Tag: mental health

4 Ways to Honor Heart Health Month

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

While some think of Valentine’s Day during February, we also need to remember that it is Heart Health month, too! According to WebMD, when your heart isn’t getting the proper care it needs, serious issues occur and can lead to “heart attacks and blockage of blood flow in the arteries.”

This month, we propose you look out for your heart! Some small ways you can do so include exercise, controlling cholesterol levels, limit stress levels and eat heart healthy foods.

Get your heart moving

It is no secret that movement and exercise is great for heart health. After all, cardio is one of the best ways to put your body (and heart) into motion! If you aren’t into fast-paced exercising, that’s okay – you can still find a type of exercise that fits your preferences and helps your heart.

John Hopkins Medicine lists aerobics as a great form of exercise to promote heart health. They explain that aerobics “improves circulation, which results in lowered blood pressure and heart rate.” Some of these aerobic exercises include brisk walking, swimming and cycling/spin.

Aerobics is not the only type of exercise you are limited to when focusing on heart health! Believe it or not, strength/resistance training is also recommended by the American Heart Association.

Healthline explains that “when combined with aerobics, strength training will help to raise good cholesterol and lower bad cholesterol [which] can also reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.” Strength training includes using free weights (dumbbells, barbells), weight machines, resistance bands and body-resistances (sit-ups, squats).

While exercise is definitely one of the key methods to promoting heart health, you don’t need to be locked into one kind of routine. We recommend finding a type of exercise that fits your lifestyle and preferences best!

Control those cholesterol levels!

Cholesterol – we all have it, most of us have heard about it, and some of us actually know about it. Usually, cholesterol has a bad rap. However, there are two different types of cholesterol – LDL and HDL, which are known as bad and good cholesterol, respectively.

The American Heart Association explains that LDL is typically viewed as bad because “it contributes to fatty buildups in arteries.” In contrast, they claim “experts believe that HDL [carries] LDL cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where the LDL is broken down and passed from the body.” Essentially, LDL rids the body of bad cholesterol, which is why it is often considered as good.

So, what are some ways you can keep your LDL levels under control? The short answer is to incorporate heart healthy foods and exercise into your daily routines. While this may seem oversimplified, we recommend finding exercise routines and recipes that work best for your preferences.

However, Mayo Clinic provides a few helpful guidelines when focusing on heart healthy foods. Some of the guidelines listed include:

  • Reducing saturated fats
  • Eliminating trans fats
  • Increase Omega-3 fatty acids

As always, the best place to receive recommendations about maintain your cholesterol is through your primary care physician/doctor.

Cut that stress out!

It is no secret that the inevitability of stress plays a role in your mental and physical health. Evidentially, stress can lead to factors that impact heart health or increase your risk for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, elements such as “high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, physical inactivity and overeating” can be caused by stress and lead to a decrease in heart health.

The AHA recommends learning to manage stress in order to promote heart health. It is a good idea to take a step back if you find that you are stressed or feeling overworked. By prioritising healthy habits, you are closer to protecting your heart and all that comes with it.

Protect your heart through food

Maintaining a well-rounded diet is one of many ways to manage a health heart. While all foods fit and are good in moderation, there are specific foods that are more beneficial to heart health. As identified by CNN Health, some of these heart-friendly foods include oats, low-fat dairy, leafy greens, nuts/seeds and avocados.

An easy way to start the day with a heart healthy breakfast is by whipping up a bowl of our Steel Cut Oatmeal. CNN Health explains that oatmeal contains “a special type of soluble fiber called beta-glucan,” which reduces cholesterol levels. Steel cut oats are a great breakfast because you can top it off with anything! If you’re into savory oatmeal, you can double up and top your oats with leafy greens and avocado.

Breakfast isn’t the only meal you can incorporate heart healthy ingredients into. We love using low-fat yoghurt to make a Pancake Puff Banana Split! Top it off with some nuts or seeds, and you’ve got yourself a heart-healthy dessert.

