Exam Snacking

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Hey all!

Exam season is upon us, and so that means late nights, too much coffee and nothing but Ramen noodles. Lets try to make something other than instant noodles, hot dogs, chicken finger, frozen pizzas etc. Here are two healthy snacks that you can make large batches of and keep on hand.

Chile Almonds: 

The perfect balance between sweet and spicy, these roasted nuts are the ideal protein-rich snack to keep in your bag when you’re on the go.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk 1 egg white until very foamy, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tsp cane sugar and 2 tsp chile powder. Add 1 cup roasted unsalted almonds and toss to coat thoroughly. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper. With a slotted spoon, transfer almond to sheet, spreading evenly. Discard remaining egg mixture. Bake until fragrant and toasted. 12-14 minutes, keeping a close eye to prevent burning. Carefully lift parchment with almonds from sheet and transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely , about 30 minutes. Remove almonds from parchment. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

 

Chocolate Banana Bonbons:

Forget about ice cream! These creamy, chocolaty treats will conquer your craving or an indulgent frozen snack – but they’re low in fat and sugar!

Heat a small saucepan on medium. Add 2oz 70% cocoa dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate and melt, stirring often, until smooth, about 2-5 minutes; watch closely to prevent chocolate from burning. Slice 2 bananas, peeled into 0.5-inch-thick rounds. Dip 1 side of each round into chocolate and transfer (chocolate side up) to a medium baking sheet. Freeze until chocolate hardens and bananas are frozen through about 1 hr. Serve immediately or transfer to a large zip-lock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to a month.

 

Well, here’s to a healthy and and successful exam period and summer!

 

Caitlin

Embracing a Fifth-Year

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Embracing a Fifth-Year

Ten years ago, being a 5th year at a university probably marked you as unserious about your studies, a college-lifer, or someone who spent most of their degree sleeping, switching majors, partying – or all of the above.   But times have certainly changed folks: Five is the new four!  The connotations of being a fifth year university student have shifted now along the lines of being involved and “taking advantage of your time at university”.   On the other hand, a fourth year student has become this over-hardworking student that is assumed to have taken classes every summer, or simply a miraculous superhero.

I, myself, was pretty saddened when I discovered I would be doing a fifth year.  I realized this in my second year, but with every year since then, I have seen more and more the silver-lining on this “cloud”.  I have discovered the exciting side to one more year at UBC, and eased the burden in trying to fit all my interests into my university experience.   All those traditions I have been putting off because of busyness are gradually being completed: Storm the Wall, Day of Longboat, SLC, Vagina Monologues, etc.  UBC is too big of a campus to accomplish everything in 4 years, or even 5, 6, 7 years alike, but another year sure does lighten the load! 

I would like to address any students that are feeling down about a prospective fifth year, here are some gentle reminders: a) You’re not an unproductive, college-lifer student. b) It’s a blessing in disguise really.  c) The more time you spend wishing you weren’t finishing in five years, the less time you’ll have to enjoy and explore all the possibilities that only another year’s worth of time can bring!

Besides, the real world can definitely wait another year.  No rush needed.

Work Your Core

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Work Your Core

 

Have you found that you’re not can’t find time to go to the gym, but still want to stay fit. It’s important to exercise consistently in order to stay healthy, and your core is important as it is used in many different exercises. Below are some reasons to exercise your core, as well as some easy exercises that you can do at home, when you don’t have time to go on a run, or just don’t want to because it’s raining.

 

Did you know?

 

            -Your core muscles are crucial for trunk and hip stabilization; having a weak core can result in back, hip, and knee injuries, poor posture, and damaged muscles

            -Core muscles improve both balance and stability in every movement that we make, as well as when we are staying still

            -As there is no single muscle that controls spine stabilization, it is important to focus on strengthening all of the contributing muscles in order to achieve balance and maintain stability across the entire range of functional daily movements

            -Training of core muscles allows for better maintenance of a neutral spine posture, which is the safest posture for lifting and other daily activities

 

Exercises to improve core stability and strength

 

Here are two exercises that are great for beginners as well as advanced athletes to work on development and maintenance of core strength and stability. Other exercises to try are Bridge, Oblique curls, Prone, Ball/BOSU crunches.

 

Crunch

 

Crunches are an excellent exercise to target the rectus abdominus muscle, but are often done incorrectly.

