LAUREN WALKER ​All Fit/All Ages Gym

A client I worked with just came off chemotherapy. “If only this damn neuropathy went away.” I furrowed my brow a bit. “What do you mean? What is neuropathy?” 
The way he explained it to me was, due to the chemotherapy, the nerve endings in his hands and feet were dead. He can’t feel anything in his hands and often had trouble gripping a coffee cup. To feel the pressure on the gas pedal is very difficult as well. He proceeded to tell me, “The doctor said it will never go away.” Being the determined person I am, I decided to find out if exercise affects neuropathy.
Are the nerve endings really dead or just asleep, so to speak? The Mayo Clinic website suggests exercise, yet doesn’t suggest what kind of exercise. For example, I have read research, stating people with Parkinsons should exercise. Learning new patterns of movement fires the nerves in the brain. 
We worked with Harry a few years ago and he had glioblastoma. Damage to the nerves affected his ability to walk, his short term memory and mobility. We got him to walk under his own power within six months. 
In the case of my client with dementia, the connection between brain and body is affected. I physically touch the muscle I want him to use. Physical touch fires the nerves and sends the message to the brain to, “move this muscle”. The connection between the nerves and the brain fire even in severe cases. It gives me some measure of hope that even those with neuropathy can help themselves.
It’s my goal to find out if the affected nerves can “wake up”. While exercise is recommended, I must find out what course to try. Here’s to new discoveries!

​Thumbs Up ..... Giant Yard Sale 2019.  
The G-Moms of Port Perry want to send out a huge THUMBS UP, to all of the continued amazing support we get from our community, for the Stephen Lewis Foundation.
We certainly want you to know we appreciate your DONATIONS. You save your articles and treasures, drop them off at the Scout Hall, and donate again with your purchases. It is awesome to realize, many people are very aware our monies go to help the Grannies and their Orphans in Sub-Sahara Africa and gave quickly from their hearts and their wallets. 
We profited over $6700, and as you know 90% of each dollar raised for SLF gets directly to the projects we support. We also got a new G-Mom as she loves what we do! Want to join us as well? Contact tinie5@xplornet.com.
Another huge THUMBS UP to North Durham Eco Water, for donating the cap and cradle system with excellent water, so the hard working G-Moms could RE-FILL their personal water bottles and not add plastic to our world. We do have to be careful where we put them though as one of ours was almost sold! Smile !!!
Tinie Evans 

Perhaps it was because of the beautiful sunshine, which had finally arrived, or the euphoria over the Raptors’ win, the night before in Oakland, or it probably was the special connection the people of our community have with their hospital, but once again, the people of Scugog and surrounding communities greeted our taggers happily and dug deep into their pockets. 
The Auxiliary to Lakeridge Health Port Perry are thrilled to report that Tag Days 2019 brought us $10,137.00 which will be used to keep our wonderful hospital staff well-equipped and ready to serve their patients and their families.
Thank you to The Standard for promoting our event, and the businesses who welcome our taggers to their doorsteps. And thank you to you, the donors, for your gifts and kind words of encouragement.  The Auxiliary members love to serve our community, and hear your stories, and we deeply appreciate your support.

Linda Romano, Linda Elliot, Gail Kerry and the Auxiliary members

JASON EENLING

I have an interest and passion for trees. I would like to share this with Scugog Standard readers and spend some time featuring local champion trees, we may pass by every day and take for granted, how long they have lasted or how large they have grown. 
In this feature I will introduce you to some trees I can’t help but notice, as I walk around town.
Here is how I will feature the candidates. I will categorize them by species first. There are some trees which are naturally the largest on the block, because of how long they live and how large they grow. Certain trees, such as Birch, Apple, and Magnolia can’t compete against naturally large maple, oak or walnut trees. 
Second, I will measure height and canopy width, in metres, and stem diameter, in centimetres, and will use those numbers as points. Stem diameter is a key measurement in arboriculture and forestry. The standard technique is to measure stem width, as Diameter at Breast Height (dbh), which is measured at 1.4 metres above the ground (this is not circumference we are measuring here). If you are trying to measure trees for yourself, you may need to revisit some Grade 9 math books to help you with this, as it is difficult to measure something round with a ruler.
My next champion tree comes from the Pine Grove Cemetery. I repeatedly walked past this guy on my way home from school, about 30 years ago, and its only gotten larger. It is a Norway Spruce (Picea Abies), which was commonly planted a century ago, as a fast growing tree, to quickly reduce windswept farm soil. Farmers in the area often planted them on west and north perimeters as an effective windbreak. 
This tree must have been planted to try and green up a newly started cemetery. They are easily the fastest growing evergreen around. This is not a native tree but thrives in our environment and is recognizable by its droopy branches and large cones. This Norway Spruce has had lots of space and time to become one of the largest I have seen around, with measurements of: Dhb (cm) – 106 cm; Height – 30.9 m; Spread – 17.5 m; for Total points = 154.4
If you have a large tree you know of in Scugog, then email me. I would like to feature many trees and start a list of local Champions. Send email details or photos to eenlingj@gmail.com