If you are trying to introduce more heart healthy ingredients into your diet, we recommend choosing what fits best for your lifestyle! Honoring your heart can take many shapes in forms. By combining exercise routines, mental health promotion and heart healthy foods, you are sure to be on the right track to honoring your heart!

Managing Your Seasonal Depression

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

After what most of us wish was an endless Summer, the majority of the contiguous U.S. turn their clocks back an hour for daylight saving time. Despite the initial feeling of gaining an hour of sleep, the sun setting at 3 or 4 PM often brings feelings of seasonal depression. This blog will explain what seasonal depression is, the signs and effects it has, and how to combat it.

What is seasonal depression?

Seasonal affective disorder (informally referred to as seasonal depression) is a form of depression that’s impacted by the change in season. In most cases, seasonal affective disorder occurs in the Fall and Winter months but can also emerge in the Spring.

According to Mayo Clinic, some of the symptoms of seasonal depression include:

  • Feeling depressed throughout the day on most days
  • Having lost interest in hobbies or activities you previously enjoyed
  • Feeling low energy
  • Changes in your sleeping habits (oversleeping or insomnia)
  • Feeling easily agitated
  • Finding it difficult to concentrate
  • Changes in your appetite

While these symptoms may overlap with those of clinical depression, seasonal depression often starts and ends around the same time each year. In contrast, major depression doesn’t have a “clear” cut off for when symptoms will end. Those that seasonal depression impacts may be able to easily identify it if it occurs persistently.

Causes and sources

Typically, seasonal depression is understood to be caused by the change in season, weather and amount of sunlight. However, some scientists believe that hormones are at play here. As stated by Web MD, chemicals such as serotonin and melatonin are impacted by the change in seasons.

During the Summer, when sunlight occurs throughout the majority of the day, your serotonin levels are more or less regular. Serotonin is a chemical hormone produced by the brain and it helps to regulate your mood and emotions. 

Due to the decrease in sunlight throughout the Winter months, your brain may make and release less serotonin. As a result, symptoms of seasonal depression such as feeling down, depressed or fatigued.

Another hormone that may cause seasonal depression is melatonin. Similar to serotonin, melatonin is a chemical hormone produced by the brain in response to darkness/nighttime. Ultimately, it helps to regulate your circadian rhythms or body’s internal clock. 

In the darker Fall and Winter months, your body slows its production of both of these hormones. Since it becomes darker earlier in the day, your body’s melatonin is released way sooner than normal. If you find yourself feeling exhausted before the workday even ends, this is probably why.

Additionally, the lack of sunlight reduces your serotonin levels. When combining the lack of serotonin with the reduced levels of melatonin, your brain reacts by feeling depressive emotions or thoughts.

Ways to manage seasonal depression

Coping with seasonal depression can seem difficult at first glance. However, there are 3 simple things you can do during your daily routine to mitigate some of the side effects. These include staying active through movement/exercise, eating foods that boost serotonin levels, and exposing yourself to as much light as possible.

Since some of the common side effects include feeling fatigued, lethargic, and low-energy including movement throughout your day can combat these feelings. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to start training to run long-distance (although, it’s a great form of exercise). Movement and physical activity include exercise like yoga or simply getting your steps in throughout the work day.

Food & seasonal depression

Another way to soften the side effects of seasonal depression is to include serotonin in your diet. According to Medical News Today, there are a number of foods and ingredients that contain tryptophan, an amino acid that assist in the formation of serotonin. These foods include:

A third effective method to cope with seasonal affective disorder is to invest in light therapy. By using a light box with a white or blue light bulb, your brain is directed to produce more serotonin as it believes it’s day time. Light boxes help to mimic outdoor light or sunshine with hopes of combating the side effects of seasonal depression.

If you are unable to invest in a light box, simply finding ways to expose yourself to sunlight will help mitigate the side-effects. Try waking up earlier, taking a morning or afternoon walk, or sitting outside on sunny days.

