Exercises to keep moving despite aging, health conditions
As spring gets underway, it’s time to get outside and be more active. But many people lack the strength or flexibility to get moving because they’ve been sedentary too long. Others face limitations because of health conditions, injury or age.

For most of us, flexibility decreases as the years go by and muscles get stiffer and shorter. Calling on a shortened muscle for activity puts you at risk for muscle damage, strains, and joint pain. Shortened muscles also increase your risk of falling and make it harder to do everyday activities.

Studies show adding less than an extra hour a week of moderate exercise can make a big difference in helping older adults stay mobile and reduce their risk of developing major mobility problems. Older adults who are most active are 77 percent less likely to develop a major mobility disability than those with the least activity.

For those affected by an accident or health condition, a temporary loss of mobility can be frustrating and impose significant lifestyle restrictions. This can lead to more mental and physical deterioration over time.

According to Kelly Musovic, personal training divisional manager with GoodLife Fitness, the right stretches and exercises can help improve mobility for most people with temporary mobility problems. And it’s never too late to start.

Mobility training (a combination of stretching and strength training) can help maintain, and build back, flexibility and muscle tone. It’s also the only way to build back the neural pathways that help muscles work efficiently. It can help improve posture and body awareness and alleviate 'everyday' aches and pains, as well as more serious back and knee pain, and even arthritis.

But Musovic says there are some basic principles for mobility training.

Take a holistic approach. Build strength and endurance to support your body as it moves. If movement in your lower body is limited, think about what you can do with your core and upper body to support successful movement. Focus on proper alignment and form to build balanced strength, prevent injuries and overcompensation.
Start gradually, perform exercises in a pain-free range. Modify your workout to your abilities by making your movements smaller, starting with little to no resistance, and doing fewer reps at the beginning.
Work with a certified fitness professional to build and monitor a tailored exercise program that takes into account your abilities, health requirements and lifestyle factors.

Musovic adds there are a variety of low impact options that are effective at building flexibility and strength.

Stretching for mobility is key to improving the range of motion of our joints and muscles by increasing awareness of how your body is meant to move. It can also assist in improving posture and therefore lowers risk of injury by improving form.
Foam rolling is an excellent method that can be done daily to help ease muscle tension by improving blood flow to the area you are working on. Additionally, proper foam rolling can reduce inflammation, scar tissue and joint pain.
Yoga, Pilates, and Tai Chi are all great options and have adaptations for limited mobility.
Swimming and water aerobics are good to build cardio capacity while protecting joints.
Walking on the treadmill or pedaling on the exercise bike are low impact options to build heart strength and muscle tone in a controlled way.
Light weights help build strength and bone density while you limber up your joints and coordinate your movements. Seated bicep curls and overhead presses are great ways to strengthen arms and shoulders.

Wellness Redefined: 5 Unique Ways to Relieve Stress

Stress can be a major problem for a lot of people. If you can’t find a way to manage your stress, it can lead to chronic health problems. It’s important that you have an outlet for the stress in your life. Here are some unique ways that you can relieve some of your daily stress.

Get Away from It All

Plan on taking a vacation so that you can take your stress level down a notch. It may just be a weekend excursion. Look into wellness retreatsto help you learn some long-term coping mechanisms for ways to manage your stress load. These programs generally allow you to take a breather away from the aspects of your life that may be causing you problems.

Do Some Housework

Focusing your mind on something other than what is bothering you can help you to relax. Housework can help to get you out of your daily element. In order for this to work, studies have shownthat you really need to focus on the task at hand. Get into the chore so that your mind can take a little break.

Get a Pet

Pets are always happy to see you and want to spend time with you unconditionally. The simple act of spending time with your pet can help to lower your blood pressure. Snuggle up with a pet when you have a really bad day. This can give you some measure of comfort to help relieve the stress that you’re experiencing.

Go on a Nature Walk

Exercise is a great way to work off some of your frustrations. Getting outside can also help you to see a different perspective. Put all of your energy into really venting your frustrations through physical activity. There is also the benefit of keeping your body healthy.

Focus on Breathing Exercises

Deep breathing exercises are a coping mechanism to help you center your mind. This meditative technique is one that is often prescribed by doctors. Your body’s initial response to stress can be combatted by focusing on your breathing. It may also help to reduce your blood pressure in a stressful situation.

Stress is something that everyone manages in different ways. You have to find something that will work for you long-term. Try using several techniques so that you can find one that will work for you. There is no wrong way for you to reduce the amount of stress that you experience in any given situation.

