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Column The Way We Were

Flow Into Spring

It’s time to talk about getting the body systems flowing again after Winter hibernation. Specifically, I want to address lymph drainage, and how you can support your lymphatic system to better detoxify and circulate lymph through the body.

The lymphatic system is a network of vessels that is part of the immune system. It assists the circulatory system in draining fluids from tissues. Specifically, it drains fluid that has leaked from the blood vessels into the tissues, and reroutes it back into the bloodstream via the lymph nodes. This important system helps manage fluid levels in the body, protects the body from invading pathogens and removes cellular waste. These are my tips to keep a healthy flowing lymphatic system.

Dry brushing is a technique to help the lymphatic system process fluids. The key is to use a body brush that is big enough to give you access to your whole body. You can start at your lower legs and do strokes upwards towards your groin and then move to your arms and stroke the skin towards the armpits. The point is to use strokes that promote flow to where the largest amount of lymph nodes are in the body - groin, armpits and neck. This can be done daily and has beneficial effects with regards to reducing swelling and cellulite.

Having a regular massage (bi-weekly or monthly) can help the tissues of the body move and dispel fluid back to the lymphatic system. Massage techniques work in the pattern of physically pushing stagnation in the tissues towards the trunk and the most prominent lymph nodes. This is especially beneficial when muscles are sore due to fluid stagnation. Support your liver which is responsible for filtering the blood in the body. The better it is at doing that job, the less burden it puts on the lymphatic system. This is why folks with liver dysfunction usually suffer from swelling, as the lymphatic system struggles to support the overload. My favourite herbs to support healthy liver function are Milk Thistle, Chelidonium,

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Dandelion and Globe Artichoke. These can be found in tincture form, but most easily in capsule form in my favourite supplement - Liv Complex by Seroyal. Staying hydrated is extremely important for a proper functioning circulatory system and lymphatic system. We all know that eight glasses of water per day is the general recommendation, but it can be so much more than that depending on activity levels. The American Council on Exercise recommends drinking seven to 10 ounces of fluid every 10 to 20 minutes during exercise, so this would mean one would need to consume an extra three to six glasses of water, per hour of exercise, per day. Be sure to watch symptoms of thirst and dark urine, which are the signs that you need to hydrate immediately.

I am wishing you all happiness and healthy flowing systems this spring!

Kate Hunter is a naturopathic doctor and owner of The Creemore Apothecary.

Community

Protecting kids online

During Online Safety and Wellness week, the Town of Wasaga Beach is hosting keynote speaker Carol Todd, who lost her daughter to cyberbullying.

She is the mother of Amanda Todd, who in 2012, at the age of 15, made international news after her posted video exposing her sexploitation experience went viral. Sadly, a very short time after, Amanda took her life. Carol has focused on keeping Amanda’s legacy alive over the past 10 years by becoming one of the most sought after, international speakers about online safety and exploitation awareness.

Wasaga will be hosting a panel discussion about online exploitation prevention and youth mental health and wellness at the RecPlex (1724 Mosley St.) on Wednesday, March 22, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Participants are encouraged to pre-register online by visiting www.wasagabeach.com. This event is geared towards parents and caregivers.

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The panel discussion will include Dr. Meeter, director of Waypoint Mental Health Centre; PC Christine Dineen from the Ontario Provincial Police; and the moderator for the discussion will be the director of New Path – Youth and Family Services, Brandie Sanders

The evening will be a frank discussion around online bullying and sexploitation prevention as well as youth mental health awareness and wellness. Attendees, can expect to discover the current digital exposures that youth are facing and will be empowered with resources and action steps to help keep our kids safe online.

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Agriculture fuels local economy

by Bonnie MacPherson

Agriculture is big business in Simcoe County, responsible for more than $1.1 billion in economic activity annually according to Dave Richie of the Simcoe County Federation of Agriculture. In a presentation to Clearview Township Council this week, Richie said area farmers have more than half a million acres under their stewardship, and that one in eight jobs in the county is agriculture related.

Richie says it is estimated that Ontario is losing 350 acres of farmland every day and urged councillors to think about where we’ll be in five years as they make planning decisions. He says that farmers do not stand in the way of progress but that it is important to build smart. That means building up instead of out and around agricultural areas versus over them.

Deputy Mayor Paul Van Staveren agreed, noting that the province expects an influx of 500,000 people in the next decade, most of whom will settle along the 400/401 corridors. He says they will need places to live but that we also need to think about how we will feed them.

Richie says we are lucky in Simcoe County to have the ideal mix of weather, soil and people for a healthy agriculture sector.

Mystery woman safe

A woman found wandering in Creemore last Saturday has been identified. Constable Acero of Huronia West OPP reports the woman is safe and efforts are being made to contact her family.

The woman’s identity has not been released, nor have police said how she came to be in Creemore.

A Facebook post from Huronia West OPP asked for the public’s assistance in identifying a woman located on Nelson Street in Creemore at approximately 6 p.m. on March 11. She was described at black, approximately 5’6” and weighing 220 pounds. The post has since been removed.

Perfect water

The results of annual water testing by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks are in and all municipal drinking water systems operated by the Township of Clearview have received a perfect score. Physical facility inspections were conducted between October 5, 2022 and January 10, 2023 on systems on Buckingham Woods, CollingWoodlands, New Lowell, Creemore, Nottawa and Stayner. The inspections focus on source, treatment and distribution components along with water system management practices.