Calorie Count on Menus?

Recently, The Globe and Mail published an article about a handful of U.S. cities including New York; San Francisco; Seattle; Portland, Ore.; and Philadelphia having passed menu-labelling laws for chain restaurants in an effort to curb obesity.

This means that restaurants would have to disclose the number of calories in each dish they offer on their menu. The hope is that people will make healthier decisions while eating out.

When you eat at a restaurant, you don't know how many calories you are ingesting. Some salads have more calories and sodium in them than a regular sized cheeseburger. So even if you think you are making a healthy choice, this may not be the case.

Some people argue that this initiative is useless because most people go to restaurants to indulge or they simply don't care. But for the people who are trying to lose weight or become healthier, calorie counts on menu items can prove to be extremely helpful.

Whatever your opinion is on this matter, it will be interesting to watch if this law will be applied in Canada and if it will have an effect on the obesity problem in the U.S.

HOT Yoga

Over the summer, a co-worker introduced me to the world of hot yoga. Hot yoga according to Moksha Yoga Winnipeg is:

"a series of postures practiced in a heated room. The series works to stretch, strengthen and tone the muscles while detoxifying the body and calming the mind."

I was very nervous about trying hot yoga because I didn't know what to wear, or bring. The Moksha Yoga Winnipeg website is very helpful and informs new yoga practitioners on everything they need to know to get started. Some of the main tips include:

Classes In The Hot Studio
Come to class on an empty stomach, and avoid coffee before class. Try not to eat any heavy meals 2 - 3 hours before practicing, and arrive well hydrated!  

Please arrive 20-35 minutes prior to class time. Latecomers are not permitted.

• Yoga mat
• Beach-sized towel
• Re-usable water bottle [ our taps are filtered]
• Another towel if you would like to shower after class at the studio
• Wear minimal clothing, whatever you feel comfortable with [keep in mind that the room is heated and you will sweat).

Hot yoga is a great way to relieve stress and tone your body. This is also a great way to warm up during the cold winter months. Hot yoga is for people of all ages and is great for beginners too.

Christmas and Holiday Survival

The holidays are just around the corner and that means family dinners, Christmas parties, work parties, and friend luncheons. During the holidays many people overeat, consume a lot of alcohol, and stuff themselves with treats.  I am definitely guilty of over-indulging in all of these areas.  But, you don't have to diet or deprive yourself, what you can do is make healthier choices. 

Here are some healthy holiday tips you can use this holiday season:

• Don't go to a party hungry: Make sure to eat something before going out, so that don't overeat. When you are hungry you tend to eat more, faster.
• Watch your portions: Treat yourself to a drink and dessert, but watch your portions. Eating smaller portions allows you to sample more.
• Limit high fat items: Try to avoid fried, cream-based, cheese-filled, and processed foods as well as eggnog.
• Limit alcohol: Try to stay away from beer, cider, Bailey, and Kahula. Try dry wine, Bloody Mary's or spirits with diet soda.
• Drink Plenty of water: coffee and alcohol can dehydrate your body.
• Physical Activity: Take walks with loved-ones to burn off some of those calories.

These are also great tips to follow all year!

SAD

With the winter months quickly approaching, I thought it was important to blog about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): a type of winter depression that affects approximately half a million people every winter. Living in Winnipeg, we are accustomed to extremely cold weather for long periods of time.

SAD is caused by a biochemical imbalance in the hypothalamus due to the shortening of daylight hours and the lack of sunlight in winter. For many people SAD is a seriously disabling illness, preventing them from functioning normally without continuous medical treatment. 

