça va maman? platform.

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Since its creation in 2009, Strøm Nordic Spa has never

As human beings, we need authentic contact—with

I am also announcing to you for the first time that a new

stopped believing in its mission and has expanded into

nature, with people, with beauty, with things that make

Strøm spa will emerge in Quebec in 2023. We will keep

four regions of Quebec, allowing millions of people to

us feel good—and this need has become particularly

you posted on the developments with great excitement

visit its facilities, in addition to making the public aware

pressing over the past two years. This is why Strøm

and restlessness.

of the importance of self-care.

both wants and needs to continue innovating, advancing, and growing—in Quebec and internationally. We

Thank you for your support and loyalty.

Today, the raison d’être of Strøm and its foundation,

wish to allow as many people as possible to enjoy the

Happy reading!

which provides support and respite to caregivers, is

benefits of relaxation, in all its forms.

stronger than ever. Day after day, we help people refocus on balance and leave our establishments lighter, calmer, and more peaceful than when they arrived.

Guillaume Lemoine President

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear readers, Taking a look at the elements that shape ways of life both here and abroad and that make existence memorable has always been at the heart of Strøm Magazine.

For its fifteenth issue, the editorial team has redoubled its efforts to dazzle you by offering you a reinvented reading experience. The goal? To satisfy your need for sleek design, for texts that breathe and inspire. Once again, we also invite you to follow the audio companion to the magazine: the Centré sur l’équilibre podcast. This is how we wish to continue our mission to support you in your quest for balance… by matching your lifestyle.

This issue is an invitation to see the world through fresh eyes. There is something fascinating about these old sayings: “if you change the way you see things, things will change” and “things don’t change; you just change the way you look at them.”

“Life on Earth is about co-existence—among people, non-human animals, ecosystems, and the environment. Co-existence is beautiful and generative, chaotic and challenging, [… and] we’re in it together.”

What if we changed our way of looking at winter?

In line with this trend and from a desire to strengthen Canadians’ sense of belonging to Nordicity, Strøm Magazine presents hivernotherapy, or winter therapy.

Like the pursuit of balance within constraint, hivernotherapy refers to what is therapeutic for the body, mind, and soul, with a view to self-respect, consistent with the rhythm of nature. The concept of “winter therapy” suggests learning to experience winter rather than enduring it.

Nordicity shapes our identity. It encourages us to ref lect on our history, our relationship with the land and nature. Is our pace of life really adapted to that of nature? As nature enters its dormant period, should we not likewise take the time to slow down and take advantage of the benefits offered by the contrast in temperatures? These questions are invitations to rethink our relationship with the cold season to better enjoy the gentleness that it conceals. …and wellness?

Whether we’re talking about personal care, healthy eating, our relationship with the environment, the need to socialize, to put down roots, or to uproot ourselves, self-care comes in many forms, both individual and collective. The team has met inspiring people from various backgrounds who share the hope of a more altruistic, empathetic society that is more concerned with common interests.

— Olafur Eliasson You can see, through these pages, from one conversation to the next, ways of living in harmony with nature and your fellow human beings.

Happy winter, everyone!

Emilie Lefebvre-Morasse and the editorial team

O U R WAY O F I N V I T I N G YO U TO E N J OY W I N T E R

With code nordicite20, get 20% off any purchase of $100 or more (at regular price).

Valid online only at stromspa.com from November 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023.

A WORD FROM THE EDITORIAL TEAM

Urban Cohousing: Live Better

By Paola Duchaine, Écohabitation

Focused on cooperation and mutual aid, cohousing projects are designed and built by and for communities: the neighbourhood spirit is created within a building.

Simplicity, cooperation, the sharing of values and assets, connection and social ties, intergeneration, and the prevention of social isolation…

Urban cohousing is gaining more and more followers, combining the advantages of private ownership (or renting) and collective amenities.

Discover the benefits of this type of housing, which also reflects a sustainable lifestyle.

W H AT I S C O H O U S I N G?

The cohousing movement was born in Denmark in 1964. Today, this type of housing is firmly established in Europe, as well as in the United States and Canada since the late 1980s. The Canadian Cohousing Network was formed in Canada in 1992 in British Columbia to contribute to the creation of cohousing communities as a model of sustainable development.

The concept emerged in our province about ten years ago with Cohabitat Québec, a project located in the Limoilou area of Quebec City.

Quebecers’ interest in cohousing, which was already firmly established, exploded with the pandemic: the web portal of this pioneering complex saw a 50% increase in traffic in 2020, and new initiatives are flourishing, particularly in Montreal and the North Shore of Quebec City.

More than just a housing site, cohousing is considered a model of living that may help prevent loneliness and social isolation by bringing together residents of all ages, families with or without children, as well as elderly people and singles. The emphasis is often placed on social diversity and mutual support. By facilitating active and positive aging, cohousing represents an alternative option to owner-managed residences.

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ARCHITECTURE

A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING S H A R E D B E T W E E N P R I VA T E U N I T S A N D C O M M O N S PAC E S

A cohousing project consists of private dwellings in a building where certain resources are pooled. Many spaces and items may be shared, such as kitchens, rooms that can be reserved for guests, coworking spaces, play areas for young children, laundry rooms, cars, barbecues, and bicycles. This way of doing things makes it possible to cut down on the size of the units as well as the budget.

Indeed, is the goal to own goods or rather to have access to them? By asking ourselves the right questions, we can take a major step for the environment and for our wallets.

From this hybrid formula somewhere between a condo building, a housing co-op, and a tightly knit community of neighbours, a collective, functional, ecological, and more financially accessible living environment results.

COHOUSING: A MODE OF COMMUNIT Y MANAGEMENT

While fostering the creation of a community of neighbours, cohousing preserves the privacy of families, since everyone has their own private unit. The method of organization applied depends on the vision and needs of the residents.

Specifically, with respect to the management of the project, the common spaces, and the community, the absence of centralized power is advocated, and respect for each

individual represents the foundation of communal living: everyone takes part in the decision making. For example, the choice of the owners and tenants is made by consensus, since everyone shares the cohousing project.

And everyone contributes on a daily basis. If you want to be part of a cohousing project, set aside a few hours of involvement per week: the administration of the complex, activities for children, collective cooking, gardening, maintenance…your personal skills and objectives will have to be leveraged for the benefit of all.

Photographer — Ryunosuke Kikuno

ARCHITECTURE

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Photographer — Martin Reisch

E C O - F R I E N D LY C H O I C E S F O R T H E C O N S T R U C T I O N A N D L AY O U T OF COHOUSING PROJECTS

Living in harmony with others goes hand in hand with respect for the environment, an important value in a cohousing project. This approach also allows access to affordable housing, with an attractive quality of life and more accessible prices thanks to economies of scale.

The purchase and operating costs are therefore lower than the market cost.

Savings in terms of money, of course, but also with respect to materials. Indeed, shared cars, lawnmowers, or bicycles offer the possibility of reducing the consumption of goods that are only needed on occasion.

COHOUSING PROJECTS IN QUEBEC

Cohabitat Québec, a pioneer in the province: The first cohousing group in Quebec, the project is located in the Saint-Sacrement neighbourhood in Quebec City. This is an extensive development that brings together 42 households in total. The LEED Platinum and Novoclimat-certified buildings include townhouses, apartments, and a common building featuring a commercial kitchen, a dining room, a living room with a fireplace, a meeting room, a children’s corner, and a home theatre. There is even a workshop, a laundry room, and a space to store bicycles. Outside, a vegetable garden, fruit trees, a space for campfires, a sandbox, a patio, and barbecues are provided for everyone.

A larger lot is also synonymous with more greenery. Trees, collective gardens, and landscaping are often featured. Designers take advantage of this to leave vehicles at the outskirts in order to ensure safety and calm within the grounds of the property.

Cohabitat Lachine, a collective intergenerational housing project aimed at eco-responsibility and affordability: Work is expected to begin on this project in 2023, and it will be built at the intersection of Rue Notre-Dame and 23rd Avenue. Approximately forty dwellings with one to four bedrooms each are divided among buildings connected by outdoor passageways to make this a place of collective living.

The design of the building provides for a net energy consumption lower than 80 kWh/m², thanks to a layout that favours maximum sunlight and insulation that is high-performance all year round.

The short- and long-term affordability of the project is guaranteed by a community trust. One portion of the housing units will be devoted to rentals, and another to sales.

The spirit of sharing, a reduced environmental impact, and life in an intergenerational, family-friendly environment are at the heart of cohousing projects. In the current economic and social context, this new mode of housing seems to offer a new path to communal living, and its success shows that it has its place among the housing innovations that Quebec needs!

Finally, smart energy use as well as the sustainability and local origin of the materials add to the environmentally friendly approach and allow a great deal of money to be saved in the long term!

Écohabitation has been the reference in sustainable housing in Quebec for more than 20 years, for the general public, industry professionals, and policy makers. Its mission is to share knowledge, know-how, and expertise in healthy, resource- and energy-efficient, sustainable, and affordable housing that is accessible to all. Online guides, video training sessions, coaching services, inspirational photos, and a directory of products and professionals: individuals can find a real gold mine to facilitate their construction, renovation, development, maintenance, and purchase projects. ecohabitation.com

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Second Nature An Interview with Dominic Arpin

Trained as a journalist, Dominic Arpin is a television host and producer. A lover of nature and the great outdoors, in recent years, he has discovered a new way to regain his balance, one step at a time. Here is a summary of an inspiring and authentic interview in the heart of a boreal nature setting, at Strøm Nordic Spa — Mont-Saint-Hilaire.

DOMINIC ARPIN

Hello, Dominic. We’ve known you in Vlog as a tech enthusiast since 2007, but recently, your love of the outdoors has also shone through, particularly in Van aventure, a show where you criss-crossed Quebec in a van. Where did this interest in the great outdoors come from?

“I was born in a lane in the village of Saint-Ours, near Sorel-Tracy, 45 minutes from Montreal. Since my father was a farmer, I grew up on a dairy farm, surrounded by fields as far as the eye can see and a forest where I could go and have fun whenever I wanted, however I wanted.

So, nature has always been part of me in some way.

“Then, turning 40 shook me up; I realized I was getting older. I was letting myself go, and I didn’t like what I was seeing. I was inactive, I was putting on weight, I was smoking, I wasn’t eating well, I was drinking way, way too often, I was partying… Turning 40 forced me to look myself in the eyes and ask myself where I was going with all this excess. Slowly, I started training, running, doing CrossFit, moving outside. I really liked the effect that this had on my body, and especially on my mind. I’m a very anxious person who suffers from panic attacks, and I understood that I needed nature and sports to regain my balance.”

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I N S P I R AT I O N

D. A .

Did you have a role model, an inspiration in taking control of your health?

“Yes, and she’s been right there in front of me this whole time: my girlfriend. My partner Annie is a big-time athlete; she was hiking and running marathons when I met her. At the time, none of that interested me. I was buried in my work; I wanted to establish myself, have a career. One day, a little before my 40 th birthday, Annie took part in the Montreal Marathon, and I went out to support her. An hour before she finished the race, I was already at the finish line waiting for her, and that hour completely shook me up. I was crying watching people finish because I could see the satisfaction, accomplishment, pride, and pain in their faces.

That’s when I said to myself, ‘OK, I want to experience that, too.’ When my girlfriend finally crossed the line, I found it so impressive; she was a superwoman in my eyes. Just like that, I started running, and I’m lucky to have had her support and encouragement. She had always pushed me to take that path, but this was the first time that the message really got through to me.”

Photographer — Dominic Arpin

D. A .

D. A .

Does pushing your limits, which is inherent to running, contribute to your well-being?

