nutrition tips for the new year: the importance of balance
All of us want to be as healthy and nutritious as possible. But, it is important to keep in mind that balance and moderation are key. Restricting yourself and counting calories can lead to lifelong unhealthy relationships with food that just isn’t worth it. So, instead of obsessing over the food you consume, prioritize nutrients and have fun with food and new recipes !! Here are some tips to help maintain a healthy balance with food:
DRINK YOUR WATER
Water is vital to the human body (60% of it is made up of water). And water helps your body to carry nutrients to cells, carry waste to be disposed of, regulate body temperature, lubricate joints, and dissolve vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
EAT ENOUGH UNSATURATED AND MONOUNSATURATED FATS
Unsaturated fat sources like vegetables and fish oils provide your body with essential fatty acids. Monounsaturated fat sources like olive oil, canola oil, nuts, and seeds may reduce the risk of heart disease.
GET IN YOUR PROTEIN
Amino acids are found in protein. You need amino acids to help build and maintain body tissue. There are 20 amino acids, your body can produce 11 of them on its own, the other 9 are called” essential amino acids'' and are provided by protein sources. Foods like chicken, eggs, fish, and milk all contain all 9 of the essential amino acids your body can’t produce by itself. These are also known as complete proteins. There are also incomplete proteins which are plant protein sources that lack one or more of the essential amino acids but, are still good sources of protein and other essential nutrients.
EAT ENOUGH COMPLEX CARBS
Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy and provide the body with the dietary fiber it needs, and the best types of carbs are complex ones. You can get complex carbs from whole-grain bread, pasta, cereals, vegetables, rice, and tortillas. Complex carbs fuel your body and provide vitamins and minerals.
GET IN YOUR VITAMINS AND MINERALS
Vitamins help your body regulate chemical processes, and you need 13 of these every day. Minerals are essential for just about everything and you need 16 of these every day. Vitamin C helps heal wounds, maintain healthy bones and teeth, and help fight infections. Iron is a mineral that helps the cells use oxygen and helps create hemoglobin in red blood cells. Sources for vitamins include; dark leafy vegetables (vitamin A and K), whole grains (vitamin B complex and E), salmon (vitamin D), and citrus fruits (vitamin C). Sources of minerals include; dairy products (calcium and phosphorus), salt (sodium), and egg yolk (iron).
sources: Nutrients, Canada’s Food Guide
rene responds !!
We all need some advice sometimes...but, if you don't have any one to ask for advice, I'm here !! Rene Responds is an anonymous, weekly, ask-a-third-party, q&a.
This week on Rene Responds ....
Hi there, to start here's an introduction of me, I’m very much an introvert and I prefer having fewer friends and taking a lot of alone time for myself. I tend to stay away from loud things, gatherings, drugs, and drinking. However, recently I've been getting invited to a lot more parties and since my friends go I feel obligated to (they don’t know I hate large gatherings). But, at these parties everyone around me always gets intoxicated and they try to force drugs on me causing me to become anxious. This has stressed me out so much recently and I feel so stuck. I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO PLEASE HELP.
-P
Hi P, from what I understand it looks like you’ve fallen into a spiral of peer pressure that you are not sure how to get out of. One route you could follow is honest communication. I believe a significant portion of this situation could be resolved this way. Even though confronting peer pressure is scary, it’s what needs to be done. And when you tell your friends that you feel uncomfortable in these environments and no longer want to go, I'm sure they’ll understand. and if they don’t, find new friends who respect your boundaries and well-being !!
-Rene
six must-listen albums to romanticize your life and avoid your problems
Throughout my life, I’ve encountered many situations that challenged me as an individual. This would often provide me with large amounts of stress and I’m not very good at expressing how I feel. That’s why I love music so much. It says all the things I didn’t even realize I was feeling. Music is an amazing relaxer and distraction from the ongoing busyness of life. So, here are six albums to romanticize your life and avoid your problems.
#1 Melodrama by Lorde
This album is beyond life-changing and arguably one of the greatest modern-pop albums ever. With lyrics like "we were wild and fluorescent come home to my heart" and "I am a toy that people enjoy til all of the tricks don't work anymore" this album will surely check all of the boxes.
