It’s that time of the year again when you have to get your game face on and start studying for your final exams! Try these delicious and nutritious foods as your study snacks!

Wholegrains

The brain cannot work without energy. Achieve this by choosing wholegrains with which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day.

Nuts

A good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline and nuts are a great source of vitamin E!

Pumpkin Seeds

Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.

Tomatoes

There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells.

Blueberries

Not only delicious, consumption of blueberries may be effective in improving or delaying short-term memory loss!

Broccoli

A great source of vitamin K, which is known to enhance cognitive function and improve brainpower!

Source: BBC Good Foods

– Ju Young Park

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Stress management through health fitness

Often times in the height of exam season we, as students, neglect our mental and physical care. We’ve all done it. 

In my experience, the best way to combat this is from achievable goal setting. Although it seems as if there is no time, we can always make time for ourselves. In my experience setting easy goals has had a positive impact on my mental and physical health overall. I have had a boost of confidence and energy in almost everything I do.

Some examples of attainable goals:

—> set time aside to go to the aquatic centre drop ins

—> take advantage of the free gym in the basement of the aquatic centre

—> use that bird coop membership you paid for back in January

—> eat more fibre (rolled oats, celery)

—> cut up all your veggies for the week

—> avoid take out/ make your own lunch

—> when its sunny out: get outside!

—> go to bed 15 minutes earlier

Cheers!

– Carrie 

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Blog Post Wellness Month

Hey, congratulations you’re almost to the end of the year, better than both of us suspected eh? Anyways, it seems like midterms are never stopping, and guess what? Finals are coming up in about a month and some change, but don’t even worry about it, because this month is all about wellness and destressing and have I got the perfect thing for you. And nope it’s not called the Pit, although I have heard that place is bumping on Wednesdays, this wonderful place that I want to inform you about is the UBC Aquatic Centre. The only place where adults or pre adults or whatever we are called these days can act like kids and not be judged, they have a rope swing, and diving boards, so get out there and attempt an Olympic style dive, maybe you just found your new profession, just don’t forget about me when you’re racking up the millions. Don’t even get me started about the rope swing, a rope used as a swing in a swimming pool, do I have to go on? And if physical activity in H20 isn’t your cup of tea, you can always just chill and relax in the hot tub or the sauna, contrary to popular belief hot tubs are good for you… I think. So grab a couple of friends and hit up the Aquatic Centre for some good family fun, why not? Its free for students just bring your UBC student card, PS, you might want to check the pool schedules online also just in case you start doing wicked rope swing tricks into a seniors water aerobics class, do your thing its 2016 I ain’t judging.

Joshua Park

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I’ve been reading a few open letters lately about some friends expressing their challenges with their mental health, and this inspired me to share a bit about myself in terms of health and wellness. It’s refreshing to re-realize that despite of our differences, there are many similarities we keep shielded from most people that we meet in our daily lives. In this post, I want you all to know that whatever you may be facing, you are not alone—if you need to talk, any Residence Advisor will be happy to listen and be there for you, even if they aren’t your RA. Whether it’s something you’ve been battling for a long time or just a sudden onset of blues, I want to let you know that every person and issue matters.

Here are two things that I find helpful in whatever situation you are in: 1) self-acceptance and 2) be empowered, not victimized

• Acceptance

I believe part of being healthy is being able to tune in with yourself and accept that you are OK just the way you from the moment you were born to the present day. That you are OK going through stormy days or anxious times or being unsure. Or rather, even being OK with not being OK; knowing that it’s perfectly human to be in denial, to be emotional, to feel weak, and to make the same mistakes. Being OK with the feeling that you might’ve been a bad person. Don’t feel ashamed if you get anxious when you are around people.

Our body is unique in machinery, and although mental health is sometimes harder to see physically, it is just as important. For example, having depression doesn’t mean anything is wrong with you; it’s like having asthma or high blood pressure. There are many people you can go to and treatment you can seek if you need. Accept yourself for being you.

• Be empowered, not the victim

This is said than done. It’s sad that there are some situations where you are the victim, entirely, and if so the way I’d like you to approach this statement is despite what had happened/has happened, today you can be empowered to make the best of your existing situation. That doesn’t mean your situation would necessarily be great, but it’s still better. In other situations, even if the other person is 99% at fault and you are 1%, focus on what you can do. Feeling empowered and not victimized is something I’d encourage everyone to incorporate in something as serious as their life or moral motto. The truth about life is that perhaps the only thing we can exert some sort of control over is our attitude. Your actions might not always turn out to give you the desired result, but you can sleep much easier knowing the best you can. Even if you didn’t have a healthy, empowered mindset yesterday, you can choose to start today. Changes take a while to set it, but never, ever, ever give up on yourself.