Lack of Sleep leads to Obesity in Children and Adolescents

Children who get less than the recommended amount of sleep for their age are at a higher risk of developing obesity.

Research at the University of Warwick has found that children and adolescents who regularly sleep less than others of the same age gain more weight when they grow older and are more likely to become overweight or obese.

One of the co-authors, Dr Michelle Miller, Reader of Biochemical Medicine, Health Sciences, Warwick Medical School said: “Being overweight can lead to cardiovascular disease and type-2-diabetes which is also on the increase in children. The findings of the study indicate that sleep may be an important potentially modifiable risk factor (or marker) of future obesity.”

The paper, Sleep duration and incidence if obesity in infants, children and adolescents: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies, has been published in the journal Sleep. The paper’s authors reviewed the results of 42 population studies of infants, children and adolescents aged 0 to 18 years which included a total of 75,499 participants. Their average sleep duration was assessed through a variety of methods, from questionnaires to wearable technology.

The participants were grouped into two classifications: short sleeper and regular sleepers. Short sleepers were defined as having less sleep than the reference category for their age. This was based on the most recent National Sleep Foundation guidelines in the U.S. which recommends that infants (4 to 11 months) get between 12-15 hours of nightly sleep, that toddlers (1-2 years) get 11-14 hours of sleep, children in pre-school (3-5 years) get 10-13 hours and school aged children (6-13 years) between 9 and 11 hours. Teenagers (14-17 years) are advised to get 8-10 hours.

Participants were followed up for a median period of three years and changes in BMI and incidences of overweight and/or obesity were recorded over time. At all ages short sleepers gained more weight and overall were 58% more likely to become overweight or obese.

Dr Miller said: “The results showed a consistent relationship across all ages indicating that the increased risk is present in both younger and older children. The study also reinforces the concept that sleep deprivation is an important risk factor for obesity, detectable very early on in life.”

Co-author Professor Francesco Cappuccio added: “By appraising world literature we were able to demonstrate that, despite some variation between studies, there is a strikingly consistent overall prospective association between short sleep and obesity.

“This study builds on our previous analysis of cross-sectional data published in 2008. The importance of the latest approach is that only prospective longitudinal studies were included, demonstrating that short sleep precedes the development of obesity in later years, strongly suggesting causality.”

The prevalence of obesity has increased world-wide and the World Health Organization has now declared it a global epidemic. The paper’s authors stress that whilst healthy eating and exercise are important this study demonstrates that getting enough sleep is equally important. They suggest that educational programmes could be used to empower parents and children to maximise their sleep quantity.

Shivom Partners with Spherity To Solve Issue Of Data Privacy As DNA Sequencing Popularity Grows

Blockchain genomics pioneer and self sovereign identity specialists join forces to securely manage genomic identity and DNA data privacy

Munich, Germany - 13 April 2018 - Shivom, the blockchain genomics platform that is powering personalized healthcare, has partnered with Spherity, the decentralised platform provider to ensure the privacy of Shivom’s massive genome datasets as the popularity of DNA sequencing grows.

Spherity, who have supported Shivom’s technical whitepaper in advance of the blockchain genomics company’s forthcoming token sale, will provide the identity layers that identify machines, humans and datasets. They will also provide permission management services that ensure access to the data is restricted to people with the right permissions. In addition, the teams will work on joint research into privacy preservation for DNA data storage and analysis, which will allow Shivom to adopt the latest technology as soon as possible.

“Our partnership with Spherity is particularly important because of the auditable log component that it will enable. In the world of DNA sequencing, researchers need to be able to view a log of who has accessed the information before and when that access occurred. This is an important aspect of our collaboration with Spherity that will enable advances in the world of precision medicine for many years to come,” said Natalie Pankova, Chief Scientific Officer at Shivom.

The storage requirements for genomic data are set to exceed all other fields in the coming years, as more and more people access DNA sequencing. With file sizes ranging from around 100-400GB per genome and a forecast that up to 2 billion people will have had their genomes sequenced by 2025, the way in which this data is stored and accessed will become increasingly important. With Spherity’s help, the Shivom platform will allow for creation of a public identity, a human genome data vault, and a structure for using one-time transaction identities during the registration process.

This will provide a potential solution to the fear that many individuals currently have towards the storage of their genomic sequencing data. Access to the data in the Shivom ecosystem will be managed by each individual DNA data holder, through a public/private key infrastructure that is based on similar blockchain systems previously built by Spherity for the energy sector.

