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http://www.elevatewomenshealth.ca/

Elevate Women's Health Centre - Dr. Shawna Dingman, 180 Mary Street, Port Perry, ON (2026)

04/24/2026

Jess and I were talking about how inspiring it was to see so many women at Strong for Life last month. Stay strong, stay connected!

04/10/2026

Day 5 - Zion National Park, Utah

Our 5th and last day, we crossed 3 states to arrive at stunning Zion National Park. A fellow hiker in the Grand Canyon had just come from Zion with his 2 sons and recommended renting e-bikes to zip around within the park, since you can’t drive your car inside the gates. What a great suggestion!

We peddled to Canyon Coffee Company to start our long day of hiking and enjoyed a breakfast sandwich overlooking some of the most incredible cliffs I’ve ever seen. Given the scenery on this trip - that’s saying something!

The amazing thing I found today was that my body felt “gym stiff”. It was a little tight and stiff like I’d done a gym workout, but not sore anywhere, including my calves. Every part of me felt ready for our longest day of climbing.

We pedalled about halfway through the canyon to get to the trail head at Scout Lookout. I feel like I keep saying this, but I was gob-jawed at the views with every step. It was a steep hike - about 2,000’ to the lookout. Today, unlike my first couple of days, we kept a steady pace and didn’t need to stop for any rests. Correction - I stopped to take pictures after having learned that taking them while still hiking is a BAD idea. More than once, Craig grabbed my shirt and pulled me back from the edge I didn’t see because I was looking up and around.

There were a LOT of people on this hike. The lookout was crowded. So we kept walking…up, up and up some more. We were rewarded with our efforts as we stopped for lunch at a quiet cliff about 2,500’ above the river below.

The descent went quickly as the paths here are quite civilized. It’s definitely at quad workout, though. It’s like doing a wall sit for 90 minutes.

I really enjoyed the freedom that our bikes afforded us. Zion is packed with people no matter when you go or where you go in the park. Biking allowed us to get away from the crowds and enjoy nature a little more privately. And pedalling helped spin out the lactic acid, reducing the stiffness from hiking. It was a win-win.

We did 2 more shorter hikes in the park and left at dinner time. We enjoyed the best wood oven pizza ever at Onyx in Springdale (remember on Day 3 when I said Alexxa’s was the best? - this was better!). Then we drove back to Las Vegas to catch a red eye home.

Overall, the trip was outstanding. We don’t have anything in Canada like the scenery we got to experience in the south west. When I calculated our metrics, here’s what we did over 4 days of hiking plus a day in the city:
👍 65km of hiking
👍 22,596 feet (7,732 m) of elevation (up and down)
👍 122,441 steps

I can’t wait for the next adventure with Craig!

04/09/2026

Day 4 - Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

Nevada doesn’t wow me. It’s like a barren wasteland with nothing pretty to look at. And then there’s Red Rock Canyon, just 25 minutes outside of Las Vegas.

I had very low expectations of this day of hiking. I figured at best, we’d hike up a difficult mountain and enjoy panoramic views of a city I’m not particularly impressed with. Boy was I wrong!

I should mention that I woke up feel much more limber 👏. My calf stiffness was drastically reduced. I was feeling hopeful for the day’s exertion, and yet I was still trying to figure out in my head how to talk my husband down from the hike he had planned for us. Not one, by the way, but 2. As we arrived in the parking lot, I remember thinking “just shut up and stop trying to fight it. It’s happening. It will be fine.” It was.

We hiked to Turtlehead Peak early that morning. The entire hike was breathtaking. There were huge hills and mountains of striated coloured rock birthed up from the desert. Everywhere you looked it was stunning. It felt to me like I’d entered the set of a Flintstone’s movie.

I’m used to hiking in order to get to the view. This trip has brought me to places where the summit isn’t the prize; the whole hike is. RRC was no different. Every bit of elevation brought new beauty and spectacular scenery. We hiked early in the morning to avoid the heat of the desert, so there were very few people in the Canyon. This, I am learning about myself, is another bonus. I like the quiet of enjoying the journey without crowds, something that would be emphasized on Day 5.

We sat at the summit of Turtlehead Peak and enjoyed an early lunch (or breakfast #2), taking in the beautiful vista. I was amazed at how great my legs felt…better and better the further we went. Hiked at a really good pace despite the steepness of the final 1/3 of the hike to the top. It’s amazing how the body adapts to the task at hand when challenged. Another reminder of my ah ha from Day 2. The hike down was challenging only because the rock was quite loose and the pitch was steep. I was glad for my hiking poles!

We finished that hike in much less time than we’d originally planned 👍. That left extra time for another hike before it got too hot.

