Sleep is essential for good health. It allows the body to recharge, heal and reset.

As a parent I see the importance of keeping my kids on a bedtime routine. They are healthier, happier and have fewer temper tantrums, a sleep routine makes sense. A regular sleep routine helps keep your internal clock in sync and this actually makes it easier to fall asleep.

We make sleep a priority for our children, why don’t we do it for ourselves? Think about how many adults you know that don’t get enough sleep (myself included). Being tired is sometimes unavoidable, but unless you’re a shift worker, we really should make sleep a priority. How much sleep do we need? Turns out the average amount of sleep recommended for adults is 7 to 9 hours a night. Do you get enough sleep?

I remember watching a television show where they studied sleep deprivation, people who were tired had reaction times slower than those of a drunk driver. Being a danger on the road isn’t the only reason to get some sleep. Not enough sleep effects your immune system, your ability to think clearly, and your overall short and long term health.

We all know the basic effects of not getting enough sleep, now what can we do to ensure a better sleep? Here is what I have learnt; my mom has always told me to turn down the heat at night to around 18 degrees Celsius, and have a dark, quiet room. The Doctor Oz show I watched said to eliminate all electronics and to have a clock radio with a red light display. I know some people swear by meditation and others swear by a glass of warm milk.   Whatever you do to assist with getting a good night sleep it’s worth it, make sleep a priority and be a healthier, happier you!

When looking at your health, are you examining the entire landscape? The wellness wheel is designed to get you thinking of how “well” you are in all the different aspects of your life. When you think of your overall wellness, make sure you are not just focusing on a couple spokes. For resources to assist with you and your family’s wellness check out Lifeworks and live well!

April is Cancer Awareness Month

“About 2 in 5 Canadians will develop Cancer in their lifetime, and about 1 in 4 Canadians will die of Cancer.”[1]

The daffodil is considered a symbol of strength and courage by the Canadian Cancer Society. During the month of April funds raised from the sale of daffodils are used to lend support to families and those receiving treatment for Cancer, fund lifesaving clinical trials, advocate for Cancer patients and provide access to services in your community. The daffodil is considered a symbol of strength and courage by the Canadian Cancer Society.

For more information on Daffodil Month, please visit the Canadian Cancer Society website by clicking here.

Prevention

There are a number of factors that contribute to whether or not you are susceptible to various forms of Cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society website provides information and prevention tips to help reduce your risk of developing Cancer. Quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet and keeping physically active are just a few lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk.

Screening

When Cancer is found early, it is often easier to treat. Regular checkups with your doctor will help reduce the risk of a health problem being ignored.  Screening tests help find some types of Cancer before you have any symptoms. Talk to your doctor to learn more about your risk of Cancer and ask about what screening tests you should have on a regular basis. Be sure to mention if you have any family history of Cancer.

There are benefits and risks to almost every test or procedure, such as: Better survival rates or false negative or positive results. It is important to be aware of these before you make your decision to have any test. Visit the Canadian Cancer Society website to review some of these benefits and risks.

Getting involved

There are a number of ways to get involved in support of the Canadian Cancer Society and the fight against Cancer throughout the year.

Relay for Life – numerous dates based on location from May to June across Manitoba

Arts & Technology Centre Cure-a-Thon – April 28^th in Winnipeg

For more details and more events click here.

If you enjoy volunteering, consider supporting the Canadian Cancer Society with your time and skills. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available such as: organizing an event or becoming a Door to Door Campaign Area Chair.

For more information about fundraising events and to access the volunteer application form, please click here.

Visit www.cancer.ca or www.cancercare.mb.ca for more information.

Did you know?

Time is of the essence when a serious illness strikes. Waiting on a list for a diagnosis or access to a specialist is particularly stressful. The process can be accelerated using the MyCare Health Benefit Option (HBO). MyCare HBO includes:

Initial diagnosis assistance

• Medical second opinions
• Complex or difficult diagnosis
• Specialist assessments
• Diagnostic scans
• Retest or pathology

MyCare HBO members are eligible to purchase insurance covering on-site treatment with the MyCare Advantage Insurance upgrade.

 Logon to your STRATA Select website for more information.

Login: rrc              Password: voluntary

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.

This month the recommended podcast is ‘Finding a Counsellor, Therapist, or Coach’. Learn how to find help using the LifeWorks resources!

