Rebels Athletics and Recreation Services along with the Student Association are hosting three Intramural Special Events this year in a variety of sports. This is great way to meet new people, relieve stress and be active! All events cost $10.00 each, so this is an affordable way to get exercise and participate in some fun sports! Each event is open to all RRC staff and students. Door prizes and a player’s lounge are a part of every event.

To participate, print the 2015 Winter Intramurals Registration Form and take it to either The OX on Notre Dame Campus or The Mercantile in the Exchange Campus to register. Deadline to register for each event is the Wednesday prior to.

Saturday January 24- Rebels Badminton Classic
Location: North Gym
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person. Can enter as many categories as you wish
Categories: Men’s and Women’s Singles and Doubles and Mixed Doubles

Saturday February 7th-Rebels Floor Hockey
Location: North and South Gyms
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person
Categories: Register as a team or a Free Agent. 5 players to a team including goalie.

Saturday March 21st- March Madness 3vs3 Basketball
Location: North
Time: 8am-4pm
Cost: $10 per person
Categories: Register as a team or a Free Agent. Men’s and Women’s Divisions. Max 5 players per team, 3 on the court at one time.

For further information please contact Athletics and Recreation Coordinator Cole Skinner at 632-2397 or coskinner@rrc.ca

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Canada’s team of dedicated consular officials assist thousands of Canadian travellers abroad each year. We provide consular assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through more than 260 points of service in 150 countries. However, there are some situations that not even a Christmas miracle can resolve. That is why Canadians need to prepare before they travel to ensure that their vacation goes off without a hitch. Here are some tips from me to you this holiday season:

1. A Canadian Passport Is Not a “Get-Out-of-Jail-Free-Card” Canadians should recognize that they are subject to the local laws of the country they are travelling, which are often different from those in Canada. Canada cannot intervene in foreign judicial processes, just as we would not accept a foreign government intervening in ours. Canadians abroad are expected to adhere to local laws, just as they would in Canada. We keep Canadians up-to-date on country-specific advice and information which can be found at: Country travel advice and advisories.
2. Say Yes to Travel Insurance Canadians are urged to always purchase travel and medical insurance before they leave Canada. In almost all circumstances, the Government of Canada—and the taxpayer—will not help pay for a ticket back to Canada or medical treatment. Don’t let unforeseen bills ruin your vacation and your wallet. For more information please visit: Travel insurance.
3. Register With Us Canadians can register their travel plans with our team of consular officials for free either online or through our mobile app. The purpose of registering is solely to ensure that if there is an emergency in the area you are travelling in, such as a natural disaster or civil unrest, we can reach you quickly and provide you with guidance and assistance. This quick registration will take you two minutes but will provide us with invaluable information to help assist you when you need it most. For more information on our Registration for Canadians Abroad, please visit: Registration of Canadians Abroad.
4. Know How to Reach Us Canadian consular officials can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week through our call collect number (613) 996-8885 or by email sos@international.gc.ca. We staff this line with live officials at all times. Call us immediately if you are in trouble.
5. We Love to Help—But We Cannot Supply You with Maple Syrup Yes—Canadians have asked us to supply them with an emergency supply of maple syrup and have even asked us to arrange for a chauffeur for their pet poodle through the airport during their holiday travel. As much as we love a good Canadian breakfast staple and are pet lovers ourselves, unfortunately Canadians have an unrealistic expectation of what we are here to help them with. For a list of what consular officials can and cannot do, please visit: Consular Services: general.

Finally, from my family to yours, I would like to personally wish you warm wishes this holiday season and safe travels wherever it may take you.

Lynne Yelich Minister of State (Foreign Affairs and Consular)

Remember to check with a travel clinic to ensure all immunizations are up to date. Some countries may ask about your immunization status. Keep track of your immunizations by downloading this app. It includes any health alerts.

