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 →

Now that summer is over and you’re back in college (or starting college for the first time), getting enough quality sleep is really important.

Regular, consistent sleep patterns will help you feel more energized, alert and attentive when you wake up in the morning. Healthy sleep patterns can also enhance your cognitive functioning, learning and memory.

A lack of sleep can lead to an array of problems. For example, people with persistent and untreated insomnia are at risk for experiencing depression for the first time or a relapse of depressive symptoms. There is also good evidence showing that insomnia is a risk factor for the development or recurrence of anxiety disorders and substance abuse problems.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, the recommended amount of sleep for people 18 and over is between seven and nine hours each night. The quality of that sleep is also important, which our lifestyle and health habits can negatively or positively impact.

Try answering the following questions. They can provide good insight into whether you are getting enough sleep.

• Do you have a consistent sleep schedule? (i.e. get a similar amount of sleep each night).
• Are you productive during the days that you get your usual hours of sleep?
• Do you have a constant urge to nap?
• Are you dependent on caffeine all throughout the day?
• Are you able to fall asleep easily at night?

For more on sleep including tips and sleep quizzes, visit the National Sleep Foundation.


Lauren MacLean is president of the Red River College Students’ Association. She is completing her second year of Business Administration with an accounting major. After receiving her RRC diploma she plans to continue her studies towards a Commerce degree. 

Over the past year I’ve met many Student Executives from across Canada through my involvement with the Red River College Students’ Association (RRCSA). One thing I’ve discovered throughout my travels is that the same thing is on all our minds – mental health!

From discussions about our personal experiences with mental health to how students on campus are affected by it to what we could do to increase awareness, it’s is one of the biggest priorities on many campuses and this year the RRCSA is fully committed to keeping the conversation going.

Building on student efforts from last year, the RRCSA is partnering with the college’s Healthy College, Healthy Minds initiative to bring students a Mental Health Awareness Week from Oct. 14 to 17. During this week, students will learn skills to help them understand how to take care of their mental health and know what to do if they are struggling with a mental health issue.

We’re bringing dogs of all sizes and ages to campus to help ease some of the tension that tends to come with studying for midterms. We are also going to help students unleash their creative side with painting and drawing activities and hold a sweats and sweater day to encourage everyone to get comfy and relax.

Mental health is vitally important and it’s important that we all learn how to stay mentally healthy while during school so we can continue these good habits when we enter the workforce.

The fact is that everyone has their own way of de-stressing that works for them, because each of us encounters stress in different ways. One person’s experience is not more or less valid than the next person’s. We simply all need to pay attention to ourselves (and each other) and learn to use resources that are there for us.

Whether it’s talking to a classmate or counsellor, taking time for a quick stretch or limiting the amount of time we spend in front of the computer, there are lots of ways to be mindful of our mental health and plenty of room for discussion about all the different techniques! I for one am very excited to hear about this from students and to keep talking about mental health.

It’s a great time for mental health at Red River College!

First of all, today is the official launch of this site, which is part of Red River College’s Healthy Minds Healthy College initiative. We hope you continue to check back as we’ll be posting interesting and useful mental health articles, videos and resources on this blog throughout the year.

Secondly, Red River College’s Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is coming up fast and the Red River College Students’ Association has some exciting things planned to help students de-stress and take control of their mental health.

Check out the following events on campus during RRC’s MHAW (Oct. 14 – 17):

• Send Your Stress Away
  When: Tuesday, Oct. 14 from 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Exchange District and Notre Dame Campuses and 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Winkler Campus
  Where: Atrium at the EDC, Library Hallway and Voyageur Hallway at NDC and the Student Lunch Room at Winkler
  Get your creative juices flowing with this post-secret inspired art event! Drop by to create a postcard inspired by something that stresses you out to help relieve some of that stress! After the event, the postcards will be collected anonymously and displayed around the school for other students to view.

• Dog Therapy Day
  When: Wednesday, Oct. 15 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.
  Where: Atrium at EDC and Library Hallway at NDC
  Pet your stress away with some help from a group of cute, cuddly therapy dogs from St. John Ambulance!

