Tag Archives: health

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.

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

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