[1] Canadian Cancer Statistics 2015. https://www.cancer.ca/~/media/cancer.ca/CW/cancer%20information/cancer%20101/Canadian%20cancer%20statistics/Canadian-Cancer-Statistics-2015-EN.pdf. 2015.

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.

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 2016 Spring Term

Classes scheduled for spring term.

Spring Fling with Jesse and Lesley. Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm. A quick 3 class session to be used as your wellness bridge from Winter to Spring Terms!

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

Boot Camps with Jesse on Tuesdays from 12:05pm to 12:50pm

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

Fitness Classes Now Free for Students!!!

Starting in 2016, all Fitness Classes are free to use for RRC Students. Students can fill out Fitness Class registration form, minus payment, and drop it off at GM20 in the North Gym or email to Recreation Coordinator Cole Skinner @ coskinner@rrc.ca. Students are also welcome to drop in the fitness classes as well, provided space is available.

Info

Spring Classes will start April 5th and run until June 27th.

Drop in cards for 5 or 10 classes per term can also be purchased.

Register

To register for a class download the 2016 Spring Fitness Classes Registration Form, if your staff, alumni or community user fill it out and take it to the Student Service Centre to make a payment.  If you are a student, please complete form and drop off at front desk in the North Gym.

Written by EDC Student Support Services staff

There was no mystery as to why Student Support Services staff in P210 chose to walk…and walk, and walk and walk some more. Mere moments after the gauntlet had been dropped from the Wellness Committee’s Get Movin’ Challenge, a much bigger gauntlet was thrown down by the self-appointed wellness subcommittee at EDC…

The EDC P210 side challenge: Choose a goal to smash – not meet, smash – which must exceed 7,000 steps to be eligible for the College challenge, as well as the P210 challenge.  Armed with electronic-step-tracking arm candy, eight participants competed for this winner-takes-all side challenge.

Our leaderboard

The participants had their own reasons and benefits why they took on this challenge. But the office leaderboard, which strikingly resembled the mountain climber from The Price is Right (see pictures), provided added motivation.

Apropos for someone in an applied post-secondary environment, the subcommittee converted the participants’ ongoing progress to something we could relate to in our day-to-day lives.

The climber from The Price is Right

Here’s a snapshot of an application shout-out:

“So far, we have clocked over 2.5 million steps collectively – we could be high fiving with the polar bears in Churchill by now! We totally crushed the 7,000 step requirement to qualify for the Get Movin’ Challenge.”

On Feb 29^th, 3.5 million collective steps later, the stepper with the highest percentage of their goal exceeded (coupled with the largest calves) was announced winner.

The P210 crew can’t glory in this moment though – they’ve been handed their next wellness assignment. Stakes are high – the winner will walk away with a score of items which could include:

• A winner and not “please play again” coffee rim
• An unopened One Direction CD
• A PaintNite painting

The step challenge can definitely take on another form which resonates with your department; here was an example from the Exchange District Campus.

We so look forward to reading yours!

Photo By Chantel Reles

Essential oils have become an essential part of my life. Their applications are diverse and have a wide variety of benefits. Considering a greater demand on industry for less harsh chemicals and synthetics in personal care products, society is looking at taking a more natural approach.

What is an essential oil? “A natural oil typically obtained by distillation and having the characteristic fragrance of the plant or other source from which it is extracted”, as said directly from Oxford English Dictionary (online, American English ed.). To expand, it is a hydrophobic liquid (repels from water). Whoa science! It is called essential not because it is necessary but because it is from the essence of the plant source. Read More →

The Wellness Committee would like to thank all of those who participated in the challenge. We are thrilled with the results and can’t wait to run this fantastic program next year. We would also like to thank the various departments around the College and Student Association who generously donated prizes.

Congratulations to all the winners of the Get Movin’ Challenge!

Bronze Level Winners: Serene Desmond, Tamara Schaab-Johnson, Don Gould, Allison Richard, Avery Sluce, Jason McMaster, Jaren Press, Luke Sadler, Kim Elphick, Krystal Boyce-Gaudreau, Kenneth Malczewski, Lisa Wolfe, Nernie Mandrick, Fae Arabnit

Silver Level Winners: Ashish Kumar, Desiree Guay, Dave Thomas, Faye Bychuck, Andrea Kozlowski, Tien Trieu Tran, Angelica Calvedores, Don Gould, Arleigh Mackenzie

Gold Level Winners: 250$ Sport Chek gift card: Kylie Clark / Thermea Spa Gift Package: Tien Trieu Tran / Fitbit HR Charge 1: Marie Delorme / Fibtit HR Charge 2: Mary Northover-Ramey / 100$ Lug bag: Megan Havens

To claim your prize, please contact Cole Skinner by email at coskinner@rrc.ca, by phone at 204-632-2397 or in person at GM20 – NDC.