#2 Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Here phoebe writes about emptiness and longing for reciprocation. The production is minimal on most of the tracks but the lyrics stand out on their own. My fave tracks are "I Know The End" and "Graceland Too". After one listen this album is bound to become your new comfort album.
#3 Blonde by Frank Ocean
Blonde is one of the most calming albums out there. And I believe there's a song for everyone on here. Frank’s voice blending with the ethereal instrumentals and hard-hitting lyrics, this album is an out-of-body experience. My favourite tracks include "Solo", "White Ferrari", and "Ivy".
#4 Folklore by Taylor Swift
This album contains some of the best songwriting in music. Centered around a chaotic love triangle, folklore is centered around perception and growth. One of my fave lyrics from this album has to be "I've been having a hard time adjusting, I had the shiniest wheels, now they're rusting".
#5 Be The Cowboy by Mitski
Thus is angst and misery in a collection of songs. This is the kind of music they would play in coming-of-age films as the main character does something impulsive. I love the lyricism in this piece and I think Mitski is an absolute genius. Some of my fave tracks include "Geyser" and "Old Friend".
#6 Wiped Out! by The Neighbourhood
This is one of my go-to albums and I adore all the production. The Neighbourhood stands out for their mesmerizing songs and hard-hitting lyrics. Using phrases like "As long as you notice I'm hoping that you'll keep your heart open I'll keep mine open too" this album just gets it.
#smartgoals: what they are and how they can help you
Sometimes accomplishing things is hard, especially when you don't know where or how to start. This can be very discouraging and cause a loss of motivation for putting in the effort. This can become overwhelming and cause problems in itself, that's where SMART goals come in.
But was is it a SMART goal? SMART stands for SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE , ACHIEVABLE, RELEVANT, and TIME-BOUND.
Making your goal SPECIFIC means deciding what you want to accomplish, why it is important, who is involved, where you need to be to accomplish it, and which resources are available to help you or which limit/barriers are there.
When creating a MEASURABLE goal you need to establish a way in which you can track your progress little by little. Consider how much, how many, and how will I know when I've accomplished my goal.
When making a goal ACHIEVABLE, make sure you are going to be able to accomplish it. The whole point of a SMART goal is ensuring that you accomplish a goal as efficiently and as effectively as possible.
Making sure your goal is RELEVANT is very important, goals should be worthwhile and match your needs or want as a person.
And lastly, making a goal TIME-BOUND and setting a deadline is important so that you can better organize your time to accomplish the goal by the deadline and so that the goal isn’t unending and you can focus on it.
For example, if you are getting your license by the end of the year and want to purchase a car here's how you break it down in a SMART format:
SPECIFIC: I want to purchase a car so I can use it on a day-to-day basis and go where I need to once a get my license. This is also so I don't have to ask others to borrow their car.
MEASURABLE: I want to save up enough money so that I can purchase this car. The car I want is $15,000 so that will be my goal amount.
ACHIEVABLE: I have a part-time job where I make a minimum of $600 on a bi-weekly basis. 26 x $600 = $15,600 which is more than my amount goal.
RELEVANT: This goal will be very relevant to me once I accomplish it since by then I'll have a license and be able to use this car.
TIME-BOUND: My deadline or end date for this goal is December 31st. I'm giving myself the entire year to save.
When you break down what you want to accomplish into these 5 categories it can seem much more attainable and manageable. You can use smart goals when thinking about finance, relationships, education, employment, and hobbies.
sources: SMART Goals How to Make Your Goals Achievable
is it a healthy relationship..?
Every day we as humans interact with each other. Whether it’s a friendship, romantic relationship, family relationship, or professional relationship. So, it’s important to learn how to recognize when someone may be becoming unhealthy for you. Here’s what to know about healthy and unhealthy relationships:
Well, what does a healthy relationship look like?
Is there RESPECT..?
If a person doesn’t respect who you are then there isn’t a relationship at all. Respecting someone means you’re willing to listen to each other about any concerns involving the relationship, it means that you don’t invade each other's boundaries or privacy or do anything to purposely hurt each other.
Is there TRUST.,?
Trust is so important when you’re letting someone become close to you. You should be able to trust that neither of you would tell anyone the other person’s secrets, and you should be able to trust that the other person will be there for you no matter what. If you aren’t constantly questioning if this person is doing something behind your back or lying to you, that means that trust needs to be built for your own sake.
Is there EQUALITY..?
