Submitted by: Swan River & District Community Resource Council Inc.

We are back on track holding Coffee and A Chat, this series of sessions are at the Birch River Drop In Center, Benito Drop In Center and the Swan River Senior Center. They were held July 25, 26, 27th 2023, all started at 10 am.

This month’s topics were Skin Care/Blood Pressure/Eating for Heart Health. Kelly Bergson had an informational discussion on how and when to take your blood pressure. Sit still, do not talk (this was not easy for some), relax for a couple minutes before you take your blood pressure to get the best and most accurate reading. Everyone has a different pressure that is Normal for them. Find your Normal and discuss any changes with your medical practitioner.

Eating for Heart Health was discussed with Community Dietitian Katie Kroeker. High Blood Cholesterol levels are a risk factor for heart disease. Eat healthy fats (NO! Bacon is not a healthy fat)! Eat less red meat and more fish and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Include Omega 3’s-fatty fish, salmon, trout, sardines, mackerel, tuna and herring into your diet. Make your own food and staying away from restaurant and highly processed foods, will naturally bring down your salt intake, leaving you the ability to salt your food at the table. The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada’s website is: https://www.heartandstroke.ca. The sessions ended with Katie mixing up a salmon, quinoa and seasonal vegetables in a cold salad. It was as filling as it was delicious.

Connie talked about taking care of aging skin, the benefits of sunscreen, hydrating and staying out of the sun during the worst UV rays from 10 to 3pm. We used documents from the Cancer Society on how to inspect skin moles, spots or tags. A very useful tool.

We are looking forward to the next sessions in August 29, 30 and 31st, where we will chat about mental health experiences for older adults/making friends with fiber. Thank you to the 60 people who participated and we look forward to seeing you again next month.

Thank you to our sponsors Service to Seniors Swan River, Healthy Together Now, Swan Valley Pharmacy and D’Zines Hair Solon.