Archives June 2021

3 reasons why your teen should drink water will be discuss in this blog. Drinking water is an important healthy habit for teens because drinking water is essential to a healthy body. It helps maintain a balance of minerals and fluids in the cells, aids digestion, transports nutrients, and maintains skin moisture. Drinking water is a healthy habit for teens because it keeps teens energized by replenishing your energy stores with oxygen-rich H2O. Likewise, the average teen drinks about 1.5 liters of water per day, which is less than adults. As teens go through puberty and grow their metabolism increases so they should drink more water to stay healthy and hydrated. Not only that, but drinking plenty of water can help prevent headaches and migraines. As well as, helps maintain a healthy weight, prevents constipation, kidney stones, diabetes and other illnesses. The best way to stay hydrated is through drinking plenty of clean glassfuls throughout the day; not just when you’re thirsty or it’s hot outside.

This blog will discuss 3 reasons why your teen should drink water

1) Weight Management

One reason your teen should drink water is because can help with weight loss by suppressing your appetite – Drinking plenty of water aids in digestion and metabolism, which leads to less food intake and more calories burning. The body needs water for digestion and metabolism. But with so many delicious beverages out there that are high in sugar and calories, it’s easy for teens to get caught up in the hype of these other options. More so, water has zero calories! It’s also free and easily available – all you need is a tap or bottle! The best part is that by drinking plenty of water throughout the day, you’ll actually suppress your appetite because your brain will think that you’ve had more food than you really have!

2) Flushes Toxins

One reason your teen should drink water is because it can help with flushing toxins of the body. The liver is the most important organ in your body, but it can’t function properly without enough fluids. More so, your organs will work more efficiently to remove waste products from your system.  When you drink less than eight glasses of water every day, toxins build up and may even cause damage to this vital part of your health! This is especially important for teens that are constantly growing and developing new cells- they need lots of fluids to help clean up old cells so their bodies can keep going strong!

3) Reduce Acne

One reason your teen should drink water is because it can help with preventing acne on the body. Drinking water prevents acne because acne develops when pores clog up with oil, dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells. There is a common misconception that drinking water can worsen acne breakouts, but it’s actually the opposite. Drinking plenty of water can help clear up acne and prevent future breakouts from occurring.  Research shows that an increase in fluids may reduce stress hormones which are known to aggravate symptoms of acne. It also helps flush out toxins through sweat glands and urination. It’s important for people with skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis to drink more water because their skin may be dryer than average due to a reduction in oil production caused by these diseases. 

I call my blog post “3 Reasons why your teen should drink water” because it has three important benefits for teens. Drinking plenty of water can help with weight loss, prevent acne and flush toxins from the body. What are some other reasons that drinking water is good? Comment below!

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Healthy habits for teens are important to develop because the teen years are a time for growth and exploration. From school to extracurricular activities, it’s hard to find time for the things they need most like sleep and healthy eating habits. And as such, the demands on their bodies often lead them to make unhealthy choices that can have long-term consequences. But with a little bit of guidance and education, parents can help their teenagers develop healthy habits that will last them well into adulthood. These four habits not only provide benefits for teens but they also reduce stress levels which can affect moods and grades! Start today by implementing these simple steps into your daily routine and see how much healthier, happier, and more productive your child becomes!

1) Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables

Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is a healthy habit for teens. Just like a teen’s brain and body, their gut is a developing system that needs to be nurtured. Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables is important for teens. Fruits provide the body with carbohydrates for energy while veggies offer vitamins that strengthen bones among other benefits. This is because they contain many nutrients that are essential for your health, such as fibre, potassium, vitamin C, and folate (vitamin B9). Fruits and vegetables also provide antioxidants which protect cells from damage. Eating a variety of colours provides you with the most benefits.

2) Exercise Regularly

The importance of a teen exercising regularly as a healthy habit cannot be overstated. Teens are constantly bombarded with messages from friends and family about what to eat and how to stay fit. It can be hard to know where to start or who is telling the truth! Luckily, there are many resources available for you that will help you get started on your fitness journey. Exercise helps reduce stress levels by releasing endorphins into the body which makes us feel good. This is especially helpful during stressful times like exams or breakups when we may not be eating well or sleeping enough! Exercise also releases serotonin which boosts moods while reducing anxiety levels. Regular exercise has been shown time and again as an effective treatment option for depression because it increases energy levels while decreasing feelings of sadness or hopelessness. In fact, studies show that regular physical activity can alleviate symptoms of depression just as much as antidepressants do without any side effects! Physical activity improves sleep quality by helping regulate hormone production throughout the day (i.e., cortisol).