Seasonal depression is extremely common and you’re not alone in feeling this way during the Fall and Winter months. By listening to your body and recognising the symptoms, you are one step closer to finding coping mechanisms that work for you. Whether that’s eating foods that boost your serotonin, staying active, or reaching out to your doctor about light therapy – it is definitely possible to manage your seasonal depression. 

Mental Health: It’s Time to Make It a Priority

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

Physical wellness is too often prioritised over mental health. While it is important to take care of your body, it is equally as important to focus on mental wellness too.

Making mental health a priority does not need to be complicated. You do not have to take an expensive vacation to relax or spend every single night meditating. This article will detail why it is important to take care of yourself mentally and list some everyday self-care routines.

Defining mental health

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), mental health “is a state of well-being… and is fundamental to our collective and individual ability.” 

In other terms, mental health allows us to “think, emote and interact with others.” Promoting mental health allows people to improve their psychological state.

Usually, mental health is colloquially termed “good” or “bad.” However, this adds to stigmas people face and cannot be used accurately to describe everyone’s experience. The impacts of psychological health differ greatly between all sorts of people.

Medical News Today explains “peak mental health is about looking after ongoing wellness and happiness.” When life becomes stressful or overwhelming, it can be hard to look out for our individual happiness and prioritise wellness.

When people experience mental illness, it can create a variety of complications. Additionally, these indicators manifest themselves in various ways depending on the individual.

The Mayo Clinic lists the below as some common symptoms that arise due to overlooking mental wellness:

  • Feeling sad or down
  • Confused thinking or reduced ability to concentrate
  • Excessive fears or worries, or extreme feelings of guilt
  • Extreme mood changes of highs and lows
  • Withdrawal from friends and activities
  • Significant tiredness, low energy or problems sleeping
  • Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
  • Major changes in eating habits
  • Excessive anger, hostility or violence
  • Suicidal thinking

Why is spreading awareness important?

Mental health awareness is often overlooked, so it is important to promote it whenever possible. Additionally, it is essential to let those know struggling with this that they are not alone.

Spreading vital information about psychological health allows for people to resist the stigmas that accompany it. 

Raising awareness about mental wellness can help people recognise the signs and when to seek help. Additionally, being aware of the signs allows individuals to be proactive in their mental healthcare.

A major part of mental health awareness is rejecting the stigmas. Too often, people struggling with mental health deal with shame and pressure of needing to prioritise their wellness.

The first step in taking care of yourself is by feeling supported by those around you. People should not have to feel ashamed of taking a mental health day.

Since mental health can impact people differently, the remedies will vary as well. Below are some simple ways you can practice self care and prioritise.

Taking care of yourself

The list of self-care practices is never ending. Here are a few simple things you can do to take care of your mental wellness.

  • Journalling: this is a great way to express your feelings, thoughts and reflect on your day
  • Hangout with family or friends
  • Spend the day outside, get some fresh air
  • Pinpoint reasons for your stress, think of ways to find balance
  • Experiment in the kitchen with new recipes
  • Take a mental health day off work: when your body is telling you to slow down, listen!
  • Seek out therapy or counselling: it’s more than okay to reach out when you need help
  • Spend the day doing things that make you happy: get back into your hobbies!
  • Meditate or practice yoga: mindfulness allows you to focus in on your intuition and can create a sense of relaxation

This list is not exhaustive. There are many other forms of self care and mental rejuvenation. Finding the activities and habits that best suit you is key.

Finding down time in your busy schedule is already difficult enough. However, it is important to remember to take time for yourself when you’re feeling burnt out. 

Listen to yourself and be aware of the signs. Your mental wellness should not be pushed to the wayside. 

 

Honoring Your Body Without Giving Into Diet Culture

Posted on by Sarah Kesseli

With a new year fresh upon us, it is no secret that articles about dieting, working out and creating a “new you” are circulating all over the Internet. Sometimes, it is difficult to avoid these articles and you can fall into a slump. Articles that focus on dieting, overworking and transforming yourself can often lead to negative feelings of self-comparison and self-worth. Adopting healthy habits can make you feel good but that doesn’t mean you need to give into diet culture. In fact, honoring your body can be accomplished in a number of ways without giving into diet culture!

