A pink and white lady-slipper

If you’re an avid outdoorsy-person or someone who is looking to learn more and do more in the great outdoors, a great resource is Nature Manitoba. Nature Manitoba  is a not-for-profit organization that was founded in 1920 as the Natural History Society of Manitoba (later known as the Manitoba Naturalists Society), “for the popular and scientific study of nature”.  The goal of the organization is to promote an appreciation and understanding of nature, and to preserve and enjoy it.

Nature Manitoba offers a wide variety of indoor and outdoor programs year-round, and advocates for the protection of our natural environment. You can check here for a full range of outdoor activities – that include both physical activities such as canoeing, hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, camping, cross-country skiing, and other outdoor recreational pursuits – as well as bird-watching and other educational workshops.

The birding link is pretty cool, as it features a slide show that includes a turkey vulture (which is a vulture, not a turkey, or a vulture-turkey hybrid). These birds are great to see in the wild, as they are so huge that they are still visible when flying high in the sky.

Two other great aspects of Nature Manitoba is the bi-monthly newsletter that always has interesting stories and profiles and the garden tour – which is especially good for urban gardeners who are looking for some ideas for their own backyards. Memberships are relatively inexpensive, and funds go towards a good cause. Find out more by exploring their website, and perhaps signing yourself up.

If you’re into gardening, check out my previous post on Where to Go for Prairie Plants.

It’s not too late to register for a RRC Spring fitness class!

RRC Athletics and Recreation Services offers a number of fitness classes for staff and students. We have designed a class for everyone and they are taught by the some of the best and most experienced fitness professionals in Manitoba.

This spring we will be offering Yoga, Rapid Revolution Spin, Zumba, Total Body Workout, Aikido, and Dynamic Core. These classes run at lunch and at the end of the work day at the Notre Dame Campus.

Please note that we have cancelled Tuesday Circuit and Thursday Aikido due to low registration numbers. All other classes will run.

The costs are:

• $40 for Yoga – 5 sessions (90 mins each)
• $30 for all other classes – 5 sessions (45 – 60 mins each)

Register for more than one class and you will receive $10 off your registration!

Click here to visit the Athletics and Recreation website for more detailed class information, dates, times and the registration form.

Registration forms, class descriptions, dates, and times are also available on the wall across from the North Gym Front Desk. Register and pay in the Student Services Centre (D101).

At Red River College, we value a healthy environment and express this through promotion of creativity, wellness, flexibility, safety, and sustainable learning. RRC President Stephanie Forsyth is a strong proponent of health, wellness, and life balance.

She recently provided some insight into her personal beliefs, attitudes, and activities on the subject. In addition to elaborating on some of the ways she likes to relax while enjoying precious downtime, Stephanie also shared her thoughts on community, ideas about wellness at the College – and even her favourite snack.

This is the first of a two-part series featuring a Q+A with Red River College’s chief executive.

Looking for part two? Read it here.

Read More →

Back by popular demand, the Wellness Committee is once again running the Blogging 101 and 201 workshops.

Blogging regularly can be a great way to improve your writing and share your thoughts and opinions on various subjects. And if you’re interested in blogging but don’t know where to start, writing an occasional post for the Wellness blog could be a good opportunity for you. Since its debut in December 2011, the Wellness Blog now has over 50 posts to its credit, with contributions from across the college community.

Go the Portal to register.

—–

Blogging 101 covers topics like:

• Why you should blog
• Types of blog posts
• Getting the most out of your blog

When: May 22, 12pm-1pm
Where: Notre Dame Campus – E305

—–

Blogging 201 is a hands-on workshop in a computer lab that includes:

• Using the WordPress blogging platform
• How to add links, photos and videos to your post
• Moderating comments

When: May 23, 12pm-1pm
Where: Notre Dame Campus – Room A115

When: May 29, 12pm-1pm

Where: Roblin Centre, Exchange District Campus – Room A410

Well, I just got my Bud Spud n Steak ticket from Cristina Gomes (Cashier’s desk, C212) for the RR Rebel Dragons Dragon Boat Team’s (rrrddbt…?)  event on May 11th at the Palomino Club. Go Rebels Go! (you can also get yours from Maria Evaristo at mtevaristo@rrc.ca  or Christine Buchanan at cbuchanan@rrc.ca}

Speaking of Rebels, we are now 4 RR Rebel Riders (rrrr…) gearing up for the MS Ride Sept. 8 & 9: Moi, Roxanne Hildebrand, Mike Poitras, and Wayne Ferguson. No team rides yet. But Mike did finally get his bike out this week and has now clocked over 100 km. Roxanne’s been doing two 30 min. commutes a day for weeks already. Wayne made a solo sticky bun run to Niverville last weekend (though the head wind was so bad that he opted for a Clubhouse instead to revive his tired legs; probably could have used a Spud n Steak!). I hit 300 km with a  couple of work commutes this week and a Sat. morning ride along Sturgeon Creek, the Assiniboine and the Red to St. Adolphe. No sticky bun for me either at the end of that run. This time my reward was lounging in the grass off Pembina with a black-bottom cupcake and a grande latte.