  1. Lie face-up on an exercise mat with legs bent at 90 degrees, and hands at temples or behind head
  2. Contract abdominals by coughing, thinking about tucking your ribs closer to your hips; contract pelvic floor by doing a Kegel. Curl up just enough so that your head, neck and backs of shoulders are off the floor – this is your “start position”
  3. Without losing contraction, curl up a few inches by bringing your ribs closer to your hips, NOT by lifting directly off the floor
  4. Hold at the top, then slowly lower back down to the start position (not all the way to the floor!)
  5. Repeat 10 times, then rest.

Be careful not to curl up too high, as this will stop working your rectus abdominus and instead work your hip flexor muscles.

 

 

Plank

 

Plank is an excellent exercise for people of all fitness levels to work on stabilization. It can be modified for beginners by planking from the knees instead of the toes.

 

  1. Lie facedown on an exercise mat with arms facing out front, elbows stacked directly beneath shoulders; tuck toes underneath feet
  2. “Tuck your tail”
  3. Lift body onto forearms and toes, maintaining a neutral spine and without sinking down into your shoulders
  4. Maintain posture for 20-60 seconds, then lower

A Good Night’s Sleep

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Getting a good night’s sleep is more important than you think.  Sleep problems can have a negative effect on our mental health by influencing our emotions, thoughts, behaviors and body sensations.

 Emotions: If your sleep is disturbed, you might feel irritable, grumpy, numbed out, sad, anxious, worried or stressed.

 Thoughts: Sleep problems can make it difficult to concentrate or think clearly, or make decision the next day

 Behaviors: We are more likely to avoid our usual activities when we are experiencing sleep problems.

 Body Sensations: Sleep difficulties can leave us feeling tired, drowsy and worn out.

 Although sleep problems are common, there are some easy ways to improve the quality of your sleep. Many people find their physical and mental well being also improves when their sleep improves. Here are 7 useful tips to help improve your night’s sleep.

 1. Follow the same routine- try to keep the same sleep and wake schedule everyday, setting your internal clock.

 2. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, smoking and exercising at least 2 hours before bedtime. These can cause some disrupted or trouble sleeping.

 3. Avoid being hungry or eating heavily before going to bed; instead eat balanced meals and snacks at regular intervals during the day.

 4. Make your bedroom comfortable and only use it for sleeping- Avoid using your bed for watching TV, work, studying, or any other mentally stimulating activities.

 5. Get up if you do not fall asleep within half an hour. Leave your bedroom and do something relaxing and later return when you’re feeling drowsy. Over time this will likely reverse sleep problems.

 6. Avoid taking naps if you are experiencing sleep problems. If you do take a nap, try to keep it to 45 minutes or less.

 7. Challenge the belief we can’t function without a perfects nights sleep- Don’t get anxious if you aren’t able to sleep and are worried about your productivity the next day.     

Quiet Hours are the most important residence standard for a reason. 

QUIET HOURS

Sunday to Thursday          10pm-7am

Friday to Saturday             1am-7am

For more information on:

 How to get a good night’s sleep
http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_tips.htm

What happens if you don’t get a good night’s sleep.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_deprivation

How Much is Enough?

 It’s different for everyone- some people need more than others but most need 6-8 hours. If you are frequently tired or irritable during the day or find yourself sleeping an extra 2 hours each night on weekends, then you’re probably not getting enough. 

It’s not just enough sleep – it’s about getting the right kind of sleep as well. Student who don’t get enough REM sleep perform way worse recalling newly learned information. It’s the last couple of hours of sleep that contain the most REM sleep – it’s the good quality REM sleep that suffers.

Rekindling the Relationship: Living with Roommates in Term 2

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I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have just realized that second term has actually started. Even though it’s been three weeks already, something about classes starting so early just messed with my head. Now that we’re out of “Christmas mode” and back into “school mode”, it can be a great time to re-evaluate how things are going with your roommates. Many of you have new roommates this term, so it’s important to discuss your cleaning schedule and roommate agreement again so that everyone’s on the same page. Even if you have the same roommates as last term, this can be a great chance to check in and make sure that everyone’s happy with how things have been going. Here are six tips for rekindling the relationship with your roommates in term two:

  1. Start a conversation. Ask them how their break went. Actually listen. If you’ve already done this, ask about their classes this term, or what extra-curriculars they are involved in.
  2. Make a meal together. It can be fun to cook together, and you might learn some new skills too!
  3. Include new roommates. If you have new roommates this term, make sure they feel welcome in your unit. It can be hard to be the only new person in an established unit, so reach out.
  4. Make a (new) cleaning schedule. There’s nothing worse that feeling like you’re the only one doing all the cleaning. While you might be able to stand it for now, it will get worse once midterms start. Make a cleaning schedule ahead of time to prevent conflict.
  5. Revisit your roommate agreement. Take the time to talk about how your roommate agreement went last term, and make revisions if necessary. Even if it went great, it’s a good time to remind everyone what you all agreed to back in September.
  6. Deal with conflict. Conflict happens, it’s part of living with other people. If something your roommate is doing is driving you crazy, talk to them about it! Be respectful. Give them an opportunity to fix it. Chances are, they may not have even realized it was bothering you.