 There are many people suffering from this disorder, without even knowing it. So it's important to know and recognize the symptoms of SAD, such as:

• Depression

  • Low mood, worse than and different from normal sadness
  • Negative thoughts and feelings
  • Guilt and loss of self-esteem
  • Sometimes hopelessness and despair
  • Sometimes apathy and inability to feel

  Sleep Problems

  • The need to sleep more
  • A tendency to oversleep
  • Difficulty staying awake during the day and/or disturbed sleep with
    very early morning wakening

  Lethargy

  • Fatigue, often incapacitating, making it very difficult or impossible to carry out normal routines

  Over Eating

  • Craving for carbohydrates and sweet foods leading to an increase in weight

  Cognitive Function

  • Difficulty with concentration and memory
  • The brain does not work as well, or as quickly

  Social Problems

  • Irritability
  • Finding it harder to be with people

  Anxiety

  • Tension
  • Stress is harder to deal with

  Loss of Libido

  • Less interest in sex and physical contact

  Sudden Mood Changes in Spring

  • Sharp change in mood
  • Some experience agitation and restlessness and/or a short period of
    hypomania (over activity)
  • No dramatic mood change but a gradual loss of winter symptoms
  
  
  There are many treatments for this disorder. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms make sure to talk to your doctor.  
  
  
  
  

Twitter!

So I know I usually blog about fitness and health, but for the purpose of a Public Relations assignment, today I will blog about Twitter.

I was really reluctant to join Twitter because I didn't think I would have anything important to tweet. But, I felt the same way about blogging and now I love it. Today was my first day on Twitter and I have to say: it is so much fun. Not only can I follow really interesting and famous people, I can also stay in contact with my classmates.

Thank you Melanie, for this assignment as well as the blog assignment. I realized that I have been scared of social networking. It took me a while to join Facebook, then blogging, and now Twitter. I learned that I have a lot to say and more importantly that I can learn a lot from other people.

So to all of you other social networking scaredy cats: Its really not that scary! And once you try it you will enjoy it.

To tan or not to tan?

Last week my friend Camille Dupas did a presentation about the tanning controversy going on that stated the radiation from tanning beds is a carcinogen.  Her presentation got me thinking about whether or not I should be tanning indoors. I worked at Fabutan Sun Tan Studios for four years while I was in high school and university. While I was working there I obviously tanned  indoors regularly. 

After I quit working there, my tanning visits became less frequent due to my busy work load in college. But I still went when I could and enjoyed the way a tan made me look and feel. This summer I was tanning outdoors at my boyfriend's cabin when I noticed a mole forming on my arm. When I was in high school I had three surgeries to get "cancerous" moles removed from my neck and leg. So I have always been worried about getting melanoma or some form of skin cancer.

After I noticed the mole this summer, I decided that this was it. I haven't gone tanning inside or outside since. I really do miss it though. I miss the "glow" of my skin and the way it made me feel. I hate that I look so pale and miss the warmth and energy I got from tanning regularly. I have almost gone back to Fabutan many times in the last few months, but have been able to stop myself.

I don't know how much longer I can fight this off, but I have realized that tanning can become an addiction. I have seen many people in my Fabutan days addicted to tanning and vowed to never become one of them. I have tried the lotions, the sprays, and fake tanners but they all streak and fade. I really hope that I can stay away from the tanning bed, but don't know if I will be able to for much longer. This is so funny to me, I'm talking about tanning as if it were a cocaine addiction. But, maybe to me it is?!?!

Stress Relief

Everyday we are confronted with stressful situations that release the stress response in our bodies. The stress response floods your body with chemicals that prepare you for either flight or fight. The stress response is useful in emergency situations, but can wear your body down if it's constantly activated.

To counteract the negative effects of stress, we need to learn how to evoke the relaxation response, which puts us into a state of deep rest. So, here are some ways to relieve your stress and evoke the relaxation response in your body.

Deep Breathing:

Whenever you feel your stress levels rising, go into a quiet place and take a few minutes to breathe deeply and calm your mind. To reach a deep state of relaxation try closing your eyes, breathing in deeply, exhaling slowly, and holding your breathe for a few seconds after you exhale.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation:

To relieve stress, tense and release different muscles groups in your body. Start at your feet and work your way up to your face.

Mindfulness Meditation:

Make time to meditate and quiet your mind for at least 15 minutes a day. When you meditate try to be fully engaged and don't allow your mind to wander. Focus on calming the mind.

Yoga:

If you are experiencing high levels of stress and need a stronger way to relieve your stress try doing yoga. The physical and mental benefits of yoga provide a natural counterbalance to stress as well as strengthening the relaxation response.

Tai Chi:

This is a self-paced, non competitive, slow flowing practice incorporating body movements that emphasize relaxation, calming the mind, and reducing stress.