“We are partnering with Shivom to help them develop a high level of privacy and individual control for their blockchain genomics platform. Modern cryptography allows us to add privacy while preserving computation through processes like multiparty computation and homomorphic encryption. Also, zero knowledge proof systems can be used for DNA matching and privacy preserving solutions or customized for human genome analytics,” said Dr Carsten Stöcker, Founder of Spherity.

Spherity will provide added value to the architecture of the Shivom platform and ecosystem, and will comprise part of the components that are required to build an efficient and useable technology to advance the Shivom vision. With Spherity, the platform will be unlike any other, and will allow Shivom to maximize the impact of decentralized DNA data storage, healthcare identity management, and data sharing.

HOW DOES A CLASSROOM DESIGN AFFECT A CHILD’S ABILITY TO LEARN? 14 MEDICAL & EDUCATIONAL EXPERTS WEIGH IN…

Student outcomes are the most relevant factor when it comes to measuring the success of a learning environment. Though classroom design has an important influence on learning achievement, the majority of time is spent on traditional methods of enhancing the learning progress, such as executing standardized tests, professional growth for educators, and advancement or mediation courses for students. Thanks to a growing awareness of the profound impact classroom design can have on the educational achievements of students, opinions on classroom design are changing, as educators are making strides toward constructing optimal learning environments with the goal of meeting the educational needs of various groups of students.

I found that as a classroom teacher, allowing students to choose the spots they found most comfortable to work in helped students concentrate and allowed me to concentrate on facilitating learning, not managing behavior. – Jennifer Stringer

Classroom Style

When creating classroom designs suited to enhance the educational experience of all learners, educators are focusing on cultivating student growth in creativity, collaboration, and communication. Along with the initiative for personalized learning, a core focus of modern classroom design is flexibility. Flexible classroom designs allow learners to make choices, experiment with learning techniques, and ultimately discover how they learn best. A flexible classroom layout also supplies teachers with a greater capacity to effectively respond to different students’ learning needs. Flexible classrooms usually incorporate some type of group discussion area, a variety of seating options, and a flexible space, which can be adjusted for many specialized activities. With the central goal of providing the space for students to explore, share, and create collaboratively, flexible classroom arrangements provide the means for a variety of group set-ups and lesson formats in hopes of addressing all students’ needs.

Alyson Gembala from ChildhoodExplored.com Alyson Gembala (Twitter), ChildhoodExplored.com – “My favorite classroom I’ve ever taught in is covered in children’s art. It is a preschool classroom, and kids are loudly and joyfully learning all the time. They can reach everything they need to create art or inventions or things I hadn’t even thought about. Teacher of course set up lessons and activities, but the students are empowered to learn through play and problem-solve for themselves. The curriculum is created based upon the interests and developmental needs of the students, so it’s different every year. We always keep the doors open, and children are free to go to other classrooms or even outside during their learning time. The school was designed so that adults can be stationed in various places and the kids could be free to learn where they feel curious.”

Shantala Boss

Shantala Boss (Facebook), MS, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, Registered Play Therapist, – “A child’s learning can be impacted by many different factors and the ambiance of a classroom does play a very important role. Muted colors and lamps or natural light create a welcoming, positive environment for children. Fluorescent lighting has the opposite effect. Another idea is to add plants to the classroom. Plants are a natural mood booster and studies have shown they can reduce stress and anxiety.”

Heidi McBain, MA, LMFT, LPC, RPT, Author of the book, Life Transitions: Personal Stories of Hope Through Life’s Most Difficult Challenges and Changes – “As a play therapist, I look at space from a relational stand point. So, if the space is warm and inviting and creates connection between the kids, then this will also help with learning because they feel comfortable here. When I think of warm and inviting spaces, I think of bright colors, carpet, pillows, toys, books, art… open spaces, but also nooks where a kid could go read a book or play with a toy, if they needed some downtime/alone time.”

Dr. Mimi Shagaga (Instagram) (Facebook), Licensed Clinical Psychologist, – “Physical environments in the classroom can have a significant impact on learning. Research has indicated that classroom organization, access of supplies, lighting and even the color of a classroom can boost academic achievement levels. Additionally, crowded classrooms with more students have been linked to lower levels of achievement. Research has also indicated that classrooms with windows, particularly with views of some type of landscape have been linked to better performance on tests. It has also been found that these types of classrooms have led to less mental fatigue and better performance in the areas of attention and focus.”