“Yes and no. I’ve long been ‘competitive.’ I was looking to improve my running speed, to keep getting faster. Now, I’m working on my endurance; I’m trying to improve on the distance covered. What I like about this challenge, which materializes in ultramarathons or trail running, is precisely the fact that it’s long. I spend a lot of time with myself, and running in nature, I don’t feel guilty about stopping. Unlike road running, I take breaks, I drink, I eat, I can even change my shoes. There’s a more laid-back side to this kind of running that suits me much more, since I do sports to get rid of the stress in my life. When I realized that by wanting to perform at all costs in my sport, I was adding to my stress, I completely changed my way of doing things.”

What did you take away from the immersion in nature that you experienced during Van aventure?

“It was a form of balance for me. When I’m at home, the couch attracts me; it’s like a magnet. It’s very comfortable, and I could easily sit in it and watch absolutely everything on Netflix. I naturally like comfort, idleness.

“What the van brought me was the polar opposite. I got rid of all the accessories from my everyday life, and I spent the night in a van with my dog on the edge of a lake with mosquitoes that prevented me from sleeping. Getting a taste of that completely changed my life. When I came back home after the first summer of shooting, I found my house ridiculously big. I set about doing an incredible cleaning, I gave a bunch of stuff to friends and organizations, and I’m still in that process today. I wouldn’t call it minimalism, because paradoxically, there’s a part of me that really likes to consume, but nevertheless, this experience in the van allowed me to return to the essentials. Not knowing where I woke up in the morning because it was dark when I parked the night before, getting up at the same time as the sun and the birds, opening the door of the van and letting my dog go run around as he pleased while I made a cup of coffee, not having a cellular network or an internet connection… Before, I didn’t really understand the ‘trip’ behind van life, but now I do, and I can’t go back. It requires adapting to your environment like never before, blending into the background, and that’s what I find fantastic.”

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I N S P I R AT I O N

D. A .

D. A .

Have you taken any van trips in the winter?

“Yes, I took one last winter, and I really loved it. It definitely requires more logistics, having no running water or toilets, with the cold quickly seeping into the vehicle when you get in or out of it. Also, you don’t think of it, but in the winter, it gets dark really early! Since it’s hard to be outside very long when it’s -30°C, I got back into my van at 4 pm, and I didn’t come out again until the next morning. You have to like reading or have series downloaded in advance! It’s a different lifestyle in the winter. Honestly, I use it more to get closer to certain ski centres; I arrive the day before, and I leave again after my day of skiing. But to go out for several days in a van in the winter, you have to like misery a little.”

You mentioned skiing…what is your relationship with winter sports?

“Personally, I count the sleeps before it snows. Winter is my favourite season by far. Ten years ago, I never would have said that, because I only saw the downsides of the season, like most people. But that changed when I started taking advantage of the joys of winter and realizing how lucky we are in Quebec. I go downhill skiing, snowshoeing, alpine hiking, cross-country skiing, fat biking, skating, and even snow tubing. And just going for a walk in the snow with my dog brings me such happiness… The silence that prevails, the purity of the air… Ever since I started practising photography a bit more seriously, I also find that winter is photogenic. It makes beautiful colours; the reflections of the sun at the start of the day or at sunset create exceptional panoramas. And I adjust the sports I do according to the level of snow: when there’s a big snowfall, I go snowshoeing or cross-country skiing to take advantage of the powder in the morning.”

D. A .

It’s true that fans of winter judge whether the season has been good according to the amount of snow that has fallen!

“Absolutely! Before, I never looked at that, the weather reports and the expected precipitation. Now, with my group of friends, since we don’t all live in the same area, we each take a look at our local forecasts, and we decide where to go skiing according to the number of centimetres announced.

“In the city, when there’s snow in the forecast, the first thing that comes to our minds is the car that will be covered in it the next morning. I was the first to think like that for years. I cursed winter; there was nothing I hated more than a snowfall, while today, I realize it makes me happy. But even if you don’t like winter, I think it’s possible to see the positive through the irritants and find your happiness by focusing on the pleasant things that can come out of it.”

Photographer — Martin Bouffard

I N S P I R AT I O N

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Hiver notherapy by the Senses Hivernotherapy, or winter therapy, invites you to emphasize what is most beautiful about the cold season, to explore ways of appreciating it and taking pleasure in it.

Of course, practising a winter sport is a good way to keep your happiness level high throughout the season. Spending time outside is also one of the tips from the Scandinavian people to get through the winter successfully.

In Norway, this is a real way of life: friluftsliv, or outdoor life, is of great importance, even in very cold weather1. It’s about doing the opposite of what seems intuitive in the winter: dressing warmly and heading outside or—better yet—into nature! Studies show that spending at least two hours per week outside (less than 20 minutes per day) is beneficial for your health and well-being, in addition to 2 reducing stress and anxiety .

If you are one of those people who appreciate the outdoors in smaller doses, hivernotherapy can also take root in the tranquility and moments of comfort that punctuate winter.

Mindfulness is an accessible and rewarding way to focus on the pleasures of the colder months by letting yourself be guided by your five senses.

Cook your favourite dishes or enjoy drinks that remind you of your childhood by their scent or taste. Gingerbread and homemade cookies don’t need to be reserved exclusively for Christmas. Light a candle that will make your kitchen smell nice while doing the dishes, diffuse essential oils that will carry you away to where you want to be, to the heart of a spruce forest or to the beach.

Listen to music that makes you feel good— slower rhythms to accompany the snow falling in big, wet flakes on a January afternoon, or more energetic songs that make it easier for you to wake up when it’s still dark out. Go for a walk after a big storm and savour the sound of silence and the feeling of being alone in the world, even in the city. Pay attention to the sounds specific to our Nordic daily life: the melody of zippers and snaps while getting dressed to go play outside; the thud of boots on the ground while shaking them off to get rid of the snow; the door closing when a loved one comes back in after shovelling; the sirens of the snowplows that sound late into the night.

Wear warm, fleece clothing and soft, pretty, colourful socks, or wrap yourself in a blanket or a comforting scarf. Slip into flannel sheets after becoming one with the cold during a nighttime snowshoe hike.

Watch the snow falling, a movie that makes you feel good, the coffee percolating, the steam rising from the soup, the excitement in children’s eyes during the first storm of the season, the cheeks of your loved ones turned rosy from the cold.

Find poetry in the trivial moments of everyday life, even the more challenging ones. Appreciate the solidarity between neighbours when your car gets stuck in a snowbank, the tranquility of a busy day that suddenly slows down because of a little runny nose, the languor caused by the greyness and the lack of light which, in a certain sense, gives us more right than the rest of the year to do things that make us feel good. Let winter take care of you, in all its splendour and all its slowness.

Sources NIKEL, David. “How to Embrace Winter Like a Scandinavian.” Online. October 24, 2020. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidnikel/2020/10/24 /how-to-embrace-winter-like-a-scandinavian/amp/

1

Share your initiatives for experiencing hivernotherapy with us on social media with the hashtag #hivernotherapy.

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2

hite, M.P., Alcock, I., Grellier, J., et al. “Spending W at least 120 minutes a week in nature is associated with good health and wellbeing.” Sci Rep 9, 7730 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44097-3

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

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(Re)thinking Winter

By Franck Laboue, Voyageurs du Monde

Do you have Nordicity in your skin? Whether or not they were born in our extreme latitudes, each individual has a very personal response to offer. Experiencing, embracing, and welcoming winter is a new form of balance. It is almost tempting to say that a new lifestyle has established itself in our daily lives. Say hello to Nordic cuisine, the gentle taming of the elements, and an awakened look at our environment. However, is the time when we “endure” winter really over? The snowflakes don’t slide off each of us in the same way. Here are the different perspectives of two women on their relationship with the white season.

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St. Lawrence River Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

A NEW LIFE IN THE SOUTH FOR ARIANE CLOUTIER

It was on a flight to Ouagadougou that I met Ariane in 2016. With a twinkle in her eye and her head brimming with plans, she was setting off to explore the more exotic latitudes of West Africa. The promises of the sun and heat attracted her, a way to soften the worries of an existence experienced at 100 miles an hour. She kept running for years, bouncing from one work project to the next. Then, one day, she said goodbye to Quebec to rebuild her life on the island of Bonaire in the south Caribbean. That was two years ago. Now, the expression “the pleasures of winter” is permanently behind her.

“Since I’ve been here, I no longer wonder how I’m going to dress. It’s a whole lifestyle that I left behind,” Ariane confided to me, the shores of Venezuela on her horizon. “It brings me peace of mind; winter was a stress factor for me. I come to Quebec for Christmas, but I don’t miss anything…” At 40, she is inviting inner peace and simplicity into her life.

It was in Bonaire that she met the man who would become her husband, energized by new challenges under the sun. “I prefer to be active while working rather than shovelling!” she quips with one last wink.

“My parents weren’t fans of winter sports; it was never more important than that for me,” she told me from her patio, which looks like a tropical jungle. “I’ll even tell you: it’s more beautiful in a photo than experiencing it in the flesh!” She may be a native of Saint‑Jean-sur-Richelieu, but winter never stuck to her skin. Beyond the cold, there was the stress of a daily routine that is much busier than the rest of the year.

Clearing the snow off her driveway right after waking up, scraping off her car, keeping her eyes glued to the slippery road, morning after morning…a challenging season for a busy woman.

Salt marshes in Bonaire Photographer — Wirestock

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The snowflakes don’t slide off each of us in the same way.

NORDICIT Y IN THE SKIN FOR FLORIANE TRINEL

What did Floriane and her family want? To escape the monotony and gloom of the French winter. “We had always tried to appreciate the joys of winter in France, but the cheerfulness was lacking at home in Nantes. And then, the season was so short, it was hard to make the most of it given the distances to reach the Alps to go skiing, for example.” By moving to Quebec, the word “winter” took on its full meaning for Floriane. Her quest for winter led her to settle down in Quebec City, where the pleasures of the snow are within reach for months.

“Winter is long, that’s for sure, but it always seems too short to me every year. There’s so much to enjoy and experience!” Floriane exclaimed, snowflakes already filling her eyes in July. The whole family is really sinking their teeth into this new lifestyle. Every snowfall and every bit of free time are excuses to embrace the cold season. For them, hivernotherapy has become a way of life for half the year. “I’ve lost count of the places to have fun in the city, even if it’s just a walk in the heart of a wooded area, landscaped or not. For me, there’s wonder in every corner of every branch!”

I N C L U S I O N M AT R I X

Each year, our senses are invited to readjust to a brand-new environment. Beyond this annual cycle, it is really our profound vision of winter that is changing. It is no longer a question of enduring: the era of Nordicity has arrived. More than just a season, winter is a gateway to a new lifestyle, almost a rite whose name remains unspoken.

It is somewhat thanks to François and Hélène, my host family in Thetford Mines, that I have become this defector, moving from the Breton rains to the acres of snow in Quebec, 15 winters later. Little by little, they have softened, been tamed. In this suddenly silent world, my ears are now caressed by the sound of ice floating in the river, a solitary bird in the distance. My Nordicity was built over time, with great shots of caribou, trips to the arena, snowshoeing in the woods, and mornings with a shovel in hand. It will always be with me; I have taken root in the snowbank. Because Nordicity is now my heritage, proudly shared.

Collecting original experiences like ice canoeing, Floriane takes advantage of weekends and back-to-school times to transform her daily life into dozens of little moments that form the lifeblood of her new existence. Contemplating the frozen river, the white coat that covers the surrounding landscapes, the happiness of a crackling fire and a hot chocolate upon returning home… France is a long way off. “I’m already looking forward to diving into the snow again soon.” Winter? Floriane and her family can’t get enough of it!

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Winter and City Life An Interview with Olivier Legault, Laboratoire de l’hiver

The city of Winnipeg, known for being extremely cold, only receives 100 centimetres of snow per year, compared to 230 in Montreal. Of all the major Canadian cities, Montreal and Quebec City are the ones where it snows the most. But what about Quebecers’ relationship with winter? Are we appreciating it at its fair value?