Courtesy of Health Services

By Mario De Negri, Fitness Coordinator for Athletics and Recreation Services

I’d like to take a few blogs and talk about ways to achieve gratitude. If you were at the “Say YES to Everything” talk we spoke briefly about how this applies to the work of acceptance. Gratitude is a very selfless state. Different actions can be ways to gratitude but we are ultimately looking to be living the state. When we exercise these actions they strengthen us to see things that we might not be seeing given we’ve choose to block them or not be aware of them. These actions when practiced on a regular basis start to become the new “normal” and within this state we see things the way they are and that becomes more frequent.  

Seeing things for the way they are makes it feel difficult to be grateful. How can I be grateful when my girlfriend dumps me, or when my friend doesn’t seem to have to work as hard as me to make more money? All of this can be true only if we resist seeing the real picture. I’m not saying these things don’t make happy feelings but what I’m saying is that with practice of gratitude when these things happen we are better equipped to manage these feelings.

Avoiding comparison is a tough one because we are programmed to want to keep up with the Jones’s. That if we don’t happen to have what others have then we are somehow less worthy of receiving. This is very dangerous as this thought process is the very reason we are not receiving abundance. Being able to not compare ourselves leaves us open to focus on the things we do have. This will lead us to more gratitude. I know I want the car with heated seats but if my suffering is coming from a place because someone else has what I want then I am the one who suffers not them. Instead being grateful I own a car at all, or even that I am lucky to know someone who can have a car with heated seats invites more happiness and lets the world unfold for me without my resisting or trying. So by comparing ourselves to others only limits us from our true greatness. When we can accept ourselves for who and where we are then the gates of gratitude will open.

Appreciation is also another action to achieve gratitude. When we appreciate the space we are in presently then we invite more joy into our lives. If we harbour resentment to our situation it will continue us on a path of suffering. It is easy to reject the cold winter, to spend a whole season living for the spring to come without any appreciation for the now. It takes discipline to find appreciation for where we are at. I appreciate the winter as it gives me more cuddle time with my friends and loved ones. I appreciate that the trees can be at such ease, almost unaffected by the cold. I appreciate I can walk freely in the sun without fear of my personal safety or how quiet and calm the winter can be. There are many opportunities to feel appreciation but we must discipline ourselves to the reality of life.

Another thing we can do for gratitude is care for my body. This again is an easy one to neglect as we take it for granted. We expect it to walk and move and breath and heal for us but we so seldom give anything back. We must look at our body as a relationship much like another person and treat it with the same love we want to receive from others. We cannot be in happy relationships if we never do our part to create a feeling of being grateful. We tend to be the worse towards ourselves over everything else. So taking some time to care for my body, with some gentle loving, stretching, and moving, feeding it well will lead to gratitude. When we care for our bodies it will care for us. This is the universal principal to happiness when it becomes a cycle state of constant giving and receiving. We must first be willing to give and be willing to receive.

Try out some of these and just keep them in mind, or write them down on post notes to leave on a mirror or stove. Do not judge yourself if you forget or move into a state of ungrateful. Just watch it and when you see it gently make the change. Play with it and leave it everywhere so you are consistently reminded of why you can be grateful.

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Red River College Athletics and Recreation Services offers Group Fitness Programs suited to all interests and fitness levels. Our highly trained and enthusiastic instructors will lead you through a fun and challenging workout suited to you.

Registered Programs For 2015 Winter Term

Boot Camps with Cameron on Mondays from 11:05am to 11:50am

Yoga with Amanda on Mondays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm and Thursdays from 4:15pm to 5:15pm

Rapid Revolution Spin with Lesley on Tuesdays from 11:05am to 11:50am.

Dynamic Core with Lesley on Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm and Thursdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm.

Zumba with Melissa on Wednesdays from 11:05am to 11:50am

Back Care with Andrea on Wednesdays from 4:00pm to 4:45pm 

20/20 Stack Training with Lesley on Thursdays from 11:05pm to 11:50pm

Cardio Fusion with Ming on Fridays from 11:05 to 11:50

Soccer Boot Camp with Jordan on Fridays from 12:05 to 12:50

Regular classes will start January 19th and run until March 30th.