First, let’s define diet culture. According to Ragen Chastain from the National Eating Disorder Association, diet culture includes “weight stigma [that] is so firmly entrenched in our culture.” This can include implementing “food rules and restriction to manipulate body size” or suggesting “people are more or less worthy based on their body size.” Diet culture is toxic and should not, by any means, be promoted during a new year or otherwise.

Some of our favourite ways to honor our bodies without giving into diet culture are listening to hunger signs, working out at our own pace, taking time for ourselves and focusing on our mental health.

Honoring your body by listening to your hunger signs

Hunger signs – we all get them, have them and should know how to recognize them. As explained by Monica Smith from Michigan State University Extension, some physical hunger cutes include an “empty stomach, stomach growling, headache, light-headed feeling, grumpiness, lack of energy and shakiness or weakness.”

When you don’t listen to your body’s hunger signs, you risk feelings of distraction, stress and irritability. As diet culture promotes ignoring these hunger signs, it is important to adopt habits that honor them instead. By doing so, you can honor your body through food and nourishment.

One way this can be done is by equating your hunger signals with cooking/eating something delicious! Some of our favourite meals include yummy ingredients and easy recipes like these Chicken Black Bean Stuffed Sweet Potatoes.

Listening to your hunger cues also includes cooking what you’re craving. Honoring your body also means honoring your cravings! To ensure you’re getting in those vitamins and nutrients, learning to build a balanced plate is a skill that will help you enjoy your meals while feeling good. Don’t worry – there are many ways to build a balanced plate and can work for your lifestyle and preferences!

Working out at your own pace

Speaking about lifestyle, it is no secret that working out can definitely be a part of your lifestyle. You may be familiar with the new year’s joke about the gyms being crowded due to new year’s resolutions. Whether you are returning to the gym or joining a new one, getting exercise into your day is a great way to honor your body without giving into diet culture.

There are many different ways to get moving, which allows you to modify your exercise to best fit you! It can be overwhelming to see other people at the gym working out at a different pace or level than you. However, it is also harmful to intensity your workouts if your body is not ready. Comparing your workouts to others’ can be extremely detrimental.

Listen to your body and exercise at your own pace! Physical results are not linear and don’t look the same for everyone. Going at your own pace and listening to your body’s limits is very important when working out. By mixing healthy eating habits with safe exercise routines, you are one step closer to honoring your body without giving into diet culture.

Take time for yourself

Burn-out is real and can have serious mental and physical effects. The World Health Organization defines burn-out as “a syndrome conceptualized as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed.” The WHO outline three symptoms of burn-out:

  • feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion;
  • increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one’s job; and
  • reduced professional efficacy

Some physical symptoms include headaches, stomachaches, exhaustion and, muscle pain and fatigue. As such, taking a break from work or stepping away from the office is a must when you are facing severe impacts from burn-out.

Taking time for yourself can take many shapes and forms. Whether that be working from home for a change of scenery, taking a few days off completely or getting moving and away from your desk during the day – focus on yourself.

Honoring your body means focusing on mental health

That being said, it is just as important to pay attention to your body both physically and mentally. Further, physically working on your body should be treated as important as working on yourself mentally. For example, sometimes you just need to step away and do something you enjoy. Some ways we like to take a break include reading, spending time with family, watching our favourite show or meditation.

Don’t forget that being a student can take a toll on your physical and mental health, too. Whether you’re a student, parent or employee, it is critical to know when you need to take a break. Focusing on enjoying yourself, decreasing stress and overall unwinding will keep you feeling great while completely honoring your body without giving into diet culture!

Dieting and promoting diet culture is in no way the only method to adopt healthy habits. In fact, there are endless amount of ways to honor your body without giving into diet culture. By focusing on physical activity at your own pace, feeding your body and focusing on your mental health, you are sure to find ways of honoring yourself that fit your lifestyle.