• Speakers
  When: Thursday, Oct. 16 from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m.
  Where: EDC, Room P107
  Come listen to guest speakers Kieran Moolchan and Justin Luchinski talk about their struggles and successs with mental illness.

• Sweats and Sweaters Day
  When: Friday, Oct. 17
  Where: All campuses
  Come to school in your most comfy casual wear and relax! You can also indulge in some free chocolate thanks to the Red River College Students’ Association and free hot drinks at EDC and NDC from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.

When did you last cycle 100 miles in one day? For most of us such a question would only raise an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

Well, five current and retired RRC employees and three spouses drove 478 km from Winnipeg to Park Rapids Minnesota the weekend of September 26 to do just that. The Headwaters 100 is an annual one-day, 100-mile (161 km) bike ride through Itasca State Park, source of the mighty Mississippi. The route is stunningly beautiful in the fall, and this year’s sunny 27 degree weather certainly added to the enjoyment.

Our Head Honcho, Wayne Ferguson, was the first of us to ride the Headwaters some fifteen years ago. Retired from RRC in 2012, Wayne was the inspiration for this team trek that included current employees Lisa Case, Guy Dugas, Dayna Graham, and Mike Poitras. 2014 marked Lisa’s and Dayna’s 1st Headwaters, Mike’s 3rd, Guy’s 5th, and Wayne’s 8th.

Did we all ride the full 100 miles?

Actually, only Dayna and Mike can boast completing the entire 161 km. And this was the first time in eight outings that our Head Honcho did not go the full distance.

But what made this year particularly significant was the fact that Wayne had undergone hip replacement surgery this past spring. So he hadn’t even started riding again until late July!
Oh, and did I mention that Wayne is 75? Sure, he had pronounced before his operation that he intended to cycle the Headwaters again this year. “Yeah, right.” I thought. But, true to his word, there we were again.

In the end, the spirit was strong but the flesh weak(er). Wayne did complete a “century”, but he quit after only one hundred kilometers, not one hundred miles.

Still, not too shabby I think.

Maybe next year…

Highbush Cranberries dripping with dew

The transition from summer to fall can be a difficult one. Idyllically, summer is a time of warmth and abundance, of growth and prosperity. The land is alive with a variety of birds, insects and flowers, as people roam the landscapes and head off for summer adventures. The trees are full of leaves and seeds, while the fruit bearing shrubs have shared their bounty with people and animals alike.  Many people have spent time swimming in their favourite lake or other watering hole, attended an outdoor music festival, or sat in the sun soaking up the rays while reading a book or enjoying a BBQ.  We’ve all wished at some time that summer would last forever and that winter would never come (or make as brief an appearance as possible).

But as we all know, the time inevitably comes when the nights begin to cool off and we hear that familiar honking sound as the geese return from the north.  We watch with trepidation for harbinger of winter, as the trees suddenly lose their clothing and leave the branches bare. The chaos and exuberance of summer is replaced by something a bit more honest, as the land is once again stripped down to its essence.

The Naked Forest and the Wild Harvest

Chokecherries dangling

As someone who enjoys trail walking, I am always amazed when the forest opens up in the fall, and I can once again see through the landscape as opposed to having  my view of the sky and the horizon obscured by leaves. The study of leafless trees is a great educational tool for understanding a forest ecosystem.

One of the easiest ways to identify a tree in the summer is by looking at the size and shape of a leaf, or by the flowers, seeds and fruit.  The wobbly and bulbous oak leaf is iconic, as is the classical maple tree emblem that we all know so well as Canadians. Many can recognize a choke cherry bundle or a Saskatoon bush when the berries come out.  However, when the leaves come off and the fruit has fallen to the ground, it can be a bit trickier to distinguish one shrub from another.

For most people, there is little need to know the difference between one tree or shrub and another. However, as someone who likes to make winter trails through the bushes and to trim shrubs in the winter to help “revitalize” an overgrown hedge, knowing one species from another is very important. Some species such as Hazelnut are very prolific and will regrow instantaneously from new shoots when trimmed (like a lilac bush), whereas plums and young oaks are rarer and don’t multiply to the same extent.  When you focus on the bark alone and the overall shape of the tree other features become apparent.  You begin to differentiate between the dead wood that is great for stating fires and the living stems. The mossy stems and weathered bark are tell tale sign of aging.  When you look often enough, you begin to see that some stems are purplish (Saskatoon), others are white (like cranberry), some are light brown (hazelnut).