So here’s the mindset problem again. I was one and done. In my mind, we had accomplished what we set out to, and that was enough. My mind just shuts down any thought of more. Craig’s attitude was “we’re here, it’s beautiful, we are young and energetic, why wouldn’t we keep going? There’s more to see.” He’s really good at just putting one foot in front of the other and shutting his mind off. It’s a skill I still lack, but an important one for hiking and for life 🤔. Your body simply responds to what is happening in your brain. I you think you can’t, you’re right. If you think you can, you’re right.

I did my best to shift to a “one step at a time…this is our day, what else do we have to do?” attitude. I was only marginally successful. Turns out I was also just really tired.

We hiked Icebox Canyon after a rest, some hydration and a snack. This hike was supposed to be 3 miles total (out and back), with minimal elevation and mostly shaded by a Canyon. And there was supposed to be a waterfall at the end. It was a little longer than 3 miles, no waterfall and only 1/2 shaded. Thank God we had enough water! It was a lovely hike with a lot of scrambling, which I usually enjoy. But I was tired and starting to stumble a bit, a sure sign I’d had enough. I guess you can only ask so much of yourself. As much as it’s important to push yourself in order to adapt, it’s also important to listen to your body’s signs of exhaustion. Especially in the desert.

We drove back to our condo in LV and enjoyed a restful afternoon by the pool again. We packed our suitcases in preparation for an early check out and a big day of travel and hiking the following day, our last day of our trip.

Day 4 - Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

I had very low expectations of this day of hiking. I figured at best, we’d hike up a difficult mountain and enjoy panoramic views of a city I’m not particularly impressed with. Boy was I wrong!

I should mention that I woke up feel much more limber 👏. My calf stiffness was drastically reduced. I was feeling hopeful for the day’s exertion, and yet I was still trying to figure out in my head how to talk my husband down from the hike he had planned for us. Not one, by the way, but 2. As we arrived in the parking lot, I remember thinking “just shut up and stop trying to fight it. It’s happening. It will be fine.” It was.

We hiked to Turtlehead Peak early that morning. The entire hike was breathtaking. There were huge hills and mountains of striated coloured rock birthed up from the desert. Everywhere you looked it was stunning. It felt to me like I’d entered the set of a Flintstone’s movie.

We hiked Icebox Canyon after a rest, some hydration and a snack. This hike was supposed to be 3 miles total (out and back), with minimal elevation and mostly shaded by a Canyon. And there was supposed to be a waterfall at the end. It was a little longer than 3 miles, no waterfall and only 1/2 shaded. Thank God we had enough water! It was a lovely hike with a lot of scrambling, which I usually enjoy. But I was tired and starting to stumble a bit, a sure sign I’d had enough. I guess you can only ask so much of yourself. As much as it’s important to push yourself in order to adapt, it’s also important to listen to your body’s signs of exhaustion. Especially in the desert.

We drove back to our condo in LV and enjoyed a restful afternoon by the pool again. We packed our suitcases in preparation for an early check out and a big day of travel and hiking the following day, our last day of our trip.

04/08/2026

Day 3 - Las Vegas. Rest Day.

Hallelujah. It’s a rest day. My body really needed a day to recover. I slept 8 straight hours, which NEVER happens. And I could barely walk when I woke up.

My first few steps were absurd. I literally shuffled for the first minute or 2. Every step hurt, my calves were SO tight. My Achilles tendon felt like someone had shortened it, and the stretch required to walk was not happening. God forbid I had to do any stairs; every step felt like I was being punched in the legs.

We enjoyed coffee at Einstein Bros. Coffee shop just around the corner from our condo. It was lovely to sit outside in shorts and tees watching the sun rise over the distant canyon with palm trees in front of us, knowing everyone at home was still waking up to winter.

We had a big protein breakfast and a slow morning with lots of reading, journalling and planning our next 2 days of hiking. We bought tickets to a Cirque du Soleil show in the afternoon and planned an evening walk along the Strip.

We spent the early part of the afternoon swimming and lounging on the poolside sun deck😎, reading our books and napping in the shade of the 35 degree C afternoon. It felt divine. Craig gave me the most painful massage I’ve ever had on my calves and feet. I tried to figure out what I’d done to deserve such torture.

If you’ve never seen a Cirque du Soleil show, it’s definitely worth it. The athletic abilities of these performers is out of this world. From my perspective, I was awed at the flexibility and strength of these actors. I was once again flabbergasted at what the human body can do when challenged and pushed to be more, to be better. It was very humbling.

We had dinner at Alexxa’s right across from the Bellagio hotel. It was the best pizza I’ve ever had (soon to be short lived - see Day 5’s post in 2 days). We watched the fountains perform across the street and walked all around the Strip. We still managed to walk 7 km that day and do over 10,000 steps - each one earned with a lot of discomfort.