One person can’t be doing all the work and carry the relationship on their back, there needs to be a give-and-take. You should both be sharing power in the relationship and one should not be controlling the other’s every move. Feeling equal to someone you’re in a relationship with makes it so much easier to communicate and share honesty.
Is there COMMUNICATION..?
Healthy and genuine communication are vital when interacting with anyone. And communication isn’t about just talking either, it's also just as important to listen. Communication can widen the grounds for healthy conflict resolution and clear up any misunderstandings you both may have. Have these open conversations about how you feel on certain topics related to the trust and equality element of any healthy relationship.
Is there SEPARATE LIVES OUTSIDE OF THE RELATIONSHIP..?
If your entire life is centered around this one person then the relationship may be becoming unhealthy. When interacting with someone so closely it’s important to still have a sense of self. You shouldn’t have to give up friends/family or do the things you love to spend more time with this person. You should both have set boundaries where you take time for yourselves away from the other person a healthy amount.
What does an unhealthy relationship look like…
Is there LYING..?
If you can’t be honest with someone that you’re in a relationship with, that is a big red flag. Whether you’re doing it out of fear or to try and hide things, lying can cause so much more harm than good. Lying can spark up arguments and create a mutual resentment towards each other that will ultimately cause you both to drift apart.
Is there CONTROLLING..?
If this person constantly needs to know where you are, who you’re with, what you’re wearing, and why you’re going somewhere this is a sign that they are controlling individuals. Oftentimes people like this will try and assert as much power over you as possible they may start taking away your financial freedom, dictating who you can hang out with, and forcing you to wear certain clothes. You might feel trapped and isolated in situations like these and once you realize the signs you should try and get out immediately.
Is there ABUSE..?
If someone is using degrading language against you, insults you, or physically/sexually harming you when you do something they don’t like this is a warning sign of abuse. Control relates a lot to abusive relationships, abusers will often use fear to manipulate their victims until they are no longer themselves. They might tell you they love you but if their actions aren’t matching their words then they are just using that as another manipulation tactic. If this sounds like a relationship you are currently in you should get out immediately.
If you or someone you know needs help, click here for resources: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: GOVERNMENT OF ONTARIO
sources: Recognizing the signs of unhealthy relationships, Healthy relationships vs. unhealthy relationships, 51 Signs of an Unhealthy Relationship, What Does a Healthy Relationship Look Like?
how to: manage your money properly and avoid going broke
“More money more problems” is a phrase you might hear often but, that doesn’t have to be the case. Sometimes having a lack of experience with handling money can lead to reckless spending that you might regret later on. And even if you don’t have a job right now here are some general tips for effectively organizing your money and avoiding over-spending.
STEP #1: FIGURE OUT HOW YOU WANT TO SPEND YOUR MONEY
Before making any big conical decisions you have to decide where you need money in the different parts of your lifestyle. Besides essential means (food, water, shelter, clothing) there are recreational/or long-term ways you might want to use your money. For example, if you are trying to save up for a car then make sure you are putting aside money each month to help you save up for it. Or if you’re someone who has a pet, each month you should be setting aside money to buy food for your pet. Figure out which parts of your lifestyle you need to put money into.
STEP #2: BUDGET
One of the best ways you can manage your money is by budgeting. Budgeting is essentially just deciding how much money you spend on things. Budgeting is great because you can control and track what you are spending. When you set up limits it makes it a lot easier to control your habits. For example, if you know you are going to buy some new clothes this month set aside a small but fair amount of money that is going to be used for buying clothes only. Sectioning off your money into parts can make it much easier to save and also give you a great opportunity to see if you need to cut back on spending in any area. For instance, if you notice that you are spending a significant portion of your money on eating out every day, you can opt for eating more home-cooked/budget-friendly meals so you can put that money in an area you need it more.
STEP 3: SAVE
Another tip for money management is saving. This might seem obvious but sometimes when you get in your paycheck you might not be hyper-focused on saving at that moment and might make an impulsive purchase that you didn’t need. Budgeting and saving can go hand-in-hand if you put aside money each month to put in your savings account so you can use it to build off in the future. Saving can also give you so much financial freedom in the future and make you a lot less anxious about money in general.
Sources: Why Is Budgeting Important? 10 Key Benefits, Why Saving Money is Important