A “Free Week” of Classes will occur starting Monday January 12th. Classes will be held in their normal time slots and locations. A great way to try a new and different class before signing up!

Drop in cards for 5 or 10 classes per term can also be purchased. An unlimited Full Fitness Pass can also be purchased, allowing to attend as many classes as you want.

Register

Registration Starts on Monday January 5th. To register for a class download the attached form, fill it out and take it to the Student Service Centre to make a payment. 2015 Winter Fitness Classes Registration Form

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Enjoy the fun of trying new dishes and tastes for the holidays. Try it and share with friends or friends to be!

This dish is festive and nutritious using whole wheat couscous, chickpeas, flax seeds, canola oil, and garden vegetables. Being an excellent source of vitamins and iron it can be served as a meal on its own. Enjoy!”

From Health Services

Chickpea & Cranberry Couscous Salad

Ingredients:

1 ¼ C chicken stock

1 C dried whole wheat couscous

¼ tsp each of turmeric, ginger, cinnamon, salt & pepper, cayenne

1 C dried cranberries, 1 medium diced zucchini, carrot, red/green/yellow peppers

3 chopped green onions

2 C cooked chickpeas

1 tsp roasted flax seeds

¼ C each of lemon juice & canola oil

Zest of whole lemon

Directions:

Combine stock and spices, bring to a boil. Stir in couscous, remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Break up any couscous lumps with fingers and add the cranberries and chickpeas. Sauté zucchini and carrots in 1 T canola oil for 4 minutes on high, then add to couscous, cranberries, and chickpeas. Add green onions and flax seeds. Optional: chop in bell peppers for colour (I sometimes add chopped black olives and cherry tomatoes). Add lemon zest and juice with canola oil. Refrigerate for at least one hour. Garnish with fresh parsley

North Gym and Loft hours for exams and holidays

From December 12 to the 19^th the North Gym and Loft will operate under reduced hours due to exams

Exam hours Read More →

As a student I was always looking for ways to get better marks and if possible with less work. Little did I know that shooting hoops with my friends and playing co-ed intramural volleyball was doing exactly that.

A recent article quoted a study from Purdue showed students “who visited rec facilities 15 times or more earned 3.08 GPAs, compared with 2.81 for those who made no visits.” Further evidence for the benefits of visiting your campus recreation centre are shown in a study that “Recreational sports and fitness center members achieved higher GPAs and completed more credits than nonmembers.” Read More →

Don’t Catch the Bug this Year!

With the flu season fast approaching, it’s important for us to do our part in protecting ourselves and preventing the spread of this illness. Flu shots are the best way to prevent the flu and its complications. Health Services at RRC will be offering FREE flu shots for the next few weeks—check below for dates, times & locations.

What is the flu?

Influenza (or the flu) is a lot more than just “a really bad cold”. The symptoms of influenza can range from mild to severe and they include fever, cough, sore throat, chills, fatigue, runny nose, aches, and nausea. Severe complications resulting from flu infection can result in hospitalization or even death.

Certain populations, such as seniors, very young children, pregnant women in the second half of their pregnancy, or those with weakened immune systems are at high risk for developing complications. Although even the healthiest people can catch the flu, become very ill, and spread the infection to others.

Why is it necessary to get the flu shot every year?

A flu vaccine is needed every year because immunity to the virus and protection from vaccination decreases over time. In addition, the flu vaccine is usually adapted and changed yearly in order to target the strains of influenza virus that are predicted to be most common. This year’s flu vaccine will protect against the three influenza viruses that research indicates will be most common during the season.

How does the flu vaccine work?