To answer this question, in January 2019, Rues Principales, Vivre en Ville, and La Pépinière | Espaces Collectifs launched the Laboratoire de l’hiver, an organization with the goal of creating a common framework for intervention to reclaim the winter season.

This collaboration also gave rise to the Ville d’hiver guide, which offers solutions for making winter in the city easier through the development of public spaces, universal accessibility, and street furniture. Olivier Legault, an urban planner and the cofounder of the Laboratoire, paints a realistic yet optimistic portrait of winter in the city.

OLIVIER L E G AU LT

Hello, Olivier. As an urban planner, what is it that led you to take an interest in winter in an urban context?

“I’m a native of Quebec City, where winter is easier, maybe more straightforward. More emphatic, certainly, and especially less unstable than in Montreal, which is considered to be a wet winter city. I came to Montreal to study; I have a background in cultural geography (so, everything related to the cultural relationship with the territory, to humanity in the territory) and urban planning.

“One of my professors, Claude Marois, an urban geographer, once pointed out that the proposals of urban planners were never suited to our climatic and geographic reality. When he said that, it resonated with me so much. In response to that remark, I became interested in all the research already done on cities and winter. I also went to spend a session in Sweden at Lund University, where I conducted case studies on Nordic cities and winter cities.”

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O. L .

The Laboratoire’s mission is to reinvent winter activity in dense urban environments. What’s the difference between the way winter is experienced in the city vs. outside the city?

“First of all, I would like to clarify that downtown Plessisville or Victoriaville, for example, are dense urban environments in our eyes. Urban life is everywhere in Quebec.

“When looking at the geography of winter activities, there’s nothing more beautiful than a snowy boreal forest with a little creek that has frozen over a bit, but where the current is still flowing, protected from the wind thanks to the evergreens, with the tracks of animals in the snow all around. It’s magnificent, and it’s no wonder these places are popular for winter activities.

It’s winter at its most beautiful.

“Because you have to move around and walk to avoid getting too cold, traditional winter activity doesn’t take place in dense urban environments or small public spaces. However, if you want to enjoy winter in the city, you have to know how to find solutions. Setting up a curling game outside, for example, doesn’t take up much space, and it gets people moving on a small area. Ideally, this is surrounded by a shack where hot chocolate is served, a few lights to illuminate the evenings that start early, and colourful art installations that help brighten up the city, which is often grey in the winter. Of course, check that it’s possible to remove the snow and ice easily.

It’s also necessary to ensure, as much as possible, that the place isn’t in a wind corridor at the foot of a tower, and that the level of sun exposure is optimal. When you feel that beautiful sun, even in the winter at -10°C, you stop for a moment and soak it up. At the Laboratoire, we’re absolutely looking to create that moment!

Photographer — Frederick Wallace

O. L .

What are some of the Laboratoire’s activities?

“We create prototypes for public spaces. We conduct research. We think up new products to better enjoy winter. Among other things, we’ve designed four-season play structures for young children and a crazy blanket that lets you both warm yourself up around the fire and slide on the snow. We would even like to develop a line of beautiful Tempo shelters and make them real works of art!

O. L .

“Hivernity is a seasonal manifestation of Nordic conditions. In Montreal, for example, since we are located at the 45th parallel, I find it more suitable to talk about Hivernity than Nordicity, particularly out of respect for people who live further north! Montreal is unique: despite our latitude, we receive a great deal of snow, and it gets very cold. While we are located at the same latitude as Bordeaux, our cold and snow conditions are comparable to those of Moscow—another big city, certainly, but located much further north.”

“We’re also thinking about street furniture; for example, a park bench doesn’t work in the winter. We had the idea of higher armrests, at the height of the buttocks.

Since they’re vertical, they don’t need to be removed when snowplows pass. They clear the snow on their own and don’t accumulate ice. We’re trying to find alternatives to what is normally designed for the summer only.”

O. L .

The Ville d’hiver guide proposes “clearing snow less, clearing snow better, and clearing snow for universal accessibility.” What would we do with the snow?

“We would leave it there! It’s necessary to ask ourselves as a society if we really need to clear so much snow all the time. When is snow removal appropriate, sufficient?

When we talk to public works employees who have been on the job for 20 years, they tell us that they have greatly increased the level of service in recent years. The pressure continues to grow. Do we really want to put so much money into these costly operations?

“Urban density necessarily leads to the constraint of movement and universal accessibility. Of course, it’s necessary to think of seniors, people in wheelchairs, and parents with strollers. But on the other side, we also have mothers and fathers who would like the streets to remain snow-covered because it’s nice to take their child to daycare on a sled! The streets have to be maintained to some degree, but the issue of snow removal, like many others, is an important issue. It plays on that of movement, which, when we look at the surveys, emerges as the main irritant of the cold season for citizens.”

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Your work talks a lot about “Hivernity.” What is this, exactly?

“This is an expression that comes to us from LouisEdmond Hamelin, a Quebec linguist and geographer who has done a lot of work on the concept of Nordicity, particularly by developing a vocabulary of more than 300 terms for talking about winter.

O. L .

Between those who have positioned Quebecers as a Nordic population, including Hamelin, and those like Alain Dubuc, the author of Maudit hiver, who sees winter instead as an unpleasant interlude interrupting our summer lifestyle, the cold season has caused a lot of ink to be spilled!

Where do you see yourself?

“Clearly, the relationship with winter is more conflicted than the relationship with summer! And whether you like it or not, it has a major impact on our lives.

“For my part, I like to understand the rhythm of the seasons, and winter is far from being anecdotal in a year! When we talk about Hivernity, we are assuming seasonality, but more than that, we are recognizing that there is something special that fundamentally changes our lifestyles in the winter, that defines us.

It creates an identity shared by people who live on the same territory. It appeals to the feeling of community, to the collective. There’s something very inclusive there, and an inclusive identity trait is a beautiful gift!”

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Ecoan xiety, Solastalgia, and Other Climate Fears

By Dr. Valérie Courchesne, Ph.D., psychologist

In newspapers, social media, self-help groups…ecoanxiety now seems omnipresent in our society. Healthcare professionals, particularly psychologists, are also increasingly called upon to intervene with people who suffer from various degrees of ecoanxiety.

W H AT I S I T ?

Ecoanxiety is a type of anxiety related to the future of the planet and climate change.

The term solastalgia, meanwhile, which appeared in the early 2000s based on the work of Australian environmental philosopher Glenn Albrecht, and as defined by the Office québécois de la langue française, refers to the distress that may be felt regarding the loss or modification of our environment due to climate change.

As with any type of anxiety, therefore, a threat is perceived by the individual (here, climate change). The uncertainty, unpredictability, and lack of control related to this threat cause a feeling of distress.

WHO IS AFFECTED?

More and more people claim to be feeling anxiety related to the climate crisis. A recent study conducted in the United States also revealed that one in four Americans say that they are “very worried” about the effects of global warming1. A literature review on the subject published in 2022 by two Quebec researchers confirms that more and more of us are becoming aware of climate change and the threat that it represents, which has an impact on individual and collective psychological well-being2. Furthermore, although all social groups are affected, ecoanxiety affects more women, young people, populations that live in more vulnerable regions, more marginalized people, and people who have a higher level of education 2.

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H O W T O D I F F E R E N T I AT E B E T W E E N ANXIET Y AND CONCERN

It is important to distinguish between anxiety related to climate change and concerns or stress associated with these changes. Indeed, perceiving climate change as a stressor is totally normal and can even be positive, since stress is what drives us to take action. Feeling a certain level of stress and being concerned while thinking about the future of the planet may therefore encourage us to take individual action, get involved socially, or vote for people who will put this issue at the heart of their priorities, for example. A certain level of concern can therefore be constructive.

However, for this stress to be considered anxiety in the clinical sense of the term, it must significantly affect the individual’s functioning.

When it generates distress that is significant enough to lead to a dysfunction, ecoanxiety can thus be found in the large family of anxiety disorders. People who are anxious in general are therefore more likely to suffer from it.

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W H AT A R E T H E C O N S E Q U E N C E S?

A person suffering from ecoanxiety may be sad, agitated, discouraged, and feel a great deal of distress. They may also have palpitations or even experience panic attacks associated with climate change. Among other things, this may lead to insomnia, an inability to work, or difficult social interactions. As with any anxiety disorder, the feeling of powerlessness toward the perceived threat and the exhaustion associated with a chronic stressor can lead to depressive affects. For example, some people drop out of school, not seeing any possible future.

On a societal level, uncertainty regarding the future of the planet and concerns about climate change (and not necessarily clinical ecoanxiety) may drive some people to choose a different career or rethink their plans to start a family.

HOW TO DEAL WITH ECOANXIET Y

Like any type of anxiety, ecoanxiety comes from a feeling of uncertainty and loss of control. In these cases, our brain generates a stress response, hence the importance of promoting a feeling of regaining control over the situation. Here are four tips for dealing with ecoanxiety better. Of course, these tips are no substitute for mental health care, and if you are feeling distress related to climate change, it is important to seek help from a qualified professional.

1 — All the classic strategies for managing emotions apply and can be of great assistance.

Healthy living is the basis of mental (and physical!) health, and ecoanxiety is no exception. Practising mindfulness meditation techniques to be more able to remain in the present moment, spending time in nature, doing a physical activity, eating your fill of nutritious foods, and setting aside enough time for sleep are protective factors that should not be overlooked.

2 — Treating anxiety disorders always involves having to tolerate a certain degree of uncertainty. Indeed, it is necessary to learn how to live with it, accept it, and even welcome it! It may take time and require the assistance of a professional, but what can also help is to try to act on what you can control. Even though it may seem futile at times, living in an eco-friendly way by being in harmony with your values, reducing your ecological footprint, and adopting an environmentally responsible lifestyle can increase your feeling of well-being.

3 — Social support is also at the heart of mental health. In the case of ecoanxiety, it may be desirable to surround yourself with people who share similar values and who also take action for the environment. This helps promote a sense of belonging, reduces the feeling of powerlessness, and contributes to a more positive vision of the future.

4 — Finally, it appears that one of the factors contributing to the increase in ecoanxiety in young people is the use of social media.

Information about natural disasters, apocalyptic predictions, and shocking images of the devastated planet are everywhere, especially when climate change is one of our concerns.

The purpose of these images and news is to make the public aware and promote pro-environmental actions, but they can also have the perverse effect of causing ecoanxiety in people who are already concerned with the climate crisis. Limiting your news consumption and disabling notifications from certain groups or media may be particularly appropriate if you suffer from ecoanxiety.

In short, although more and more people are concerned with climate change, not all of them necessarily suffer from ecoanxiety in the clinical sense of the term. Whatever your level of stress, it is essential to preserve your mental health by applying the tips mentioned above and seeking help if needed.

Sources 1

Leiserowitz, A., Maibach, E., Rosenthal, S., Kotcher, J., Carman, J., Wang, X., Marlon, J., Lacroix, K., et Goldberg, M. (2021).

Climate Change in the American Mind, March 2021.

Yale University and George Mason University.

New Haven, CT : Yale Program on Climate Change Communication.

2

Gousse-Lessard, A. S. and Lebrun-Paré, F. (2022).

Regards croisés sur le phénomène « d’éco-anxiété » : perspectives psychologique, sociale et éducationnelle. Éducation relative à l’environnement.

Regards-Recherches-Réflexions, 17 (1).

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Hypersensitivity in Children

By Dr. Lory Zephyr, Ph.D., psychologist

You head to the couch with your children to watch The Lion King! You’re hooked from the first notes of the famous “nants ingonyama bagithi baba.” Everything is going wonderfully until your eldest bursts into tears. Of course, this is normal. Who hasn’t cried when Mufasa dies?