LGBTT* individuals often feel unwelcome and excluded, and they look for behaviours and signs that may indicate whether or not people will support and welcome them as LGBTT* individuals. The Ally Project seeks to create a safer, welcoming, and supportive environment for LGBTT* people by helping them to identify Allies who they can trust and with whom they can be open. This 1-day session will provide participants with knowledge and tools for potential Allies.

Date: Monday, May 7, 2012

Time: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. (Coffee Station and Light Lunch will be provided)

Location: Studio B (formerly CanWest Global studio) Notre Dame Campus (Session will be available online for staff from Regional Campuses)

Trainer: Brad Tyler-West, Healthy Sexuality Educator, Rainbow Resource Centre

If you would like to attend this Ally Training, please register online at https://apps.rrc.ca/facultydevelopment/default.aspx before April 27, 2012.

Red River College offers this Ally Training as part of the LGBTT* Initiative, coordinated by the Diversity and Immigrant Student Support department. This session is brought to you in partnership with RRC Faculty Development. For more information, please contact Nora Sobel, Diversity Initiatives Coordinator at nsobel@rrc.ca or 632-2404.

Photo: Microsoft Office clip art

This is not so funny if you are a student at exam time.

Which brings us to all-nighters. Do they work?

Quite simply, no, according to psychiatrist Robert Stickgold at Harvard Medical School. His research suggests that we need six hours of sleep to remember newly learned material effectively.

It seems our brains use the first two hours (slow wave sleep), to store long-term memories. After that, the brain sorts and files the knowledge and really plants it. Interrupt this, and the knowledge just won’t stick. The last two hours are spent in REM (rapid-eye-movement) sleep. This is also when dreams occur. The brain reviews what it has learned and strengthens the many connections between nerve cells that reinforce memory.

Your mother was right. Even if you pull off an all-nighter and manage to grind out those passing marks, it is unlikely you will retain this knowledge for a significant length of time.

Just ask What’s-his-name.

Resources:

https://sleep.med.harvard.edu/people/faculty/220/Robert+Stickgold+PhD

http://www.txtwriter.com/onscience/Articles/sleep.html

 We all have our share of lessons learned.  We live, we try something, it works. Other times, we try and it doesn’t work.  I will never forget a quote by Einstein: “Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  I absolutely love it! It is okay to make mistakes, it is fine to learn our lessons, but it is not as okay to keep doing the same mistakes when life already showed us we should do something different or initiate some changes.

I read somwhere that “Our natural state of being is joy.”  I agree with that, I believe in that.  I think that each one of us is born to make the best of life and to enjoy our time here.  When we were kids, we knew it.  Kids are happy, in the moment, smelling the roses, and they find everything amazing and fascinating. Then something happens on the way to adulhood.  We become more serious, less cheerful, more stressed, and anxious.   It almost seems to me that we forgot who we really are and the fact that our natural state of being is joy.

Well, I am sharing with you some of the lessons that I have learned in life:

1.  Friends can be your family: Boy, do I ever know this.  I left Bulgaria 16 years ago and being away from my family, I made my friends my family by connecting with them on a human level.  I learned by befriending people from different cultures that in the heart me are all the same.  I have no idea what I would have done without my friends.  Here is a quote by Edna Buchanan that confirms my experience: ” Friends are the family we choose for ourselves.”

2. My happiness depends on ME: No one can make me happy.  It is my own creation, decision, thinking, etc. that makes me happy.  If I wait for people to make me happy, this might never happen. Plus, I wouldn’t want my happiness to be dependent on something outside of myself.  How about I take responsibility and I make it happen? Then I am stronger and empowered.

3. Appreciating and loving the little things in life: I learned that it is the small things that count: a friendly smile, a hug from my son, a call from a friend who cares, a driver letting me go to the left lane, and simply a warm sunny day.  We learn to value life and everything in it when a major event happens in our life.  We don’t have to wait for an event to take place in order to be happy for another day of being alive, seeing, walking, hearing, etc.

4. School never ends: So we spend years in school and in college, but I think the real learing starts when we start living our lives.  We experiment, try different things, we make different choices, we face challenges, and have bonding moments with people close to us.  As a parent, I never stop learning from my interactions with my son.  When I think I figured something out, another challenge comes up.  The main lesson I am learning every day is how to be human.

Oprah visited Canada for the first time just recently.  She shared with the Chatelaine magazine some of her best lessons:

1. Change is good:  No wonder nature goes through different seasons. There is an opprotunity for a different experience, different energy, different opportunity when we make different choices or consiously try to do something else.  Sometimes we procrastinate to make a decision or just go with the flow, but it might not be the best and healtiest choice in the long run.