As a final note, there are a lot of things in life that you have no control over. The one and only thing you do have control over is to accept your past and the attitude that you bring every day. If the day’s going to suck no matter what, why not try to make it better. If your day already rocks, why not enjoy it and keep it this way. It’s not easy, but your mental wellbeing should be one of your top priorities, no matter how busy life is.

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March is a busy time of year full of midterms and assignments and who knows what else. Often times when things start to get a little hectic, it’s easy to forget to take care of ourselves, and I mean keeping up with the little things like taking a minute to relax and getting enough sleep and exercise. Something else that’s really easy to let slip is our eating habits. It’s super important to keep up a good eating regimen so that we have the fuel and nutrients necessary to tackle all that life throws at us, and so that we can continually perform at our best. But the big obstacle that most of us face with eating healthy is TIME.  That’s why  fast, easy recipes that are also jam-packed with the energy and nutrients we need to face each new day are crucial to maintaining health and performance throughout the school year. Here are a few recipes that I really enjoy, give them a try!

Overnight Oatmeal

• 1/3 rolled oats
• 3/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons of flax meal
• 1 ripe banana, mashed.  The banana will turn brown overnight but it is still delicious
• 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla
• A few dashes of cinnamon
• A scoop or two of almond buter

DIRECTIONS

Mix all ingredients together and leave overnight.  The next day, top with some nut butter.

From http://eatlifebalance.com/recipes/overnight-oatmeal/

Simple Edamame, Mango & Avocado Salad

• 1 1/2 cups shelled organic edamame
• 1 medium sized mango
• 1 avocado
• 1/3 cup of red onion (optional)
• 1 lemon or lime, juiced

DIRECTIONS

Chop mango, avocado, and onion into a small dice.  Mix together, along with edamame.  Drizzle with lemon and/or lime juice.  That’s it! Enjoy!

From http://eatlifebalance.com/recipes/simple-edamame-mango-avocado-salad/

The Perfect Summer Smoothie

• 1 handful of organic spinach
• 1 cup of coconut water
• 1 cup of diced cucumber
• 1 cup of frozen fruit, ideally pineapple, mango or papaya (I actually did 1/2 cup of fruit with a 3 drops of stevia for less sugar)
• 1 lime, juiced
• 2-3 sprigs of mint
• 1 small handful of cilantro
• *1 tablespoon of flax oil or 1/2 an avocado (adding a fat to smoothies allows for the vitamins and minerals to be absorbed)

DIRECTIONS

Blend!

From http://eatlifebalance.com/recipes/the-perfect-summer-smoothie/

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Spring, the Season of Allergies

AHHHHH the good ole spring season is back and there’s only a month of school left! If you’re an individual who suffers from allergies (like me), Spring is definitely a eye itching time of the year. With the weather becoming warmer and cherry blossoms are blooming, there comes a price for those who are a tad more sensitive to certain allergens.

Here’s a few ways to conquer this lovely season:

1. Allergy Medications

Some individuals may not be too fond of medications, like myself, however these babies do wonders. When I am desperate and feeling really sick from allergy symptoms, an intake of them really clears up my sinuses. If you are against medications, then I would not recommend this option

2. Clean your room

Don’t let the dust bunnies accumulate on your drawer tops and desks. Keeping tidy and clean will help reduce itchy eyes and sneezes. I try to clean and vacuum once a week to prevent any accumulation of dusts.

3. Omega 3

Though Omega 3 does not really prevent your allergy symptoms from happening, they do promote a healthy immune symptom. Be sure to learn more about omega fatty acids as it is nutrition week!

Nic

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Hi Gage!

It’s gonna be a great day today and you know why?!

Because everyday’s a great day!!!

I know that you are probably enjoying the sporadic moments of sunshine and those are inspiring you to drink more smoothies as quick and easy breakfasts.

My portable blender tumbler I got for Christmas has been Lifechanging.

I actually wake up, looking forward to drinking my breakfast now!

These are my two favourite delicious breakfast smoothie recipes I drink everyday.

I’m sure you will be able to eyeball the measurement depending on how thick you want your smoothie

Yellow Mango Sunrise:

1 Banana

Almond milk

Greek yogurt (vanilla)

Porridge oats (for slow release carbs)

Nuts

Frozen mangoes and pineapples

Juice from half a LIME (the secret ingredient to make it amazing!!