However, for your boy, this sorrow doesn’t subside—so much so that he has trouble continuing the film without sobbing. Later that night, at bedtime, he returns to the film and now starts crying thinking that he might lose you one day. If this scene seems familiar to you, one of your children may be hypersensitive.

W H AT I S H Y P E R S E N S I T I V I T Y ?

Children come into the world with a biological makeup that is unique to them. For example, a child’s temperament is not acquired. It is an innate element of their personality. This is also the case with sensory regulation, which refers to the ability to process and respond to internal sensory stimulations, which come from our own body, as well as external stimulations, which come from the environment.

More specifically, hyposensitive children need a longer exposure time to stimuli and a greater frequency and intensity to understand what is going on around them. On the opposite side of the continuum, a hypersensitive child may respond rapidly and strongly to stimulation and remain in a state of vigilance longer than most children because they perceive certain stimuli as being more threatening.

These stimulations may be visual, sonic, tactile, olfactory, or emotional (sensitivity to their own emotions as well as those of others).

Elaine Aron, an American psychologist who has focused on this issue, describes five points that are characteristic of hypersensitive people:

a tendency to be more easily overwhelmed by one’s feelings

a greater awareness of the nuances of the environment

a lower detection threshold

a higher emotional responsiveness

a more developed empathy

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A S PA R E N T S

It’s true that in recent years, the word hypersensitive has carved out a place for itself in common language. However, some parents may have trouble understanding what it really is and—especially—knowing how to help their children with it. Indeed, what can you do with a child who doesn’t tolerate any labels on their clothing, who feels attacked by the rain if it’s too cold, who categorically refuses to eat certain foods, and who may fiercely push friends away in the schoolyard because they are “too close” or talking “too loud?”

As a parent, it is important first of all to set aside the categorization. Beyond having a heightened sensitivity or a high sensitivity (which are more accurate terms to describe this trait, since the prefix hyper refers to what is excessive), your children have individual characteristics and contexts that lend a particular colour to this way of understanding the world.

Furthermore, children (and adults!) who have a heightened sensitivity are not necessarily outside the norm. As with height in humans, there is an infinite number of variations without this being “abnormal.” Sensitivity lies on a similar spectrum. That said, if your child’s functioning at home, school, or elsewhere is affected, talk to a healthcare professional to rule out the possibility of a sensory modulation or regulation disorder.

S O M E D ATA O N HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY

The figures vary, but according to Aron’s work, it is reported that, in general, 20 to 25% of the population lives with high sensitivity.

In addition, the proportion of women in this group is higher. That said, a few hypotheses may explain this deviation between the sexes:

The existence of a biological difference (genetic or hormonal, for example) in terms of sensitivity.

The influence of culture on sensitivity, which might be caused by stereotypes attributed to women and men.

The presence of a bias when individuals take psychometric tests when it comes to their sensitivity. More specifically, men tend to minimize their sensitivity, while this is not the case with women.

There might therefore not be any real difference in terms of sensitivity between the sexes if this bias is considered.

Furthermore, it would be interesting to observe how hypersensitivity is perceived and quantified elsewhere in the world, since expressiveness and sensitivity are not experienced and approached the same way in all cultures.

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H O L I S T I C H E A LT H

SUPPORTING A CHILD LIVING WITH HEIGHTENED SENSITIVITY

Let’s return to your child who watched The Lion King. In that moment, it might be tempting to respond that he is exaggerating and that you won’t ever watch a movie with him again if he reacts this way. However, this response could make him suffer even more. Experiencing these sensory and emotional flows isn’t easy for children. They are often confused and fearful of all these stimulations themselves. The smaller they are, the harder it is for them to name or even understand what they are feeling. One of parents’ allies is therefore empathy. Try to put yourself in your child’s shoes to help them recognize and deconstruct their emotions. That way, you will help them navigate through them.

Patience will also be necessary. Your children learn through their life experiences how to better live with their sensitivity and identify what overstimulates them. They often feel different from others, or even shameful. They therefore need to find their own bearings to regulate their emotions. This won’t happen without tears, tantrums, or other strong reactions that may seem irritating to you. Remember that your child is making an effort, and just because you aren’t seeing results quickly doesn’t mean that they aren’t trying very hard to soothe their feelings.

To learn more The book The Highly Sensitive Parent: Be Brilliant in Your Role, Even When the World Overwhelms You,

by Elaine N. Aron The book 10 questions sur... les hypersensibilités sensorielles chez l’enfant et l’adolescent, by Josiane Caron Santha The video clips from occupational therapist Valérie Ferron at valerieferronergo.com

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Sensitivity is a wealth in our society. When it is highly present, the challenge is to find strategies to promote a return to calm. Creativity is a good asset to allow you to find different tools that your child can explore to see if they work for them. Breathing techniques, making art, sports activities, soothing objects, and role-playing games to become familiar with situations that activate heightened sensitivity

responses are just a few examples of what you could implement in your family. Encouraging your child to expose themselves gradually to intense stimulations for them and congratulating them when they use their self-regulation strategies will help them tame their beautiful sensitivity. Because at the end of the day, that’s what they really need: to be accepted as they are!

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Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Toward a Collective Well-Being

By Jacinthe Roy Rioux, holistic and spiritual life contributor

The term holistic comes from the Greek holos, meaning “whole,” and the term therapeia, meaning “care.” It refers to the importance of taking care of yourself and others by adopting a comprehensive vision of balance.

These days, the holistic approach refers to the balance of body, mind, and soul, but also to the social, cultural, and political context in which we live. This awareness makes it possible to support each individual in their quest for balance and guide them toward practices tailored to the challenges of our era.

Our reality is constantly changing. In the wellness industry, some are demanding the radical return of self-care, which differs from the interpretation conveyed today. In an age marked by the quest for meaning, the search for reconciliation, and advocacy movements, the social is combined with the spiritual, thereby allowing a more engaged spirituality to emerge.

RADICAL SELF-CARE

These little revolutions have an undeniable impact on the collective sphere. While individual well-being equips us with the necessary abilities to create positive social change around us, collective well-being influences the reality of individuals within societies. This holistic and relational vision of the world directly connects the concepts of individual transformation and social evolution. This perspective also invites us to rethink well-being as a collective consideration much more than a personal one, despite the advent of self-care in recent years as a practice starting from oneself, for oneself.

These words from Audre Lorde, a Black civil rights activist, writer, lesbian, and feminist, summarize an emerging notion of self-care, which is opposed to the definition belonging to the wellness industry, which focuses on the individual rather than the community, and which reinforces the same structures that Lorde devoted her life to dismantling.

Here is a look at some emerging and evolving visions that are driving us to deepen the meaning of well-being in its entirety.

“Let us remember that we are constantly evolving and that every day, we learn new things. Sometimes, we learn how to relearn; other times, how to make certain concepts or truths accessible. With vulnerability and altruism, let us evolve in a world of openness and acceptance.”

— Bianca Des Jardins and Andy Dubois, authors of Anima : Rituels créatifs pour se connecter à l’essentiel

H O L I S T I C H E A LT H

Self-care is an essential and crucial component of preventive well-being.

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.”

— Audre Lorde

Many see self-care as a temporary break that can provide relief from a stressful, fast-paced life. Radical self-care, however, moves away from this vision by addressing the causes of this stressful life. In other words, radical self-care works at the source to bring about lasting change for both the self and the community. As a community, we are all we need to overcome our own challenges.

Radical self-care involves adopting practices that keep us physically and psychologically healthy by taking the time to think about what matters to us. They invite us to remain faithful to our identity and implement strategies of introspection, rootedness, empowerment, and transformation by creating a support network within our community.

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For some, this may mean living in harmony with the seasons and the different cycles of the moon, while for others, it may mean working on reconnecting with their identity and their community.

Giving yourself the necessary space to set boundaries, listen to your needs, experience your emotions, laugh, cry, dream, and meditate are simple examples of radical self-care.

Radical well-being is not a task to be checked off your to-do list. It is an energy that is cultivated every day within yourself. It is the practice of self-compassion and welcoming your deepest feelings. When you adopt this way of life on a daily basis, you will have the strength and benevolence that make it possible to face the most difficult situations and generate healing.

None of this is easy. Caring for yourself is above all a spiritual act that demands rest and a sense of revolution.

SPIR ITUAL AC TIVISM While individual well-being influences that of communities, the overall well-being of a community gives real meaning to the latter. This is what leads to the rise of a more engaged spirituality.

“Healing doesn’t mean the damage never existed. It means the damage no longer controls your life.”

— Akshay Dubey Spiritual activism is a practice that aims to develop internal spiritual faculties in order to apply them and bring about positive social change. The objective is to contribute to the creation of a more socially just world, particularly by fighting oppression.

For Rachel Ricketts, a racial justice educator, spiritual activist, lawyer, and author of the book Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy, spiritual activism is about daily anti-oppressive actions, thoughts, and words. According to Ricketts, this begins with introspective work and spiritual practices that are culturally appropriate to each individual.

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For example, the contemporary reappropriation of the figure of the witch, a strong symbol of feminism, highlights its political aspect. People who identify with it address issues that have long remained in the shadows. Denouncing injustices, they amplify the voices of women and marginalized communities and examine social and cultural issues by revisiting history. Combined with modern issues, the quest for well-being now focuses on the collective.

As Mona Chollet explains in Sorcières: La puissance invaincue des femmes, “The witch embodies the woman freed from all dominations, all limitations; she is an ideal toward which to strive, she shows the way.”

A f t er movement s suc h a s # MeTo o , #Black L ivesMatter, # JusticeForJoyce, and #EveryChildMatters, to name just a few, players committed to deconstructing systems of oppression speak in turn of justice, mobilization, decolonization, and healing.

These people who operate on the public stage or in the background may be members or leaders of marginalized communities, or valuable allies.

IN SHORT

The pursuit of well-being and the practice of self-care are characteristic of our era. In these times of social upheaval, however, it is necessary for us to rediscover the radical sense of well-being.

Radical self-care underlines the fact that it is necessary to take care of yourself first to be able to care for others. In this sense, individual well-being is an important step toward collective well-being.

In terms of collective well-being, there is still a great deal that remains to be done. We need to transform structures, acknowledge injustices, meet the needs of communities, initiate the process of healing, decolonization, and so much more. In short, reinvent the world…

However, the past few years have shown us with certainty that this movement is now well underway.

An ally is an individual who acknowledges their privileges but chooses to defend the rights of marginalized communities by fighting discrimination and stereotypes through concrete means. Targeted by oppression, marginalized communities include but are not limited to racialized communities, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants or refugees, women, and people with disabilities.

Many of us dream of a more just world: let us remember that the dreams of yesterday’s visionaries are, for some, now realities.

Sources Chollet, Mona. Sorcières : La puissance invaincue des femmes. Éditions Zones, October 22, 2018.

Desai, Shikha. “Why Ayurveda gained a lot of popularity since Covid-19.” Times of India, May 29, 2021.

Gagnon-Paradis, Iris. “Populaire quête intérieure.” La Presse, June 12, 2022.

Indiana State University. “Radical Self-Care.” 2021.

Iowa State University. “Social Movement.” Archive of Women’s Political Communication, 2022.

Newman-Bremang, Kathleen. “Reclaiming Audre Lorde’s Radical Self-Care.” Refinery 29, May 28, 2021.

Ricketts, Rachel. “How Spiritual Activism Can Lead to Social Transformation.” Shondaland, February 3, 2021.

Turner, Nancy J. “Médecine traditionnelle des Premières Nations du Canada.” L’encyclopédie canadienne, May 1, 2019.

H O L I S T I C H E A LT H

Caring for yourself is above all a spiritual act that demands rest and a sense of revolution.

ewool: Powerful Heated Clothing for a Comfor table Winter We can’t enjoy winter to its full potential by staying inside. By going outside and observing how the cold and snow transform our ecosystem and our athletic, travel, socialization, and leisure habits, we can truly immerse ourselves in this unique and enchanting season.

