I have a friend who drinks a lot, but he says he doesn’t have a problem. His line is: “I drink, I get drunk, I fall down. No problem.” It’s pretty funny and I always laugh when he tells me this.

But, I have a few thoughts pertaining to alcohol that I would like to discuss here and perhaps they will have some meaning for you in your life.

So let’s say you go out for a few drinks with some friends. You drink and get drunk. And, let’s say, for arguments sake, you get really drunk, to the point that you are sick (which happens to people sometimes, I think we can all agree on that) and then the next day, when you wake up you experience a really bad ‘hangover’.

So what’s happened here?

What is a hangover? I mean, we know the symptoms: you may experience a lingering sick feeling, become nauseous perhaps, and have a bad headache, difficulty concentrating, tolerating noise and all that—but what does all that mean?

It means you suffered a brain injury.

Many people do this to themselves repeatedly. The fact that it appears as though they return to normal after a few days means to them that the hangover was just a lasting but benign effect of the alcohol they drank. But the alcohol has metabolized out of their system long before they recover from the aftereffects. So, if the alcohol has gone out of the system, why are they still recovering? They are recovering because there was damage that has not yet been repaired.

Let’s extend this dialogue further. So a person drinks heavily again and again and every now and then suffers a hangover. The body is forgiving; we know that, because the individual returns to normal after a few days. But let’s say the body, even though it is very forgiving, cannot repair all the damage to the brain? What happens if repeated injury to the brain overwhelms the body’s capacity to repair it? What would that mean?

It would mean the person now has some permanent damage to their brain, even though they may not realize it. This may start to impact their memory, mood, concentration, attention, they may develop a slight tremor in their body (as a result of damage to their extrapyramidal system), they may develop problems with their sensory system, eyes, ears, taste, etc., and they may not be aware that it is the result of these repeated hangovers (or repeated injury to the brain—what I consider a hangover to be.) The person may have problems in multiple areas depending upon how widespread or how localized the damage is.

Something to worry about, right?

Alexander Dhand is a Registered Psychologist in private practice in Calgary, Alberta. He practices in the areas of Addictions, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Chronic Pain, Self-Esteem and Workplace issues.

Hot flashes, anxiety, irritability, insomnia. Menopause is a natural stage of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to live with the symptoms of hormonal fluctuations and reduced estrogen. The good news is that many of these symptoms can be lessened with diet and exercise.

With the summer months (hopefully!) just around the corner, many of us are looking to lighten up our dinner plates as well as our waistlines. Does ‘lightening up’ have to involve a sacrifice for your taste buds? Not at all.

There are many ways you can substitute ingredients to improve the quality of your diet while getting all your essential vitamins and minerals. Here are some ingredient replacement ideas to help you get there.

Recipe: Quinoa Stuffed Peppers

Preventous is pleased to announce the opening of Preventous Cosmetic Medicine. The Centre is located in the lower level of Preventous’ offices at 1635 17th Avenue S.W. and caters to any individual with dermatalogic or skin rejuvenation concerns.

The Centre is also proud to offer the highest quality, medical-grade skin care products from Vivier® for treating various skin conditions such as acne, hyperpigmentation, aging, dry skin and rosacea.

Discover more about our facial treatments and skin care products or call Aimee at 403.229.0129 to book your complimentary initial consultation

When you think of a facial, do you think of massage and layers of moisturizer? Many people do. What they should be thinking about is results. A medical facial isn’t about relaxation but the achievement of better-looking, healthier, rejuvenated skin. 

Embark on a journey with purpose and gusto

Many older adults face barriers to keeping active. Bad weather, unsafe sidewalks or neighborhoods, fear of traffic and lack of public washrooms and rest stops keep many people who could use some physical activity trapped at home. But walking is too important to your health to simply stop doing it. Here’s what walking can do for you and how you can put your best foot forward every day.

Why Walk?

Several research studies show the positive effects of walking on health.

• Walking 30 minutes a day lengthened life by 1.3 years and added 1.1 more years without cardiovascular disease. People who exercised more intensely gained 3.7 years of life and added 3.3 more years without cardiovascular disease.
• Walking 2 miles a day cut the risk of death almost in half. One study found that walkers’ risk of death from cancer was especially lower and that walkers were less likely to die in the 12 years after the study.
• A 12-week walking intervention of 30 minutes per day, five days per week, produced significant increases in functional capacity and decreased blood pressure.
• A 6-week walking intervention of 30 minutes per day, five days per week, altered body fat distribution, reduced anxiety and tension, increased aerobic fitness and increased confidence in walking.

Even a small amount of activity can improve health regardless of age or gender. As you age, weight-bearing activities such as walking become increasingly important to maintain bone density and prevent osteoporosis.

Seniors facing barriers to walking should consider community mall walking programs. Mall walking is a new strategy for physical activity among older adults that also offers social support. It’s a great way to get the benefits of walking without increasing your risk of injury.

Walking Safety Tips

Here are some important health and safety tips so you can start your walking program off on the right foot.

• Don’t over do it. Allow your body to adjust to the new activity by gradually increasing the duration and frequency of your workouts.
• Wear appropriate shoes. Select a shoe that offers adequate stability and cushioning.
• Choose the right intensity. Your breathing should be elevated, but you should not feel out of breath. Use the Talk Test to help determine your intensity level: If you can’t answer a question, you are walking too fast. If you can have a full conversation, you are walking too slowly.
• Avoid pain. Walking shouldn’t hurt. If you experience any kind of muscle, joint, chest or head pain, consult your physician right away.
• Time yourself. Wear a watch to track your time spent walking. Set small goals to gradually increase the amount of time you walk each week.
• Always warm-up and cool-down. A proper warm-up prepares your joints, muscles and heart for exercise. A proper cool-down helps return blood pressure and heart rate to resting states, prevents muscle soreness and reduces the chance of injury.

