It is July and the weather has heated up in Calgary. I thought I should share some summer wellness solutions to keep your optimal health at the top of your mind. First of all, the sun is good for you. In Calgary, it feels like we just have two seasons- winter and summer. It seems like winter is much harder to get through in terms of darkness, cold temperatures and the fear factor which comes about from just walking on streets subject to the freeze thaw cycle. It feels much kinder a province to exist in in the summer. Do make sure you expose yourself to at least 20 minutes of sun without sunscreen from the hours of 10 am to 3 pm when the sun is at its strongest capacity. When you expose yourself to the sun (about 40% of your body) without sunscreen you will make Vitamin D in your body. I would try to do this 3 x a week for health benefits. Because Calgary is so far away from the equator, we can only get Vitamin D from the sun from April to August. It is prudent to have your MD measure your Vitamin D once or twice a year if you suffer from a chronic diseas;, perhaps once in the winter March and at the end of the summer to check your blood levels. Levels of 25OHD3 (Vitamin D) should be between 80 and 200 nmol/L for optimal health. Vitamin D can influence your energy, mood, bone density, and immune system. People who suffer from autoimmune diseases tend to have lower levels of Vitamin D. The sunshine will provide your body with feel good endorphins. Make sure to protect your body after you have got 20 minutes of sunshine with a mineral based sunscreen like non-nano particle based zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Go to the environmental working group website ewg.org for healthy sunscreens that can be ordered easily online. Wear a hat and drink lots of water to stay well hydrated in the summer. Drink enough clean water so your urine is clear. Get lots of sleep. Exposing yourself to sun in the morning can help with melatonin release at night and influence your circadian rhythm. I like to be in bed by 10 am and up at 6 am in the summer months. Sleeping eight hours is optimal but make sure your sleeping environment is cool enough. Rinsing off with a cool shower before bed can often do the trick. Until next time, stay cool. To book in with me and improve your health status, call Parallel Wellness at 4032321283. Kind regards, Dr. Robin Vinge, ND

Hi there- I finished reading Dr. Gabor Mate’s  new book ‘The Myth of Normal’ this week. It is a monster of a book but it is so worth reading. It talks a lot about the origins of disease in our western culture. It talks about particular disease like autoimmune diseases. He talks about and this is directly from the book ‘Self-abnegating traits that predispose to disease: a compulsive and self-sacrificing doing for others, suppression of anger, an excessive concern about social acceptability. The personality features found across all autoimmune conditions.’  I pay particular attention to his vast volume of research and I resonate with what he states about the personality traits linked with autoimmune conditions because I have M.S. It is in remission because of what I do to live in balance with it but I know in my past I was much more of a pleaser. The MS taught me to get in touch  with my authentic needs and tell people honestly what my limits are for starters and how I must live. I used to push myself to exhaustion repeatedly but I simply can’t do that anymore or I can end up in the ditch and have a flare. So one must know the factors that are required to maintain balance and I listen closely to what my body tells me. To book an appointment with me at Parallel Wellness, please call 4032321283. I still have my special rate on for Emotional Freedom Technique and counseling $80 for the hourl I can help you with your health challenges. Dr. Robin Vinge, ND  ‘The Myth of Normal’ is Dr. Gabor Mate’s new book. Run out and get it! It is a wonderful resource to have in your library!

I am reading Dr. Gabe’s new book ‘The Myth Of Normal’. It is a deep dive into the research and complex exploration into the origins of chronic disease. As it is a long book and I am 120 pages in I will share what has been relevant to me. I have had MS I believe since I was 21 years old. I have been in remission since 2020 . I really understand more and more how to manage my disease. I live symptom free as long as I keep my stress levels in check and do not push myself beyond my limits. Mate writes that as in the other autoimmune conditions, in virtually every case the childhood patterning that led people to be overconscientious, hyper-responsible, and emotionally stoic about their own needs was evident- as were stresses preceding the illness, such as interpersonal conflict, family crisis, loss of a relationship, or added duties at work. I would agree with him absolutely. I am overconscientous, hyper-responsible and emotionally stoic about my own needs. What the pandemic taught me is that I have to find more joy in my life apart from my work. I am a driven individual but I want to have that drive lead me to more joy outside of my work. I recently signed on for some golf lessons because I realize that I used to golf and that did bring me much joy. I was an athlete for much of my life and I really want to get back into sports now because it brings me so much joy. I am going to start by getting back into golf, going to the driving range to hit golf balls. I used to go to the driving range with my Dad all the time. He died during the pandemic and it is something I miss dearly. I find golf relaxing and enjoyable so I am going to make that a goal of mine to make it to the golfing range regularly. How can you bring more joy and balance into your life? I will post more about MS and Gabor Mate’s book The Myth Of Normal’. In the meantime, I have a counseling and EFT special on right now. If you book four sessions, the price comes down to $80 vs $125. I love and have a passion for what I do. I would love to support you in your healing journey. Blessings! Dr. Robin   4032321283