If you want more information or advice on living with roommates, check out the UBC Housing website (http://www.housing.ubc.ca/after-move-in/living-with-a-roommate) or talk to your Advisor. Good luck!

Fruits and Veggies Made Easy

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The evidence is clear that fruits and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. They are fullof vitamins, minerals and fibre, which have been shown to decrease the risk of cancer, heart disease and other chronic diseases. According to Canada’s Food Guide, the average adult requires around 8 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. However, the busyness of life can make it hard to live a healthy, balanced lifestyle, so here are some tips to help you incorporate fruits and vegetables into your daily routine.

1. Start the day off right: Ensure your breakfast includes one or two portions of fruit. This could be a piece of fruit, a fruit smoothie, or berries to complement your cereal or yogurt.

2. Successful Snacks: Having fruits or vegetables in your mid-morning or afternoon snacks will provide longer lasting energy to help you stay alert in class. Including some fat or protein will keep you feeling full for longer and reduce the desire to munch. Good snack ideas include hummus with veggies, an apple with peanut butter, or yoghurt with berries.

3. The Perfect Ingredient: If you’re having a hard time getting enough fruits and vegetables, try sneaking them into foods you are baking or cooking. Consider adding extra vegetables to your pasta sauce or substituting oil with apple sauce when baking. Mashed bananas, grated zucchini, pumpkin, yams and frozen berries also make great additions to baked goods.

4. Cook in Bulk and Freeze for Later: Having homemade entrees in your freezer will help you on the days when you’re too tired or busy to cook from scratch. Knowing that after a long day at school or work, you can have a delicious and hearty meal ready in minutes will help take some of the stress off your shoulders.

5. Don’t throw out those wilted veggies: You may not want to make a salad out of vegetables that are close to their best before date, but they are the ideal for many cooked dishes including soups, stews and casseroles.

6. Eat up when you eat out: Just because you’re eating out or ordering food in, that doesn’t mean you have to forsake everything you know about healthy eating. Consider substituting the fries on your plate for a salad or adding some stir fried vegetables as a side.

7. Keep fruits and vegetables on hand: The perfect way to ensure you always have fruits and vegetables handy is to buy them canned or frozen, or cut and freeze them yourself. Just be sure when you’re buying canned items that they don’t contain added salt or sugar. You can also clean and chop vegetables and keep them in the fridge for busier days.

Good luck on your quest for a more balanced lifestyle and I hope these tips help you get the fruits and vegetables your body needs!

 

Nadine Baerg

Year 3 Dietetics, UBC

Snack Facts

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Snack Facts

We all know the feeling; you’re sitting in the middle of class and your stomach is

rumbling. It’s all you can focus but it’s not quite lunch or dinnertime yet, and you are

tempted to make a mad dash for the Tim Bits. The truth is, snacking can, and should, be

part of a healthy diet. The key is choosing snacks that will nourish your body and keep

you going throughout the day. While it may not seem like it, healthy snacking is easy;

there are just a few things you need to know and do!

Healthy snacks are important part of a balanced diet.

Snacks can help keep hunger at bay and prevent you from eating more than you need at

meals. They can also help keep you focused during class and while studying between

meals. A healthful snack is a great way to get all the nutrients you need and help keep

your blood sugar levels stable.

What is considered a snack?

A snack should be between 100-200 calories. Choose nutrient dense foods over those

with empty calories. For example try whole grains instead of white flour products, dried

fruit instead of gummy candies, and nuts instead of potato chips. The key is variety.

Switching up your snacks can keep things exciting and also ensures that you are getting

a wider range of important nutrients.

If you want to start snacking healthier there are a few things you need to do:

1. Plan ahead

Plan ahead and buy what you will need for your snacks (and meals) for the week.

Pack your snacks along with your lunch and books the night before or in the

morning so you will have them on hand throughout the day. Knowing you have

the food with you will stop you from buying an ‘unhealthy’ snack last minute.

2. Check the serving size and read the label

Food labels can tell you a lot. Check the portion sizes listed on the package, as

some packaged foods may contain 3 or 4 servings. Keep in mind that information

listed on the nutrition facts table refers to the amount in a single serving. Use the

% Daily Value (DV) to determine if a food is high or low in a certain nutrient.