But to spend time outside when the temperatures are approaching the freezing point while being comfortable, you need to be appropriately dressed and—above all—not be cold. This is why ewool has been designing powerful and easy-to-use heated clothing for almost 10 years.

The name ewool is an amalgamation of the words electric heating wool. Of course, there is no such thing as electric wool, but the name perfectly describes an avant-garde textile that provides abundant heat when worn, thereby allowing us to warm up properly and transcend the cold.

THE COLLECTION

ewool offers four complementary heated products to spend the winter warm: the METRO heated vest and the PRO vest, the heated glove liner, and the brand-new heated stocking. Put them on under your usual winter clothing and accessories to enjoy a pleasant, diffuse heat. ewool products are not the “final” garment, but rather a layer that is added between the base layer and the insulating layer, such as the coat or boot.

Whether you work outside, enjoy winter sports or an extended golf season, or simply want to get around without getting cold, ewool products will meet your comfort needs thanks to their discreet design and adjustable heat intensity. The battery that powers them is also rechargeable, allowing you to enjoy this quality clothing for a long time!

THE HISTORY

The Canadian brand was created in 2013 by Alain Desmeules, a Saguenay native. It was particularly in contact with his wife, originally from Florida, that he understood that not everyone is inhabited by a love of winter as great as his own. He quickly wanted to reverse this trend. A fan of the great outdoors and expeditions in the extreme cold, with a background in engineering, and passionate about industrial design, he decided to put his interests at the service of his new mission: to allow people to love winter.

WORLDS COLLIDE

To describe the benefits of our products to our future buyers, we like to compare the feeling of enveloping warmth that our clothing offers to what is experienced when stepping into a hot tub in the depths of winter. We’re proud to share the same objective as Strøm Nordic Spa: to offer comfort and well-being, even in cold weather.

“Powerful heated clothing is an effective solution for enjoying the winter without suffering from the cold.”

To learn more about ewool and discover the products: ewool.com

— Alain Desmeules, founder of ewool

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E D I TO R I A L PA R T N ER S H I P

P ho t o g r aphe r — J o s h M c C a b e

Five Books to Take Care…

By Nicolas Gendron, cultural journalist

Between what soothes us and what torments us, between what makes us up and what surrounds us, between what separates us and what connects us, care is a kind of food for the soul. Whether it is associated with well-being or mental health, our interpersonal relationships or our ecological aspirations, it is everywhere and nowhere all at once, hoped for, neglected, cultivated… Its virtues often seem invisible. Here are five titles bathed in reality that strive to make them tangible to us.

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…OF SILENCE

…OF DIALOGUE

A radio personality recognized for his loquaciousness for the least measured, Olivier Niquet wanted to celebrate the great family of introverts in writing, because it is well known that whoever does not write a word consents. Revealed by Le Sportnographe and dedicated to La soirée, and now La journée – est (encore) jeune, the commentator here embraces the recurring gags at his expense to reflect quietly and distinguish introversion from social phobia, extol their complementary virtues with the group of extroverts—amusingly advantaged on the social scale, because it seems to him that they are more “socially desirable”—and assess the value of an opinion, to say nothing of outrage. With the help of sociological studies and Reddit comments, apocryphal quotations and rampant self-deprecation, Niquet offers himself up as a case study who lives in harmony with his discreet nature, still preferring humour to mood. What if some people learned to be quiet sometimes so that the silence of others would resonate?

Editor-in-chief of the Lettres québécoises magazine, Mélikah Abdelmoumen has undoubtedly written one of the most nuanced essays of this young decade. Born in Chicoutimi to a Tunisian father and a mother from Saguenay and having spent a good portion of her adult life in Lyon before returning to Montreal, the author has had many opportunities to dwell on the multiple contours of identity, whether we are analyzing nationalist façades or the rootedness of the heart. Here, she recounts the unlikely friendship between two major American writers of the 20th century, James Baldwin (Going to Meet the Man) and Willian Styron (Sophie’s Choice)—one the grandson of a slave, the other the grandson of a master—and how a case of cultural appropriation shook them and united them in the late 1960s.

On the fine line between the legitimate anger and the empathy inherent to literature, she builds a solid bridge between yesterday’s fiction and today’s burning questions, so that the dialogue is never broken.

Les rois du silence by Olivier Niquet (Ta Mère, 2022)

C U LT U R E

Baldwin, Styron et moi by Mélikah Abdelmoumen (Mémoire d’encrier, 2021)

…OF THE SELF

…OF OTHERS

…OF THE ENVIRONMENT

“Who is the self in self-care?” rightly asks Zishad Lak, one of the 11 voices brought together in this collective under the sign of introspection and the affirmation of scars. In a society where taking the time to treat your ailments is not accessible to everyone due to a lack of money, resources, or references, selfcare can quickly become synonymous with privilege. What, then, of our blind spots and our survival instincts, of our traumas like our secret gardens? In fundamentally free forms that match the continuous flow of thoughts, but also meditative or creative breathing, these personal offerings written in the midst of the pandemic celebrate the singularity of the journeys and the strength of relationships, like “a political declaration of benevolence and solidarity” desired by Nicholas Dawson, “so that taking care of yourself means that, together, we take care of ourselves.”

The lucidity and unique style of Ouanessa Younsi (Métissée, the Femmes rapaillées collective) first struck me in the aforementioned Self-care, in which her dual vocation as poet and psychiatrist gives rise to reflections that are as vast as they are intimate. I immediately wanted to discover her essay on care, Soigner, aimer, which testifies, in the form of a poetic notebook, to her medicinal practice: from SeptÎles, where she “draws a need for shoulders,” to Val-d’Or, where she examines a patient like “an oyster stingy with its pearls,” and finally to Kuujjuaq, where a glass of water becomes a strong human binding agent. She masterfully dissects the humility that her profession demands, “the madness that is not [always] disease,” and the role of writing, which allows her to “better support others,” and she opens up in passing on mourning her grandmother and on her own flaws. Since, after all, “Caring, writing, [would this be] the making love of fragility?” The essay boasts a restorative power.

A defrocked automotive designer, Louis-Philippe Pratte lost his desire to grease the consumerist wheel when he became aware that the industry to which he was prepared to devote his life was undoubtedly selling the “ultimate gadget,” that which turns out to be obsolete as soon as it arrives on the market because the next model has already been planned. He in no way excludes himself from the critique that he develops in the first part of his story, La méthode Y, the subtitle of which translates as Thinking and Living Deconsumerism and calls for small revolutions. To do this, he has imagined “the design of a new life” through the symbol of the Y. Its two branches embody the paths of reduction and union—or of sharing, connection—while its base tends toward an ideal of verticality, where the ego gives way to the “eco.”

All green and white, visually pared down, but filled with simple, striking examples, this noble guide to austerity takes us from guilt to action.

Self-care, collective under the guidance of Nicholas Dawson (Hamac, 2021)

Soigner, aimer by Ouanessa Younsi (Mémoire d’encrier, 2016)

C U LT U R E

La méthode Y by Louis-Philippe Pratte (Cardinal, 2022)

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Listen and Unfold: Five Podcasts for Total Well-Being

By Eve Laliberté, cultural contributor

Although reading is one of the strongest sources of relaxation and learning for me, podcasts are important tools that help make my daily life rich and inspiring. They accompany my travels, my moments of rest, and sometimes even my training in nature.

Diving into the private life of inspiring people often helps me refresh my ideas and take a step back from certain issues by reminding me that these are inherent to our human condition. For me, this gateway to authentic sharing is—in a sense—life-saving.

TO RELAX

Inspirez avant d’expirer with Élyse Marquis Produced by Radio-Canada OHdio and hosted by Élyse Marquis, the Inspirez avant d’expirer podcast is full of generosity and benevolence.

Revolving around complex issues or taboos, the fifteen-minute episodes offer brief forays into universal topics such as change, aging, and forgiveness. The guests openly express their vision of these subjects with wisdom and lightness. A gentle podcast that soothes us when we need to reconnect with our humanity.

Dealing with diverse topics that are directly or indirectly related to well-being, I offer you a selection of podcasts here that make for good listening. A five-step list to inspire you to open your ears and get comfortable.

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C U LT U R E

TO QUES TI O N YOU R SELF

es Chemins de la philosophie with Adèle L Van Reeth and Géraldine Mosna-Savoye Having accompanied me in several moments when I had a great thirst for learning, the Chemins de la philosophie podcast, produced

by France Culture, is a must when you want to expand your thinking about your place in the universe. Sometimes offering thematic explorations and sometimes encounters with the ideas of prominent figures such as Aldous Huxley, Gaston Bachelard, or even Simone de Beauvoir, each episode presents an intellectual journey that never ceases to amaze. As a bonus, a rather exceptional treatment of sound archives and music can be found here.

TO B ROADE N YOU R H O R I ZO NS

TO I NSPI R E YOU

Renaître à soi… et changer le monde à sa façon with Pastel Fluo

Mindful Endurance Program (MEP) with Ryan Willms

Recognized in her field for her rigour and inclusive approach, journalist Krista Tippett has hosted the On Being podcast for nearly 20 years. This series of conversations addresses spirituality in an open and intriguing way by approaching it from the angles of science, social healing, and the arts. Inspiration, beauty, curiosity: each deep conversation is accompanied by a general feeling of re-enchantment with human intelligence and its potential. The host is particularly experienced and contributes as much as her guests to the discussions by punctuating them with anecdotes, reflections, and memories.

At the head of Pastel Fluo, Joanie Lacroix speaks in her podcast with project leaders who do things differently. In Renaître à soi… et changer le monde à sa façon, she invites us to discover the journey of entrepreneurs with inspiring and deeply human stories.

In particular, we meet Jean-Daniel Petit, the co-founder of BESIDE, David Côté, the eco-entrepreneur behind LOOP Mission, and Rose Gwet, the founder of Luxcey. These discussions allow us to see things with optimism and reflect as well on how to contribute positively to social and ecological change.

Formerly Into the Well, Mindful Endurance Program is a podcast carried by the creative Ryan Willms. Located at the intersection of spirituality and endurance sports, the episodes make it possible to approach movement as a vector of connection with ourselves and what surrounds us. In each episode, Willms welcomes athletes, creatives, and thinkers who push the boundaries of what we believe is possible. This podcast is particularly powerful, since it shows us that we have much more in common than we think with these innovators who sometimes seem superhuman.

On Being with Krista Tippett

C U LT U R E

T O G E T M O T I VA T E D

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You ensure balance around you; let us be yours for a moment

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Discover Local Businesses

L E M AY M I C H A U D : A R C H I T E C T S O F E M O T I O N S

Creating exceptional spaces that live up to the dreams of our clients is the desire of LEMAYMICHAUD Architecture Design, proud designers and partners of Strøm Nordic Spa. Montreal | Quebec City | Ottawa

AU D V I K : Q U E B E C - M A D E W I N T E R C OAT S C R E AT E D B Y O U R C L I M AT E

Locally manufactured in Quebec, Canada since 1979, our coats are timeless, durable, and made entirely from recycled materials.

At AUDVIK, we have a fervent desire to share the love that we cultivate for winter.

lemaymichaud.com 418-694-1010

To learn more about our products

@lemaymichaud

and our various points of sale, head to our website: audvik.com

JUPON PRESSÉ

PRÀ: PURIT Y AND RESPECT FOR THE TERROIR

A local women’s clothing shop featuring the owners’ favourites: Des Petits Hauts, Ève Gravel, InWear, Indi & Cold, and more.

Located in northern Italy, the Prà estate produces wines that are full of freshness while respecting the earth and the environment.

Storefront and online shop: juponpresse.com

Vins Balthazard is a wine importation agency.