When you look at the shape of the tree or shrub, you can begin to see the effect of the older shrubs have over younger ones as they crown over them, forcing them to shoot out sideways or produce week and gangly stems that are desperate to steal whatever lights pokes through the canopy. By contrast, young growth has an immediate vibrancy and color that is unmistaken.  The dormant buds appear ready to burst even though they are just beginning their seasonal rest.

There are even a few shrubs that keep their berries into the winter, such as the highbush cranberry with its ruby red color and sour smell, the hawthorn with its long and very sharp thorns and mealy dark red berries, or rosehips with their prickly stems and hundreds of tiny seeds inside. I try to hold off picking too many of these in the fall, as they are even more delicious in January when out for a winter walk or snow shoe. Read More →

Check out the following events on campus during Red River College’s Mental Health Awareness Week from Oct. 14 – 17!

Tuesday, Oct. 14 – Get your creative juices flowing with a PostSecret-inspired art event at the Exchange District and Notre Dame Campuses.

Wednesday, Oct. 15 – Look out for all the cute, cuddly therapy dogs who will be visiting the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses over the lunch hour.

Friday, Oct. 17 – Kick back, relax and enjoy a hot drink on the RRCSA during ‘Sweats and Sweater Day’ at the Notre Dame and Exchange District Campuses.

We’ve all heard it a million times — exercise is good for us. But not only do our muscles benefit when we hit the gym or go for a run, exercise also does wonders for our brain and our mental health.

One of the biggest reasons for this is because exercise and sleep are the only two things that help our bodies rid themselves of the hormone cortisol, which causes us to feel stressed. Exercise also pushes positive endorphins through our brains and this helps alleviate feelings of depression.

“Since students are often running low on sleep, exercise is even more important for getting the cortisol out of their system,” says Tessa Blaikie, youth mental health promotions worker at the Canadian Mental Health Association Winnipeg. “Exercise also promotes sleep because it tires us out, making it more likely we’ll have a restful night.”

But between papers, projects and presentations, let’s be honest, how many of us have time to regularly hit the gym?

Fortunately, the gym is just one place where we can get the exercise we need. Research shows it only takes about 10 minutes of moving our bodies before our brains release those positive endorphins. So whether it’s taking several flights of stairs, getting off the bus a few stops early or parking the car across the parking lot and walking, it will still benefit your mental health.

Another bonus of being active is how it can sharpen our mental focus. This is why taking breaks during study sessions for physical activity can actually end up increasing our productivity and ability to absorb information.

“When you’re at a point where you’re re-reading the same page in your textbook, it’s better to go for a walk, do some jumping jacks, run around the block — anything to get you moving so when you come back, your brain is ready to learn,” says Tessa.

Even taking a break to laugh with friends can improve our ability to focus. How come? Because laughing is a form of exercise! Studies show laughing for 15 minutes a day can help you burn about 15 to 40 calories.

So, next time you find yourself falling asleep in your textbook, don’t feel guilty about taking a break to catch up with friends at the Cave or in the Atrium. But just keep in mind that it’s only a break…


How does physical activity help your concentration? Let us know in the comment section below!

Faye Armstrong is a life coach based in Winnipeg who is passionate about living life to the fullest and helping others do the same. For a little motivation or to learn more about personal coaching, visit www.fayeaarmstrong.com

Before I started the Creative Communications program at Red River College, I asked for advice from some friends who had taken the course before me. I got three gems of wisdom: don’t hand in your assignments late, quit your part time job and dump your boyfriend. I managed to handle the first one (for the most part) but I took the other two with a grain of salt and figured, I’ve got this.

I mean, was I really going to be that busy with school that those other areas of my life would suffer? The short answer is yes, I was. Balancing classes, assignments, friends, the boyfriend, work and life in general was a bit of a challenge.