Green Super healthy smoothie:

First blend water (or coconut water) with spinach and kale

Then add:

1 Banana

Almond Milk

Porridge oats

Nuts

Frozen mangoes and pineapples

Juice from half a LIME

Hope you enjoy these as much as I do!

Clement

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I got to go home on family day. Being home is hard now that it isn’t really “home” anymore. It’s strange to feel like a guest where you once a commoner. But after you get in the door and throw your bag on your old bed, things start to feel alright. There is nothing quite like dad’s cooking, or real orange juice (you know the stuff with the pulp that is too expensive for us students) or the Van Morisson playing in the kitchen.

Strangely when you’re back in old places with old friends you feel like your old self. “Revertigo” my friends call it. It’s when you act and speak and think like you do in your memories because that’s what is expected of you. It’s as if all the growth and character building and changes in your life never happened. It’s both a comfort and a curse.

On my way home one night after acting like a fifteen-year-old with fifteen-year-old friends I decided to walk my old Paper Route. I wound my way through the dim lit moss covered streets, keeping to my well engrained routine. From house to house I took the most efficient path, taking short cuts through bushes and over fences to save precious extra steps.

I remembered how I would leave my cart at a certain spot in the cul-de-sacs so as not to have to double back and get it before taking my next shortcut. I thought about all the monsters and warriors and bad guys I used to run into along the way. I used to imagine myself a different story every time. Super spy evading the mafia. Knight in armor guarding the town from evil. I would sneak and dash and roll and fight, The Oak Bay News as my trusty sword or silenced pistol.  I must have looked really silly in any onlooker’s gaze… reliving the glory days.

With this nostalgia comes homesickness and often sadness, but it’s a treat sometimes too. A reminder of who you are and who you want to be. A reminder of where you started your journey.

~Steve

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Let’s Read Comics!!!

With midterms, papers and project deadlines fast approaching, why not find a new way to procrastinate?

credit to: Matthew Inman at http://theoatmeal.com/blog/justdoitlater

One of my favourite ways to take a quick break is by catching up on a few webcomics-  listed below are a couple awesome online comics that I find are worth perusing during a study break, take a peek!

Edmund Finney’s Quest to Find the Meaning of Life

This is one of the first webcomics I was ever introduced to, and it will remain a favourite (just wait until you meet Colonel Mayonnaise). While the comic hasn’t been updated since the summer of 2013, it’s definitely worth a read-through.

eqcomics.com/2009/03/08/sunday-aliens/

Chances are, at some point you’ve seen one of these comics on the internet somewhere, whether you recognize the style or not. While sometimes the dialogue leaves me reaching for a dictionary/Wikipedia, this comic has a huge fan base for a good reason (there’s a book and everything, check out “What if?”).

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WHERE MY SINGLE PEOPLE AT!?!?! No? Just me? Alright, well as we all know, the highly dreaded/anticipated holiday of Valentine’s Day is speedily approaching. For those of you who are dreading spending this day without a significant other, I am here to give you survival tips. So, without further ado I give you –

EMILY’S DECLASSIFIED UNIVERSITY SURVIVAL GUIDE: VALENTINE’S DAY (no copyright infringement intended)

Tip #1 – Do something fun! Don’t wallow in misery, tweeting #foreveralone jokes, get out of your bedroom, find an extra fun Sunday activity and immerse yourself in it.

Tip #2 – Plan a day with one of your fellow single friends (statistically, you’ve gotta have one). I, for example, have a full day planned with my friend and it will be full of food, movies, fun, and cuddles with her puppy. Yay!

Tip #3 – Make Valentines for your friends. I’m not talking about writing some sort of strange card confessing your undying, romantic love for your friends, I mean that love is for everyone so share it with as many people as you can! Friendship love is just as important as romantic love, so make someone’s day and tell them they’re special.

Tip #4 – Have a self-care day! Go for a run, make something delicious, read a book, get some work done, clean your room, drink tea, hug yourself – do whatever you need to do to feel good!

Tip #5 – Ignore it. If Valentine’s day isn’t your thing (single or not), don’t worry about it! You don’t have to bow to societal norms if you don’t want to. For some this is a holiday to celebrate the people you love. For some this is a made up corporate holiday scam that just wants to take your money. So you do you and don’t feel any pressure to treat February 14 differently from any other Sunday.

That’s all I’ve got for you today friends. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day no matter what your thoughts on the occasion are. You are beautiful, you are worthy of love, and you deserve a good day. So have one 🙂

LOVE EMILY XOXO

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