Facing off at a recent game

I come from a hockey family. We lived in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut for part of my childhood, where one of the only organized activities for kids was the local hockey program. Women’s hockey hadn’t taken off yet, but that didn’t stop my parents. They signed my sister and me up to play as soon as we were old enough.

A typical street in Nunavut

Our family lived on one edge of town and the hockey arena was on the other. I remember walking across the frozen lake to hockey games and practices several times a week during those years, our hockey bags piled up on the sled.

As a kid, I don’t really remember saying I wanted to play hockey or having much of a choice. It was just what kids in our family did. When I got older, and we’d moved back to Thunder Bay, I got interested in other activities and sports. I liked going to hockey, but I didn’t love it the way my sister or three brothers did.

At twelve, I was too old for our friendly neighbourhood hockey league (called the NHL for Northwood Hockey League) where I had been playing on the same team as my two younger brothers. So my parents signed me up for the house league team that many of my fellow 12-year-old NHL teammates were graduating to. Not only were we moving to changing on the fly but we were also now eligible for body contact.

Like most 12-year-old girls, I was starting to feel a little awkward and out of place in most situations, let alone being the only girl in the hockey dressing room. I finished out that year, but decided to try my luck with downhill ski racing the next winter instead of playing hockey.

I sat out of hockey for a couple of seasons and joined my first women’s hockey team a few years later. That first game back felt like going home.

Today, hockey is an important outlet for me. After moving to Winnipeg about five years ago, I joined the women’s hockey team my sister had been playing on in the Adult Safe Hockey League. It’s been a great way to get exercise, blow off some steam, and get to know some great women.

As we head into playoff season, I’m thankful to my parents for signing me up and getting me to the rink for so many years, even if it didn’t always seem like I loved the game. Today, there is no doubt I do.

When I think about the wellness wheel, hockey swirls through quite a few of the spokes. The game and my teammates are a great way to take care of my physical, social, and mental health. For me, there’s nothing like a good sweat to put things in perspective. When I’m on the ice, other stresses melt away and my biggest problem is trying to get that puck in the net.

What sports or activities help you stay well, without feeling like work? Let us know in the comments.

I have become a dog person – which is surprising to some of my family members – but now I cannot imagine my life without a dog or two around.

My first dog came into my life in 1999; a three year old Bichon Frisé named Rufus. He was the perfect dog to start a journey of dog ownership. My husband and I had moved to a northern BC community and I began the process of finding employment. Rufus saved my sanity during my hunt for employment. Rufus needed to be walked, so this forced me to get outside instead of staying in the house all day. Fresh air and a good walk kept me mentally healthy. There was nothing like walking a cute, fluffy white dog to start a neighbourly conversation.

Rufus came on all our adventures with us: Cross country skiing, mountain biking, hiking and camping. He was known to sit in a backpack while we were biking around town. He visited numerous job sites with my husband. The contractors in town all knew him. He travelled with us each time we moved to another province adjusting to each move easier than I. Rufus provided us with so much joy and he lived to be 14. An old dog in dog years.

Our house was empty without a dog around, so I was on the hunt for another dog to enrich our lives.

We went from small dog to large dog. We decided on a Golden Retriever. We picked Sheena up in July 2011. This was our first time as puppy owners. Sheena made puppy ownership a breeze. She was so easy to train. But we didn’t realize that a big head and big paws meant a big dog!! Sheena is a 75 pound female golden retriever.   We discovered very early that she does not enjoy Winnipeg summers. She is a cold weather dog; -35⁰C and Sheena is curled up outside in the snow. She loves chasing the deer and rabbits. She loves to exercise and also loves to chill while at home.

