Some of my favourite smells this season are gingerbread, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Who doesn’t love building a gingerbread house even if you don’t eat it, but can look at it all month long. Or how about sipping on a hot gingerbread latte from Starbucks, Mmmmm my favourite. I ask for it half sweet to cut the sugar in half. Put out some fresh cinnamon sticks with dried oranges and you have a healthy smell to walk into each night you come home. Read More→
Archive for Health & Wellness – Page 4
The pandemic associated with COVID-19 has negatively affected tens of thousands of Canadians physically and mentally, but many more have been affected financially.
Whether due to reduced work hours, a complete loss of job opportunities or one’s small business being permanently closed, the financial devastation is very real for many people.
Pandemic aside, we all know when the weather turns, some of us begin to hibernate indoors. It is certainly not a bad thing, especially if you are sitting beside the fire, with a book in one hand and a hot cocoa in the other. But we all know that too many days spent in is not always the best. Did I forget to mention that it is dark at 4:30pm too?
So how can we beat the cool rainy days and still give our body all the feel goods we need? Read More→
How do employers make the best of Workplace Wellness programs during the pandemic?
Photo credit Edward Jenner
First, the transition to working from home caused a great deal of stress. Now, returning to work is having the same impact. Whether employees continue to work from home or are forced to return to the office for any reason, they must be provided a consistent, wholesome wellness experience.
A holistic employee wellness program requires a combination of mental and physical health as its top priority. Currently, the owner of most well-being programs in organizations is HR because traditionally well-being was a culture issue. With the hybrid model of or working from home and/or the office, organizations that have made the pivot with digital wellness platforms will help combat the anxiety and stress their teams are experiencing to aid in lasting change and job satisfaction. So how then do organizations pivot and find wellness solutions that will work? Read More→
It seems lately, I hear many adults complaining about their lack of sleep. They tell me it is hard for them to fall asleep and that they do not get many quality hours. My first question I always ask is how much physical activity do you get per day? Our bodies were meant to move and I truly believe the more you move the better you will sleep.
Here are my top 10 tips for getting good night’s sleep.
Fourty years ago, a Marathon of Hope began. Some of you will have remembered where you were or maybe the season you heard of a young boy embarking on a journey of running from St.John’s, Newfoundland all the way across Canada to finish in Vancouver. That man was Terry Fox. Today is the annual Terry Fox Run. A time to remember a legend, one that said nothing is impossible. He ran 42km a day with a prosthesis leg, which was said was unheard of because it was not made to run on. Bad weather, running into the wind, chafing, dealing with cancer were the things he was dealing with as he ran each day.
Today my three young children and I ran for Terry. Due to COVID, running events needed to be done virtually, the tag line was ‘One day, your way’. We did just that, we started our day with a run to commemorate Terry Fox. I have three children under 5, so a half mile run is a big deal for a 2-year old. But it wasn’t about the distance it was teaching them about a legend, encouraging them that we can do anything and not giving up in the hard times.
Maybe you know where I am going with this, but if you have a few minutes watch Terry’s story. See a young man at 18 years old as he was told he had a tumor in his leg. It had to be amputated. As a competitive runner, I cannot even imagine losing my leg, let alone running a marathon a day with only one. Terry took something tragic and said I am going to do something great with my story. I want to live a legacy; I want to do what others would think are impossible because all things are possible if you try.
Are you feeling fatigue because of COVID? Have you let COVID tell your story or did you tell COVID, I choose to beat you?
These last 6 months sure have not been easy for anyone, a lot of us are living in our first pandemic. But I want to encourage you that you can not let it take from you. Just like Terry we too can conquer tough times. What Terry did was a lot harder than what most of us are currently dealing with. I encourage you to spend time with the close family and friends that you have chosen to bubble with, take time for yourself, commit to getting outside and exercising, read, and maybe even learn something new.
Sam Mitchel, past coach of the Toronto Raptors says it best,
“Tough times, make tough people.”
Photo Credit: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EiX2cHXVkAYKNVe?format=jpg&name=medium
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MaryAnna Robbins CSEP-CPT, OFC RHEP – Group Exercise, Resistance Trainer, Yoga & Pilates Fitness
In my last blog, I didn’t feel that I gave you enough hikes to explore. I felt I wanted to share more hikes that you can enjoy during these last weeks of summer. As promised, here are a few more of our most favorite hikes. Read More→
As our fitness centres slowly open we want to make sure you start on the right track to achieve your goals.