3) Less Time on Screen

With the introduction of technology, a lot of teens are spending more time on their screens than they do in front-of-a mirror. Some parents believe that this is hurting both physical and mental health as well as social skills. Avoid sitting at the table while watching TV or playing on Social Media: This may keep you in “mindless mode” which means that when it comes time for dinner, all you’ll want is something simple like fast-food instead of working towards cooking an actual meal.

4) Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is one of the most important healthy habits for teens. Sleep is important for your health and well-being. It helps you stay alert, improves your mood, and can even help prevent obesity. But it’s not always easy to get the recommended 8 hours of sleep every night. A lack of sleep can lead to health problems, such as obesity and diabetes. It also affects your grades in school and moods. Get Enough Sleep will help you get a better night’s rest so you can be more productive during the day!

We hope these four tips will help you get your teen to start their day off on the right foot. If they’re struggling with grades, moods, or stress levels. Then, make sure your teens are eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables; exercising regularly. As well as, limiting screen time so it doesn’t interfere with homework or socializing; and getting enough sleep. It may seem like a lot but each one is simple to do! Contact us, if you have any questions about how we can support your family’s needs.

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Healthy eating habits for teens are very vital as they are at a crucial stage in their life.

The teenage years can be a difficult time for teens and their parents. Teens are going through so many changes physically, mentally and socially. One of the most important things to remember is that teens need healthy food choices in order to help them grow strong, physically and mentally. They are transitioning from childhood to adulthood; they need more guidance than ever about how to make the best decisions for themselves. It’s important that for parents/caregivers to start by letting your teens know that it’s okay not to be okay. It’s okay not to be perfect, and help them build good habits early on so as to avoid dealing with these issues later.

Following these three tips, your teen will be one step closer to becoming an independent adult who knows how to take care of themselves well.

1) Eat Breakfast

Eating breakfast is the best way to start the day for teens. The first meal of the day should be nutritious and filling, giving you energy for your morning activities. In fact, research has shown that eating high-quality proteins at breakfast leads to better cognitive functioning in children by lunchtime! More so, adding fresh fruits with breakfast like watermelon or bananas provide high levels of energy. In addition, when eaten first thing in the morning which will prepare kids’ brains for learning throughout their day at school! Plus it helps cut down on sugar cravings later during the course of their busy schedules.

2) Drink Water

Drinking water is important for teens because are at risk for dehydration, which is a serious condition. The importance of a teen drinking water daily can’t be stressed enough. Drinking the recommended amount of eight 8 ounce glasses per day will keep your body hydrated, which is important for maintaining good health. Dehydration may make you feel tired and lightheaded because it impacts concentration levels and causes headaches. As well, it slows metabolism! It is important for Teens to stay properly hydrated because helps prevent kidney stones which is pass through your urinary system. This also reduces pain associated with passing small amounts urine frequently without noticing too much discomfort.

3) Limit your intake of sugar and processed foods

Teens limiting your intake of sugar and processed foods is important and healthy. Processed food can lead to a lot more weight gain than natural, unprocessed foods because they typically have high levels of calories from fat or refined carbs with little nutritional value. As teens grow up, it becomes harder and even scarier for some people (especially those who are predisposed) to maintain the same body type that they had in high school due to hormonal changes caused by puberty; this makes dieting an important factor into maintaining your ideal self-image.

The challenge of getting your teen to eat healthy can seem daunting and overwhelming. It’s important that you start by letting them know that it’s okay not to be perfect. Help them build good habits early on so they don’t have to deal with these issues later in life. If you need more guidance in teaching a teenager about living healthier, please contact me for an appointment or consultation.

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-full life.

Nutrition and mental health are intertwined in a variety of ways. The relationship between nutrition and mental health is a topic that has been studied extensively. The research also suggested that poor diet can have an impact on one’s mood and digestion.  The food we eat can affect our mood and abilities to think clearly. Learning how to manage both aspects is key for feeling better. Eating well also helps to combat the sluggishness from a lack of sleep or stress.