Puppyhood with Sheena was such a breeze that we decided to get another Golden Retriever. Sierra DID NOT make puppyhood a breeze. I kept asking the vet what was wrong and she gently told me that there was nothing wrong and that Sierra was a very healthy, normal puppy! Our two Goldens have the same mother but you would not guess it. Sierra is the exact opposite of Sheena in every way!!! I spent the first 18 months alternating between threatening to give her up and maybe keeping her. Today, Sierra is three years old and I wouldn’t trade her for the world. She is such a wonderful dog. Although she is full of energy and doesn’t stop from the minute she wakes up until she goes to bed, she is the cuddliest dog I have ever met.

SIERRA (on the left) Sheena (on the right)

At first, Sheena was not impressed with the new addition to the family but enjoys Sierra’s company now. Sierra absolutely LOVES her big sister. She spends hours trying to get Sheena to play with her and if that doesn’t work, she finds something to take from the garage, through the doggie door into the back yard. Sierra does not enjoy being separated from her sister. She walks around looking for Sheena and won’t settle down until Sheena is around. We couldn’t even run with them separately; once, my husband was running with Sheena and I was lagging behind with Sierra and, well, forget that – that wasn’t going to fly. Sheena sat down and no amount of pulling was going to get her moving – my husband had to run with both dogs.

The dogs absolutely love the swimming pool/lake/river. We had to put a gate around the pool to keep Sierra out. As a puppy, she decided to jump in while the summer cover was on the pool.

SHEENA (on the left) SIERRA (on the right)

Dog ownership enriches your life in ways I am not eloquent to express but I would be remiss if I did not mention that dog ownership is not for everyone; dog ownership is work and they cost money. But if you are ready to accept the work you will find the benefits of dog ownership far out-weigh any work. Dog ownership ties very deeply and personally to my sense of wellness and mental well-being.

Ready for dog ownership? Consider adopting a dog from many of the dog rescue organizations in the city. I have provided a link to three:

http://www.winnipeghumanesociety.ca/

http://manitobamutts.org/

http://petrescueshelter.com/

Thank you to all RRC students and employees who dropped by and participated at our ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ Wellness Event last week at NDC and EDC!

The ‘Keep Calm and Carry On’ theme was evident by the interaction and participation at our various stations. Over 50 people relaxed at the Adult Colouring station and many took a coloring sheet back with them to finish their artwork! We received rave reviews over the tasty cookies and hot chocolate – what a nice treat on a cold winter day!

Our guest Marc Forrester, from Winnipeg Insight Meditation Group, enjoyed sharing his knowledge! 64 students and employees indicated an interest in finding out more about meditation.

The Therapy Dogs and owners were a special treat. The smiles on everyones faces during their interactions speaks volumes as to the benefits we gain from being around these lovely animals.

There was a renewed interest in what Lifeworks – the RRC employees Employee and Family Assistance Program – has to offer. We navigated the pages within the Lifeworks.com website to find interesting articles, information and tips on a diverse number of topics including quitting smoking, child care information, Will kits, finance sections, where to call to speak with a consultant or counsellor. Click here to access the LifeWorks website.

Look for the LifeWorks posters over the campuses too!

The Wellness Committee will donate 3 books to the Library – The Path of the Yoga Sutras; The Relaxed Mind and The Kundalini Yoga Experience.

Stay tuned for more Wellness Events including the ‘Get Movin’ Challenge’ for the month of February.

Finally, Congratulations to the prize draw winners!

‘How to Meditate’ books – Paul Brady (NDC) & Judyta Szacilowski (Roblin Centre)
Adult Coloring Books – Gurpreet Kaur (NDC) & Virginia Wark (Roblin Centre)

Thanks for your participation! The Wellness Committee

Calm mind brings inner strength & self-confidence, so that’s very important for good health – Dalai Lama

 Join the Wellness Committee on January 21 at NDC and January 22 at Robin Centre where you can de-stress and rejuvenate for 2016. 

Meet us in the hallway for hot chocolate and cookies, and while taking a break from the computer screen, you can unwind and clear your thoughts with a favorite pastime, colouring…

Yes! Research has shown that colouring for adults is a great way to reduce stress and clear your thoughts.   

