November is National Family Caregivers Month and BC Brain Wellness is excited to introduce a new program tailored for caregivers — the “Care Partners Preparedness Course: Building Skills While Making Connections.”

Did you know that by the age of 40 around 50% of the population will have, or have already had, a mental illness? Well, October is Mental Health Awareness Month and we’re here to talk about it!

When the BC Brain Wellness Program first launched on October 5, 2019, no one could have foreseen that, within just two years, events would catapult us into becoming, instantaneously, a truly province-wide program with participants from across Canada, and even in Europe! In March 2020, when the pandemic caused us to have to pivot  from in-person classes and presentations to online zoom events, we quickly picked up new participants from all across the province, from Prince George to Victoria, and Burnaby to Rossland. We now serve over 1200 participants over 27 classes.

October 1st is World Smile Day®! In 1963, Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Massachusetts created the smiley face symbol. As the years passed, he became concerned about the over-commercialization of his symbol, so in 1999 he came up with the idea for World Smile Day®. He thought that all of us should devote one day each year to smiles and kind acts throughout the world. He declared that the first Friday in October each year would henceforth be World Smile Day®. After Harvey died in 2001, the Harvey Ball World Smile Foundation was created to honour his name and memory, and it continues as the official sponsor of World Smile Day® each year. The foundation’s vision and intent are “to harness Smiley's power and appeal around the globe for the benefit of those who could really use a smile, primarily those worthy entities and organizations that might not otherwise receive attention or support”.

September 29th is World Heart Day (WHD). This is a day to raise awareness for cardiovascular disease (CVD), including heart disease and stroke, which is the world's leading cause of death. WHD educates us on the risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. For example, cholesterol can be harmful to heart health and can hide in certain foods such as fried foods, fast foods, processed meats, and desserts.

Falls Prevention Awareness Day is on September 22nd and serves as an important reminder of being aware of the risks of falling.

Did you know that September is Dystonia Awareness Month - or even what dystonia is? If not, you are not alone. This is because dystonia is one of the rare neurological conditions with very low public awareness and, consequently and unfortunately, it receives very little funding for research. As it is classed as a movement disorder, dystonia patients in B.C. are cared for by the movement disorders specialists at the Djavad Mowafaghian Centre for Brain Health at UBC (also home to the BC Brain Wellness Program), as well as other neurologists in the community.

If a practice is recognized globally, it must be important! Every year on July 24, International Self Care day is celebrated around the world. Even though that is only one day in the year, the benefits of practicing self care can be experienced 24/7 year long and life long.

This year, the theme for International Self Care Day was to “Take a vow for you now” and plan to make a self care promise today!

Today is International Friendship Day but before yesterday, I didn’t even know this was a thing. What a great idea! Is there anything better than taking a day to recognize such an important part of our lives? This is more than a card store holiday. This has the power to create change.

Are you interested in volunteering to make a meaningful impact in approaches to brain health? Are you passionate about improving the quality of life of fellow program participants? Through the formation of a BWP Participant Advisory Committee, we are seeking to engage the participant community in working towards a comprehensive and integrated approach to brain wellness by guiding future BWP program delivery, research and education.

Many people think of inflammation as a bad thing. But the body's inflammatory process - redness, heat, swelling, pain in the case of a wound, for example - is the immune system's defense against any invading pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa and worms). It basically helps us fight off any unwanted invaders and keeps us alive. There are cases, however, where inflammation can be too much of a good thing. Sometimes, the inflammatory process persists and this can lead to disease (or worsen existing problems). It could be that the invaders are persistent, or that certain proteins are formed which the body perceives as dangerous and therefore keeps on attacking.

Walking, hiking, swimming and cycling all provide physical benefits. But did you know that simply spending time outdoors—no matter where you live—can also have a huge impact on your overall well-being? We gathered expert insights and tips to help you reap the benefits of health-building nature experiences.

Each year on June 1, we promote Intergenerational Day – a celebration of the mutual benefits of building relationships across generations.

Over the past few months, members of the BC Brain Wellness Program “Crafters for a Cause” group created comfort mitts for people living with dementia who are in hospital.

Celebrate with us! It is Brain Awareness Week 2021

In honour of Brain Awareness Week - DMCBH presents the Annual Distinguished Neuroethics Lecture with Dr. Nir Lipsman (neurosurgeon and scientist) from the University of Toronto titled "Hacking the mind: how technology is changing the way we view our brain and ourselves” on March 16 from 4:00-5:00pm. See the link below for more details and to register.

https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/annual-distinguished-neuroethics-lecture-hacking-the-mind-registration-140113269561?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mar3

For many people new to the practice of yoga, the terms and language associated with it can seem a bit overwhelming. I also experienced this in the first class I took when I had just moved to Vancouver. It was fast-paced, and everyone seemed to follow along with many terms that were unfamiliar to me. No introduction, no cueing, and as I desperately tried to keep up with what my classmates were doing, it was clear that I had no clue! Needless to say, I didn’t continue with that class for very long. I did however keep coming back to the practice of yoga and tried different teachers and types of classes until I found what was right for me.

We discuss the Anniversary Effect, sometimes called the Anniversary Reaction, as we approach the year marker of the pandemic really reaching our lives

What makes love last?

Looking for something meaningful to do to combat the challenges of the winter months? Consider joining a group of likeminded people and craft for a cause! Members of the Brain Wellness Program Craft Circle are combining their efforts to make comfort mitts for people living with dementia.

Let’s gear up this month and fight the winter blues! It is important to keep moving and stay warm during the chilly holidays. Here are some ways to stay active…