Money, Money, Money

Despite my lack of recent blogging, my mind has never been far away from this topic. With the past few weeks of school being busy-busy, I found it particularly important to take my own advice and take care of myself. And, while many people around me were running around stressed and overwhelmed, I was cool, calm, and collected! I am not saying this to gloat; not at all. As I have mentioned before, it has taken me a long time to find my balance and discover how to truly take care of myself. I understand that some people thrive off stress or work better when under pressure, but your body does not. You may like those all-nighters, surviving on caffeine and candy, and swapping those gym dates for bar dates, but I can guarantee you that your body, your mechanism for getting through this life, does not.



Our bodies are not overly complex; feed them right, water them, move them around regularly, put them to bed at a reasonable hour, don't sweat the small stuff, and find a healthy way to deal with the big stuff. That's about it. So why do we keep self-sabotaging, knowing the rewards for such simple behaviours could be life-changing? If we, as university soon-to-be grads, have not perfected the act of self-care, how can we expect our students to have it down?


Now, this is a topic I will discuss with anyone who will listen, and this group of people spans from friends and family to people who I feel could help make this change. The more I discuss this with people, the more people I come across who agree with my plan for change and who also acknowledge the current void.  When I tell people about my upcoming two-week program, I get nothing but enthusiasm and intrigue as a response. Aside from giving the students the facts on how to lead a healthier life, I have also created a very practical program. This means students will get daily healthy snacks, will be engaged in activities, and will have a great deal of information to take home and share with their family. The issue: who is going to pay for it? As everyone who tries to eat healthy has discovered, healthy food is most definitely not cheap. This is a fact that has frustrated me for years. Many people cannot afford (financially) to be healthy, but none of us can afford (physically) to be unhealthy! This is one of those shake-my-head-with-confusion-and-upset moments. This fact is only perpetuating the unhealthy lifestyle so many people find themselves trapped in, but I am also now left wondering how I am going to provide healthy food for 30 students everyday for two weeks!? I will not be defeated, though -  I have a plan! Fingers crossed for me people!

Site Shout-Out: "Mission Nutrition"

As mentioned in my first post, I am currently putting a health and wellness program together for a group of grade 7 and 8 students. In searching for resources, I stumbled across this nifty website: "Mission Nutrition". Unlike many other health companies, websites, or brands that have sponsors, this site (affiliated with Kellogg Canada Inc), does not try to slip in any sort of advertising in their information, suggestions, tips, or resources.

This site is FILLED with ways to incorporate healthy living ideals into the classroom - that's right, as lesson plans! The "Educators" section allows you to select the grade level for appropriate curriculum content, while also providing ways to make the home environment more health conscious in the "Families" portion of the site. The "Lead By Example" area is useful for parents and teachers alike - and really, it is not only our students who could use a little boost in this department! Finally, the "Resources" section is full of other sites, etc, directing you on where to go to find more information. This site is the total package! LOVE IT!

The Education Connection

Now that the intro is out of the way, it's time to delve into the topic at hand: just how does all of this play into education? To start, I'll recall my experience again. Aside from the obvious connection regarding lack of attendance because of the physical reactions to anxiety and depression, when I did attend, I was exhausted, distracted, emotional, distant, and generally uncomfortable. So even when I was there, physically there, I wasn't really there mentally. Meaning not learning. I quickly fell behind, which added to my anxiety and depression, which sped up the spiralling relationship. It is only now, at the age of 25 that I genuinely feel like I have a handle on my own health, regardless of what is thrown at me! This was definitely a process of trial and error though, and it definitely has not always been pretty. But once I learned the tools that allow me to hop back on that metaphorical wagon, and the results become clearer and clearer, my confidence in myself and in my body have increased greatly. These tools, tips, and strategies were sought out by me. No one handed them to me. Because of this, it has been a struggle. And now that I am completing teachers college, I am realizing the importance of everyone having this knowledge, and making these connections. A healthy student is an active, attentive, and achieving student; Someone we all want filling up the seats of our classroom. Again, this is just the tip of the iceberg, but I hope you can all see where my passion is coming from and why this topic is of such great importance and relevance. Kristine

Starting from the beginning...

While following several friends' blogs over the past year, I have come to learn just how powerful this electronic-public-journal can be. As such, as I embark on what could be a great adventure, I thought it best to chronicle the process. But first - a bit of back story...

I am someone who has had a plethora of health issues for as long as I can remember. Never anything too bad (thankfully), but a lot of minor things adds up, and wears on you. For several years now I have been a huge believer in the mind-body connection, meaning that whatever mental state you are in, be it happy, sad, mad, stressed, etc, you have physical reactions. By reactions, I am referring to experiences greater than a smile, a tear, a red face, a headache...Emotions can have lasting effects on our physical selves, and vice versa.

In high school, I began having severe heart palpitations, insomnia, and almost constant nausea. After many tests and much concern, it became evident that I was not suffering from a physical ailment, but rather Clinical Anxiety. My mind-body connection would rear its head once again during my undergraduate career, as I began having mysterious pain all throughout my body. The more doctors I saw, the fewer answers I received, the more depressed I became, the pain would get worse. I felt trapped. Thankfully, I have been able to control these severe aches through a specific diet, regular exercise, rest, and de-stressing (whenever possible!).

I feel very strongly about the cyclical relationship between lifestyle, mental, emotional, and physical well being. Perhaps this interconnected relationship seems obvious to some. If so, great! Spread the word! But as important as acknowledging mental and emotional health is, it is only part of the puzzle. And seeing as how my efforts are directed at the health of the whole student, much more attention needs to be placed on their physical well being than is currently the focus. More on this to come!

Almost a year ago now, I decided to put all  my practical experience to good use with the hopes of helping others like me: I became a Certified Wellness Coach, and a Lifestyle and Weight Management Specialist. This information and knowledge coupled with my personal history is the driving force behind my desire to ensure the best future possible for students.

Currently, I am creating a nutrition and physical activity program for grade 7 and 8 students which I will be using for a final project with Althouse College. As I share this experience via blog and track my (hopeful) success, I will also be working towards creating more opportunities like this one. I will also be posting interesting and useful articles, tips, and websites on the matter for anyone who would like to learn more. 

 But for now, g'night!

Kristine