After colouring, wander over to meet our meditation expert who will share with you the proven scientific benefits of meditation: physical, mental, emotional and spiritual.

Next, visit Lifeworks.com, the RRC Employee and Family Assistance Program website to navigate and find resources to help in managing stressors in your work and personal life.

 End your break by visiting our therapy dogs who will brighten your day and lift your spirits!

 Staff and students – please drop by!

 January 20, 2016 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – NDC Library Hallway

January 21, 2016 – 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Roblin Centre Atrium

For more information, contact wellness@rrc.ca.

Minimize your stress this holiday season![1]

Preparing for the holidays comes with increased demands on our time and activity. Stress results when demands exceed our ability to cope. The holidays are events out of the ordinary that we often expect to be extraordinary. Finding the perfect gift, preparing the perfect meal or hosting a family gathering with no setbacks or conflicts may not be a realistic expectation, for yourself or for others. When expectations are too high, when they are not met or things happen that are out of our control, we can end up feeling disappointed or frustrated and stress is a likely result.

Everyone has a different way of coping with stress and some can make the situation better or worse. Here are some positive ways to cope with holiday stress:

• Review your expectations for the holidays. Make sure your expectations are yours and not someone else’s and make sure that they are realistic. What you can do and want to do might be very different.
• Make sure that you are expecting something over which you have some control. Make sure that you plan an event that you can make happen.
• Let others know what you expect of them and don’t forget to ask for help if you need it.
• Only take on what you can manage. Spending more than you can afford or inviting more people to an event than you can accommodate is likely to lead to stress and frustration.
• Review or plan your coping strategies before a special event. Time out for physical or relaxation exercise, a walk or hobbies can be great coping mechanisms for stress and are good lifestyle practices in general.
• Focus on what really matters. Think about what is more important to you – the perfect gift, a turkey cooked perfectly and on time or enjoying time with family and friends.

Your Employee and Family Assistance Plan (EFAP) through LifeWorks also has plenty of recourses to assist you with managing holiday stress. Visit the LifeWorks website to view some helpful articles.

Individual Health, Dental and Travel

Individual Health Dental Travel (HDT) Insurance plan assistance, offered through HUB International STRATA Benefits Consulting, is a service that aims to provide additional coverage for an Employee who is already covered, or provide coverage for a dependent who is not otherwise covered for benefits.

Individual insurance is all about you. The insurance carrier, plan level and options are all chosen based on your wants, needs, and budget. If you have pre-existing medical conditions, you can apply for plans that offer non-medical applications provided you apply within a certain timeframe of terminating your Group coverage.

This program is 100% voluntary for any Employee requiring additional coverage, leaving the Group Plan, or in need of coverage for a family member; simply contact HUB STRATA for your initial Needs Assessment.

Contact HUB STRATA at 1-866-787-2826 or at emerge@stratagroup.ca to discuss your post-group health, dental and travel needs.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

If you’re a family caregiver, you may be struggling to balance the demands of your many roles. This month, LifeWorks will feature their resources on caring for older dependent loved ones. Check out these resources:

• Podcast – Facing a Terminal Illness
• New Seminar – The Sandwich Generation

[1] Cohen, Dr. K.R. 2014. “Psychology Works” Fact Sheet: Holiday Stress. Canadian Psychological Association. http://www.cpa.ca/docs/File/Publications/FactSheets/PsychologyWorksFactSheet_HolidayStress.pdf

Paramedical Coverage

As part of Red River College’s group benefits, Benefit Eligible Employees may have coverage for the following professional services. Your coverage is based on your Flex Option choice.

• Audiologists
• Athletic Therapists
• Chiropractors
• Dieticians
• Massage Therapists
• Naturopaths
• Osteopaths
• Physiotherapists
• Podiatrists/Chiropodists
• Psychologists/Social Workers
• Speech Therapists

For detailed paramedical coverage information refer to your benefits booklet.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month[1]

Mental health is key to being truly healthy. Mental health involves how we interact with the world around us and how we feel, think and act. Mental health is not about achieving the ‘perfect life’ by avoiding problems. Mental well-being is much more than the presence or absence of a mental illness; rather it is about living well and feeling capable despite challenges.