Flu vaccines contain de-activated (dead) influenza viruses, which trigger the body to produce antibodies that are used to recognize and fight the flu virus. This process happens approximately two weeks after vaccination and there is a chance that one could get the flu during this two week window—which is why some people are falsely led to believe that they got the flu from getting vaccinated.

Upcoming dates/times:

EDC:                                                                                                                                November 6^th, 08:30AM-3:30PM, TRC, Room P107                                                   November 7^th, 08:30-3:30PM, PGI, Room 306                                                                     NDC:                                                                                                                                             November 19^th &20^th, 08:30AM-3:30 PM, Room E308                                                              November 21^st, 08:30AM-3:30PM, Room B150

For more great information, check out some previous immunization blogs HERE

From Health Services  and our U of M Nursing Students here on practicum who will also be helping with the flu clinics.

What are energy drinks?

Energy drink is a term invented by the beverage industry. It is not FDA approved and describes a drink that includes caffeine combined with various herbs or vitamin products. In Canada, caffeine does not have to be listed on labels unless it has been added to the product separately as a pure substance. That means that consumers of energy drinks, especially young people, can develop serious side effects from unrealized high caffeine consumption, and become dependent on such products.

“Caffeine loaded energy drinks have now crossed the line from beverages to drugs delivered as tasty syrups,” wrote Drs. Paul Hebert, Noni MacDonald and Matthew Stanbrook, in their editorial, published in the CMAJ’s July edition. “However, because energy drinks are regulated as foods, the manufacturers are only required to list ingredients according to standard food formats. The total caffeine content or equivalent in cups of coffee are nowhere to be seen. There are no health warnings.”

Stimulants such as guarana and ginsing are often added and these increase the effects of the drink. More than 100mg/day of caffeine has been shown to increase blood pressure. With guarana alone 1g is equal to almost 40mg of caffeine.

Should energy drinks be consumed before or during exercise?     

Karrie Heneman, PhD,Project Scientist and Sheri Zidenberg-Cherr, PhD from Nutrition Science Specialist Department of Nutrition,University of California tell us.

If you experience any of the following AND drink “energy” drinks-stop. It could be caffeine toxicity. Acute caffeine intoxication can cause a multitude of symptoms. They can include the following:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heart palpitations
• GI (gastrointestinal) upset
• Potential heart arrhythmia (irregular heart beat)
• Feelings of anxiety and nervousness
• Feelings of being hyper-energized
• Irritability
• Loss of sleep

What can you do?

• Read the labels of all health products you consume, including energy drinks.  Some cans/bottles contain more than one serving so you need to multiply the per serving dose to know the amount of ingredients you are drinking.
• Even better! Make healthy beverage choices, especially when playing sports or exercising. Water is always a better choice than an energy drink, real fruit or fruit juice, and chocolate or other milk drinks.

From Health Services

Ways to combat the impending flu season: [1]

With the temperatures fluctuating, and more time spent indoors, the flu season inevitably sneaks in and strikes those vulnerable. Flu viruses are constantly changing, it is recommended that the flu vaccine be administered each year. October or November is the recommended best time to get vaccinated, but you can get vaccinated before or after these peak months.

Here are some other tips to help prevent colds and flu:

• Eat and Sleep – Along with exercise, eating right and getting plenty of rest keeps your immune system healthy and better able to withstand infection. Eat plenty of vegetables and fruits that offer antioxidants, and try to get seven or eight hours of sleep each night.
• Exercise – Moderate exercise for 45 minutes a day, five days a week, can reduce the risk of a cold by a third.
• Wash your hands often – Use warm water and a good helping of soap. Don’t forget to clean under the nails, and between fingers.
• Watch your fingers – By rubbing your eyes, covering your mouth, or rubbing your nose with your hands, you can infect yourself with cold virus particles.
• Clean for Virus Protection – Use disinfectant, especially in the bathroom and kitchen, when you clean at home. Try to avoid using sponges and rags, as they can be an additional source of germs.

Fall super foods: Read More →