As a life coach, a lot of my clients struggle with achieving balance in the busyness of life. Whether it’s school-life balance or work-life balance, it can be tough to find that happy place between getting stuff done and still enjoying life while you’re at it. And to be honest, there’s no magic formula, but there are a few things you can do to keep things in check.

1. Determine what balance means for you
Lately we hear so much about “finding balance”, it can start to lose meaning. Balance means different things to different people, so instead of making “balance” your goal, figure out exactly what you want to feel and experience in your life. Do you want to have more fun? Do you want more passion? To feel more accomplished? Like a good friend? More spiritually connected? Identify the feelings that translate to what your vision of happiness is, and then find ways to experience those feelings each day- even if it’s in a small way.

2. Schedule time for yourself
Make yourself a priority. Just like you would schedule time to finish an assignment, catch up with a friend or pick up a shift at work, set a specific time for you to recharge. To use a bit of a strange analogy but one that works nonetheless, think about why flight attendants always tell you to put the oxygen mask on yourself before you go helping the people around you.

Self-care is an important part of reaching your goals. If you want to be a better student, employee, friend — whatever it is that you want to be — if you don’t take care of yourself and spread yourself too thin, you end up doing a disservice to yourself and those around you by not being able to give your best.

3. Assess and re-assess
Chances are, there isn’t going to be one set schedule that you can come up with that will forever help you achieve perfect balance in your life. It’s good to have a routine, but there are going to be days when your friend really needs you to be there, when you need to lock yourself in a room and get into major homework mode, or when you need to take a time-out for yourself. Know what your priorities are and realize that those priorities might shift and flux as life tends to.

Also keep in mind that as you move through different phases of your life, your priorities will probably change too. Balance isn’t so much a destination to work towards, as it is a state of being, and it takes work to stay in that state. Check in with yourself every once in awhile to re-evaluate your priorities and how you’re doing in keeping your life aligned with those.

College is all about learning — some of it inside the classroom, and some of it through the life experiences you will have throughout your time here. Consider the hectic schedules, friend drama, heartbreak, excitement and everything else you have on the go as a crash-course in learning the fine art of life balance. And when all else fails, take a deep breath and remember: you’ve got this.

With so many things demanding our attention these days, its wishful thinking for many of us to get six let alone eight hours of sleep at night.

But the benefits of regular sleep, from concentration to memory, are hard to beat — and no, caffeine isn’t a substitute!

Dr. Russel Foster is a circadian neuroscientist in Oxford, England and studies the complicated intricacies of sleep and brain functioning. In his TED talk presentation Why do we sleep? he says one of the biggest problems is that society doesn’t value sleep and that large segments of the population are sleep-deprived.

Watch his TED talk for more insight into why we need sleep or read some of the highlights from his talk below.

Fast Facts

• The average person will spend 36 per cent of their life asleep. If you live to be 90-years-old, you will have spent 32 years sleeping!
• In the 1950s, people were getting an average of 8 hours of sleep. In 2013, the average person was getting about 6.5 hours with many people clocking just 5 hours of sleep a night.
• At some point in their life, 31 per cent of drivers will have fallen asleep at the wheel due to sleep deprivation. Scary!
• People who get 5 hours or less of sleep every night are 50 per cent more likely of being obese.

Why do we sleep?

Studies have found that sleep enhances our creativity and our ability to process information and problem solve. In fact, some areas of the brain are more active during the sleep stage than during the awake stage!

Sleep deprivation can lead to

• poor memory
• impulsiveness
• poor judgment
• irritability/moodiness
• stress
• worsen symptoms of mental health issues

How to tell if you’re sleep-deprived

• if you take a long time to get up in the morning (think about how many times you hit the snooze button)
• need lots of stimulants throughout the day to stay awake
• grumpy, irritable
• your classmates, colleagues or friends tell you that you look tired

Tips for improved sleep

• try not to have any caffeine after lunch
• reduce your amount of light exposure 30 minutes before heading to bed (turn off your phone and computers)
• make your room as dark as possible
• ensure the temperature in your room is cool