The integration of nutritious foods into our daily lives is key to improving our mental health.

Mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety are often thought of as something that can be cured with medication, but what most people don’t realize is the importance nutrition plays in one’s moods. Studies have shown a correlation between eating healthy food and feeling better mentally. More so, it means incorporating nutrient-rich ingredients into your diet will make you feel much more relaxed day-to-day life!

In this blog, we will explore the role of nutrition in mental health and the types of food that improve mood and reduce anxiety

The Role of Nutrition in Mental Health

The role of nutrition in mental health is important and known by people. The brain is like a car that needs to be fuel with the right food to function right. As such, certain nutrients are essential for brain function. Nonetheless, many people who suffer from depression or anxiety do so because they don’t eat right as well as exercising enough, there’s evidence that suggests some dietary changes can help manage symptoms too. Additionally, consider how our bodies’ nutritional needs change as our mental states shift from feeling neutral or good to being stressed and anxious. Hence, it seems logical that what they eat might also alter these feelings in some way!

The research shows that people were found to have higher levels of depression if they ate fewer fruits/vegetables, eating unhealthy food with high sugar content, and consumed alcohol excessively, and lived alone for long periods time without socializing very often or having many friends.

Food that improves mental health

Knowing the types of food that improves mental health is important because eating certain types of food can help you to feel better. Mental health issues are a serious problem in today’s society, and as such it’s not always easy to tell which foods are the best for your mental health, and what is just a myth. There are many foods that can help improve your mental health without medication. In fact, several studies have shown that eating certain types of food high in Omega- 3 fatty acids, fruits & veggies, nuts, proteins, legumes, and complex carbohydrate can actually reduce anxiety, increase energy, and increase overall happiness levels.

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-ful life.

Nutrition and the Brain is an important discussion. It has been said that “you are what you eat” and this is true for the brain as well. The brain needs a constant supply of nutrients to function, grow, and repair it. However, there is no one type of food that contains all the nutrients our brains need. What we eat matters just as much as how often we exercise or sleep. Just like other organs in your body, your brain thrives on variety!

You may not know that the food you eat can affect your mood and behaviour. But did you also know it has a significant impact on cognitive function? This is because nutrients we consume are necessary for brain activity. The best way to get these essential elements is by eating healthy foods like dairy, vegetables, fruits or legumes since they provide us with lots of vitamins such as folate which helps support our thinking skills!

The brain is made up of many different types of cells that need fuel to function properly, such as proteins, fats, minerals (calcium), vitamins (B12) and more. These nutrients are delivered by blood vessels that travel through our body when we consume them in food or drink.

The brain is a very multifaceted and subtle organ because it controls our consciousness, movement, sensation, and emotions. It needs good nutrition in order to function properly, but it does not always get what it needs from the food we eat. In today’s post, I will go over some of the basics about how diet can impact brain development and functioning as well as provide tips on how parents can help their children with healthy eating habits.

Nutrition and the Brain: Nutrients that is good for your brain

Your brain is a very complex organ and it needs all the proper nutrients to function at its best. You know that eating right is good for you, but what are some of the foods that will help your brain? A healthy diet can go a long way in helping with memory loss or other types of cognitive decline as you age. It’s never too early or late to take care of your mind! One way to make sure you’re getting enough protein, potassium and magnesium is by adding these three items into your diet on a regular basis. Protein helps build up cells throughout your body while potassium and magnesium are both essential for communication between those same cells. Adding more vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA), probiotics/prebiotics (good bacteria) into your diet—so you get all the benefits they provide for your health and wellbeing.

Nutrition has a direct impact on your ability to think clearly and make decisions — whether you’re trying to solve a problem at work, learn something new for school, remember where you put your keys after coming home from work late at night…the list goes on! Fortunately there are simple things we can do every day like eating more vegetables (and less sugar) that will help nourish our brains so we can stay sharp and focused all day long.

Nutrients not good for Your Brain

People always ask what food or nutrients are not good for your brain. There is no easy answer. The best thing to do is eat a balanced diet, avoid fast food and sugary sodas, and take supplements if you need them. Nutrients not good for the brain include sugar, fat, processed grains and trans fats. Eating healthy foods such as vegetables can help prevent cognitive decline in old age. A study found that people who ate lots of fruits and vegetables had better memories than those who did not consume these nutrients.