High: >15% DV, Low: <5% DV

Choose foods high in: fiber, iron, calcium, vitamins

Choose foods low in: saturated and trans fats, sodium

3. Drink lots of water

Water has zero calories, can help keep you feeling full, and is essential for

health. Its important to stay hydrated, so bring a reusable water bottle along with

you.

4. Avoid snacking out of boredom or stress.

When you feel like a snack, think to yourself, “Am I really hungry or just bored?” If

you are just bored try going for a walk, jog, meeting a friend, reading a book, or

watching an episode of your favourtie show. It is important to find outlets other

than food that you can turn to when you’re stressed, such as a sport, playing with

a pet, or talking with a friend.

Time to snack! Here are some snack ideas that are cheap, delicious, and easy for

busy students:

• Trail Mix: Buy your favourite nuts, seeds and dried fruits in bulk and mix your

own trail mix. You can easily tailor it to your tastes and even make a different mix

every day.

• Hummus and veggies: Mix up your own hummus at the beginning of the week

and pack it with some veggies or whole-wheat pita to dip, or look for a healthy

store bought variety that is low in saturated and trans fat and sodium. It’s also

great on sandwiches.

• Yogurt Parfait: Pack some yogurt, granola and fruit in your bag, layer it in a cup

or container and enjoy. Sprinkle the granola on last minute so it doesn’t go

soggy.

• Celery: This veggie is perfect for filling. Try it with cream cheese, cottage cheese

or peanut butter and raisins.

• Whole grains: Try an English muffin or mini bagel with nut butter; or brown rice

crackers with cheese.

Check out these places on campus for healthy, affordable snacks:

o Agora Eats Café (HR MacMillan Building)

o The Delly (The SUB basement)

o Ike’s Café (Irving K Barber)

o Sprout’s (The SUB basement)

Even more resources for health and nutrition on a variety of topics:

Dietitians of Canada (dietitians.ca)

Health Canada (healthcanada.ca)

The UBC Wellness Centre (Irving K Barber room 183)

Happy Snacking!

Emily Reid

3rd Year Dietetics

New Year’s Resolutions for the Whole Year

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New Year’s Resolutions for the Whole Year

It’s that time of year again!  With the holiday season (and the gallons of eggnog, with cookies and pie) past us, it’s that time of year when millions of people vow to get healthier with their New Year’s resolutions.  With drinking less alcohol, eating healthier, getting fit, and losing weight all on the top ten list of resolutions, why is it that so many people fail to reach their goals?  Here are some tips to help you be successful in reaching your goals, no matter what they are.

Step 1: Find your Motivation

Have you ever been really excited to make a drastic change in your life, but before you know it you’ve completely lost your drive to succeed?  You were most likely inspired rather than motivated.  True motivation, from a behavioural change perspective, must be internal, whereas inspiration is the short-term external drive that often leads to plans fizzling out part way through. 

So what makes us lose motivation?  All humans are subject to socio-biological factors that affect behaviour, such as the pleasure principle, which leads us to seek things that please us now, instead of waiting for long-term gains.  To overcome these factors and build motivation, look for positive reinforcements instead of negative ones.  For instance, if you just booked your ticket to Cancun for reading break and the idea of donning a bathing suit along with your extra holiday weight makes your stomach twist with nervousness, think about how great you will feel once you’ve lost the weight, and focus on that positive image instead of the discomfort you would feel putting on the suit now.

Step 2: Determine your Readiness for Change

Many people who fail to succeed in their goals do so because they are not ready to make the change.  In order to determine your readiness for change, ask yourself the following four questions:

  1. Is the behaviour (or lack of it) a problem for you?
  2. Does the behaviour (or lack of it) cause you any distress?
  3. Are you interested in changing your behaviour?
  4. Are you ready to do something to change your behaviour now?

If you honestly answer yes to all of these questions, then you are likely ready to make the change.  If you still have some ambivalence however, think about why you wanted to make the change in the first place.  Do some soul-searching and see if you can find an internal motivation that will boost your desire to succeed.

Step 3: Make the Change

Once you’re ready to make the change, start small!  As tempting as it might be to jump in with two feet, it is likely not realistic.  Instead, create smaller goals that will provide you with short-term wins, allowing you to build your self-efficacy.  The more of these small goals that you accomplish, the more confidence you will have in yourself that you can reach your end goal.  For example, instead of concentrating on losing your holiday weight, try starting by reducing the amount of convenience food you eat, and exercising a couple of times per week. Once you’ve accomplished those goals, you can move onto bigger goals, such as increasing the frequency of your workouts and eating more healthy home-cooked meals.  Only build on goals once you are comfortable with your current ones, and keep the number of tasks at hand to a maximum of three. If you get stuck, don’t give up!  Instead assess the situation and work on ways to overcome your barriers.