2. Decisions, not conditions, determine your destiny: Life consistes of choices.  At the end of the day, our life is the way it is because of the choices we have made.  Oprah’s says that we have 100 percent control over every action and we are 100 percent respnosible for every emotional we feel.  Basically, how we live our lives is our choice.

3. Everybody has a story: Yes, we all have ownership of our own lives.  Our stories are our lives, the events, the laughs, the tears, realizations, lessons learned, etc.  We become what we believe.  I recently read about Self-talk and how important is to believe in ourselves: “All is well”, “It is all good”, “I am safe”, “I can do it.”

4. Trade expectation for appreciation: Nobody likes when we expect from them to be a certain way or act in a certain way.  Humans feel pressure when expectations are expressed.  We resist expectations and we feel not accepted for what we are.  A good point Oprah made is that when we expect, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment. It is true because expecting is wanting someone to do something for us.  When we appreciate what other do or do not do for us, the experience is more positive and people feel that they matter.

5. Happiness is contagious: Oprah mentions that when we surround ourselves with positive, happy people, our happiness increases as well.  The opposite is valid as well–Misery loves company.  The idea is to make an effort to stay away from people and situations that bring out the worst in us.

6. Failure is the result of a lack of resourcefulness: According to Oprah, failure happens when ther’s a lack of creativity, passion, determination or commitment.  If wereally want someting or if we are motivated, we will figure out to make it happen.

You can read the full article here Oprah’s Life Class: 10 Life-changing lessons I learned.

I am constantly searching for healthy recipes to feed my son and to add variety to my meals.  I love different flavours, spices, and I am experimenting all the time.  I came across this healthy soup recipe which is dairy free and protein-rich.  Here are five amazing facts on broccoli:

1. May relieve asthma symptoms.

2. Is loaded with fibre.

3.  May protect against tissue damage in diabetes.

4. Is a good source of the many B vitamins.

5. Can stop replication of colon cancer cells.

Ingredients:

1 ½ tbsp (22.5 mL) extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp (10 mL) crushed garlic

¾ cup (85 mL) chopped onion

1 large carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 tbsp (15 mL) dried basil

3 cups (750 mL) chopped broccoli (1 large head)

¾ cup (85 mL) dried green lentils

4 cups (1 L) low sodium chicken broth

2 tbsp (30 mL) parmesan cheese, grated

Optional: 2 green onions, chopped (for garnish)
Directions: 1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. 2. Add onions and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes. 3. Add the carrots, celery and basil and cook for a few more minutes until the spices coat them nicely. 4. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the broccoli) and bring to a boil. 5. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes hour covered. 6. Cut broccoli into small florets. Add to the pot and cook for 10 more minutes. 7. Using a wand blender, puree till smooth. Garnish with green onions if desired.
Makes three 2 cup (500 mL) servings. Freeze some portions for workdays on the run.

Detoxifying strawberry lemonade drink ready in one minute!

Doesn’t this lemonade sound yummy?  I want to have one right now!

Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: ¼ cup water 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 cup strawberries (fresh or frozen) 1-3 ice cubes 1 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
Directions: 1. Add all ingredients (except for the ice) into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth, adding a bit more water if necessary. Add ice and blend again. Serve immediately.

The Wellness committee was fortunate to have Kelly Small of the provincial government come and talk to us about a new initiative they are running called the Health e-Plan.  This online tool is meant to help individuals assess their health, set wellness goals, take steps to achieve those goals, and track their progress.  It also provides useful information of services providers nearest to where you live, and ideally, will enable the government to better understand and coordinate services for individuals by region.  Below is the synopsis provided in the Health e-Plan brochure.  If you’re interested, read further, and consider creating a plan for yourself.

What is Health e-plan?

The Health e-plan is an online interactive tool to help you:

• Better understand your current health and
• Learn ways to improve your health over time

How does it work?

Health e-Plan involves four easy steps:

• Assess your health
• Set goals
• Take action
• Track your progress

The first step is to create your personal health profile by answering questions about your current health status. This includes questions related to your physical condition, lifestyle and family history. Based on established medical guidelines, Health e-Plan will produce a detailed report to help you learn more about how your current habits and lifestyle choices, your family history and other factors may affect your health in the future. The health assessment also helps you set goals for improving your health and provides useful information for making changes.

Customized to your needs

In addition to helping you set goals to help improve your health status, Health e-Plan can help you meet those goals with a customized plan. My Wellness Connections will link you to resources in your community based on where you live and the results of your health assessment.

Rewarding your effort

After completing your health assessment you have an opportunity to participate in our Rewards Program. To participate, you complete an electronic entry ballot. You are then entered into a draw with a chance to win small weekly prizes as well as a grand prize each month.  Each time you update your profile, you have another chance to enter and win.

Get started today!

Visit www.manitoba.ca and enter Health e-Plan in the search box at the top of the page.

To set up your personal health profile, you need information such as your waist and hip measurements, blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If you don’t have this information handy, you can still get started. Then, update your profile with the correct information when you have it to ensure more meaningful and accurate results.