Enjoy a 15% discount with promo code STROM

vinsbalthazard.com

790, rue Saint-Jean Quebec City, QC G1R 1P9

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Discover Local Activities

A N A L PAC A R I D E

Come experience an unforgettable moment in the company of an alpaca on our magnificent private trail at Mont-Saint-Hilaire, both day and night.

A M U LT I T U D E O F M A G I C A L A C T I V I T I E S AT T H E PA R C D E L A G O R G E D E C OAT I C O O K!

The Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook is a must in all seasons! Hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing, escape games, accommodations, and—of course—Foresta Lumina from mid-June to mid-October.

By reservation: alpagasdudomainepoissant.com/reservation

gorgedecoaticook.qc.ca

10% discount: strom-alpagas

1-888-524-6743

1235, chemin de la Montagne

400, rue St-Marc

Mont-Saint-Hilaire, QC J3G 4S6

Coaticook, QC J1A 2M3

PETIT CHAMPLAIN: A PICTURESQUE NEIGHBOURHOOD W I T H A L O C A L F L AV O U R

THROUGH THE THREAD OF WINTER

Roam the cobblestone streets and come meet welcoming merchants, local artisans, creative designers, and passionate restaurateurs.

Cold out? Let’s embroider inside to spend the winter comfortably while relaxing. Our turnkey embroidery kits are made in collaboration with Canadian artists. filrelax.com

quartierpetitchamplain.com

15% promo code for your first step: HIVERELAX

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Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

From Field to Factor y: The Impact of the Industrialization of Food on Our Health An interview with Michaël Bensoussan, gastroenterologist, and Jean-François Lemoine, agronomist

Michaël Bensoussan, a gastroenterologist at the Hôpital Charles-Lemoyne in Longueuil, diagnoses and treats digestive tract disorders.

Jean-François Lemoine, for his part, is an agronomist who works as a consultant with farmers to help them improve their production. We welcomed them to Strøm Nordic Spa — Mont-Saint-Hilaire, and they shared their knowledge with us with great generosity, allowing us to learn more about the relationship between the industrialization of food and its effects on our health.

MICHAËL BENSOUSSAN

Hello, you two. Michaël, can you tell us a little about intestinal microbiota?

“Microbiota refers to the bacteria with which we live in harmony—in our nasal cavities, in our bronchial tubes, on our skin, but especially in our digestive tract, where a trillion bacteria can be found. If we add up all the cells in the entire human body, in all the organs, we get to a hundred billion, or ten times fewer. In absolute terms, therefore, we are made up of more foreign material than material inherited from our parents. There are 1,200 different bacterial strains that weigh between 1 and 1.5 kilograms in total in our digestive tract. Without them, human beings would be incompatible with life.

We are born with a sterile intestine, and this bacterial colonization begins at the time of delivery, while the infant is in contact with the mother’s vaginal flora.

Breastfeeding continues this work when the baby puts the mother’s breast, along with the microbiota of the mother’s skin, into their mouth. In maternity wards in Quebec now, when a child is born by Caesarean section, we put a cloth in the mother’s vaginal walls and coat the baby with this vaginal flora, because we know that this is part of the process, from the first seconds of life, of developing the intestinal flora.

À TA B L E

“Why is this so important? Because we realized that, behind several digestive, neurological, and probably even cancerous diseases, there is an imbalance in this intestinal flora. When the microbiota is balanced, we are in symbiosis with bacteria. In a situation of imbalance, some bacteria become dominant and fight against others that are beneficial to our health. This is what is known as dysbiosis. This is present in people who have intestinal diseases, obesity, diabetes, and in those who have an overly fatty, caloric, and processed diet. From the perspective of intestinal flora and microbiota, we become what we eat.

“A few years ago, it was said that intestinal flora played a role in digestion. Then, it was understood that it was involved in the development of digestive diseases. And recently, we are realizing that it communicates with the nerves of the intestine. There are 200 million neurons in the intestine, which is why it is called the second brain. It is the organ in the human body where the most neurons can be found after the brain. The bacteria communicate with the 200 million neurons in the intestine, which themselves communicate millions of times per second with our brain. This means, therefore, that the bacteria in our intestine are giving orders to our brain. We have long known that the power of the brain on the intestine is immense; we are now realizing that the reverse is probably also true.”

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JE AN - FR ANÇOIS LEMOINE M.B.

M.B.

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“I thought that for Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, there was a genetic dimension.”

“Of course! But in our microbiota as well, there is a genetic portion. That is to say that it is genetically predisposed. With all the cells on the surface of our intestine that will more or less adhere to this or that bacterium, each person in the world has a different microbiota. A person can be identified with even greater certainty from their microbiota than from their fingerprints or the irises of their eyes. It is unique to each person: on one hand, it is genetically codified, and on the other, it is influenced by what we eat, among other things.”

Does this mean that our diet has the power to make us sick?

“What the medical literature tells us is that there are many more diseases in the countries of the northern hemisphere than in less developed countries—for example, in the southern hemisphere. This is even truer in gastroenterology: we are the number one country in the world for ulcerative colitis per person. What we also know is that when populations from other countries and other genetic backgrounds immigrate to Canada, they end up having the same number of diseases as people who were born here. So, there are obviously problems here that are causing diseases.

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À TA B L E

“If I knew what these problems were, I would be pleased to name them for you. We are finding them as science progresses, but afterwards, we can also reason with our common sense. What is the difference between an industrialized country like ours and less industrialized countries? It’s the pollutants found in the atmosphere, water, and soil, where the food we eat grows. But above all, it’s the industrialization, the ultra-processing of food. It’s necessary to understand that all foods that come from the ground are processed, if only when we are preparing to eat them. Ultra-processing is something else entirely: it’s the industrial process that transforms foods using chemical compounds, which are usually preservatives, flavouring agents, etc. And when we start putting these kinds of compounds in the food we eat, we can no longer really predict what effects this will have on our bodies. I think we can say that people who buy their vegetables at a farmer’s market, their meat from a butcher, their bread from a baker, and their fish from a fishmonger won’t have any health problems related to their diet, since none of these products is ultra-processed.”

J . - F. L .

“And even if they do have traces of pesticides from the way they were grown, eating some fruits and vegetables is much more beneficial for your health than not eating any at all!”

M.B.

“Definitely. People just have to consult Canada’s Food Guide, which is extraordinarily well done. It recommends animal protein or alternatives, plantbased proteins, dairy products, but maybe a little less than before—in short, a varied diet that is as local as possible. Did you know that, in Canada, we buy frozen green beans that were grown in China?”

J . - F. L .

“That blows me away, when we grow such good ones here! But often, their price doesn’t suit the grocer, who prefers to import them. People need to find out where their food comes from and sometimes be willing, in the off season, to pay a little more to buy local. For example, my kids and I are dill pickle fans. However, even though cucumbers grow in Quebec, I can’t find a jar of local pickles in any of the grocery stores I visit. The cucumbers there come from India and may have been sprayed with pesticides that are banned here.”

M.B.

“While it’s so easy to make them at home! We should give ourselves the time to cook despite the hectic pace of our lives. We would eat much fewer ultra-processed products. It would change everything! Thirty to forty percent of the people who consult a gastroenterologist have so-called functional digestive conditions such as irritable bowel—that is, there is no underlying disease.

These types of conditions are at least half-related to our lifestyle, stress, and especially what we eat. We take what we can get on the go, a piece of pizza while walking, a sandwich while answering emails. But when you have a fragile intestine, you have to sit down, eat a meal (preferably a hot one) that was just prepared with good ingredients, put down your phone, and drink a few sips of water to hydrate at the same time. When we recommend that our patients do that, more than half of those who had an irritable bowel or dyspepsia problem—that is, problems with the stomach and oesophagus—see their symptoms disappear like magic. It’s because they have reclaimed the moment of the meal, the act of ingesting food.”

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

À TA B L E

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M.B.

Does gluten, which has been talked about so much in recent years, have an impact on people’s health?

“In 2022, between 8 and 10% of the Canadian population is gluten-intolerant and has bloating or digestive disorders. A portion of these people actually have an irritable bowel, and this is what makes it hard for them to digest gluten. Then, there are 1 to 2% of people who suffer from celiac disease, an auto-immune disease triggered in the intestine by ingesting gluten which, in the long term, damages the intestine, causes severe disorders, anemia, and nutritional deficiencies, and which can possibly cause cancer.

“What we are seeing is that there are many more celiac and gluten-intolerant people than before. The only plausible explanation I can see is the industrialization of the wheat cycle. Once it is harvested, we do almost everything with it: from the sliced bread found at the supermarket to which sugar, fat, and salt are added, and which therefore no longer has much to do with bread, to the sourdough bread made by the baker, who usually works directly with smaller producers, chooses their flours, and mixes them to offer a much less processed product. For the consumer, everything is available, and everything is possible. But has the consumer’s relationship with gluten and wheat changed over the past few decades? My observation as a doctor is yes!”

J . - F. L .

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Jean-François, what is gluten and what is it used for?

“The entire Poaceae family, including grasses, contains gluten. Gluten is made up of two proteins, and regardless of the type of wheat, the gluten is the same.

It is there for the seed to germinate and ensure the offspring of the wheat. In the finished product, such as bread, it ensures the elasticity and aeration of the crumb. There are variations from one grain to the next, such as spelt, which contains a lot of it, while other grains contain less, but the gluten remains the same. There are at least 50 types of wheat that grow in Canada: strong wheats for flour, flatbreads, and others for pastries, soft wheat, red spring wheat, etc.

But a field remains a field, and is always made up of a single type.”

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À TA B L E

J . - F. L .

M.B.

How does wheat grow?

“For fruits and vegetables, there are farmers today who grow on small areas and who can sell directly to individuals, because the resource they produce lends itself well to that. It is consumed directly, without major processing, by the consumer. But for grains and oilseeds such as corn, soy, and wheat, it takes large areas to make them grow. For example, in your garden at home, you can plant a few tomato plants and eat them almost all summer long, but if you had to plant wheat to try to make your own bread, you wouldn’t have enough space! Grain and oilseed cultivation is therefore more industrialized in Quebec than fruit and vegetable cultivation because it requires large spaces and significant equipment and involves considerable processing before reaching the consumer. Efficiency, productivity, and profitability factors also come into play. There are eight billion human beings on Earth. We have to feed this world of ours, and we mustn’t forget it.”

In conclusion, what food habits can we adopt to promote microbiota health and our health in general?

“Eat a wide variety of foods. When you have a varied and balanced diet, this is reflected by the intestinal flora. We can also feed it by giving it live products to eat—that is, anything fermented: kimchi, kombucha, kefir, sauerkraut, yogurt, miso, etc.

“You shouldn’t be afraid of whole food categories; it’s all a matter of dosage and use. There are no bad foods among those that Mother Nature gives us. There are no superfoods, either—that’s just marketing. There is a variety of foods. Like kale—it’s true that kale is good, but broccoli is good, too, and so is lettuce!”

There are eight billion human beings on Earth.

We have to feed this world of ours, and we mustn’t forget it.

Winner

Having experienced great popularity in Quebec, but also elsewhere in the world, the Cuisine nordique cookbook from Strøm Nordic Spa has been praised by international food critics.

Written under the direction of Executive Chef

Raphaël Podlasiewicz in June 2022, the book placed second in the “Nordic” category of the Food Culture component of the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2022 at a gala in Sweden.

Pick up La cuisine nordique in store or online at stromspa.com

BOREAL BODY SCRUB

Voted best body scr ub at the 2022 Beauty Awards

Discover the complete B O R É A L line in store and at stromspa.com

Gingerbread Cake Flavoured with Birch and Nard des Pinèdes

Gingerbread Cake

Ingredients

½ cup birch syrup ½ cup water 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour ½ cup buckwheat flour 1 tsp. baking soda ½ tsp. salt 1 ½ tbsp. powdered nard des pinèdes (or five-spice) 1 ½ tbsp. grated fresh ginger ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

Squash and White Chocolate Cream and Caramelized Apples

¾ cup brown sugar ¾ cup molasses 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk

Preparation 1

2 3

4

5 6 7

Servings

Preparation time

Cooking time

10

15 minutes

50 minutes

8

Evoking memories and comfort, gingerbread cake is a dessert we served at our restaurants last winter, and it was very well received.