Lastly, involve your friends and family in your change.  Because eating is such a social activity, those around you can have a huge influence on how you fuel your body.  Surround yourself with people and places that will reduce temptations and you’ll be on your way to a healthier you—even after everyone else has given up on their resolutions!

For more information on healthy eating, and weight management check out the Your Health tab on the website www.dietitians.ca

Amanda Coulter

Year 3 Dietetics, UBC

 

 

Revitalize your Resolutions

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Revitalize your Resolutions!

 

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “New Year’s resolution”? Do you think of people saying they want to quit smoking, improve their diet, or exercise more? Do you think of people giving up their resolution before February 1st? Last year, Time.com posted a list of 10 of the most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions. Two of them were “lose weight and get fit” and “eat healthier and diet”. Why do New Year’s resolutions to get healthy often fail? Maybe it’s because they’re not SMART.

 

A SMART goal is specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. It should be something you are highly motivated to do and think will be easy to achieve. Success with one SMART goal can boost your confidence and lead you to tackle another, slightly more challenging SMART goal. “I will stop eating junk food” is not a SMART goal. “This week, I will snack on vegetable sticks instead of chips while I study” is a SMART goal. Here are more examples of SMART goals for healthy eating.

 

  • I will drink water instead of buying pop or juice when I am thirsty this month. Tip: carry a reusable bottle with you and fill it at water fountains or sinks.
  • I will choose the vegetarian option at dinner once a week. Tip: the vegetarian option will often be higher in fibre and lower in saturated fat than the meat option.
  • I will eat vegetables or fruit at every meal this week. Tip: choose a variety of colourful vegetables and fruit, especially dark green and orange ones.
  • I will choose whole wheat or whole grain bread products at least once a day. Tip: “multi-grain” does not equal whole grain.
  • I will not buy food from a vending machine this week. Tip: purchase and carry around some healthy non-perishable snacks such as nuts, dried fruit, or low-sodium pretzels.

 

So now it’s up to you. Pick one of the ideas I’ve listed above or come up with a SMART goal of your own. Follow through with it, and then, once it has become part of your normal routine, add another. Step by step, small SMART goals can help you reach your larger goal. Here’s to a healthy New Year!

 

Katrina Goertzen

Year 4 Dietetics, UBC

 

Cruz, G., Tharoor, I., Silver, A., & Webley, K. (2012, Jan. 1.) Top Ten Commonly Broken New        Year’s Resolutions. Retrieved from http://www.time.com

The Holidays

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As I sit here, drinking my hot pomegranate and trying my best to focus on my studying, I can’t help be excited (and distracted) by the holiday season quickly approaching.  This reminds me of a show I used to watch as a kid: The Weekenders.  The Weekenders was a cartoon about 4 friends, Tino, Lor, Carver, and Tish, and their weekend adventures together.  There was this episode that showed each character celebrating the holiday season in their respective ways:  Tish celebrated Hanukkah, Carver celebrated Kwanzaa, Lor celebrated Christmas, and Tino celebrated Winter Solstice.  I remember learning a bit about all these different celebrations and realizing how much more there was involved in this time of the year than I knew.  Here’s a brief summary of each celebration…

Hanukkah: Also known as the festival of lights, this 8-day celebration consists of a candle being lit each evening on a Menorah.  This holiday commemorates re-dedication of the holy Temple in Jerusalem. 

Kwanzaa: A week-long celebration (Dec 26-Jan 1) that honors African heritage, through a feast and gift-giving.It consists of seven core principles called the Nguzo Saba: Unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity, and faith.

Christmas: Perhaps the most celebrated across the globe, this holiday commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ for Christians.  It is also a holiday linked to Santa Clause, stockings, gift-giving, and candy canes.

Winter Solstice:  This is when the Sun is appearing at noon at its lowest altitude above the horizon.  Across the globe, there are many interpretations of the event, varying from culture to culture, but most Northern Hemisphere cultures hold a recognition of rebirth, involving festivals, gatherings, rituals or other celebrations around that time.

Whatever you are celebrating this season, whether it be one of these festivities described above or just being with loved ones, I wish you a happy, restful, and enjoyable holiday break. 

Happy Holiday,

Sef.