We had a big hike planned for the next day. I was already in the process of negotiating Craig down from the hike he wanted to do. With the way my calves were feeling, I didn’t see any possibility of me being able to do another 4 hour hike with 3,000’ of elevation.

I went to sleep praying for divine healing and a less willful husband 😴. I got one and not the other.

04/07/2026

Day 2 - Grand Canyon, South Kaibob Trail

I woke up this morning with calves that felt like someone had swapped them out with little bowling balls. My quads were stiff and my hamstrings were tight. Not a good feeling knowing we had a difficult hike scheduled today. Thankfully my glute tendinopathy felt pretty good - a nice surprise.

We hit the trailhead of the South Kaibob Trail at sunrise and enjoyed a beautiful vista looking north east. This trail was steep and exposed to the sun. We had been told by many to get it done before noon or you’re baked. And because there was a major heat bubble over the Canyon, heat was a real concern. The temperate at the bottom of the trail where the River is was 40 degrees C the day before and only slightly cooler as you ascended.

Craig wanted to get to Skeleton Point, which was 3 miles (about 5km) from the top of the South Rim and about 2,000’ of elevation. Ooh Ah Point was only a mile and Cedar Lookout was 1.5 miles from the top. I was having none of going all the way to Skeleton Point with how tired and stiff my legs were. There was no way. I figured we’d go to Ooh Ah or at best Cedar and turn around.

I lost that negotiation. Craig felt I could do it no problem and that the view would be worth it. I honesty didn’t think it was going to play out well, but I checked my attitude and down we went to Skeleton Point.

The view was spectacular. It was the first and only time we could actually see the Colorado River snaking through the Canyon. We rested and ate breakfast #2 overlooking the River, then turned around.

Surprisingly, the hike uphill today was not bad. My legs began to really loosen up. My tendon pain went away. My cardio was in good shape and we started motoring uphill.

My body was adapting to the task at hand.

It sounds strange to say considering I tell my patients this all the time, but it was such an obvious example of how the nervous system WANTS to adapt and the body WANTS to do what I wanted it to do. It felt really good (in an exhausting way).

I began to use the uphill climb as “sprint intervals”: I’d walk at a speed that would get me to max heart rate for a few minutes, then I’d back off and let my heart rate come to a more reasonable rate. I did this for the full 3 miles. We enjoyed the view at every point and got to the top before we planned to.

I had to tell Craig he was right. That sucked 😪.

We headed back to Las Vegas that evening and visited the Hoover Dam on the way - VERY cool! Looking forward to a day of rest on Day 3!

Lessons learned:
💡Hiking is like doing the weighted step ups my physiotherapist prescribed me. But instead of doing 3 sets of 8-12 reps, I’d done about 10,000 (literally) on my right leg by this point. It was working 👏.
💡Sometimes the best way to get out of pain is to push past it. To force adaptation. This, of course, is tricky and needs to be assessed on a case by case basis.
💡I tell myself I can’t a lot. I have to stop doing that.
💡This old body has a lot left in the tank. I can still build strength and stamina. Isn’t that what I tell my patients ALL. THE. TIME?
💡Craig actually plans these trips very carefully and has a very good idea of what I can do and what will push me over the edge (pardon the pun). I need to trust him more and stop trying to negotiate.
💡My husband and I have a lot of fun when we’re kicking around in nature. There’s a peace there that helps us be our authentic selves. This is a good way for us to vacation together.

04/06/2026

Last week, I had the wonderful and sometimes exhausting experience of vacationing with my husband, Craig. I always feel like I should write vacationing as “vacationing”, because most people think we’re nuts for thinking this is relaxing and restful. Such is life with my hubby. I think of our ever increasing time off together as . It’s not that we’re winding down in practice (he’s a chiropractor too in Aurora). Our kids are now grown up and we’re vacationing sans enfants now 👏👏👏.

Anyhoo….last week we took off on an epic hiking adventure to some of the most beautiful places in the world. If you take a look at my personal page ( Dingman), I posted some pics and some of the awesome sites we saw and explored.

On this page, I wanted to outline some of the highlights of the trip from a more clinical standpoint, with pictures of course! I had a lot of light bulb moments 💡🥸. Some were on a personal / emotional / spiritual level. And some directly pertained to health and how amazing the human body is. This is what I will share here. I’ll post day by day, but know that I’m doing this in retrospect.

Here we go…. Day 1 - The Grand Canyon

My first view of the Canyon was absolutely jaw dropping. Everyone who’s been there tries to describe it, but you just cannot. You have to see it to believe it. The vastness of it, the majesty of God’s incredible creation and the smallness of me against nature is truly humbling.