ERIN O'TOOLE MP Durham 

According to the Government of Canada’s statistics, as of December 2017, 97.9% of employer businesses in Canada were small businesses. That amounts to 1.15 million out of 1.18 million employer businesses. A staggering proportion—more than half—of those small employer businesses are concentrated in Ontario and Quebec. The numbers send a clear message: small businesses continue to form the backbone of the Canadian economy. 
I, along with plenty of other concerned citizens, have noted how Finance Minister Bill Morneau’s tax hikes on small businesses have targeted middle-class Canadians. The Liberals were forced to back down after facing wide criticism. We cannot build and grow a strong Canadian economy without giving the middle class the tools to succeed. 
Political coverage tends to focus on national issues, so it’s easy to focus on macro-economic trends, so it’s easy to forget that so much of what makes the Canadian economy function happens at a local, community level. Building up small businesses means getting good information to business owners at the local level. Last month, I helped organize a breakfast event on succession planning for small business owners. The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) and the Clarington Board of Trade (CBOT) were partners in this event which focused on providing critical information on succession planning and finding willing investment partners. Many family-owned businesses have challenges passing on the operation to the next generation. This means they have to explore a strategic sale or employee buy-out to keep the operation going after the founders retire. This issue impacts the entire community and not just this family. Whether the business employs 5 people or 25 people, the hope is that succession planning keeps the business operating, adding to our local economy and providing employment for people in our community.  
The core message of the breakfast? Start planning early for succession arrangements. When I talk to business owners, they often assume that succession is a relatively simple affair. But in most cases, planning a smooth succession for your business is a lengthy and often difficult process.  Long-term planning and communication – with family and employees – is critical for a succession to be successful. 
The statistics I outlined at the beginning of the article tell you why succession planning and the success of small and medium sized businesses are so important to our economy. Most businesses are smaller. The General Motors and the OPGs are few and far between. The vast majority of Canadians work for small and medium sized businesses. In fact, 70% of Canadians working in the private sector work for small businesses. When I was in cabinet in the last Conservative government we would always keep this statistic in mind and do whatever we could to foster success and growth in small business. There are 1.15 million small businesses in Canada presently employing about 8.3 million Canadians. If every small business in Canada hired an additional employee, it would virtually eliminate unemployment in Canada. That is a theoretical approach, but it underscores just how important small business is to our economy and why we should have policies that keep these businesses competitive and investing in the economy. It also explains why succession planning for a number of businesses in Durham is so important to our wider economic success.
The Liberals have been quite obtuse when it comes to fostering the success of small business and it stems from their own biased view towards entrepreneurs and risk takers. In fact, in an interview with Peter Mansbridge in the last election Justin Trudeau suggested wealthy people used small businesses as a means to avoid paying taxes. This was the view of the person who became Prime Minister of Canada. His Finance Minister used similar language suggesting small business owners were not paying their “fair share” without explaining how small business owners have to provide for their own life events, maternity leaves and retirement planning. The Liberal government was also the first government to not consult the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) on their budget planning, despite the fact that CFIB represents small business and more employers than any other group in Canada. It has not been lost on many small business owners, physicians and farmers that both Trudeau and Morneau come from positions of privilege having inherited family fortunes. They did not have to take risks and do not understand the plight of small business owners and entrepreneurs.
One of the best parts of my role as Member of Parliament has been to meet some of our small business owners in Durham, hearing their stories and visiting their stores or shop floors. I try and do this all the time to understand the issues they face on a national and local basis. I have also had the chance to do this on a national basis touring businesses and meeting owners from coast to coast. In fact, the first blog I wrote as MP was on small business and I speak and write regularly on the subject. There are two elements that all small business owners have in common. First, the business is their life. 
They always have to be available and the family revolves around the business. Whether it is restaurant, a steel fabricator or a business making speakers for the latest Drake tour, these families are never “off” even when they step away for a few days. The second element in common is the fact that at one point in time they have risked the financial well-being of their family to build their business and keep their employees on the payroll. Some face these risks in the early start-up years, while others may find difficulties when they lose a client or when the economy is in recession.   Risk is inherent in what they do and that is why government should foster the environment for small business, or at least have a “do no harm” approach. Small business will remain a priority for me as Member of Parliament and will become a priority again should we form the next government.   If you would ever like me to tour or learn more about your store or small business, please let me know. We can be reached at Erin.OToole@parl.gc.ca” 

In response to Jonathan van Bilsen's 'You've got to be kidding' column in the June 6th edition of The Standard.
No question, just wanted to say I agree whole heartedly with your column, You've got to be Kidding! Get off the Pot! I am a firm believer in the legalization of weed, but the control thing leaves me cold, and frightened for my grandchildren. 
My own daughters are telling of finding liquor cans, empty, in changing rooms and bathrooms, now being available in some Walmart stores and most grocery stores, anybody who thinks kids are not accessing it live in la la land! 
Where is MADD and why are they not screaming the house down, as I am sure there are zero tolerance drivers leaving Walmart impaired. And yes, a few short years ago, all of this was under control of LCBO and the BEER STORE, so, how long before all the POT ends up in corner store too! The writing is on the wall.