Mental health initiative focuses on improving treatment for trauma

Homewood Chair in Mental Health and Trauma will lead national network

HAMILTON, ON, April 12, 2018 /CNW/ - There is more awareness and less stigma now to mental health issues caused by trauma, but much more needs to be done to improve care and find cures, says a psychologist named the inaugural Homewood Chair in Mental Health and Trauma.

"There is tremendous room for advancement in the area of trauma," says Dr. Margaret McKinnon. "For example, traumatic responses are often thought to be fear-based, such as the fear of being blown up after return from the combat theatre. But responses to trauma are complex and also include such things as difficulty experiencing positive emotions or feeling numbed out or not present.

"We also need to understand better how emotional trauma has a physical impact on the brain."

McKinnon's new role, being announced at an event Monday April 16, marks the strategic partnering of four organizations dedicated to improving the lives of people suffering from trauma-related mental illness and addiction.

McMaster University, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Homewood Health and Homewood Research Institute have partnered to establish the position, as well as a network of researchers, evaluators and clinicians working to advance clinical practice and outcomes in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related illnesses. The collaborative network will have its foundations in Ontario and will expand across Canada and beyond in a multi-year process.

McKinnon will play a key role in building the national network – known as the Homewood-McMaster Trauma Research Network – and will lead the development of a Trauma Research Program at Homewood Research Institute (HRI).

At HRI, McKinnon is guiding the development of a clinical research and knowledge translation program at Homewood. She is an associate professor of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences at McMaster University, and she serves as a psychologist and the academic head of the mood disorders program at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton.

As a PTSD researcher, McKinnon is well-known for authoring a novel study about PTSD vulnerability based on findings in a group of airline passengers – herself included – who experienced a traumatic event on Air Transat Flight 236 when their plane ran out of fuel over the Atlantic Ocean in 2001. The study revealed important risk factors that could predict PTSD vulnerability. McKinnon has since made significant contributions to the field of PTSD research involving military members, veterans and first responders.

This joint effort aims to merge existing expertise in applied clinical research with new treatment interventions, clinical innovation, research, evaluation and knowledge exchange to optimize care and outcomes for people experiencing PTSD.

"It is rare to find someone like Dr. McKinnon, who is so fully engaged in both the clinical and scientific realms," says Ron Schlegel, chair of the Homewood Research Institute.

"Dr. McKinnon is uniquely equipped for this role and will be leading the development of a national research enterprise that none of our organizations could build alone."

Dr. Paul O'Byrne, dean and vice-president of the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster, adds: "This is an initiative that will involve Dr. McKinnon, a leader in trauma-based mental health, and use the assets of all four institutions to advance this important area of care along faster than any of us could do alone. This is an important national development."

"This important collaboration brings together the unique strengths of academic health science partners across clinical settings to better understand and translate novel interventions into practice for those who are suffering," says Dr. Kevin Smith, CEO of the St. Joseph's Health System.

"Together we will grow and strengthen research into mental health and addictions – regionally, nationally and internationally."

Jagoda Pike, president and CEO of Homewood Health, says: "Under Dr. McKinnon's leadership, the national Trauma Research Network represents the future of PTSD research and treatment in Canada. Our patients and clients will benefit tremendously from the work of this new network."

A ceremony to honour McKinnon's appointment to the Homewood Chair in Mental Health and Trauma is set for 4:30 p.m. on Monday, April 16 at McMaster's David Braley Health Sciences Centre, 100 Main Street West, Hamilton.

Editors: A picture and a short video of Dr. Margaret McKinnon talking about her research is available for you here: https://fhs.mcmaster.ca/media/Homewood_Chair

SOURCE Homewood Health inc.

For further information:

Veronica McGuire, Media relations, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, 905-525-9140, ext. 22169, vmcguir@mcmaster.ca; Cherie Payne, Director of Communications, Homewood Health, 778.386.4347, cpayne@homewoodhealth.com; Dr. Roy Cameron, Executive Director, Homewood Research Institute, Office: 519-824-1010, ext. 2578, Mobile: 519-572-9627, RCameron@homewoodhealth.com

4 Strategies for Emotionally Reinvigorating Your Family

Maintaining your family bonds can be a challenge as your children grow into adults. There may be moments of strife that can color all of your interactions. Family relationships are ones that need to evolve with the passage of time. Here are some strategies for how you can reconnect as a family.