1. Start Small – You may find that it’s a bit harder to run as fast or lift as much as you used to. Take time and build your body again. Starting too big can lead to injuries. Read More→
In a world where most of us are in the same spot, feeling the same, wondering when this will all end, questioning how it will affect each one of us, we have a choice. Many of us are at home. Some of us were not given a choice. Others chose to remain at home. Whatever the circumstance, we do not need to sit at home feeling down and gloomy. Today we have the choice to get up, move, smile, eat, be thankful, or wave from a safe distance to the neighbor alone in their home. We can still wake up and make the most of each day.
No matter what is going on around, we can choose to exercise. And if we choose, we must be intentional. I recommend that tonight, before bed, you lay out your clothes and set the alarm so that your workout can be one of the first things you do the next day. You don’t need a gym to move. You can still go outdoors, find a space in your home, or use the patio or the balcony. You can choose to keep moving.
How is your mental wellbeing? Are you stuck to the computer reading every news update, story, statistic, etcetera? If you are feeling down then limit your screen time. Find ways to fill your head with happiness instead. Call a family member or friend, read a book, listen to classical music, or do yoga.
Sleep is another important part of your life and another choice you control, so how much sleep are you getting? If you are an adult, 7 to 8 hours is recommended. Ensure that you are getting adequate hours of rest. Your sleep will energize you for the next day. It will help you wake up feeling rejuvenated, which can then encourage you to choose joy. Did you know that if you move each day and fill your head with positive information and thoughts you will probably have a better night’s sleep?
Most of us want to feel happy, but that is a choice each of us must make. I hope that today, surrounded by uncertainty, you will wake up with joy in your heart, that you will choose to smile, to find laughter, to move daily, and to make the most out of every moment and heartbeat you have been given.
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by MaryAnna Robbins
Improving your health isn’t always about doctor’s visits or prescriptions.
Changing your outlook on life can sometimes work just as well as any medicine. Having a hobby can help you pursue things that enrich, de-stress and otherwise keep you active in your free time. This is important for anyone wanting to improve their well-being, no matter how busy or how bored they are. For a lot of people, the problem is finding a hobby that works for them, so with that said, here are five hobbies that can improve your health and well-being.
Image Source: Unsplash
1. Arts & Crafts
The idea of art therapy has become a very popular phenomenon. Nothing is more beneficial in your free time than creating art. Not only does art provide creative stimulation, it can also be therapeutic for stress and anxiety. In addition, there are no barriers to pursuing art because there are so many varieties of it, whether it’s coloring, pottery, knitting, or digital, whatever strikes your fancy. Investing your time into art not only makes you productive, but it also provides distractions from the pressures of modern living.
2. Dancing
While the prospect could be daunting to some people, dancing does wonders for both your physical and mental well-being. Taking classes in any dance form from ballet to Zumba can help you burn calories and it makes you good. Most forms of dance involve exercising your cardiovascular and muscular systems to boost health. The social contact gained from dancing can also be important as it can lead to finding a new community, building new friendships and sometimes even more.
3. Gardening
Gardening can be thought of as hard work, and for some people hard work can be its own form of relief. Gardening can be scaled to the size you want. Small indoor gardens with potted plants and succulents are just as viable as veggie plots or flower beds. You may have a small area that requires working vertically or a large section that you plan to corner off with a shed or refurbished outhouse. Creativity in how you might plan your garden contributes to the restorative benefits of gardening. Making a project out of gardening can make you feel productive and active, and this is good for your mental well-being.
Image Source: Unsplash
4. Writing
As a passive activity, writing can provide excellent stimulation for the mind. It doesn’t matter what sort of writing you’re interested in; it can be beneficial just to practice it. Journals, poetry and creative writing are popular forms of the hobby, but there are plenty of health benefits in other forms of writing as well. Writing letters, blogs, essays and articles can help the writer express pent up energy or anxiety. Practicing writing as a hobby comes with the benefit of improving your writing skills, which may help you with future opportunities.
5. Natural Walks
In Japan there is a term known as ‘forest bathing.’ It’s based around the idea that simply being present in nature can provide meditative and therapeutic effects. While not a magical remedy of any sort, taking walks through nature does have calming effects on the mind along with physical benefits. If you’re feeling cooped up or under the weather, find a local walking track and spend an hour or so just enjoying the outdoors. It doesn’t cost anything besides your time.
It’s important to balance work with play, so you never feel burnt out. If you’re feeling like your health and well-being aren’t as they should be, consider engaging in some of the hobbies in this article and see how they could improve your life. Hobbies are essential to your well-being because they keep your mind engaged, relaxed and in control.
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Author bio:
Harper Reid is a creative writer based in Auckland, New Zealand. She loves baking, reading novels, and learning fun things – like DIY projects or a new language! Find out more by visiting her blog right here.
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