Our hike that day was the Bright Angel Trail. It is a 9-mile trail that joins the top of the south rim of the Canyon to the Colorado River at the bottom. It has an elevation of 4,500’. We were hiking 4.5 miles from the top to the half way point at Havasupai Gardens. The elevation was about 3,000’. That made a 9 mile hike with 6,000’ total elevation change. The word I use to describe this particular hike was gruelling. It’s by far the hardest hike I’ve ever done. Going down is hard on the knees for sure (my legs were shaking my mile 1.5). But going up is a pure endurance sport. Every single step with the exception of 3 - yes, we counted - went uphill.

Did I mention that coming into this trip, I’ve been dealing with a right leg tendinopathy for months. Walking from my house to my office less than a kilometre away is painful. I figured this trip was either going to kill it or cure it. I’ve been trying to strengthen and stretch the muscle on that leg that’s the problem, but it’s a slow go. I used KT tape for the entire trip to support the area. Hiking the Bright Angel trail certainly lit the area up right from the first step.

Going down the trail was not too bad. Tiring, but very doable. I could have gone downhill all day long I think. Going uphill was a whole different story.

We stopped for a bite to eat and a rest at the 4.5 mile rest station, Havasupai Gardens. It’s a beautiful, shaded rest area on a flatter part of the trail where you can actually stay overnight and camp.

As soon as we turned around to hike uphill, my body just rebelled. It felt exhausting and my heart just didn’t want to keep up. I was walking at a 🐌 pace! I figured if I just went REALLY slowly and kept putting one foot in front of the other, I’d eventually get to the top. But by the 3 mile rest station I was starting to wonder if we’d make it out of the Canyon before dark.

Then something wonderful happened 🌟 I don’t know whether my brain just realized this is happening and it can get with the program or the shade from the setting sun helped, but things just started to “kick in”. I could go up a gear and speed up.

Managing my mind was a big part of this trip. I don’t like things that are hard. I don’t like to be in pain. I don’t like to sweat and be exhausted. I admit, I’m a total baby. And I always like to get where I’m going instead of just enjoying the ride there.

This was an exercise in me remembering that the walk IS the reward. The view IS the prize. We were in no rush and had all afternoon to get to the top. I just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other and stop bitching in my head about how hot and hard it was. And then my body came in line with my head.

By the time we got to the 1.5 mile mark (only 1.5 mile to go), our pace was excellent. My calves were feeling pretty tight, but my cardiovascular system was responding nicely. We finished the hike about an hour before the sun set. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset over the Canyon.

Lessons learned:
💡Hard doesn’t mean I can’t.
💡My headspace is a major determinant of how my body will respond.
💡Hiking is a SUPER cardio sport requiring fitness to do it well. 💡Hiking in the Canyon can be life threatening if you overestimate your ability or underestimate the difficulty of the journey. Heat exhaustion is one of the biggest dangers in this area.
💡It’s ok to be bored…let your mind wander. It’s good for it. 💡Having no cell reception is anxiety provoking and takes some getting used to. Then it’s awesome.
💡Body pain can be a good thing; it can (but not always) mean you’re adapting.

We ended the day exhausted and looking forward to what Day 2 would bring.

03/17/2026

Last call 📢! We are blown away - more than 50 women have signed up for our Strong for Life workshop happening Thursday March 19th from 11:15 am - 12:15 pm at Prince Albert Hall in Port Perry.

Jess Cohan of Make a Move and I are so excited to gather with them to learn about a new definition of strength for today’s independent woman over 50. We’ll be teaching you how to train your body and your brain to stay active, strong and confident for years to come. There’s still time to register!

Join me, Dr. Shawna Dingman of Elevate Women’s Health Centre and Jess Cohan, certified exercise physiologist and owner of Make a Move with Jess as we unpack the newest research in women’s longevity and strength. Thanks to our sponsor Anyway Fruit! Learn more and register here 👇. The link is also in my Instagram bio 👏.

https://www.elevatewomenshealth.ca/strong-for-life

03/12/2026

I’m loving my fruit cup from Anyway Fruit - Port Perry! Jess and I are so pumped they’re providing fruit bowls for our workshop on Thursday March 19th!

03/08/2026

Strength isn’t just about muscles!

Many women think strength is just about lifting weights. But your nervous system, posture, balance, and coordination all play a role in how steady and confident your body feels.

That’s exactly what we explore in the Strong for Life self-assessment. Find out what you can do starting today to stay active and independent for years to come.

👉 TAKE THE QUIZ
https://www.elevatewomenshealth.ca/self-assessment

Elevate Women's Health Centre - Dr. Shawna Dingman

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Monday	3pm - 6pm
Tuesday	8:40am - 11:30am
Wednesday	3pm - 6pm
Thursday	7:30am - 10am
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