Thank you everyone for participating and for sharing how this challenge has motivated you to be more active in February and beyond.

Send us your story to wellness@rrc.ca and visit blogs.rrc.ca/wellness to find out how the Get Movin’ Challenge has affected those around you – who knows it may be you!!

Keep moving, Your Staff and Student Wellness Committee

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/

March is Nutrition Month!

Eating well can boost your health and help you feel your best. Almost half of Canadians (45%) say, that eating healthy meals and snacks while at work is challenging, according to an Ipsos Reid poll conducted for Dietitians of Canada[1].

National Nutrition Month is brought to you by the Dietitians of Canada every March and this years’ campaign slogan is Take a 100 meal Journey. The Nutrition Month 2016 is dedicated to making small healthy changes to your eating habits and making them stick.

Are you running short on time and often resort to eating out, or feel stressed when it comes to preparing meals? We all have time constraints and challenges that can alter our eating habits. Dietitians of Canada has provided some great strategies to help you make small kitchen changes, and make them stick! Click here to view the fact sheet providing suggested healthy snacks, meal prep, cooking tricks, and snacking recommendations.

This fact sheet also has great strategies to put in place if you find yourself eating out of boredom or when you’re distracted.

How much you eat can be just as important as what you eat. Click here and follow the steps outlined on this fact sheet to help you keep track of healthy portion sizes. This strategy has you using your hand to estimate portion sizes.

For more fact sheets and additional details on Nutrition Month including eating tips and recipes, visit the ‘Dieticians of Canada’ website here.

Supporting Your Wellness

The LifeWorks website contains useful tools and articles to help you budget, save for a strong future, and weather difficult financial times. You even have access to seminars at www.lifeworks.com.

This month the recommended Podcast is ‘Building your Financial Resilience’. Take charge of your finances!

[1] ©Dietitians of Canada. Nutrition Month 2015: Eating 9 to 5. February 24, 2015. http://www.dietitians.ca/media/news-releases/2015/nutritionmonth2015.aspx.

The RRC Wellness Initiative, in conjunction with HR Pay & Benefits, is pleased to offer a Financial Wellness “double-header” on Thursday March 10 for all College employees. Come to both, or come to one!

Both sessions will be in the ETV Studio, Notre Dame Campus, and will also be live streamed and recorded for future viewing at your convenience.

Session 1: Pre-Retirement Information Session – 8:30 am to 11:45 am (also live streamed and recorded for future viewing at your convenience)

Geared for employees who are 1-5 years from retirement (but open to anyone), this session will get you thinking clearly about the steps to take and the decisions to make. Practical, detailed information from presenters Maria Evaristo from RRC Pay and Benefits as well as Randall Newmann from the Civil Service Superannuation Board (CSSB) will help prepare you for your transition and you’ll have time to ask questions too. If you’ve attended this session previously, you’re welcome to attend again.

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Session 2: Financial Wellness Lunch and Learn – 12:00 pm to 12:55 pm (also live streamed and recorded for future viewing at your convenience)

Bring your lunch and join engaging presenters Karley Middleton and Scott Anderson from HUB STRATA as they connect the dots between financial wellness and mental/physical health, and offer clear messages to improve this area of your life today including 10 steps to financial wellness, setting long-and short-term financial goals, estate planning, and when the best time to make a will is (NOW!) Don’t miss this session.

This session is geared for employees at ALL stages of their careers from “just started” to “just about to retire”.

If you are planning to attend  either session via live streaming or prefer to watch the recorded version later, contact hrsld@rrc.ca to receive an information package. (You don’t need to register). Just let us know which session(s) you are interested in. To watch via live streaming, click here at the session start time. You can  ask questions or add comments by clicking on the word bubble on the bottom of the screen.

To attend these sessions in person, click here to register. Don’t forget to sign up for both sessions separately (if you are interested.) Max seating for both sessions is 35.

For more details about these sessions, check out the Staff Learning and Development microsite.