In harmony with the seasonality of the harvests, it highlights squash and apple, two of our accomplices in the cold season. This celebration of local ingredients continues in our hot cider recipe, in which the cores and peels of the apples used for the cake are infused. This tip, which is as ingenious as it is delicious, helps maximize all parts of the fruit, thereby avoiding food waste. Finally, a boreal touch is added to the recipes thanks to birch syrup, Nard des Pinèdes, and Labrador tea, as a gentle reminder of the uniqueness of our terroir.

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À TA B L E

In a saucepan, heat the birch syrup, water, and balsamic vinegar until an even mixture is obtained. Set aside.

In a bowl, mix the dry ingredients and the grated ginger.

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, cream the butter with the brown sugar for 2 minutes.

Incorporate the molasses and beat for 1 additional minute, then add the eggs one at a time.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixture, alternating with the buttermilk.

Line a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour the mixture into the pan.

Bake in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) for about 50 minutes. To check for doneness, insert the tip of a small knife or a toothpick into the centre of the cake. It should come out clean.

Reheat the birch syrup and spread it evenly over the warm cake so that it is absorbed.

Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Note: Nard des pinèdes is a boreal bud that usually grows in blueberry fields. Its taste is reminiscent of cinnamon, cloves, and honey. It can be found online at racinesboreales.ca or oceandesaveurs.ca.

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Squash and White Chocolate Cream

Caramelized Apples

Ingredients

Ingredients

4 cups butternut squash, cut into cubes (1 average-sized squash)

8 Honeycrisp or Cortland apples 2 cups white sugar 2 tbsp. water ¼ cup cider vinegar 1 tbsp. corn syrup

1 cup water 1 cup maple syrup ½ cup 35% whipping cream 125 g white chocolate drops

Preparation 1

2 3 4

5 6 7

Preparation

In a saucepan, cook the squash cubes over medium heat in the water added to the maple syrup until the cubes are fully cooked and the syrup has been absorbed.

In a blender, blend the squash cubes to obtain a smooth puree. Set aside.

In a saucepan, bring the cream to a boil.

Arrange the white chocolate drops in a bowl, then pour the hot cream over the white chocolate. Let stand for 1 minute.

Whisk the mixture until it becomes smooth.

Add the squash puree to the white chocolate mixture and blend until it becomes even.

Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

1 2

3

4

5

6

Peel the apples and remove the cores.

Keep the peels and cores in slightly lemony water for the hot cider recipe on the following page.

Dice the apples into 2 cm cubes. In a large frying pan, melt the sugar with the water, cider vinegar, and corn syrup over mediumlow heat without stirring. Once the sugar has melted, increase the heat to medium-high.

Once the caramel starts to take on colour, stir gently to even out the colour. When it obtains a bronze colour, remove from heat and add the apples.

Put the pan back on heat and let the apple pieces cook over medium heat in the caramel for 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Assembly 1

2

Note: To use the entire squash, rinse then dry the seeds. Roast the squash seeds at 425°F (218°C) until a beautiful colour is obtained. Season with a pinch of brown sugar and five-spice.

For the thin squash peels, spread them over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, and drizzle them with sunf lower oil. Sprinkle with five-spice and a pinch of fleur de sel, and let dry in the oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 30 minutes until the peels are crispy.

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À TA B L E

Cut the gingerbread cake into slices and position each slice on a plate. Let stand at room temperature for a few minutes.

Garnish to taste with dollops of squash and white chocolate cream as well as a few caramelized apples.

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Æblecider

Ingredients

3 cups flat cider 3 oz. maple whisky ½ cup maple syrup 1 cup water The peels and cores of 8 apples (or 3 diced apples)

Hot Maple and Apple Cider Flavoured with Labrador Tea

1 ½ tbsp. grated fresh ginger ¾ cup dried Labrador tea leaves

Preparation 1

2

3

Let all the ingredients marinate overnight in the refrigerator in a covered saucepan.

This step is optional but will greatly enhance the taste of the hot cider.

Heat the ingredients in the saucepan over low heat until the mixture is hot, making sure not to boil it.

Cover and let steep off heat for 5 to 10 minutes. Filter the mixture before serving.

Reheat if necessary.

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

Servings

Preparation time

Cooking time

4

15 minutes

15 minutes

Waiting time 12 hours

A drink combining the warmth of whisky, the sweetness of maple, the acidity of apple, and the spiciness of ginger, perfect for capping off a walk in the forest or an afternoon of reading.

À TA B L E

STRØM MAGAZINE

69

Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

17 Tips for Reducing the Cost of Your Grocer y Car t

NEW READY-TO-EAT

By Isabelle Huot, Doctor of Nutrition

In 2022, food prices increased by 5 to 7%, depending on the category. It is estimated that an average family will spend $1,000 more this year to feed themselves. Although this inflation is not affecting all households in the same way, everyone would benefit from rethinking their habits in order to consume better—for themselves, for their community, and for the health of our planet. Here, I offer you my tips for eating healthy while saving money.

1 — R E D U CE WA S T E

Throwing away stale fruits and vegetables or uneaten leftovers is a waste of money and resources. By making sure to use all the edible parts of your food (especially the tops of vegetables for soups or pesto), reusing leftovers (leftover chicken turns into a delicious chicken-mango-coconut Buddha bowl), and maximizing the use of fruits and vegetables that have lost their freshness (in soups, smoothies, or homemade muffins), you avoid throwing hundreds of dollars of food in the garbage.

2 — S T O R E F O O D P R O P E R LY

Proper food storage makes it possible to maximize the lifespan of food and reduce waste. A tool such as the Thermoguide from MAPAQ can help you achieve this.

3 — PL AN YOUR MENUS

Plan out your meals for the week according to the season, the availability of local vegetables, and the specials in the flyers. Make sure to stock up on certain items at a good price (which you’re sure you’ll eat, or which will keep for a long time) and freeze the extra portions.

To save, planning is a must!

4 — S W A P O U T M E A T F O R P L A N T - B A S E D P R O T E I N

Legumes (especially dried), tofu, and TVP (textured vegetable protein) are up to three times more economical than animal protein sources. Without necessarily becoming vegetarian, we would all benefit from including more plant-based protein in our menu. This is good for your wallet, your health, and the environment!

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P ho t o g r aphe r — M a r ja n B l a n

5 — COOK MORE

8—C HECK OUT THE CLEARANCE ITEMS

11 — C H O O S E W H O L E F O O D S

Cooking your own broths, soups, pesto, muffins, and cookies costs half as much as buying them ready-made. Why not make cooking a fun activity by sharing this moment with your loved ones?

In grocery stores, there are sometimes sections with clearance products. These are often foods with fast-approaching best-before dates or stale fruits and vegetables. If they don’t show any signs of mould, these foods can be eaten. However, you will have to prepare or eat them quickly to avoid throwing them away.

Foods such as fruits, vegetables, and meat are less expensive when you buy them whole rather than chopped or sliced, because you don’t pay for the handling. By preparing your food yourself, you can save a great deal of money.

6 — AV O I D FA L S E P R O M O T I O N S

False promotions are deals that make you buy more food than you need in order to pay less per unit, thereby increasing the risk of loss and waste. Don’t let yourself get taken in by these types of offers. They won’t save you any money if the food ends up being thrown away.

7 — AV O I D I M P U L S E B U Y S

When you get to the checkout, several foods are offered for sale, such as chocolate bars and candies. This is a food marketing technique aimed at getting you to buy more. Resist the temptation to add these sweets to your cart to avoid increasing your bill by a few dollars.

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9—B U Y “ U G LY ” F O O D S

In the same vein, more and more grocery stores are offering “ugly” fruits and vegetables. These are sold for less than fruits and vegetables that meet sales standards, but they are just as good for your health from a nutritional perspective.

12 — F OLLOW THE SEASONS

Seasonal foods are often less expensive than their imported or out-of-season counterparts.

To find out which fruits and vegetables are in season in Quebec, you can consult resources such as Mangez Québec, which offers a calendar of arrivals.

13 — F OCUS ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE GROCERY STORE

10 — O PT FOR BULK

Foods sold in bulk are often less expensive than other foods, because you don’t pay for the packaging and only take the amount you need. An effective way to lighten your grocery bill and reduce your carbon footprint!

À TA B L E

Fresh and unprocessed or less processed foods are usually placed on the edges of the grocery store (fruits, vegetables, poultry, fish, meat, eggs, dairy products). As for the central aisles, they contain a few staple foods (whole grains, legumes, nuts), but also many processed and ultra-processed foods, such as chips and cookies. By favouring the outskirts of the supermarket and limiting yourself to the staple foods in the central aisles, you reduce your bill and promote healthy, nutritious foods.

14 — C HECK THE PRICE CHARGED

Once you get to the checkout, take the time to check that the price charged matches the price displayed in store and report any discrepancies you notice to the cashier. Properly checking your receipt might also save you money!

15 — T A K E A D VA N TA G E O F T H E P R I C E M AT C H I N G P O L I C Y

Some stores offer to match their competitors’ prices at the checkout upon presentation of proof such as a flyer. This is an effective tip for saving money without having to visit multiple stores.

16 — V ISIT THE DISCOUNT STORES

Many large chains have discount stores where your grocery cart is more affordable. For example, you will pay considerably less at Maxi than you will at Provigo, even though both stores belong to the Loblaws group.

17 — G A R D E N

Whether it’s on a window sill or a balcony, in a yard or a community garden, you can grow a few herbs or vegetables during the summer.

In addition to having to buy less, the pride of consuming the fruit of your labour will be a great reward!

P ho t o g r aphe r — K a r ol i n a G r a b ow s k a

Photographer — Karolina Grabowska

For healthy recipes that will make you cultivate the pleasure of cooking, head to isabellehuot.com.

À TA B L E

STRØM MAGAZINE

73

Winter as Identity

By Stéphanie Dupuy, sommelière

“My country is not a country…” There’s no need to finish my sentence; you know the rest by heart. These words from Gilles Vigneault are part of each of us. Rigorous, long, freezing, difficult, harsh, hostile… Many qualifiers can be given to our winter, but the best of them remains “Québécois.” Some couldn’t do without it; others flee as soon as it arrives. Whether you love it or hate it, winter is a key element of our identity and our terroir.

QUEBEC WINEGROWING

The very first commercial vineyard in Quebec, Domaine des Côtes d’Ardoise, was founded in 1980 in Dunham in Brome-Missisquoi by Christian Barthomeuf. It therefore goes without saying that the history of winegrowing in Quebec is very short. The absence of traditions can be seen as a disadvantage, but when you really think about it, it’s actually an advantage. The regulations are less restrictive than on the Old Continent. You can stray from the beaten path and give free rein to experimentation and innovation, which allows Quebec vineyards to evolve at top speed.

H Y B R I D VA R I E T A L S

The best-known varietals come to us from the Vitis vinifera variety.

These European varietals (chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, etc.) undoubtedly yield the best results. North America also has vine species that are native to it, such as Vitis riparia and Vitis labrusca. In Quebec, the vast majority of varietals planted are hybrids—that is, a cross between two species done to create a variety with the qualities of each one, such as the fruit quality of one and the hardiness of the other.

Hybrids can withstand temperatures as low as -35°C without winter protection other than the natural insulation of the snow. Included in this category are varietals such as Maréchal Foch, Vidal, Seyval, Frontenac (Blanc, Gris, or Noir), Saint-Pépin, and more.