Mall Walking Programs in Calgary

Check the websites for hours of operation and please follow the latest health and safety guidelines.

No Formal Program

Check the websites for hours of operation and please follow the latest health and safety guidelines.

Today’s fast-paced lifestyle means that more and more people are skipping meals. The meal that tends to be skipped most often is breakfast. But was your grandmother right? Is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Absolutely, and here’s why.

Breakfast is important for many reasons. It not only sets the tone for making good choices all day but also helps with energy levels, blood sugar control, nutrient status and weight control.

Did You Know?

Since morning appetites tend to be small, some people skip breakfast as a ‘no hunger’ method of calorie control. Scientific evidence, however, continues to show that kids and adults who skip breakfast are much more likely to become overweight or obese.

No Cooking Necessary

Don’t skip breakfast just because you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to cook. There are lots of quick ways to get the nutrition you need first thing in the morning.

Here are some ideas:

• Grab a handful of nuts and a banana on your way out the door. Enjoy them with a latte!
• Top some crispbread with a tablespoon of peanut, almond or hazelnut butter. If nut butters aren’t your thing, a slice of low-fat cheese and an apple will make a well balanced and healthy breakfast to go.
• Grab a portable container of yogurt and enjoy it with a piece of fruit.
• Mix up your favourite cereal, dried fruit and nuts and divide them into individual plastic bags at the start of the week. Add a glass of milk and you have a portable breakfast with all four food groups! 
• Enjoy a healthy homemade muffin or breakfast bar. These can be baked and frozen in batches, and defrosted overnight in the refrigerator. 
• Don’t forget, healthy habits can become your habits. All you need is a little bit of creativity and some planning ahead.

Super Fiber Muffins

Many people in their professional lives suffer from the ‘imposter syndrome’, the belief that they are unworthy of the position they hold, do not have the necessary skills or education required for the job they do, and will lose their jobs as soon as the secret is out.

A recent client with this issue underscored the depth of this problem and was particularly notable because of his impressive resume and his high position in one of the larger oil companies in North America. However, despite his laudable achievements, this gentleman suffered from crippling anxiety about his abilities. He had suffered self-doubt and fear throughout his life, ironically, even as he had continued to climb the corporate ladder to the top.

It is true that we all have some self-doubt lurking in our minds somewhere, however, the problem, in this particular case, goes beyond a nagging doubt concerning one’s capabilities. In this specific situation, the issue is clinically important because it causes ongoing distress in a person’s daily life. Indeed, it can be difficult to live life covertly, hiding away everyday, living in fear, in threat of being found out, agonizing over losing one’s position or struggling with oneself over one’s perceived deficiencies.

From a superficial standpoint, what appears to be a simple maladaptive belief, in fact, generates much turmoil in a person’s life because it is an issue of low self-esteem. Some examples of these repercussions:

• It can sap mental energy, leeching attention away from other important tasks, becoming a hindrance in getting things done.
• A person who has this problem, because they are constantly insecure, has difficulty asserting themselves; which, in turn costs them respect and standing in their workplace.
• The constant second-guessing immobilizes a person because they have no self-confidence leading to indecisiveness in their life.
• Heightened emotion resulting from self-doubt tends to cloud rational decision-making, costing the person advancement while costing the company money.
• A persisting problem of this nature leads to dissatisfaction with employment.
• Sustained further, the situation can result in depression.
• Overall, the problem can lead to poor job performance that can cost a person their job, further compounding their already distorted self-worth.
• Having limited faith in their abilities, a person tends to become paranoid about others’ intentions and opinions of them. This tends to interfere with their work and creates problems in their personal life, as well.
• The situation could make it difficult to mix with others as an equal and, as such, it could impact a person’s ability to be part of a team, socialize, build relationships at work, and get ahead.
• The problem can prevent a person from speaking up and contributing their point of view, which translates into talent lost for their company.
• The person feels demoralized because they have been unable to live up to their potential.  

The issue of self-esteem, or poor self-esteem as the issue in this case, is more complex and sinister than might initially appear, and it comes with costs.

How do psychologists treat low self-esteem?

Treatment is a multi-pronged process in which the psychologist guides the person to insight concerning why the person has the problem they do. Insight is helpful in eradicating the mystery that surrounds the problem – people generally feel relieved to know why they act the way they do. While insight by and of itself is very powerful however more is required to eradicate that is poor self-esteem. The following, and the larger piece of self-esteem counseling is focused on problem resolution, on curing the self-esteem problem, so to speak. This will take didactic education in how the mind is involved in perpetuating established patterns of behavior, techniques and strategies to control the unpleasant cycle and ego-strengthening through the use of a variety of techniques that may include any or all of the following:

• Reading exercises
• Self-hypnosis
• Imagery
• Autogenic training
• Biofeedback training 

Low self-esteem can be a very limiting psychological problem with far reaching consequences for a person. The gentleman I had referred to earlier, despite his obvious success in his career, had suffered emotional distress because of this problem. The issue was finally resolved after he took action to deal with it, which finally relieved him from his turmoil. He considered his escape from his poor self-esteem to be the real pinnacle of his achievement, because it meant he could finally enjoy his life and all that he had built, and most important of all, he no longer lived in fear of being discovered a phony.

About the Author

Alexander Dhand is a Registered Psychologist in Calgary, Alberta, practicing in the areas of Addictions, Depression, Anxiety, Stress, PTSD, Chronic Pain, Self-Esteem, Relationships and Conflict. He can be reached through Twitter at Twitter.com/Calgarypsych.