Schedule Family Outings

You need to set aside time in all of your busy schedules to spend time together. Family game night will only get you so far. You need to create shared experiences so that you can learn more about each other. Many families will go out to dinner and the movies. This may be something that your family enjoys doing as well. Consider doing something that is new and different. Let each member of the family select an outing of their choice. This way everyone will feel included in the process.

Take an Exercise Class Together

Exercise is a great way to reduce your stress load. The physical exertion causes the release of endorphins that the body interprets as pleasurable. Enroll in yoga classesas a family to create a shared experience. You may find that it can help to center your whole family. There are other exercise classes that you may enjoy more. The point is to do something as a family.

Focus on Your Relationships

You may be tempted to get caught up in the drama of your day to day life. This can cause you to fail to see what is going on around you. The rest of your family may be stuck in a similar rut. Focus on the important things that are going on in your lives. Share details about your days. You really need to listen to the other members of your family. Being heard can help to invigorate your relationships.

Talk through the Issues

Communication is keyto maintaining healthy relationships. Don’t stop listening once you’ve finished talking. This can be damaging to the emotional health of the other members of your family. Hear what the other person is saying before formulating a response. People spend so much time thinking about what they want to say, that they don’t really pay attention to what the other person is trying to convey. Work through your issues everyday so that things don’t start to fester.

There are lots of different ways that you can improve the emotional health of your family. Focus on shared events. Reconnect to form a lasting connection.

Free Online Programs for Healthcare Professionals Now Available Through Innovative Collaboration

OTTAWA, April 11, 2018 /CNW/ - An exciting new pilot collaboration is providing additional accredited online programs to Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and MOC MAINPORT ePortfolio users.

This innovative pilot collaboration with the mdBriefCase Group will see two new self-assessment programs offered free of charge to Royal College Fellows and MOC MAINPORT ePortfolio users on the topics of CanMEDS and Research Ethics. Both are available online as of today. Other healthcare professionals in Canada and abroad will be able to access the programs at a cost of $65 CAD.

Developed by leading specialists and peer-reviewed by experts in the field, these programs offer unique learning opportunities in English and French, combined with the flexibility and convenience of online delivery.

The program on the Royal College's CanMEDS Framework will use case-based scenarios to help physicians and surgeons enhance their abilities within seven primary roles essential to quality patient care: communicator, collaborator, leader, health advocate, scholar, professional, and medical expert.

"The world of medicine is always changing. We want to serve specialists by giving them tools and resources they need to adapt and thrive in their work," said Dr. Andrew Padmos, Royal College CEO. "Providing better patient care isn't just about improving technical skills – I'm pleased MOC users have the opportunity to refresh their intrinsic roles with the CanMEDS online program."

The Research Ethics program aims to help protect participants in clinical research trials by educating health care providers about established research ethics principles. Program participants will explore the importance of research ethics principles as illustrated through historical cases. One such case centres on a University of Saskatchewan student who suffered a cardiac arrest during the trial of a new anesthetic drug. The researchers failed to disclose that the hazards of this drug were largely unknown.

"There is a fundamental obligation — at a time of ever-expanding complexity in medical research — to do everything possible to respect the rights of human research participants and protect them from harm of any kind," said Dr. Andrew Padmos, Royal College CEO. "This program will cover the material that every scientist should know."

"If you're a Royal College Fellow or an MOC MAINPORT ePortfolio user, these online programs have been built with you in mind," added Kirk Fergusson, Managing Director (Canada and Corporate Services) of the mdBriefCase Group. "Our program features interactive expert videos, interesting case challenges, and knowledge assessment questions designed to really enhance the overall learning experience."

Healthcare professionals can register for these new offerings on the mdBriefCase website, www.mdbriefcase.com.

About the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada is the national, not-for-profit organization that oversees the medical education of specialists in Canada by setting high standards for postgraduate medical education and continuing professional development. In collaboration with health organizations and government agencies, the Royal College also plays a role in developing sound health policy in Canada.

About mdBriefCase Group
mdBriefCase Group specializes in accredited, online continuing professional development (CPD) programs, custom tailored for specific international markets and available on a convenient online platform. All content is developed by leading specialists and peer-reviewed by experts at respected institutions, which keeps more than 170,000 global healthcare professionals at the forefront of the latest evidence and protocols worldwide.

SOURCE mdBriefCase Group Inc.