Plantar Fasciitis-- the pain can affect you from head to toe... Although plantar fasciitis is a painful, sometimes debilitating, foot condition, there are effective exercises, natural treatments, and suggestions for healing without expensive orthotics or operations What is Plantar Fasciitis? Plantar fasciitis is a common foot ailment that affects many individuals, causing pain and discomfort in the heel and the bottom of the foot. This condition occurs when the plantar fascia, a thick band of tissue that connects the heel to the toes, becomes inflamed. The plantar fascia supports the arch of the foot and absorbs shock during activities like walking, running, and jumping. Here, we will explore who is prone to experiencing it, and provide a comprehensive list of non-surgical exercises and treatments that don't rely on expensive orthotics or operations. Standard Treatment Options Rest and Ice: Resting the affected foot and applying ice can help re
Healthy Aging: An Oxymoron? A Healthy Brain Workout A while ago, a friend who was doing some at-home care-giving for her husband who had a terminal illness, called to invite me to go with her to a "workshop about brain health" that she read about in our local paper. Like many "boomers"-- that is, people born in the 1940s to early 1960s demographic-- I am interested in layman's "brain science" where it relates to my being able to make some practical lifestyle adjustments to extend the life span of my brain's health, and, I hope, forego dementia and Alzheimer's disease. I said "yes" to her offer. When we arrived I was surprised to find that the workshop was being presented by the local chapter of the British Columbia Alzheimer Society. I have older relatives diagnosed with Alzheimer's and thought that perhaps this would be a way to learn about how to avoid getting that dreadful aging disease. The brochures laid neatly out on one