Kids Corner......

Get outside and enjoy the spring weather this season! Here are some ideas to do as a family

1. Pack a Picnic. Kids love eating outside, pack an easy lunch and head to your local park or beach.
2. Sidewalk chalk. Pick up some sidewalk chalk at your local dollar store and head outdoors. Your drive way, the sidewalk or a path at the park all make great canvases. Use your imagination or have your kids lay down and trace an outline around their bodies, then let them have fun drawing on cloths and accessories.
3. Hike. Google local trails; you can print out a map, and take the family foe a hike.
4. Neighborhood clean up. Grab some garbage bags and gloves and find a local stop that could use some clean up. Help out the environment and teach your family a valuable lesson at the same time.
5. Fly a kite. Pick a windy day and head out to an area with lots of space and show your kids how to fly a kite. (or learn yourself).
6. Plant something. Most kids love to help in the garden, if you are a gardener consider giving your child a special area or "small garden" of their own and help them chose plants they like, this can turn into a great summer long project. If you are not a gardener start small, maybe a container garden for the deck. Your local nursery can help you choose a variety that will do well and be easy to maintain.
7. Bird watch. Take a camera and go for a walk and see how many different birds you can spot, if you get photos you can keep track of which ones you have seen and identify them online or in a book. If your kids are into it you can even turn it into a contest to see who can spot the most, or new kinds.
8. Tag. Tag is always a fun way to get active and involve everyone in the family.
9. Wash the car. Fun and productive, on a nice day get out the hose and get the kids involved.
10. Treasure hunt. Make up a list of things the kids can find in the yard or at the park (make it easy for young ones and more of a challenge if they are older). Offer a prize, like whoever gets the most items the fastest chooses dessert for the night.

Enjoy!

Kim Thompson Practice Manager

Taste and Tell.....

Spring Pasta Primavera

Ingredients

• 1 bunch fresh basil
• 3 cups chicken broth, divided
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 pound fettuccine pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, chopped
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 pinches salt
• 2 zucchinis, diced
• 1 cup chopped sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup shelled English peas
• 1 bunch asparagus, stalks diced, tips left whole
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or as needed

Directions:

1. Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Hold basil bunch by the stems and dip basil leaves in boiling water until bright green, about 2 seconds. Immediately immerse basil in ice water for several minutes until cold to stop the cooking process. Once the basil is cold, drain well. Remove basil leaves from stems and discard stems.
2. Blend basil leaves, 1 cup chicken broth, 1/2 cup olive oil, and garlic together in a blender until smooth.
3. Stir fettuccine into the same pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain.
4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir leek and green onion in hot oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add jalapeno and salt; cook and stir until jalapeno is soft, about 5 minutes.
5. Increase heat to medium-high. Stir 2 cups chicken broth, zucchini, sugar snap peas, and English peas into jalapeno mixture; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Add asparagus and continue cooking until asparagus is soft, about 3 minutes more.
6. Pour 1/4 cup basil-garlic mixture into zucchini mixture and cook and stir until heated through, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
7. Place pasta in a large bowl; pour zucchini mixture over pasta and pour remaining basil-garlic mixture over the zucchini mixture. Spread Parmesan cheese over the top. Toss mixture briefly to combine and tightly wrap bowl with aluminum foil. Let stand until pasta and vegetables soak up most of the juices and oil, about 5 minutes. Toss again.

Jennifer Bergeron Dental Hygienist

What's New at the Office...this spring..

Here at the office we are busy spring cleaning and getting organized, something about the nicer weather just makes me want to get things spruced up and taken care of! Here are a few helpful tips if you are also feeling inspired.

1. Tackle one room at a time. Start top to bottom, don't forget light fixtures and ceiling fans up high, base boards and air return vents down low. If you work one room at a time it helps you focus, feel accomplished and motivated to tackle the next space.


2. De clutter. Clear out unneeded items. Consider donating gently used household items to a local charity, have a yard sale or list them on line. Less clutter makes cleaning easier and quicker, it also makes your space look larger and more organized.


3. Go environmentally friendly. Use microfiber cloths and mops that can be laundered instead of disposable paper products. Use vinegar instead of Windex and baking soda as a scrub for sinks ect. Check out this website for tips on how to keep it natural wellnessmama.com or www.davidsuzuki.org


4. Clean out for medicine cabinet. Check expiry dates on over the counter medication and discard and unused old prescriptions, both can be dropped off at your local pharmacy for safe disposal.


5. Go through your make up bag. These products expire too. Check the labels to be safe, many have a time frame after opening (i.e. 3 months). Don't forget to check products like cream, shaving gel and hair products too. They lose their effectiveness and can harbor bacteria over time.

Happy cleaning! Kim Thompson
Practice Manager

Importance of Dental Care for Caregivers

Good oral care is important at any age. However certain segments of the population require help with their oral hygiene care, including elderly, sick and mentally or physically challenged. Studies have shown that many family members are taking on the role of a primary care giver and oral hygiene should be another important area of focus to consider for any caregiver.

There is a huge link to oral health and overall health, and keeping the mouth healthy, keeps the body healthy (since the two are connected). A thing to consider is micro- organisms (bacteria) from oral infections that can enter the bloodstream and lungs and travel through the body. This can increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, and respiratory disorders.

Brushing and flossing are crucial activities that effect general health just as much as medications, proper diet and physical activity. Seeing a dental hygienist regularly aid in the process of general well being, and should be a part of everyone's regular routine.

When providing care to an individual with needs certain signs should be observed for inadequate oral care:

• Food debris
• Weight loss
• Chronic bad breath
• Red, swollen, bleeding tender gums
• Loose teeth/ tooth pain
• Abscess or pus around gums or teeth

A good routine to get into with oral hygiene should include:

• Brushing and or cleaning the mouth twice daily for two minutes
• Remove and brush dentures twice daily or more if needed
• Floss teeth at least daily
• Brushing or scraping tongue
• Booking regular dental hygiene/ dental visits.

An important resource to utilize should be your dental professionals. We can aid in advice and tips to help make home care effective and give you the tools to help make sure that individuals, no matter their disability, receive the proper care they need to maintain oral and overall health.

Sara Haire Dental Hygienist

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A Message From Our Office

Last weekend, I read a book about our airway. As a population in general, there is a greater incident of airway obstruction over the last number of decades. Of course, the airway is necessary for us as humans to obtain the proper exchange of oxygen in order to keep the brain/heart perfused with oxygen. Any obstruction will affect the body's ability to obtain oxygen. This change has been attributed to a multitude of factors. One factor is our diet has changed over the decades. We now have a much softer diet, which over time has changed our jaw structure and size. This has caused changes to the sinuses and the tongue posture which in turn will affect the airway. Other factors are environmental (toxins), increase in obesity (especially in youth), and lack of exercise/play.

It is important to deal with airway problems, if possible, as early as possible. Therefore, any airway issue ideally should be identified and treated as a child. ADHD, allergies and asthma have all been linked to airway obstruction in children. Treating airway issues as a child will also help prevent potential sleep apnea as an adult.

Signs to look for in children are as follows:

• Mouth breathing
• Narrow/high palate
• Retruded lower jaw (push back)
• Tongue tied
• Night grinding
• Snoring
• forward head posture
• Slouching posture

Because the brain is developing rapidly in young children and proper oxygen is imperative, it is important to identify an airway obstruction as early as possible. Plus, a sleep issue as a child will likely develop into sleep apnea as an adult. Therefore, sleep apnea is preventable if treated early.

Until next month, keep smiling,

Dr. Ian Gray and staff