We have discussed nutrition and the brain, nutrients good for the brain, and nutrients not good for the brain. Nutrition is very important because the food we eat affects our behaviour and mood. As such, it’s essential to feed the brain with the right nutrients so it can function as it should. Food is fuel for the body and brain. Lastly, eating a balanced diet rich in nutrients will help you get rid of these issues and boost your moods while improving your memory, concentration and focus as well. If you have any questions about how we can help support your family’s diet with nutritious foods like those mentioned above, please call our office today! We’re always happy to answer all of your concerns.”

Emem Iniobong is a Brandon MB, Canadian Certified Counsellor that helps children, teens, young adults, parents, and families in dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, parenting support to live a more fulfilled and bliss-ful life.

The right nutrition needed for children and teens is important for parents to know. Parents and caregivers have many questions when it comes to their child’s growth and development. One common question I hear from parents and caregivers is “what should my child eat?” Not easy to answer but these guidelines will guide parents and caregiver in making better food choices for your children and teens.

As a parent or caregiver, you want to make sure your child is getting the proper nutrients for growth and development. This blog post will be about how different foods can help children with their specific needs in order to grow into healthy adults.

This blog post is going to cover three main food groups: proteins, vegetables, and fruits that are necessary for the development of children and teens. The first topic will be protein which helps build strong muscles and bones in children’s bodies as they are still growing. Protein also provides energy so your child has enough fuel to get through the day at school or playtime with friends. Next we will discuss vegetables which provide vitamins that promote health such as Vitamin A, C, K; folate; iron; magnesium; potassium—all of these are important to the development of children and teens.

Protein Nutrition needed for Children and Teens

Protein nutrition needed for children and teens is very important because protein helps build strong muscles and provides energy in children and teens. The problem is children and teens need protein nutrition but they don’t get enough. Children and teen who don’t get enough protein are at risk of stunted growth, weakened immune systems, lost bone mass and delayed cognitive development. Protein is important for the development of children and teens, but most parents do not know that there are only a few sources of protein in their diet. The best way to provide children and teen with adequate amounts of protein nutrition is by eating more foods that contain high levels of proteins such as lean meat, fish, tofu, beans, eggs or milk products. It’s also possible to consume supplements containing essential amino acids like whey powder or casein protein which can be used before going to bed at night. This will help muscle growth and repair overnight while you sleep so you wake up feeling refreshed!

Vegetables Nutrition needed for Children and Teens        

Vegetable nutrition needed for children and teens is very important because vegetable promote health, gives vitamins, energy, and minerals that the body needs. Children and teens need to eat vegetables every day, but it can be hard for them to get enough veggies. Likewise, parents are not sure how many vegetables their kids should eat every day. It’s hard to get enough veggies in your diet when you’re a kid or teen.

The best way for children and teens to get the nutrients they need is from eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. But most kids don’t like the taste or texture of veggies, so parents often struggle with getting their little ones to eat enough produce.

Fruits

Fruits are an essential nutrition needed for children and teen because they are high in vitamins, minerals and fiber, and also promote good health and protect against disease. In order to have a healthy body, we need to eat healthy food. Our body needs vitamins, minerals and fiber from fruit daily. Fruits are essential for maintaining good health in children and teens because it contains antioxidants that fight against diseases such as cancer. More so, parent and caregiver know that eating fruits is important for our health but most people do not consume enough fruits each day. Eating more fresh fruits can help prevent heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes type 2 obesity and even some cancers. One of the easiest ways to increase your children and teens intake of fresh fruit is by juicing them at home. This will allow your children and teens to drink juice instead of sugar filled sodas which contain lots of calories but no nutrients!

We have discussed the three main food groups that are necessary for children and teens to develop. Protein is an important source of amino acids, which help build muscle mass in growing bodies; vegetables provide vitamins and minerals that aid in digestion; fruits contain antioxidants that fight against free radicals. . If you have any questions about how we can help support your family’s diet with nutritious foods like those mentioned above, please call our office today! We’re always happy to answer all of your concerns.”

Emem Iniobong, CCC is a Canadian Certified Counsellor in Brandon, Manitoba. She specializes in working with children and adolescents experiencing various mental, behavioural, and emotional challenges.  Passionate about helping children and teens find their unique strengths, she develops skills, so they can overcome whatever challenges they face and bravely navigate the world around them.