Glenda Baldwin
Sunderland

​With grateful and thankful hearts, we send a huge thank-you to our great community. Our recent yard sale and bake sale was successful in raising funds for both local and global missions, in spite of the rainy, windy weather.
Thank-you for the many donations we received. Thank-you for all the amazing baked goods. And lastly, thank-you for supporting our annual sale by stopping by and purchasing the goods!
God is good all the time.

Emmanuel Community Church Missions Committee

LAURIE SCOTT MPP Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock
​A year ago you re-elected me as part of the Ford PC government for the people. 
Your trust is something I hold very near and dear to my heart. Over that year, our team has worked hard to create a jobs first environment where our job creators can thrive, grow and create good jobs for everyone in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock and Ontario. This past Friday marks that One Year anniversary.
Since day one, we have been hard at work cutting red tape, lowering taxes, and fixing the Liberal’s hydro mess.
And I am proud today, to say, as your MPP, our Open for Business and Open for Jobs policies led to real job growth. That’s why, it is easier today to create good, safe jobs in Ontario than it was a year ago.
We saw this, too, on Friday, when Statistics Canada released its jobs numbers, showing Ontario leading the way in job creation. Unemployment in Ontario is at 5.2%. The lowest since 1989. The lowest in 30 years!
As your MPP, reducing that red tape and regulatory burden has created over 190,000 jobs province-wide. The majority of which are good-paying, private sector jobs. That’s close to 4,000 new jobs per week being created or more than 500 people finding a new job each and every day across Ontario. 
Here at home, our region has realized job growth of over 3.5%. More of our neighbours, family and friends are being hired. Young people are able to build a stable future in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock.
A stable economic environment encourages job growth, and allows the province to invest in and protect what matters most to us, quality health care and education. With a strong and stable economy we are able to afford to increase direct front-line spending into health care and education, while continuing to lower the deficit and clean up the mess of 15 years of waste by the former Kathleen Wynne Liberal government.

There is always more to do. And I will continue to fight for each and everyone of you in Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock each and every day, here at home and at Queen’s Park.

LAUREN WALKER All Fit/All Ages Gym

What you put in your body has a distinct effect on your emotional and physical well being. This week I will be discussing how the food you eat affects anxiety. You’re probably wondering what food has to do with anxiety. 
The body and brain are connected and how you feed both will affect mood, hormones and emotions. Making gradual changes towards better eating habits will help manage anxiety.
According to an article featured on the Harvard Health blog, “About 95% of serotonin receptors are found in the lining of the gut.” This means, when your body has to digest food, what you eat will affect your overall feeling of happiness. It is suggested, a diet high in probiotics may help manage feelings of anxiety and depression. Highly processed foods do not make the gut very happy. You may likely have digestive issues, lethargy and feelings of depression occurring together, sometimes. 
Featured in the same article, it states “Complex carbohydrates are metabolized more slowly and therefore help maintain a more even blood sugar level, which creates a calmer feeling.” Processed sugar causes an immediate spike in blood sugar, followed by an immediate drop. This can exacerbate feelings and mimic symptoms of a panic attack. 
While in contrast, it is noted, foods high in magnesium, zinc, Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B, occurring more often in healthy food choices and rarely at any beneficial levels in processed foods, spur the release of serotonin and dopamine in the brain. These are “feel good” hormones and can improve your overall sense of well being.
Gradual changes should be made in your diet. Make a conscious choice to substitute a healthier option. Instead of having a can of pop, choose water. You cannot overhaul your diet in one day. Include movement as part 
of your wellness plan. If these 
small changes lead to a 
happier YOU, it is worth the 
effort. 

DR. SHAWNA DINGMAN 

​A recent study reported that, of 2001 moms who had infants receiving chiropractic spinal care, there were statistically significant improvements in all aspects of the infant behaviours studied. 
Some of the results included: Improvement in feeding problems; Improvement with sleep issues; less excessive crying; fewer problems with sleeping on their back; less infant pain, like colic; improved neck range of motion, like reduced torticollis; and better time in the tummy position.
These are awesome, positive changes! What’s even more cool is MOTHERS THEMSELVES also reported they experienced improvement in: depression, anxiety, and a increased sense of joy in motherhood
The results of this study are observational in nature, which of course has its limitations. The reason I write about it here is that it mirrors exactly what I see, day in day out, in clinic.  
One of my patients, who brought her 7-week-old colicky infant to see me, wrote “[she] is a totally different baby after getting adjusted. I can actually connect with her and enjoy being a mom for the first time”.
Please feel free to share this with at least one mom, who is struggling with her infant or is looking for strategies to enrich their child's healthy development. To find out more about chiropractic care for you or your children, please visit www.ElevateWomensHealth.ca/chiropractic.

Dr. Shawna Dingman is the owner of Elevate Women’s Health Centre in Port Perry. Her chiropractic clinic focuses on the care of women and children of all ages and stages. Call 647-995-1251 to get in touch or visit her website, at www.ElevateWomensHealth.ca for more information.