However, let us not ignore the growing enthusiasm of Quebec winegrowers for Vitis vinifera cultivation. For these varieties, which are less suited to our climate, the snow is not sufficient protection. Instead, hilling (forming a mound of soil at the base of the plants) is carried out, or geotextile fabrics are used to cover the vines.

Surprisingly, Quebec has one thing in common with certain regions of Europe, such as Bordeaux or the Loire in France. Our average annual hours of sunshine are comparable to theirs. So, what distinguishes Quebec vineyards from the rest of Canada, and even the world? What forms the basis of the Quebec terroir and what creates its typicity is—you guessed it—winter.

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Photographer — Bianca Des Jardins

“Winter is an enemy and—at the same time—an ally.

It’s the key element of Quebec winegrowing that gives it all its uniqueness. That’s why you have to learn how to work with it.”

— Matthieu Beauchemin, of Domaine du Nival in Montérégie

L A T E S P R I N G F R O S T S A N D E A R LY A U T U M N F R O S T S : T H E C H A L L E N G E S O F A N O R D I C C L I M AT E

Regardless of the region of the world or the type of crop, farmers will always be at the mercy of the vagaries of nature. In Quebec, as we know, we have four highly distinct seasons that each involve a good number of risks, and the transition from one to the next is becoming increasingly radical.

Almost every spring, the month of May surprises us with nights where the temperatures approach the freezing point. The risk? At this time of year, the budburst (the period when the buds open) is already well underway. A bud is largely made up of water, which makes it extremely sensitive to frost. And since all the promise of the harvest to come is contained in each of the little buds on the vine, a frost can be catastrophic. To avoid the worst, winegrowers light fires in their fields at night to heat the air just enough to keep the frost away. They can also spray the vines with water. This system may seem counterintuitive, but the thin layer of water that settles on the vine and the buds freezes and protects them from the cold. Wind towers that resemble small wind turbines are also used to bring down to the ground the warm air masses that can be found higher than cold air masses. In the same vein, it is also possible to move air masses with the help of a helicopter—a solution that may be more expensive and less eco-friendly, but a solution nonetheless.

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T H E TA S T E O F A N O R D I C W I N E

The warmer a climate is, the more easily and quickly the grapes will ripen. Ripe fruit means sugar, and sugar means alcohol. The warmest winegrowing regions therefore generally produce wines with a higher alcohol content and flavours of very ripe fruit. A cool climate, on the other hand, has the effect of preserving the acidity in the fruit. Acidity is a key element of wine. Its presence in sufficient quantities creates balance and provides a very pleasant freshness that makes the wine digestible.

If one had to describe Quebec wines in a very general sense (keep in mind that there are seven winegrowing regions in the province, totalling 146 vineyards over 800 hectares, for an annual production of approximately 2.5 million bottles), one might say that they are light, fresh, low in tannins, and very aromatic.

Each vintage brings its share of new wines to the Quebec scene. We have no shortage of discoveries and surprises. Drink local wine and taste our Nordicity!

À TA B L E

DOMAINE BERGEVILLE, LE BLANC BRUT 2020, ORGANIC

13374562 – $29.85

This sparkling white wine comes to us from Estrie—more specifically, from Hatley, near Lac Massawippi between Magog and Sherbrooke.

The owners, Marc Théberge and Eve Rainville (the contraction of their last names giving rise to the name of the estate), have operated this estate with 12,000 vines since 2018. The farming there is conducted according to the principles of biodynamics, with the utmost respect for the balance of the ecosystems. Only traditional method sparkling wines are produced there. The one I recommend here is reminiscent of apple, pineapple, honey, and flowers on the nose. On the palate, you will be conquered by frank, fresh bubbles and notes of lemon and pear.

DOMAINE PIGEON HILL, PIGEON HILL ROUGE, ORGANIC

Available at the estate and at specialty stores – $31.50

This vineyard located in Saint-Armand, near the American border, is managed by Manon Rousseau and Kevin Shufelt. This couple acquired a plot of land in 2008 on which they planted 4,500 vines. Since then, they have added 2,000 additional vines each year. Only hybrid varietals are grown there. The vineyard is worked in the most natural possible way according to the principles of permaculture in order to promote maximum biodiversity. This vintage—a blend of Marquette, Frontenac Noir, and Petite Perle—has been aged for approximately 12 months in oak barrels, which gives it tone and structure. It is no less gourmand for this, reminiscent of red fruit with a slightly spicy side. Quantities are limited, and it is frequently out of stock. Follow them on Facebook to stay up to date on new arrivals.

LES BACCH A NTES, LES VI G N ES DE BACCH A NTES B1 2 021

14722039 – $17.15

This vineyard located in Hemmingford was taken over by Sébastien Daoust in 2017 after the death of his father. With the help of two trusted and experienced collaborators, Thomas Lahoz and Geneviève Thisdel, he took the reins of the 11 hectares of vines. The B1 vintage expresses itself wonderfully in this offering, which many have described as exceptional in Quebec. A blend of equal parts Seyval and Vidal produces a fresh, dry white that is not lacking in roundness. Its bitterness makes the mouth water and opens the appetite. Smells like an aperitif!

STRØM RIVER, OLD QUEBEC

Four Refuges Combining Ancestral Knowledge and Modernity Photos by Bianca Des Jardins

To meet the need to reconnect with an optimal life balance, Strøm Nordic Spa’s facilities draw on the heart of a tradition that has been firmly rooted in our Nordic neighbours for 2,000 years.

A desire for disconnection, a search for immunity, a quest for balance. On the margins of instant cures, Strøm invites you to make wellness a lifestyle by cultivating the art of thermotherapy.

If the need for disconnection is growing, our expertise—forged over the years—takes care of what is necessary to disconnect. To enjoy the benefits of the waters, you must first be relaxed.

With a thoughtful, relaxing setting and an atmosphere conducive to presence, the awakening of the senses, and silence, the benefits of thermal shock, cold, and sweating are experienced in a more conscious way. The call of calm at the service of the spa experience.

An appointment to explore facilities combining ancestral knowledge and modernity.

STRØM MAGAZINE

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A F I N N I S H H E R I TA G E

Recognized for its benefits for the skin, heart, and overall health, the sauna is a Finnish ritual that resembles a dry heat bath. Practised daily, it helps strengthen the immune system and fight infections.

Thanks to the heat, the sauna creates an artificial state of fever in the body. This state stimulates the immune system by causing a higher production of white blood cells and antibodies that are devoted to fighting diseases.

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Great news for sauna enthusiasts: according to a recent study published by researchers from Université Laval and CHU de Québec, the sauna tradition might have a protective effect against Alzheimer’s. A Finnish study also came to the same conclusion a few years ago. In the Neurobiology of Aging magazine, it has been shown that raising the body temperature might have the effect of reducing the deterioration of the tau proteins in the brain, a phenomenon associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

STRØM MAGAZINE

BARREL SAUNA

S T R Ø M N O R D I C S PA — M O N T- S A I N T- H I L A I R E : CO M B I N I N G T R A D I T I O N A N D M O D E R N A R C H I T EC T U R E

The popular tradition of the sauna is reinventing itself in surprising architectural forms. To the delight of fans of enveloping panoramas, the barrel sauna is experienced intimately, with an incomparable view of Mont Saint-Hilaire.

STRØM MAGAZINE

81

“Those who do not set aside a little time every day for their health will one day have to devote a great deal of time to their illness.”

— Sébastien Kneipp (1821–1897), creator of the Kneipp method, which is primarily based on hydrotherapy

T H E H E A L I N G P O W E R O F WAT E R

Re-taming the art of the shower and the cold bath is what Father Kneipp, “the doctor of water,” proposes. He was one of the first to treat himself, then the people around him, using the benefits of cold water.

According to the priest, this hardens the body to prevent illness. Scottish shower, ice bath, Nordic waterfall. His ultimate remedy: water.

While cold water restores order to the body, hot water helps intensify the benefits of cold water. By dilating and contracting the blood vessels, the hot-cold contrast of the thermal experience activates the hormonal and immune systems as well as the heart, liver, and stomach.

N O R D I C WAT E R FA L L

S T R Ø M N O R D I C S PA — N U N S’ I S L A N D : A N I N V I G O R AT I N G E X P E R I E N C E With its most recent immersive cold-water pool, its cool outdoor shower, and its Nordic waterfalls, Strøm Nordic Spa — Nuns’ Island is an invitation to experience the healing virtues of cold water, one thermal cycle at a time.

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COLD POOL

“Silence is the heart that listens, the absolute interiority.”

— Alain Corbin, historian and author of the book A History of Silence: From the Renaissance to the Present Day

N AT R O O M

N O R D I C B AT H W I T H WAT E R FA L L

BÅL ROOM

A SOOTHING RITUAL

In A History of Silence: From the Renaissance to the Present Day, French historian Alain Corbin talks to us about the “silent language of the soul”—that of contemplation, the infinite, the elusive, depth, and calm.

From inner silence to outer silence, passing through muffled silence, the quest, even the learning and discipline of silence become integral practices of the monastic and Buddhist traditions.

The outer silence that reigns at Strøm’s spas is an invitation to achieve inner silence.

Although they are immaterial, the benefits of silence are tangible. This state of self-forgetting and surrendering to the moment opens up new perspectives. When silence reigns, the brain is less demanded, which contributes to proper cerebral functioning, stress management, and increased creativity, concentration, and fulfillment.

S T R Ø M N O R D I C S PA — S H E R B R O O K E : OMNIPRESENT TR ANQUILIT Y In search of that silence that lives within us. At Strøm Nordic Spa — Sherbrooke, the Nat (“night” in Danish) relaxation room is a space that invites silence, through silence. Immersion in darkness, lying on a daybed with a starry sky overhead, allows you to experience the void and rest all your senses.

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SENSORY MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is a form of open presence, a way of inhabiting the world, a return inward. It can be practised anywhere, at any time of day. A simple way to integrate it into our daily routine is to direct our attention to our different sensations.

Experiencing notable success around the world, it has proven itself in terms of its benefits for the brain: improved memory and empathy, better stress management, emotional regulation.

The latest studies from Belgian neurologist Steven Laureys, recognized worldwide for his work on mindfulness, bear witness to an important phenomenon: the structure and functioning of the brains of people who practise mindfulness every day differ from those of other people in the same age group, since this practice protects the brain from aging.

To integrate sensory experiences into this ritual, it is sufficient to pay attention to what our senses are making us experience and welcome these sensations without judgment or restraint.

Breathe in the aromas of a steam bath, treat yourself to a massage under the water jets, listen to the sounds of nature, float, contemplate, taste. The spa experience makes it possible to immerse yourself in the present moment, and calling on our five senses maximizes its benefits.

S T R Ø M N O R D I C S PA — O L D Q U E B EC : SEVER AL E XPERIENCES IN ONE An invitation to the awakening of the senses. At Strøm Nordic Spa — Old Quebec, the vastness of the river observed from the infinity pool, the powerful contrasts at the heart of the Strøm River, the Zerobody and lumino-meditation experiences, and the flavours of the Nord Restaurant allow for instant wellness. Thoughtful views, sensations, contrasts, sounds, and aromas lead to the emergence of mindfulness.

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Sources Corbin, Alain. Histoire du silence, de la Renaissance à nos jours. Paris: Albin Michel, 2016.

Gravel, Pauline. “Les multiples bienfaits de la méditation sur le cerveau.” Le Devoir, March 19, 2022.

Huet, Soizic. “Le sauna : ses bienfaits et comment le pratiquer.” Soiz Naturopathe, January 24, 2019.

Monastère des Augustines. “Le silence en héritage.” January 1, 2021.

Perreault, Mathieu. “L’actualité scientifique à petite dose.” La Presse +, March 20, 2022.

Rogelet, Agnès. “Méthode Kneipp : l’eau froide fait des miracles.” Psychologies, July 3, 2020.

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