Each person’s path to mental well-being is different and unique just as each person’s goals, challenges, talents and supports are. Maintaining your mental health requires effort every day, but the rewards are great! Everyone can achieve good mental health! Here are some tips and activities to apply on a regular basis to help you get started:

• Build a healthy self-esteem – Self-esteem is being able to see all of your abilities and weaknesses together, accepting them, and doing your best with what you have. Take a look at your skills and interests, and then what you have difficulty with. All of us have our positive and negative sides. Build confidence by developing weaker areas and regularly reminding yourself of the things you’re comfortable and proud of.
• Build a positive support network – Social support is a very important part of mental health and people in our networks can offer many different kinds of support. Make time to just be with important people in your life.
• Get involved – You make a difference, and being involved in the things that matter to us provides a great feeling of satisfaction and purpose. Getting involved connects you with others, builds confidence and promotes personal growth. Read to children, serve on a committee or board of your favorite charity, or simply help a neighbor.
• Build resiliency – Stress is a normal part of life. Resiliency means coping well with problems, stress, and other difficult situations that are a normal part of life. Build a resiliency tool kit that might include skills like problem solving, assertiveness, and balancing obligations and expectations.

For more mental health information including more tips and activities visit the Canadian Mental Health Association website.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you and your family. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

Whether you have questions about bedtime routines, or if you’re struggling to set limits, LifeWorks can help you find solutions to your family’s sleep issues! Check out these recommended resources:

• Podcast – Helping Your Child Get a Good Night’s Sleep
• New Seminar – Positive Discipline

[1] Mental Health – Why is your mental health so important? Canadian Mental Health Association. 2015.

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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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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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

What a bizarre statement. How can I possibly say YES to everything? I’m sure you’ve heard it before: “Be more positive!” “Fake it till you make it!” ”Law of attraction.”. Maybe that works for the short-term but why do I keep going back to the same old self that I’m trying to get past being? It seems that through all of my greatest efforts I seem to keep being snagged up with obstacles. I can’t seem to escape the pit of my own self-suffering and putting myself down, or being let down even when I am trying everything to be my best self.

These are things I am going to be talking about in my next workshop being held at the Red River College Notre Dame Campus. If it seems like you are stuck in a rut, you’ve tried everything to get yourself on the “right” track, or you’re even a bit curious where this talk could lead you, you should say YES and come be a part.

This workshop will help explain the reality of saying YES. It will help give you a better understanding as to why you think you are not making it. It is our thoughts that limit us and make us see things as good or bad, not reality. When you experience “true presence” you will no longer separate these things but see them as they are. We often trick ourselves and allow our minds to take control of our present reality, feeling like we have no choice anymore but to just go through the motions. The catch is seeing that this is real. We cannot unplug it. Our minds are often polluted with mostly poisonous thoughts and we keep taking it. When you’re in this state, you can’t tell the difference from a Monday or a Friday…… your mind has latched its tentacles onto this notion creating a perpetual downward spiral. What I will show you is not how to unplug it, but how to unplug from it. You will experience what it is to become an observer of your life, sitting presently in that moment.

You will be given a few tips to bring awareness to your daily life, and some exercises to take with you and try anywhere… because no one can stop you. This workshop won’t change your life; you changing will change your life. Once you experience that all negative things are in you and not in reality then you can move towards the light of YES. Bring yourself and a partner and leave you minds at home.

Workshop info:

• What: Say YES to Everything
• Where: Red River College Notre Dame Campus, 2055 Notre Dame Ave, Green Lecture Theatre
• When: Wednesday, October 22, 2014
• Time:12:00pm – 12:55pm